Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I’ve never read a Shalini Boland book that I didn’t LOVE! The way she writes is just incredible, you really feel like you’re there living in the characters lives. She is the queen of plot twists, this one was a little less shocking than her other books but it didn’t make it any less amazing. I loved the setting and want to plan a trip to Italy now! Can’t wait for whatever she has in the works next!! Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Beth Kildare is thrilled when her husband, Niall, suggests a family holiday. It's been years since they have taken a vacation, although his suggestion of house swapping with another couple makes her a bit uncomfortable. All that disappears when she walks into the Mason's gorgeous Italian villa. She can't believe Amber and Renzo Mason left this beautiful home in sunny Italy for the Kildare's tiny cottage in cold England. Beth believes this vacation is exactly what her family and her marriage need to get back on track. Niall, a popular author, works a lot and never seems to have time for her and their sons. Then Beth discovers a photo of her husband in the Mason's home. Niall seems to have a logical explanation but Beth is still uneasy, her husband is hiding something, she just needs to find out what.
I didn't care for any of the characters in this book, except maybe Luciana, especially at the end. Niall was a horrible father and husband, Beth was annoying for constantly letting him gaslight her and making excuses for him. Amber was something else altogether, absolutely crazy. Renzo was bland, he seemed like a nice guy but his character development was lacking. The ending seemed to be thrown together and felt a bit rushed and a bit unbelievable.
That said, I did enjoy the book while reading, but I didn't love it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I didn't care for any of the characters in this book, except maybe Luciana, especially at the end. Niall was a horrible father and husband, Beth was annoying for constantly letting him gaslight her and making excuses for him. Amber was something else altogether, absolutely crazy. Renzo was bland, he seemed like a nice guy but his character development was lacking. The ending seemed to be thrown together and felt a bit rushed and a bit unbelievable.
That said, I did enjoy the book while reading, but I didn't love it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I didn’t hate this but i didn’t particularly enjoy it either? I was mainly waiting for the plot to pick up and Niall to actually die (as it says in the description for the book), and that didn’t even happen until near the end!!!!! None of the characters were likeable. Beth had next to no personality and Niall was a condescending gaslighting POS. Amber was psychopath over something that happened over 12 years ago and Renzo was the biggest bloody push-over. When the plot did eventually pick up, i found it ended so abruptly. Most of the plot-holes were so unnecessary, like why bring in a killer at last minute with a random story and what was Renzo’s “secret” meant to bring to the table? Anyway, 3 stars. Not the best by all means but not the worst either.
“The perfect family…The perfect holiday…The perfect murder…”
Shalini Boland is back with another gripping tale that had me furiously flicking the pages and on the edge of my seat!
What appears to be a cut and dry house swap for two families, becomes one’s worst nightmare. Set in Dorset and the Amalfi coast In Italy, the story is both intriguing and sinister where long buried secrets and lies are uncovered destroying both families lives in the process.
I enjoyed the mystery of the story and piecing together the connection between the couples, all the while with tension slowly bubbling away in the background before it reached boiling point! Boland is a master of throwing the reader curve ball after curve ball and once again she doesn’t disappoint on this front.
The Family Holiday is a well plotted, executed and written tale that is almost impossible to put down. A dark psychological thriller, with diverse characters (with one who is so vile!!) and plenty of suspense that all culminates in a very entertaining read.
Shalini Boland is back with another gripping tale that had me furiously flicking the pages and on the edge of my seat!
What appears to be a cut and dry house swap for two families, becomes one’s worst nightmare. Set in Dorset and the Amalfi coast In Italy, the story is both intriguing and sinister where long buried secrets and lies are uncovered destroying both families lives in the process.
I enjoyed the mystery of the story and piecing together the connection between the couples, all the while with tension slowly bubbling away in the background before it reached boiling point! Boland is a master of throwing the reader curve ball after curve ball and once again she doesn’t disappoint on this front.
The Family Holiday is a well plotted, executed and written tale that is almost impossible to put down. A dark psychological thriller, with diverse characters (with one who is so vile!!) and plenty of suspense that all culminates in a very entertaining read.
Two beautiful families decide to house swap their homes for a well deserving vacation in different countries. Would anyone be comfortable letting strangers entering their abode and looking through their stuff? What secrets will they find about each other? Is it going to be the vacation of their dreams?
The Family Holiday is a fast paced thriller which though somewhat predictable is an excellent book. I finished this book in just under 4 hours so it's a quick read. All the characters in this book are pretty much defined and it's easy to predict who and what their nature is. I hated Niall and Amber. The ending is just WOW! Didn't see it coming.
Don't go into this book judging by its cover. The cover is not even remotely connected with the story. And do not read the full blurb! It gives away a spoiler.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. It's fast paced, interesting and keeps you engrossed in the story.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this novel.
Triggers: Infidelity
The Family Holiday is a fast paced thriller which though somewhat predictable is an excellent book. I finished this book in just under 4 hours so it's a quick read. All the characters in this book are pretty much defined and it's easy to predict who and what their nature is. I hated Niall and Amber. The ending is just WOW! Didn't see it coming.
