Wow!!! What did I just read!!! An intense, gripping thriller filled with suspense, twists and turns that will keep you at the edge of the seat!

Rose was reluctant to go on a vacation to Jamaica, as she has read about the high crime rates there. But she agrees to join, along with her two children, Lily, Jackson, her husband, Brandon, and their friends, Annabel, Matteo, Bree and Leo (who live in Jamaica). So when one night, when her daughter, Lily goes missing, panic sets in for Rose. There's also a serial killer on loose in Jamaica, where recently, a body of a five year old girl was discovered. Can Rose find her daughter before it's too late?

I am not a mother, but I know, for every mother's nightmare would be when her child goes missing without a trace. And what makes it worse is your child disappeared in a foreign country, where the laws are different, where the police can be corrupted. Rose's fear in every way is realistic and I like how author use the days before Lily disappeared to the times after Lily disappeared and what each of them are going through. It was then when the skeletons are released out of the closet when the media dwells into Lily's disappearance. I was at the edge of the seat as I realized, that each member of the family is a suspect and would have something to do with Lily's disappearance. Along with the fast paced action and twists and turns, the ending was gripping and shocking that I almost couldn't believe the ending!!! What a twisted ending!!!

Overall, I enjoyed this fast paced thriller that will keep you up all night! Looking forward to read more books from this author! Worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to review The Vacation by M.M. Chouinard before the publication date.

I have never really been a thriller reader, not because I don't enjoy them, it has just never been something I've picked up off the shelf, but wow - if thrillers are like this then I've seriously been missing out!

Six adults and four children are in Jamaica for Thanksgiving, but it is apparent from the outset that all is not as it should be. When one of the children goes missing, the police have to find out what has happened, is someone perhaps more involved than they should be?

The author kept me guessing throughout the book, with each page turn she threw another spanner in the works, and when I was sure I knew what was going to happen, I was again left wondering. With twists and turns at every opportunity, and characters that you could sympathise with at one moment yet become angry with in another, The Vacation kept me hooked until the last page.

Don't miss out on this book if you're a thriller reader but even if you're not, try it, perhaps let it be your first one. I would totally recommend this to everyone. I loved it right from the start and will be reading more by M.M. Chouinard as soon as I can.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.
This was my first novel by M.M. Chouinard. Which I felt had plenty of intrigue and plot twists that keeps you hooked. The twists and turns are plentiful. I will be looking for more from this author!

This intense thriller will break your heart and have you on the edge of your seat! Thanksgiving in Jamaica should be paradise for three adult couples and their children but things take a tragic turn when 3-year-old Lily goes missing. Every parent’s worst nightmare becomes even more horrific when the local police quickly turn their suspicions on the family.

Every one of the adults has something to hide, and I could not stop turning the pages until I found out all of their dark secrets. All of these deep-seated issues make for lots of twists and plenty of possible motives, but you won’t see this ending coming! I love when I’m surprised by the ending despite plenty of guessing.

True crime buffs will see more than a few shades of the Madeleine McCann disappearance almost two decades ago. There are enough similarities that it seems likely that this novel’s central crime was inspired by the McCann tragedy, but M.M. Chouinard’s characters and their motivations are completely original, unexpected, and very well done!

I couldn't put this one down! I don't know where to begin with this thriller thrill ride. Twists and turns, surprises to keep you on the edge of your seat. M.M. Chouinard knows how to keep readers engaged. I look forward to the next one,

So this was one intense book! M.M. really knows how to keep the reader engaged and interested. Because this one had me turning those pages like there was no tomorrow. And that's what I love about s good book!
I love the story that was my favorite part. And honestly I can't stomach a story about a child going missing maybe because it is one of my worst fears! But this story held my attention!
Enjoyable quick stunning read!

