📚BOOK REVIEW 📚

The sanctuary by Charlotte Duckworth
🗓 Publication Date - 16th December 2021

Having read Charlotte’s work before - I wasn’t surprised how much I enjoyed this book! (No pressure for the next one 😉🤣!!)

4 ladies go to ‘The Sanctuary’ for some pre-natal relaxation and Pampering!
The retreat is being run by Selina and her partner Will.
The story is told from each of their prospectives but the storyline ties in really well and doesn’t feel like your going from one character to another.

As the story goes in, we learn more about the reasons behind them coming to the retreat and a bit of their lives before as well.
Also each character has their own secrets and as reading, it become apparent just what they are. Although some are left to the very end!

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This was the first of Charlotte Duckworth's books for me.
In the beginning I was intrigued by the idea of pregnant women who visit a retreat. But honestly, towards the ending the story got a bit too much for me.
As mentioned the story takes place in a yoga retreat for pregnant women. It should allow them to take some time off and focus on their futur role as mothers. This would be fine if not all of them had secrets to hide. Even the people who run the retreat have some deep buried secrets. One by one they come to light.
Basically I really enjoyed this book if it had not been for the end, which was too well ment IMHO

Thanks #NetGalley and #Quercus Books for an ARC!

I don't think I will be booking myself on any yoga retreats after reading this creepy story. It starts with a very intriguing prologue. Something dramatic is going to happen when four women book them selves onto an expensive weekend, a prenatal yoga retreat, which is in a remote location with no mobile phone signal. The staff are creepy. The tension slowly builds as we learn about these pregnant women and their backgrounds.
Wow! Wow! Wow! is all I can say once we get to know the participants and how their secrets all impact on each other. I loved the plotting and how it all unravelled.

I loved this book! I love you slowly get the full picture from each character throughout. It was a gripping read which kept me guessing at every page.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. This book was very good it was written from the perspective of the five main female characters all of whom were hiding secrets from the others, although some of the characters were not particularly likeable it didn't detract from the story.

This book was okay, however I felt it overall missed something, I was not very invested in the characters and something for me didn’t work which made it quite a slow read for me as I wasn’t as committed to it as I usually am reading. It certainly is worth a read if you’re into this genre of books and was an unusual story plot which is commendable.

Okay first of all, Charlotte Duckworth literally never disappoints. I've read 3 of her 4 books, two have been 5 stars & one 4 star.

This book was really excellent. I found it was gripping from the very first line. I had been in a bit of a reading slump but once I started this, I knew it was over.

This book was also really readable. Aside from the mystery aspect, it was a really interesting story of four pregnant women attending a luxury retreat where all is not as it seems.

I enjoy the subtle commentary on some social issues such as vaccines and "wellness gurus". Charlotte has done this in previous books with social media and it's so interesting to see topical issues woven expertly through the story without being in your face.

Similarly, this book had four pregnant women but none of them came from "conventional" backgrounds. There was unwanted pregnancies and single parents. I thought this was a great inclusion & different from the picture perfect families we often see portrayed.

The mystery element in this book was great. It was so well paced and definitely lead to an uneasy feeling at times!
I definitely had no idea where it was going.

This book was an easy 5 star read for me & I can't wait to read more from Charlotte!

Thank you Quercus Books, Charlotte Duckworth & NetGalley for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another absolute gem of a book. I couldn’t put this one down. I have devoured page after page of this one. Completely unwilling to put this one down.
This has kept my interest and made me want to read more by this author.

although this wasn't the most original of story lines it was quite an enjoyable book. Taking the view of 4 different pregnant workers and i could relate to them which helped. All the guests have there own secrets. this was a light read and i found it very entertaining

I loved this book. There’s something unique about this author’s style that really compels you to keep reading - I can’t quite put my finger on what - but like her others, the story was pacy and engaging. Most of the characters have some aspect that you can identify with- and the tension is so well sustained.

Great characterisation, unexpected twists and turns - a really enjoyable read!

