Her Last Holiday runs in the vein of the current trend for books set in retreats, groups, and places where strangers are brought together. It's a trend I'm enjoying and Her Last Holiday certainly works well with it.

I've enjoyed most of C. L. Taylor's books and found this novel is one of her best. I liked the juxtaposition of locations from the exotic to the more mundane. I also enjoyed the variety of well described characters with their foibles and secrets.

Fran is an interesting character who acknowledges her flaws. I find this refreshing in writing as it's honest and relatable. I particularly liked how she described her complex relationships with family members, including her missing, presumed deceased sister.

This is the perfect book for some escapism along with many secrets revealed. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my early copy. Publication date is 29th April 2021.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. An intriguing plot and had me picking it up at every opportunity. Full of twists and turns and narcissistic personalities.

Remember what you see is not always what you get. Some of the characters were portrayed in such a way that left you uncertain of your intentions. We’re they genuine or were they out for themselves and one outcome certainly surprised me.

The main character had an aversion to one thing in particular and I felt it was not fully explained. Not sure if I missed it. I would have liked to know.

As with all her books, I would recommend.

Okay, I was eager to read this book mainly because I loved 'Strangers' by the same author. But this book disappointed me for various reasons.

First a few points that I liked: The book starts a little slow but picks up soon, mainly because of author's engaging writing style. The story has been told from three points of view and it has been handled well. So, I enjoyed the first half, even though I didn't like the characters.

Now, as I said, I didn't like the characters. Fran is an odd character. Just because you are a reserved person and you like to be in your own world (work n solitude) doesn't mean you have to be selfish, dull and insensitive (and the character is a teacher). I didn't really understand Tom. Kate is annoying. And Jenna...I don't know. And Fran and Jenna's mother is selfish (she pressurizes her elder daughter to visit a place where her younger daughter was possibly murdered to investigate?). And then there are so many characters.

The second half (especially the ending) ruined it for me. It's quite meh. Too repetitive and unnecessarily descriptive and too fabricated.

Overall, an okayish read.

I have read afew books by this author and found this to be another well paced read. There was the right amount of suspense and intrigue plus a great ‘whodunnit’ which you would not be able to guess and I always enjoy this.

Some concentration is required with some of the characters having two names and the different timelines so I would say don’t try to read this alongside other books at the same time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the arc of Her Lat Holiday by C.L Taylor.

4 star read- This follows Tom Wade whom is the public face of SoulShrink and is set to be released from Prison!. after he has served 2 years following some certain tragedies back in Gozo. Kate whom is his wife is waiting for him and as well as this anxious about rebooting SoulShrink and get their lives back to some normality. Then there is Fran whom is a teacher in ICT and her younger sister named Jenna disappeared two years ago in Gozo. Tom and Kate then decide to offer an retreat to Wales, Fran tries to go on this retreat to try find out what happened to her sister. Story is told from the past as in 2 years ago and there are 2/3 POV'S including Fran's as well as Tom/Kate's.

A great gripping and interesting thriller made you want more, read within 1 day.
Highly Recommend

4 STARS⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was by no means bad, but I think it had the potential to be so much better. Some parts were just way too over the top to be believable. I did like the multiple POVs of this book. I would definitely still keep reading this author, just with this one had been a little more realistic.

This book had a lot of promise. I’ve read this authors novels before and loved them so knew I’d enjoy this.

The storyline was promising with a retreat into self-help combined with two murders and a missing person.

This novel had all the elements of surprise during the first two thirds of the book. Lots was going on with the founders of the Soul Shrink Retreat. I loved the storyline and finding out whether all my suspicions were correct.

The mystery element of a psychological thriller was missing for me. I like the surprise and shock this genre offers and unfortunately the storyline fell a little flat for me for the last third, which resulted in a lower star rating than I’d normally award. All the surprises and loose ends were tied up but the remaining third felt more like a word count fill, as a prolonged explanation of how everyone’s lives had changed following the revelations.

I’m not sure whether my love for crime and thriller novels means it has to be something special to shock me but unfortunately this book didn’t.

This was a light and fun mystery read but it required a little too much suspension of disbelief for my taste in thrillers. I enjoyed the dialogue and characters but the plot and mystery itself was too thin for me.

I enjoyed C.L. Taylor's 'Her Last Holiday.' Told through alternating points of view in two different periods of time, Her Last Holiday was an exciting mystery that kept me engaged until the end. The story revolves around Fran (in present day) attempting to solve her sister's mysterious disappearance from a retreat two year earlier. The reader gets to watch the mystery unfold through the narrative from 2 years ago to the investigation today.

I feel it is more a mystery than a thriller, though there are some nail biter moments. C.L. Taylor introduces us to some very complicated characters and not all of them are what they seem. Her Last Holiday had me guessing until the end with a very satisfying conclusion. I definitely enjoyed this book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two people died on a wellness retreat in Gozo, hosted by Tom and Kate.  Fran's sister Jenna also disappeared on the same treat, investigation and media both declared her dead. But their mother believes she is alive. Tom Wade is out of prison after two years. Kate is planning to restart Soul Shrink retreats. Fran is forced to join it and figure out what happens to her sister without revealing her identity.

