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Marissa Stapley

The Last Resort Kindle Edition

by Marissa Stapley (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

437 ratings

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From the bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club Pick Lucky comes a gripping novel about marriage, loyalty, and the deadly secrets that unravel over the course of a two-week couples’ therapy retreat in Mexico.

We all have thirteen secrets. Five stay buried forever, but the rest will be revealed.

Miles Markell is missing, and everyone is a suspect.

To the guests at The Harmony Resort, Doctors Miles and Grace Markell appear to be a perfect power couple. They run a couples’ therapy retreat in a luxurious resort in the Mayan Riviera where they help spouses deal with their marriage struggles.

Johanna and Ben’s relationship looks great on the surface, but in reality, they don’t know each other at all. Shell and Colin fight constantly—Colin is a workaholic, and Shell always comes second—but what has really torn them apart is too devastating to talk about. When both couples begin Harmony’s intensive therapy program, it becomes clear that Harmony is not all that it seems—and neither are Miles and Grace. What are they hiding, and what price will these couples pay for finding out their secrets?

As a powerful hurricane descends on the coast, trapping both the hosts and their guests, confidences are revealed, loyalties are tested, and not one single person—or marriage—will ever be the same.

A gripping exploration of relationships and trust, The Last Resort is a propulsive read about all the big truths we hide, even from ourselves.

Print length

332 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Simon & Schuster
Publication date

June 18 2019
File size

6407 KB
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Product description

About the Author

Marissa Stapley is a journalist and the author of the acclaimed novel Mating for Life. She writes page-turning, deeply emotional fiction about families, friends, and women’s lives. She lives in Toronto with her family.

--This text refers to the audioCD edition.

Review

Praise for The Last Resort

Shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Award

“Featuring vivid, heart-pounding storytelling and a compelling depiction of the heartbreaking ways that long-term abuse can destroy your will, Stapley's latest is an excellent beach read for anyone who loves romantic suspense.”
— Booklist

“The Last Resort harnesses women’s anger. . . . The story’s emotional core is wrapped in a taut thriller.”
— Toronto Star

“Gripping. . . . Stapley shows a real knack for suspense.”
— Publishers Weekly

“Atmospheric and evocative, Marissa Stapley’s The Last Resort brings together a cast of characters with secrets as destructive as the hurricane threatening the island, and explores how far we’ll go to keep the truth buried. Fast-paced, expertly plotted, and highly entertaining, this novel is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty!”
— KARMA BROWN, bestselling author of Come Away with Me

“Stapley pulls off a tale that’s both spine-chilling and heartwarming. How she does it is as intricate a mystery as The Last Resort’s plot. You won’t be needing a bookmark.”
— CHRISTINA DALCHER, bestselling author of Vox

“A cult-like couples’ retreat is an alluring backdrop for a cast of complex and damaged characters navigating their way through marital strife. The secrets, lies, and psychoses revealed will keep readers rapt as they hurtle toward a climax of biblical proportions. A rollicking thrill-ride!”
— ROBYN HARDING, internationally bestselling author of The Party and The Arrangement

“With artfully creative storytelling, The Last Resort leads us down the dark rabbit warren of other people’s marriages and asks the best question of all: How well do you really know the person you’re living with? This novel is an exciting addition to the psych thriller world—with an emotionally complex twist.”
— ROZ NAY, bestselling author of Our Little Secret

“The Last Resort has all the ingredients for an impossible-to-put-down thrill ride of a read—but it’s also got something more: well-developed characters who feel intensely real, polished prose that never descends into the trite or predictable, and authentic emotional heft. It will fascinate you, enlighten you, break your heart and mend it again. Read this book!”
— JENNIFER ROBSON, internationally bestselling author of Somewhere in France and The Gown

“Stapley's writing is fast-paced while still cutting deep. I burned through the book, but it will stay with me. The Last Resort is all of these things: a nail-biter, a page-turner, a thoughtful, powerful exploration into who we are in relationships and on our own. It's like literary fiction and killer suspense were left on an island together and the outcome was an incredible book."
— LAURIE PETROU, author of Sister of Mine

