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reverieain's review
4.0
4.5/5 just because this book is just my cup of tea. I enjoy the ride and actually start to figure out the whole plot on the first third of the book. It's intense yet easy to read and i can finish this in just a few sittings. there's a reason why Caroline's pov is in a first person pov while aidan's is in a third person pov. You will think that Aidan was delusional but turns out Caroline is the one who put on the show for the reader with her point of view. It was fun to read though!
mmajer's review
2.0
This is third book I’ve read by Michele Campbell, and I have come to realize that she is so good at grabbing and holding my attention (for most of the book) but goddd I sure do hate her characters. This book reminded me of the tv show The Affair in the sense they both show the same situation in the eyes of the two people involved in whatever relationship. This book however, is a lot less subtle about the different perspectives on events... which I don’t think was a good thing. It actually made me hate the characters even more because they were so over the top and obnoxious.
I will say, I was hooked from the beginning because the writing is really good, I really lost interest by the last third and was over the long and meandering repeating of scenarios. It seemed like it would never end.
I will say, I was hooked from the beginning because the writing is really good, I really lost interest by the last third and was over the long and meandering repeating of scenarios. It seemed like it would never end.
maggi__'s review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Loved this !!!! Totally recommend!!!
chiquita203's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
namitakhanna's review
4.0
4 ½ stars
From the outside it seems as if Caroline has a perfect life; a gorgeous beach home, a successful husband, a beautiful daughter starting college and the perfect job. Even with all that though Caroline is lonely and when she discovers that her husband is cheating on her at her own housewarming party she decides to have a reckless one night stand with the local bartender Aidan. Only Aidan has a different idea and is not ready to let go of Caroline so soon ...
A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell is fast-paced plot with well-developed characters that builds to a high climax.Told from Caroline and Aidan’s POV’s it is difficult to figure out who is telling the truth .Overall this was a really good read and if you are a fan of the psychological thriller genre you will love this
I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
From the outside it seems as if Caroline has a perfect life; a gorgeous beach home, a successful husband, a beautiful daughter starting college and the perfect job. Even with all that though Caroline is lonely and when she discovers that her husband is cheating on her at her own housewarming party she decides to have a reckless one night stand with the local bartender Aidan. Only Aidan has a different idea and is not ready to let go of Caroline so soon ...
A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell is fast-paced plot with well-developed characters that builds to a high climax.Told from Caroline and Aidan’s POV’s it is difficult to figure out who is telling the truth .Overall this was a really good read and if you are a fan of the psychological thriller genre you will love this
I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
thephdivabooks's review
5.0
Compulsively readable and deeply satisfying—Michele Campbell’s latest psychological thriller is suspenseful and wild in the best way!!!
I have read both of Michele Campbell’s previous books and I am a huge fan of hers. She is certainly a queen of the summer thrillers—her books are perfect summer reading in my opinion. This is one you won’t want to miss!
“If only I’d listened to my instincts, I would’ve turned and run in the opposite direction. But that’s not what I did. I walked toward him. And I will always blame myself for what came after.”
Caroline has the perfect new beach house. It will help re-launch her interior decorating career now that her only daughter has left for college. One day she sees a stranger on the beach staring at her house. Thinking he might be casing it for a robbery, she confronts him. Later, she’ll regret that.
On the night of her housewarming party and re-introduction into her career, her husband arrives at the party with another woman, and Caroline watches in horror as her perfect life crashes down before her eyes (and the eyes of everyone she knows). But the stranger from the beach Aiden is there to witness too as a bartender for the party. As Caroline’s life continues to crumble in the wake of the party, she finds herself turning to Aiden for comfort and revenge. That turns out to be a huge mistake.
After a wild night together, Aiden becomes obsessed with Caroline. 16 years her junior, he knows they are meant to be together, and he’ll do anything to ensure that they are. And so when Caroline’s husband goes missing soon after, Caroline comes to the shocking realization that she is the one who brought the stranger into their lives, and her husband is the one who paid the price.
I really loved how this book was told from both Caroline’s and Aiden’s point of view in alternating chapters. Sometimes we’d see something unfold from one person’s perspective, then the same from the other’s but with a different spin. It really turned up the suspense in the story, and I felt a bit off kilter hearing Caroline’s story and then how Aiden was interpreting what was happening.
The ending to this one was so good and it definitely has some twists! I don’t want to spoil it, though, so I don’t want to talk about the ending other than to say it is WILD and a lot of fun!
There is a lot of unreliability in the story and I promise you that you won’t have this one figured out! I really loved when the police got involved, and we also had chapters centered around the investigation. A top-notch summer thriller that should definitely go on your to-read list!!
Thank you to St Martin’s Press for my copy. Opinions are my own.
I have read both of Michele Campbell’s previous books and I am a huge fan of hers. She is certainly a queen of the summer thrillers—her books are perfect summer reading in my opinion. This is one you won’t want to miss!
“If only I’d listened to my instincts, I would’ve turned and run in the opposite direction. But that’s not what I did. I walked toward him. And I will always blame myself for what came after.”
Caroline has the perfect new beach house. It will help re-launch her interior decorating career now that her only daughter has left for college. One day she sees a stranger on the beach staring at her house. Thinking he might be casing it for a robbery, she confronts him. Later, she’ll regret that.
On the night of her housewarming party and re-introduction into her career, her husband arrives at the party with another woman, and Caroline watches in horror as her perfect life crashes down before her eyes (and the eyes of everyone she knows). But the stranger from the beach Aiden is there to witness too as a bartender for the party. As Caroline’s life continues to crumble in the wake of the party, she finds herself turning to Aiden for comfort and revenge. That turns out to be a huge mistake.
After a wild night together, Aiden becomes obsessed with Caroline. 16 years her junior, he knows they are meant to be together, and he’ll do anything to ensure that they are. And so when Caroline’s husband goes missing soon after, Caroline comes to the shocking realization that she is the one who brought the stranger into their lives, and her husband is the one who paid the price.
I really loved how this book was told from both Caroline’s and Aiden’s point of view in alternating chapters. Sometimes we’d see something unfold from one person’s perspective, then the same from the other’s but with a different spin. It really turned up the suspense in the story, and I felt a bit off kilter hearing Caroline’s story and then how Aiden was interpreting what was happening.
The ending to this one was so good and it definitely has some twists! I don’t want to spoil it, though, so I don’t want to talk about the ending other than to say it is WILD and a lot of fun!
There is a lot of unreliability in the story and I promise you that you won’t have this one figured out! I really loved when the police got involved, and we also had chapters centered around the investigation. A top-notch summer thriller that should definitely go on your to-read list!!
Thank you to St Martin’s Press for my copy. Opinions are my own.
emmaoliviaparrott's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
abi1987's review
4.0
Absolutely fab! Kept me hooked from the first chapter! Loved the short chapters and twists too! Will definately read more by this author!