Last Vacation

by Sarah Elle Emm

Seven days have passed since Naples real estate agent Megan MacKenna has heard from her twin sister, Madeline, who was vacationing on the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix. Though authorities are not convinced there is a case to solve, Megan knows with all of her heart something happened to Maddy. When Megan receives a direct warning to leave the island or end up like her sister, she turns to the only person who has taken her seriously since she arrived, Gabe, a breakfast cook at a local diner.

Undercover DEA agent, Gabriel Walker has been building his cover for months, waiting for the opportunity to work his way into the infamous Torrez crime ring. When Megan shows up asking questions and Gabe realizes her twin’s disappearance might be linked to the Torrez men, he has to convince her to go back to Florida before she becomes their next victim.

The closer Megan gets to the truth, the more Gabe begins to suspect he is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And someone is closing in on Megan…

Genres: Mystery

298 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2016

About the author

Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the suspense novel LAST VACATION, the young-adult dystopian HARMONY RUN SERIES: (PRISMATIC, OPALESCENT, CHATOYANT, NACREOUS), and more. She has lived in Germany, England, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and traveled extensively beyond. Her writing cave is exactly where she wants it to be, in her hometown of Evansville, Indiana. When she's not teaching her teenagers a thing or two about kitchen dance parties, she writes poetry, praise poetry, and fiction. Visit her website at SarahElleEmm.com. Follow her Facebook page, Sarah Elle Emm.

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Official website: https://www.sarahelleemm.com
Facebook.com/HarmonyRunSeries

Reviews

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan's identical twin sister Maddy is a free-spirited , traveller and though they may look identical -that's where the similiarities stop. The one thing that Megan can always count on though is that no matter where in the world Maddy is travelling , she will always let Megan know where she is and that she is safe and sound before moving onto a new location. However, when Megan doesn't hear from Maddy ,her twin senses start tingling and she knows that something is wrong. Turns out that Maddy has been kidnapped by her boyfriend's bodyguard Trevor and now is part of a revenge game and Maddy is the bait. Megan arrives on the island trying to find Maddy but is being stonewalled and no-one is taking her seriously. Enter Gabe , he is working undercover at the local resturant but in fact he is an FBI agent tracking down Victor Torrez and his drug cartel which seem to be the same ones who took Maddy. Can Gabe help Megan to keep a low profile and find Maddy alive or will her looking identical to Maddy draw unwanted attention and have Megan as the next victim alongside her sister ? A fast-paced romantic suspense story , Last Vacation covers not only the suspense side of Kidnapping and Drugs but also the Romantic side of Gabe and Megan and a Vacation that neither Maddy or Megan will ever forget and who knows this vacation may be the experience needed to bring Maddy back home with Megan to Naples. Find out in Last Vacation by Sarah Elle Emm today.

[Merril Anil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lets just say this was not a perfect vacation for our character

So this would be my first attempt with Blog Tours. I got this book as being part of the blog tour conducted by Book review Tours. so a huge thanks to the Book review tours, author and her team for providing me with the book

Last Vacation surprised me with unexpectedly opening up to a thriller atmosphere as i had perceived it to be a light read but no it is filled with adrenaline and twists and turns to keep you interested and page flipping

I love the simplicity in language which makes it easier to absorb what the author wants to convey and keep in track of the story. Pace is extremely good and keeps the undergoing thread of the story intact.

While i love the language and the flow of the story i couldn’t help from noticing that the author does kind of take a breather in between to describe the character’s physical attribute and the pause in the flow to do this is tangible enough but other than that i don’t think there is any reason why you shouldn’t be picking up this book

The plot is engrossing and worth being glued to the page and the pace of the book and the language definitely helps in making this quite and easy and entertaining read.

so that is from me for today... a short and quick review ... see you in the next review :P ... just messing around .. ;)

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

You get sucked into this book on the first page!

Twins, vacation in St. Croix, drug lords, kidnapping and murder along with a sweet love story. What could be better?
This is the first book by Sarah Elle Emm I've read, but it won't be the last.

[Njkinny (Njkinny's Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2016/03/l...
Rating: 4.5/5

Last Vacation by Sarah Elle Emm is the first book by the author that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed travelling to the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix where not only romance but danger and solid suspense awaited me!