"Nothing is as it seems in Marissa Stapley’s tense and tightly paced thriller, The Last Resort. Fans of Agatha Christie will surely love this modern whodunit from the first to the very last page. One to add to your “to read” list now.”
— HANNAH MARY McKINNON, author of The Neighbors and Her Secret Son

“A gripping and compelling story that explores the dark secrets buried within three marriages. Deeply addictive and simmering with tension, The Last Resort had me breathlessly turning the pages all the way through to its explosive conclusion.”
— LUCY CLARKE, author of The Blue

“Deeply unsettling and emotionally resonant, The Last Resort is psychological suspense at its best, from the damaged couples seeking to repair their broken marriages, to the captivating backdrop of an island resort in the midst of a hurricane. Marissa Stapley delivers a twisty, expertly written mystery you can sink your teeth into.”
— KAREN KATCHUR, author of River Bodies

Praise for Things to Do When It’s Raining

“A story worth savoring.”
— Hello Magazine

“Commercial fiction at its best. Compelling, heartfelt and well-crafted. A gem of a page-turner.”
—Toronto Star

“The intensity of the lasting love and friendship between Gabe and Mae is emotionally powerful and finely wrought, and Stapley complements this story about the difficult choices family members make for those they love with an evocative setting.”
— Publishers Weekly

“A charming tale with an enchanting setting, Stapley’s latest (after Mating for Life, 2014) is an engaging read about keeping secrets, starting over, and loving the family you choose.”
— Booklist

“Evocative, wise and infused with heart. A deeply moving story about family, love and loss, the novel shows how secrets can either haunt us or set us free, depending on who we trust them with. One of my favorite books this year!”
— KARMA BROWN, bestselling author of Come Away with Me

“Has heart and soul and guts, and it has achingly beautiful prose and characters so dear and real I couldn’t bear to say goodbye when I reached its final page. It’s a book about friendship and secrets, grief and regret, the peculiar shape of families and the redemptive nature of love. And it is, quite frankly, one of the best books I have read in a very long time.”
— JENNIFER ROBSON, bestselling author of Moonlight over Paris

“Fans of Nicholas Sparks will adore Things to Do When It’s Raining, an irresistible tribute to first love, second chances and the powerful legacy of the past. Elegant and heartfelt, Marissa Stapley’s writing is a gift.”
— PAM JENOFF, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan's Tale --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07PRDDNQV
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster (June 18 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 6407 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 332 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #70,623 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #229 in Canadian Detectives
- #1,961 in Domestic Life in Women's Fiction
- #2,471 in Family Life (Books)

Customer Reviews:
437 ratings

About the author

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Marissa Stapley

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Marissa Stapley is an award-nominated journalist and the bestselling author of the novels Mating for Life (2014), Things to Do When It's Raining (2018) and The Last Resort (2019), which is an Oprah Magazine, New York Post, US Weekly and Parade Magazine favourite. Her writing has appeared in newspapers and magazines across North America, including the Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto Star, Reader's Digest, Elle and Today's Parent. She has taught creative writing and editing at the University of Toronto and Centennial College. She lives in Toronto with her family. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @marissastapley or like her page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MarissaStapleyAuthor/) for updates and contests!

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Customer reviews

5 star		37%
4 star		31%
3 star		20%
2 star		7%
1 star		4%

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Top reviews from Canada

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Laurie ‘The Baking Bookworm’

An entertaining whodunnit full of deceit and secrets galore!

Reviewed in Canada on August 12, 2019

Verified Purchase

The Last Resort is a character-driven story that focuses on the crumbling relationships of several couples who attend a two week relationship boot camp at a secluded, luxury resort in the Mayan Riviera in a last ditch attempt to save their failing marriages. The retreat is lead by powerhouse couple, Miles and Grace Markell, who appear to have the perfect relationship themselves. But as the days progress, the struggling couples end up getting much more than they bargained for when unorthodox therapy methods and an impending tropical storm unearth secrets, deceptions and manipulations leading to a tension-filled ending.

This was a well-paced story (which I read in less than a day) that engaged me throughout with a solid plot, interesting characters, a great baddie readers will love to hate and an enjoyable Big Little Lies vibe. The only issue I had was that the format took a bit of getting used to. It blends different points of view with celebrity news releases and an interview between an unidentified man and woman. Why this format was used becomes clear to readers towards the end but initially I found it a little confusing.

