A story set similar to the movie"The Holiday". Two women, ages apart decide to swap houses. One is from a small village, the other from London. Told from the two women's point of view but also a third one that is unknown that is trying to do harm. Not a full blown thriller but a good read.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

This was an easy quick read for me a typical house swap novel "Domestic Drama" which I enjoyed (a bit of light relief to my usual gene)

‘Be careful what you wish for’ is the most charming thriller I have ever read!

The plot is based around a house swap between recuperating Madi, an aging actress escaping her London life, and Prue, a country girl seeking solace in the anonymity of London following the humiliation of her rejected marriage proposal. We quickly learn that someone holds a grudge against Madi and inevitably Prue, holed up in Madi’s flat becomes embroiled...

The charm in this book was utterly unexpected and not unwelcome - in my opinion this made it totally unique and almost a hybrid of genres between thriller and something altogether softer ‘women’s fiction’ perhaps!

The characters were lovely- very likeable and relatable - even the protagonist to some extent!

For the suspense of a thriller that leave a warm and fuzzy feeling this is a ‘must read’!

My thanks to Netgalley, author (Vivien Brown) and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

This book is advertised as a thriller. I have to disagree sorry to say but it was slow and boring . The book was full of waffle and too much information. It was a struggle to finish it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins; One More Chapter and Vivien Brown for this ARC in return for my honest review. While the central characters are opposites to one another, they are both engaging and relatable characters, I found this to be an interesting and easy read and loved that it was told from both perspectives. Not quite the psychological thriller that the blurb would have you think, but still a very enjoyable read.

A Chance To Escape....?
Two women. Two lives. A chance to escape? A month long house swap and a chance to reassess lives for a short time at least. More a gentle drama than a novel of suspense with likeable enough protagonists and an engaging premise. Rather a tale of friendship and lives.

I've always reminded myself of this - the grass isn't always greener on the other side... But this novel was a look into what would happen if I had the chance to switch... To live on the other side... To take on a new life... I loved every moment of the book.

This book is like the movie The Holiday but with a twist. While I liked the plot overall, the story is heavy on the details and I found my attention lagging at some parts. Also, Be Careful What You Wish For is more of a drama or women's fiction than a thriller. If you are looking for an intense thriller, you may be disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

I've debated with myself on how to rate this one so I've had to go straight down the middle.

I can't say whether I actually enjoyed it or not to be honest.

Yes it was mysterious and intriguing but it wasnt at all thrilling like I expected. The cover and blurb, in my opinion, felt misleading. I was expecting more of a domestic thriller but it read more of a general fiction.

Written from the POV of the two main characters Madi & Prue, each character takes a chapter each to tell their own story with the odd third narrative from an 'unknown' character. Both main characters were likeable and each have encountered difficulties through their lives.

Basically an easy read that many others will find totally enjoyable but I just think I was hoping for something that wasnt there.

Thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.

Although listed as a thriller, Be Careful What You Wish For was more of a cozy mystery.

Pure and Madi lead completely different lives, from profession to location. They each find themselves needing to leave their normal world behind for a time to process and regroup after each suffers an unsettling event. The two find eachother on a flatshare site and agree, via email, to swap locations for a month.

Madi, older, a professional actress, leaves her London flat after a battle with cancer, wanting some time to be alone and at peace. Prue, a young photographer, who’s marriage proposal was rejected in the a very public way in her very tiny village, sets off to Madi’s flat in London, as far from home as she has ever been.

The reader is given very little information about the characters to being with, just small glimpses and hints. As the story progresses, we really get to see each character emerge and to appreciate how much each of their environments shaped their narrative.

Madi is quickly embraced by Prue’s tiny village, even though she tries hard not be. Walks, and cups of teas and visitors soon open’s Madi’s eyes and heart. Prue, meanwhile, find London horribly intimidating at first but soon discovers that it is awe inspiring as she forges her own friendships.

The village characters really lend a nice “cozy” feel to this book, as their histories and foibles slowly unravel.
The narrative is told in alternating chapters using Prus and Madi’s and a third voice menacing voice. I feel that the third voice, although meant to lend to the thriller part of the story took away from what would have been a nice little mystery.

The two sides of thriller and mystery didn’t gel for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Wow
Loved this

The dilemma of an incident and the fall out

I so recommend this one.

