The Resort is about a group of expats living at a dive resort on a small island in Thailand. They all have secrets in the past that they have put behind them and don't want to think about again. A travel influencer with secrets of her own arrives at the island and tries to befriend the group, but often feels like an outsider.

The book is told from alternating points-of-view: Brook, the visiting social media influencer, and Cass, a newly engaged dive instructor who lives on the island. The two women don't fully trust each other, but for a time put their differences aside to look into the death of one of Cass's diving students. They think it could be connected with a prior death of another young woman visiting the island. The book does a good job mixing mystery with a glimpse into the character's lives living and working at a resort, dependent on a steady stream of tourists to continue their life there. I've never gone scuba diving, but the diving scenes seem realistic and well-done, highlighting the wonder and the potential dangers of the sport.

There are so many secrets and lies in this book, I kept changing my mind about who I was rooting for. Some of the characters make questionable decisions, but I enjoyed the suspense of the story. After a dramatic finale, things seem to be wrapped up, but I had a feeling there may be more to the story, and then the shocking epilogue reveals a big plot twist.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

The resort is a buzzy debut thriller by Ochs. Set in a tropical paradise in Thailand, the story follows a charismatic group of expats who are there to leave their pasts and secrets behind. However, a guest on the resort is murdered and the group finds that they can’t outrun their past forever. Twists and turns occur as secrets are revealed amongst the group and a true twist at the end will leave readers blown.

Thank you to the publisher for providing this buzzy debut via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It was a fun ride!

Set in Koh Sang, this is a fabulous thriller that will keep you guessing. Full of suspense and twists, Sara encompasses everything you want in a great edge-of-your-seat ride! Nothing is as it seems in this vacation destination, and trying to outrun your past won't stop it from catching up with you in paradise. I loved every minute of this one, and it should definitely be on anyone's February TBR! Thanks so much to Sara Ochs, the publisher, & NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-arc!

Holy cow…the ending to this one was *mind blowing*

It started a little weird for me but as it came together, I was truly blown away. The setting pulled me in immediately. Who doesn’t like a thriller vacation story. I mean it makes you second guess traveling for sure. I love when stories do this. I think this is a great thriller for anyone to start with.

Enjoy! Thanks netgalley!

Sara Ochs's The Resort is set against the stunning yet dangerous backdrop of Koh Sang, Thailand, where Cass, a scuba diving instructor with a secret past, leads her students into an adventure that quickly turns into a nightmare. This gripping narrative skillfully blends the allure of Thailand's famed island with a suspenseful story of survival, deceit, and a quest for justice. Ochs delivers a fast-paced thriller filled with unexpected twists that keep the reader engaged from beginning to end. The vivid depiction of Koh Sang's beauty and the immersive diving experience stand out, transforming the setting into a character that embodies both the promise and peril of paradise.

The novel's ambitious structure, which employs multiple perspectives and voices, aims to provide a multifaceted view of the unfolding drama. However, this narrative choice occasionally leads to a fragmented reading experience, as it can make the plot feel disjointed and dilute the impact of critical moments. Despite this, the book's complex narrative framework does not significantly detract from its overall appeal. It offers a richly layered story that explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the lengths one will go to protect a new life.

In conclusion, Sara Ochs's The Resort notably contributes to the thriller genre, offering suspense, beautiful scenery, and complex character dynamics. While the narrative's complexity might challenge some readers, its capacity to captivate and surprise renders it an unforgettable exploration of the darker aspects of paradise. For fans of thrillers that entertain and provoke thought, 'The Resort' promises a journey filled with tension, beauty, and the quest for redemption amidst the backdrop of Thailand's idyllic yet perilous shores.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an e-Arc of The Resort by Sara Ochs for my review.

The pacing in this thriller felt off, with the pacing feeling both slow and rushed. The ending was chaotic, and for an island murder thriller, the beginning of the book felt slow moving. Not my favorite thriller, but not terrible. I do think this would be a good beach read.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Resort is the debut thriller from Sara Ochs.

"Brooke is a travel influencer and heads to a remote island in Thailand looking for something. She winds up with a group of expats that have decided to stay on the island. They even call themselves the Permanents. A young traveler's accidental death has made Brooke curious. And when another young girl is found dead - suddenly no one wants to talk about it. Brooke keeps pushing - but some people are willing to go far to keep their secrets hidden..."

