WOW did this book keep me guessing! I changed my mind about 100 times on how the story would end and I still didn’t predict the ending! I loved that the chapters were short and ended with mini cliff hangers and that there were multiple POVs.⁣
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Kate, her family, & those of her three closest friends from college, all go away together to a huge villa in southern France for one week. Just prior to leaving on their trip, Kate intercepts some text messages on her husband's phone & interprets them to mean that he is having an affair with one of her friends going on the trip. She is devastated & determined to find out who it is. Each of her friends have problems they are also keeping to themselves & they affect the course of the week in a number of ways. The five children who are part of the group are wowed by the expanse of the villa & the surrounding property. They are also enjoying a bit more freedom than accustomed to at home. Tensions mount & accidents happen.

This thriller is one of those that keeps you glued to it until you've finished it. You will not want to put it down. It is really excellent & original & unpredictable. I loved it. I strongly recommend this to anyone.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author T,M. Logan, and the publisher St. Martin's Press for the free e-book I received in return for my honest opinion.

Four friends gather together for a week in the south of France with their husbands and children. They have known one another since the first day of university in Bristol and are now celebrating their 40th birthdays. But one, Kate, is worried about her husband, Sean, who is acting secretive and odd. At the villa, she spies on his phone and realizes he's having an affair. Even worse, it's with one of her three friends on the trip: Rowan, Jennifer, or Izzy. Devastated, Kate sets out to determine which one of her friends is betraying her. But as she does, things being to unravel, with far more devastating consequences than Kate could have ever predicted.

"If I'd known what was coming, what we were driving toward, I would have made Sean stop the car and take us straight back to the airport."

Overall, this is repetitive drama billed as a high stakes thriller. Most of this book would not need to happen if Kate simply confronted Sean at the beginning of our story, instead of theatrically swanning about and playing "detective" while on vacation. I hate these sort of stories where instead of communicating, everything goes awry because the characters refuse to speak to one another.

While overall this is a quick read, the beginning feels slow. It features much of Kate's angst, over and over, as she speculates about which of her three friends is the culprit. Walks down memory lane about how good things once were. (Again, never does she really try to speak to her husband--or even honestly with any of her friends.) She is insistent, after reading a few Facebook Messenger bits, about everyone's guilt.

Of course, I cannot truly blame her, because none of these characters are very likeable. Her friends are pretty despicable and their husbands, too. All the characters treat their children rather terribly, either berating them or neglecting them for the trip. The poor kids have issues that are completely overlooked. At least Logan varies narrators throughout the story so we do get to see things from more than just Kate's panicked point of view. But it only serves to show how short-sighted these adults can be.

The story picks up later on, but, by then, it's hard to really care for anyone. I won't deny that this is a fast read and it does keep you interested with some (often predictable) twists. But it's tough to be fully invested when it's a bunch of whiny, clueless supposed grownups who think their problems are more important than all. 3 stars.

After this author previously traumatized me (in the great just-read-a-suspense-thriller way) with Lies and 29 Seconds, I knew this book would be another twisted, demented joy to read. And I was right! What was supposed to be an awesome vacation in the south of France turns into something quite different. And it's all kicked off by a wife reading text messages on her husband's phone.....

Kate discovers her husband is having an affair. With one of her friends. Who are on the trip. But which one? But as she digs to get to the truth, she discovers something far worse.

My thoughts on this book (and every TM Logan book I've read so far)....

Dark secrets never stay hidden. And when they come out -- or even threaten to come out -- it unravels people's lives. TM Logan has the power to take normal people....and deposit them in ghastly situations where twisted, horrible decisions, lies and betrayal seem the best choice. I think what creeps me out about Logan's novels is the fact that each time I'm left thinking "This could actually happen.....'' His characters seem like normal people....people you might know....people you work with.....people in your city. And then their lives start to fall apart, and they become.....terrible. It traumatizes me because then my brain pops to....if normal people can become so awful, then ANYBODY can descend to those depths. And if anybody can descend to those depths....what might it take to make ME descend to those depths???

*Shiver*

Great book! But I need to watch Disney movies for a couple days to recover.....

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martins Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

T.M. Logan consistently puts out great stories that honestly are non-stop page-turners. This one was hard to put down and I loved it from beginning to end. Fast-paced, full of twists and turns and the ending...ok, wow. Very impressed and will be looking for the next book from this author indeed! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Really enjoyed this fast paced thriller! Did not see some of the twists and turns coming but definitely made sense in the end. Was a super quick read for me. Characters weren’t particularly likeable but were well developed. Would definitely recommend this!
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

T.M. Logan is an amazing suspense writer, and I was thrilled to be able to get his latest book via Net Galley. The Vacation was super suspenseful — I could not put it down and read it all in one night! I loved the thrill of it and I really hope that they make it into a movie. (though aren’t books always better??)

Thank you for my review e-copy!

