This is a complex character driven thriller that took a while to get going. Told from alternating characters viewpoints and vacillating between past and present, it took this one a while to get going for me, but once it did I was eager to see where it would take me.

The characters were interesting and their backstories so completely different that it was impossible for me to figure out how these various plot lines would all tie together. But therein lies Marr’s brilliance as a thriller writer. He goes places my brain can’t begin to conceive of. He is a master at creating great twists and portraying the complex coincidences of fate.

I liked the idea that these characters want to escape from their pasts but it turns out they can’t because the events that shape you are carried inside you. Not my favorite book by Marrs, but still a solid read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @hanoversquqrepress for an arc of this book.

At first I was a little confused about the number of characters that were introduced right away and it was hard to keep track of who was who for a few chapters. After I finally remembered who was who, I really loved how everyone was connected in a way, which added to the mystery of why and what the heck was even going on? If you love being confused until the very end like I do, this is the book for you. This is the type of book where every chapter I say, “okay when this chapter is over, I’m stopping” and of course it’s impossible because every single chapter ends on a cliffhanger and then changes to a different person’s POV. I loved the short chapters and found them very easy to get through fast. At one point, when the first big twist hit, I felt like I got sucker punched. My jaw was literally on the floor and I couldn’t wait to finish the book. I also think this book did a good job addressing sexual assault happening to a man, as well as racism, which are both incredibly important topics. One thing I do wish that the author would have done is cut a few pages out because at some points in the different characters stories, the story seemed to drag and sometimes some of the information seemed unnecessary. At 476 pages, it was a little long for my liking, but that may be a personal preference vs a fault in the book. However, the ending when everything was wrapping up was *chef’s kiss*.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ The Vacation by John Marrs

I’m just sitting here. Hmmmm… I just finished this book and I’m just sitting here. How do I feel about this book? I have wavered on my opinion for this book and I don’t really know why -- although I think it may be because it took me so long to read…and again, I don’t know why. I felt like I picked it up and read it quite a bit but wasn’t making much progress. But in the end, I’ve decided on 4 stars.

Now that I’m writing this review, I think it took so long because I had to focus. I couldn’t just skim some parts, or focus on the dialogue. I had to focus on it all. There were a lot of characters and a lot of stories going on at once. I didn’t find it hard to follow, but I knew it was going to be easy to miss something.

The Vacation is a story about strangers who meet each other at a hostel. As we read about what they are currently experiencing, the traumas they are facing, and the twists that are dictating their current lives, we are also thrown back to multiple times in each character's lives that led them to this hostel. And to make it really twisty, they unknowingly are connected. But to who and why?

This was a very extraordinary story and unique way of telling it. Well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title for review.

I want to preface this by saying that I really wanted to love this book! I have read several of John Maars books in the past and have really enjoyed them so I was shocked that I couldn’t get into this book at all. I felt like it was very slow and there were just too many characters that It felt very difficult to get into and confusing at times. Overall, this was just a book that I didn’t necessarily like but I have heard many people enjoy it but I will definitely look into his books in the future because like I said I have enjoyed his previous books!

The Vacation is a mind-blowing novel which seems to have jaw-dropping secrets and shocking information in every single chapter. This, combined with the imaginative plot is not only an amazing set up for an unexpected ending…as if you could be anymore shocked by the ending, but will have you catching your breath as the secrets are revealed.

Eight people check into a hostel in Venice Beach, California. Near the ocean, they try to find peace and perhaps friendship during their stay. But, as we immediately find out from the get-go each person has a secret agenda, something they are hiding or running from. Dark burdens from their pasts. And through the passages which take you back to their pasts to their present, you will begin to glimpse what or why they are running and what they are trying to do in the present.

Those who check in are:

Eric and Nicole who have left their jobs in a hospital in England and seem to have no set plans as to where to go next until Nicole hears a song on the radio…

Savannah is on the run. She’s trying to escape her father but finds herself working at a job her father would never approve. She discovers that being sheltered all her young life has gotten her embroiled in things she knows nothing about. Then she meets someone who takes her under their wing.

Declan and his friend Matty are on the run for something they did back in Ireland. Two troublemakers who want to live it up in America and forget all their troubles. Then someone discovers their secret…at least one of the secrets!

Ruth is from Australia and has come to America because she won a contest to meet superstar Zak Stanley. She knows once she meets him her life will change forever, and she can put her difficult past behind her. She is so excited for their lunch!

Tommy is also from England. He and a friend left there to travel to get away from a tragedy. Then they decided to split up in America and Tommy came to the hostel and his friend stayed at a camp. Unfortunately, they have not been able to connect so Tommy decided to wait at the hostel and was lucky enough to get a job there. But being on his own is hard. He can’t stop the memories.

Jake seems like a drifter. His past is a mystery. He doesn’t give out much information about himself. But unfortunately, he hates who he was and what he did and just wants to find some companionship.

So, come along for the ride as these poor souls try to break free from where they came from and try to begin a new life. Unfortunately, fate will not allow this, and we begin to watch one train wreck after another with shock and horror.

