I’ve never read anything like "Beach Bodies" by Sienna Sharpe! Thrillers aren’t usually my go-to genre, but once I read the premise - a sexy romance set on a tropical island, where one of the leads happens to be a serial killer - I knew I had to give it a try.

To say this book kept me on the edge of my seat would be an understatement. It’s a gripping and complex story that masterfully explores themes of grief, justice, and morality. Can you root for a serial killer? I didn’t think it was possible, but Lily’s story completely changed my mind.

Lily has endured immense loss in her life, and through flashbacks, we see the events that led her to this tiny island in the first place, and why she keeps returning year after year. Enter Daniel, a dashing journalist investigating the island’s mysterious murders. Sparks fly between them, but Daniel’s digging might uncover more about Lily than she’s ready to reveal, or so it seems.

This is an absolutely thrilling read, with just the right blend of suspense, romance, and moral tension. Even if you’re more into romcoms like I am, I’d still highly recommend this one - it’s unlike anything I’ve read before!

With all that being said, I do think the books needs to have a couple of trigger warnings for eating disorders and suicide and they may affect some people while reading.

Thank you to Sienna Sharpe, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
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This was just an amazing read. I was immediately hooked in the story and liked the characters. Some of the subplots where kinda obvious but some others weren’t and I liked it. For once I enjoyed the facts that you do not know everything about everyone at the end of the story, some things are better left unsaid. I liked that even if the MC seems to be bisexual it is not an important part of the story she does not dwell of who she is and how divided she is bc she liked a man or a woman.
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The resort setting was realistic and I enjoyed reading about it, the whole toxicity around those private places and the staff that has to always look perfect and put together.
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The cover is so pretty as well and that’s honestly what interested me in the book at first, I thought it was going to be a sort of romance main plot and mystery second but the romance part was not at all the focus and I liked it.
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I like the evolutions of the characters and that none of them are neither good or bad.
I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and would love to add it to my shelves.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I read that it was a romantic thriller (or thromance), I was seated!

I've never read anything like this book. It was intense, suspenseful and so fast-paced that I devoured it in one day. I just couldn't stop reading.

From the very beginning, I had so many questions and every time I thought I had it figured out, another twist came along and proved me wrong. I'm a fan of morally grey characters, but let me tell you: Lily's a completely different shade of morally grey. "Being" in her mind and experiencing her thoughts was disturbing and intriguing at the same time. Combined with the tension between her and Daniel as well as his own secrets, the story became even more intense.
While I had no idea how this was going to end, I liked how everything was tied up.

I don't want to give away too much, but I think this book is going to be perfect for summer. If you're looking for a fast-paced and suspenseful story with sizzling romance and tension, this is the one!

I couldn’t devour this novel quicker if I’d tried. Characters who felt real, a story that kept my attention, thrilled me, got me hot under the collar and broke my heart multiple times - what more could a gal want?

I’m really excited to read more from Sienna Sharpe, and can’t wait to see where she takes her creations next.

Sun, sea, sex and a serial killer!
Who doesn’t love a female serial killer? Especially one that only targets people that deserve it.. loved Lily’s character, she was just awesome. This isn’t just your run of your mill serial killer book, yes she is powered by her urge for justice/revenge. But there’s definitely very unexpected twists and someone is on to her 👀. There’s also some spice added into the mix with love and loss included! If a thriller with a romance element is your thing, this one’s for you. I couldn’t put it down!

If you're looking for an easy, engaging and intriguing read - I recommend this book!

I loved having a serial killer FMC. Somehow I like her and have sympathy for her despite knowing her intentions. She's a complex and fascinating character. The backstory is drip fed to us and that works well.

I wasn't sure how this would end - and it's been so long since I've had that in a story!

This book has it all:
🌴 Idyllic setting
😨 Suspense
💖 Sizzling romance
👩 Complex characters
📖 A poignant message

The book explores 'wellness culture' and the toxic obsession with looking good on the outside (by everybody else's standards) no matter how we feel on the inside - and the cost of that. For me, it was a reflection of societies prioritisation of appearance (particularly in line with the stereotype of what is attractive) over physical and mental wellbeing. The appearance of healthy over actual health.

It also covers the power grief and guilt can have over one's life, morals and mentality.

I will say, the physical connections were obvious but I would have liked to feel more on the emotional side.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this ARC due to the Bella Mackie reference & glad I did - it gave major How to kill your family vibes.

The author has a really great way of making you feel invested in the characters. I really sympathised with and liked Lily, even though she was murdering people. Her back story is complex and we learn more about her as the story progresses. Whilst there were no major bombshell twist moments the entire book revealed little nuggets of extra information throughout which added to the complexity of the story which I really enjoyed.

There is a bit of romance in here too, a few steamy scenes and the relationship with Lily and Daniel was very love / hate. I liked the rollercoaster of what happened between them (won’t give any spoilers!).

Overall, this book was a great distraction for me whilst going through a pretty crappy time and was just what I needed. I am semi sad that I didn’t get to read this in Summer when it’s released as it would be the perfect holiday read. May have to re read in June when it is released. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This beachy read has a very strong female lead character whose wit and tenacity I very much liked. It also introduced me to the genre of thromance,, which I suspect will become a new favorite

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lily Lennox has a lot of history and you’ll hear about this in time. Every year she returns to a wellness retreat to lifeguard, despite it being a pay cut and an odd choice for a woman with a stable business, But every year she is there, and someone dies. This time however we meet a journalist who isn’t entirely what he seems and her usual holiday antics have to change.

