Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

by Allison Brennan

In this sun-dappled mystery from New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan, a risk-averse bibliophile gets in over her head when strange notes in a book draw her into a real-life investigation.

Mia Crawford is responsible to a fault. She has to be. Between her high-demand job and taking care of her grandmother and her cats, she has little time for anything else. What time she does have, she pours into reading. Mysteries, romances, thrillers…books filled with women who are far more impulsive than she would ever dream of being. Now, forced into taking a long-overdue vacation, she finds herself on a luxurious private island where she just might have a chance to reinvent herself—for a little while, anyway. She can explore the island. Flirt shamelessly with a cute bartender. Have a vacation fling. Live like a heroine in one of her favorite novels.

Or she can curl up with a good book on the beach. Turns out reinventing yourself is easier planned than done. But when gossipy notes written in the margins of an old book turn out to be clues to the disappearance of another guest, Mia finds herself diving headfirst into a dangerous adventure. With everyone at the resort hiding secrets of their own, she’ll have to solve this real-life mystery before she becomes the next target. 

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Summer Reads, Mystery Thriller

390 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2025

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Allison Brennan believes that life is too short to be bored, so she had five children and writes three books a year.

In 2019, Allison relocated from Northern California to Arizona with her family and assorted pets. She loves baseball, hiking, family game night, and (of course) reading.

RT Book Reviews called Allison “a master of suspense” and her books “haunting,” “mesmerizing,” “pulse-pounding” and “emotionally complex.” She's been nominated for many awards, and is a three time winner of the Reviewer's Choice award winner for RT Book Reviews as well as the Daphne du Maurier award. Most recently, she was nominated for Best Paperback Original by International Thriller Writers.

With over 45 books and dozens of short stories, Allison is writing multiple series and the occasional stand alone thriller. Her most recent book out now is THE MISSING WITNESS, part of the Quinn & Costa series. In June Allison is launching a new Phoenix-set series about a family of private investigators starting with YOU'LL NEVER FIND ME.

You can reach Allison through Goodreads or her website.

Reviews

[megs 🎀 · Rating 5 out of 5]

♡ thank you to Harlequin Publishing and Allison Brennan for an ARC of this book! ♡

5/5 ⭐️

when i tell you, this book had me from the beginning & NEVER lost me.. this was the perfect mix of romance & mystery (my two favs) and i cannot think of a better book similar to this one!

📖 plot & pace: mia is forced to take a week long vacation by her employer. she hasn't taken a vacation in years and was just offered a promotion. she reluctantly takes the vacation to St. Claire, but when she arrives, she learns of a fellow visitor vanishing just the day before. she picks up a book from the gift shop from a table of books left behind by guests, and she soon realizes this book came from that missing guest.. and she's left clues to her disappearance.

even from chapter one, i was ENTICED by this book. there were so many twists and layers to this story that al flowed together SO WELL. the pacing was a perfect mix of fast and slow.

👥 characters: our FMC mia is such a perfect amateur sleuth. she almost backs out of the mystery but her morals prevent it. she meets so many great people on the island, like brie and jason. there's also some unlikeable characters (expected with an island full of rich, snobby people), but they just blended with the plot so well. i thought the characters were very well developed and all felt purposeful.

🤩 tropes: amateur sleuth, blackmail, rich people drama, everyone's a suspect

okay.. wow. i'll never shut up about this book, hope that's okay😆 this is a book i could read over & over without getting tired! i'm craving more 💕

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds was a very mysterious fictional novel! It also came with thriller and romance! This was a fun, easy book to read. A woman named Mia goes on vacation on a fancy private island, a much needed getaway from her real day to day life. She loves to read and gets lost in her books, while being on this vacation.