Megan McKenna is as different from her easy going, free spirited twin, Maddy as the sun is different from the moon but one thing that makes them the same is the love that they share for each other. So when Maddy goes missing, Megan leaves everything behind to find her sister even if it means tackling with dangerous people and facing the wild looking but still irresistibly alluring and enigmatic cook, Gabe who is the only one ready to help her in her twin's search.

I was first intrigued by the title of the book and then the blurb which are both interesting and teasing enough to catch a reader's attention. The cover is also beautiful and sure to attract attention.

The plot is conceived and executed meticulously and Sarah had me engaged in the story right from the start. The prologue had me cringing, then feeling horrified along with sorry for the victim but still caught in the scene and eager to know what led to this. The arrangement of the scenes is noteworthy that had me not only entertained but rightfully intrigued.

The author's writing style is expressive, simple and engaging. She was able to create vivid mental pictures in my mind and had me feeling like I was visiting St. Croix with its peace, beauty and then the hidden ugliness of crime. She gives the reader a realistic picture and shows the dual sides of everything whether bad or good.

The characterization is admirable and the characters in the book are complex people with their own stories that have shaped them into the people they are today. Megan seemed snobbish and stuffy at first but then also showed her loving and caring self with just as much ease. Gabe is a loyal, responsible and just as easily the hunk who had my heart palpitating and me wanting to meet him. The chemistry between these two was both fun to read about and also charged enough that I was left rooting for a happily-ever-after for them.

Maddy and Megan's differences in nature and then their changed perspectives about life from their individual experiences is so beautifully brought to life in the book. Their aspirations, expectations and a past that though same, still made them into two poles apart people is both emotional as well as a learning experience for us, readers. I got misty eyed numerous times while reading the book and also learned so much from observing these two sisters.

The best characters are the villains and the contrast in their characters plus their motivations in committing crimes is again a great character study. Kudos to the author who not only made these people seem real with their own flaws but also seem humane with their own moments of goodness.

The story is fast paced with the thrill of danger and suspense; romance and an emotionally charged story that had me glued right till the end.

All in all, Last Vacation by Sarah Elle Emm is an entertainer that had me engaged throughout. I recommend the book to all lovers of action and romantic suspense. 4.5 out of 5 to it and I know I will be reading more from Sarah Elle Emm in the future.

I received the book from the author and the tour organizers and I am very thankful to them. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.

[Susan Krich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another great giveaway by Goodreads.
I enjoyed this book very much. It is a great romance as well as suspense novel. I was going to say mystery but the reader knows who did it almost from the beginning. This in no way detracts from your interest in the story. The action starts from page 1. By the time you reach the middle, you will not want to put the book down until the story plays out.
Perhaps we will have another Gabe Walker book to look forward to in the future.

[C.j. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great vacation read!

Reading this book while I’m cruising the islands and it was enjoyable. There were some sentences that didn’t flow well, but the story was so good, I skipped over it and kept reading.

[sherry a heyward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

This was a good read. Twins feeling each other the US think and thin. A family that goes above. and beyond for each other.

[Katy Di Martino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vuoi vincere una copia di questo libro o un voucher amazon da 20 dollari?
partecipa al giveaway sul mio blog! http://libriilmiopassatopresentefutur...

L’ultimo messaggio che Megan MacKenna ha ricevuto dalla sorella è stata l’immagine di un’iguana, non una telefonata o un sms. Un’immagine senza senso e poi il silenzio.
Così Megan decide di abbandonare la sua confort zone in Naples per mettersi alla ricerca di Madelaine, partita per l’ennesimo viaggio verso una paradisiaca isola dei Caraibi. Lo scenario per lei, però è diverso: niente spiagge dorate ed oceano cristallino, l’isola che vede Meg è un incubo ad occhi aperti nel quale nessuno sembra disposta a crederle e ad aiutarla.
Quando Gabriel, dalla cucina di un piccolo diner, sente le parole disperate della donna alla ricerca della gemella, non esita un istante ad offrirle una mano. Se è vero che l’apparenza inganna, l’istinto di Megan le suggerisce che sotto l’aria trasandata e sciatta da semplice cuoco, c’è qualcos’altro, ma lei non può rifiutare l’offerta dell’uomo che sembra conoscere così bene l’isola.
Megan è instancabile, la sua ricerca continua anche quando in una piccola gioielleria trova in vendita la collana gemella di Maddy, la prova schiacciante che deve esserle successo qualcosa. Il legame che le lega, però è forte e quello che Meg percepisce è inspiegabile. Sono gemelle e lei sà che Madelaine è ancora viva.

