I went into this expecting something closer to a traditional thriller. I was thinking twists, with a side of shocking reveals, What I got instead was slower, more layered, and honestly more rewarding if you’re willing to sit with it.

The novel takes place over just seven days at an opulent Dominican Republic resort. On the surface, it looks like a paradise. There's wealth, beauty, and endless indulgence. But as I progressed through the story, I realized the focus isn’t just on suspense, rather the people who keep this kind of luxury running, and the cost it exacts on them.

The sisters at the center of the novel are written with nuance. Laura, the manager, is ambitious, while also carrying the weight of responsibility. Elena, younger and more fragile, gets swept up in bad choices that spiral into something much darker. Their dynamic adds tension, but it’s not the kind of tension that screams thriller. Instead, it’s more of a slow-burn mystery mixed with a sharp cultural critique.

What worked for me is how this author uses the setting, not just as a backdrop, but as a symbol. The Grand Paloma Resort represents power, exploitation, and inequality. Every interaction peels back another layer of Dominican social hierarchies, colorism, and class divides. It reminded me of The White Lotus, but with much more cultural depth.

So while this book isn’t packed with nonstop action, it is packed with atmosphere, social commentary, and characters that feel caught between survival and self-destruction. It’s a mystery about what happened to the missing girls, yes, but it’s also a study in how systems of privilege and desperation collide.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Grand Paloma Resort. This was my first ARC, and I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to dive into this powerful, emotionally charged debut.

The novel follows sisters Laura and Elena, who have only each other after losing both parents at a young age. Their relationship is intense, complicated, and often deeply frustrating—which is exactly what made the story so compelling. Laura’s fierce protectiveness of her younger sister leads her into morally complex situations, while Elena’s impulsivity and recklessness test the boundaries of loyalty and forgiveness.

There were moments I was angry at both sisters—at Laura’s controlling behavior and at Elena’s immature and sometimes dangerous choices. The story is bold in its emotional impact, especially around themes of family, power, and desperation. A major turning point involving the sale of two young girls was especially difficult to read and evoked strong feelings of anger and heartbreak.

While I appreciated the depth of the storytelling and the emotions it drew out of me, I did feel the ending was resolved a bit too quickly given the magnitude of the characters’ actions. The consequences felt too minimal considering the choices made, especially regarding theft, bribery, drugging, and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

That said, the writing was sharp, the pacing held my attention throughout, and the characters—flawed as they were—felt real and multi-dimensional. I’m looking forward to what Cleyvis Natera writes next.

The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera takes place over 7 consecutive days. The gorgeous luxury resort in Eastern Dominican Republic draws very wealthy, and often very devious clientele. The staff attends to their every need from food and drink to covering (erasing?) illegal activities.

This peek behind the curtain follows the staff and their actions to cover up a serious accident with a child guest and another guest’s involvement with missing children in the town outside the resort. The Grand Paloma Resort is dark and seedy. It’s propelled forward by bad decisions, selfish acts and unthinkable choices.

This story has several unlikable characters. Laura just trying to work hard enough to get off the island and make a better life for her and her sister. At 17, Elena wants to change the world, but her youth and inexperience cause major chaos. The male guest is despicable. The story is riveting.

The author covers many topics within the story including wealth and power, sex trafficking, the treatment of Haitian migrants in DR and how tourism can benefit and/or ruin the location where it operates.

I’m still thinking about this book days after finishing it.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook as an ARC.

This is the second novel by Cleyvis Natera, and my first to read of hers. Born in the Dominican Republic, she migrated to America when she was 10 years old. The Grand Paloma Resort is both literary fiction and suspense, and it tells a story focused on two sisters who work at the luxury resort in the Dominican Republic. Laura is the hard working and driven manager or the resort. Her younger sister, Elena, is not so serious, although Laura works to carve out a good future for Elena.

Elena's job at the resort is as a babysitter, and the book opens with an accident involving the little girl Elena is babysitting. She pulls Laura into her mess, and things take off from there. The book takes place over seven days, and reveals a story of the disparity between elite tourists and the local workers who are to cater to their every need.

I really enjoyed that some history of the Dominican Republic was included as well as how Haitian workers are treated versus the "locals." . Further, it illustrates the stark reality of what the workers put themselves through to give the tourists their best experience.