Then something happens and she must get to the bottom of it! The lovely vacation turns upside down when someone was murdered there. As Mia starts to dig into what’s really happening, she discovers that this beautiful resort is full of hidden secrets! I think this book was very well written, it captured my full attention and the characters in this story were full of depth. A mystery book with thriller and romance is a completely new take on mixing genres together, yet it was perfectly done! Be sure to read the content warnings before reading this book. Overall, I rate this a 4 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Allison Brennan and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book is expected to be published on June 17, 2025!

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, entertaining, contemporary romance mystery novel. It has a likable, intelligent female protagonist, murder, an intriguing mystery, a beautiful beach setting, friendship, a heartwarming, sizzling romance, and a gratifying conclusion. The book quotes at the beginning of each chapter were a nice touch. I listened to the audio book, and the narrator, Ms. Vanessa Johansson, has a lovely voice, and does an outstanding job voicing the characters.

[JordynAlison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had potential but fell pretty flat in all areas. After the 2nd mention of not wanting her promotion, I ended up skipping the paragraphs and paragraphs of internal thoughts around this – I got it the first time! Unfortunately the repetition didn't stop there, it was everything. Rehashing info she learned about the murder over and over, and just a slow unveiling for not a great reward at the end.

Don't even get me started on the love interest in this book, and the FMC being so obsessed with what her friends thought of her that she fell instantly in love with the first guy she saw.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Teju A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Brennan, but I'm partial to her other thrillers. I would still recommend this, it was very decent

A woman on vacation find herself in the middle of a mystery. A woman has disappeared off the island. She should be taking time for herself before she steps into bigger shoes in her firm; but she's drawn to finding the culprit!

[laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Forgive me friends, I feel obligated to write a longer review because I received this ARC via NetGalley to give my honest opinion before this book’s release date.

Let me paint a picture. I join NetGalley to feel like a proper book reviewer and get excited about my first ARC approval!! The book I had requested had a sparkling review from an author I liked so I felt excited to read the book. The excitement quickly dies down within the first few chapters. I found the main character to be an incredibly huge pick me, scouring the island immediately for single hunky prey but (whomp whomp) everyone on the island is taken. This workaholic is then trying solve who murdered a woman who washed up on the beach during her vacation.

Now… I have read romance and I have read murder mystery…. Do I think these genres ~could~ combine.. sure… maybe? Do I think you have to walk a pretty thin line to make sure it’s not a weird and jarring when you are panning back and forth between romance and murder.. absolutely! I found this book incredibly jarring that the main character was absolutely lusting after someone and then in the next breath trying to solve the mystery of who murdered this woman. Maybe I am sensitive but it was startling to have this woman describing her sexual fantasies while self investigating a murder.

I also felt like there were a few things that were sprinkled throughout the book that I thought COULD lead to something but then never did.

I don’t even want to talk about the ending except that I had a visceral reaction to it and I could feel my body actively rejecting it.

I found this book grueling to get through and I do not recommend it for people who have similar book taste as me.

Trust me when I say I feel bad about writing something negative about something I got an ARC of… I’m so sorry!

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

(Thanks to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded to a 3

This is a perfect beach read. A little mystery, a little romance, all set on a picture perfect island. It was fairly predictable, and I found it to be a slow read in the middle, but the end has you flipping pages because it picks up nicely. Definitely a nice, easy read. And, something quite different for this author.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

Oh my god, this woman is insufferable! She is the most annoying, pick-me, main character syndrome person I have ever read about. (It feels weird saying she has main character syndrome because she is the literal main character, but that's the energy she gives. If she were a real person you came across, you'd say she had main character syndrome.)

And will she just shut up with the "I could be having sex with Jason Mallory right now" or whatever his name is. I don't care that you be getting it on with some random man! I really don't care, that had nothing to do with anything!

Sorry that this is such a dramatic review but I was so disappointed in this book. I thought the cover was so cool, I really really love the design. I thought this had so much potential to feel like a season of the show, The White Lotus (and there were definitely moments when it did feel like that like show, but they were constantly interrupted by our obnoxious main character.) She really thinks she's the smartest, most important person in the room. Wonderful moments were constantly interrupted by her, it was so confusing.

