I had no idea this was a rewrite when I was given an ARC, and to be honest, I cannot believe that this is his second pass on this story. The premise of this thriller sets you up for some great twists and turns, but the deus ex machina of it all really just doesn't hit that the author wants it to. There are so many characters that it gets pretty convoluted, and it all leads up to the biggest coincidences that I have ever read. None of the characters are particularly likeable either, so all of the big twists did not hit me as hard as other readers.

I have heard great things about Marrs, but this just did not do it for me. Could really have done without the weird racist preacher plotline. I just didn't see the motivations there are believable in 2023. Perhaps the author would be better off with a clean slate.

4.5 ⭐️’s
What happens when a mishmash of travelers intermix in a rundown hostel on Venice Beach? Marrs does a wonderful job with this story, keeping the reader engaged as he introduces a whole cast of eclectic characters. Characters that are all running from something or have something to hide. Even with the large number of characters, the writing style makes it easy to follow and the pages turning. Don’t look for the big ending twist, but rather many great twists throughout. Most you won’t see coming!! The back stories are intriguing and the way Marrs connects the storylines is brilliant! A very fun read that I highly recommend! Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This was my first read of John Marrs and while a bit on the longer side, the first half was the set up and the second half was bringing it all together into a thrilling and suspenseful wild ride! There were multiple POVs in this one which can be a lot when listening to the audio, but once I followed along with the physical copy I was fine. I really enjoyed this one, just keep in mind it is on the slower burn side. Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the digital copy to review.

4 stars!

Simply a very enjoyable thriller with lots of suspense and mystery!

This is my second book from John Mars and I wasn't disappointed. I am however, not a big fan of too many POVs, as I have a hard time keeping track. There were a lot of cliffhangers, which contributed to the book being fast paced and a quick read for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

If you know me, you know I like suspenseful mysteries that are not overly violent/gory, so The Vacation was the perfect blend of mystery and suspense for me!

This was my first John Marrs book, but it won’t be my last. I know he is a favorite author of many readers. I did find that there were a lot of characters in this novel (and I read on my kindle so I can’t easily flip back), but it was suspenseful, which is something I love for my late night reading!

Thank you for my ePub and for making me part of the tour!

Embark on a thrilling journey with John Marrs' latest masterpiece, "The Vacation," as he skillfully unfolds a gripping tale within the gritty confines of a Venice Beach backpackers hostel. Marrs' storytelling prowess shines through in this substantial yet remarkably quick read, characterized by its brisk, dynamic chapters and a captivating array of characters from diverse walks of life.

The narrative delves into the intricate web of the backpackers' lives, unraveling their pasts, complex relationships, and innermost secrets. Marrs seamlessly weaves together seemingly disparate characters, each harboring their own motives and demons, creating an enthralling plot filled with unexpected twists and eccentric personalities. As the guests navigate the hostel, it becomes apparent that they are all fleeing from something in their tumultuous pasts.

With "The Vacation," Marrs proves once again that he is a master of suspense and unpredictability. The re-edited release, formerly known as 'Welcome to Wherever You Are,' adds a layer of refinement to an already stellar narrative. If you're ready for an exhilarating rollercoaster of surprises and a glimpse into the hidden depths of characters, John Marrs delivers an unforgettable experience that solidifies his position as a go-to author for those who crave an adrenaline-fueled literary escape.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

A random group of people reside at a hostel in the Los Angeles area. They seemingly have little in common until their various secrets start to reveal themselves.

I usually try to read at least a third of a book before deciding to abandon it. It was a struggle with this title due to the plodding pace and surplus of of dysfunctional, and sometimes devious, residents. I kept reading in the hope that the disconnected stories would start to make sense. In the end, they did, but almost none of it was believable, so I felt like I'd wasted entirely too much of my life reading this book. Three stars were given because the writing was pretty good -- just the plot and the characters left a lot to be desired.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I chose this book because of the author and because I wanted to learn something about an experience I’d never had.

Inspired by a backpacking trip in 1992, John Marrs bases some of the characters on those he met that memorable summer. He’s captured the essence of these diverse hostelers and backpackers and placed them in a fictional Venice Beach International Hostel, one much like a conglomeration of those he stayed in that summer.

This book will be frustrating at first. You have been warned. Give the author time to set the stage for 8 different characters, the concierge and the owner of the hostel. Then, be patient and look for clues for POV changes and time shifts.

Nicole, Savannah, Matty, Declan, Eric, Ruth, Jane and John are all running from something when they check into the seedy hostel. They each have secrets and will do anything to keep them hidden. Depending on where they’ve come from and where they’re going, this hostel can be a godsend or a horrid experience. Some spend their vacation in a weed-induced paradise and some start their vacation with roaches and people literally falling through the ceiling. The hostel is almost a character unto itself.

While I may have been tempted to set the book down multiple times with no intention of picking it up again, the fantastic characterization kept me coming back. I came for the armchair travel experience and stayed for the nosey peek into the lives of this motley crew.

If you love a slow-burn, 5-star character-focused novel, you’ll appreciate this twisty tale. It isn’t my favourite of this author's, but I appreciated the examination of our human nature and what we’ll do to keep our secrets hidden. For those looking for something different, this will fit the bill.

I was gifted this late access/post-publication ARC by Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is my fourth John Marrs book, and I love his style of storytelling. If you are not used to his writing style, you might be disappointed because this does not read like a traditional thriller. I personally love that about Marrs' writing and books, but I can see where some might get confused. This one has a lot of POVs, which is not always my favorite because it makes things get a bit muddled and confusing. However, I did enjoy the different story lines and how they weave together, and the twists and turns throughout the book. Ultimately, this one was not my favorite from Marrs, but I would still recommend it. I gave it a 3.75 star rating but rounded up for the review.

