This was my first John Marrs novel and it won’t be my last. The book was fast paced, with short chapters, and an interesting story line for each character. There were many characters in the novel, which was overwhelming at first, but added to the the plot nicely. Each character had a distinct personality and was complex in their own way.

The Vacation is about individuals who all end up staying at a hostel in L.A., and the people and stories that led them there. Everyone there has a secret and some of them are deadly.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an eARC of #TheVacation by #JohnMarrs - 4 stars

The Vacation by John Marrs was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed following along with the stories of the characters and all the twists and turns that came. The storyline of the hostel and it's journey was definitely one to check out!

I've really enjoyed John Marrs in the past, so I was very excited to get to read his latest book. I was not let down! It was wonderful! Yes, there were a lot of characters and had to write them all down to start to keep track of who was who but overall, 4 stars definitely. If it weren't for the confusion of keeping everyone straight, it would be the 5 stars. The hostel venue, so to speak, was a change in scenery for what I've been reading lately and a very pleasant one. Overall, great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I just finished reading "The Vacation" by John Marrs. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for the advancec copy in return for an honest revew. Here are my thoughts.

First of all, John Marrs has done it again. He has written a story which in some ways is a departure from his previous works but still manages to employ techniques of his past books. He manages to create characters each with very sad and problematic pasts who converge in a hostel in Los Angeles. These characters and their backstories, which are all very interesting ans compelling, all manage to converge in a way that is authentic and enthralling. I loved all the characters and their backstories. I loved the way the book evolved with small snippets being added about the characters and clues as to how their lives would end up. I loved the twists and turns throughout the book which kept me reading hopelessly even though the sun was shining outside and I was inside. I wasn't sure how the book would end and there were parts that grossed me out, but...overall it was a big hit for me.

I have to admit though, I put my tablet down for a couple of weeks. I wasn't thoroughly on board with this book at first. I actually put the tablet down and read another John Marrs book and it was awesome. So awesome that I thought...I should go and read The Vacation and I am so glad I did. Sometimes you just need to read on a bit more before it gets super good that you can't put it down.

So , if the reader finds themselves thinking...Umm...No... KEEP READING. It gets really good the more you find out about the backstories of the characters.

All in all, an excellent book by John Marrs which is extremely well written (except for some gross parts towards the end) and has a satisfying, surprising and great ending.

Happy Reading everyone!

I had a hard time getting into this book. There were a lot of characters and I couldn't keep track of who was who. I would need to reread chapters to figure out what was going on.

I have loved all John marrs books I’ve read and this did not disappoint . I loved the multiple pov and the back in forth from current time to the past . There were a lot of characters to keep track of but I found it flowed well . The epilogue was good but i found myself wanting to know more ! Really enjoyed this read.

Thank you Harlequin trade publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review .

4.5

Nobody writes multiple characters lives and secrets like John Marrs. I usually stray away from books who have multiple protagonists, but Marr’s makes you feel connected to each of the 7 characters in The Vacation. I also love the twists that Marr’s throws in about 80 percent of the way through. I can never predict what is going to happen next, which I appreciate in a thriller.

The Venice International Hostel is a safe haven for the misfits and outlaws of society. Although decrepit, stained, and falling apart it provides safety, community, and shelter for its inhabitants. But each guest is hiding a troubling secret and will do anything to protect them, until they all come to a head and everyone must face the consequences.

Expect murder, heists, stalking, and massive inheritances.

Although tamer than much of Marr’s past books, I found it so entertaining and could not put it down.

Thank you Hanover Press for the re-release ARC!

Thank you so much for sending me a copy to read in exchange for my honest opinion. I had a difficult time getting into this book. There were so many storylines and characters and I found it hard to keep up with each character and their storyline. Also, the back and forth of times was a lot. I did like how the characters intertwine eventually. It started slow, but definitely picked up. Although this book was not my favorite, I would really like to read other books by this author.

I enjoyed everything about this book from the unique world of hostel living to the r characters and their back stories. I found myself involved in all the intersecting storylines. I couldn’t put this book down!

This was my first John Marrs book and will not be my last. I was so impressed with the character development and plot twists throughout the book. There were quite a few characters at the beginning that I was trying to connect and see how it would all play out, but loved it!

I'm a huge fan of John Marrs. THE VACATION was slow to start and I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue. I am glad that did because the last half of the book was really great. Thank you for gifted copy.

Just when I think, wow, he has another one, he can't quite possibly do it again, can he? And he does. Every time. Just when I thought I knew what was happening here, I was so wrong! Domestic thriller at its best.

I just reviewed The Vacation by John Marrs. #TheVacation #NetGalley

It's likely that this is not a new story but simply a retelling not his best.. just a one time read.

Not my favorite Marrs book but a good one nonetheless. It was a great summer read.

I loved the typical John Marrs hallmarks- short chapters, character storylines intersecting, dark themes, a few people getting a happily ever after, and LGBTQ representation. The hostel was an interesting setting and makes me never want to stay in one again!

I didn't quite love the American setting- it felt a bit like an outsider writing it. Overall it was fast paced, had plenty of twists, and the characters were humanized and well developed.

I just couldn’t get into this book. I was expecting a good beach read in a glamorous setting, as the cover and title seemed to imply, but this wasn’t that. Just too many characters and plot lines to keep track of. Sorry to say, but this was a miss for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book was well written but too long for my taste. While the subject was interesting, I had problems connecting to the characters and did not enjoy the different story lines. I may try again sometime in the future. I learned that this is a re-release of an older novel, where the characters had different names. Thank you #NetGalley for the free copy, I appreciate it.

My favorite things about Kohn Marrs is not only the fast paced beautiful story telling, but the back and forth between the characters. This one is a must read.

A mystery that I could NOT put down! Loved it! I was enthralled with all the characters and their lives. I just kept wanting to find out more and didn’t want to stop reading! Strong writing with a good ending! Definitely recommend!

I recently finished reading a book that left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I appreciated the author's ability to weave together multiple characters, plots, and timelines into a cohesive and easy-to-follow story. That's no small feat! Additionally, I loved the fact that the book was set in a hostel and offered a unique, non-American perspective on life in the United States.

However, I ultimately had to give the book a 3-star rating because it dragged on in some parts, and some characters were more interesting than others. While I wouldn't say I loved the book, I wouldn't say I hated it. It was simply the middle of the road for me.

Despite my mixed feelings, I am interested in reading more from this author in the future.

Literally all of his writing is so good, such page turning books! The novel has a good premise with a disparate bunch of people from various corners of the world ‘washing up’ at a rundown hostel in Venice Beach. Every single one of them is faking in in some way shape or form, most are running or hiding from something which is often huge. There are some VERY good twists in the book with at least three characters hiding their wolflike personalities in sheep’s clothing which delivers some good sucker punches. There were a few things that initially puzzled me, but the author ties everything up before the ending. There are plenty of twists and turns, especially in one of the threads. Every time I thought I had that storyline figured out, Marr would double back on himself and disrupt my theories.