A hurricane and a helping hand leads to secrets that the caretaker is keeping and Ismay's boyfriend Remy and his behavior and secrets. There is a darker side to this story, but it still is a good read. It will give you hours of feel good entertainment.
I was given an ARC by Publisher and NetGalley and I am leaving a review by my own choice..

While the cover promises a lighthearted beach read, this was more of a mystery/thriller. The story quickly takes a dark turn when a storm knocks out the power and Ismay finds something ominous in the back of her fiancé's closet. Her relationship with Remy was Ricky for awhile between his studying to be a doctor and her a lawyer, leaving little time together. She's hoping once he finally comes to the island they can reconnect. When the property caretaker, Bo, comes to check on her in the storm and then needs refuge when his own cottage is damaged, they become close friends. When she confides what she found in the closet to Bo, he fears she's in danger.
I liked how the relationship developed in a slow burn between Bo and Ismay from friendship to lovers. Remy just seemed like such a cold unfeeling fiance and not right for her even before we find out the truth. The creepy addition of Bastian, Remy's psycho twin adds even more tension. But the ending to me just fell flat. Such an easy conclusion after all the tension in the story with no drama left me wanting more. Overall just OK for me.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

Author Brenda Novak, a comfort read for me, knowing her style with small town romance and how she wraps it up into a pretty bow at the end keeps me coming back for more.

Set on Mariner’s Island, a luxurious beach cottage awaits Ismay and Remy for a much needed glorious summer of relaxing and rekindling. While Remy is finishing his studies Ismay ventures ahead of Remy and a hurricane storms the island and she is left to the rescue of Bo, the caretaker.
Ismay discovers a creepy finding in her fiances childhood room. Unsure of what to do with her discovery she trusts and befriends Bo who showed up with flashlights and helped fix the generator. Unable to return to his own cottage due to hurricane damage, he stays with Ismay and their relationship develops into something more than it should be.
Ismay’s soon to be brother in law arrives on the island unannounced, throwing a wrench into her summer plans.
Between the secrets, peculiar behavior and tight lipped responses, Ismay is questioning her soon to be family and even Bo who she thought she could trust!

Another Brenda Novak summer read you won’t want to put down. Flirty! Edgy! Emotional and current.

I highly recommend this novel for anyone who loves a small town romance, summer vibe with some twists and a dark secret.
Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read another great story by Brenda Novak. This book really took me by surprise. I was ready for a romantic beach read. But in addition to some romance, I got a lot of mystery. I did enjoy the outcome but didn’t see the ending that cane at all.

Loved the story. It has plenty of romance, suspense, betrayal and twists and turns. Ismay had gone to Mariners Island to have a summer reconnecting with her fiancée. She had been having doubts about their relationship but thought they could work it out over the summer. What she didn't expect was Remy's twin brother, her brother and Bo, the caretaker. During a storm Ismay discovers some things that really freak her out and Bastion showing up only makes it worse. Bo is there to help her in his quiet way. When her brother's marriage implodes, he comes to spend the summer with Ismay. They all get more than they bargained for and Ismay has to put things into perspective before she decides whether she can still marry Remy. Remy and his family seem to have it all, but there are so many things under the surface that just don't add up. Can she trust them?

I wish I could understand the high ratings that so many have given to this book. I feel like they must have read a different book than me because this is not a 4 or 5 star book. This is why I think this:
- a small point but still a negative... the book cover and title are deceiving. This book had nothing to do with a tourist season.
- soooo many "50 cent" words used in this book that do not fit to the style of the story. I'm hoping that the final edit changes many of them to something more appropriate.
- the book needs a final edit. Some of the speech lines did not fit to what the other person was saying.
- too many scenes were not realistic. For example, a character showed up "driving a small Toyota" and then preceded to fit many (more than possible) boxes and big items in that vehicle. Or there was mention of a picture taken at a funeral. Who takes pictures at a funeral?! And the wording in some of the texts did not fit with the age-group of the characters. As well, some of what the detective did and shared with other characters was not something police would do in real life. They would not give away this information.
- or actions did not flow in the right order, for example "he started to sweep the debris on the floor into a pile" but the floor was still covered in flood water. Or the mention that it was harvest season in Utah but it was not even summer yet (what could possibly be harvested in May/June in Utah?). Or that a text was sent early enough that the receiver stewed about it "all day" but in another scene the text sender said they sent it "after you went to bed".
- timelines moved extremely fast
- I dislike all of the characters and their decisions although I understand that I wasn't suppose to like a couple of them. Unfortunately even the 2 main characters were not liked by me based on their personalities. They were too accommodating and very rarely voiced an opinion or stood up for themselves.
- the location of the story was not described very well. There was more dialogue and character movement than description of the scenery around them. I could not picture myself there like I can with so many other books. This is important to many readers. Such a wonderful location but it was not given justice.

