Name of Book: On the Surface
Author: Rachel McGuire (Debut Author)
Series: Hummingbird Hallow B&B Mystery
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Frankie Corzo, Evan Sibley, Chante’ McCormick, Savy Des-Etages and David Bendena
Publisher: Dreamscape Media/Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Thriller
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
My Rating: 2.5 Stars
Pages: 298


There is no doubt this cover got my attention-a lazy afternoon floating in the beautiful Bahamas.
Additionally I love to support debut authors and also am an audiobook fan. When I saw this story has five narrators, I was sure it going to be great.

Sawyer and Dani currently anchored in Exuma, in the Bahamas. Everything looks perfect – until one night when Dani vanishes after a boat party. Even worse Sawyer has no memory of her disappearance.
It is believed Dani drowned during one of her daily ocean swims.
However, her pre-scheduled video post reveals that Sawyer is far from perfect, but is he a murderer? It appears Sawyer’s wife Emily died on a diving trip where only Sawyer and Emily were present.
Since Dani has millions of followers on You Tube her disappearance has gone ‘viral, The Royal Bahamas Police Force and Inspector Veronique Knowles are overwhelmed with trying resolve this case.

.
Yes! The narrators did a great job performing the characters-they made it clear who was speaking. The only problem is all the characters are unlikable having similar personalities. Their conversations usually involve sex or money with added profanity to make their point clear. The story promises a big twist so I hung in there curious of the big twist. I read a lot of thrillers and this was not a big wow twist.
Disappointed that this did not work for me; the characters never got all that interesting - I got to the point where I really I didn’t care whodunit.

About the Author~ Rachel McGuire is the pen name for the collaboration between Rachel Graham and Lee-Ann McGuire Whitlock.

Rachel Graham has worked as a firefighter, paramedic, clinical researcher, and health consultant. She lives in San Diego, California with her family.

Lee-Ann McGuire Whitlock is a former lawyer, serial entrepreneur, and national pub t rivia champion several times over. She and her husband, two children, two Cavalier King Charles spaniels split their time between Arkansas and Vancouver, Canada.

On the Surface is their first thriller.

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media/Crooked Lance Books for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 9, 2024.

First off this cover is stunning, this was a quick read with a full cast, multi-narrator which worked out perfectly with all the different characters. Each narrator had their own part and they did amazing.

💙 Unreliable Narrator
🩷 Beach Read
💙 Exotic Locale
🩷 Social Media Influencer
💙 Missing Person
🩷 Multiple POVs

I had fun trying to piece together what happened with the missing person with the twists and turns.

I had a little upset for how the book had ended but 3 stars are still good in my eyes and i would read this again just because i did enjoy my time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the Audio ARC.

This book never let me figure out who it was that I could trust. I was so intrigued by the storyline, the disappearance of Dani, and the YouTube channel. This really felt like the darkest side of being an influencer. I predicted most of how the story was going to turn out, but, I still really enjoyed it. I loved the multi POV and each of the narrators. Sawyer's specifically did the best job at making me really dislike him. A read that will be perfect for summertime!

I LOVED this book. I received an audio arc of On the Surface, debut novel for two writers collaborating as Rachel McGuire, and the worst part was finishing and realizing they have no more books. Yet. Hurry up ladies and write again.

This is the era of "influencers" as main characters, and as a sixty year old woman I swore I'd never read another one again. I can't get past the idea of nothing making a career for someone. Paint and sell art? Have ideas and write books? Be skillful and fix cars, air conditioners, houses? All those professions make sense to me, but showing yourself putting on makeup or eating at a restaurant and people pay for that? It makes the brain hurt.

But, McGuire wrote an influencer main character I did not hate. Might say I even liked her. Loved the pace of the book, the unknown (to me) world of life on a boat, a cast of characters who felt real, intrigue, mystery, twists and turns - McGuire did it all.

And, if you think I over-rate because it's Netgalley and I care about future books, please take a look at my average stars. I am very hard to please so when I tell you this one is worth reading, it's a real, genuine opinion.

This book was enjoyable. I wasn't really sure what I was getting into but I did have fun while I was reading it. It felt very inspired by Gone Girl, which is one of my favorites, but it also felt like an original take one the idea. The story really moved, which I appreciated. Good pacing goes a long way in keeping my interest. My only real grievance with this book is that it felt unfinished. I understand the authors chose to leave the ending open-ended but I would have preferred to have a little bit more resolution when it came to exactly what was going to happen with the chaos the characters managed to create. The only way it's forgivable is if there's a sequel coming!

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

On The Surface (audio)
4⭐️

Rich young people. Internet sleuths. Influencers. Unlikeable characters. Oh the drama that would obviously ensue!

Dani and Sawyer are part of the “cruisers” lifestyle. Living on a boat in the Bahamas. Dani is a rising social media star through her video documentation of their unique life. Everything takes a turn when Dani goes missing. Unfortunately for Sawyer this isn’t the first time one of his significant others were a part of an at-sea incident.

This was a fun twisty mystery. Everyone has their secrets and suspicions. I loved that this audiobook had multiple narrators. I listened to the final chapter a few times because I was expecting more for an ending. Maybe it was just me, but it felt too abrupt and inconclusive.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC.