I was really excited to get my hands on this book and was happy with the flow. I was expecting it to be a hardcore mystery/thriller but it is actually a light one. 2 women swapping each other's homes without actually letting anyone know is a good start for a mystery. It was a good relaxing read and has good vibe in it. The characters are likable and the author made Madi a strong character. Madi reminded me of my professor's mother who fought her illness with courage. I would highly recommend this book!

A really great mystery thriller. It had me suspecting everyone and a fantastic ending. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers x

This novel is like The Holiday with a itsy bitsy of mystery thrown in. I think if it were marketed this way, it’d have higher ratings.

Two women decide to swap houses for a month while both are going through life changes. Madi, an aging theatre actress, gives up her London flat to Prue. Prue is from a small village in Norfolk, and is desperate to escape a failed romantic adventure.

Prue’s presence in the new apartment building has upset someone who has been stalking Madi for some time. However, her country cheerfulness and openness is a breath of fresh air for the people she meets. Madi, used to being alone and ignored in London, becomes accustomed to village life, and all the nosiness that comes with it.

As a straight romantic/women’s fiction novel, this would work. The added dark chapters seemed like an afterthought to give it some spice or something.

The story of Be Careful What You Wish For was a really enjoyable read, but is somewhat different to what I expected from the synopsis. I was expecting a thriller, grit, a somewhat more sinister story line, and whilst there was some crime elements to the plot, there was also lots more substance about the characters' lives, relationships, personal challenges and self development. I enjoyed it, but I can understand why some people wouldn't - as it isn't quite what you might have ordered.

The book tells the story of Madi and Prue. After a public humiliation from the man she thought she loved (proposing on 29th February and being turned down), Madi feels the need to get away from her small village in Norfolk. She finds a house swap online and moves to London to live in Prue's flat. Here she makes new friends, embraces her love of photography and has a well earned break. Prue also needs to escape for a while. With her relationship with her son in tatters, and recovering from breast cancer treatment, this theatre actress needs time to re-cooperate and find herself again.

The ladies swap homes, and we soon learn that someone has been letting themselves into Prue's flat. Moving things around, trying to seek revenge for reasons unknown. They get caught in the act at Prue's home and with no spoilers, it is great to see the back story of this hatred develop and see it unfold through both Prue, Madi;'s and the 'unknown' person's perspective.

For me this story was more like The Holiday and a journey of self discovery than a thriller, and i do feel that some parts of the plot were tied up very quickly whilst others took a long time or took you off on a tangent that didnt feel relevent to the rest of the plot.

If you like life drama novels then you will love this, but if you're looking for a thriller, this might not be the book for you.

Be Careful What You Wish for is a total page-turner! Vivien Brown is a great writer who keeps you guessing until the very end.

Be Careful What You Wish For by Vivien Brown is my first read from this author. While I would classify this book as more of a character study than a thriller, it certainly had an element of suspense that kept me on my toes until the very end.

Madi and Prue have arranged to swap homes, each in need of a change of scene as they try to take stock of their lives. Madi, at sixty two, is recovering from breast cancer, and Prue's idyllic and quiet village seems the perfect place to regroup. Prue, for her part, feels the need to escape the claustrophobia of family and village life and, at twenty four, is excited to explore the delights of life in London following a difficult breakup. But as we soon realize, an ominous presence is bearing witness to all, and as each woman tries to heal in her new surroundings, further trouble may be just around the corner.

This is a character-driven novel that delves into the emotional lives of two women, while at the same time teasing an element of danger that intensifies as the story progresses. The hybrid of genres somehow works, and I would be interested in reading more from this new to me author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC.

I love when I get out of my comfort zone and read a book by a new author!

I really like the 2 main characters in this book. They both had things going on in their lives and they helped each other change their lives for the better, all by swapping homes for a month. All with a bit of a twist at the end. Would I read another book by this author ..... yes!

Thanks #netgalley #vivienbrownauthor #harpercollins

Goodness I love books with titles like these!! I knew it was going to be suspenseful with a thrill. Loved the characters, definitely made the book a great one.

Made and Prue both need time out and arrange an anonymous house swap for a month. Prue lives in a cottage in rural Norfolk whereas Madi lives in a flat in London. They both start learning about each other, as does the reader, as the time passes. It's a fairly gentle romance and relationship story rather than a thriller. It dies have a few twists and turns that I didn't quite suspect. I enjoyed the read.