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I am a recently retired high school educator who is learning to spend time doing what I want to do. This is a new challenge in its own sense. It's like walking into a buffet and knowing you can eat all you want and not get full or gain any weight and for once you have absolutely no idea what you want. But I look forward to the journey of figuring it out.

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Incidentals by:Sheila Yasmin Marikar

    Luxury travel takes a wicked twist in the book, Incidentals, written by Sheila Yasmin Marikar, and being published by Little A, New York,  March 31, 2026.  
Who hasn't seen a picture of an over the water bungalow and thought, "I'd love to go there!"  Such a romantic setting, the perfect place to work to rekindle a marriage.  At least that was what Sam thought, as he cashed in all his points to take his wife Sarah on a once in a lifetime vacation to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.  
    From the start of the vacation, the reader is made aware that Sam and Sarah are at odds in their lives and marriage.  Sarah does not want the vacation and Sam wants to escape his life in an exotic tropical paradise.  I was hooked from the beginning  of the book as I got to know the couple and their struggles.  Early in their luxury flight, they meet, Krista and Kevin, first class travelers that seem to have everything money can buy and more. What looks to be a comrade and instant friend to Sarah, becomes an immediate annoyance to Sam, until a death in the Maldives throws the entire vacation into turmoil and intrigue.
    I liked the concept of the story and the setting. However, what started as a fun read grew tiring half way through.  It felt as though there was a constant rehashing of the same issues and when the climatic event was revealed, it was rushed and lacked zest.
There were definitely parts that I enjoyed in the novel Incidentals, but I felt like Marikar pushed through to complete the book, but lost enthusiasm that was felt in the onset.  Due to that, I will have to give it 3 stars. Yet, I look forward to reading more of Marikar's work as I did enjoy her story overall.
Thank you NetGalley, Little A and Sheila Yasmin Marikar for an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange  for an honest review.

 

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