The Tourist Attraction is a delightful rom-com set in Moose Springs, Alaska. Graham Barnett loathes tourists. He opened his restaurant The Tourist Trap as a spot for the locals, but somehow it became a tourist hotspot and now he’s surrounded by people he can’t stand. Graham as one rule and it’s to steer clear of tourists… no matter how beautiful they are. Enter Zoey Caldwell who has scrimped and saved to go on her dream Alaska vacation. Neither of them were looking for love, but it finds them anyways.

This book is light and funny… perfect reading for a pandemic! I adored Graham’s blind border collie Jake and the moose Ulysses. Graham’s love for his dog was so familiar since my husband and I have similar conversations about our dog Miley. I loved that Jake was a consistent part of the story. And that the author took the time to address how tourists need to respect wildlife and nature while traveling.

I found Zoey to be completely relatable. I would totally be friends with her in real life. I do wish we got a little bit more of her backstory and why she so desperately wanted to visit Alaska. It looks like this will be a part of a series so I’m looking forward to future adventures spent in Moose Springs, Alaska.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Tourist Attraction is out today!

Review posted to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3314206112

Review will be posted on Instagram @ablondebooknerd on 5/5/2020

3.5 Stars

This was a 4 Star read for me for the majority of the book. I mean, I loved the characters so much. They were adorable, funny, cheeky, and very readable. The banter was on point and the various setups were picturesque and/or delightfully amusing.

There were a few things that threw me off however. The main one being Zoey’s motivation. Suddenly I’m a prissy actor screaming at the book, “Where’s the motivation? What’s the back story?!” You don’t really know why she was so fixated on Alaska. How it came to be her dream vacation. Her past as a whole was very sparse.

That lack of past filtered into my next grievance, which was the big overall obstacle of Zoey and Graham having a HEA. She’s a tourist. But without a back story holding her to her home state, you just don’t feel the angst the characters are supposed to be feeling. You’re going, “I don’t get it, the more we learn, we know you have nothing holding you back, so where’s the hurdle?”

I’m being really critical because I liked this book so much. I really did. I swear.

And last, the mad dash at the end and the wrap up was a little baffling. There seemed like some obvious epilogue type roads that the author didn’t utilize. I’m not going to elaborate because of spoilers but just saying, it left me squinting with one eye when all was said and done.

BUT here’s the part where I tell you to read the book, no matter my grievances! Because, it really is a cute and fun and delightfully romantic story. I adored the characters and dialogue so much and I want you all to experience them too. So, I still definitely recommend THE TOURIST ATTRACTION.

* I received a free e-copy through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars. I absolutely loved this debut contemporary romance novel. The descriptions of Alaska and its attractions made me want to book a flight. I loved the characters, especially Ulysses the moose and laughed several times throughout the novel. I look forward to reading the next books in this series.

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.**

Title The Tourist Attraction

Author Sarah Morgenthaler

Description from Amazon

He had a strict “no tourists” policy…
Until she broke all of his rules.

When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he’s stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless parade of resort visitors who couldn’t interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way…

Two weeks in Alaska isn’t just the top item on Zoey Caldwell’s bucket list. It’s the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she’s smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham’s world, she may just find there’s more to the grumpy local than meets the eye…and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness.

Release Date May 5, 2020

Initial Thoughts

I saw this book all over Instagram and NetGalley and this was actually one that I “wished for” on NetGalley. I wasn’t sure if I’d be chosen but I was happy to discover that I was. Honestly, the main attraction was the fact that the setting was Moose Springs. Moose are my favorite animals.

Some Things I Liked

Moose Springs and Ulysses. I loved that this story was set somewhere named for moose and, there was a moose featured in the story. I have not had the joy of seeing a moose in person but I loved that Ulysses, the moose in The Tourist Attraction, was so loved by the other characters and so respected.
Flawed main character. Once again, I applaud the fact that the main character felt like a real person. Zoey wore glasses, and not just when it was convenient. She had real moments where those glasses got in the way and were not attractive. Zoey was self conscious about her job in a way that felt real. She was a down to earth character with issues that were relatable. I really enjoyed reading about her.
Animal representation. I also really loved that respect for nature and animals was a strong theme in this book. Graham’s dog was blind and the care and love that both Graham and the other characters showed him were nice details that are often overlooked. Meaning, I feel like I read novels where a character has a pet for one scene but then goes on vacation for 3 days and the pet just magically takes care of itself. I loved that Graham’s dog was prominently featured and cared for.

