A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell ISBN: 1250240468
Published by St. Martin's Press on 2019-07-23
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Format: ARC
Source: netgalley
Goodreads
"From the bestselling author of It's Always the Husband comes a novel about a love triangle that begins on a fateful night... There is a stranger outside Caroline's house. Her spectacular new beach house, built for hosting expensive parties and vacationing with the family she thought she'd have. But her husband is lying to her and everything in her life is upside down, so when the stranger, Aidan, shows up as a bartender at the same party where Caroline and her husband have a very public fight, it doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary. As her marriage collapses around her and the lavish lifestyle she's built for herself starts to crumble, Caroline turns to Aidan for comfort...and revenge. After a brief and desperate fling that means nothing to Caroline and everything to him, Aidan's obsession with Caroline, her family, and her house grows more and more disturbing. And when Caroline's husband goes missing, her life descends into a nightmare that leaves her accused of her own husband's murder. A Stranger on the Beach is Strangers on a Train meets Fatal Attraction in Michele Campbell's edge-of your-seat story of passion and intrigue."--
Some books take ahold of you in the first chapter and won’t let you go until the very end. A Stranger on the Beach did that and then some. Michele Campbell introduces us to Caroline Stark, a 42-year-old wife, and mother who is going through the usual midlife journey. She is experiencing the empty nest syndrome in the worst way. Her Daughter is a college freshman, and her husband is married to the job. Having given up her successful career as an interior designer, she puts everything into making their new home perfect. Caroline and Jason recently purchased land and built a multimillion-dollar home on a scenic bluff in the Hamptons. With the stranger lurking on her property gone and the house complete, Caroline throws the housewarming party of the year. Not only does her doting husband Jason show up late, but he also shows up with another woman in tow. A verbal altercation ensues in front of her guests leaving Caroline standing in the driveway dumbfounded her husband and “The Russian Woman” peeling away into the night.
Not knowing the status of her marriage and wanting to forget her troubles, Caroline does what every middle-aged woman would do right? Yes, you guessed it, she goes to the local dive bar looking hot and ready for some action. Lucky for her the hunky bartender Aiden Callahan happens to be on duty and ever prepared to help her feel much much better. After a night (and morning) of hot, lusty, passion Caroline wants Aiden gone. It didn’t help matters that after round five, Aiden told her, “I love you.” Wrong move, kid. Aiden reluctantly leaves and falls head over heels on his way out the door.
Let the games begin!
Told by two POV’s you will have to determine which version is the “true account” of the goings-on. Is Aiden a psycho who will do anything to get back into Caroline’s bed? Is Caroline a vindictive woman who wants revenge or a frightened woman that will do whatever it takes to save her family? Is Jason lying about the Russian woman, or is he having a tawdry affair? You will find yourself rooting for each character and will be blown away when it ends. Were you correct??
A Stranger on the Beach has it all; lies, deceit, forgiveness, sex, and murder. I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot. I can say this is by far one of the best books I have read this year. I enjoyed it so much; I also listened to the audio version. KUDOS for having my all-time favorite narrator January LaVoy bring this story to life!!!
Thank you to Michele Campbell, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Have you read A Stranger on the Beach? What were your thoughts?
