No Roses for This Thriller: Great Vibe, Flat Execution
My heart is broken because I wanted so much from this book. It honestly had the makings of a five-star read, but I ultimately left feeling like it was just okay. I had much higher hopes for this one. A wellness retreat, shady guests, and a spooky location—it had all the components of a phenomenal thriller, but it just fell flat.
The story took a while to get off the ground while establishing Isobel’s backstory, but the pace picked up once she arrived at the Himlafall Clinic, deep in the Swedish woods. Everything and everyone had a creepy vibe, which I thoroughly enjoyed. At one point or another, I was side-eyeing every single character. For anyone who loves The Bachelor, the dynamic between the guests honestly felt like a chaotic aftershow featuring everyone who wasn’t chosen.
Then, Isobel started making such reckless decisions. At one point, I actually wrote in my notes: “She is not good at this undercover journalism thing and needs to pick a different dream.” Her choices drove me nuts, and the frustration really set in. Both her character and the plot felt all over the place, and by the end, I was just ready for it to be over.
Was I surprised by the twist? Sure, I guess. But I can’t say the ending was satisfying. We were given so many unnecessary details about certain characters that the conclusion felt less like a clever twist and more like something that didn’t make sense. That said, I have another book by this author on my shelf and am willing to give them another shot.
