Actual Rating: 3.5

A fun summery thriller from debut author Sara Ochs!

This wasn’t anything special but was an overall good time. I received an ALC and ARC from Netgalley and the publisher but ultimately I read this purely from audio.

I think the narration was well done! We had two different female narrators for our two main characters, Brooke and Cas. Plus a few other one-off narrations! I’ve seen some reviews mention one narrator being a bit all over the place but I think that was an intentional and smart choice!

Plot wise, I found some of this predictable but that wasn’t a bad thing! There are a lot of reveals in the third quarter that felt a little unnecessary though when we get to the ultimate conclusion. I think a lot of these characters you’re supposed to dislike to varying degrees and the few characters I was completely behind and rooting for, kept making stupid choices that frustrated me.

Ultimately I had a fun enough time with this and I look forward to what comes next from Sara Ochs!

This book grabbed my attention because it has the makings of a great thriller, a mysterious protagonist running away from her past life and settles on an island far, far away hoping no one discovers her secrets. It took me about 50% into the book to start being invested in the characters and to care what was going on. From that point on it was twists and turns (some predictable) with a good epilogue, 3 stars.

Cass and Brooke are intertwined in many ways, their pasts, presents, and futures in ways they neither of them even know. When Brooke finds her way to the tropical island on the resort where Cass works she quickly learns that everyone around her has secrets and some of those secrets could be deadly.

This book was very well woven with some intricate characters that are all well developed. The story takes many turns that I never saw coming. I really enjoyed it!

4/5 stars.

I love a good thriller and this one checked all the boxes. Mysterious deaths and characters with mysterious, and not always legal, pasts blend together perfectly in The Resort. The twists kept coming, even on the final pages, that keeps you guessing. The final twist was the best that definitely put a smile on my face at how well it all unraveled.

The Resort
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Sara Ochs

I requested a digital and audio advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Sourcebooks and RB Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: A searing vacation thriller set on a remote island in Thailand following two mysterious women, a charismatic group of expats, and the one murder poised to bring their paradise crashing down.

Welcome to paradise. We hope you survive your stay...

There are three rules to follow during a vacation at the famous Koh Sang Resort

1 – Leave the past behind.

When Cass sets foot on the coast of Thailand's world-famous party island, she's searching for an escape. With dark secrets following her every move, Koh Sang becomes the perfect place to hide.

2 - Always be careful of who you trust.

Now, years later, Cass is a local dive instructor alongside the Permanents, a group of expats who have claimed the island as their own. The Permanents don't linger on who they were before the island. Simply because, like Cass, they all have something to outrun.

3 – If someone discovers who you really are, run.

But suddenly, a dive student is found dead and paradise comes crashing down. Because this isn't the first mysterious death on the island, and it won't be the last. Someone knows who Cass is and they're ready to make sure justice is finally served.

My Thoughts: This was an interesting read. The twists are late and when they start coming, you are like oh my with a little whiplash action going on. Think of it, who flees to a hideaway island, far from where you actually live, and immediately trust others as if your life depended on it? Only a person who truly has something to hide from. I had really high expectations for this book and was slightly disappointed. Not a bad book, just not what I had hoped it would be. You do have to suspend belief a little bit, maybe a bit much. However, for a debut novel, this was really well written. Trigger warnings of mental illness, suicide, self-harm, and pedophilia - none of these warnings were dominant, just by mention.

The story is primarily narrated by Cass, dive instructor, and Brooke, social media influencer. There are also a ton of supporting characters and with this comes the secrets, deceit, lies, and a dangerous cat and mouse game of whodunit. We start off a little slow and somewhat confusing until we get the character layout straight. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, twisty, thought-provoking, and creative. Now the ending was a twisty madness of fabulous, definitely worth navigating through the characters and their secrets.

The narrators, Miranda Raison and Dakota Blue Richards were great. They had amazing voice variation for the multiple characters. The pitch and flow were perfect, allowing me to listen at 2x speed with no issues. The voices were smooth and inviting. Overall, this was an enjoyable listen/read that I would recommend to other readers.

I was really excited about this book, I loved the island atmosphere and the fact that it was set at a resort. The revelations were somewhat surprising, I didn't expect the epilogue at all. All in all, I give this book 3 stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book took me a while to get into, but I was absolutely hooked by the end of it!!! I did not see the ending coming at all and I love being blindsided like that in a book.

