i was a little unsure what i wanted to rate this, so i went with my gut, and ultimately this was 'just okay' for me. i'd say about 50% of this had cutesy moments or moments that made me laugh, but then i was cringing and grimacing for the other 50%.

let's start with some things i liked:
- i actually liked Graham a lot. he reminds me a lot of Luke from Gilmore Girls, who i love. he had that grumpy guy who runs a diner deal going on but then is soft for one (1) woman
- i liked the setting of Alaska and the small town vibe, and i think it really worked for this
- i liked the vacation romance until like the last 30% (view spoiler)
- the banter between Graham and Zoey wasn't awful. it definitely got cringy at times, but it wasn't the worst

and the things i didn't like so much:
- zoey has no personality other than being "cute" to graham. i can't name a single hobby she has or things she likes to do other than she had a book at the beginning, never to be seen or mentioned again
- i didn't hate the side characters, but i feel like it should have ended at Lana, Ash, and Easton. the others just had me confused multiple times because i had literally no idea who they were or why they were relevant (aside from people obviously running shops + hotels; i mostly mean Enzo, Killian & Haleigh. Killian sort of has a purpose, but the others?? no idea who they are)
- Graham's violent behavior streak. i get that he's the grump character, but he did not come across as violent to me. this behavior comes out of nowhere several times and it's not really addressed as bad or toxic behavior other than Zoey calling him an "alphahole" literally once. that type of behavior didn't fit the vibe that i was picking up from Graham's character. idk, i just don't think that kind of violent, "protective" behavior is romantic. i think it's kinda concerning lol.
- idk if it was the pacing or the writing style, but this book felt way longer than it needed to be even though it's barely 350 pages. maybe all the different types of touristy dates made it feel too repetitive? i'm not sure exactly what it was, but the book dragged a little. i think maybe the instant connection at the beginning and a lack of tension between them led to a "date after date after date" repetitive feeling with very little to spice things up

This is one of those "high concept" romances that allures you with its originality and quirky characters. My only struggle--and this is supremely objective, not at all an indictment of this book or its quality--is that it's written in third-person. Mostly found in historical romances which I love, third-person is a narrative style that naturally creates greater cognitive distance between a character and me. No "I" to step into, but an omniscient hovering over "he" and "she". So, unfortunately this book took me many tries to get myself into, simply because it felt oddly hard to dive into, even with its engaging premise. That said, it's cute, upbeat, and makes you fall in love with Alaska. I think, had it been written in the voice more common to contemporary romance of first-person, I would have been head over heels.

I had picked this book up a few times and always ended up putting it back down. It started off so well with just the right amount of comedy. However, it started to drag and drag. A slow page and a hero I didn't like kept me from finishing this.

CW: [moose is relocated due to incident with tourist (50% survival rate, unknown if dead or alive) (hide spoiler)]

After a rough start (I was ready to DNF at 10% because the hero is such an asshole), the book got better. I liked it! Still some irritating aspects but overall it was worth a read and I’d rec it. Grumpy/sunshine vibes, beautiful scenic descriptions of Alaska, comedy heavily dependent on physical humor, fade-to-black sex scenes, and a rom-com with very little sorrow/grief/trauma. One of the happier contemporary romances with an illustrated cover that I’ve read in a while. I’ll definitely pick up the next one.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Tourist Attraction was a great start to the Moose Springs, Alaska series! Set in the small town of, you guessed it, Moose Springs, this one stars two characters who are obviously attracted to each other - you could feel the chemistry between them! Add in a very good boy (blind border collie) and I was sold.

Zoey, a waitress at a truck stop in a small town in Illinois, has been saving for ages to be able to afford a trip to Alaska. (In part, she's able to afford it because her rich friend Lana's letting her crash on the couch in her suite at the resort.) Graham's a townie, the proprietor, line cook, and sole employee of the Tourist Trap, a stand that sells burgers, reindeer dogs, and fries, and is a total tourist attraction (...much to his chagrin).

These two hit it off, and following along with their adventures in Alaska was a blast. You can't help but itch for them to get together, despite their mutual reticence (Zoey's got a return flight booked, and Graham has a rule against flings with tourists). I do wish Graham were a bit less violent; there are ways to express anger without fists! But overall these characters were well-drawn and I really enjoyed reading their story. I'm also looking forward to book 2 in the series!