I would be thinking "oh, this is getting good, I am intrigued, maybe it was just a fluke that she was annoying, maybe that has ended." And I was wrong. It really ruined all of those good moments. This book could have been so good!! That's what I hate. When something is so close to being perfect, but one little thing keeps squandering it.

What this book is supposed to be about is the mysterious happenings on this remote resort island. There are lots of mysterious and suspicious people on this island, they do shady things and have mysterious and interconnected pasts. The drama was great and so was the mystery element.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia Crawford is on what most would consider a dream vacation in the Caribbean. Mia as a careful planner, wouldn’t have splurged on such an extravagance if her work didn’t insist. Even so, she slowly unwinds and can’t help but soak in all the beauty, even with the news of a missing guest. Mia also can’t help but be drawn to the sweet and sexy bartender, Jason.

Things get interesting when she borrows a book for a beach read and finds notations about all the guests written in some kind of code. She starts to suspect that the notes are tied to the missing woman. Curiosity sparked, Mia starts asking questions about the missing woman, ruffling feathers in the process.

I enjoyed Mia’s friendship with eighteen-year-old Brie, a sort of sidekick in her mystery solving. In addition to finding out what happened to Diana, they teamed up to expose the gold-digging girlfriend of Brie’s father and I was really invested in their success. The girlfriend was awful! Mia had a methodical way of approaching the investigation I appreciated.

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds was a fun and engrossing cozy mystery and romance! Mia’s romance with Jason gave her a fresh perspective on life, inspiring her to live with more gusto rather than always playing it safe. While the romance wasn’t front and center, it was spicy and just the right amount, IMO.

I alternately read and listened to Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds and can recommend either version. I’ve listened to and enjoyed Vanessa Johansson’s narration in the past and I thought she performed all voices, male and female wonderfully!

I voluntarily read/listened to an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

The publication date of this wonderful Beach Read comes right before my annual Colorado River Ski Trip, and I can't think of a more wonderful author to take with me on my own beach adventure!

I am normally not a fan of first person, contemporary romance, but Allison Brennan is a masterful author and can make this mix of different genres work and work brilliantly. Mia, as the main character is just a wonderful mixture of likeable, relatable, determined, smart and very savvy. She is a great narrator for this story, but I really did miss having other points of view, especially Jason's. Oh, Jason. Wow. How could Mia not fall for the hot, adventure loving bartender? I had my doubts, but how could Mia not fall for him especially when he is exactly the romantic fling she came on this vacation to find. The mystery and all the sub-plots were so fun to follow and worked well with the romance. The twist ending was, while not exactly a surprise, fun to see play out to make this a fantastic beach read.

Mia Crawford is on, not exactly a forced vacation, but her boss is paying for her to spend a week at the exclusive island resort of St. Clare in the Caribbean. During this time away, Mia wants a fling and to make some firm decisions about her future, one she isn't exactly excited about. When she comes upon a tattered paperback book on the share table it sets her vacation on a whole different course. Discovering a body while on a midnight swim with Jason, the sexy bartender, definitely wasn't on her list of vacations plans.

She soon learns that the missing resort guest, Diana Harden, was murdered and as Mia reads the book she found, she begins to realize that the notes in the margins are from Diana, and they intrigue Mia. Overheard conversations and attempting to unravel the book's code send her and young friend, Brie, on a mission to find who killed Diana and uncover the secrets Diana hid in the book. Mia, being an avid mystery reader, is all about solving this real-life mystery. Finding romance along the way is just a wonderful plot twist.

My thanks to the Publisher and the author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

[Bobbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Possibly 2.5 stars to be generous. I really thought this was going to be a cozy mystery with some romance but IMO I found it to be a romance with a side story of a mystery. I’m really not interested in how many orgasms someone has. I had to fast forward through many parts after a while. As for the mystery part (which was interspersed with the sex scenes) - it was just ‘eh’. Too much going on to even care.
So for me- a waste of time.

