The Adults is a delightful, multi-perspective view of the fallout from a Christmas holiday shared by a divorced couple and their new spouses a.k.a. people who shouldn't  be in the same room together for longer than the ten minutes it takes to drop off the child they share custody of and coordinate the pick-up times, but which someone planned to last for five days. Five days in cramped quarters at the Happy Forest resort, where the divorced couple once vacationed during happier times. Is it just me or can everyone else see the carnage coming a mile away?
All the characters gets to tell their story in this one so we read from Matt, the happy-go-lucky recreational drug user who used to be married to Claire, the yin to his yang, a super-organized lawyer who makes parenting look easy, until we read from her perspective when she confesses her reasons for choosing Patrick. Patrick is Claire's new boyfriend who she may have met even before her marriage ended and was drawn to his baldness because it meant he wouldn't be as hair-obsessed as her husband, except even if Pat had hair, he might have shaved it to be more aerodynamic as he trains for the Ironman. In fact, Patrick is obsessed with fitness and competing with everyone for everything. So why doesn't Claire know that if even Alex can see? Is it because people don't notice when Alex is around?  In fact, everyone seems to forget about Alex until they suddenly remember  and then overcompensate to accommodate for her. Alex is the scientist dating Matt, not for any other reason than that she'd had a series of other dates that hadn't gone well and she wants this relationship so bad that she's prepared to overlook the fact that Matt's still in love with his ex. Matt buys her the same gift he would buy Claire, and calls Alex by his ex-wife's name. Nobody thinks about Alex, except Scarlett, and her imaginary rabbit named Posey, who are both convinced that Alex is a murderer, a fact they later prove. And that's all before Christmas Day.
The book starts with a 911 call after the "accident" that happens in the Happy Forest, and we are introduced to some of the characters from their response to the incident, then we are treated to the set-up to see how things actually go down. The short chapters interspersed with police interviews keeps the narrative moving, and we get to read from other characters as they are introduced, keeping the focus on the action in this fast paced novel.
I would recommend this one to fans of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies and to just about anyone dreading their own holiday plans and needing a reminder that things could, in fact, be worse. Happy Reading!
I read an electronic Advanced Reader Copy of The Adults courtesy of Netgalley but this did not influence my opinion and enjoyment of the novel. I really enjoyed the suspense Hulse built in this one and spent several wonderful hours chuckling to myself and rolling my eyes at her terrible but adorable characters as I devoured this 300+ page book like it was a novella.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review. I thought this would be a good choice as a holiday read because it was described as a story with dark humor. Dark is right! There was little to no humor in this book for me. The story is about a divorced couple who chose to go on holiday with their daughter and their new significant others in tow. I did not like one character in this book. The divorced husband Matt was a lazy liar. His partner Alex was a paranoid mess. The ex-wife Claire was a "Miss Perfect" and her partner Patrick was an insecure gym rat. Even the child was annoying!

There is one humorous scene with Alex when she has a little too much to drink and starts speaking the truth about everyone. This managed to save the book for me.

Well, I didn’t hate it, but didn’t really like it either - hence the 2 ⭐️ rating.

The description of this book sounded like something that would be really fun to read for the holidays. A divorced couple bringing their new significant others on a vacation all together so they could spend Christmas with their daughter. You know things will go wrong. And how about the book being described as “the most hilarious debut you will read this year?” What doesn’t sound awesome about that?! That sentence alone should have been my first clue that it would be just the opposite.

All of the characters were unlikeable and the story was boring to me. I really wanted to laugh out loud! I didn’t even giggle. Although Scarlett was a bratty kid, I liked her (and Posey - her 5 foot tall imaginary rabbit friend). Mainly because I love reading kids’ POV in books.

A lot of people enjoyed the dark humor. I guess it just wasn’t for me.

I still have lots of December to end the year on a positive note!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and Caroline Hulse for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Perfect holiday read - a "holiday gone wrong" of family dynamics, paired with the perfect amount of background and depth to give you empathy for even the most unsympathetic of characters.