A vacation to Jamaica sounds like a dream come true. Except this vacation, involving three couples will be their worst nightmare. I was sucked into the story first by the author, M.M. Chouinard, but also by the plot. What happened to 3 year old Lily, who has vanished. I hungrily read the clues as the story switched from past to present. I deduced my own theories, especially after the search dogs were brought in. My jaw dropped as the truths were revealed, I couldn’t believe the turns the plot was taking. I did think some of the characters’ reactions to the truth were a little wooden. My sympathies were with little Lily who suffered the most and paid a high price for being around selfish adults,

This was a little bit different to what I expected having read M M Chouinards previous books . I really enjoyed it though . A group of friends and family are holidaying in Jamaica , it seems that all of them are hiding secrets that slowly are revealed .
Rose is devastated when her daughter goes missing from the villa , and it seems that most of the guests may have had a reason to take her . Bree who can't get pregnant , even after several rounds of IVF that has crippled them financially , Anabelle has her own reasons that become clear throughout the book . This was definitely a slow burner that just got better and better . I loved it

This was an excellent book, probably the best one that I’ve read in months. Not only did it capture my attention from the very beginning but I was also invested the entire book. The twists and turns and red herrings are plentiful. I will be looking for more from this author!

Three,related, couples on holiday in paradise yet suddenly that all goes horribly wrong when the three year old daughter of one of the couples disappears, seemingly snatched from her bed. Local children have also been kidnapped, which normally follows with a demand for money but when no such demand is forthcoming the plot thickens. We also delve into the history of the couples who were staying together and secrets start to be revealed from all concerned.
A good read that is well paced and tense in places. I didn’t really warm to any of the adults in the story, in fact they grated a little but I was curious enough to find out what happened that fateful night so was compelled to complete the story.

Published: May 27, 2021
Bookouture
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

M.M. Chouinard writes crime fiction that is beautifully crafted. She sprinkles a little bit of herself in her characters, and you will feel how passionate she is from the first paragraph. A brilliant mind, incredible researcher, and delightful human, M.M. Chouinard was destined to be an extraordinary author. She is a modern-day Agatha Christie.

“Why did people get blessings they didn’t deserve?”

Brandon announces to his wife, Rose, that his sister, Bree, and her husband, Leo, have invited them and their friends, Matteo and Anabelle, to spend thanksgiving in Jamaica. Rose is hesitant. She’s anxious. But Rose tends to be worried about everything. Especially when it concerns their two young children, Lily and Jackson. But Brandon has decided they are going, so they go. Just after putting the children down for the night, the adults are sitting in the courtyard enjoying the balmy weather and some drinks- the unthinkable happens. And now, no one's secrets are safe.

Holy cannoli Batman. I don’t even know where or how to begin this one.

Let’s start with the easy stuff, congratulations to M.M. Chouinard on what is sure to be a best seller. You tried something different, and I am here to tell you it worked. This book was incredible.

This book starts with a bang- and it doesn’t slow down for a second. The first chapter is guaranteed to hook you. I loved the way this story was told. I enjoyed the way time was used to paint the picture of things that happened. And let me tell you, M.M. Knows how to lay a crumb trail.

As we get to know each of the characters, it feels slightly overwhelming. We are meeting six adults and four children. But the distinctions quickly become evident, and pieces start falling in place.

Brandon is an alpha male; he is a successful doctor who gets what he wants no matter the cost. His wife Rose has trauma from her past, and as a consequence, she has had some mental health struggles. Together, they have two children, Lily and Jackson. From the outside, they are the perfect family.

Leo and Bree, Brandon’s sister, have been struggling for years to get pregnant. Bree is weighed down by the pain of another miscarriage. She feels defeated and broken. She wants to be a mother, wants to build herself that perfect little family- but it just won’t happen. Leo is brilliant but not savvy. He’s made some bad financial choices, which has left the couple in a tight situation.

Matteo and Anabelle have two sons and seemingly happy marriage. Sure, Matteo has secrets he would rather his wife not find out, but they are so glad. Hardworking and motivated, they decide going on this trip will be suitable for everyone. Who doesn’t love the beach?

The characters are so well done. Every aspect, trait, behavior, and habit is so intricately written. It’s obvious nothing was done unintentionally. As we get to know each of the characters, we start to realize that they each have things they have kept from the others. Or so they think.

Like the most intense game of Clue, the manipulation and willingness to protect oneself become center stage rather quickly. And as the truth comes out, the realization that no one is who they seem to become glaringly evident.

I have to be honest, and I didn’t love some of the characters. But I think that was the point. They were very human. Very selfish. And that is not something easy to write within the world of fiction. I found myself genuinely disliking these people, and as the pages turned, my emotions became stronger. That is powerful writing.