2,5 stars
I thought this book had a lot of potential but in the end it just wasn’t for me. Though I do believe this book may work for other readers.

I thought the romance between the two MCs was really sweet and in the beginning it really hooked me with their cute banter. But the relationship was quickly overshadowed by the drama of the rest of the plot.

Zoey, the female MC, just wanted her dream vacation in Alaska, a trip she had been planing her whole life. But it seems NOTHING can go right for her. Every activity goes terribly wrong and she has a miserable time. I wanted to get a feeling of wanderlust - and I just did not get it from this novel. You don’t really get much of an Alaskan nature appreciation vibe since it always revolves around how Zoey mucks it up again (and has to be rescued … again).
It seems, you can only expect to have a good time on a vacation if you’re rich (at least that is the impression this book gave me). But at the same time, they bash the elite guests of the resort Zoey gets to stay in (for free!); there seems to be not one nice rich person. Why does she put up with them then?

And just the drama of every scene! I do think for entertainment purposes you can work with misunderstandings and a kind of slapstick humor - But. Not. In. Every. Scene. And you have to know when enough is enough.
For ex. during one of their first encounters, Zoey stumbles upon Graham (male MC) and mistakes him for an ax-murderer (I get it, the whole chainsaw and everything). She defends herself (ouch) and hides in his home. But instead of resolving this situation in a believable quick way, the author chose to make a whole thing of it. Zoey calling the police, both of them getting arrested and spending some quality time in the same (?) cell. Hmmm. Sometimes, less is more.

The end draged a bit for me as well. I just didn’t connect with the characters as much as I wished I would. The most emotional I got was by reading a scene about a moose.

That said, I do believe someone else might really enjoy this rom-com novel. I was just hoping for something else. But I do think I would try something else by this author, just to see if the next plot is more up my alley.

This was a nice, easy-to-read romcom. However, the tension within the book felt too contrived. I would have liked it more if the male lead didn’t have such a chip on his shoulder.

This was a cute insta-love romance. Perhaps my favorite part of it was that it’s set in Alaska, which is such a fun setting for a romance. It was a little cliche and cheesy, but I liked that there was more to it than just the love story. There was a strong friendship and conflicting motives also taking a center spot.

The book was a bit long, some of the conflicts repeated on a loop. The main characters could also have been fleshed out a bit more; the male lead is a grump who only lets his guard down for Zoey, but then had a pointless violent streak.

Overall, 3 stars and I’ll be interested to read the next book in this series!

The premise to this sounds so cute. And the book delivers a lot of cute, almost too much for me. Snarky hero who hates tourists, nerdy, glasses wearing heroine who is a tourist, a blind dog that wears pajamas, a moose that loves a car, and a town full of quirky characters.

Zoey travels to Alaska and meets Graham, a diner owner who really hates the tourist who comes to the town. This is a huge plot point and it got a little old after a bit. It was a little hard to see why exactly Zoey would want to be with Graham because he is kind of a jerk. He has some really soft spots though and once he shows those, it was easier for me to believe in their love story.

The cute Hallmark style is very high in this book, so if you don’t enjoy that style, the book is probably not for you. The dialogue was fun though and we do get both POVs. It is low heat and felt appropriate to the story.

I felt the first half dragged a little and the story picked up with the second half. I saw the author talking on IG that there are more stories planned and I will probably read them.

The Tourist Attraction is a charming and ever so lovable romantic comedy that will enchant readers with it’s small town vibe, charming cast of characters, witty and memorable dialogues with the vacation fling as romance trope. Graham and Zoey are not your typical romance couple and the setting is the not so often featured state of Alaska. Sarah Morgenthaler has managed to craft a story that might be slow burn but is pure enjoyment to read. I have never had so much fun reading a love story that has very little obstacle for the main couple from the start. Add in a town that sounds both small town and tourist spot rolled into one, fantastic sceneries, secondary characters that you wish gets their own book, a cute dog and a love sick moose and you have a winner! The vividness of the setting makes you just want to get on a plane and make your own Alaskan adventure happen. The Tourist Attraction has all the boxes ticked for a great romantic comedy plus Alaska!

