I love Bartz's books so knew this would be another to rave about! Abby and Eszter are recently engaged when Esxter goes to the Gulf of Mexico with plans to build The Haven, a hotel/refuge for immigrants. Abby gets a frantic text from her that reads, "I need to tell you something" so Abby immediately books a flight. But when she arrives there has been a tragedy and she is left to piece together the events that led up to this, compounded by the fact she doesn't speak Spanish so she must find people who do. It's a wonderfully convoluted tale of intrigue that vacillates between the "now" and "then" as we witness each woman's attempts to do what is right and adapt to circumstances--most of which are out of their control!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Not my favorite Bartz novel, but definitely not the worst (her last one was mind-bogglingly hard for me to like). This story was a good one, but I did feel like the alternating perspectives felt off at times. For example, we get one of Rita's, which felt out of place. I also didn't love Ezsther's POV because it felt like the way we saw Abby was not the way she was supposed to be viewed. She was supposed to be this funny, likeable, gregarious character and I didn't get that at all. Overall, a decent read, and I'll keep reading Bartz's books.

When Abby’s fiancée dies on a small island thousands of miles from home, Abby travels there to find answers. The book was good, twists and turns but a very slow buildup. The characters were developed well, in my opinion. The random kiss between Abby and Amari didn’t do anything for the plot and could very well have been left out. I like the representation of LGBTQ+ characters. All in all, the book was good but not my favorite. 3⭐️

(3.5 rounded down) I read Andrea Bartz’s “We Were Never Really Here” back when it was published in 2021 and felt mostly negative towards it. I found the writing to be mediocre and the main character felt unrealistic. I really did love the concept in that book, though, which is why I gave this new one a try. I’m glad I did! Bartz seems to have more of an authorial voice in this novel, and I found the characters to be better developed. After losing her fiancé Eszter, Abby decides to visit the location where Eszter died, an isolated island with very few residents and minimal access to the mainland. Once there, she befriends a group of expats but becomes increasingly suspicious about her Eszter’s death and who may have been involved. The timeline switches from present to past and there are various perspectives, including Abby’s and Eszter’s. The location was also an interesting one. Seemingly once idyllic, this island is now lonely and unkempt, and feels both dreamy and hostile. I sped through this - the pacing is fast and the writing is tense. Would recommend if you’re in the mood for an atmospheric thriller.

Suspenseful the whole way through! Loved this isolation thriller and I was actually spooked several times when reading!

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz due to be published May 20, 2025.
When Abby decided to come to Isla Colel, she wasn't sure what—if anything—she'd find. She only knew that she needed to see the place where her fiancée, Eszter, died, to try and make sense of everything that happened. It used to be bustling but now is quiet. Abby befriends a group that knew Eszter trying to find out what happened. Was it an accident or something else?
This book kept my interest the entire time. I tried to figure out which of the “friends” were telling the truth and which weren’t. Although at times it moved slowly, I enjoyed it and would read more of Andrea Bartz’s books!
#NetGalley #AndreaBartz #StormPublishing #TheLastFerryOut

Although I’ve loved this author in the past, the content in this book was just okay for me. I’m sure it will be ideal for others, so you should definitely give it a try for yourself!

Abby finds herself traveling to the remote island of Isla Colel, a quiet paradise tucked away from the noise of the modern world, in search of answers about her fiancé Eszter’s life—and her untimely and mysterious death. Eszter's sudden passing was attributed to a fatal reaction to her food allergies, but the circumstances surrounding it never quite added up, leaving Abby with questions that only Isla Colel and its inhabitants might be able to answer.

Upon arrival, Abby is struck by the island’s peaceful allure and its quirky community of expats who seem to have dropped out of contemporary culture to embrace a slower, more idyllic way of life. They welcome Abby with open arms, and she begins to feel like she might finally uncover the truth about Eszter. But beneath the island’s serene facade, cracks begin to show.

Brady, one of the locals, hints that he knows something important about Eszter's death and promises to tell Abby the truth. But before he can share anything, he mysteriously vanishes. The Airbnb owner of the home where Eszter once lived seems unusually cagey, dodging Abby’s questions and evading her attempts to dig deeper. The more Abby uncovers, the less she feels she can trust anyone on the island.

Just as Abby begins to piece together fragments of Eszter's life, a massive storm barrels toward Isla Colel, cutting the island off from the outside world. With time running out, Abby must not only race against the forces of nature but also face the unsettling possibility that someone on the island might want her to stop asking questions—for good.

With its lush tropical setting, eccentric characters, and a slow-burning mystery that builds to a pulse-pounding climax, this thriller is gripping even if it isn't as tightly plotted as it could be. Perfect for fans of atmospheric suspense that keeps you guessing until the final stormy twist.

#RandomHouse #IslaColel #AndreaBartz #thelastferryout