Mia is on vacation with one mission in mind, finding a fling, but after a woman goes missing and Mia finds a book with notes written in it she finds herself not only looking for a man, but a mystery to solve.

I enjoyed this audiobook. I really enjoyed the quotes from books at the beginning of each chapter. That was unique and fun. I liked all the book tie ins as well.

the setup…
Mia Crawford is a successful financial planner at a crossroads in her life as she approaches her thirtieth birthday. Facing a serious promotion, she takes time off for an extended stay at the exclusive St. Claire island in the Caribbean, actually forced upon her by her well-meaning boss. He and her friends recognize she needs more in her life than work so Mia plans to make the most of it, hoping for the proverbial fling. But she can’t resist curling up with a good mystery thriller and picks up a book from the free table at the island gift shop. As she gets into the book, she can’t ignore the cryptic notes that the previous owner wrote in the margins and soon discovers that they are meaningful and may belong to the woman who recently went missing.

the heart of the story…
Mia loves thriller novels and decides to become an amateur sleuth after finding that book. It leads to some dangerous mishaps, curious alliances and a budding romance with Jason, a handsome bartender. This has all the feels of a cozy mystery, which isn’t my favorite, with lots of viable suspects among the island guests. But it was fun and sometimes a bit slapstick but always entertaining.

the narration…
Vanessa Johansson was a perfect choice for this mystery style, keeping things lighthearted and airy. She epitomized Mia.

the bottom line…
I’m a diehard fan of Brennan and will always read any story she writes, even if cozy mysteries aren’t typically my cuppa. That said, I found this highly entertaining and got caught up in the whodunnit aspects. The romance has that instalove feel but it fit with the story. I kind of guessed the big twist before the reveal but not the central mystery. Nicely done!

4.5 ⭐️ If White Lotus had a book club… it’d be reading this. 🌴📚

This cozy mystery was such a fun time. I loved the setting in the Virgin Islands and the main character being a book lover. The chapter headers with quotes from popular books were such a fun touch!

The romance was great, and the story had a good mix of mystery and drama. The audiobook was enjoyable, but the mystery got a little confusing with so many characters.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Grab this fun beach mystery, romance, thriller mashup for your next vacation or poolside read. Bookish Mia, investigates the disappearance of a resort guest after finding her discarded vacation book with coded clues and juicy gossip. Thanks to NetGalley and MIRA for an advanced copy for an honest review.

A perfect beach read. With a main character who loves to read, cryptic clues written in the margins of a book, and murder on an idyllic little island, I was all set to love this book. Unfortunately, I never really connected with this story. The main character was maddeningly whiny, always so worried about the prospect of being alone. In addition, there were so many characters, with so little depth, I had a hard time keeping track of them all. The narrator of the audio version did an excellent job though, so that helped me get through to the end.

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds, written by Allison Brennan and narrated by Vanessa Johansson, was a fun audiobook to listen to as I drove around doing errands and puttered around the house. The narrator was great and I enjoyed having her voice in my ear all day. This book has a little bit of everything- humor, romance, escapism, and mystery. The perfect beach read- wether on audio or text! I loved Mia (bookworm MCs are always a hit with me!) and sexy bartender Jason. Highly recommend!!

This was a really fun cosy mystery. It had all my favorite things, it's set on an island paradise, a romance with a hot bartender and a murder mystery for our heroine to solve. The is a great beach read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced listener copy. The narrator was a joy to listen to. This is a great summer read.

Get ready for sun, suspense, and a touch of romance! Beach Read and Deadly Deeds is a fun, fast-paced mystery perfect for fans of beach-side whodunits. The story follows Mia, a burnt-out accountant sent on a forced vacation to the luxurious island of St. Claire. Though she’s meant to relax, Mia’s curiosity kicks in when she discovers a used book with handwritten notes from a guest named Diana — a woman who vanished without a trace just days before.

As Mia follows the clues scribbled in the margins, the mystery deepens, and she finds herself piecing together Diana’s last known days. With the help of Brie, an observant and bold 18-year-old, and Jason, the charming resort bartender with secrets of his own, Mia turns her getaway into a full-blown investigation.

I loved the main characters—especially the sizzling romance that developed between Mia and Jason, and the sweet, genuine friendship Mia formed with Brie. I also really enjoyed the book quotes at the start of each chapter, which added a nice literary touch. The story’s pacing was just right, and the tropical resort setting made it a perfect summer read.