I had SUCH high hopes for this debut novel, and I think, in the end, it was a “it’s me and not you” situation. I completely get why so many people enjoyed this book. The story started on a high note; Alaska settings and grumpy heroes are my catnip! The hero was giving me Luke from Gilmore Girls-but-younger vibes, and I was here for it. But then… he got less grumpy? He was actually very flirty with everyone. Almost every single female local he came across he had dated or thought about dating and TBH, it put me off and really dented his whole “grumpy diner-owner” motif. Plus, people kept talking about how lazy he is. There is a difference between grumpy and belligerently lazy and the hero was starting to slide to the less desirable of those two options.

I probably could have gotten passed my dashed grumpy hero hopes if I liked the heroine even a little bit. Everyone she comes across seems to love her; I found her to be a bit of a dud. She was judgy and righteous, and I just couldn’t get beyond it. I honestly did not understand why the hero liked her so much. I would love for someone to explain it to me.

Combine a hero and heroine I don’t click with, no sexy times, and weird slapstick humor that seemed out of place most of the time, and you have a DNF recipe for this reader.

Overall, if the main characters aren’t working for me almost halfway through the book, I am pretty darn positive they won’t work for me the rest of the book. I’m not saying “no, never” to Ms. Morgenthaler’s future books, but this book didn’t work for me.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Far too cheesy for me! I wasn’t drawn to pick this one up and didn’t like the characters or love story. Everything felt too fake and I found myself cringing for most of it. Might work for fans of hallmark films and low steam romance.

Graham and Zoey have my heart. This book was so so cute! And when you add Ulysses and Jake... an unbelievable romance. These characters were well thought out, the premise fulfilling and the scene of Alaska was a genius location.

BUT YALL. I loved this book. Graham is never going to be Jonah but I loved him a lot as well. He is grumpy but also has such a sweet heart. From the very beginning, he is taking care of Zoey, the main character, after she has quite the first night on her bucket list trip to Alaska. Zoey has so many adventures planned that I was 100% jealous of. But Graham is just too much for her. A lot happens in the book with Zoey, her rich friends and the other people in Moose Springs but I just can’t get over Graham.

So yes, this book was Zoey’s story and heavily involved Graham. But there was one character that I just loved so much. And it was a moose. Something happens to the moose and I was in tears. Who know I could love a moose so much when he isn’t even a very nice moose? Maybe quarantine is getting to me but I just loved Ulysses.

This book was delightful. The setting, the snark, and the adorable animals made for one heck of a combination and it was a lot of fun.

Graham and Zoey were 100% adorable and their banter and dialogue definitely made this book what it was: a treat. While Graham is a grumbly "alphahole" (Zoey's words) in love with his hometown and a deep hatred of the tourists who flock there, Zoey is the exact opposite; an optimistic, shy little tourist. It's a match that you don't think will work, but somehow does seamlessly. They balance each other out, and watching them grow and come to love each other felt like a gift. Zoey's terrible luck on excursions, and Graham's effort to make her trip one of the best she's ever had, was a beautiful experience and had me both laughing and crying.

Another wonderful part of this book? Easton. I love love love the giant mountain of a man with his beard and his man bun and his one word answers. He is a treasure that must be protected at all costs.

The only thing that I didn't love about this book was the length. While I did love that we got more time with Ulysses (the sweetest moose ever) and Jake (the cutest pup), as well as some more witty dialogue from our cast of characters, it just went a bit too long. After the third or fourth time the couple is hilariously interrupted in a private moment you kind of sigh and say "okay, but when are we going to actually move past this?" Also, I wasn't crazy about Graham's little temper control issue. It wasn't awful, just unnecessary.

Lastly, the one main conflict that comes up in this book (courtesy of one of our delightful cast members) never fully seems resolved, just kind of brushed under the rug. I'm wondering (and hoping) if that will be a theme in the coming few books in this cozy town of Moose Springs, because it was so prominent in this book I would hate for it to just be a loose end never tied up.

All this to say, I got swept up in Graham and Zoey, loved visiting Moose Springs, and even with the few issues I will absolutely read the next couple books coming, especially since we get more of Easton.

I’ve been reading some good books lately and this was no exception! Graham was hilarious and had one of my favorite lines in the book. The relationship between Graham and Zoey was cute and the entire cast of characters were entertaining! Not to mention...it’s set in Alaska so I was basically hooked from the beginning!