Series Value

I would definitely continue with this series. I thought it was cute, fun read and we met tons of characters with sequel potential. Lana, for example, would make an excellent MC in another book in this series.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. This was my first book by Sarah Morgenthaler and I can say that I am a fan. I would keep reading this series and her books in the future.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

An Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras – if you liked the vacation romance vibes in The Tourist Attraction, give this new release a try.
Well Met by Jen DeLuca – if you liked the realistic struggles that Zoey felt in The Tourist Attraction, you will easily connect with the main character in Well Met.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren – if you liked the vacation vibes but wanted an enemies to lovers trope thrown in there, look no further than this standalone by Christina Lauren.

Can Moose Springs please be real?! This is such a cute rom-com that will have you smiling and laughing along. This book is just so cute, adorable, fun, light, and will make you happy! The knock out star is Jake a blind pup that his super grumpy owner dress up--my heart swooned! As someone who lived in a tourist place I just loved this book, the love and hate relationship of tourists for locals is so real. Graham and Zoey come from different places but build a slow burn of chemistry up overtime that ends with a wonderful HEA. They also have a wonderful banter that keeps the book going!

There is so much fun with:
A trashy Dinner with drawn on reindeer hot dogs
A crazy Moose!
A Chainsaw attack
Time in the local jails drunk tank
A killer whale- but just one!
NARWHALS!! (I mean come on!!)

For a debut this was wonderful! It was truly a rom-com with some many LOL moments! It's perfect for right now and will make you want to jump on a plane to Alaska! You fall in love with this town with some of the locals and the setting and I can not wait for more of Moose Springs!!

Overall, 4.5 stars and 2 steams!

Thank you to the publishers and author for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

When life gives you lemons you find a way to make lemonade. And that’s exactly what Zoey did. When she finally saves enough money for airfare to her bucket list destination of Alaska, a series of unfortunate events finds her. From the moment Graham sets his eyes on her, his disregard of tourists flies out the window. Their chemistry is palpable, but he tries valiantly to resist her throughout most of the book. Their excursions made me angry, wince, and anxious, but also made me laugh and cry. The two main characters were down to earth and relatable. Ms. Morgenthaler got me hook, line, and sinker till the very end! This was the perfect weekend read.

I received an advanced copy of this book at my request via Netgalley and voluntarily left this review.

I have seen a couple reviews about this book already and it only made me want to dive into this more! Anything that is about Alaska will automatically grab my attention because it's one place that I would love to visit. Alaska plus romance was duo that called to me.

Graham Barnett is a funny guy. He literally dislikes tourists but somehow befriend Lana (a friend of Zoey) and clearly has romantic feelings towards another. He has a hard exterior but he is soft on the inside. There wasn't anything I didn't love about him.

Zoey Caldwell is having her dream vacation but there is a lot of hiccups in her plans. She doesn't understand the way of life of Moose Springs but she is always ready to understand. I liked that she was outgoing and tried a lot of new things. Her banter with Graham was always enjoyable to read.

The romance is not steamy and that was okay with me! You definitely felt the growing tension between them though and most of the time I was screaming in my head for them to just kiss!

Alaska as a setting was everything I wanted. There were different touristy things Zoey did and I loved that the author included moose. I mean, the town is named Moose Springs after all.

The plot was fun and it kept me engaged throughout. The ending was everything and it just made my heart full.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable book and I am excited that it will be part of a series.