Allison Brennan blends lighthearted beach vibes with compelling mystery, and the mix of humor, suspense, and budding romance makes this book hard to put down. Mia is a relatable heroine — smart, stubborn, and just brave enough to get into trouble. If you like cozy thrillers with a bit of heart (and heat), this one’s for you!

The narrator did a fantastic job of keeping my attention throughout the book. She brought the story to life with distinct accents, varied voices, and great expression. Her performance made it easy to stay engaged—I couldn’t stop listening!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ — A great vacation read (or listen) with just enough danger to keep you flipping pages under your beach umbrella.

*** Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

I think this is the best Allison Brennan novel I have read to date. I loved how rather than it be a series, this book focused on just one story. And the cover is dazzling! Furthermore, Vanessa Johansson did a great job with the narration and I was hooked until the very end. I hope Allison Brennan continues to write more fabulous books such as this one! And if you are wanting to read an Allison Brennan novel, but aren't sure where to start, look no further than this book!

Omg I loved this one!! Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds was everything I want in a summer mystery: creative, fun, and packed with characters I genuinely adored. Every single one brought something to the story, and by the end, I felt like I knew them all personally (and honestly want to be invited to their next beach day, even if someone ends up dead again 😂).

The audiobook was absolutely amazing. The narration pulled me in right away, and I truly felt like I was lounging on the sand with a salty breeze in my hair and a murder to solve. This was such a blast from start to finish, cozy yet thrilling, charming yet clever. A must-read (or listen) for fans of sun-soaked mysteries with personality.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced listener copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start off with things that I DID like. I like the quotes in the beginning of each chapter. I’ve read so many of these that I could place the book before the narrator could finish and say what book the quote was from, so I really enjoyed that. I enjoyed the setting, and the author provided wonderful imagery that really transported you to Saint Claire. I like the narrator, and enjoyed her accents for the guests. I liked that it was very Murder on the Orient Express where you think anyone can be guilty. I liked majority of the characters in general, even the ones you love to hate. I loveddd the big reveal of Ethan Valentine.

Okay moving on to things I didn’t love. I was bored for the first 30-40% of this book. The introduction of the guests just didn’t translate well into a book for me. I understand if this were a movie, you would need that exposition and introduction to the characters, but it was just very long winded. I didn’t like that Mia was just full blown head over heels for Jason immediately after making out with him at the lagoon, and felt like Jason was pretty love bomby. Mia also describes their connection as intellectual, and I didn’t get that vibe at all. If anything, both of them were straight up condescending to each other unless they were hooking up. If I’m being honest Mia is quite insufferable. Like I get the struggle of needing financial security, but wanting to be a free spirit… but Mia was just annoying and tired to me. The third act break up just made me angry… then showing up 6m later without a single breath of contact? And everything is fine?! Ugh!!! Hate!!!

I like the writing style for the most part, but often felt my mind drifting because I was bored with this whole story. There were plenty of action parts, so I’m not sure what exactly about this story that I didn’t love. But I did not love this book. It was just very meh to me.

The idea is there! It was pretty rom commy and might translate great as a screen write! I would definitely watch it. I just don’t think it was a great book if that makes sense. I would like to read more from this author and see if it was just this story or the writing style that I’m not down with!

I really only do extended reviews like this for ARCs. Had I read or listened to this outside of NetGalley I would’ve given it 3.5 stars and called it a day.

All in all: this was just a decent book for me. If you’re looking for a summer mystery read with a little steamy romance subplot, check this out!

This was my first audio by Brennan and it kept me listening. Mia is on a well deserved vacation from her life, yet the island she's on has many secrets and a few dead bodies. Mia takes it upon herself to crack the case with the help of a young girl she befriends. What follows is a lot of flirting with a lot of different men (I feel like the MC had too many love interests here), a ton of almost sexual encounters (most of which never happen) and lastly, a mystery. This read like a cozy mystery to me, minus all the internal dialog about sex from the main character, which I could have done without. Aside from the very awkward sexual content, I thought it was a solid cozy mystery.

This was an excellent beach read! I really loved the quotes from other books at the beginning of chapters, romantic suspense, sleuthing, and twists that I didn't see coming! Also, the audio was excellent!