There is such a cleverly used element within this story that adds to the telling of this book. It’s fresh and raw. And it’s scary. But it’s also sincere. It was well placed and well-executed.

There is a very unexpected, emotional twist in this book that is sure to steal your breath away. I promise you will not see it coming, you will never guess it ahead of time, and as you attempt to process what you’ve just read, your heart will fall out of your chest. This is what thrillers are made of, folks.

My favorite aspect of this novel is that M.M. Chouinard clearly shows that the only truly in concern, indeed vulnerable beings, are children. And so often, they become victimized when they should have been protected. This is where fact meets fiction, which may be the most intelligently intertwined storytelling I have ever read.

Prepare yourself, this vacation is anything but refreshing.

Ugh... I hate it when a book makes me feel sad. And this one was just heartbreaking. M.M. Chouinard's latest novel has plenty of intrigue and plot twists that keeps you riveted.

Three couples - Brandon and Rose, Mateo and Annabelle, and Leo and Brianna -  go on a vacation to Jamaica where Leo and Brianna work for AmericAid. While on the outset, the three families seem close, it becomes evident to the reader that secrets abound among them. Rose is a young mother of three-year old Lily and one year old Jackson. She is haunted by her traumatic past, making her terrified to bring her kids to Jamaica, but does so anyway on the insistence of her husband. She hovers and fusses over them, antagonising the childless Bree. Rose's deep-seated fears do come true when her daughter Lily goes missing. At first, the Jamaican police seem unhelpful. But soon it becomes clear that all the evidence that the police have compiled points to the kidnapper being one among them.

The book opens to the scene of the crime immediately reeling in the reader. The alternating POVs of the three ladies - Rose, Bree and Annabelle - carry the story forward, thereby showing what each couple feels regarding the other two. The tight suspense woven throughout the narrative leaves you on edge.

The author has done such a fine job with the character development of the three couples, especially the female characters - Rose, struggling to relax while on vacation with kids, Bree, with her constant yearning for kids and her jealousy at seeing her sister-in-law, Rose, whom she feels doesn't deserve to have children and Annabelle who functions as the bridge between the two, but has her own share of troubles herself.

Overall, an unputdownable suspense thriller. Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an intriguing novel that kept me wondering “who did it” right to the end. This is a fast paced novel that at times it felt like the pages where turning themselves.

Three couples and their children plan a vacation together in Jamaica. What could go wrong when you are in paradise with your closest friends and family? Well, a lot it seems as shortly into the story Lily, the 3 year old of Rose and Brandon is taken from the house. When the police begin their investigation, it becomes clear that it must have been someone from within the house. Was it a kidnapping or was it a ritualistic taking? As we read on in the book each character has their own backstory and any one of them could possibly have a reason to take Lily. There are several secrets that come to light and people and situations aren’t as they seem.

I liked how M. M. Chouinard went back and forth throughout the book alternating what was happening now and what was happening in the days before Lily’s disappearance. It gave us an insight into the events leading up to Lily being taken. It also helps us get to know the characters better.

This was a gripping page turner that kept me interested right to the very last page.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of The Vacation in exchange for my honest review.

Isn’t the purpose of a vacation to get away from it all? I think that’s what this family had planned to do, too. The extended family head off to a villa in Jamaica for much-needed rest, relaxation and reconnection. They soon found out that you can’t escape your secrets - even being isolated in paradise!

Rose leaves her cocktail on the table outside and goes in to check on her 2 children. They weren’t feeling well before bed so Rose and her husband, Brandon, have been taking turns checking on them. When Rose discovers that 3-year-old Lily isn’t in her bed, the vacation suddenly turns into a nightmare. As the investigation continues, the secrets unravel and you’ll be left shocked. Each of the three couples vacationing together in Jamaica has secrets. Which one will lead to Lily?

This is my first book by M.M. Chouinard. It won’t be my last! Michelle’s Ph. D. in research psychology and her focus on what makes people tick add to the success of this psychological thriller. I probably shouldn’t have read it after bedtime, but I had to find out what happened to Lily. This is a compulsive read with plenty of twists and a family full of suspects. You’ll have to keep this standalone thriller on your radar come May 27th.

‘The Vacation’ is a tense mystery and OMG, what could be worse than the case of a missing child? The story grips from the start when Lilly is gone in the night. What an opening!