I guess I wasn’t the right audience for this book because for me this was not even remotely amusing, nor was it “razor-sharp”. I couldn’t spend any more time with these silly people and skimming didn’t help so I finally abandoned the book. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Matt finally tells his girlfriend, Alex, that there is a plan for the two of them, his daughter, Scarlett, and his ex-wife and her boyfriend to spend the Christmas holiday together. Alex discovers that the arrangements were made some time ago and she cannot refuse to go or she will look like the bad guy.

Claire, her boyfriend, Patrick and Scarlett seem pleased to be spending the holiday together with Alex and Matt. Everyone decides to be adult about the whole thing for Scarlett’s sake. This is the first Christmas in a number of years that she will be with both of her parents. Scarlett and her imaginary friend, Posey, have already decided that they do not like Alex.

A series of complications ensue that would be spoilers to outline here. Suffice to say that by the end of the weekend the only person acting close to adult is Scarlett.

The dialogue is often comical but sometimes sad. The characters are rich and well developed. Each has serious flaws but their assets are so well written that in the end you will love them all. Details are so vivid that you can actually see the sign at Happy Forrest holiday park, Patrick’s too short shorts and other descriptions.

I absolutely loved this book. I cannot say enough about it. Caroline Hulse is now on my list of favorite authors.


I received an eBook ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or ratings of this book.

***3.5 Stars***

If ever you needed an example of a bad idea, you've got one in spades within the funny, sometimes cringe-inducing, tale of four "adults" who've decided to spend the Christmas holiday together.

Matt and Claire are the divorced parents of Scarlett (age 7). Scarlett hasn't adjusted to life without the full-time presence of both her mother and father. Understanding this, Matt and Claire agree to spend the holiday at a cabin in the woods ...with their new significant others.

What could possibly go wrong, right?

From the start we learn one of the four adults has been "shot". We aren't sure by whom, or for what reason, but we know the situation is dire and someone could die; it's off to the races from there as we're taken on the ride that is the way this weekend came together, how the new couples came to be a thing, and learn some of the ways insecurity can make one crazy if left to fester and breed within the confines of a too small cabin.

"Posey', Scarlett's imaginary friend was every bit the character and made the situation between the grown-ups even more interesting as they tried to decide if Posey's presence was a boon or a bust for the weekend's intent.

Where things bogged down for me was the length of the book. At times I felt a situation, here and there, could've ended sooner; it was also a sort of annoying to have some of the witness accounts interjected at random intervals: while I understood the story was being told in light of an "investigation", it made for a disjointed experience. Particularly when the "Happy Forest" brochure tidbits were thrown in at random.

Overall, a funny holiday read with a good message about honesty, love, and being realistic about what makes you happy.

This was an absolute pleasure to read. What a genius idea to take family dysfunction on a vacation to a glamping campsite. This is the perfect novel for anyone craving a holiday book with heart.

“The Adults” by Caroline Hulse centers around a Christmas vacation that no one will ever forget. A joyful sign welcomed guests to “The Happy Forest Holiday Park! Where relaxation is a force of nature.” The plan was for a nice quiet holiday vacation with extended family, all reasonable adults. What could possibly go wrong? Readers find out quickly that a lot can go wrong when the novel opens with the transcript of a call to emergency services.

Operator: “Emergency, which service?
Woman: We need an ambulance at the Happy Forest Holiday Park… We need an ambulance. He’s been shot. It was an accident.”

This is not just any ordinary Christmas vacation; it is a holiday with one young child Scarlett Cutler, her now divorced parents Matt Cutler and Claire Petersen, their new partners Patrick Asher and Alex Mount, and Scarlett’s imaginary friend, Posey, the rabbit. Why would this group ever think they could spend a holiday together without tension and trauma? From very beginning, anticipation and dread hangs on every page.