This is a fun book about the adventures of eight strangers who end up traveling to the same hostel in Los Angeles. They all are running from (or running to) something, and they all have secrets in their past. I really enjoyed their interconnected relationships and how each character was trying to overcome their own personal demons.

However, I do not feel that this is a thriller, or even a psychological thriller. That's not to say there aren't tense moments, but it doesn't carry through the entire book. The suspense is not what is driving the story - this is a character-driven story. If classified as general fiction, this book is 4 or 4.5 stars, but if classified as a thriller, I can't give it any higher than 3.5 stars. I did enjoy it, but I think this shouldn't be advertised as a thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

I was super excited to join the blog tour of The Vacation by John Marrs. I’ve been hearing so much about Marrs, but have been struggling to get copies of his previous novels. I have only read The One by him and I loved it, so jumped right in once I got my advanced copy!

The Vacation starts off very slow. Each short chapter follows a character in present day, but then would jump back in their past. I was getting super confused on who was who and how the characters were connected.

The novel finally clicked for me around 70% (which is way too long, I probably would of given up earlier). I finally figured out the characters and why their backstories were so important. I was hooked for the last part of the book and was shocked by some of the events.

3 calculators out of a potential 5. I really want to read more of Marrs novels. Even though this may of seemed like a miss, I still enjoyed it and appreciated how he was able to weave the stories together.

Thank you to Netgallery and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Suspenseful, fast paced story of seemingly random people at a hostel in Venice Beach, California. Told from various POVs and multiple times so it takes time to understand who is who. Each have secrets and something or someone they are running away from. As the story progresses, the secrets come out, people show their true colors and some revelations of their connection come to light.
A very quick, enjoyable read.


Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press for a free copy of this book. Very enjoyable!

I liked the short chapters in this book and how it changed around from character to character throughout. I found some of the stories to be funny and enjoyed the characters backstories. I liked how certain characters were connected. This book was a page turner for me and I did not want to put it down. The endings fell short for me but I enjoyed the process!

A group of people at a hostel in Venice Beach and how their complicated lives intertwine, both past and present. There was lots of jumping around and changing of perspective, but practically every chapter ended on somewhat of cliffhanger and I am here for it! I am becoming more and more of a fan of John Marrs with each book of his that I read and and this one certainly did not disappoint.

A suspenseful story with a few twists about 8 backpackers living in a run down Venice Beach hostel. Told from multiple points of view, each character with hidden secrets of their own. These strangers’ lives intertwine, unravel and come together all at once! The was full of suspense, some TWISTS and definitely a PAGE-TURNER. My second John Marrs book which did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this read and will enjoy more by this author in the near future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this arc!

Another fast-paced, intermingled, entertaining hit by John Marrs!!! As always the characters are mysterious and drop little pieces of info that you need to put a pin in for a second until all the pieces come together in the end!!!

I especially loved the Venice Beach hostel setting because it added a whole new aspect to the normal @johnmarrs.author plot and allowed for a wild cast of characters!!! This novel is definitely one of my top 3 favorite John Marrs books!!!

4.25⭐️

⭐️THIS BOOK HITS SHELVES TOMORROW 12/19 AND IS A MUST FOR ALL JOHN MARRS FANS OR THOSE WHO WANT TO GET INTO THE THRILLER GENRE⭐️

Special thanks to NetGalley @hanoversquarepress and @htpbooks for the review copy!

#thevacation #johnmarrs #hanoversquarepress #htpbooks

~ARC recieved for review from Netgalley~
🏖 The Vacation
🏖 John Marrs
🏖 513 pages
🏖 3 stars
🏖 Summary 🏖
How far would you run to escape your past?
Venice Beach, Los Angeles. A paradise on earth. Tourists flock to the golden coast and the promise of Hollywood. But for eight strangers at a beach-front hostel, there is far more on their minds than an extended vacation. All of them are running from something. And they all have secrets they'd kill to keep...
🏖 My Thoughts 🏖
Not my favorite, but I think others would enjoy this way more. It is not what I expected going into it, and the multiple (did I say multiple) POV's got confusing at times. Going into this one, I thought it was going to be a straight up thriller, but this read to me more like a soapy/drama (think your drama shows) in book form. While the twists were still good, the book fell flat for me quite a few times. Still recommend, give it a chance and you may find a book you love!

Thank you Macmillan and netgalley for an advanced copy for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️3.75 stars

Synopsis: the hostel is located steps away from Venice beach which draws people from all across the globe. The guests and employees lives are all brought together in a few weeks

What I liked: this was my first John marrs novel and although it is not a typical fast pace thriller, I really enjoyed it. The story gives you context and does have a lot of twists that I didn’t guess. The slow build really allows you to get to know the characters and their stories. I really like Nicole and her journey. She is a nurse from England that starts on a trip down Route 66 with her friend Eric. This story has many layers and depth that made for a rich story. I really liked how the initial views of characters changed through the story. I personally preferred the slow gradual build up and community throughout the book

I would recommend this book

This was a quick read. The characters are compelling and I liked that most chapters left you wanting to read on. The resolution was also effective at wrapping up all the loose ends. However, I went into this thinking it’d be a mystery. Some reviews I saw said it’s a thriller. It’s really neither, so I kept expecting some big mystery to unfold, but it never did.

The Vacation by John Marrs is being rereleased in an updated version. I had not read the original so the storyline was all new to me. Set in California at a hostel we get to know the workers and the guests. We also discover how intertwined the two groups are and how this affects everyone. Loads of secrets and fast-paced action keep the lot moving right along. This was an enjoyable book. Read and enjoy!