KKEC Reads

Thank you so much, Kiersten, for giving me the absolute pleasure of reading this book early. I am so grateful for the opportunity.

HOLY. HELL.

This was a RIDE. Lifelong friends end up getting an amazing offer- that almost sounds too good to be true… yet under pressure, everyone agreed to go. Who would have thought that being stranded on paradise could turn into purgatory?

The character development in this book is done so carefully, and in such detail, that you literally find yourself building assumptions about who did it… only to have another little truth-bomb dropped, shattering all you thought you knew. I was getting definite Agatha Christie vibes, with this cast of characters. And I definitely appreciated the build-up, and the suspense with each turn of the page.

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters, and seeing the dynamic of the couples. I have to admit, Natasha and Jaren were my favorite couple… and I was hoping this trip would be the thing necessary to close their broken marriage. They were both the most calm, cool, rational, and honestly, the most likable couple. They were definitely the only couple who didn’t have deadly secrets, or a dirty past that could potentially come crashing down like a tidal wave.

The island imagery was beautiful. I felt like I was there (sigh), and it made me want to book a trip to an island surrounded by crystal clear water, and sunshine. The resort sounded like absolute heaven on Earth, and was a character in a way. Beautiful, and deadly; calm, but chaotic… charming but not without imperfections. Kiersten shared that her initial inspiration for this book came to her, while she was on vacation (ironically, on a secluded, beautiful island) and she ran with the concept. And run she did… this is a twisted tale.

I really liked the underlying themes Kiersten played with in this book… nothing is what is seemed, everything and everybody was like an iceberg- what you could see was just a sliver of what was hiding beneath the surface. Calm waters turn deadly, and secrets from the past start crawling out of their hiding places. The choices we make, are not always right. Sometime we choose what is easy, as opposed to what is right. Friendship is a beautiful, powerful, life changing thing. Keep your friends close… but your enemies closer… Easier said than done, when you don’t know friend, from foe.

There was a lot of information to process in a rapid manner. And much like a game of Clue, Kiersten dropped tricky hints like a trail of crumbs. It was definitely a twisted ride. The build-up for the first half of the book was full of details that helped you start thinking you knew what was going to happen next. Spoiler! You really have no idea. Getting to know the characters, and getting a glimpse into their dynamic, their current lives, and their inner dialogue… really makes you think, can we ever really know someone?

The final chapters will literally blow your mind. So many twists, turns, and deadly waves will come crashing down… and you will be left not knowing who you can trust. Friends forever, right? I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Find The Perfect Getaway by Kiersten Modglin on Amazon (official release date October 20, 2020)