I have tried several times to get into this book. No such luck. I see if was first released a few years ago. A lot of strangers at a hostel… just can’t get into it. Sorry

John Marrs is one of my favorite authors, and I've rated all of his books 4 or 5. Something didn't work for me with this book. I ended up not finishing it because I thought the pace was too slow, and I wasn't interested/invested in the characters.

This was my first book by this author and it definitely won't be my last. I loved it all. Every single word. He draws you in with the description and really makes you feel like you're a part of it.

I enjoyed this book up until the ending about the last 10% I felt like too much was going on. Other than that it was an enjoyable read

I was so excited to receive this book, as John Marrs is one of my favorite authors. This book is probably my least favorite of his.

Surprisingly, I didn’t have problems keeping track of who is who. There are a lot of characters and storylines to follow but it wasn’t hard to keep track. I didn’t love that a lot of the chapters ended in cliffhangers, and we had to cycle through other character’s chapters before figuring out what happened next.

I love short chapters, but this book is longer than I usually like to read, and I found the first half to be pretty slow. Things really picked up in the second half and I really liked how we learned how everyone was connected.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

John Marrs is an auto buy author of mine and I was thrilled to read THE VACATION. Marrs is no stranger to writing multiple POV with short, attention grabbing chapters that make you yearn for more. While it was fun putting the puzzle pieces together to understand how these strangers connected, I think eight characters was too much. I wasn’t able to dig into their individual stories deeply and therefore, couldn’t become invested in their lives, good or bad.

John Marrs is an autobuy author for me and I’ve read every one of his books since he released The Passengers. These past few months I’ve started working on his backlist while waiting for his new releases.

When I discovered he was re-releasing one of his older books under a new name, I had to have it!

And I couldn’t get enough. I spent two very late work nights reading The Vacation because I had such a hard time putting this story down.

Eight strangers come together in a run down hostel located in Venice Beach in California. All have vastly different reasons for being there and their stories are told with flashbacks, short chapters, and a lot of back and forths between each character. At first it was a little like watching several games of ping pong at the same time. But once you get into the flow of the writing style, I became completely invested in these characters.

I’m not sure how far into the book it was when something happens that was pure John Marrs. I about threw my Kindle. And then it didn’t stop! …and I was all in!

John Marrs is officially one of my favorite authors, and I can’t wait to be able to read whatever he comes up with next!

*Thanks so much to partner Harlequin Books and to NetGalley for the gifted eGalley!*

The Vacation follows a group of people staying at Venice Beach Hostel, all for different reasons and each with their own very unique background.

First of all, WOW this story was incredibly well written, probably some of the best writing I’ve had the privilege of reading this year. Most writers would have struggled with so many POVs, but Marrs handled it expertly. He allowed me to get to know each character gradually, giving just enough time for each POV that could I could keep track of each character without becoming attached, then decreasing the length of each POV as the story went on. With so many characters there were a ton of twists and I was so engaged for the story. Would highly recommend this book to most people.

Hostels are known for bringing together guests from all over the world, each with their own stories and experiences that lead them to the cheap accommodation that they now inhabit. In this book, we visit a hostel in Venice Beach, where a variety of strangers have come together. While some are on vacation, some are running from something. And each one is also hiding a secret from the others; one that could change everything.

The book is told from the POVs of each of the hostel residents and jumps between the present day and the past as the story of how each person ended up in Venice Beach is revealed.

I would classify this book as a drama/action suspense book. It weaves together the stories of the residents of the Venice Beach International Hostel, from the front desk clerk Tommy, who is running from a rough situation back home; to Matt’s and Declan, two Irish lads on an international tour who seem tough, but are hiding a heavy burden. To me, each story was interesting. There wasn’t a dull one in the bunch. So needless to say, I was furiously turning pages, waiting to see how everything turned out.

And the stories each had great intersections as well. There were some great twists and turns as the stories either interwove or as a new secret was revealed. The author did a great job connecting the characters and their stories. I really felt like I knew them by the end of the novel, they were so well developed.