I loved this so much! It had everything that I love in books: small town-vibes, holiday feeling, beautiful Alaskan surroundings and a lot of cute moments. This was all I could wish for. Graham and Zoey were lovely and I liked them from the beginning. Graham is the grumpy guy who isn't very fond of the tourists, but when he lays his eyes on Zoey he forgets all about that and is immediately drawn to her. I wasn't a big fan of the insta-lovey stuff, but they were very cute together so that's forgiven.

There was however a bit of unnecessary drama. Although, I think that was necessary for the next book in the series but it felt a bit too much in this book.

Jake and Ullyses made this story complete and I loved their addition. Poor Ullyses!

My Dutch review will be published on the 6th of May on Marieke's Books (www.mariekesbooks.nl)

JUST what was needed in this time of stress and upheavals: an adorable café owner who hates the tourists that pay his bills, a tourist who’s spent the past years saving for her vacation of a lifetime, cute animals – from a lovestruck moose to an adorable and always playful dog and plenty of sparks from miscommunications and attractions that were just meant to be. Having saved for years to take this vacation of a lifetime, Zoe is accompanying her wealthy friend Lana to Moose Springs, in Alaska – the place she’s always wanted to see. Lana is a ‘regular’ visitor, but Zoe’s trip is full of firsts, and her ‘rite of passage’ includes meeting the town grinch, Graham.

Graham claims to hate tourists – but they LOVE him: his food, his gruff demeanor and his little shop, The Tourist Trap. A bit cynical, Graham is that sort of person who wants to hate everyone not FROM there, but he likes Lana (a tourist) and he’s intrigued by her friend Zoe. Forget intrigued, he’s drawn to her, and worries about her safety constantly. But Zoe, determined to break out of her shell and be the person she always wanted to be isn’t looking for someone to ‘watch out for her’. That was then. This is now. She’s determined to be outspoken, daring and grab every bit of enjoyment out of this trip- the only thing on her bucket list.

From a well-placed kick to a series of outings, these two can’t seem to stay away from one another. Their banter is clever, the people we meet (and the ridiculous situations they get into, the danger (and draw) of moose, and one that can’t seem to ‘stay away’ all have put Graham’s protective genes into high gear – well, with Zoe. These two are both the most adorable and the most confused by their obvious chemistry, but everything works. We see the events unfold, meet characters and get their ‘take’ on everything from each of their perspectives, as both Graham and Zoe share their point of view, both in their own voice and through their interactions. Laugh out loud, great descriptions, clever character building and plenty of ‘side trips’ to see the area, the people and their interactions. I adored this story – always engaging, clever and Zoe and Graham had plenty to keep them amused- together and apart.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aH0 /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

The Tourist Attraction is a book with no gimmicks. It is just a story of two people who meet and fall in love. It is funny and the characters are great, but what I loved most is being able to watch two characters believably fall for one another.
So many romance novels have these elaborate tropes and don’t get me wrong I love tropes, but they can also take away from things. The Tourist Attraction was cute and it has a message. There is just a tiny bit of insta love but I can forgive it. Graham and Zoey are just such real characters. I also really liked the side characters and I am excited to get to know them more as this series continues.
If you enjoy cute romance with laugh out loud moments and real heart, then I cannot recommend this book enough.

“Sometimes life gives us the things we weren’t planning on.”

5 STARS BECAUSE THIS BOOK MADE ME CRY AT 5 IN THE MORNING!

When i thought that all is done with Zoey and Graham, man, was that a good ending... okay, quick rewind.

Graham was the owner of the diner called The Tourist Trap which is located in Alaska. He wasn’t exactly customer-friendly because he hated the tourists. He opened his diner as a joke but it turned out to be one of their town’s tourist spots that made him angrier by the second. He had a regular tourist named Lana and one day, her friend came their with her.

Zoey was Lana’s friend who took this once-in-a-lifetime vacation because she couldn’t afford it. She had to save up for years before she was able to afford this trip. When he met Graham at the diner, they just clicked, and their story happened.

The part towards the ending made me cry because it seriously seemed like they weren’t going to have their happy ending. And I meant it when I was in tears at 5am, my pillow and shirt was wet from all the tears that was coming down on my face because of these two people. :((

P.S. I love Jake the dog and Graham and Zoey’s team up. If you are a Gilmore Girls fan, you would know why I love Graham despite him being mean to tourists!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablance for providing a copy!