I have mixed feelings with this book. The premise and concept of it were fantastic, the writing incredible, and I found myself sat in those tents with the women. However, the ending just felt a bit meh for me, which was disappointing after such a fantastic build up. Not a bad book by any stretch, but a bit anti-climactic

Another thriller review from me, but this is my first Charlotte Duckworth read. It will not be the last!
The Sanctuary is about four women on a prenatal retreat in the countryside of Devon, ran by the alternative Selina and her partner Will. Sisters Nicky and Bonnie are on this retreat, trying to bond over their joint pregnancies, despite their 20 year age gap. Instagrammer and journalist Georgia is also attending, and the prickly and aggressive Poppy. There are many secrets here, and not just amongst the guests…
This is a tense and sinister read – my favourite kind! The story is fast paced and punchy, flitting between perspectives and moving the story along with different sections set at different times of day. Secrets are revealed, adding more tension to the story as you are waiting for the explosive reveals! Duckworth gives each of her leading ladies such a clear and distinctive voice you are never left second guessing which perspective you are reading. Four very different characters have come together in a way they may never have done if not for this retreat, and their reactions and personalities are both relatable and believable.
I will say that as it is predominantly about pregnant women and children I will give a content warning for discussions about fertility, pregnancy, babies, child loss and anti-vaccinations.
Compelling and addictive reading! 5 star

Fantastically twisty and exhilarating thriller from an author at the top of her game!

I am a big fan of Charlotte Duckworth’s psychological thrillers and The Sanctuary is another string to her bow. It is laden with all the elements that Duckworth writes so perfectly: dysfunctional relationships, motherhood, toxicity, topical social critique and tightly plotted tension. I always know that there will be an increasing amount of tension, a host of secrets, unpleasant but human characters and a puzzle at the heart of the story that will keep me guessing. Duckworth delivers this every time and The Sanctuary is another unputdownable read!

The narrative is written from the four viewpoints of all of the women attending the retreat and the hostess, Selina. Despite reading events and thoughts from so many different narrators, it’s never confusing who’s chapter you are reading, as Duckworth has imbued an authentic and distinctive voice into each of her characters. I also found it a great way to tell this story, as it helped build a sense of mistrust and unease around all of them. It was hard to know who was being truthful and who was hiding something shocking. Needless to say, everyone has secrets in this book and the gradual unravelling of these is a really exciting and enjoyable part of the book. The format used works really well here too, as the novel is set into a number of sections based on the activities or time of day the chapters are set during (e.g. The Journey or The Evening). Each of these sections opens with a mysterious, unknown narrator and these passages really heighten the tension, propel the narrative forward and provide continuous mystery. There are a number of brilliant revelations that also keep the plot evolving at a steady pace, continually heightening the sense of foreboding. Duckworth effortlessly creates this expanding sense of unease and I enjoyed how this was reflected in the weather within the narrative. The drama and catastrophe blows in like the stormy weather does, building to a tempestuous conclusion that surprises like cracks of thunder and illuminates readers like a flash of lightning. Duckworth has built a narrative that has so many different, engaging strands and these all come together in a fascinating finale, as well as revealing the last and biggest if it’s clandestine truths.

As with all of Duckworth’s books that I’ve read, this story is a thought-provoking and topical social critique too. The various sides of motherhood are explored and in particular the vulnerability of women in pregnancy is called into question. As a father who has recently supported his wife through two pregnancies, this side of the novel really impacted me. It was so interesting to think about how much faith we put in others (both medical and non-medical ‘professionals’) and actually how easy it is for people to manipulate this, particularly for those pregnant for the first time. As well as this overarching theme, Duckworth suffuses the narrative with a number of other intriguing concepts. Relationships are explored in great depth and each of the characters has complexity within their closest ones. The narrative is a rich feast of themes and things such as loss, paternity status, anti-vaccination views, toxic parent/child relationships, the role of the mother, the timing of pregnancy and maternal age are all explored in detail. Duckworth is a master at combining the maternal experience with a much darker and sinister underlying plot, which is gripping to read.