MM Chouinard weaves an intricate plot and each member of the party comes under the spotlight. They all have hidden secrets and you just know there are going to be explosions. The three main characters; Rose, Brianna and Annabelle push the story forward at the perfect pace, testing the fragility of their relationships.

The location was described fabulously. That villa in Jamaica made the perfect location. I loved following the characters on their day trips in the flashback chapters. What I’d do to be on that beach right now!

How would I describe this book? Nail biting and heartbreaking. Eek - I’ll be thinking about the ending for a long time. It had everything that a brilliant mystery needs and I’d recommend it in a heartbeat!

.This was a good book that I finished almost in one sitting. Several friends join together for a vacation in Jamaica. Rose and Brandon are trying to relax and enjoy some fun with other adults for once. They were invited by Bree and Leo who live in Jamaica and are able to give them the island experience from a local's point of view. Bree is Brandon's sister, and she can't help her jealousy of his and Rose's two adorable children, as she has been unable to become pregnant after several miscarriages and failed in vitro fertilization. The third couple is Anabelle and Mateo who have two young sons and are friends with both couples. The vacation is going pretty well, there's some tension between Leo and Brandon due to financial issues with family money inherited by Bree and Brandon. Rose suffers from anxiety made worse around water (which is currently everywhere) due to a tragedy in her past. But just when the tension subsides and everyone gives in to the carefree island vibe, the worst happens. Lily's discovered missing from their shared vacation villa.

The police are brought in and fail to do enough in Rose's eyes. She's determined to get the word out through the American consulate and another friend with connections back home - the bigger the news item it becomes, the more people will assist and the more likely they are to locate Lily. But no one stops to think that there's a reason why the local police force are focusing more on them than anyone else. And once the story is picked up by the press, nothing stops them from spilling the secrets that these friends have been keeping. That one of them is responsible for taking Lily is the biggest secret of them all.

The book was a real page-turner and I just had to find out who was responsible. Plenty of red herrings and the shocking truth wasn't what I expected. I loved the epilogue and the way it answers another lingering question you will have. Give this one a read and you won't be disappointed!
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I could not finish this one. I just could not get into it. The physical descriptions of the characters read like an obligatory list of facial and body parts, and the interactions between characters are wooden and forced. This is just not for me. I wish I could but I just didn't enjoy

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Three families decide to go on vacation together to get away from normal life and catch up. However some of them are hiding secrets... Rose is scared that something terrible will happen, especially when she is around water and remembers a horrible incident from her childhood. Her husband Brandon has been unfaithful before when drunk and it looks like he is back to drinking too much. Rose's sister-in-law Bree has had a terrible journey trying to conceive with failed fertility treatments and miscarriages, and is jealous of Rose having two beautiful children. When Rose's daughter Lily, who is only three, disappears from her bed, there is immediate panic that she has been kidnapped. However as the police start to investigate, they find evidence to show that it was likely someone staying in the villa who is responsible. Surely none of the group of friends would have done this? As more secrets come to the surface, it becomes clear that more than one person may have had motive...

A tense and thrilling story with a variety of suspicious characters. You are kept guessing until the end and the conclusion is absolutely shocking. I loved the twists and turns and also the ending. Definitely worth a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

#TheVacation #NetGalley
A good read with twists.
This vacation is going to be deadly.
Rose hopes the pretty house overlooking the sea is just the break her family needs. But as she gazes at the water and remembers her own childhood, she is utterly terrified.
Brandon knows his wife Rose has barely forgiven him for his affair. He’s started drinking again, a road that led him to disaster once before.
Brianna, Rose’s sister-in-law, is recovering from her fifth miscarriage, and when she looks at her adorable niece, she can’t help but see the daughter she deserves.
Then three-year-old Lily disappears from her bed in the villa. Isolated in what should have been paradise, it quickly becomes clear that one of them took her.
I loved Brianna and Rose's characters.
Narration of the story is simple and engaging.
I'm doing more promotion on its release date among my fellow Authors Bloggers Family Friends and followers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advanced copy of this psychological thriller.

When the worst happens away from home how do you deal with it? This is a fictional story but it actually mimics a lot of true crime stories in the sense that it feels real. What a page turner!