I absolutely would read more from this author and highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good, immersive read. It’s a great read from start to finish!

This book is soooo boring! None of the conversations were even a little bit interesting and the plot was non-existent. I had to stop reading at page 70 because nothing was happening. It would also constantly jump time lines, which was confusing.

John Marrs always writes a story that you will find hard to put down and The Vacation is no exception.

Its a story full of secrets that each and every one of the eight strangers has that come to a run down Venice Beach backpackers hostel ,

Secrets, a past and a story to tell.

Once I got to know Tommy, Ruth, Savannah, Matty, Declan, Erik and Jake all with a story to tell, I was more than hooked, I hated to put the book down.

When I wasn't reading I was thinking about all of them and what would happen next.

John Marrs kept me guessing to the final page and I wont soon forget The Vacation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harelquin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press for a compelling read.

John Marrs does it again! On the surface, this multiple POV thriller makes you think you know the characters, then it completely turns your world upside down! I really enjoyed the dynamics between all the characters and the relationships they developed with one another. Who knew that when you’re lost you can find yourself among a group of traveling strangers!

Tommy has found his home away from home at a hostel in Venice Beach. He ends up crossing paths with many others who are not only traveling, but many that are working to escape their former selves.

John Marrs is the king of taking a huge number of characters and weaving this story that intertwined perfectly. Most of the time I don’t enjoy so many stories going on at once, but he does such a fantastic job making them work together that I plowed through this book just like all his others!

The cover got me! The title did too! But sadly the story didn't do it for me. There were too many plots and characters and friends of characters to really make sense of what was happening. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Two stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, John Marrs, and Harlequin Publishing for this ARC! Sadly, this book was mostly a miss for me. If I hadn't set out to review this book, I likely would have DNF'd it.
The number of characters and the characters' friends with their own individual backstories was a lot for me to handle while reading this, and I felt I had to force myself to pick it back up and keep going.
I highly enjoyed The One by Marrs - which also had several characters, but I felt Marrs did such a better job portraying those characters as memorable individuals in comparison to the people you'll find in The Vacation. While I would not recommend this book, I would recommend The One, so maybe pick that one up instead.
2 stars

The book doesn’t have a set date but I must say it definitely reminded me of the 90s.
A group of misfits all trying to run away from their current lives in search of a new start. Different stories from all over the world but they all end up in a hostel in Venice beach. You get pulled into all of their lives and find a connection to each one. As different as each of their stories are you are never confused or lost as to what your reading they are intertwined in a way that keeps your attention and you can’t put the book down. Highly recommend reading this one. John Marrs does not disappoint

At a hostel in Santa Monica, eight people's lives become intertwined. It was an interesting take on so many stories where a group of friends go somewhere and start learning each others' secrets. Instead these are strangers who enter each others' lives. I did think some of the coincidences of intersection were a little far fetched. That was a bit much to accept. But the twists and turns the story took were enjoyable and I really liked the characters and how they evolved through the course of the book. As a fan of Mr. Marrs more speculative fiction, this was a good start into the other side of his writing. He holds up!

Thank you to #NetGalley, John Marrs and Harlequin Trade Publications for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Vacation, to be published 19 December 2023. I found this storyline to be somewhat disconnected — especially since many chapters ended in cliffhangers. 3/5 Stars for this multiple character point of view story. This was about several people, most of whom were foreigners to the US, who stayed in a hostel in Los Angeles whose lives all connected to some degree. It was an interesting read. Recommended for fans of John Marrs. #NetGalley #HarlequinTradePublications #JohnMarrs #TheVacation

I've heard great things about this author, so I was excited to read this. However, it missed the mark for me. Too many characters and a pace that was too slow for the genre made it hard for me to stay engaged. I did like the short, cliffhanger chapters. The abundance of backstory dragged things down, and it felt a bit unnecessary. This might have benefitted from a smaller cast of characters so the reader could have an easier time following and connecting with them.

Interesting characters, story and plot. Enjoyed the read and a perfect escape for a cold winter afternoon or a nice afternoon at the beach. Thanks