The story line was enticing and I did keep reading to just find out what the outcome was. There were many great parts of this book that could have stood out more if there was just a better amount of editing done and addition of description. This romance mixed with a thriller element could have been so much more!!

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book. I so wish I could be like so many others and give it 5 stars but it just was not to that level for me.

Not your typical light-hearted beach read but oh SO good. This book is full of suspense and intrigue and it is very well-written. I enjoyed the character development and the story. I do have to say that this is one of my favorites from author Brenda Novak. I highly recommend it.

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

Hard to decide what this is. It is part romance, part thriller, and features redemption. Liked the two main characters. The twin were presented with a lot of behavior that lead to questions. Final epilogue was the perfect end to the story.

This book has me wanting summer right now. I thought it was such a fun and easy read and I could imagine myself reading it on the beach. My patrons will love this too!

3.5 Brenda Novak pens a suspense filled thriller when a young lady discovers her fiance isn't who she thinks he is and learns that this knowledge may kill her. The tie that binds are strong when a wealthy family's secrets begin to unravel and a young woman is caught in the cross hairs of a killer.

My only issues were I found the heroine's actions a little suspect at times and the story lagged at times. I never fully invested.

Just finished Tourist Season. Brenda Novak you are a master of suspense. Loved the twists and turns and of course romance. I'd give it 10 stars if I could. Loved it

Brenda Novak never disappoints! Tourist Season takes place on Mariners Island where Ismay thinks will be a great, relaxing time spent while she waits for her fiance to finish up exams and meet up with her. What actually happens is a whirlwind of mystery, family secrets, forbidden love, betrayal and a whole mess of drama! This is a fast paced perfect beach read!

This was a very good story. Ismay was staying at her fiancé’s family beach house when a near hurricane hits. The caretaker,Bo, helps her and they become friends much to her fiancés surprise. He was not happy. In the o set of the storm, she is looking for candles or flashlights when she discovers some very troubling things in her fiancés room. His twin shows up and seems to be just wanting to cause trouble. Her brother is going through a divorce and eventually comes to town just to get away.

This story had many moving parts and kept my very entertained

I got this book from netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

4 1/2 STARS!

Great beach read for the summer! Novak is bringing her signature voice to life with an intriguing storyline surrounding a vacation home and it's mysterious secrets as a newly minted lawyer sets out to have a summer of reconnection with her soon to be doctor fiance. Danger quickly rears it's ugly head and leaves Ismay uncertain of what's true and what isn't in this story of discovery. She befriends the cottage caretaker who begins to mean a lot to her as secrets unravel. I was hooked on the mystery from the first page and the characters brought a lot to the storyline. I felt like her family was a bit of a distraction, but Jack ended up playing a key part once he came to visit.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women's fiction with key elements of romance and suspense woven throughout.

When Ismay sets out for a beach vacation at Remy’s, her fiancee’s, family vacation home, she doesn’t expect to find disturbing things in his bedroom closet before he gets there. Ismay turns to the caretaker Bo when Remy’s creepy identical twin shows up. Suspecting his family s not what they seem, she and Bo become closer. When she finds Bo has secrets in his past as well, Ismay must decide if she can trust him. I received an ARC from NetGalley and MIRA for my honest review.

Brenda always creates a story that has all the elements of a great read. The characters are relatable and heartwarming and the plots and energy of intrigue are throughout the story. Ismay is excited to start her vacation ahead of her fiancê at his home on an island off of Cape Cod. What she didn't anticipate was a hurricane as soon as she arrived, alone and in a huge home she was not familiar with. The groundskeeper was her only help and he had many secrets.
This is a book anyone would enjoy and it keeps you guessing to the end! Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Enterprises for this eARC I highly recommend this read!

Family drama and romantic suspense. Ismay realizes she might now know her fiance Remy as well as she thought when she spends time alone at his family's summer cottage. Nor does she realize that there's more to Bo, the caretaker- at least at first, A storm and errant brothers (both Remy's and Ismay's) loom large, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. There aren't a lot of surprises here but it's a good read that will be especially nice on the beach.

Brenda Novak has a way in her storytelling that just grabs you from start to finish. With Tourist Season, I was expecting to read a summer romance with a few family dramas and secrets but was pleasantly surprised that it was all that and also with a mystery/suspense drama woven into the story that kept me guessing til the end.
Definitely one of my most enjoyable reads so far this year.

This book releases April 2, 2024.

Thank you Harlequin/MIRA via NetGalley for this ARC.

Are you in the mood for a story full of mystery and suspense? That is definitely what you will get reading Tourist Season!
The story does keep you engaged with all the twists and turns that pop up.
Mystery
Suspense
Romance
Perfect for beach reading!
(I do have to say the title really doesn’t have anything to do with the story)


Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the ACR. This is the perfect beach/pool read w a slightly dark turn. Ismay arrives early to her fiancé summer home while he finished up his board exam. But once there a storm hit and she loses power. While looking through things to find candles she fins a lot more and questions if she ever really knew her fiancé.