on the surface by rachel mcguire 🌊 a slow burn psychological thriller where a youtubing cruiser couple sails the world living their best lives until one of them goes missing and their whole world capsizes 🛥️

binged in less than 24 hours! this was the exact book I needed to mindlessly listen to while at work. on the surface was a slow burn, psychological thriller that kept me constantly intrigued! although predictable, I ate up this summery bahamas setting while being in the minds of two unhinged & unlikeable characters.

I loved that we got pov’s from both of the mc’s, stuck-up yacht friends, comments from strangers on social media & the police! however, if you like your conclusions fully spelled out, this might not be the one for you. the perfect book to suspend your belief and listen to at sea 🪸

I’m always down for a full cast audiobook ☀️ thank you for an advanced audio copy, dreamscape media! 4 stars 💕

3.5 stars, rounded up

We are thrust into the lives of two young, glamorous YouTube stars, Sawyer Stone and Dani Fox. Sawyer and Dani are living life as cruisers, aboard their 42-foot sailboat, Serendipity. They are sharing their journey with their viewers for likes and subscribers and the importance of social media to this couple, especially Dani, is a major part of the story.

Everything seems to be perfect for this couple. Sailing around the Bahamas, taking daily ocean swims, fishing, napping, cruising and partying with the other cruisers.

After one night of some excessive partying, Dani disappears. After her disappearance, her YouTube videos continue to post, as she prescheduled them. These new series of videos show cracks in her relationship with Sawyer.

What happened to Dani, is their life all as it appears? Is Sawyer dangerous, or a victim in all of this?

The book is a little slow, and a little predictable (although there are some surprise twists as well). I loved the setting, it’s a unique story and I did enjoy reading it.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for the book #OnTheSurface by #RachelMcGuire. I thoroughly enjoyed this book about a couple that sail around and and posting it all on YouTube “Sailing with the Foxes”. To everyone else they look like the perfect couple. That is until Dani goes missing and all eyes are on her boyfriend Sawyer. She disappears after a party and everyone thinks she’s drowned. Was Sawyer responsible?

Dani Fox disappears one day....did she plan it? Did something happen to her? Who would want her to disappear? It was ok, but the ending was amazing! I don't know that I would have been able to finish it had I tried to read it vs listening to it, but I would look for more by this author.

Sawyer and Dani are #couplegoals influencers, but absolutely nothing is as it seems. So fun for fans of villain-narrated thrillers!

Premise - Dani Fox is a gorgeous young cruiser and Sawyer Stone III is her silver spoon boyfriend, boating around the Bahamas with her and chronicling it via their fledgling YouTube channel ‘Sailing with the Foxes.’ They anchor to wait for crypto to go up so they can afford to continue their journey, but after one particularly rowdy party Dani turns up missing. After Dani’s bloodied dress is found, Sawyer is suspected of murder.

I loved how this ping-ponged between the various characters - it never got repetitive and every single character was fun to spend time with (some in a Walter White ‘the mind of evil’ kind of way, and some because I actually rooted for them). This kept me just off-kilter, but always fully engaged!

I listened to this one as an audiobook while working out/doing errands/etc and I highly recommend experiencing it this way. The narrators were all so talented, so lovely to listen to, and the Bahamian accents really sold the island vibes. My to-do’s flew by!

In conclusion, I guess I’ll have to add Rachel McGuire to my automatic buy list *SIGH.* Audible needs a frequent flyer program, stories are my sole (but severe) addiction!

Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dani is a YouTube Star with her boyfriend Sawyer who goes missing in the Bahamas. Sawyer is quick to be accused after Dani discloses with her friends and followers that he is an abusive partner and she is scared of him. The problem, Sawyer claims he has never raised a hand to a woman and has no idea what she is talking about.

Sawyer is convicted according to the public opinion and works to prove he’s innocent and figure out the bizarre behavior from Dani before it’s too late.

A story with social media themes, gaslighting, con job, and more. It flips between perspectives and follows detective perspective too as they work out if it is a real crisis or con job.

I did the audiobook and all of the narrators did fine and were expressive. I found myself drifting in and out of the story in the beginning and wasn’t super engaged in the writing style and work. By 30% in, I was hooked and it really came together well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Book is out July 9!

🎧Song Pairing: Please Please Please - Sabrina Carpenter

💭What I thought would happen:

LOOOVE this cover. I am hoping it’s awful rich people at a resort or maybe a shark attack 😂 chomp chomp

📖What actually happens:

Attempting to become insta famous > boat life > Bahamas > influencer goes missing > boyfriend is the suspect > drama & manipulation

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Hmmmm okkkkk. I can tell this is the author’s first go at it and she did a good job. The story was shorter with intrigue the whole way through.

HOWEVER, I saw the plot and “twists” a miiiiile away. It is basically the exact same book as a very popular thriller which was made into a movie. It hardly strayed from that plot, colour me disappointed.

I zoom zoomed through this one I got approved and finished all in the same day 😂 I need a new hobby

Anywho, cover rocks! Lots of drama, unlikeable characters but bye bye bye.