(full review at www.drbethnolan.com Beth's Book-Nook Blog)

Kate had been taking vacations with three friends she knew for decades. To celebrate their 40 birthdays, they meet in France with their families. The first night out, Kate notices a strange text on her husband’s phone and suspects he is having an affair with one of her three best friends. Tensions mount as the vacation begins and the children, ranging from 5 to teenagers bring their own angst to the table. The teens have a lot to hide but Kate has only the affair on her mind until things get out of hand. Great characters, wonderful setting, and adventures that will keep you guessing!

I am in the minority after reading this book, The Vacation by T.M. Logan. No glowing review forthcoming from me. So it was not horrible-agreed.... but it also was not something that I really enjoyed reading. I finally got through most of it wondering-when is something going to happen other than the "supposed" cheating of the spouse? The main character Kate is a know it all that gets on my nerves and her husband Sean is not the sharpest tool in the shed. The other minor characters are Kate's three friends for years and their families and it seems they don't like each other much-- although they all agree to go on a vacation to a French villa together?????? I don't connect to any of the characters-they are really awkwardly written and one dimensional. In addition, I don't feel any real relationships between any of the characters amongst themselves, they all have secrets they are keeping from each other-- except for the two smallest children. The only thing I liked about the book was the setting and even that was almost ruined by the selfishness and stupidity of the some of the characters. I should have skipped this one. Apologies to the author if this review is harsh, but this was just not my cup of tea.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and give an honest review.

When best friends Kate, Izzy, Rowan and Jennifer decide to rent a villa in France and take their families on vacation, what could go wrong? Well, just about everything. From cheating spouses to unruly kids to fighting husbands, this book has a little bit of everything. The characters - including the main character, Kate - can be a bit annoying and will irritate you, but all in all this is a fast read with a satisfying conclusion that will make you rethink vacationing with friends. A great quick read for the beach.

To me this was a very good book. I didn’t really find it slow at all. There were parts that could have seemed like it was dragging but to me it just added info to a story where things were not at all what they seemed and that info would definitely play out later in the book. I honestly loved this thriller.

Kate, Jennifer, Rowan and Izzy were best friends. They use to get together each year for a girls weekend. Over time with jobs and family that stopped so Rowan found a place for them all and their families to get together for a whole week for a vacation. It was suppose to be all fun and relaxation. But there were things going on that made it much more. Much more than a typical vacation.

Kate was married to a man she trusted with all her heart. She is the one telling the main part of this story and who feels like she has so much to lose. She honestly believes her husband is having an affair with one of her three best friends. But which one? Who would betray her in such a horrible way? Would Sean really do such a thing. They have two children. Lucy and Daniel. I absolutely loved Daniel. I think he is the sweetest child I have read about in a good long time. But he is easily fooled into doing things that could put him in danger. He just wants to be one of the boys. Lucy has a few secrets of her own that make this vacation one that won’t soon be forgotten.

Jennifer has two teenage boys and is married to Alastair. Jennifer will do anything to protect her sons. She does not see the things they do that everyone else sees. Her perfect angels are really by far not perfect. But will she really do anything? What about their dad? Does she feel the same about him? Will he do anything for them too?

Rowan, married to Russ and mother to Odette. She stands to loose quite a bit if anything is not just perfect. Odette is one spoiled rotten child and at times I thought she needed a switch to her back side.

Last is Izzy. Izzy has a lot going on but also knows a lot about things that are going on while on this vacation. She seems to be very smart about figuring things out and getting to the bottom of things. She’s the only single one in this group and has been best friends with Sean since they were mere babies. But would she betray her friend by cheating with her husband?

What really happened while on vacation. What could cause four women, best friends for over half their lives, to become so angry with each other. Is one of them really having an affair with the other ones husband or is it much more than that?

This book kept me turning the pages for sure. I wanted to know what was going on. I wanted to find out who was the one betraying her best friend. Just when I thought I had it all figured out another twist would come out. Toward the end there are lots of twists and the trills will leave you breathless. Absolutely shocking twists. I loved it.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #TMLogan, #StMartin’sPress for this ARC. This is my own true review.

I had to give it a big 5 stars because I was fooled. I did not see some of the twists coming. A big recommendation too.

It sounded wonderful. Kate and her closest friends and their families would spend a week together in a luxurious villa in France. The women have known each other since college and have stayed friends for twenty years. They came together with high hopes and expectations for a memorable vacation. Memorable came into fruition in ways that they never could have imagined.
From the beginning there were problems. Kate is certain her husband is having an affair with one of her friends. But which one? Her teenage daughter is keeping something from her and she can't convince her to confide in her. The tension builds as Kate tries to determine which of her friends has betrayed her. Other family dynamics complicate things. Her friend's teenage sons are creepy and seem to be out of control. The husbands of her friends seem to have questionable traits.
In this precisely crafted story, the past is super imposed on the present. Kate asks herself if she deserves to be happy because of the sorrow her past actions have caused. Mystery and tension are present from the beginning as are unanswered questions. This is much more than a story about alleged adultery. The plot is multi layered and packed with various narrative twists. The author brings to life a large cast of characters who have varied personalities. I found Kate to be the most interesting of them all. An introspective investigator by profession, can she find the truth she is looking for? And, if she does, what does she do with it?
I found THE VACATION to be well written, riveting, often shocking and memorable. Highly recommended.