⭐️ 1/5 Stars (Boring)
Setting: Luxurious private island resort
Genre: Cozy Romantic Mystery

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds was a big no for me. I really tried to get into it, but I struggled the entire way through. The premise had potential—bookish woman on a dreamy island gets caught up in a real-life mystery—but the execution fell flat. Mia, the main character, felt more like a list of personality traits than a real person, and her “vacation transformation” was so slow and forced that I lost interest before anything remotely thrilling happened. The mystery wasn’t engaging enough to carry the story, and the pacing dragged in all the wrong places. I kept waiting for the plot to hook me, but it never did. Just because a book is set on a beach doesn’t mean it has to be this dry.
#netgalley #beachreadsanddeadlydeeds #bookedthisweekend

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds
Allison Brennan

“The idea that I might be trapped somewhere without something to read gives me nightmares”

Thank you Mira and HTPHive for the free book! #hive #htppartner All opinions are my own.

Mia is on a forced vacation and ready to soak up all the sun, sand, and beach reads that she can get her hands on. But when she finds notes written in the margins of an old book and realizes that they may be clues to the disappearance of another guest Mia is thrust into an adventure that she could never have imagined.

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds is such a fun summer story. It’s a little bit romance, with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of cozy mystery. I loved all the twists and turns. Although I was able to foresee the big twist at the end that didn’t make it any less enjoyable. It was humorous, and light while still full of anticipation and mystique. Also, the book quotes at the beginning of the chapters are chef’s kiss!

If you are looking for a fun whodunit to add to your beach bag this summer then this would be a cute one to pick up!

The audio was very well done! The narrator, Vanessa Johansson does a fantastic job drawing the reader in and keeping them engaged through all the twists and turns. I enjoyed listening along!

Read if you like:
* Mysteries
* Vacation Romance
* Island settings
* Amateur Sleuth
* Whodunits
* Book-loving characters

"Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds" is a lighthearted mystery full of suspense, romance, and drama. The story started off a bit slow, but then it picked up the pace, and I enjoyed trying to solve the murder mystery. I usually like the genre combo of cozy mystery and rom-com, but this book was a little too spicy for my taste. It just didn't feel like it fit in with the rest of the story, and I ended up just skipping those parts. I wish the story focused more on the underlying mystery. The audiobook narrated by Vanessa Johansson was a great way to enjoy this book. She did a great job voicing the many characters, and she really made the story come to life. Overall, a fun summer escape that is perfect for the beach or pool.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great turn for Allison Brennan. Usually her books are so dark but this one dove more into the romantic suspense and was definitely a beach read.

2.5 stars
This is a cute romantic mystery that has some good and not-so-good parts. It is definitely a good beach read, as the title indicates.

Mia Crawford (we can never forget her name because it is referenced practically every time she is on the page) is on a mandated vacation before she takes a job as a partner in a financial planning firm. Taking a solo trip to a Caribbean island isn't her idea of a good time, but hopefully she can find a vacation romance. But soon after arrival she discovers a mystery about a missing woman and takes it upon herself to help find out what happened to Diana.

The good:
I love the literary nods and the mystery found in the margins of a book. I thought that was clever and fun.
I liked Brie and her contribution to the story. A teenager was an interesting choice and really added to the tale for me.
I did like the mystery, which is this author's strong point. I preferred the mystery storyline to the romance.

The not-so-good:
I'm not a fan at all of armchair detecting, and here we have it by someone who has no skills and no investment in the mystery beyond her curiosity.
Mia is the ultimate pick me girl with an obsession with sex and the insta-love is ridiculous. "I fell in love" after two days? Yeah no. Her personality was very grating and so immature. I felt like Brie the 18 year old was more mature than Mia.
I didn't love the combination of romance and mystery here. It was jarring for to go back and forth between sexual panting and trying to solve who killed Diana.
The ending. Enough said, big eye roll.

I listened to the audiobook and unfortunately, I found Mia to be more cringy listening to her inner dialogue than I would have reading it on the page.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC to review. I really enjoyed this cozy island mystery. Each chapter starts off with a book quote from popular authors which I appreciated. The concept of the MC going on a beach vacation to read and find herself seems up my alley! I loved hearing about the island. Mia arrives to the island but then finds herself solving a murder. Along with falling for a hottie, Mia ends up in troupe situations, but we all know we love this even if its execution isn't perfection. Seems this style isn't the author's normal style of writing, so if you have read any by her you might be surprised. I am not sure by the ending if this is the first in a series, but I would be open to reading more since the ending sets her up in a perfect place for more shenanigans.