*Thank you to Netgalley, John Marrs and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital ARC of this being republished!*

This was previously published as Welcome to Wherever You Are, repub date of Dec 19/23, long before I knew John Marrs. I have now devoured a few of his and he just writes some great thrillers. Many intricate twists and turns and effortlessly weaving so many characters stories together in this psychological thriller that kept me up and glued to my Kindle to finish it. Highly recommend this one to anyone wanting a good thrill or an established John Marrs fan! This one is not my top John Marrs but it holds its own.

I'm glad I knew this was one of John Marrs' early works because it definitely wasn't as tightly written as The One. Lots of astounding coincidences and character turns that didn't totally make sense (like Tommy's). It was still enjoyable and once I got used to the flashbacks inside of some of the chapters, it flowed just fine to me. I'm curious what parts Marrs rewrote, because there were some things that didn't make sense but then there were references to Selling Sunset, which post-dates this book's original publication. There were definitely some plot twists I didn't foresee and some that I did. I like the idea of the hostel becoming home for people. but where did Peyk go?!

I received an advanced copy of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing via NetGalley.

Eight strangers, all seeking a fresh start and eager to escape their pasts, find themselves united at a Los Angeles backpacker hostel. Motivated by the craving for a new identity and a chance to begin anew, they're bound by a common desire. However, their pursuit of a clean slate turns out to be more challenging than anticipated. They soon realize that no matter where or who they are, if they cannot resolve their pasts, chance, destiny, and deceit have a knack for catching up with them when they least expect it.

A hostel is an interesting setting for a book. Well, I have been in a few myself as an American. It is true. I have always opted for a hotel, rather than a hostel and left the hostels to the European countries. At first, the abundance of characters was quite confusing. However, the author did an amazing job with each character's storyline, making it easy to follow pretty quickly, especially considering the amount of characters. I do like how, even though particularly all of the characters were strangers, the author did a great job of interestingly intersecting them, and left more than one surprise along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press, and John Marrs for allowing me to review this twisty character driven novel. I enjoyed this book over all, however, it was a tad difficult to follow given the large number of characters and view points. This is a bit different from his usual fast paced novels as this is more slow paced and character driven. I still very much enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who enjoy character driven thrillers. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you again.

Review of The Vacation by John Marrs.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Hanover Square Press for the ARC and the opportunity for an honest review.

The Vacation is a story about different people that find connections with others through various paths their travels take them. You will encounter characters that are on the receiving end of tragedy, loss, strength, redemption, and revenge; some characters cause the aforementioned.

Character development strongly influenced my review. Each main character has a backstory weaved throughout and you get a true sense of who they are. The characters are written well and it’s easy to recreate and visualize them in your mind. There are characters that you definitely root for, and some not so much.

The plot is pretty well developed and everything is tied up with conflicts resolved in the end. There are a couple side characters I would’ve loved to know what happened to them in the end, but it’s written in a way you can infer that their lives go on as before. Jaw dropping moments, big and small, are sprinkled throughout the novel, however I did expect more of them considering the previous books I've read by John Marrs. I would consider this book a bit of a slow burn, however I didn’t mind because it’s written so well I was invested in all the characters' conflicts. And let me tell you, there are definitely some doozy conflicts, hence the jaw dropping moments!

This novel overall was a 4/5 star read for me only because the slow burn lasted longer than I anticipated, and I wanted additional major conflicts to surface. His twists are so good, how could I not want more? I will be reading more books by this author because his creativity is just too good to ignore and his writing is by far nearly exquisite.

I typically love John Marrs books, but this one I did not. It was difficult to follow with so many characters.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing

How far would you run away to escape your past?

One of the things that did not work for me was the multiple POVs in this story. This story has 8 people who are strangers escaping something from their past. It's told from the present and the past, and I thought it was hard to follow. I didn't like many of the characters. However, even with this I liked a lot of the book!

I found this storyline extremely difficult to follow with the multiple-character points of view and constant varying timeline flashbacks throughout. The first half was so slow-paced with eight different main characters being developed along with their backstories I almost stopped reading at this midpoint.

However, I am glad I continued reading and powered through because I did enjoy the second half of the book where each character's storyline was wrapped up with their individual twists and turns. The last third of the book had me turning pages and staying awake to see what happened next.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my voluntary and honest review.

4.5 Stars

This story is not what I was expecting from John Marrs. This was not one of his dark, fast-paced thrillers, nor was it one of his speculative fictions. Instead, it unfolded as a complex tapestry of interconnected stories, delving deep into the intricacies of human nature.

The plot revolves around eight strangers seeking refuge from their pasts at an old Venice Beach hostel. The characters are engaging, with short chapters providing glimpses into each person's present perspective and glimpses into their past, revealing their secrets.

While juggling various points of view and timelines may seem challenging at first, the effort is worthwhile. The story's complexity adds depth, making it a compelling read for those who enjoy diverse perspectives. However, if you prefer straightforward narratives, this might not be the right fit for you.

Overall, ‘The Vacation’ stands as a compelling story characterized by outstanding character development and inventive storytelling. Marrs skillfully presents a narrative that sparks contemplation, ensuring readers remain captivated and eagerly anticipate each unfolding revelation.

Many thanks to the publisher for the DRC via NetGalley

I was provided an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was an engaging read with lots of relationship drama and multiple story lines. Author did a great job with character and plot development although it did feel a little drawn out and slow in parts.

