A great mystery novel especially if you enjoy a slow burn. Almost like a locked in mystery with being set on an island and a simplistic set of characters. I did have an issue with the 2 narrators sounding similar tho one had an odd cadence. I had to backtrack a few times to see which character was “talking”. Great debut! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this early copy for review

A lovely book with a great cast of characters. Beautifully written and I got really invested in the story. I would highly recommend reading this one. A clever, engrossing story with fabulous characters.

2x narration speed for the narrators, 2 female MCs, and they did a great job. Easy to understand. Nice variation in voice so it was easy to pick up on who was who.

Set on a remote party island in Thailand, it's clear that everyone who comes to "The Resort" has a secret. The two main characters clearly have items they're hiding, which makes them unreliable narrators AND also casts suspicious onto every other character. It creates necessary tension in the plot because the events themselves leave something to be desired.

While the ending (and full conclusion) are pretty predictable, it was still a fine read overall. Honestly, I was a bit more concerned about the "scary foreign police/government" and the resort being a beacon for "family-less" twenty somethings.

Overall: 3 stars (I liked it)

I'll tell my students about: language, alcohol, drugs, sex, trauma, violence/killing

**Thank you to NetGalley & RB Media, Recorded Books for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Cass is living her dream life in Thailand as a Scuba diver instructor. But is she? Leaving her past behind her, she has befriended a group of expats living on the Island. All is great, until it isn’t and dead bodies start showing up.

This was a slow burn to begin with, but once the tension and twists started showing up, I burnt through it trying to uncover the mystery. It’s a story full of secrets, lies, tested friendships and betrayals. A great debut and an author I will look out for in the future.

Many thanks to @netgalley #rbmedia for an early ALC - Full cast of narrators made this audiobook an amazing experience.

I gave this 2 stars instead of 1 because I think this could be enjoyed by newer thriller readers who are less likely to see everything coming.

The main problem was that the Cass and Brooke PoVs read the same and it was hard to tell them apart.

Another is that both of them are constantly saying, "No one can know my deep dark secret",for two thirds of the book which was super annoying and not that satisfying when they were eventually revealed.

Lastly, I found all the twists, including the final reveal, predictable. (view spoiler) There was also a lot of extended monologuing during these reveals.

Kept me on edge and guessing up until the very end. Very fun and very well written book. Highly recommend. Thanks NetGalley!

Koh Sang, a small island off the coast of Thailand were so many expats go to disappear and enjoy scuba diving and island life. Brooke, a social influencer arrives and meets Cass who is the dive instructor who has been living there the last three years. The description of the Island sounds so beautiful.

Brooke hears about a young woman who died from a fall off the coast but was it really a fall? Soon it is not just one, not just two, but three are dead. The reader is constantly trying to figure out what is going on and who is behind it but the author uses a lot of worn out tropes like the drunken or drugged person who isn't sure what happened, and the mentally ill who you can't be sure what he is saying is true or not.

By the last third of the audiobook, it got very exciting and when you think it is all resolved, there is the epilogue! A bit creepy and a bit over the top! Overall, an entertaining story to listen to.

My thanks to Net Galley and Recorded Books for an advanced copy of this audio book.

I received an ARC of the audiobook. I really enjoyed this story. The twists kept coming. I thought I had it figured out but I did not! Without giving spoilers, I will say I love books that are written like this, with twists up until the very end. It's definitely worth reading until the very very end. And now I really want to travel to Thailand (regardless of what happened in the book)

"The Resort" by Sara Ochs
NetGalley ARC.
Format - Audiobook.
Expected publication date: 13 Feb 2024

In Sara Ochs' gripping novel "The Resort," the narrative unfolds through alternating chapters featuring Cass, a scuba diving instructor with a mysterious past, and Brooke, a vacationing social media influencer entangled with the enigmatic group known as the Permanents. As both women conceal secrets and harbour suspicions, their compelling characters lead the reader through a maze of intrigue.

