Loved the characters and setting! Cute dialogue. Not as salacious as I was expecting but that was ok. Looking forward to the next in this series.

Struggled to get into this one and gave up less than halfway. Didn’t gel with the characters...............................

I have devoured the pages of The Tourist Attraction in just one sitting. This is a good one, folks!

Zoey has scrimped and saved her whole life to be able to go on a trip to Alaska with her (very rich) best friend, Lana. She has the whole thing planned out, and her handy Alaska travel guide to help her navigate it. But at every turn, things seem to be going horribly wrong… except where grumpy restaurant owner Graham is involved.

Graham started his little restaurant – “The Tourist Trap” – to be a joke. The town of Moose Springs is regularly overrun by tourists from the resort on the mountain above them, and it’s a never ending battle between the two groups. Graham is the reluctant owner of vacationers’ favorite place to be. And while he hates most tourists, he’s quickly growing a soft spot for his old friend Lana’s newest fellow traveler. Unfortunately, any flirtation with Zoey has an expiration date, and he’s falling hard.

I really fell in love with the characters in this novel. Zoey, in particular, is not only relatable but too cute for words. Graham’s archetype is this grumpy, artsy, mountain guy… and it’s totally working for him. The landscape he resides in is a great metaphor for his personality: beautiful and breathtaking, but harsh and unforgiving. Rough around the edges. This is why Graham and Zoey ended up making such a perfect fit, and such an adorable meet-cute; where Graham is hard, Zoey is pretty dang squishy and soft. They’re a lovely, believable balance.

I’m also basically obsessed with Alaska now. The kitschy setting of Moose Springs is just so warm and welcoming, and I am heartened to know that Morgenthaler spent time in Alaska prior to writing this new series. Maybe it really is like this in some places! Regardless, I’ve asked my boyfriend if we can move there, and he gave me the usual “okay sure, honey” I get every time I fall in love with a new part of the world. Suffice to say, we’ve yet to leave New Hampshire, hahaha. 🙂 I think you’re really going to fall in love with this setting, and never want to leave.

Some things I wasn’t a huge fan of: the ritzy life of these rich people, and their negative tones cast on the book. They’re a necessary element of telling the story, but goodness gracious were they annoying. Lana even, who is supposed to be a supportive best friend for Zoey, sometimes falls in this category and certainly wasn’t my favorite.

Additionally: the violence. I’m not saying there’s anything you have to worry about going into this book; it’s not really dark and nothing extremely violent or terrible happens. It’s just like, all the fighting. Physical fighting. For honestly no reason. I’m such a pacifist, every time someone put their fists up (to fight over a girl, to fight over nothing, blah blah) I did one big dramatic sigh, then read on.

What makes up for it: Graham’s blind border Collie, Jake, who is honestly the adorable star of this book. The definition of a good boy.

I am chomping at the bit to get the next book in this series, Mistletoe and Mr. Right. Throughout the story, you really fall in love with the characters of the town, and I’m excited to see their own love stories unfold. You can bet I’ll be picking up Morgenthaler’s latest in October. I am here for it!

This was extremely adorable and cute, almost good enough to make me want to visit Alaska myself.

Zoey spent years saving up for a trip to Alaska, and she needs this once-in-a-lifetime vacation to be everything she had hoped for. She instantly gets her heart stolen by Moose Springs, the little town down the mountain from her hotel, a resort full of rich people who only care about taking the perfect picture for their socials. Graham owns a diner that's very popular with the tourists, but he hates all the visitors that invade his little mountain town. But Zoey might just be the one tourist who could make him change his mind.

This was very insta-love. Their eyes meet, there's a little flirting, and Graham has his knight-in-shining-armour moment when he makes sure a drunk Zoey gets back to the resort on her first night in town. After that, it's a typical vacation romance, combined with a small town vibe that perfectly highlights the difference between the tourists and the locals. I liked the banter between Zoey and Graham. She was the sunshine to his grump, and their personalities balanced each other out.