The final aspect of the novel that I really enjoyed was the setting. The location of the retreat is so visceral and I could picture every aspect of The Sanctuary. The beauty and luxury are a brilliant facade for the dark, decaying heart at the centre of the location and some of the lead characters. The isolation of the retreat not only helps build the required tension and sense of helplessness, it also brilliantly symbolises aspects of all of the women’s pregnancies. At some point, all of them have felt alone and vulnerable. The grandness of Selina and Will’s home is a visual representation of the greed and excess pregnancy can generate for those who manipulate it - I mean, who doesn’t want to give their baby the best of everything (even before birth!). For me, the location was as much of a character as the humans and I felt transported to it whilst I read the book.

I find Duckworth’s books are effortless to read, as I am always completely engrossed in them. Her writing style is so engaging and I am already excited to read what comes next from this amazing thriller author!

I’ve never read this author before. I’m also a person that lives a spa break. I’m going to give my friends a bit of side eye from now on. Good book and I fled through it really quick so in my opinion really worth your time.

An easy read and fast to read thriller about four pregnant women who spend time at a retreat. A good premise but I didn't feel the tension I felt I should. Turns out there are LOADS of secrets here and no one you would really want to go on a retreat with in real life. I still enjoyed it though and fancy a spa myself now (yes I realise that is weird after reading this novel!)

Thanks to NetGalley, Quercus Books and Charlotte Duckworth for the ARC of The Sanctuary.

First up, I am a big fan of Charlotte Duckworth - having read and loved her previous two titles, The Perfect Father and Unfollow Me. I was really looking forward to reading The Sanctuary and it didn't disappoint, despite being little more complex than her previous reads.

The book is set at a luxury pregnancy yoga retreat - a group of women attend for a weekend of prenatal luxury = each with different motives for being there.

Nicky - the older mum of two who has accidentally become pregnant for the 3rd time and isn't sure how she feels about it.
Bonnie - her 22 year old sister, who has an unplanned pregnancy with a mystery father
Georgia - the journalist pregnant with her new boyfriend and who is staying for free in exchange for an honest review
Poppy - Pregnancy again after the tragic loss of her daughter

Selina - the host, needs this weekend to be a success, but has her own challenges too. Her husband is barely speaking to her and then there's her son, who must stay away from the guests if she has any chance of keeping her secrets hidden.

This book has a Lucy Foley feel to it, and with lots of different perspectives, you do have to have your wits about you at the beginning as the character building and backstories are built up.

The weekend ends up being FAR from tranquil and relaxing, with sinister turn after sinister turn. There are lots of twists and reveals and this book kept me reading long into the night. I certainly didn't see the ending coming.

Some of the topics in the book are potentially triggering and contentious, but for me, that didn't detract from what was another great thriller from Charlotte.

An easy to read page turning psychological thriller. Lots of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing and just the right amount of menace throughout!

I was really excited to read this book, and it didn’t disappoint.

The characters were brilliant, the setting was great, and the story was really well plotted.

A quick easy read, told from different perspectives everyone who has their own secrets to hide which unfold throughout the book. No shocking twists but overall enjoyable.

This is a competently written, tense psychological thriller about a group of pregnant women attending a yoga retreat for some prenatal luxury. Which doesn’t exactly sound immediately suspenseful, but believe me it is!

As well as the usual nerves and pre-baby worries, each of the women appears to be concealing a secret. As the weekend progresses, sinister events begin to occur. Everyone has something to hide and no one is who they seem.

The story is told from multiple viewpoints, which really helps define the individual personalities here. The author has created some really engaging, believable characters and the idyllic retreat with it’s lavish bell tents and well tended grounds is cleverly and atmospherically portrayed.

The book is full of twists and unexpected reveals, which I loved and certainly kept me turning the pages late into the night.

I definitely recommend this book and eagerly await Charlotte’s next novel.

Thanks to the author, publishers Quercus Books and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.