This book can be a little heavy in places, but that is intentional. I believe the reader is meant to think certain things and feel certain ways. I can still picture so much in my mind from the vivid descriptions Natera painted with her words.

This book did remind me a bit of American Dirt in some ways, so if you liked that book, you may like this one. Also, if you're a fan of White Lotus, you may enjoy.

Triggers for drug use, child trafficking references, some sexual references.

This is a solid five stars from me. If you read it, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks in advance to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy.
The book is so much darker than the cover suggests and it feels like a blend of genres. There is a lot I liked about it, the history and the exploration of class and the “us vs them” structure. The story is definitely triggering and dark so check the synopsis before jumping into it. However, it took me a long time to settle into the story and I kept getting people confused. I couldn’t connect to the main characters and didn’t really care what happens with them in this story line. So while I enjoyed the book, it was missing some emotional connection for me.

I was hooked by this book right from the start, and although it dragged a little toward the end, I was still really impressed. Natera builds incredible suspense and isn’t afraid to let her characters make terrible choices. I also loved how she wove in the history of the Dominican Republic so seamlessly. A couple of things didn’t quite land for me, like the “secret” and some heavy-handed storytelling choices, but overall this was such an impressive read.

When I requested this book I was under the impression that it was a mystery/thriller. I had never read this author so I was excited to see what she was about. I can't say I was impressed. I don't think this book should be classified as a thriller. It was very slow and at times the writing was monotonous. The chapters were told from different points of view, but the the reader didn't always know which character's point of view the chapter was written from.

Going into this book I was expecting a storyline with "White Lotus" vibes. However, the author spent more time telling this story from the staff's point of view rather than the resort guests point of view. We are introduced to 2 sisters, Laura and Elena. Laura runs the resort with a tight fist and shows little sympathy for either the guests or the local staff. She just wants to get out. Elena seems to be a mess all the way around. The history of the Dominican and Haiti was interesting but I felt like it was too forefront in the story. At times I felt lectured to.

All in all, I just didn't enjoy this book. I did not like any of the characters, they all made 1 bad decision after another and never redeemed themselves. I just could not make myself finish and stopped at 50%. This book may be for some readers but it was not for me.

I really really liked this book. I was pretty taken it from the start, and only toward the end did it go on a bit long for me. Natera builds such great suspense and allows her characters to make some pretty awful choices. She also works in some history of the DR so well. There are a few pieces that didn't work for me at all the "secret" as well as storytelling choices that felt a bit heavy handed. But honestly, I was so impressed by this one in a major way.

I devoured this suspenseful and thoughtful read about a pair of sisters who work at a luxury resort in the Dominican Republic. They race against the clock to rescue the injured child of elite resort guests and to find two children who are believed to be abducted by a resort guest.

In a way, this is a genre bender--literary fiction crossed with a thriller that I couldn't put down.

This book has a lot to say about the complex social forces at play in a luxury resort in a country where many locals lack access to basic necessities such as medical care and housing. The three children at the center of the novel -- the tourists' daughter and the two local children -- demonstrate how politics and power operate to protect some lives while abandoning others.

I also enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters, adult sisters who work at the resort. One is a hyper responsible leader on the management track, while the other is a free spirit who does not want to be tied down. Both race against the clock to find the sisters and prepare the resort for a historic storm that is expected to hit the area.

Highly recommend!

I loved this book! This book was action packed, a quick read and so hard to put down. There were a lot of disturbing things in this book, which a lot were very realistic and accurate. This book is extremely well written and honestly blew me away. This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read in a while.

The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera was a solid 3 star for me. It took a long time to follow the characters and the back story of each. The Grand Paloma is a fictional resort for the upper elite to relax and unwind. They are provided every luxury both legal and illegal. Natera guides the reader through the ease these tourists are able to commit heinous crimes. Getting away with it is obvious and making the crimes as well as people completely disappear just takes an envelope of cash. I felt the story was a bit to scattered, the ability to find a connection to the characters was difficult.