Don't go into this book judging by its cover. The cover is not even remotely connected with the story. And do not read the full blurb! It gives away a spoiler.
I really enjoyed reading this novel. It's fast paced, interesting and keeps you engrossed in the story.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this novel.
Triggers: Infidelity
I'm now rating Boland's books against her others since I'm exploring her entire collection. This landed on the lower end of the spectrum. On the scale of compulsiveness and investment, it is simply the lowest so far.
This book started out very good. I read nearly 100 pages in my first sitting. I was gearing up for a wildly addictive ride. Unfortunately, it tapered off from there. I was consistently picking this back up, though, so it definitely held my attention.
The story follows two families who participate in a house swap. Beth, her husband, and their two sons head off to a villa in sunny Italy while Amber, her husband, and their daughter and son stay at Beth's cozy cottage in chilly England. You mostly get Beth's point of view with some chapters of Amber's point of view.
Beth's husband, Niall, was the most despicable character. He was over the top abusive and mean to his family. I get it. We're supposed to hate him, and I did. I think it went a bit too far, though. All I could think was how could Beth let this man bully her and her children to this extreme? It overshadows the story.
The juicy bit starts when Beth is looking through Amber's clothes. She tries on a gorgeous coat, and in the pocket, she finds a picture of her husband, Niall. This sets everything off. Do Niall and Amber know each other? Is this house swap not random as Beth was led to believe? Of course, Beth can't just confront Niall, being he's super abusive, and she doesn't want to set him off. Beth will have to do some digging to figure out what is going on. I was definitely curious to know wtf was happening. Especially since Amber was acting strangely as well.
The reveal was kind of a letdown and rushed at the end. The epiloge was over the top ridiculous. I guess you could categorize this as a popcorn thriller. It's free with Kindle Unlimited as well. I would skip this, though, and read The Silent Bride, The Honeymoon, or The Secret Mother.
This book started out very good. I read nearly 100 pages in my first sitting. I was gearing up for a wildly addictive ride. Unfortunately, it tapered off from there. I was consistently picking this back up, though, so it definitely held my attention.
The story follows two families who participate in a house swap. Beth, her husband, and their two sons head off to a villa in sunny Italy while Amber, her husband, and their daughter and son stay at Beth's cozy cottage in chilly England. You mostly get Beth's point of view with some chapters of Amber's point of view.
Beth's husband, Niall, was the most despicable character. He was over the top abusive and mean to his family. I get it. We're supposed to hate him, and I did. I think it went a bit too far, though. All I could think was how could Beth let this man bully her and her children to this extreme? It overshadows the story.
The juicy bit starts when Beth is looking through Amber's clothes. She tries on a gorgeous coat, and in the pocket, she finds a picture of her husband, Niall. This sets everything off. Do Niall and Amber know each other? Is this house swap not random as Beth was led to believe? Of course, Beth can't just confront Niall, being he's super abusive, and she doesn't want to set him off. Beth will have to do some digging to figure out what is going on. I was definitely curious to know wtf was happening. Especially since Amber was acting strangely as well.
The reveal was kind of a letdown and rushed at the end. The epiloge was over the top ridiculous. I guess you could categorize this as a popcorn thriller. It's free with Kindle Unlimited as well. I would skip this, though, and read The Silent Bride, The Honeymoon, or The Secret Mother.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beth needs a holiday, and Niall (Kildare) okays it with a house-swap site with an Italian couple, Amber and Renzo (Masons).
Once everything is planned, tickets booked, and house prepped up for the holiday, the Masons move to Sherborne, Dorset, while Kildares reach their holiday villa in the Amalfi Coast.
It is not a smooth sailing for Beth and Niall, as they have a break-in during their vacation and some sinister plan weaved upon them. Eventually, there's a gruesome murder in the sunny villa.
Does Amber and Renzo have a motive to target the Kildares? Is this holiday a sham? Who is the murderer?
Read it to find the secrets involving both families and their ugly pasts.
This novel is definitely a slow-burn domestic drama/thriller where the characters and situations are well established and well written.
I was expecting more on psychological aspects with a twist. Of course, there is a twist in the tale, but it gave me a lukewarm feeling.
Overall, a good summer beach read with a decent storyline, but it could have been better.
Once everything is planned, tickets booked, and house prepped up for the holiday, the Masons move to Sherborne, Dorset, while Kildares reach their holiday villa in the Amalfi Coast.
It is not a smooth sailing for Beth and Niall, as they have a break-in during their vacation and some sinister plan weaved upon them. Eventually, there's a gruesome murder in the sunny villa.
Does Amber and Renzo have a motive to target the Kildares? Is this holiday a sham? Who is the murderer?
Read it to find the secrets involving both families and their ugly pasts.
This novel is definitely a slow-burn domestic drama/thriller where the characters and situations are well established and well written.
I was expecting more on psychological aspects with a twist. Of course, there is a twist in the tale, but it gave me a lukewarm feeling.
Overall, a good summer beach read with a decent storyline, but it could have been better.