I liked a great deal of this book, there are twists after twists and it reasonably paced. I struggled at times to care for Lily but found a great deal of the plot was an anthem for change in the way we judge people and what can happen if you are desperate to be ‘beautiful’.

It was a very thought provoking book and I really enjoyed the deeper narrative that I think is all too absent in books nowadays.

Thank you to the author for writing this with such love.

I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review, which this is.

Beach Bodies is a sharp, spicy ‘thromance’ that combines suspense with summer vibes. Set in the exclusive Riovan Wellness Resort, the story follows Lily Lennox, a lifeguard with a hidden agenda, and Daniel Black, a guest who starts asking too many questions. The novel offers an engaging mix of mystery and romance, with well-drawn characters and a captivating plot. While some secondary characters could have been more developed, the main storyline is compelling and keeps you hooked. Fans of beachside thrillers with a romantic twist will find this a perfect summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beach Bodies is one of my favourite books I've read recently. I love a murder that's not such a mystery. In this one, we follow a killer as she is out for revenge for something that happened in her past. Obviously, she has obstacles, one harder to overcome than the others. I didn't expect this book to end how it did, but I did end up really enjoying it. It's something different from what I've come to expect, and it's a good kind of different!

3.5

I enjoyed this book - the main character is shap and funny and it's a perfect beach book. I did feel the plot got madder and more unbelievable towards the end of the book but, as it was consistent both in style and pace, I still liked it anyway.

I don’t know if a serial killer fmc is a trope, but if not, it should be.

What I loved about this book was that I really had no idea how it would end, which is a rarity for a romance. In fact, I’m not even sure if this book was a romance. I’d rather call it a thriller and a reverse murder mystery (is that a thing?). It was also a nice touch that Lily was reading Crime and Punishment.

We know that Lily is a killer, what we don’t know is who her next target is going to be. Another question is whether Daniel is going to figure it out and if so, how is he going to react?

This book was intriguing, unique and very well written. Lily’s story was heartbreaking and even though it didn’t justify all the killings, it explained why she was doing it. The dynamic between Lily and Daniel reminded me of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, it was hot, dangerous and unpredictable. Their relationship could have had more depth though, there was potential there and I was hoping for more emotional turmoils and moral dilemmas.

In any case, I couldn’t put down this book and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

<b>4,5</b>

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thankyou NetGalley & random house for this arc book, I like the no nonsense from the main character at the start of the book when she was being propositioned by a male encounter, it showcased the process of the book and how it was set out, it does divulge into some good talking topics about diet culture and the fear of getting older, whilst this is a tame thriller I would like to have more depth into the background of the killings. Overall good book

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Thromance is now officially one of my favourite tropes! I read Beach Bodies in less than a day and I am so gutted that it’s finished! There is so much depth within the characters, and there were a few twists that I didn’t see coming. I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

I love this book. If you like a badass female lead, serial killer and romance thriller, read this book. The book has such a perfect amount of suspense, spice, secrets, and twists you won’t see coming. The characters are so mysterious and have secret identities. The writing is compelling. Caribbean setting is perfect. This is a mind blowing book with serial killer, steamy romance, badass female lead, suspense, secrets, poignant back story and unpredictable ending.

Thanks to the Author and Publisher

The Caribbean setting is to die for, for some people – literally.

I didn't expect to like the main character Lily, she's outwardly friendly and normal but with her unfortunate habit of being a serial killer, you don't want to get too friendly. For the fifth year running, Lily has taken a month away from her own business to return to a Caribbean Island working as a lowly paid lifeguard at a 5-star wellness hotel. While there, if she doesn't like someone, guest or employee, Lily becomes judge, jury and executioner. It's a bit of a harsh reaction to disliking someone.

An interesting plot with nail-biting occasions when Lily was almost caught. The latter part of the book explained Lily's history and offered a clever twist at the end.

A murder, mystery romance I found compulsive reading.

With thanks to Penguin Random House UK and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

This book is the perfect summer thriller with a sizzling romance at its core. The pacing of the story is perfectly done, with just the right balance of suspense and passion. Lily’s internal struggle is both relatable and thrilling, and the twists will keep you on the edge of your seat. The romance is steamy and electric, but it’s the darker themes and the tension between Lily’s desires and her need to remain undetected that make this a truly addictive read. If you love a good “thromance” (thriller + romance), with a badass female lead and a hero who’s got his own secrets, this book is a must-read.

This book was such an amazing read. The characters were so clever and intelligent I was on the edge of my seat and there were twists that I didn’t see coming but loved. I want to start again and erase the memory of reading it from my brain just to read it for the first time again.

I’m so grateful to have gotten advance copy of this book. I cannot wait for this book to be published and everyone else to experience what a ride this was.

This book immediately sucked me in until I hit the last page around 3am - I wanted to unravel Lily's brain and figure her out. Luckily Sienna Sharpe makes us work for it. We're drip fed details in the most tantalising way.
Our main character is complex, and the backstory on why she's become this way is done so beautifully. The way in which the story reveals itself was executed skilfully. I genuinely thought this was an entertaining and fun read. The suspense and twists and turns had me guessing until the last pages which is a quality I really treasure in a book.
I most definitely recommend it!

Thank you so much to Random House UK for the arc via NetGalley, and for giving my the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on the book.