Pub Date Jul 09 2024

Dani Fox and Sawyer Stone live on a boat called the Serendipity and document their lives on YouTube. When Dani goes missing after a drunken yacht party, Sawyer is the prime suspect. The investigation is told through the perspectives of Sawyer, the police, and the court of public opinion (the Internet sleuths who try to solve the case by watching Dani’s pre-scheduled, carefully edited YouTube videos). A thriller and a commentary on true crime obsession, this novel, while a bit predictable, will keep readers engaged until the very end. The audiobook is especially entertaining as there were multiple narrators for the multiple perspectives which added to the suspense.

Alternate Review (that may be a spoiler, but I thought it was predictable): It’s Gone Girl but with technology and boats.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced audiobook copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a fitting title for this book!

In On The Surface we are following Dany and Sawyer - a boating couple who've recently started a Youtube channel of their life on the water. Sawyer isn't as 'into it' as Dany, but he plays the role she's created since they're running low on money and he'll do just about anything to continue living the life he does. We see some cracks in their relationship early on, but it isn't until the night after a boat party that 'truth' starts coming the surface about their relationship. But what really is the truth?

Dany has gone missing and the prime suspect is Sawyer. He can't help but let the rage build inside of him as breadcrumbs from Dany start to surface during her disappearance and all signs of foul play are pointing in his direction, but again - what is the truth?

Is this a couple that has a darkness lurking just below the surface or is one of them trying to frame the other for a crime they didn't commit?

Dany is truly an unlikable character, but also fascinating. I'm sure there are so many influencers who think like her! Sawyer is also pretty unlikable as the story continues and by the end of it I hadn't them both! They definitely deserved each other. I really did enjoy the ending - I think it would make for a perfect movie format and would leave the audience in an uproar! I wasn't not expecting THAT twist!

If you are looking for a thriller 'who done it' book, but modern I'd say you'd enjoy On The Surface! I would highly recommend especially as an audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Sawyer and Dani are YouTubers trying to make it big with their Sailing with the Foxes channel. Dani goes missing and Sawyer has no memory of that night. Lots of secrets with Sawyer and Dani. Plenty of twists.

Quick read. I enjoyed the ensemble narration by Frankie Corzo; Evan Sibley; Chanté McCormick; Savy Des-Etages; and David Bendena.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

This is a slow burn mystery, it starts in an exciting way, then has somewhat of a Gone Girl vibe until things change yet again. I listened to the audiobook and the full cast, multi-narrator format really works for the unfolding of the story.

Dani Fox and her boyfriend Sawyer Stone are full time "cruisers", part of a community of nomadic people who live aboard their sailboats and yachts. Currently they are anchored off the cays in the Bahamas, ramping up their YouTube channel with hopes for monetization for much needed income. However, after a party, Sawyer wakes up the next morning to Dani's absence, and what she has been telling people seems to indicate that Sawyer is abusive and may have had a hand in her disappearance. As the police, including inspector Veronique Knowles begin to investigate, they are joined by a bevy of internet sleuths and everyone has their opinions about what happened. Who is telling the truth? Is anyone?

While some parts of this book went exactly the way I was expecting, other twists were a surprise and helped me to enjoy my experience with the book. I wasn't incredibly enamored with the ending, which made me round my rating down rather than up. It felt rather jarring after the long leadup.

I loved the Veronique character, and her narrator was fantastic. I also liked how this book captures the insidious nature of social media and influencers. There have been many books lauding the input of web sleuths, but this book shines the light on the various ways these people can impede investigations and cause real problems with police investigations and prosecution. There's real caution to be had here, and one main takeaway is to be very careful about what you believe as everything can be manipulated and curated.

For all of the positives, the characters seem more like caricatures than real people. They aren't as well developed as they could have been, and possibly having so many POV characters was a drawback. I think if it was just focused on Sawyer, Dani, and Veronique, it would have been a bit stronger as a narrative.

Overall, this is a decent, fast-paced read. It's a little predictable, but it has enough unique qualities to make it worth reading, especially in the warm days of summer by the water.

Things are not always what they seem. Especially in the world of social media and especially too-good-to-be-true relationships. Sawyer Stone III and Dani Fox are cruisers who have a YouTube channel called "Sailing with the Foxes" which they're trying to monetize while also waiting for the price of bitcoin to bounce back. Once night, after a potluck party with other cruisers in the Bahamas, Sawyer wakes up to Dani missing and no recollection of what happened the evening before.
Royal Bahamas police force inspector Veronique Knowles has been called in to find Dani. She has her hands full trying to keep the investigation on course with all the internet traffic and online "police" getting in her way. Meanwhile, Dani had scheduled posts to the channel which reveal a darker side to her relationship with Sawyer. But is he a killer?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio e-arc.*

4 stars

Readers who are millennials, Xers, or earlier will have so much fun shaking their heads at the ills of social media and technology and the general mentality of 'kids today' (shakes a fist in the air with intense enthusiasm) as they tear through this compelling mystery/thriller.

