The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

Debut author Sarah Morgenthaler sets up a funny rom-com in the tiny Alaskan town of Moose Springs, where Graham Barnett, the owner of the Tourist Trap diner shows real disdain for his out-of-town clientele and where unconventional tourist Zoey Caldwell makes him set aside all his preconceived notions and rules about how to treat the "enemy." 

Zoey revels in being in Alaska, although it has come from personal budgetary sacrifice to get there.  She is enthusiastic about everything and wants to experience as much as possible, even when it means taking the cheaper and less impressive excursions or finding her own way through local forest trails.  And because of that, she is thrown together with Graham in some pretty spectacular ways, starting with interrupting his wood sculpting in full mask and chain saw.  What’s a girl to do?  Zoey’s instincts go into full survival mode, leaving Graham wondering whether he will ever be able to father children.

Included in the funny setups are the characters that the author introduces.  She has a great way of juxtaposing types of people with things that just don’t seem to match, like Graham’s having coordinating outfits and hats for his sheepdog Jake. 

One of the great things about the book is that anyone who has traveled or worked within the tourist industry knows that the portrayal of the guests at the high-end resort are pretty close to the truth, and the truth hurts.  People ARE often thoughtless and spoiled when traveling to other places, and they don’t come off in ways that play well for the locals.  It’s used very effectively here, and it provides a lot of humor as well as some suspense. 

Although readers will know where the ending is going (yes, it has to be a happily every after), the way that it is done is creative and fun and not as predictable as expected.  Interplay is flirty and sassy with lots of innuendoes, but the deed is behind closed doors.

Some of this does stretch credulity (a truck stop waitress is best friends with a wealthy entrepreneur? Ulysses the moose is in love with the fresh baked cinnamon rolls?), although the story of moneyed and inconsiderate tourists, the natural beauty and dangers of Alaska, the budget tours gone wrong, the hilarious conversations between Graham and his friends and Graham and Zoey all add up to diverting light reading. 

(Sourcebooks, 2020)  Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy.