Ismay Chalmers has her summer all planned out and she is looking forward to relaxing time staying at her fiancé Remy’s family beachfront home on Mariners Island.
Little did she realize how much is going to happen – everything from a bad storm to finding things in the home that makes her start to rethink everything she has thought was good in her life may not be so true.
Between family issues, Remy may not be who she thinks he is, to making a friend who happens to be the caretaker who has his own secrets.
I enjoyed how well Brenda Novak took all the pieces and made a very intriguing story that held my attention – sometimes late into the night.
This is a book that has the various storylines all woven together to make this a book many will enjoy.
Thank you NetGalley, Brenda Novak and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the copy of Tourist Season. This is my personal review.

Brenda Novak books always make me think of summer and her newest book - Tourist Season which came out on April 2nd is a little different with more of a mystery feel than your usual summer beach read.

Ismay is ready to connect with her fiance at his family's beach cottage on Mariners Island when a huge hurricane delays his arrival So she weathers the storm alone and when she finds something disturbing in her fiance's closet. When Bo, the caretaker's cottage is damaged, Ismay invites him to stay and she feels safer. This isn't the quiet summer she had planned when her fiance's brother and her brother also come to the island and what secrets might come out.

While this was different than I expected -- I thought this would be a sweet summer romance, I did like the mystery/suspense aspect.

if you like a summer romance with a more mysterious side you'll enjoy Tourist Season.

Thanks to Miira Books and HTP for my advanced copy.

Oh my Gosh! One of her best novels yet! It grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go until the end! Brenda Novak is the best at writing Suspense Novels. Her characters come to life and draw you into the storyline, then you find yourself rooting for your favorite character. Or couple. In this case, just when you think you've got it all figured out, the plot thickens and you're wondering again. I've never read a book with exactly this type of scenario. It kept me guessing until the very end. I found I couldn't sleep until I discovered who 'done it'! Finished it at 2 in the morning and slept like a log after. Well Done again Brenda!

I was looking forward to diving into Brenda Novak's next single title beach read and it didn't disappoint. I would say this book is a cross between women fiction/mystery/thriller. The mystery definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

Ismay Chalmers is looking forward to spending the summer on Mariners Island after just passing the bar in California. Her fiance, Remy Windsor told her to go spend the next few weeks enjoying the beach while he finishes studying for his upcoming medical boards and she can stay at his parents summer home, Windsor Cottage. The first night Ismay is in the house, a bad storm happens and she loses power. While looking for candles or flashlights, Ismay finds a duffel bag hidden in Remy's closet with very strange items in it. When she starts to panic, she calls Remy. He then calls property’s caretaker, Bo Broussard to go and help get the power back on. When Bo shows up something about him puts Ismay at ease. Ismay was having doubts about her relationship with Remy and now being with Bo makes her have even bigger doubts. Ismay and Bo are enjoying being with each other until all of a sudden Remy's twin brother, Bastian, shows up. Bastian makes Ismay very nervous. With all of the strange things going on, Ismay isn't sure she wants to stay on the island. When Ismay's brother Jack calls her with some shocking news, she convinces him to come to the island from Utah. As all of these characters are together, everyone is keeping secrets and no one knows what to make of any of it. Just when you think you have it figured out, there is a new twist. When everything finally comes crashing down together, the secrets are revealed. It will take some sorting out but then Ismay can finally find her happy ever after.

I just loved this suspenseful romance. I could not put this book down. I just loved all of the twists and turns that happened and never saw the ending coming. Overall this was a fantastic story with wonderful characters and I highly recommend it!

This is a book set on a gorgeous beach in a wonderful house, but that is as far as the light beach reading goes. TOURIST SEASON is a multi-layered book about relationships, secrets, and intrigue that captivated me from the beginning. The setting is inviting and the characters are relatable; even the ones that I didn’t particularly like were well-developed and dynamic. I really enjoyed getting to know Ismay Chalmers and her warm hearted desire to help people find happiness, especially her brother who has just had a shock in his own relationship. Ismay is not afraid to risk helping others, but she is a little slow to recognize when she herself needs help in the relationship department. Enter swoon worthy hero, Bo the caretaker, who is there to help Ismay weather a hurricane and discover some truths about the family she is planning to marry into. The story is intricate and well-woven around the setting and the characters. The plot moves at a moderate pace at first, then picks up and races to the end as more and more secrets are uncovered and Ismay is hard pressed to make some difficult choices. I really enjoyed how tightly woven together the plot was and the chemistry between the main characters. With complex family dynamics, an edgy mystery and a satisfying story, this book is a brilliantly written slam dunk for me!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This story is not a light Brenda Novak romance but a darker book about families and the psychological issues surrounding a wealthy family and their twin sons. The main characters are Ismay, the fiancé of one of the twins, Remy. She has finished law school and has gone to New England to Remy’s family summer cottage where she runs headlong into Bo, the caretaker, during a fierce storm, and then Bastian, Remy’s twin. Remy has stayed behind so as to finish taking his exams to graduate from Medical School. This is a deep dark story with lots of tension, mystery, and some creepy vibes; however the characters are well developed and the plot keeps the readers interested. All in all another spectacular book by one of my favorite authors.

I was anticipating an easy beach read with a bit of family drama and some romance but this book was so much more and so much better! I LOVED it!!! The storyline had the suspense element I love and offers mystery, secrets, intrigue, drama all at a seaside setting. The amazing characters were a interesting mix and engaging. This book really grabbed my attention and was interesting and exciting. You will happily stay up way to late turning pages to get to the end, I did! Well done!

Romance with a little mystery.

Ismay (I love the name) is staying at her fiance, Remys parents' place on the beach. It's a small town where not a lot happens. Ismay and Remy are going to relax there together after Remy is done with his last tests.

When Ismay arrives, it's a terrible storm, and for Ismay (who's from Utah), it's really scary. She gets some help from the caretaker of the place, Bo. Who's goodlooking... kind... and Ismay can't help but feel safe when she's around him.

Bo's been taking care of the place for 2 years, and he's not a fan of Remy or his brother, Bastian (not a fan, poor guy needs to be checked out!) And Bo has his own reasons and knowledge of people who aren't on the up and up.

So when Ismay finds something very unsettling in the cottage, she turns to Bo. There's a mystery in what Ismay finds. And honestly, most of the book I kept flip-flopping! I couldn't figure out who it was.

I really felt for Ismays brother too. He'd definitely gotten hurt, but to be so kind in the midst of all that betrayal! I don't know if I could have.

It left me guessing to the very end.

Not quite a beach read...

Ismay is trying to reconnect with her fiance, Remy, but Remy has secrets.
Add in a hurricane (a metaphor for what is happening to Ismay). Enter, Bo, I really liked Bo. He's the caretaker. He has layers and is the opposite of Remy.
He also has secrets. More mystery with a side of feels.
4.5

Tourist Season by Brenda Novak was a great little mystery with a touch of romance.
I’m a big Novak fan. Her writing always pulls me straight into the story and into the lives of her fantastic characters.
She really knows how to weave a great story.
I liked that this one kept me engaged cover to cover, and in fact, I stayed up way too late at night just to read "a little more" until I closed the last page. The story provided readers with a very good mystery. I thought the characters were well written and I loved the way they interacted with each other. 

Thank You NetGalley and MIRA for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A hurricane and a helping hand leads to secrets that the caretaker is keeping and Ismay's boyfriend Remy and his behavior and secrets. There is a darker side to this story, but it still is a good read. It will give you hours of feel good entertainment.
I was given an ARC by Publisher and NetGalley and I am leaving a review by my own choice..

While the cover promises a lighthearted beach read, this was more of a mystery/thriller. The story quickly takes a dark turn when a storm knocks out the power and Ismay finds something ominous in the back of her fiancé's closet. Her relationship with Remy was Ricky for awhile between his studying to be a doctor and her a lawyer, leaving little time together. She's hoping once he finally comes to the island they can reconnect. When the property caretaker, Bo, comes to check on her in the storm and then needs refuge when his own cottage is damaged, they become close friends. When she confides what she found in the closet to Bo, he fears she's in danger.
I liked how the relationship developed in a slow burn between Bo and Ismay from friendship to lovers. Remy just seemed like such a cold unfeeling fiance and not right for her even before we find out the truth. The creepy addition of Bastian, Remy's psycho twin adds even more tension. But the ending to me just fell flat. Such an easy conclusion after all the tension in the story with no drama left me wanting more. Overall just OK for me.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

Author Brenda Novak, a comfort read for me, knowing her style with small town romance and how she wraps it up into a pretty bow at the end keeps me coming back for more.

Set on Mariner’s Island, a luxurious beach cottage awaits Ismay and Remy for a much needed glorious summer of relaxing and rekindling. While Remy is finishing his studies Ismay ventures ahead of Remy and a hurricane storms the island and she is left to the rescue of Bo, the caretaker.
Ismay discovers a creepy finding in her fiances childhood room. Unsure of what to do with her discovery she trusts and befriends Bo who showed up with flashlights and helped fix the generator. Unable to return to his own cottage due to hurricane damage, he stays with Ismay and their relationship develops into something more than it should be.
Ismay’s soon to be brother in law arrives on the island unannounced, throwing a wrench into her summer plans.
Between the secrets, peculiar behavior and tight lipped responses, Ismay is questioning her soon to be family and even Bo who she thought she could trust!

Another Brenda Novak summer read you won’t want to put down. Flirty! Edgy! Emotional and current.

I highly recommend this novel for anyone who loves a small town romance, summer vibe with some twists and a dark secret.
Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read another great story by Brenda Novak. This book really took me by surprise. I was ready for a romantic beach read. But in addition to some romance, I got a lot of mystery. I did enjoy the outcome but didn’t see the ending that cane at all.

Loved the story. It has plenty of romance, suspense, betrayal and twists and turns. Ismay had gone to Mariners Island to have a summer reconnecting with her fiancée. She had been having doubts about their relationship but thought they could work it out over the summer. What she didn't expect was Remy's twin brother, her brother and Bo, the caretaker. During a storm Ismay discovers some things that really freak her out and Bastion showing up only makes it worse. Bo is there to help her in his quiet way. When her brother's marriage implodes, he comes to spend the summer with Ismay. They all get more than they bargained for and Ismay has to put things into perspective before she decides whether she can still marry Remy. Remy and his family seem to have it all, but there are so many things under the surface that just don't add up. Can she trust them?

I wish I could understand the high ratings that so many have given to this book. I feel like they must have read a different book than me because this is not a 4 or 5 star book. This is why I think this:
- a small point but still a negative... the book cover and title are deceiving. This book had nothing to do with a tourist season.
- soooo many "50 cent" words used in this book that do not fit to the style of the story. I'm hoping that the final edit changes many of them to something more appropriate.
- the book needs a final edit. Some of the speech lines did not fit to what the other person was saying.
- too many scenes were not realistic. For example, a character showed up "driving a small Toyota" and then preceded to fit many (more than possible) boxes and big items in that vehicle. Or there was mention of a picture taken at a funeral. Who takes pictures at a funeral?! And the wording in some of the texts did not fit with the age-group of the characters. As well, some of what the detective did and shared with other characters was not something police would do in real life. They would not give away this information.
- or actions did not flow in the right order, for example "he started to sweep the debris on the floor into a pile" but the floor was still covered in flood water. Or the mention that it was harvest season in Utah but it was not even summer yet (what could possibly be harvested in May/June in Utah?). Or that a text was sent early enough that the receiver stewed about it "all day" but in another scene the text sender said they sent it "after you went to bed".
- timelines moved extremely fast
- I dislike all of the characters and their decisions although I understand that I wasn't suppose to like a couple of them. Unfortunately even the 2 main characters were not liked by me based on their personalities. They were too accommodating and very rarely voiced an opinion or stood up for themselves.
- the location of the story was not described very well. There was more dialogue and character movement than description of the scenery around them. I could not picture myself there like I can with so many other books. This is important to many readers. Such a wonderful location but it was not given justice.

The story line was enticing and I did keep reading to just find out what the outcome was. There were many great parts of this book that could have stood out more if there was just a better amount of editing done and addition of description. This romance mixed with a thriller element could have been so much more!!

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book. I so wish I could be like so many others and give it 5 stars but it just was not to that level for me.

Not your typical light-hearted beach read but oh SO good. This book is full of suspense and intrigue and it is very well-written. I enjoyed the character development and the story. I do have to say that this is one of my favorites from author Brenda Novak. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Hard to decide what this is. It is part romance, part thriller, and features redemption. Liked the two main characters. The twin were presented with a lot of behavior that lead to questions. Final epilogue was the perfect end to the story.

This book has me wanting summer right now. I thought it was such a fun and easy read and I could imagine myself reading it on the beach. My patrons will love this too!