Unfortunately, this book was a bit too long and it suffered from pacing issues. The first part of the book was fine, but the main conflict was dragged out too much. Additionally, some of the fights between Zoey and Graham were repetitive and felt like they were crammed into the plot to ensure another kiss-and-make-up scene. On top of that, Graham has an anger issue that diminishes his likeability as romantic lead. He is shown to be physically violent a few times, which felt like an excessive side to his grumpy personality. It's never really discussed as a bad thing, but more or less just gets brushed to the side every time.

In the end, I enjoyed reading this book. It was a quick read, with a lot of funny and romantic moments. I liked the town setting and the interesting characters. Even if this wasn't the perfect book, I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

DNF at 49%. I was really excited for this book and really wanted to love it, but sadly it's a rom com that relies heavily on humor and that humor didn't click with me. I will say I'm glad I gave it a second try via audiobook since the characters came off a lot differently than in my head.

⭐️ [3.75/5 Stars] ⭐️

I finally finished!! Holy heck. I’ve been in a big reading slump for just over a month and have barely read a thing. Netgalley provided me with an arc of this book before it was released—which is when I started reading it—so thank you to them. This book has been out for a few days now and I’m glad I finally got the chance to finish it.

Overall, this was well written and enjoyable. I was hoping it would be more down the five star route but it ended up being at the 3.75/4 range. I enjoyed the characters and I liked how our hero was grumpy all throughout, even when some of his opinions changed, his core personality didn’t and I liked that. He was, at times, kinda insufferable especially with the back and forth when it came to the heroine. I loved the vibes that this gave off more than anything. I adore a good destination novel where it’s set anywhere other than the city because it makes me feel like I’m elsewhere. This novel did a good job of slapping you straight into Alaska and it made me want to go there even more than I previously did.

The lack of smut was really disappointing. I know it’s not for everyone and not all authors are comfortable with writing it but I think smut or a prelude into smut is essential with contemporary romances because it amps up the chemistry even more and these two characters could have definitely benefited from more chemistry because a lot of the times it felt like their relationship was more friendship based. I liked the fact that this was third person because I do love a good third person point of view but I’m curious as to whether it would have been even better in first person; I might have felt a deeper connection with the characters.

I’m interested in some of the side characters and I think this is going to be a series so I’ll be keeping an eye out for the rest of the collection if there is one. Yay for Alaska books!!!!

I can't put my finger to it really well as to why, it just didn't blow me away and in general I'm just not super impressed. The characters were fun, but I couldn't connect to them as I would've liked. The story-line was fun, but I also couldn't completely lose myself in it as I would've liked. Same goes for the romance... I just didn't truly believe it you know? It somehow just didn't sweep me off my feet.

This was just a mediocre book to me and I hate that I can't explain it well as to why I feel like this exactly, this but it's just a feeling I've had throughout the entire read. a bit of a 'meh' kind of feeling, you know?

But...
Fast paced? Check
Fun read in general? Check
Beautiful Alaskan settings? Check

Overall:
I'd definitely still recommend it if you like Alaskan settings with fun and witty banter between some of the characters. To me, it was a mediocre read; a book that had some fun elements and was a fast paced read, but that isn't a memorable read, you know? A lot of people fell in love HARD when reading this book, so I'd say; why don't you find out for yourself to see what you'll think of it? ;)

DNF at 27%. I tried - - I really tried, but it just seemed so dull. I didn't buy Graham's "There's Just Something About Her" routine that's a part of romance novels. And Zoey being surrounded by rich people was just unappealing. The whole thing just bored me and I couldn't push myself.

Fun romcom set in a stunning location - check

Entertaining Grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Graham and Zoey - check

Grumpy, blunt honesty from Graham - check
Graham’s interest in Zoey stems from all of the adorably dorky things she does - all the checks

A Moose named Ulysses and an adorable, blind dog named Jake - check

Some of my fellow bookstagrammers have been telling me how much they LOVED this book - CHECK

This book was so fun and cute, it was such a wonderful change of pace!