This book was a slow start. I was glad that it wasn't the dual-timeline format that's become so prevalent. Characters had flashbacks or told someone what happened before.
It was like an "Island of Secrets" So many secrets. Felt like every character was hiding something. As a reader, you had to decide which ones were important to the story.
You know a tropical island setting will have a big storm at the end. (There's one here) And the ending is what saves this book from being average as you find out what people are willing to do to keep their secrets. Wild ending and the epilogue is even wilder - did not see that coming.
Nice debut in an exotic setting from Ochs

The Resort is a typical, island thriller with twists and turns, but I loved the dual perspectives of the two main characters. Ochs' debut novel is reminiscent of a locked room mystery thriller, this time taking place at a scuba diving resort in Thailand. We move through the story with the perspectives of the Permanents who live and work on the island/resort and the tourists. To me, the twist at the end was the best part, but I enjoyed the journey to get there. This would make a great beach read thriller for any upcoming vacations!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC!

The Resort by Sara Ochs is a typical thriller. I knew pretty early on in this story who the murderer was and had an idea of how this would play out. For someone who reads a lot of thrillers, this wasn’t anything special. We follow Cass and Brooke, two ladies who are at a Thai resort. Cass has been living and working there for two years. She is a dive instructor and has become part of a tight group of friends. Brooke is an influencer who is there to chase a story she wants to write. She has started getting close to Cass. Not too long before Brooke arrived on the island, a tourist had been murdered. Then half of Cass’s dive class gets murdered and no one knows who to trust anymore. I had trouble staying focused on this story. It didn’t hold my attention very well. The world building is nicely done. I felt like I was at the beach. I think, for me, the story lacked suspense and mystery. The characters aren’t that interesting or fleshed out. This is a 3/5 star read. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me access to an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Publication date February 6th, 2024. This review will be found on Instagram and Goodreads indefinitely.
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Yay. Yet another thriller that turns mental illness and trauma into a shitty plot device. And add on an aggressive anti-pharma stance (Xanax doesn’t do 90% of what this book claims unless you don’t take it right). Oh and also random rape story arc that results in vengeance against women but idiocy with men.

Just why? Why is it so hard for anyone to take an hour to research mental health? I’m so sick of these books.

Cass came to the Koh Sang Resort to escape her past and stayed, making friends along the way. Now, newly engaged to another ex-pat, she thinks her life is figured out. Brooke came to the resort for very different reasons. Together, they get thrown into chaos as a body is found.

This thriller was an interesting one. Here's what I liked:

The location. I really enjoyed the exotic location and I thought the author did a really great job with building those settings into the story itself.

The twists. This one has a lot of them. There were times that I honestly didn't see some of them coming. The characters are all built out well but you still can't trust them which is fun.

All in all, this was a good thriller, especially if you're looking for one set in vacation setting.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the gifted copy!

I had no idea this would be such an engaging novel with all the twists and turns. This is definitely the kind to dive in without reading any reviews or summary even as it has exciting settings and keeps you guessing at every point of the plot. I enjoy unreliable narrators and this has two of them to keep the readers on their toes.

Hiding from her past, Cass has made a home for herself among the expats at Koh Sang Resort in Thailand. When Cass starts getting threatening notes, she fears her past is coming back to haunt her. A recently arrived travel influencer, Brooke has gotten close to Cass and her friends but she has her own secret agenda for being on the island. After two accidental deaths on the island, Cass and Brooke begin to wonder if the two cases are connected.

Ochs' debut novel is a run-of-the-mill vacation thriller, a slow-burn mystery that ends with plenty of action and some unexpected twists. Although Cass and Brooke were decent narrators with an intriguing connection between them, neither were particularly likeable. The other expats, on the other hand, felt underdeveloped and forced. However, the hot topic of conversation about The Resort is the controversial epilogue. You'll either love it or hate it. Personally, I thought it detracted from the book.

I wasn’t 100% sold on The Resort when I started it. This is a slowwwwww burn. Luckily it’s full of incredibly interesting, untrustworthy characters that are suspicious as hell, so there’s enough to make you want to keep going. And you should keep going.