So good! I love T.M. Logan's writing and I wasn't disappointed with this thrilling page turner! Grabbed me from the beginning and kept me engaged. Never figured out the ending until the end, there are so many twists and turns! The characters are interesting because you can't figure out if you really like them or not!I
4. stars

T.M. Logan has the ability to completely capture me and suck me right into his mysteries! This one, about four college friends and their families on vacation, is filled with twists and turns. I like that his mysteries are not violent or gory or creepy; they're more psychological fiction. Highly recommended!

2.5 I'm not sure how I want to review this one. I read it quickly because it had a good mystery at the heart of the story, but the main character's ineptitude and lack of common sense put a damper on the whole thing.
Unsubtle clues were thrown at her throughout, and it was annoying to have them ignored when her obsession with finding clues was prevalent throughout the narrative.
It really took my enjoyment of the book away unfortunately, thus the lower rating.

T.M. Logan is a master of misdirection. This page-turner has so many twists that you will not see coming. Four best friends from college in England take a vacation with their families at a villa in the south of France to celebrate their 40th birthdays. Soon after they arrive, Kate finds text messages to her husband Sean and suspects he’s having an affair with one of her 3 best friends - Rowan, Jennifer, or Izzy. The misdirections will have you believing it could be any of them. There are all kinds of issues with the women’s relationships with each other, their spouses, and their children. Someone at the villa will end up dead before the vacation is over. Maybe even more than one person... Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I will now look for other books that #tmlogan has written. Really enjoyed it!

I finally got around to reading The Vacation by T.M. Logan! And if this isn’t on your radar it definitely should be.

A vacation sounds really nice right? Especially in the south of France...on the beach.

But in this book it wasn’t a very relaxing vacation.

Right off the bat, we meet Kate and we find out she thinks her husband is having an affair (this isn’t a spoiler). We follow along with her journey and her dilemma of what she should do.

Does she confront her husband? Does she keep it to herself? Does she leave him? Does she stay?

While she asks herself these questions we learn secrets. Secrets about her. Secrets about her friends.

And at the end we learn the biggest secret of all and how one person is just incredibly crazy.

There are so many different things going on in this book that you don’t get bored. But not so much that you’re scrabbling to keep up and keep everything straight. It’s a really nice balance in my opinion.

The twist I didn’t see coming until the very end. But I thought it wrapped up pretty nicely for the most part. I would have liked to have learned a bit more about one particular person. But other than that it was a fantastic read.

Definitely recommend!

Another page-turner from TM Logan. I adore his writing and this was no exception. This is a fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing throughout. This was my experience with his last thriller as well and this one is as good.
My only critique is about the choices in title and release. This was originally written and released in the UK (about a year earlier) under the title "The Holiday" and then "adapted" for US release by trying to make the title more American-friendly. Number one, I don't like the different release dates between the UK and US, as either can simply order from the other country. And secondly, the story takes place in Europe and the characters are clearly not American, so then why did some of the terminology/sayings need to be Americanized? I would argue that anyone who reads authors from the UK or other European countries, expects the differences and has adapted to it. That is just my opinion but I always find slang or phrases or words in an altered book to not quite be right and would rather it not be attempted.
Definitely recommend, especially for thriller lovers and fans of TM Logan.
Thank you for the early copy for review.
#TheVacation #Netgalley #StMartinsPress

After loving T.M. Logan's book "Lies", I was disappointed in his last book, "29 Seconds". I'm glad to say he redeemed himself in my estimation with this book. "The Vacation" starts out with secrets and intrigue and keeps it up throughout the book. The author has a technique of ending every chapter with a cliffhanger - then dropping that subject for a few chapters. Very sneaky - and effective!! It keeps this reader rapidly turning the pages wondering what will happen next. Who did it?!? And what did they do?!?! Plenty of twists and turns in this one for any mystery lover with a very satisfying conclusion (after a heart-in-my-throat scene that had me in tears)

This book kept me guessing until the very end! T.M. Logan writes books you want to escape with to your reading nook and devour all at once. This one would make a perfect vacation read, as it is set in the south of France at a private villa where a group of old college girlfriends vacation together with their families one summer. In the very beginning we learn that the narrator has discovered a cryptic text on her husband's phone that indicates it might be one of her friends, so she is hoping to figure out who it is and what the text means while they're on this trip. There are so many possibilities though, as all of them have something to hide. Even their kids, who are teenagers with their own drama, become suspect. Honestly, I questioned every one of the characters at some point. I could not stop turning the pages until I figured it out, and before I knew it I had read the whole dang book!