This cover got me. It's June, and I'm feeling those bright colors and calm waves, but that same image also left me anticipating a, well, expected set of characters and outcomes. While the book does begin in this way, I was pleasantly surprised by how it evolved.

Dani and Sawyer are two halves of a couple with ISSUES, and they spend their time cruising because of crypto drama. They also have a social media channel they have recently monetized. Do you already hate them? Good. But also, buckle up. These two find themselves in a precarious situation when Dani goes missing and Sawyer is the prime suspect because, as we all know, it's always the cis het male partner. With their incoming drama, general shadiness, community of fellow cruiser creeps, and what appear to be many secrets, things get sketchier and sketchier.

This is one of my favorite beach reads of this summer (and I've clocked quite a few), and I'm already excited to read more from this authorial team.

This full cast audiobook was a totally bingeable thriller for summer! (Or maybe winter if you're in the mood for a beach vacation.)

This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- influencers behaving badly
- boat life in the Bahamas
- not knowing who to trust

Overall I thought this was a fun read that kept my attention. I listened to it mostly in one day. It was easy to follow on audio with the full cast and well-labeled chapters (POV, timeline, etc.). You won't find many likable characters in this book, but I think that's the point. It's a twisty ride in a unique setting with interesting commentary on social media and true crime.

Rating: I liked it! (3.5 rounded to 4)

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the complimentary audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
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Dani and Sawyer have the perfect life, with their YouTube channel titled "Sailing with the Foxes". Perfect, until Dani goes missing and Sawyer becomes the main suspect.
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On the Surface is told in multiple points of view, mainly through Dani and Sawyer and the lead detective on the case. I absolutely love this because you really get into the head of the main characters and see their true intentions. Dani and Sawyer were both absolutely volatile and that made for a fun story. I love that throughout this story, I wasn't sure who I disliked more.
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This is a pretty steady paced read and it has its own cat and mouse style to it. The theme of social media and how one can completely ruin a person's reputation via what is posted and how it will be interpreted was awesome. Everything came together perfectly in the end, and I really enjoyed where she went with this one. I very much enjoyed the boating and summer vibes while reading. It is a super bingeable read and its short enough to finish in a day.
•
I listened to this one via audiobook and it had a full cast. Frankie Corzo, Evan Sibley, Chanté McCormick, Savy Des-Etages and David Bendena were great. They made this such a fun listen, I really felt like I was on the Serendipity.
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Overall, this was a fun popcorn thriller. It's not one that requires a ton of concentration. It is also the perfect beach read. So, grab yourself a cold drink and enjoy this by the pool, on the beach, wherever is your happy place. On the Surface releases on 7/9, be sure to check it out. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Rachel McGuire and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

🎧🎧 Book Review 🎧🎧 If you enjoy adventures on the ocean with a dose of unease and anxiety, this book is for you! Under the Surface is a beautifully written, gripping thriller about a young couple’s life of adventure abruptly upended when Dani goes missing and Sawyer has no recollection of what might have happened. I am always fascinated by the vastness and temperament of the ocean and Rachel McGuire does an absolute stellar job weaving these aspects throughout her book. The narration matches the beautiful writing, bringing the words to life in this suspenseful tale not to be missed!

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

Crazy and chaotic! I liked this book. It lived up to the description and I appreciate that. It was a quick read because it was very over the top and kept me guessing.

•••𝘿𝙉𝙁 @28%•••

𝘼 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙏𝙪𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨—𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙨.

I was so excited to read this book, it had a great premise & setup. Unfortunately, I tried the audio and ebook - neither of them were working for me. I don’t usually like DNFing this early into a book, but I was incredibly losing interest.

I may end up re-attempting to pick this book up again in the future - especially after seeing more reviews… as of now, it’s a DNF for me.

Gone Girls is one of my all-time favorite thrillers, so I was eagerly looking forward to this book after hearing it had that vibe to it… unfortunately, the characters were so off-putting and I just didn’t love the structure of the book.

Again, I might pick this back up later… but I’m going to DNF this one for now.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Dreamscape Media for the review copies in exchange for my honest review!

ON THE SURFACE started out strong. I was very interested to figure out what was going on with Dani and Sawyer. I found the pace and storyline to be fun and easy to listen to. I also liked the different POV's presented throughout the story. Overall, I found it to be a good debut!

Many thanks to DreamScape Media for my gifted ALC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the future.

This was a quick read for me- meaning the writing kept me engaged throughout! The plot has me interested in each characters development and the story as a whole. The audio production was easy to listen to. While I didn’t love the very end of the story, I appreciated and would recommend this book.

A couple are living on a boat in the Bahamas and one goes missing. That’s all I want to say about the plot because it was so fun to go into this with the bare minimum of knowledge and get swept along until the last page.
Neither of the leads are particularly likeable and I didn’t find myself ‘rooting’ for anyone but the plot was so engaging I was totally gripped.
I loved the detail and up to date knowledge of crypto, social media and the true crime community, I often find it mentioned in books but never really hitting the mark but that wasn’t the case here.
Loved the narrators, can’t wait for more!