The Vacation is everything you need in a story, tragedy, love, sorrow, suspense, hope and resolution. But reader beware! You will need a vacation after reading this incredible story!

Thank you #NetGalley #HanoverSquarePress #JohnMarrs #TheVacation for the advanced copy.

I feel like the best wat to describe John Marrs' books is: complex and messy. But in the best way. We see the layers of peoples psyches and relationships and how they're not always clear cut and change reflecting the person. the characters are always flawed and real - though they may not be well-liked.

The Vacation is a slow burn thriller with plenty of twists. I'm a huge fan of John Marrs, and although I really liked the book, it's not my favorite.

I am such a lover of John Marrs' books and thrillers!! Since this one is a re-release it does not feel quite up to par to the usual John Marrs experience. This completely makes sense to me because he has grown so much as an author and creates fascinating stories. I look forward to reading more from him!

I love John Marrs, so I couldn't resist picking this one up. I liked how each chapter went into a different character's storyline/back story, but it was difficult to keep track of them all. With all of the character build-ups, I found the book to be pretty slow up until about halfway through. Then, in true Marrs fashion, the twists and turns kept on coming up until the very end. I really liked how all of the different storylines came together, and overall it was a fun read.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this sneak peak! Unfortunately I wrote down the incorrect archive date and missed reading the book. I love John Marrs and was so disappointed in myself. Ironically I missed the deadline because I was reading another John Marrs book "Keep It In The Family" which was so so good! John Marrs is a wonderful author and you can't go wrong with any of his books.

John Marrs never disappoints! This story was chaotic but in the best way! Following backpackers traveling through Venice Beach was exciting and Marrs painted the perfect picture with the setting.

I loved how there was so many characters and you kept guessing and wondering if they would connect and then all of a sudden, everything comes together in the most twisty way.

This one had me staying up way too late!

Rated 3.5 staIf there's one thing John Marrs can do, it's write a crazy story full of the craziest characters. 'm a huge fan of short, fast paced chapters in books. At the beginning it took me a bit to get into the story because I had a hard time keeping up with the characters & their storylines but once I got familiar with all of them this became so much more enjoyable. Around 70% it was so chaotic but in the best way. Every characters story line was so intense to read about, I did not want to stop reading. I will always recommend any John Marrs book to anyone looking for a good thriller! Thank you to Netgalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Eight lonely strangers cross paths in a dilapidated hostel located in Venice Beach in California. Everyone comes with a past that unravels with flashbacks, differing view points and perspectives via the short chapters. It's a very different style of writing, and often left me feeling like I needed to double back to truly understand what was happening. It also just felt SO long. With that said, I didn't "love" this read, but I wouldn't completely write it off either. Plus, John Marrs is such an incredible writer that maybe it was simply the topic and style that left me wanting something a bit more compelling.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Slowly working my way through John Marrs's work, and I can say that I've been enjoying myself. "The Vacation" was a well-paced, quick thriller with enough intrigue to keep me hooked all the way through, I would definitely be recommending this, as a great beach read.

Escape to Venice Beach, Los Angeles, unfolds a riveting tale where paradise meets suspense. In this beach-front hostel, eight strangers grapple with hidden pasts, weaving a gripping narrative of secrets, mysteries, and the lengths one would go to outrun their history. A thrilling escapade that keeps you on the edge, questioning how far one can truly run from their past.

I have only read a couple of John Marrs books but I quickly become a big fan of his. I did not realize that this is a re-release of one of his older novels but I have wanted to explore his past catalogue so this was a good opportunity to do so. There is a very big cast of characters and it took me awhile to get them all in my mind. The chapters are short and quick but also contribute to the difficulties of keeping track of the characters. Although it took some time to get into the main action, there are lots of twists and turns when it finally gets going. I did enjoy the read but it was not a good as his previous books that I read. I do recommend this read especially for fans of twisty thrillers. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

The vacation follows 8 different characters who are all staying at the same hostel in Los Angeles. Their lives intersect but we also get to see what brought each of them there as they’re all running away from something! Most of the chapters end with some type of cliffhanger which really keeps you going waiting to see what happens next!

Get ready to take a vacation to sunny Los Angeles, California. Looking for a place to stay? The hostel on Venice Beach is the perfect place for you. With free parties on the weekend and new people from all over the world, this is the perfect place for any traveller to go and hide from their past. Buckle up and get ready for the trip of a lifetime. See just how far the travellers are willing to go to hide their secrets from their past.

This book was incredibly well written. I am a John Marrs fan and am always in awe and how incredible his books are.

This was a snooze fest. I struggled to get into the story and once I did I just never connected to the characters. I was so sure this would’ve been a great thriller but it just didn’t work for me.

The cast of characters was distinctive and entertaining which only added to the plotting and mystery surrounding that group. The hostel was such a unique setting to throw these characters into and it adds to the atmosphere because there's always a sense of unease when you're thrown into a living situation like this one where you don't know or trust the people you're forced to cohabit with.