The chapters are written from alternating points of view to guide readers through events and to help shed light on how all these sensible adults got to that prologue. They all wanted Scarlett to have a memorable Christmas vacation, and in that, they certainly were successful. Their relationships with each other were certainly memorable as well, but those times were filled with insecurity, lies, and manipulation rather than holiday cheer.
Fundamental inconsistencies, prevailing insecurities, mounting tension, and underlying conflict indicate the thunderstorm of events that are on the way. Even when there seems to be some semblance of civility among these adults, readers are reminded of the “incident” by chapters with transcripts of interviews by park employees and other quests who observed the growing strain and the aftermath of the “event.”
“The Adults” works because of the diverse and realistic characters; readers get to know them very well. They are all likeable, familiar, and sympathetic despite their disturbed routines and unnecessary drama. In fact, every reader knows of someone like these people among their own families and acquaintances. However, behind all that familiar normal behavior, readers know there is still the shooting. Readers frantically turn pages because although “the event” has occurred, the details and specific participants are only disclosed a little piece at a time throughout the narrative.
“The Adults” is compelling and entertaining book. I finished it shaking my head and asking, “How could people think this would be an appropriate vacation?” I of course knew the answer because I knew all these characters. I received a copy of “The Adults” from Caroline Hulse, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley. This is certainly not a run-of-the-mill “Christmas Book,” and I found it a painfully wonderful book. It reminds me that my own holiday vacations are not as bad as I thought.

Thank you Random House for a copy of The Adults in exchange for an honest review.

A fun book with a very interesting premise. What could go wrong when vacationing with your ex-parter and their new partners? Matt and Claire want to give their daughter a joint Christmas celebration so they each invite their current partner with them on a 5 day vacation at the Happy Forest. Not surprisingly, tensions build and truths are discovered!
A fun idea about a horrible idea for a vacation and what trouble that might brew up! I could not imagine why anybody would think it would have worked and I love it. The characters were all very randomly different and working on their own balance with the other members and their history. It was a lot to take in but it never felt like work. Really perfect to read in the holiday season when you need something lighter. It helps that at least your holiday won’t be as bad as theirs was!!!!

A humorous family drama. I enjoyed the context and writing style. I look forward to more from this author.

This was mixed family disaster at its finest!  While the book is about exes and their new partners (and child) getting together on a vacation so the mom and dad can both be with the daughter for Chistmas, and they go to a "christmas wonderland park" I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a Christmas book.  So if you are looking for Halmark movie in print form, this is not the book for you.  I did think it was the perfect beginning of Christmas season book, to ease you into the full blown Christmas magic books.

The Adults is aslo being marketed as a super hillarious book.  While I definatly laughed out loud at many parts, it wasn't a comedy book.  The author is Brittish, so there's that element of dry Brittish humor throughout the whole book (I love that!!)

So while super sappy Christmas book it is not, I still would recommend trying to squeeze this book in this holiday season.  It's lighthearted, not very deep so you can read it in bits and pieces.....or sit down and read it in two sittings like I did!

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for sending me a free eBook to review.

I thought this was a really solid, funny family drama about two couples (an ex-wife and ex-husband with their new significant others and the daughter they share custody of) who vacation together over the holidays and craziness ensues. This was a fast, fun read and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and learn about their histories with each other. I thought the book really picked up and excelled once the brits dropped their polite public personas and really started ripping into each other. That's when the real drama starts. Unfortunately, you have to get 75% thru the book before the fun really begins. Still, worth the read if you like family drama and are looking for a holiday read.

I had so much fun reading this little novel! I really enjoyed the characters, who were unique with interesting quirks and personalities, wrapped up in a Christmas story unlike any I had ever read before. I loved the idea of this novel, a pair of exes trying to gather together with their partners for the sake of their child at Christmas. A recipe for disaster. This one was great for readers who like to laugh during the holidays!

This was a fun book to read as it made me think a lot about what would happen if my family did this same vacation. How uncomfortable! The characters were mostly likable, with a few annoying pieces here and there. Overall an enjoyable read!

If the author meant to write a book about four adults who have nothing in common, a daughter they share, and the daughter's imaginary friend, she succeeded. Their failure to relate on any level other than trying not to annoy each other, is the crux of the plot, which takes place during Christmas at a vacation resort in the woods. That said, this is a character driven story. Of the four adults, there is one who organizes everything, one who thinks he is an athlete, one who is a slacker, and one who is a misfit who is being driven to drink by the situation. Scarlet, the daughter uses her imaginary friend, Posey, to articulate her feelings. It may be dark comedy, but it is not a comedy in the sense of "Love, Actually or "The Holiday." The film version will most like translate into a comedy like "Catch-22" or "Mash."