Happy reading!

The town of Moose Springs is so beautifully and thoroughly described that readers are quickly transported to this small town in Alaska. I absolutely loved Graham and completely understood his compassion and concern for his small town. I also really liked Zoey – I admired her determination in saving for her trip to Alaska, and trying to make the best of her trip, even as things started to go sideways. I love books that are set in beautiful destinations. And Alaska might be one of my favorite places in the world. I really loved Zoey Caldwell's character, and I loved her connection with Graham! This one is a really cute read when you need to travel and leave your home for a while.

Zoey has scrimped and saved for years to travel to Alaska and she finally makes it alongside her friend Lana. Zoey makes a few sacrifices but has an action packed adventure for herself planned.

Graham owns a local diner, he doesnt love the work, but it is a very popular establishment for the locals and tourists alike.

The diner, the toursist trap, is where he meets Zoey and both of their lives change.

This was such a fun story. I loved the wit of both main characters! There were some definite laugh out loud moments.

I lived in Alaska for three years for military duty and it was so refreshing to know where some of this was taking place. The town itself was fictional but I still felt like I was right there with them.

There were a few things that I would have liked a bit more in this read though. I would have loved a bit more personal background on Graham and Zoey. We know very very little throughout the entire book about Zoeys background. This was a puzzle to me. I kept hoping we would get something a bit more.

Also, I got a bit flustered at how easy it was to push each other away when we knew their inner dialogue.

Overall, this was a binge worthy book that I totally devoured. I liked getting lost in Alaska with Graham and Zoey. I give this a 3.75 roundedup.

Thank you Edelweiss and Casablanca Sourcebooks for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

I wanted to like this book. I really really did. Everything in the description made me chomping at the bit to read it. A gruff hero who doesn't like the tourists who come to his small town? Mmmmhm yes. A heroine who says screw it and goes on her dream vacation? Ummm hell yes. Finding romance and a hot fling on said dream vacation? We're checking all the boxes now. But for as much as I wanted to love this book, I found that it fell flat for me.

The premise of this book is good - Graham is a gruff, closed off guy who loves his small town of Moose Springs but hates the tourists who come through and wreck the peace and quiet. He's developed a reputation as the surly owner of the town's diner, which as hard as he may try, continues to do well.

Zoey has always wanted to go to Alaska and she's finally saved enough to make it happen all on her own. She has it all planned out; the wilderness excursions, whale spotting and taking in the natural beauty of Alaska. Zoey's planning on living her best life. Her best friend Lana is already there on vacation staying at the luxury resort nestled in the hills above the town, so Zoey joins her.

The characters worked for me, especially Zoey. She's worked hard to save her money and wants to do this trip on her own merit, not piggy backing on Lana's wealth and generosity. She's ready and excited and you feel her joy at being in Alaska. You're also right there with her when her plans start to go awry; she's worked so hard and come so far and of course it doesn't go as planned. I felt like I knew Zoey and enjoyed her story.

The same can be said for Graham. He's a wonderful surly character who wants so badly to NOT like Zoey, to lump her into the same group as all the other tourists. It's so enjoyable watching his walls come down over his repeated interactions with her. I did feel that aspects of Graham story get washed over pretty quickly - for example his hatred for the tourists is explained but it felt like there was opportunity for this to be a bigger plot point and it wasn't.

Many parts of this book were strong - any time that Zoey and Graham were having an adventure together, when Graham was manning the crowd at The Tourist Trap and the best part - Graham's interactions with Ulysses, the moose in love with Graham's car or rather the bread in Graham's car. Any time Graham and Ulysses were interacting I was dying laughing. I could have read an entire about the two of them.

This book was enjoyable. I laughed and was content with the HEA. The main characters were so strong and lovely. I just wish that parts of the plot had been tighter; the end seems to start and stop a few times and by the time it comes around it's a bit of a let down.

