The COVER made me do it… Some books you want to read because the cover is just SO pretty. #CoverLove
I saw the luscious beach image and I knew I would be clicking the request button over on NetGalley and keeping ALL my fingers and toes crossed that the wonderful people over at One More Chapter said YES. And they did! – Thank you.
When I first stumbled across The Beach by Sarah Linley it was on a very wet, very cold winters day in Scotland. The sun-soaked beach and crystal clear blue water of the ocean caught my attention. I wanted to be there. I still want to be there.
Well, maybe… That beach on the cover comes with a rather dark history. And isn’t a paradise I would have wanted to visit….
I would have loved to have read it while on a beach myself but instead I was tucked up on my favourite chair with my dog (of course) a blanket and big cup of tea. Although the beaches of Scotland are wonderful places, I can’t say they are often places I lie about with a swim suit on, even in the height of summer. Definitely not in February! Brrrrrrr
Anyway! Enough about beautiful cover and my longing for a beach holiday.
Book Blurb:
It should have been paradise. But it turned into hell…
It was supposed to be the perfect trip. Four friends, fresh out of university, backpacking around Thailand. But among the sun, sea and sand, something went horribly wrong…
In the years since, Holly has tried hard to push memories of that terrible summer from her mind. Now a schoolteacher, she believes her life is finally coming together when she meets Tom and his adorable five-year-old son, Jack.
But then, Holly starts receiving anonymous messages, showing photos which Holly was sure she destroyed years ago. Someone clearly knows the truth about what really happened. The only question is, how far will they go to get revenge?
Sounds good, right?!?!
I am just not tiring of the psychological/family/crime/drama genre that I can never decide on a title for. Domestic thriller? Hmmm…. But it is a favourite genre of mine and time and time again I am entertained by the wonderful offerings. And The Beach is another great example.
I enjoyed The Beach.
The writing was good. I enjoyed the dual timelines – something I seem to really like in fiction at the moment. And the although all the characters are horrible, horrible people I enjoyed following the story while being entertained by the twists and turns along the way. But I did guess the majority of the twists.
And I wasn’t disappointed in the book. I liked it. A. Lot. And I did think the ending was good and wrapped the story up well, it was just the very final, very last few sentences that spoiled it ever so slightly for me. The author felt the need to add a final twist. And it annoyed me. It meant that part of the story before no longer made sense and I was left frustrated rather than pleased. I get the pressure for authors to be clever. But sometimes it doesn’t work, sometimes a good ending is FAR more important that a shock twist. Yes I love a shock twist, but this wasn’t a great example of one.
The Beach by Sarah Linley was first published as an eBook on the 21st February and will it be published in paperback on the 14th May.
Have you read it? Do you like the cover as much as I do?
One More Word 
Fab review but too bad about that final unnecessary twist!
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Thank you Nicki, even despite the final little twist I really enjoyed it.
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I love that cover! I wouldn’t mind lying on that beach. As for the book, great review, it sounds interesting but meh for that last twist, I have had books like this do it and I generally not a fan as it just doesn’t work.
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It is a tough one, I understand what the author was trying to do I just thought it didn’t quite work for me. It left me a bit frustrated rather than wowed. Thank you!
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Wonderful review. I love the cover as well. Glad you enjoyed it, except for the last couple of sentences.
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Thank you! It was still a very good book despite my dislike of the final twist.
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It seems to be a common thing at the moment for books to have just one twist more than they need – pity, because it sounds like a good read otherwise.
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Yes, sometimes it brilliant, but I thought this book would have been better without it. It was still a good read thou and I will watch out for the author in the future 🙂
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