Matt has moved in with Alex, a laboratory scientist. Matt is divorced from Claire who is a solicitor and is living with Patrick, a barrister. Matt and Claire have a daughter, Scarlett, age 7, who has an imaginary rabbit friend named Posey.

Matt and Claire decide for all five of them to spend Christmas at the Happy Forest holiday park where the Christmas festivities are great. While Alex thinks it’s a stupid idea, she agrees to go along with it.

Patrick is an exercise freak preparing for an Ironman contest some months down the road. Matt is a laid-back kind of guy who can get on one’s nerves. Alex has had some drinking problems in the past but is doing better. Claire is the take-charge “adult” in the group.

When Scarlett sees a man talking about scientists doing painful experiments on rabbits, she becomes concerned. She knows that Alex is a scientist and decides she must closely watch Alex while they are on the Christmas holiday so nothing happens to Posey.

As the holiday commences, things get tense as everyone tries to be pleasant to one another and get along. But tension builds and relationships are questioned. But when things start to boil over, someone is shot. Who was shot and why? Who did it and why?

There is a lot of dark humor in this story along with a bit of boredom. Everyone has come together to make a special Christmas for Scarlett who seems to take it all in her stride. She doesn’t really show enough excitement to make it worth four adults bending over backward to spend Christmas at a family holiday park for Heaven’s sake! At times Scarlett does seem to be 7 going on 45.

An interesting tale and I’m sure that especially parents sharing custody of children will get some laughs from it.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A divorced couple decide to go on a Christmas vacation with their daughter - - and with their new significant others. If this isn't a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is!! The characters are well-drawn and the story is humorous in some ways, sad in others. The story is well-written and we know from the beginning that things won't end well. Ironically, the most "adult" member of this entourage is Scarlett's imaginary rabbit friend!

Caroline Hulse’s debut novel The Adults is like a Christmas comedy (Four Christmases comes to mind) meets Big Little Lies. Though Claire and Matt are divorced, they decide it’s best for their daughter Scarlett to experience a “normal” family Christmas. So, they book a weekend away at a woodsy resort and bring their current partners along for the ride! What could go wrong?

Claire’s boyfriend, Patrick, couldn’t be any less like her ex, Matt. Patrick spends much of the novel secretly training for an Ironman, at one point even racing through a lazy river to practice his swimming. Matt takes a different approach to life. He has a laissez faire outlook, often “forgetting” important details and preferring recreational drugs to exercising. His girlfriend, Alex, is smart, extremely patient and would probably be friends with Claire in another life. The characters were almost caricatures of real people and weren’t exactly likeable, but they were entertaining.

Though a little bit of a whodunit is introduced at the opening of the novel, the plot was still relatively predictable. For the most part, despite some surprisingly dark elements, the story felt light-hearted. Oddly, Posey, Scarlett’s imaginary bunny (a la Harvey), rode that fine line -- he was a part of some dark moments.

In the end, The Adults ended up being a great read for this time of year. It wasn’t especially “Christmas-y” but it perfectly captured what it feels like to be trapped with family when you’d rather be anywhere else.

The Adults by Caroline Hulse is NOT your typical holiday read and that’s why I love it so much. Don’t get me wrong, I love snuggling under a blanket and devouring all of the warm and fuzzy Christmas themed books this time of year. I really do. But sometimes it’s nice to just stir things up a little and add a little kick to your eggnog. Hulse does exactly that! Right off the bat, you know this blended family’s holiday plans will flop. Claire and Matt are separated and have a young daughter together named Scarlett. They have a big bright idea to take a Christmas vacation together with Scarlett and their new partners. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right? Ha! This novel is loaded with juicy drama, so you’ll want to start making the popcorn right now. It’s a fabulous domestic drama revolving around friends, family, relationships and parenthood. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this free digital advance readers' edition in exchange for my honest review.