The plot swiftly unravels, exposing a tapestry of secrets and lies as Cass and Brooke attempt to escape their haunting pasts. Against the backdrop of a resort plagued by unexplained deaths, the two protagonists join forces to unravel the mysteries that shroud the island. The narrative is a captivating mystery, with a well-executed twist at the end that took me by surprise.

For enthusiasts of thrillers rich in secrets, friendships, mysteries, lies, and intrigue, "The Resort" is a must-read. The unpredictable twists and turns transform the reading experience into an exhilarating journey. The final revelation is nothing short of astonishing, leaving readers in awe.

Choosing the audiobook version proved to be a wise decision, with narrators Miranda Raison, Dakota Blue Richards, Joe Jameson, and Pema Monaghan delivering an outstanding performance that truly brought the story to life. I recommend listening at 1.75x speed for an enhanced pace, although this may vary based on personal preference.

In conclusion, "The Resort" is highly recommended for readers who relish suspenseful island thrillers with a compelling whodunit mystery intricately woven with the dark secrets of the past.

I am grateful to Netgalley, RB Media-Recorded Books, for providing an audiobook copy of "The Resort by Sara Ochs" in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this - felt like I was on the island myself.
Having been to Thailand, it was easier to picture it and made me think of all of the documentaries about killings in SE Asia that have happened.
I could see this as a film.
I didn't see the last twist coming, but enjoyed the story, and the different mini stories going off it.
I listened to the audiobook and liked the narrator.

I could not get into this book. The Dual female POV were confusing as they were so similar. I struggled to get through it, but the twists were awesome. I loved the location of a remote island in Thailand as well as the scuba diving aspect. I feel those made this story unique. It was hard to like a lot of these characters. I did think the narrators did a great job telling the story and listening to the audio helped me get through the slow parts.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for my ALC of this story.

The Koh Sang Resort in Thailand boast beautiful beaches, exotic views and secretive staff. Cass has been hiding from her past and working as a dive instructor at the resort. She has recently gotten engaged to Logan, a bar owner, and prays he never finds out what truly happened to her back in the States. Logan has secrets of his own that he wouldn't want Cass to find out. It seems that most of the staff are running from something and have ended up at the resort to hide.
Brooke is an influencer with her own agenda. She befriends Cass with an eye on getting revenge for her past trauma. When a young lady named Lucy shows up and starts asking questions about an accidental death, the staff close ranks. But Lucy ends up dead and the police rule it another accident. But Cass and Brooke are determined to figure out exactly what is going on. Even if they have to reveal their own secrets.
I'd like to add that the epilogue blows up the tidiness of the ending. ;)

*Special thanks to NetGalley and RB Digital for this audio e-arc.*

The idea of people going to a resort for a celebration of some kind has become a common trope in thrillers lately and gotta say. Kindof sick of it. While this book was interesting enough, it didn't add anything to the genre. Easy read for when you want something quick and snappy.

Thank you, Netgalley for this audiobook 🙌 This book transports listeners to a tropical Thai island, what a delightful escape. The lush setting adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the suspenseful narrative, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a virtual vacation (or for you mood readers, bring this book on your real Thai vacation!)

Narrated with finesse, the audiobook captures the essence of the landscape and its mysterious atmosphere, but no so much about the resort itself. The twists and turns keep you engaged, turning your listening experience into a thrilling island adventure.

This book is a recommended pick for those craving a brief, suspenseful getaway set against the backdrop of a captivating Thai paradise.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Resort by Sara Ochs, an audiobook narrated by Miranda Raison, Dakota Blue Richards, Joe Jameson, and Pema Monaghan is an absolute madhouse! It's deadly and twisty and there is so much going on! I even don't know where to start!
It started slowly and for some time I wasn't really sure how much I liked it but then things turned around and BAM, BAM, BAM! Oh well, I gasped and gasped, and the epilog... I was holding my breath with and without realizing it!

I absolutely enjoyed that there were multiple narrators as was so easy to follow characters, reading was emotional and full of expression.