Additionally I was expecting more tension between Graham and Zoey, more of an enemies to lovers vibe rather than their immediate interest in each other. Graham sees Zoey at the diner within the first few minutes of the book and he's smitten right away. Zoey's reaction to Graham is the same. I wanted more tension built up between them.

Overall I liked this book. It was cute and the main characters were well fleshed out. I do wish that the ending was stronger and that there was more of an emotional payoff. This book has potential and for the most part it worked but for me, it fell a little short.

I don't know what it is but I love a good book set in Alaska. This book takes place in a town called Moose Springs and we are following Graham. Graham is a local boy who does not like tourists and owns one of the most popular restaurants in town, he is also friends with a moose. Zoey is in town for two weeks and this is a trip of a lifetime for her, she has saved for years so that she can finally come to Alaska. I absolutely loved Graham's character, he appeared to be grumpy but was really this funny lovable guy! My favorite scenes were always the ones where he was talking with the moose or his dog. The romance was also a pretty slow burn which is my favorite. Highly recommend this one if you are looking for a fun rom-com where the setting is another character in the story! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca!

What a cute and entertaining romance! Grumpy diner owner Graham has sworn off all tourists in his tiny Alaska town… until he meets Zoey that is. Zoey isn’t like the other tourists who come to Moose Springs, she doesn’t have millions of dollars to throw around. Zoey’s vacation isn’t going as planned, but Graham is always there to brighten her spirits. I loved the rugged wilderness of the Alaskan setting contrasted with the glamour of the big hotel. The story moved right along as Graham and Zoey fell in love. I will say that towards the end there was a lot of conflict between Graham and Zoey that was resolved too quickly to be believable in my opinion. Other than that it was a very enjoyable rom-com and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

The Tourist Attraction follows a grumpy local diner owner Graham, who has a distaste for tourists that visit the small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. Although he runs a tourist hot spot that everyone comes to visit—despite reviews that the owner is rude to those who visit, it’s still ALWAYS packed—and Zoey, a struggling waitress who has finally saved up enough money to accompany her wealthy friend Lana—a seasonal tourist who Graham has come to not totally hate—to the small town for a dream getaway. The two show up to The Tourist Trap, Graham’s diner, and he catches a glimpse of a cute, shy, glasses wearing girl, who is reading in a busy room full of loud costumers. He’s intrigued. He has to know her. But why her? What’s so different about this tourist? Why can’t he stop thinking about her?

𝐇 𝐎 𝐍 𝐄 𝐒 𝐓 𝐓 𝐇 𝐎 𝐔 𝐆 𝐇 𝐓 𝐒:
This story was very cute. It had its ups and downs. There were times exciting things would happen, then times where it would drag a little, but I loved the antics the characters got into and the back and forth conversations between all the characters, It felt like I was watching a romcom play out before my eyes.

Although I loved Graham and Zoey, my favorite character has to be Jake, Graham’s adorable blind Border Collie that he dresses up in cute pajamas and hats. It’s a fun touch and I absolutely adored it.

If you enjoy slow burn, guy chases girl type romances, this is one to pick up. It was a cute read and the first in a series. I can’t wait to read the next installment.

Thank you Sarah Morgenthaler, Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This lighthearted romp was a welcomed distraction in this time of quarantine, when I wish I could not only be that tourist in Alaska, but also that girl who gets to have a meal out an a restaurant. lol. I'll keep an eye out for more of Morgenthaler's books in the future.

I'm not really keen on new romance books, there's something strange about them that I can't explain. BUT this one is a book that I really enjoyed. I'll definitely look around for more books by Sarah Morgenthaler in the future.

I absolutely loved this book. Graham, a grumpy restaurant owner, meets Zoey, a tourist who saved every penny to take a bucket list vacation meet at the restaurant when her friend Lana brings her there. Graham was instantly drawn to her. Zoey seemed to be living the life of Murphy's law. If it can go wrong, it will go wrong.

Overall, I enjoyed the slow burn of the romance in the book. It was a fun read, had me laughing out loud at times.