Thank you to the publisher, Random House Publishing Group for this advanced reader copy via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

Receiving an ARC of The Grand Paloma Resort was such a treat, and this book completely delivered! Set in a stunning resort in the Dominican Republic, the story goes beyond the sun-soaked paradise to reveal the hidden struggles and sacrifices of those who make it run.

The heart of the novel is the relationship between two sisters, Elena and Laura. Laura works in management and prioritizes protecting the resort’s polished image, even at the cost of ignoring staff mistreatment. Elena, by contrast, is fiery and unwilling to turn a blind eye, and her courage comes with high stakes. Their clash, combined with a tense incident involving a child, drives the suspense and keeps you turning pages.

I especially appreciated how the author doesn’t shy away from showing the injustices faced by Haitian workers and the social dynamics behind luxury tourism. It’s layered, tense, and thought-provoking, balancing mystery and social commentary beautifully.

If you’re looking for a thriller that keeps you on edge while exploring family, privilege, and inequality, The Grand Paloma Resort is a must-read.

The Grand Paloma Resort

Welcome to The Grand Paloma Resort. A gorgeous five start resort with a Michelin star restaurant, world class spa, and picture perfect beach with crystal clear waters. Guests are catered to, “white lotus style”, led by Laura, the hard working hotel manager. She attends to every detail and can get a guest anything they might wish for, but she is secretly despised by the staff for her attitude and ruthless ambition. Her higher level job has allowed her younger sister Elena, who she has raised since their mother passed and their father disappeared, to graduate from a prestigious online International school. A bright future awaits her in college, thanks to Laura’s self sacrificing ways.

But everything is thrown into jeopardy when the little tourist girl Elena’s been babysitting falls and gets hurt under her watch. The chain of events goes from bad to worse to cover up her tracks. As if this isn’t bad enough, a Category 5 hurricane is barreling down on the island, two island girls go missing and chaos ensues.

More interesting to me than the action, this book explores themes of colonialism, the hidden side of the tourist industry, the history of the Dominican Republic and its relationship with Haiti. I loved White Lotus the show but in this book instead of the spoiled out of touch guests we get to know the often exploited employees behind the scenes of a luxury resort.

This novel has well drawn out characters, an incredible setting and a fast paced engaging plot, what else could you ask for? I highly recommend this one. If you are interested in these topics and enjoy reading about the Caribbean try A Small Island by Jamaica Kincaid (quoted on the first page) and A Small Place by Andrea Levy.

To publisher, I also post reviews on my bookstagram page @anthologiesbyapkreads

I’m not entirely sure how to categorize this book — was it a mystery/thriller? A story about classism? A commentary on how tourism both helps and harms? A glimpse into daily life in the Dominican Republic? In truth, it was all of those things.

On the surface, the story follows two sisters struggling after the death of their parents. But it quickly expands into a wider narrative, with multiple supporting characters who reveal different sides of life in the Dominican Republic — from locals working tirelessly at the resort to the wealthy guests who flock to the island.

I appreciated the behind-the-scenes look at resort life and the thoughtful details about small-town realities in the DR. It even made me reflect on my own past resort stays. That said, the book felt scattered at times, juggling too many themes and plotlines without fully settling into any one of them.

I’d recommend this for readers planning a resort trip to the Dominican Republic, since it offers valuable cultural and social context to think about during their stay. For others, though, it may feel too unfocused to truly satisfy.

Book: The Grand Paloma Resort
Author: Cleyvis Natera
Genre: Fiction
Places Featured: Dominican Republic

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the eARC.

The Grand Paloma Resort reminded me so much of the White Lotus by the synopsis. Rich people doing bad things on vacation. But this book took a far more sinister turn and explored themes that the synopsis warned, but I was not fully ready for. The characters in this are pretty well developed and the multi POV does make this very interesting. But it was very hard to digest.

📕TITLE: The Grand Paloma Resort
✍️AUTHOR: Cleyvis Natera
💫GENRE: Thriller

A beautiful luxury resort in the Dominican Republic sets the stage for this twisty, high-stakes thriller. At its core are two sisters: Laura, the older and responsible one, and Lena, the 17-year-old recent graduate who is unraveling. Lena’s impulsive choices quickly spiral out of control, endangering not just herself but three children in a matter of hours.