Overall, this was an entertaining read filled with deceit, secrets and an exciting whodunnit. With its beautiful tropical setting, The Last Resort would make an excellent holiday or summer read.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Graydon House via NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Alisa

Not impressed

Reviewed in Canada on December 19, 2019

Verified Purchase

Celebrity power couple Dr. Miles and his wife Dr. Markell run The Harmony Resort in Mexico which offers couples a chance to repair their broken relationships. I’ll be honest, just from that I was already expecting a lot of juicy drama and entertaining couples. What I got instead was some alcoholic, pill popping, workaholic whiners. Am I being too harsh? Perhaps. I honestly didn’t connect or really care about anyone in this books. Even their “problems” which in some instances maybe should have tugged at my heart strings, did nothing at all. At times I even found myself laughing a bit just from the absurdity. I did however make it to the end of the book and realized how happy I was to have bought this on sale. Sorry guys, this was a miss for me.

Reviewed in Canada on August 6, 2019

Verified Purchase

I was halfway through this book before I started to actually care for any of the characters. They didn't seem to have much depth and weren't very well "fleshed out" by the author. Once I got past the halfway mark, it began to get more interesting and I finally learned to care for at least some of them. The "big scene" unfolded in a very interesting way, which helped to redeem the book for me. All in all, I'm glad I read it, but wish it had been more compelling earlier in the book.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

chao xie

I liked the book, didn’t love it.

Reviewed in Canada on July 22, 2019

Verified Purchase

The starting of the book pulled me in, I really enjoyed the character exploration and how secrets were revealed in steps. The ending was predictable and a bit over dramatic. Overall a good guilty pleasure read.

Helpful

Zoe (whatsbetterthanbooks)

Sinuous, compelling, and timely!

Reviewed in Canada on July 12, 2019

The Last Resort is an ominous, character-driven novel that takes us to the idyllic Harmony Resort where the illustrious marriage counsellors Miles and Grace Markell are once again ready to help another group of struggling couples find their way back to each other. But like most things involving money, power, and privilege everything is not always as it seems, and hidden away behind those polished, flawless exteriors lies an abundance of lies, secrets, adultery, greed, abuse, subjugation, and manipulation.

The prose is tight and intense. The characters are troubled, deceptive, and vulnerable. And the plot, including all the subplots, keep you engrossed from start to finish with a multitude of twists, turns, obsession, deception, jealousy, familial drama, revelations, violence, and murder.

Overall, The Last Resort is an atmospheric, intricately woven, engrossing mystery by Stapley that is highly entertaining and devilishly satisfying.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jill Jemmett

Amazing story!

Reviewed in Canada on June 19, 2019

I loved this book! It was a gripping thriller that reminded me of Big Little Lies. I’ve only watched the TV adaptation of Big Little Lies, but this story had a lot of the same elements of mystery.

The story opens with the report of a character’s death, and possible murder. The mystery throughout the story was finding out who killed him. It was so difficult to figure out because most characters had a motive.

Secrets played an important part in this story. All the characters had secrets, which were slowly revealed. At the beginning, they seemed like ordinary people, but their secrets revealed dark pasts. I was pretty shocked, but looking back on hints given through the book, it all makes sense.

The setting played an important part in the story. It was descriptive, with details of the beach and villa, so I could picture the resort vividly. This will be a great beach read for the summer!

I highly recommend this shocking thriller!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Colline Vinay Kook-Chun

More than a murder story

Reviewed in Canada on July 29, 2019

The novel starts with a man filled with anger, and a suspicion that he is dying. The story continues with the events that lead up to the climax: Stapley slowly releases the knowledge we need to know in order to come to an understanding of the story and the characters who play an important role in the events. The murder that has occurred has a reason; and it is a reason that will surprise you.

The Last Resort is not the typical murder story. Instead it is a story that highlights some issues for the reader to think about: the grieving process and the loss of a child; the need to embrace ourselves for what we are; the relationship between spouses; abuse in a marriage. These issues are intertwined in a story that is fast-paced and keeps one reading. Stapley keep me feeling a range of emotions while reading her writing; and she kept me engrossed in a story that was more than what I had expected.