[Ann C. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have probably read every book that Allison Brennan has written. Was this book even written by her? It did not read like one of her books. The prologue was good. Then I started the first chapter and thought I was reading a different book. This book is written in first person. Which I have said many times in reviews that I hate. None of the author's other books are written in first person. I saw that Allison Brennan had out a new book and bought it immediately. I will be checking from now on as to whether it is first or third person. This will be the 4th author in less than 2 years that I have dropped because they switched to first person. Is it an easier way to write?

The main character, Mia, is unlikable. I made it through chapter 1 and then skipped to the last 2 chapters. I could not manage anymore of the book.

Please, please go back to your other series, especially the Quinn and Costa series.

[Vanessa Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was I entertained? Yes. Was this enjoyable?…yes? I’m glad I listened to this cause I probably would have DNF’d tbh if I was reading. This was a mystery/romance. I enjoyed the setting and it was definitely giving some Agatha Christie vibes (remote island resort, a body is found, someone on the island is the killer and almost everyone has a motive), but there were def some things that was bothering me while reading:

1) the FMC was thiiiiiirsty af and spends a lot of time at the beginning scouring this island for a guy to have “sex” with. Also she was giving a little bit of pick-me vibes.
2) finds a guy and then all of a sudden it’s “making love”
3) the insta-love in this was wild. Was the relationship in the room with us, cause damn, I didn’t see it.
4) there was surprisingly spice in this book but it also felt like it was written by someone who hadn’t written spice before. I’m pretty sure “warm hard penis” was an exact quote from one of the scenes…

Generally a very chill summer “poolside read” but isn’t the best out there…

[Kayla_Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and MIRA for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mia is reluctantly made to go on an all expenses paid vacation to a private island before she is made partner. The horror I know. She plans to spend the time relaxing, reading, and just maybe a little flirting. But when Mia stumbles upon notes written in a book, by a murdered woman, she finds herself trying to solve a mystery.

This would be a good beach or pool side read. A mix of mystery and slow burn romance with a hot bartender.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Cassandra 🍁☕️📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun cozy read! I enjoyed the murder mystery with some romantic suspense. I felt Mia was so relatable to a certain extent. I enjoyed most of the characters. I love trying to figure out who the culprit is. I think Mia needs another vacation lol I did figure out part of the twist, but still got the murderer wrong. Looking forward to reading more of this author’s work.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

This is a review of the ebook and the audiobook. The audiobook is read by Vanessa Johansson.

This is a romantic mystery standalone set in the Caribbean . It is basically a cozy mystery, however it does have some sexy scenes.

Mia Crawford is an accountant and financial planner. She has been sent to a private island in the Caribbean for a mandatory vacation. I loved Mia. She was such an enjoyable character. And the Caribbean setting was fantastic.

Something happens to Diana, a woman staying at the same resort was Mia. So she becomes an amateur sleuth trying to uncover the mystery.

I love amateur sleuths so I was obsessed with this story. I loved that Mia loved books. I also loved that she recorded videos of her reviews to post on social media. I also really liked her sidekick Brie, an 18 year old girl on vacation with her dad and his horrible girlfriend.

There were a lot of suspects and the story was so much fun! I also really liked the romance aspect.

Vanessa Johansson was a wonderful audiobook reader. She was so good. I need to look up more of her audiobooks as I could listen to her all day.