When I say I was an anxious wreck flipping through these pages, I am not exaggerating—this read was INTENSE! Bad decisions pile on top of worse ones, with weather emergencies, lurking predators, and tension at every turn.

This book packs in a lot. It explores how the way we treat others has consequences, highlights the contrast between tourists and permanent residents, and layers in themes of children in peril, terrified parents, neglectful parents, and even revenge. There’s so much more, but I can’t sum it all up without giving away spoilers.

Overall, this was a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me. I loved the variety of perspectives the author wove in, and I think it would spark hours of discussion as a book club pick!

Thank you Ballantine Books, NetGalley and author Cleyvis Natera for access to an advanced copy of this e-book. All opinions shared are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Cleyvis Natera for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Like White Lotus, The Grand Paloma Resort transports the reader to a luxury beach resort. Guests go to the Grant Paloma - Dominican Republic to relax, have adventures, and be pampered. Natera uses The Grand Paloma to tell the stories of the employees and community members exposing the human and environmental costs of luxury tourism.

The Grand Paloma begins by introducing the Moreno sisters. While nannying, a child Elena was responsible for has a serious accident. Elena calls her sister, Laura, a manager at the resort, to fix her mistake, and the sisters call their friend, Vida, a curandera, to help the child. Believing she killed a child, Elena flees the Dominican Republic. While searching for her sister, Laura discovers that her friend, Dulce’s, daughters have gone missing just as a category 5 hurricane is approaching the Grand Paloma Resort.

Natera, born in the Dominican Republic, uses The Grand Paloma Resort as a sort of expose of the luxury tourism industry, humanizing the people who serve at resorts and live in nearby communities and showing just how much privilege tourists have, including committing crimes without punishment and abusing local sex workers. Natera even explains on-going social and economic tensions between Dominicans and Haitians.

The Grand Paloma Resort is a thought-provoking read that could absolutely be enjoyed on the beach.

When I say I want a good thriller book, THIS IS THE KIND OF BOOK I MEAN!

This book contains multitudes, and was so complex, layered and so well written. I love how history was very much a component throughout the book and showcasing the relationship between the Dominican Republic and Haiti brought even more tension to the book. I think the morally grey nature of some of the characters throughout this book was so well done, in particular because they are seeking to get ahead in a world that is absolutely against them. Racism, along with colorism, are themes throughout this book, and the author does a phenomenal job of showcasing instances of these.

One of my favorite parts of this book is that the bulk of the story is told through the perspective of people that work within the resort, rather than people who are visiting the resort. This makes it so that it takes a typical "tourist thriller" and completely turns it on its head in a really satisfying way, along with bringing in so many complexities. Laura and Elena are both really interesting characters, and their dynamic as sisters is layered and full of complications. I also really appreciated how this book tackles the criminal activities of privileged tourists and how local communities are often affected without any form of justice, due to corruption. This book really tackles a number of complex ideas and issues and carries them so well throughout the story. And the ending? PERFECTION.

The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera was a well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
They are realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

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

This book was breathtaking. As a White Lotus fan, I’ve always said I’d love to see a season set in the Dominican Republic — and that’s exactly what this is, except even better. We’re not stuck in the perspectives of the rich guests (we don’t need more of that). Instead, we’re immersed in the lives of the workers — the people who actually keep the resort running, who smile and serve while navigating their own complicated realities.

The story is so layered — it weaves together themes of classism, survival, community, exploitation, trafficking, colorism, anti-Haitian sentiment, generational secrets, and the quiet sacrifices made to preserve safety and dignity. I learned so much. Even though my family’s Dominican and we’ve spent many summers there, this book opened my eyes to aspects of hospitality culture I hadn’t fully considered — especially the unspoken dynamics of serving American tourists.

Cleyvis Natera takes you on a ride that’s part thriller, part mystery, part history lesson, and part exploration of very current issues. The history of the Parsley Massacre, the silenced Haitian ancestry of an entire community, and the personal stakes for each character all collide in a way that’s tense, urgent, and deeply human.

It’s a story about who gets to belong, who’s allowed to be seen, and what people will do — or hide — to survive. A powerful, thought-provoking read that should be required for anyone who wants to understand the Caribbean beyond the beach resorts.