Title: Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds
Author: Allison Brennan
Series: n/a
Much thanks to Allison Brennan, Harlequin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Cheryl Lee for inviting me to join the blog tour.
I liked this book, but the resolution left me wanting. I really hate having unanswered questions when I finish a book; it’s right up there with love triangles.
The conflicts were resolved and Mia got her HEA, but none of the aftermath was explored. What happened at the resort was a big deal, a huge scandal involving billionaires and celebrities. You can’t tell me the world just ignored it. There had to be a media circus, wildfire gossip and speculation. Mia was in the middle of the mystery and carrying on a secret love affair with a powerful recluse—and I’m supposed to believe she just quietly went home and reporters left her alone?
Also, I refuse to believe none of the climax at the Sky Bar was caught on film. No one whipped out their phone and started recording as soon as it was apparent shit was going down? Bullllshit.
What happened to Tristan, after? Was Georgie found and exonerated? That poor boy was scared to death. And I’m not sure we ever found out who drained the fuel in the Jet Ski and boat—was the island being sabotaged or not? Maybe I missed the answer, but I request clarification.
And throughout the book Mia’s friends and Gram nagged her to have fun and get involved and not just sit and read in her room—and we don’t get the satisfaction of witnessing them sitting agog when Mia blandly tells them about her adventure?
Lastly, Kalise was completely ignored. She was supposed to be super close to Tristan—they were lovers, they’d been running the resort arm in arm–but she wasn’t so much as mentioned when he was confronted. I think she was standing right there too. Was she in cahoots with him? Was she shocked, heartbroken? Or had she suspected and wasn’t surprised?
I suspected whodunit probably exactly when Brennan wanted me to—when Tristan went into Gino’s office and shredded files. From that point I saw his efforts to rectify the negative events in a new light. Learning more about his relationship with Ethan would have been useful—I know he loved his resort, but why was he so obsessed with protecting Ethan?
I figured out the Jason/Ethan twist about halfway—Brennan’s efforts to tell us very little about Jason’s personal life were obviously deliberate, combined with the knowledge that a man no one had seen or heard from in years was somewhere on the island, combined with the fact that Jason acted like he owned the place. The cliche fairly taps you on the shoulder. I’m not sure I believe it’s possible no guest ever recognized him in five years, but I was willing to suspend that disbelief. It’s unfortunate Brennan kept his character at arm’s length—I didn’t come to care about him enough that I was sad for him at the end. I liked Jason, but it was Mia I cared about.
I liked Mia and related to her, though I thought she was unnecessarily rude to Jason at the beginning. I was surprised he wasn’t turned off. But Miami, Mia? I’ve never seen the appeal of Florida.
I kind of wish Mia hadn’t played into the cliche with Jason. You lied to me! Why didn’t I see it? I’m so stupid! *runs away brokenhearted . . .* I wish she’d noticed what I did and either confronted him about it before they slept together so their intimacy was clean and honest, or decided she was fine with it and went along with it so that when he finally told her she could take the power back from him with a, Yes, and? But it’s believable that she didn’t figure it out, so I’m not too disappointed. I thought she took him back way too easily at the end, though. A forgiving smile and coffee date might have been more appropriate than a makeout session in the middle of the sales floor. But whatever, it’s fine.
So I liked this novel, but I didn’t love it. The mystery was great and kept me guessing, the romance was only meh, and the resolution was weak.
That is a lot of questions left unanswered. This book is on my list. I love Allison Brennan and I’m excited to read this one too.