This was my first John Marrs read, and with "The Vacation", he's created a thought-provoking story that explores identity, belonging and the complexities of human connection in the digital age. He follows the story of 8 backpackers at a rundown hostel in Venice Beach, CA, each of whom have different reasons for their stay. Initially, it was a little difficult to transition between both the different points of view as well as the different times (flashbacks to provide backstory were frequent), but the latter did a well enough job of keeping me interested in the characters' motivations. Where their storylines intersect is when you see Marr's storytelling at its best.

What I appreciated about "The Vacation" was that instead of one jaw-dropping twist, Marr sprinkles smaller moments throughout. He writes crisply and concisely, and I'm looking forward to delving into Marr's earlier works to get another glimpse of what he can do.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my least favorite of John Marrs' books. This one felt a little too action thriller for me - that is likely my fault for not getting past but overall, I just didn't love the vibes. Maybe at a different time of year, I'd enjoy it more as I am more of a mood reader for sure.

I received this ARC, only to find out it had been originally published in 2018. Since I didn’t read it back then, I can’t make comparisons for any differences, but alas, I didn’t feel strongly about this one.

I’ve read one or two others by John Marrs, though nothing compares to the originality of The One. I know it’s unfair to compare book siblings, but here we are.

The Vacation is set in Venice Beach, California, which is the ultimate setting if want interesting, possibly shady characters, as this is what you'll find along the entire boardwalk. The premise is a bit like The Real World: Eight strangers live in a house, only in this case, it’s a hostel, and they all have hidden pasts and are seemingly on the verge of a breakdown.

The problem is, much like reality TV, I didn’t like any of the characters, and the flip-flopping stories and timelines were too much. I’m not opposed to alternating narrators or non-sequential dates, but I couldn’t get my footing to feel any depth.

Setting-wise, it’s superb. But imagine standing at the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean; it’s fun for a few minutes but eventually you either want to wade deeper or get out altogether, and I did the latter.

3.5/5 rounded up

This book features eight characters, each running from something somewhere in the world who all end up in a run-down hostel in Venice Beach. While forming their own little community, each plays their cards close to the vest, unsure of who to trust.

I honestly struggled with this book at the beginning. There are a lot of characters and a lot of backstory. Not much really happens by way of action until later in the book. I did come to like and root for some of the characters, though that came once we got to know the characters better. This is a little bit of a love letter to backpacking, as we discover the author did a backpacking trip to the US in the early '90s. If you love travel or have been backpacking this one may be more for you. Or if you're just a fan of John Marrs' books like I am.

Thank you to Hanover Square Press, author John Marrs, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

I loved the location of a hostel in Venice Beach Los Angeles. The book follows 8 characters who left a bad situation around the world. Although each character has their own unique story, 8 characters with different plots was a lot to keep up with and contributed to a lack of action throughout the book. The end ties up nicely, but made me wish for more depth.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am really not sure what I think about this one.

I was expecting more of a crime thriller. Instead, I got a bunch of tragic yet quirky characters in a youth hostel.

It does, indeed, get violent eventually. And some of our tragic characters end up in even more tragic situations by book’s end. However, it really felt a bit like one dude’s memories of backpacking and reminiscing about the folks you meet at hostels. Which would likely be of some interest if I’d ever been a backpacking traveler who stayed at youth hostels and drifted around the world. I wasn’t.

I think that some folks will absolutely love this one and will be lost in some memories. Others will be fascinated by the tragic lives of our characters. I just…wanted more to happen.

Not, unfortunately, for me.

The Vacation is the third iteration of this book and this first time I have read it. Centered around a group of very disparate characters in a Venice Hostel all with lots of secrets about their identities and their pasts.

Having never stayed in a hostel, Marrs really brought that lifestyle to life for me. The vast array of personalities and what it would be like to spend time in such close quarters with others was very well documented.

I had a really hard time getting into the book because there are a lot of characters and even though some of their histories were being slowly revealed, I just wasn't getting into the story or their connections. Luckily the second half of the book picked up and I began to care about the characters.

The point of only having a glimpse into others' lives was emphasized in the epilogue where people are gone and we don't know what happened to them.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley, Hanover Square Press, and John Marrs for the advanced copy of The Vacation in exchange for my honest review.

This isn't my favorite John Marrs book I've ever read, but it was still entertaining. My main gripe is that it felt too long and I had a really hard time distinguishing between characters until about 30% through the book.

Ultimately I found it interesting how the characters weaved together and there were a couple genuinely shocking moments towards the end.

John Marrs remains an autobuy author for me and ultimately I would recommend this one to fans of his past books!

The Vacation will be on US bookshelves on December 19th.

I tried really hard to like this one. I started it over twice. I just found myself so bored with this one. I don't know why but it just was not for me.

I love John Marrs but this one was too confusing and slow for me, I could not get into it and forced myself to finish. The issue for me was the amount of characters and introductions, it became hard to follow who was who from the beginning and what their story was. Then there was time shifts between past and present which made it even more confusing. A big chunk of the story was also getting to know the characters and why they were at the venice beach motel - what they were running away from. I figured early on they would all have some sort of connection which is why I pushed to finish.

Overall, I think this would be a great movie as it would be easier to follow but would not recommend this read to you if you get confused easily with characters and timeline. 2⭐️

Thank you for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this title via NetGalley.