I am so sad that this book is listed as a standalone. I love cozy mystery series best. And I think that this would make a great series. Overall this was still a wonderful read as a standalone.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! It’s a great summer beach read. A little romance, some mystery, and a beautiful island filled with some interesting people. A lot are unlikable, but some good ones too.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Allison Brennan’s romantic suspense series, so I wasn’t sure what to make of a new contemporary romance-mystery. Let me just say that the author hit it out of the park with this humorous, witty and serious at times mystery. Mia Crawford is totally relatable, a workaholic who is an accountant and thinks that details matter. Coerced into taking a special vacation to a private island, Mia isn’t sure what she will do there but she soon finds herself solving a murder mystery, helping a teen with dad issues, counseling a gay couple and maybe, just a little, falling head over heels for the bartender who flirts with her. The action is non-stop, the pacing is quick and perfect and the characters are mostly lovable and all realistic. The story is absorbing, with secrets and clues and twists galore. I really enjoyed this book and hope it will be the first of many in this genre for this author. The ending was perfect and I think that all readers will appreciate the theme of self-discovery and being willing to change if change is the best choice.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily 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.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan is the ideal summer mystery—smart, sexy, and just the right amount of sinister. Set on a sun-drenched private island, this novel blends a cozy whodunit with a slow-burn romance, all told through the eyes of Mia Crawford, a hard-working, no-nonsense woman who’s forced to take a break from her controlled, over-scheduled life.

Mia thinks she’s just here to relax: maybe flirt, maybe read, definitely not solve a murder. But when she stumbles upon a beat-up paperback with cryptic notes in the margins, her curiosity kicks in—and when a fellow guest goes missing, curiosity turns into full-on sleuth mode.

The pacing starts off easy like any good vacation but soon spirals into suspense, with hidden agendas, shady resort staff, and secrets hiding behind every palm tree. The bookish angle (clues inside a novel) adds a unique twist, and the tropical setting isn’t just window dressing—it becomes an active part of the plot’s tension and isolation.

Mia is a relatable heroine: book-smart, hesitant, and completely out of her element—but never foolish. Her chemistry with Jason, the island’s charming bartender with secrets of his own, adds a romantic layer that doesn’t overpower the mystery but enhances it. If you’ve ever wished your favorite beach read would come to life—this is the story for you.

With notes of The White Lotus, Only Murders in the Building, and classic romantic suspense, Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds is escapist fiction done right. While it may not offer mind-bending twists, it knows exactly what it wants to be: clever, fun, atmospheric, and just dark enough to keep the pages turning long after sunset.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

1 star because I managed to finish it, and 1 star because the mystery was interesting.

From the opening pages, it is clear that our protagonist is NLTOG, and is obsessed with sex to an almost unhealthy degree. 30 minute yacht trip? Rather than enjoying the nice boat trip and the scenery, she goes below deck to cattily judge the other women, size up the men, and look for a quiet place to read. And this sets the stage for the rest of the book. The only additions are constant reminders that she's afraid to take risks and a tendency to fall on her ass. Literally.

For a supposed "book nerd," I have to wonder if she only reads books that are mentioned in the movie theater show times. I could not find a single reference to a book that is not better known for its adaptation. There are thousands of best sellers that haven't been adapted, but good luck finding Mia make even a fleeting reference to a single one of them.

The editing is also terrible. It is clear this book was originally written in 3rd person and the author decided to swap to 1st at some point in the process. (Either that, or Mia occasionally thinks of herself in the 3rd person.) She also repeatedly references leaving her book on the plane, when she had it on the yacht. At one point, a character who supposedly went home shows up at lunch the next day.

Some of the side characters are fun. There are a couple whose plots weren't resolved satisfactorily. It gives a bit of a Shakespearean "servant runs on and lets you know what happened to the character" vibe, which I find rather unfulfilling in prose.

Honestly, I'm glad I borrowed this from the library. I'm angry I wasted my time; at least this way I didn't also waste my money.