Se i thriller sono la vostra passione, non potete perdere LAST VACATION, un libro che vira dal genere solito di Sarah Elle Emm. Nonostante ciò la Emm è riuscita a lasciarmi col fiato sospeso per circa 300 pagine. Probabilmente avendo una sorella più piccola ho sentito maggiormente le paura e la rabbia di Megan, ma è impossibile non immedesimarsi in una protagonista del genere. Se sappiamo fin da subito che Maddy è la sorella temeraria e senza paura, lo spirito libero sempre in viaggio, alla ricerca si sé, la scoperta sorprendente è invece Megan. Quella che è sempre stata la gemella responsabile, pacata e con un senso del dovere enorme, si rivela una donna ostinata e quasi incosciente quando si tratta di rischiare la propria vita pur di salvare quella di Maddy.
Last Vacation ha la sua eroina, ma anche il suo eroe: Gabriel Walker. Penso che il personaggio sia un po’ scontato per un thriller americano, il classico agente in incognito dagli addominali scolpiti e una morale di ferro. È comunque interessante vedere come la scrittrice ha legato i personaggi di Megan e Gabriel, con un passato doloroso quasi simile. La chimica tra i due è palpabile e palese, ma non ostentata e questo rende la storia d’amore all’interno del thriller interessante, ma non sdolcinata, una cosa che apprezzo sempre.
Il libro potrebbe raccontare una storia vera, ma non lo fa. È tutto frutto della fantasia di questa scrittrice pronta a stupire ancora una i suoi lettori e farne cadere altri sotto il suo fascino!
Last VacationSarah Elle Emm

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was wild and such a dangerous and intriguing story. Gabe was a great hero. He was flawed and unsure but strong and kind. He was out for revenge but in the end learned that revenge isn’t what he needed but letting go and moving on was. He was undercover and with the accidental help of Megan and her driving him up a wall he got closure.

Gabe is so fun and serious. He is honest to a point and caring. He watching him fall for the woman who drove him nuts as he tried to keep her out of danger and out of his investigation. An investigation that he worked five years on. A investigation that took him away from his loved ones and life so that he can take care of the Torrez crime ring and get justice for his family.

Maddie is the reason Megan is on the island. Maddie is the flighty one who goes from one moment to the next. She doesn’t stay anywhere to long. She ends up in a situation that gets her kidnapped. When Megan the calculation cautious one doesn’t hear from Maddie, she goes to find her. Unfortunately she doesn’t realize that doing this will get her in hot water and meeting the gorgeous Gabe. Gabe the undercover agent who is everything megan doesn’t want in a guy. He is pushy but helps her. He to her is a drifter for she doesn’t know he is undercover.

there are several plots going on in this story that keeps it action packed and you on your toes. We have the Torrez crime ring angle and gabe with his undercover operation and search for justice for his family. We have him letting go and finding love with Megan. We have Megan finding love and changing. We have the Maddie and her changing due to the kidnapping. the Miguel plot with his dad and the plot against his dad as well. So many fascinating stories going on. Miguel even though he is a murderer and into drugs you feel for him. He doesn’t live up to his dads expectations and lost his mom at a young age. He is lost and trying to find his way but also in the end he redeems himself a little by helping Gabe.

Maddie goes from flighty to wanting to become more settled and less wandering. She realizes that life isn’t to be wasted by flitting from place to place but to be discovered and explored. Megan learns that everything isn’t always as it seems and judging people from what you see isn’t always right. She learns to love and trust. And it is Gabe that teaches her this. Gabe is the highlight of the book. We watch him go from the pain of childhood to revenge to justice and finding love.

The story is fast paced, fascinating and intriguing. We are kept on our toes with the different plots occurring and having them unfold slowly before our eyes. For me it was watching gabe change that I loved the most. That and the reason behind Maddie being taken was just wow. But really it was Gabe that took it for me. Seeing him realize that revenge isn’t the answer and all he risked to help Maddie and learn the truth of things. To see him let go and be free again but also be able to go home and see him grandma and have Maddie in his life in the end was great.

[Svati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Vacation by Sarah Elle Emm is a very well written .It giving a ‘Adrenaline Rush ’ feeling .

It is story of two sisters Megan and Maddy whose desires are completely different from one another . Megan like a good elder sister warns about the outside world to Maddy who does not listen to her sister rants and follows her heart , which is quiet warm and interesting to read .