I liked the setting ( Alaska!) and Graham, but otherwise it fell a little short for me. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

Apparently I can’t get enough of contemporary romance stories and I am seriously leaning on these books during this time for solace. I will happily say that despite what looks like a meager rating, I thought The Tourist Attraction was the perfect book to cozy up with this weekend. The experience of this story gave me the impression that I was a seasoned traveller, who has seen all the glory the Alaskan wilderness has to offer. When in reality, I haven’t travelled farther than the distance between my bed and the fridge today.

Graham Barnett has a notoriously bad attitude when it comes to the tourists of his town Moose Springs. When he opened his one-man diner, all he wanted was a job that payed the bills and to eat free cheeseburgers. He didn’t anticipate an unending influx of wealthy tourists. For the most part, his distaste towards tourists makes a lot of sense. The diner wasn’t Graham’s dream and it certainly wasn’t in his life plans. Outside of his diner, he’s still unsure about what he wants for himself.

Graham was pretty much the only selling point I needed to pick this story up. Give me all the Joshua Templeton’s 24/7, because I am such a sucker for a grumpy hero. Although there’s actually a considerable amount of reprieve from Graham’s grumpy attitude, because this guy really has a heart of gold. Despite his dislike for tourists, Graham can’t resist Zoey, the sweet bookworm who has dreamt of visiting Alaska for years. Her plain sweatshirts and bashful nature stand out to him in a sea of obnoxious and wealthy tourists and he just can’t help but be smitten with her. Graham is a really swoon-worthy hero, he is so sweet and charming towards Zoey from the moment he meets her and basically sweeps her off of her feet. He also has a blind dog that he treats like a child and dresses up. Nuff’ said about that, he’s perfect clearly.

Zoey was a perfectly fine heroine. A large part of her characterisation was her normalcy, which I thought worked for her and against her in some regards. Against, because unfortunately she just paled in comparison to other heroines I’ve read recently. I still enjoyed her perspective nevertheless. I also think that she’s a character romance readers will easily be smitten with because she’s that shy bookworm character. Her perspectively is easily palatable too because she is just a good spirited character.

On the other hand, as I’m writing this review I’m actually coming to appreciate her normalcy because of its relatability. It’s nice to read about a character whose life has come to a standstill and who doesn’t have a fancy corporate job. Actually, both Graham and Zoey are characters in their 20s that are undecided about where their life is going next. It’s refreshing to read about characters who are ‘accomplished’ in ways we don’t usually see in romance.

In the strangest way, that also maybe makes a lot of sense, this book vaguely reminded me of Well Played by Jen DeLuca. Largely because this book is set in a small Alaskan town and the small town vibes are really strong here. The setting itself is really more than just a backdrop and it plays a huge roll in the development of the characters relationship with one another.

The small gripe I have with this book is that most of the residents of Moose Springs share Graham’s distaste towards the tourists that populate their small town year round. Like Graham, their shared characterisation makes sense. However because of it, many of the side characters feel one note and like carbon copies of each other. The residents really seem to loathe anyone that comes through their town, even a tourist oohing and aahing at the beauty of your town is apparently eye-roll worthy? Luckily Graham’s charm is bountiful, so it makes up for how annoying I thought the animosity was sometimes.

This fluffy small town/vacation romance has something in common with many of the books I’ve read throughout Quarantine – It was a comforting and pleasant story that I could nestle into, it’s words like a warm blanket on my soul. Many of the clichés it has will easily resonate with romance readers and it’s guaranteed to find its audience. This was a great debut from Sarah Morgenthaler and I can’t wait to read the companion books in this series!

On the other hand, as I’m writing this review I’m actually coming to appreciate her normalcy because of its relatability. It’s nice to read about a character whose life has come to a standstill and who doesn’t have a fancy corporate job. Actually, both Graham and Zoey are characters in their 20s that are undecided about where their life is going next. It’s refreshing to read about characters who are ‘accomplished’ in ways we don’t usually see in romance.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a lot going for it: small-town romance, quirky/fun female protagonist, quirky/grumpy male protagonist, travel, adventure, and more. It's a fun read, and I definitely got involved in the characters' lives and wanted to see everything work out for them. The only criticism I have is that the pacing was a bit off. At times the story dragged a bit. I feel like the story would have been even stronger with a good editor to cut out some of fluff.