An eerie thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat through the whole wild ride! I wasn’t able to set this book down

4.5 Stars bumped up to 5 Stars - with so much love on the bump!

This was everything I wanted to kick off my THRILLER BEACH READS as the weather is improving and we are seeing more sunlight!
It was twisted, had me guessing and then just as I thought it was coming together and it had me spun around for the last time... it sucker punched me and had my head spinning till the very end! Such a wickedly written story!

I cannot.... LITERALLY CANNOT... believe this was Sarah's debut novel.
Not to rush her or anything (but truthfully I can't waittttt) I really hope there is another novel already in the works and in final edits LOL
Sarah Ochs is already classified as an AUTOBUY author for me....

I want to thank Sarah Ochs, NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook version of this publication in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. I have so much gratitude for this copy that has been shared with me, and I thank you kindly for this opportunity.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the e-audiobook!

This setting of this book was excellent I could imagine the beach and surfing. The characters however left something for the imagination. The story was underwhelming.

This is a story about every single day being a vacation… until they aren’t anymore.

I liked this one well enough- I love it when books plot out awful things in beautiful settings. Plus, the ending was a bold move, which I always like! That being said it wasn’t a super impactful read, and a couple weeks later I’ve forgotten most of the plot points.

3.5 rounded to 4 🖤

Thank you so much @netgalley & @bookmarked & @recordedbooks for the e & audio copies!

This one was a lot of fun! The audiobook narrators made the slow burn beginning interesting, and the pacing, characterizations, and twists and turns were great. In an exotic international resort locale, many staff regulars are running from their pasts... and now, it turns out, their paradise is in jeopardy because one of the regulars may be a multiple murderer.

I loved the way the various character arcs revealed a little more each chapter until the stories intertwined in a surprising and interesting way. I was kept guessing through the whole story, and the ending was satisfying. Very well-narrated with a fun cast of characters, especially Cass. I will definitely read whatever Sara Ochs writes next! 4.5 stars rounded up, for this really fast-paced, suspenseful and enjoyable audiobook listen.

3.5 stars! While I enjoyed this book, I had trouble connecting to the characters and plot line and overall the storyline fell a little flat of me. Really hope to read the next book from this author and enjoy it more!

DNF at 45% - I just wasn't interested in the story. And after reading some more spoilery reviews, I'm so glad I stopped.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #RBAudio for a free copy of #TheResort by Sara Ochs. All opinions are my own.

This book is based in Thailand at a resort. Cass is a scuba diving instructor at the resort with a hidden secret. Running away from her past, Cass creates a new identity. Thinking she is not only in a tropical paradise but living at a secluded resort. She should be safe there...right? Mysterious deaths happen at the resort and so many things come out and unfold. This book will keep you wanting more until the very end. Was great twisted thriller!

This is an enjoyable thriller!! There is a large cast of characters and you will be guessing who the “bad character” is until the very end. I thought that I had it figured out several times throughout the book but, I had to change my mind over and over again. This book was rather well written however, I did think that the ending could have been wrapped up more neatly. It did seem to drag on a bit to muddy the waters of the plot ending.

Woah, this audiobook was absolutely fantastic! I will admit, I don’t think I’d have been so captivated if I had physically read it, but the audio was really good!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sara Ochs, and RB Media for an ALC. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

I really enjoyed the isolated setting and the full cast of narrators for the characters. However, the plot felt a little messy and I didn't enjoy the slower pacing. I still had fun and would definitely recommend the audiobook.

Wow! That was a wild ride and I didn't see those last couple of twists coming! Just about the time I thought I had it figured out another twist was thrown at me! I love that! Such a terrible group of people who were lying liars and only out to save their own hides! This was my 1st book by Sara Ochs but will definitely not be my last!

#TheResort
#NetGalley

Cass sought refuge in Thailand, seeking to escape the haunting memories of her past. As she embarked on a new life as a scuba instructor, she believed she had finally left her history behind. Yet, fate had other plans, as her past resurfaced unexpectedly. The looming question remained: would she confront it head-on?

Admittedly, the story's outset felt sluggish and bewildering with its multitude of introduced characters. However, once immersed in the narrative, I found it captivating, holding my attention until the final moments. The conclusion proved to be nothing short of astonishing! Overall, for those in search of a tale with unforeseen twists, this book is certainly worth exploring.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sara Ochs, and RB Media for generously providing the audiobook for review. As always, my opinions are solely my own.