2.5 stars

The first 150 pages or so could be removed and this book would be slightly better. Could not stand any of the characters. I only finished it because my insomnia was really bad. ( )

Going to an intense 2 week island retreat to save your marriage may seem extreme, but the couples coming to see Drs. Miles and Grace Markell it seems worth it. Johanna and Ben haven't been together that many years, but after an incident at her work they decide to go resort. There there is Colin and Shell. He's a workaholic and she has her own issues. They are at the resort, but neither seems all that into it. You quickly find that there are secrets everywhere. From the couples to the therapists. Everyone has something to hide and something to fight for.

The book had a great pace. I liked how the chapters began with a therapist talking to a patient. You don't know who the patient is until late in the book, but I spent a lot of time speculating. Then you have the different story lines that all ultimately converge. Though pieces of the book seemed a little unreal I found that I wanted to see how it ended. Overall it was a great read and I really enjoyed it. ( )

Wow, this book turned out way better than I imagined. In fact, it helped me out of my book slump. The characters were engaging and interesting. The storm was not the only thing to be afraid of as everyone had secrets. Although, I must admit that there was some mystery to the story. Yet, nothing too surprising. I figured out fairly early on where the story was going. Which I will say that I was happy with the ending.

I don't really have a favorite character. They were all engaging but no one just stood out for me. Let's say that why I did like this book a lot, the people are not ones that I would hang out with in real life. Yet, author, Marissa Stapley paints a good picture of the location, characters, and the storyline. I do want to read another book by this author. ( )

The Last Resort starts as a promising book, with riveting dialogue and page-turning suspense, soon turns predictable. By page 200 the book becomes a substandard episode of Dateline with kool-aid drinking narcissism and unbelievable poor suggestion of ascriptive inequality. ( )

A special thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Graydon House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Drs. Miles and Grace Markell run the Harmony Resort where they help couples with their failing marriages. It is an opportunity for the couples to reconnect with the gorgeous Mayan Riviera as the backdrop.

Johanna and Ben seem to have a picture-perfect marriage, but they actually don't know each other at all. Shell and Colin constantly argue because Colin is a workaholic and Shell feels like she takes a back seat when it comes to his job, but that's a front for what has really torn them apart, it's actually too devastating to speak of.

Both couples begin the intensive therapy program and it quickly becomes apparent that that Miles and Grace Markell do not live up to their personas. They also appear to be hiding something.

As a deadly tropical storm descends on the coast, trapping the hosts and the guests on the resort, secrets are revealed, loyalties are tested and no relationship or person will be unchanged.

I reviewed Things To Do When It's Raining, and found the story well-written, but a little rushed at the end . The Last Resort does not suffer this fate, it is appropriately paced with an interesting multiple point of view perspective. There is enough intrigue to keep the reader vested in the story and the premise and setting were also interesting. Stapley employs some interesting tactics to move the narrative along—TMZ news releases, a dialogue between "him" and "her", and alternating between past and present.

With themes of loss, love, and an exploration into relationships and what it takes to make them work, Stapley has really come into her own and I can't wait to read what she publishes next. ( )