Koh Sang Resort looks like a perfect place to restart your life, leave everything behind, and be a new you! Problems start when there are too many escapers with dark and deadly dangerous secrets! You can't trust no one, not even yourself! People dying, police closing their eyes, money and power dictate rules and no one is safe anymore! It is too late to run so you must face danger and hope that you will survive!

I absolutely developed an interest in Sara Ochs other books!

Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media, Recorded Books for this copy!

“I’m not surprised by any of the shady shit these people get into…”

This book is set on a Thai resort island, full of people looking to escape and/or post pretty pics on their social media.
These people have secrets. All of them.
I spent the entirety of the audiobook trying to figure out who was the villain. They all seem to be hiding things, and it takes 2/3 of the book for a lot of those secrets to start trickling out. Even the good guy or girl is on this island with an ulterior motive, looking to channel their revenge on the wrong person.

My only regret is that I listened to it instead of reading it, because I can read fast and could have gotten to the answers a lot faster😆

(But speaking of listening…I would listen to any book these women narrated, because their voices are BEAUTIFUL!!)

Thanks so much to Sara Ochs, Recorded Books and RB Media for the advance copy! It was a great read.

Very intriguing, twists, kinda sad, and wish i knew more about what happened at the end and the course of that relationship.

The last 40% of this book made the first 60% worth it!! The first half of this book dragged on for me. I liked the story and the plot, I just couldn’t find the point of the story… BUT once you do, the first part makes more sense and everything just came together perfectly. The epilogue made me super excited for the next book!

I received the audio version of this book. The narrators individually were so good but I think the two women’s voices were too similar. I would have to back track to remember who’s POV that part was from. Also, one voice was easier to hear and the other was more quiet. So I kept turning the volume up and back down. Other than those two things, they were great. They read at a good pace, read the sentence with the emotion the author wrote, and their voices were nice voices to listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the audio-arc of The Resort!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙫𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣, 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣.

I had such a bumpy road with this book, I didn’t love it at first and got about 30% into it when I was considering DNF’ing it, but I’m so glad I didn’t. I did a combo of the ebook and audio.

It did take a while for me to get into the story, but it picked up towards the middle and the ending was crazy. I always struggle with thrillers nowadays because they end in such predictable ways - having already read so many in this genre. I’m glad I was satisfied with the way this one ended.

I will say, that there were a bunch of characters introduced right off the bat, it did get confusing remembering who was who.

The story is mainly told through the perspectives of Cass and Broke, both very interesting characters. They’re both unreliable and have many secrets of their own. There are a bunch of twists scattered throughout the book.

Overall, this was a solid thriller. The beginning was a bit slow and introduced too many characters right away, but it did eventually pick up and had me intrigued. I thought the ending was well done and the story as a whole was very enjoyable.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and RB Media for the review copies in exchange for my honest review!

The Resort is set in a remote part of Thailand and described as paradise and a place you can run away to and not be found. Cass has been there for about three years and has settled in with a group of expats that have made the island their home. She is newly engaged to Logan but is on edge because he doesn't know her secret. Neither do we for about 75% of the book. So we know Cass is hiding something. When she receives a note that threatens to reveal this secret she panics.

Brooke is an instagram travel influencer supposedly posting for her followers, but really she has an ulterior motive to expose the secret of someone as well as potentially get more information about a death that occurred shortly before she arrived on the island. She and Cass become fast friends.

Lucy is a young girl and even though Brooke is brand new on the island and seemingly knows nothing, for some reason, Lucy is desperate to speak to her.

Soon, paradise is shattered when not one but two dead bodies turn up, and the group feels as though there is a murdered among them.

The expats are Logan, Neil, Doug, Great, and Daniel. We know very little about them. Cass and Brooke are the narrators and their connection is revealed close to the end. We just have superficial knowledge of everyone and random backstory to explain actions dropped in at the end of the book. Ultimately, we find out who killed the everyone, but the buildup and payoff just did not work for me. The motives and culprits are flimsy and there are a lot of loose ends.

The epilogue was totally unnecessary and actually made me drop my rating a star because I just did not care. Also, the narrator of the audiobook mispronounces several words and that grated on me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.