Until Maddy is kidnapped and put in prison for no faults hers at that Gabe tries to find out the piecing missing off this puzzle as his twin sisters disappears from his life after their parents death due her growing addiction for drugs .Here the author has infused a small little romance between that happens between Maddy and a stranger when she is on vacation with a twist —that is drug addiction and kidnapping which I like as the author mixed it well in a perfectly measured way .Since I have not read such a feminine based books ,I was so thrilled to read this as the author Sarah Elle Emm has convinced me that such a kind of stories can be written too by others authors if they want too…..

Reccomended read !

Now I would like to Thank Debdatta Sahay of http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/ and author Sarah Elle Emm for sending ARC of Last Vacation

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. I hadn't read anything by Sarah before, so this was a great introduction to her work.

Whilst I will say the book took a bit to really get going, once it kicked off, it was brilliant. The beginning was bad, it was just about laying the groundwork for the situation and the issues that were arising. From there on we are smacked with details, altercations and the main character running around trying to do what it right, without making more trouble.

I felt that the characters were well developed. They had depth and personality, as well as characteristics that matched their profiles. I found the level of thought and detail put into the characters was great. It really added to the story and made if easy to keep reading.

The pace, after the initial groundworks, was good. It was swift, matching the urgency go the situation and the fear that the situation instilled.

Overall, this was a good read. I am keen to check out more by this author.

**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Christa Nardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compelling read, combining romance and suspense. Meg is out of her very controlled analytic element trying to find her sister. Gabe tries to help her without blowing his cover and has his own demons to deal with as well. He doesn't need the distraction she so quickly becomes and hates not being able to tell her the truth. Meg can't convince anyone her sister is still alive and gets warned to go home or she might also disappear.

Readers who like romance with their suspense and increasing tension will enjoy LAST VACATION. Gabe is likable and it is easy to get wrapped up in Meg's journey. Be prepared for some graphic (violent) scenes but not to excess.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

[Arpita Dash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddy is a traveler, but she always informs her whereabouts to her identical twin sister Megan. For some days Megan didn't hear anything from Maddy and she suspects that may be her twin sister is in danger.And the thing is that Maddy was kidnapped and she is used in a revenge game.

This is my first book from Sarah Elle Emm and she has made her place in my 'admirable author's list'. The story moves in its right pace and all the characters are engaging. The story starts with a strong plot and it'll grip the reader's attention, so that you can't keep it down.

I'll give it 4 out of 5 star for the story line and author's writing style. This book is highly recommended to all romance and thriller fans.

[Arti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue was not how I would want a book to start. And it took me some time to get a hang of the book but once I got there, the book was unputdownable.
The language is simple and the book is fast paced. The characters have been developed very well and the author has described their past also. The author has used local language of the island which has made the story authentic.
The plot has a lot of twists and turns and there is some violence involved. Everytime I felt that the story was moving at a comfortable pace, there is a twist in the tale.
Overall, an interesting book that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Is there a sequel??

[Chrissie Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Sarah Elle Emms' previous books. Last Vacation is a complete change to the Harmony Run series, which was my favourite.
Despite Last Vacation being a completely different genre, it didn't disappoint. It's a fast paced thriller, that is well written, the characters are engaging and you can't help feeling drawn into the story; a page turner that I just couldn't put down.

I definitely had book loss when I finished reading Last Vacation and hope to be able to read more from this author again soon! This book is a brilliant read!

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is a classic romance with a mystery twist. The main characters are twins with divergent personalities. One is reasoned, safe, and focused and the other is a free-spirit. Unfortunately that free spirit gets her in trouble and her reasonable sister goes looking for her. The story has a sweet ending.

This is a clean, good story with a kidnapping on the side.

I give this story 4 out of 5 clouds.



This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

[Coleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read - I wish I had been able to read it on my last trip as I would have loved to have read it on the beach. I have read all of Ms Emm's books to date. And her character development in this novel is greatly enhanced from her debut novel, Marrying Missy, which I very much enjoyed. I found myself feeling empathy for her characters instantly. The story is fast moving and as promised, suspenseful.

[janet keene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner!

This book grabbed my attention from the very start. Sarah's attention to detail allowed me to feel like I too was on the island. She wasn't afraid to expose the reader to the darker, evil side of the drug world and it's ability to destroy families on every side of the story. I highly recommend this book to go on your must read list. You won't be disappointed!