Without getting into spoiler territory, as things are revealed, this story gets weirder and weirder. Some of the character’s motivations are straight up bizarre. It was hard to see how this would all come together. But I’m so glad they all ended up on this island because the climax of this book is straight-up 90s action motive - in the best way. It’s over the top and ridiculous and just so damn fun to read. That, plus the epilogue saves this book from being just another run-of-the-mill thriller.

So that’s the main point of my review, I suppose - you’re going to want to DNF this probably, but don’t give up on it. It’s worth it, I promise! What a wild book.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the ARC. The Resort is out 2/6!

Love love loved it!!!!
This mystery is mixed with a bit if romance and some laugh out loud moments. The group of characters in this book all come from different parts of the world to escape their past for a new beginning in a beautiful Thai resort. This book is so well written I felt like I was sitting in a lounge chair watching the drama unfold in real life!
When a few guests turn up dead, the writer sends you on a journey to find the truth. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, BAM, another curveball! I can’t wait to see what Sara Ochs writes next!



Thank you so much NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and RB Media for my advanced copy and the chance to review it honestly.

If you’re looking for the perfect beach read (and I mean perfect beach thriller, because that’s the ultimate beach read for me), The Resort has got you covered. Set on a beautiful tropical island just off the coast of Thailand, Koh Sang Resort seems to be the get away that everyone needs- even us, the readers. Right from the get-go, you know that both of the main characters are hiding things from their pasts, including possibly murder?! I loved the dual POV between Cass and Brooke, and how the author would have them causally slip in statements that had me go “Wait… what?!” I wouldn’t say that the ending is a complete plot twist, but it had me guessing enough until the end that it always kept the book interesting. And same with the pace- like any good thriller, it never slowed, and I had trouble putting it down. It had this Minnesotan girl wishing I was currently over in Thailand myself, despite any potential murderer(s). Overall, a great book if you like thrillers and beach reads!

I love a vacation thriller! As a debut novel, I felt it was tense and well written. It kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what these unreliable narrators could possibly get into.
Welcome to paradise! We hope you survive your stay!
3 rules:
1. Leave the past behind.
2. Always be careful of who you trust.
3. If someone discovers who you really are, run.
A mysterious woman, Cass, carries her secrets with her like a backpack and decides to leave her old life behind and move to a remote island in Thailand...a party island. She becomes a dive instructor alongside permanents. Brooke is a travel influencer vacationing. They are suspicious of each other, as well as some expats, who have claimed the island as their own and suspicious of everyone.
When a dive student is found dead, that is not the first mysterious death that has clouded Cass. A woman fell to her death from a cliff...then more people died suspiciously. Will Cass's secrets catch up with her? There is a killer on the island that is looking for justice.
Several twists are revealed, but a lot of characters will have you going back to rethink what you read. Other than that this is an atmospheric mystery while enjoying the beach on this secluded island.
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Paradise is just an illusion.

At least at this resort, it is and it’ll make you think twice about running off to a faraway place or even just booking your next vacation.

This story had so many twists and turns that it had my mind churning and jumping with all the red herrings. So well done there. I can’t say I liked most of the characters, except for Cass, and even then, not knowing her big secret made it hard to totally empathize and connect with her. It is a slow burn, but there’s a lot going on and the ending makes it all worth the wait. Sort of like a roller coaster with one last drop that gets your heart pumping before depositing you safely back at the boarding station.

The Resort is a good suspenseful, resort-based thriller. It's a dual POV and alternates between Cass and Brooke, the main characters who are both on an island off the coast of Thailand. The resort looks beautiful, but there are so many mysteries going on and being hidden on this island. The beginning was a bit slow, but after that, this was a fast-paced thriller. There are so many secrets and lies that start to unravel pretty quickly in the story, and we realize that Cass and Brooke are trying to get away from their past. There are also some deaths happening on the resort and the two main characters are trying to figure out what happened. Overall this is a good mystery read, the twist at the end landed quite well, and I didn't see it coming. If you like thrillers full of secrets, friendships, mysteries, lies, and intrigue, then you need to read this.

I usually don't read thrillers but I decided to give The Resort a go. Although the suspense and drama started on the first page, I couldn't stay interested in the book. This is just not my type of book. I am thankful to the author, Sara Ochs, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.