I started The Tourist Attraction prepared to be disappointed. I knew the synopsis sounded cute, but I'd recently read The Simple Wild and Wild at Heart and I was afraid I'd be comparing it to two books that had completely swept me off my feet. But try as I might, I couldn't fight the grin that overtook my face within the first few pages. And I kept finding myself smiling and laughing out loud as I read the rest of this adorable book.

What I liked: Graham and Zoey are adorkable together. Their banter and chemistry is on point. I loved that Zoey was adventurous despite being quieter than her more confidant friend, Lana. Sometimes when our leading lady is the nerdy, quiet type, the author also makes her shy and timid. Not Zoey!

I loved the setting. I think I'm developing an Alaskan fixation with all the books I've been reading lately. Morgenthaler does a beautiful job of setting the scene and giving the reader memorable (and romantic) experiences.

I also loved the plot point of the town vs. the tourists. I love to travel, but I'm always thinking about how the locals must feel about strangers constantly rotating through the place they live and love. While tourism is sometimes necessary to keep money coming in, it often also means destroying some of what there is to love about a place. It's definitely a rock and hard place, and the author succeeds at showing a bit of both sides.

But what I love most about this book is the humor and heart. I laughed, smiled, and got misty-eyed, and that's the kind of escapism needed right now.

While I love this book and highly recommend it, a few things did bother me. I wanted more of Zoey's backstory. I kept waiting for it, thinking we're going to find out why Alaska has always been her dream destination, but we never get it. I also found myself confused by some of the dialogue--backtracking and rereading--but overall these small things weren't enough to kill my happy reading experience.

The Tourist Attraction is so much fun, and I can't wait to read the next installment.

Rating: 2.5

I really struggled with The Tourist Attraction. I was really excited about this book after I read the blurb and jumped at the chance to read it.

Sadly this book did not do it for me. The story just draaaaaagged for me. I felt like I would read several chapters and neither characters had moved or done anything. This story just wasn't for me.

Like many other people, I’m all about the light and funny books these days, and The Tourist Attraction definitely delivered. It was sweet, hilarious, had great characters, and a romance that was easy to root for.

Graham hates tourists. As a reluctant diner owner in Moose Springs, Alaska, he’s seen it all, and he hates that his town is overrun with rich, entitled tourists who wreak havoc, flash their money around, and are just generally a nuisance, even if they do help him pay the bills. He does have a soft spot for one tourist in particular, though, and when she arrives with a friend in tow, he’s charmed despite himself. Zoey isn’t like the others; she’s not rich and spoiled, and she didn’t choose Alaska on a whim. She toiled away as a waitress for years, saved all her money, and finally made her dream of visiting Alaska come true.

Graham and Zoey were such great characters. They had an instant connection and their playful banter had me grinning and laughing out loud. Zoey is adorable and relatable, and I wanted to be friends with her right away (hello, fellow shy bookworm, let’s hang out and read together!). I appreciated that she didn’t have everything figured out; she’d settled into her waitressing job back home as a means to an end, with her big goal being Alaska, and now that she could check that off her bucket list, she didn’t really know what was ahead. As for our hero, I know a lot of people are all about the grumpy hero, but they’re not always my favourite; they’re often unforgivably rude and seem to have little to no reason for the giant chip on their shoulder. Graham appears gruff and grumpy, but he’s actually a squishy, soft sweetheart, and the way he is with Zoey melted my heart. He saw her - truly saw her - from that very first moment, and the way he thought about her and treated her made me swoon.

The Tourist Attraction is adorable and witty, and the banter between Graham and Zoey is honestly some of the best I’ve seen. Prepare for lots of giggles and swoons, a side of feels, a stand-out setting, and a couple of animals that totally steal the show. I’m excited this book is the first in a series of standalones, because I’m eager to return to Moose Springs in the autumn with Mistletoe and Mr. Right.

Might be more of a 3.5, but I'll round up because this was a lot of fun and it gets bonus points for being the first book that was able to pull me away from my constant Animal Crossing playing, lol. This book was very cute! It had a great mix of sassy characters and a fun setting and I am definitely looking forward to reading more books from this series in the future. My only real complaint is that the main relationship felt very surface level. I enjoyed our two main characters and I thought that they went well together in the end, but I didn't necessarily feel like I connected to them and their relationship as much as I was hoping I would Overall though, this was fun and I definitely intend to carry on with the rest of the series as the books come out!