Still, I note that this is the first book in a planned series, and I will definitely look to pick up the next title when it comes out. 3.5 stars overall.

I can see how this would appeal to a lot of rom-com lovers. A fun setting (Alaska) and quirky characters make for an enjoyable read. I wish the romance would have built up a little faster. I found myself feeling like the middle of the book dragged a bit because of it. The ending left me satisfied.

This was SUPER fun and very sweet. I really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series!!

Release Date: May 5th 2020
📖📖📖 Zoey’s Alaskan vacation is trying to kill her. Everything she tries seems to end in disaster. She meets Graham, a local restaurant owner and the two fall instantly in love. Then it’s drawn out for 200 more pages. I wanted to love this book. It had all the elements, hot guy (and adorable dog) plus dorky girl and of course Alaska. It just felt like NOTHING was happening. It was cute but I would not read it again.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#bookstagram #netgalleyreads #bookrecommendations

Gosh, I enjoyed reading this book.

I was given an eARC book of this book from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.

There is something about reading a book set in Alaska during this trying time. I enjoyed reading this book because I got to feel like I was honestly visiting Alaska. The Tourist Attraction is the perfect book to get you to Alaska from the comfort of your home. The book has everything you will need during a trip to Alaska, it has killer whales, a Bun loving Moose, an adorable dog, some great glaciers as well as a hot restaurant owner.

Zoey is taking a dream of her lifetime to Moose Spring, Alaska. This is a trip she has always dreamed of taking. While she is there she goes to the Tourist Trap one her first night and catches the eye of the owner Graham, who hates a tourist. But there is something about Zoey that he is drawn too. See Graham hates a rich and entitled tourist, but that isn't Zoey. He sees that Zoey is different.

The chemistry between these two is so funny. I found myself chuckling out loud more than once. From the first time I picked this book up, I didn't want to put it down. While this book was an enjoyable read there were some parts of it that I was like ok come on already. One of them was that Graham kept pushing away Zoey because she was living. We knew that it was a short trip and Graham kept bring it up during times when he felt that Zoey was getting to close.

This is the first book in the series so I am excited to see that else happens later in the series. Overall a great rom-com that will have you chuckling.

3.5 stars

I requested The Tourist Attraction because I was craving for a light romance and just a feel-good read and I knew, small-town romance is perfect for what I was craving for. And this book didn’t disappoint me.

Beautiful setting, amazing experience…

For fans of small town romances like me, the setting is everything. It makes the reading experience better, more worthwhile. In The Tourist Attraction, the author did a good job at making me feel like I was there in Moose Spring, vacationing with the heroine, Zoey. While reading, there were vivid images of scenes, the locals, the tourist spots in my mind. The interactions between the locals and the locals and the tourists are also very realistic. Even the experiences of the tourists, especially Zoey’s experiences as a tourist is very realistic, from getting lost in the mountains to crowded boats for Whale viewing.

The pacing could be better…

The development of the romance is okay and it’s more believable, but when it comes to the entire story, it could be better. The book is longer that it should be. At times, it dragged. I do think there are scenes that could’ve been shortened, even a few that the story can do without. I feel like everyone in the town had a part in the story which is unnecessary. But anyway, this is a small town romance and the experience won’t be complete without the unnecessary conversations and squabbles of the locals.

Sarcastic, grumpy, funny hero + strong, independent heroine = sweet, cute romance…

Graham hates tourist and he’s very vocal and obvious about it. Despite that, I still adore Graham, because he can’t hide his kindness. He’s also funny and sweet, especially to Zoe. Zoe is hardworking, strong and independent, and for Graham, she’s different than any tourist he’s had in his diner. Graham found himself drawn to Zoe and what happens next are series of hilarious mishaps until they give in to their attraction. I enjoyed their interaction from the beginning till the end. But there are few times that I found Graham a bit too possessive and over-protective than necessary. It contradicts his cool personality.