I really enjoyed the first part of the book, there were different POV, every character had too much on their sleeve. The mystery was everywhere and many things were kept unfolding. There were so many characters and I struggled to remember each of them. The second part seemed dragged and dull, I didn't like Jenna's side of the story it was over the top and things were just told to the audience. It is not that kind of book where you'll get hints and a chance to connect things. It is that kind of book where you just have to sit book and wait for the author to unveil everything, which is not that my type and I find it hard to feel for characters. The ending was rushed and loose.

I've wanted to read this author for ages but sadly this just wasn't for me. It was an easy read with an engaging writing style which kept me intrigued and reading quickly but I didn't enjoy the story line. I found the retreat and therapy aspect a bit much and also the characters a bit irritating and unlikable. But the main problem was the motivations of both the culprit and victim which seemed both ridiculous and unconvincing. The aftermath was also totally unbelievable - how the characters could be so forgiving and their personalities change instantaneously (particularly the dad). Whilst this wasn't my cup of tea I would try another of the author's books as I really do think it just this particular story line I didn't take too rather than the writing style so I would try another of her books.

Anything C.L. Taylor writes, I will read.

I pounced upon to opportunity to read this novel the moment it presented itself, and once again I was not disappointed.

Highly recommend!

I found the general plot pretty unbelievable but there were lots of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. My thanks to Netgalley for my copy of Her Last Holiday which also, as a title, seems a little odd considering the content.

I always like stories where someone goes undercover to investigate, which Fran Fitzgerald (at the insistence of her awful mother) does here, attending a “SoulShrink” retreat run by Tom and Kate in an effort to find out more about the disappearance - and presumed death - of her younger sister Jenna at a similar event two years earlier. Given what presumably happened to Jenna, though, it’s a bit weird that their mother is quite so keen to potentially put her other daughter in harm’s way. They’re not close, but one would assume she still wouldn’t want to be left with no daughters at all.

Fran, a fifty-one year old ICT teacher, isn’t your usual protagonist, and I liked that she was a bit different. The other attendees were fun to read about. There is scope for confusion as various characters, for various reasons, have more than one name, but I didn’t find this to be a problem.

The whole basic concept, though, is very hard to believe in. I’m not convinced that anyone would spend their money attending an expensive retreat which supposedly offers some kind of psychological therapy or counselling, run by an entirely unqualified man who has just got out of prison. But hey, people are weird.

Both in the present and the past, though, the activities they undertake (in the name of some sort of team bonding or character building? I’m not even sure) seem high risk and ill thought out, and the idea that they would utilise a sweat lodge - known to be potentially very dangerous - is beyond irresponsible. Why anyone should be remotely surprised when it all goes horribly wrong is a mystery.

It’s all pretty unbelievable, but it’s an easy and enjoyable read, though I did find myself losing interest towards the end. The undercover investigation aspect is fun and I enjoyed the characters of Fran and Caroline. There is a lot of suspension of disbelief needed, though, and overall the plot didn’t grab me that much. The “twists” come thick and fast towards the end, to the point where I really wasn’t bothered any more.

I’ve read a few of C.L. Taylor’s books and have found them to be a mixed bag. For me, this is not one of the best. However, I’m sure many will enjoy it greatly.

What are the odds of me reading two books in a row about DNA ancestry tests?

"Her Last Holiday" is a pretty cool book. It actually touched on subjects that grind my nerves in real life, particularly these new self help gurus. It gave me a kind of joy reading about the retreats' disasters. Although fictional, I think this shines light on how easy it is to fool people into believing your crookery and spending their money to hear you talk crap.

I appreciated the plot twists and, despite not being a complete WOW, the end was solid. The characters were well constructed, and I found it easy to relate to them.

Definitely recommend it. It was a very fun read.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this copy in exchange for my honest review!

A thrilling read .This novel focuses on Fran's family and the secrets and disappointments,and the hurt that all of them have been through in their lives. When Jenna discovered a family secret lives are changed forever, and when a tragedy occurs things will never be the same again. A good mix of characters and a great plot that keeps you gripped till the end, and all that happens can the broken family finally find some happiness. A 5🌟read

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

This is a really good psychological thriller and my first by this author. I binge read this in two sittings, I was glued to it. It is told from the perspective of three characters and the suspense was well done all the way through. It is a bit slow at the beginning but it gets better as the story unfolds. I found the characters, in general, unlikeable and at points made you uncomfortable but it doesn't disrupt the flow of the book, I think it adds more to the story. There were some things that could be left out or explained differently but overall it is a good thriller.

I very much enjoyed this book however I did find the fact that almost every character had two names, I regularly got Kate & Fran/Geraldine confused. The plot worked it way out but I actually wanted a little more to find out more about Fran & Jenna

A promising read by this great author, as usual.... I enjoyed the premise & the story clipped along at a great pace. Thanks for the ARC!

I have just finished reading Her Last Holiday by Author C.L. Taylor

This was a good storyline, with interesting characters, although a few too many to keep track of at the beginning of the book.

The pace was good as well, although it did slow down for me at about the 1/3 mark.

I thought the end of the book was not all too much of a surprise, but a good read overall

I have read another book by this author, and will read more of her books in the future

3.5 Stars

Thank You to NetGalley, Author C.L. Taylor and Avon Books UK for my advanced copy to read and review

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