The Last Resort is an expertly crafted story that readers of murder mysteries will enjoy. The subtle twists will keep you guessing and the ending will give you a sense of satisfaction.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Bbooks

Harmony at the resort.not!!

Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2020

Verified Purchase

“[...] the average person has thirteen secrets that they live with-five of which they’ve never told a soul”
― Marissa Stapley, The Last Resort

This book is about the Harmony Resort. Located in Mexico, this stunning resort is right on the ocean and offers an upscale resort experience with a five star restaurant located on premises and breathtaking views of the sea.

Palm trees abound and the luxury bungalows make it certain that this vacation will be one that all visitors remember forever.

OK..Question..would you go to this resort?

But wait..hold on! There are of coarse some rules..strict non negotiable rules.

Couples only.

Couples in dysfunctional relationships only.

Couples in dysfunctional relationships who want to get help with their struggling relationships only.

No cell phones allowed.

No alcohol.

No access to outside world.

You must spend your time at Harmony getting to know your partner..and let your partner get to know you!!

You must concentrate on revealing your innermost secrets and thoughts..and your partner must do the same.

This vacation will either make your marriage..or break it.

So come one, come all! Come to the Harmony Resort! All classes are run by reality super couple Grace and Miles. You may have seen them on "The View"? They are a super happy couple who have dedicated THEIR LIVES to helping others and guiding them to experience the magic of a harmonious relationship..one that Grace and Miles have.

Not.

For..sigh..it is all a lie..at least the relationship of Grace and Miles is.

These couples will be tested like never before. In a beautiful resort in a tropical paradise. A resort run by a maniac and sexual deviant with a gigantic hurricane barreling towards the island..which of coarse none of the paying guests know about.

Would you go?

Ha! I had wanted to read this for so long..and read I did all last night! While I liked the book, I had some issues too. I rated it a 3.5 of 5. Pretty good rating. A rating of three is tough because that could mean anything from 'I disliked it" to "it was OK".

In this case, it means this was such a fun book but I had to suspend ALOT of disbelief.

Positives..the plot is exactly what I just wrote and oh how I loved it. I am a fan of creepy books like this. I also really felt for some of the characters. Shell is my favorite. I just really connected with her and felt so bad for her.

The descriptive writing was awesome! I felt like I was on vacation myself!

But..the main negative is I did not believe much of what went on. Toward the end, it got a wee bit over the top. What about all the other guests? They did not notice any of this?

I did enjoy this though. It was a fun ride and I think most fans of psychological thrillers will want to read this. I know I am glad I finally did! 3.5 stars to a fun and inventive book.

5 people found this helpful

brown7672

Last resort

Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2019

Verified Purchase

Not my favorite. Hard to stay interested. I don’t know why this book didn’t catch me at all. Ridiculous character triangle.

8 people found this helpful

Felix

Triggers warnings

Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2019

Verified Purchase

I really liked this book . I know people use the word “trigged” a lot these days but I mean it from a place (a bit ironically considering the book) bc of a lot of therapy and being in and out of treatment facilities for CPTSD among other things. A lot of television shows, movies and some books come with warnings without it spoiling it. I think this is a great book but should have warnings attached . If they were present I missed them. I wouldn’t have gotten this book had they been present.

3 people found this helpful

Caroline Williams

secrets exposed

Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2019

Verified Purchase

I love a twisty book with drama and secrets and this one did not disappoint. Things are not what they seem at this resort, I picked up on that early. Miles and Grace seem perfect on the outside but you know as well as I do, nobody is perfect. It is the beauty of things, life is messy and we are the ones that normally create that mess. These two are no different and we discover that they are harboring secrets along with all of their guests. The thing about secrets is this: they almost always get discovered. You just never know what you will discover when you pick up this book.

2 people found this helpful

C. Pugh

Good for Laughs

Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2022

Verified Purchase

Want to read something challenging—to your suspension of disbelief? This is the book for you. At several points it’s laugh-out-loud funny. Especially the lo-o-o-ong ending. Just when you think it’s about as improbable as it’s going to get, it tops itself. If you can take this dreck seriously, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

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The Last Resort Kindle Edition

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About the Author

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About the author

Marissa Stapley

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