Predictable ending…

The main conflict of the romance is it’s short-term. Both Zoe and Graham know that their relationship can’t go on forever. Zoe is in Alaska for only two weeks and Graham lives there. So with that conflict and with everything that happened in the story, the ending is predictable. But the way it happened, just like all the scenes with Graham, is funny. So it doesn’t matter that it’s predictable.

I really tried to get into this one as so many people have loved this one but it just wasn’t working for me. I think I needed more backgrounds information on the characters because I just found myself not connecting to them. I definitely can see why people may enjoy this - it has the quirks of a fun, small town, light romance.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of “The Tourist Attraction” by Sarah Morgenthaler. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Zoey has scrimped and saved for her once in a lifetime trip to Alaska. There she meets Graham, a local restaurant owner. The two are drawn to one another as Zoey’s trip unfolds in unexpected ways for both them and the town of Moose Springs, Alaska.

This story was strong in the armchair tourist travel aspect. I appreciated this a lot in the current cabin fever that is my house. Like Zoey, I’ve always wanted to go to Alaska someday so this book appealed to my interests. The story also started off with some great humorous moments but those sadly dried up as the book progressed. I think the chapters could have been broken up a bit more as there were only seventeen of them.

While the setting and a lot of the comical mishaps on Zoey’s excursions were pluses for me, most of the main characters were not appealing to me. Zoey is #notlikeothergirls in that she’s not one of the rich elite tourists that visit the town. She’s poor and quirky and constantly pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose which I know is meant to be cute but I find this a really annoying trait for characters. I know Zoey is poor and needs new glasses to try and justify it but it’s just a personal annoyance of mine with the pushing up glasses constantly thing.

And then there’s Graham. I did not care for him. He hit on anyone with a vagina and was really pushy about getting Zoey to go on a date with him. I couldn’t understand why he was immediately infatuated with Zoey. She was some kind of forbidden fruit I guess because Graham doesn’t date tourists. It seemed like the chase was what was driving his infatuation alongside the heartbreak that would ensue when she inevitably left at the end of her trip.

Another thing I didn’t like about Graham was his itching for a fight the entire book. He’s begging for an excuse to punch someone and even punches a wall at one point which is red flags all over the place. He eventually gets his wish for a fight, but the anger he exhibits didn’t seem justified.

I also want to talk about the “meet cute” because it was not cute. Zoey drinks too much and is given “something that was not baby aspirin” by her rich “friend” Lana. This gets Zoey wasted off her ass in an attempt to show how chivalrous Graham is when he takes her back to the hotel. This was not cute. This was unsettling and scary that her friend would just basically roofie Zoey and leave her in a bar where she doesn’t know anyone. In fact, throughout the book Lana is hiding things from Zoey, letting her rich friends or cousins or whatever pick on her without defending her, and constantly ditching her. Both Zoey and Lana kept saying they were such good friends but the evidence was not there for me. It looks like the next book is going to be about Lana so I don’t know if I’ll be picking it up or not.

While I really liked the tourism aspects, I struggled with a lot of the characters actions and motivations. I don’t know if I will continue reading this series.

3/5 stars

For anyone who's dreamed of an Alaskan adventure, you'll enjoy this story of a small-town Illinois waitress who takes the trip of a lifetime to Moose Springs, Alaska, and meets the world's grumpiest burger stand owner. Graham is instantly smitten with Zoey, but he has a strict no-tourists rule, and she's only in town for two weeks.

There were a lot of things I liked about this book. The cast of quirky town characters is written with affection, including Ulysses the moose and Jake the border collie. Graham and Zoey are very sweet together. I just didn't buy their instant chemistry as a couple. And the side plot involving Zoey's friend Lana and a mysterious real estate deal seemed like the author wanted some high-stakes drama, but it just wasn't. But I liked the book enough to finish it, and I'll probably check out the next in the series because I am interested to see what happens to the other characters.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review.