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this book. Mostly because the main character, Mia, got on my nerves! Her immaturity level was grating and hard to get past.
I guess my feeling is….I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the story. But, I did not like the romance aspect. Throw in the how many times things were said over and over…
With that said, do read this book. It would make for a nice summer’/beach read. It just didn’t catch my interest as much as I hoped it would.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Grandma Susan]

DNF. profanity

[Jessica Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5! Was a little hard to keep track of all the characters and thought the main character acted much older than 30.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the definition of a really good beach read: a paradise-like tropical resort; a likable and smart main character; a murder mystery; a love at first sight romance; and lots of secrets and danger. Mia is a beautiful "risk-averse CPA - slash financial planner" who is an avid reader and considers herself boring. She is offered a week's vacation at an exclusive resort on a private island. Although Mia would prefer to take the money and have a staycation with her books, she is pressured by everyone in her life to accept the opportunity and have a fun in the sun fling. When she gets there, Mia learns a woman who was on the island is missing, then Mia finds the woman's book with cryptic notes written in the margins. At this point, Mia turns into an obsessed Miss Marple-Veronica Mars-Nancy Drew sleuth and is convinced there has been a murder committed by someone who is still on the island. At the same time, Mia falls hard for Jason, a handsome, personable bartender. Although this is a pretty simple mystery and romance, it is still a compelling story filled with lots of literary quotes and references to books. Readers who like smart, resourceful bookworms will definitely want to put this in their beach bag!

"I was grown-up Nancy Drew, or Veronica Mars from the reboot, determined to find the truth, wherever it led. No more cozy mystery book club, solving crime from the security of a library or tea shop. I was in the middle of a real mystery, the Case of the Missing Blonde."

[Charry (SandToSnowStories) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re searching for the perfect beach read this July, look no further — Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan checks all the boxes!

The story follows Mia, a successful financial planner who jets off to a dreamy island to celebrate her birthday and long-awaited promotion. What was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime holiday quickly turns into something else entirely — a thrilling murder mystery with unexpected twists, danger lurking in paradise, and the surprising spark of romance with a charming bartender.

What makes this book such a standout is how effortlessly it blends genres — self-discovery, mystery, romance, and even a touch of suspense. Mia’s journey is more than just solving a murder; it’s also about finding herself, forging new friendships, and embracing a life she never imagined. The island setting is vivid and transportive, the mystery is compelling, and the chemistry? Just the right amount of spice!

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds is fun, fast-paced, and full of heart — the kind of book that makes you feel like you’ve just been on vacation yourself. It’s the ultimate summer read that brings sunshine, intrigue, and a dash of love in every chapter.

Highly recommend tossing this one into your beach bag! 🏖📚💙

[Anuradha Mukherjee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me personally, I would've just taken the promotion and planned out how to set up a bookshop because its impossible to magically conjure a fully operational one up in 6 months and also buy a house at the same time. All on the advice of a man you've known for a week and spoken to about this idea just once. Thats just me though. If she had enough money to make this possible, all her gripes about not being rich like the other guests were just a lie.

I liked the murder mystery well enough, but it takes a lot of random, unnecessary turns. The most difficult thing to get through was that she repeats everything every few pages. This one-week romance was also ridiculous when they spent such little time together, most of which was spent on small talk or in the sheets.

Not to mention the friends, they were so irritating. You do not have to go on vacation to live out someone else's idea of it. If you want to sit and read a book the whole time, you can do just that. Vacations are meant for relaxing, not exclusively for finding the nearest hot single. Which was all she also had on her mind, to be fair.

[Rolé - Hooked By That Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt at times like I was part of one of those murder mystery parties, only it came with a real body and real danger. I loved the setting, and Mia's thinking process and how she used her knowledge of finance to help. The crimes were convoluted and several secrets were revealed. I enjoyed Mia and Jason's budding romance. It was a fun, fast-paced romantic suspense, and definitely my kind of book.

[Jamele (BookswithJams) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute read that I enjoyed, more on the romance side but how I think romances should be if they all had a side of murder. Ha! A little too much spice for my liking but overall I enjoyed this one and liked the both the story and the setting.

Thank you to MIRA Books for the digital copy to review.