Another fast paced and twisty read from one of my favourite authors.

Becky and Jamie are a hardworking couple, enjoying a rare and carefully budgeted holiday abroad, when they meet the glamorous Mel and Phil.

Staying in the most exclusive hotel and drinking champagne, Mel and Phil live a luxurious lifestyle funded by Phil's lucrative banking career and investment tips, allowing them to retire early and travel the world.

It isn't until after they have arrived back in the UK and handed over their hard earned savings that Becky and Jamie finally learn the truth about their new friends and embark on a plan to recover their money and catch the criminals responsible.

I didn’t think the truth about Phil and Mel would be revealed so early on in the book. This both intrigued me and gave me high hopes for what was to come next. Sadly, I found myself skimming most of the story just to get to the end.

I guess my main disappointment was that the ending didn’t thrill me. There were some twists but I saw them coming beforehand. For me, the dialogue was a bit unrealistic, yet I persevered in the hope that the conclusion would more than make up for it. Sadly, it didn’t. I can’t say I was very fond of the characters either. Becky and Jamie were a bit dull, although I thought I’d like them because they were true salt of the earth people. Phil and Mel were just too unbelievable.

I would say that the premise of the story was fairly interesting. Everything I mentioned about is my own personal taste. If the blurb sounds good to you, it might be worth having a read.

This is a very chilling fast paced thriller. It was very intriguing. There are multiple twists and turns. The ending was a bit disappointing

The book was archived before our group could download it. We are sure that we would have enjoyed the book judging from the reviews it has received.

3.5 stars for this thriller of a vacation gone wrong. Jamie and Becky go on a vacation, a much needed one. While there, they meet Phil and Mel and quickly become friends. Numbers are exchanged, and hangouts happen once everyone is back home. Jamie and Becky could have never seen what would happen next.
I loved the way the characters alluded to what was going to happen. It made the story more suspenseful for me, and I didn't want to put it down. Ngl, I got a little mad when I had to stop it at work and make phone calls! The relationship between Jamie and Becky was nicely written and very believable. The tension with Phil and Mel was greatly done. Very 'Cowboy Like Me' vibes, which is A+ in my book. One of my favorite T. Swift songs, so I love anything that makes me think of it!
The plot was interesting, and I didn't see a few of the twists coming. The ending was nicely wrapped up.
Read this if you want a fun thriller full of secrets and cons.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good plot and it moves along at a very good page. A definite page turner in that respect. I just had to keep reading and finished it in one evening.

Thank you NetGalley for the kindle copy in exchange for a honest review. Becky and James are on a rare holiday when they meet rich couple Phil and Mel. They say they have taken early retirement after making some investments that have set them up for life. Becky and James soon find themselves investing their life savings. Are they right to trust Phil and Mel? Another great thriller from Daniel Hurst.

This is the third book I have read by Daniel Hurst and now I’m officially a fan! This novel had me hooked from the beginning and held my interest all the way to the end. The storyline was unique and kept me guessing. Some parts were predictable but I throughly enjoyed the ride to the conclusion. It’s a quick and entertaining read!

This is the first book by Daniel Hurst I have read and I was not disappointed. Whilst I had read the premise to begin with and it sounded intriguing, sometimes it doesn't always live up to the hype. But in this case, I'm glad to say that it most certainly did. Oh my goodness, it was a fast paced thriller of a different kind that held my attention throughout.

It's been said that if it's too good to be true then it usually is. Such is the case in this gripping thriller THE NEW FRIENDS.

Thirtysomething couple Becky and Jamie have been married for ten years and after the daily grind of everyday life, they decided they deserved a short holiday abroad in Spain for five days, post-peak season for a cheaper rate. Becky is a teaching assistant and Jamie is a warehouse worker and while they are not flush with money, the both earn a modest income. This holiday comes as a well-earned and well-deserved break for the couple as they lap up the sunshine before heading back to the bleak and miserable British weather of northern England. Five days of pretending they can afford holidays like these more often than not before returning to the daily grind.

On their last night in Spain, Jamie begs Becky for a night out in town before flying out in the morning and while she was reluctant to spend their last one hundred euros on extravagances they could barely afford, Becky agreed that it would be nice to treat themselves. How they would live to regret that last night out to come...

They instantly attract the attention of another couple, Phil and Mel, seemingly on holiday and the foursome soon strike up a conversation together sharing in the champagne that Phil has flowing on tap. The couples click immediately and before the night is over, they exchange phone numbers and plans to keep in touch upon returning to England.

Before they have even touched down in Britain, Jamie is languishing over the stories Phil regaled them with of their lavish lifestyle all over the world. Somehow his modest warehousing job seems to pale in significance and despite his stash of secret savings he's set aside for when they start a family, Jamie cannot help but be a little envious that he has to return to a mundane job to earn a modest living while their new friends have all but retired and live a life of luxury...all because of some wise investments Phil had made when working in the finance world.

It isn't long before a message from Phil stirs that longing in Jamie once again and soon they organise a weekend get together at their modest home where they will play host to their new friends. As soon as Phil and Mel arrive, Jamie and Becky cannot help but notice the stylish sports car they have arrived in...and compare it to their outdated barely roadworthy car. But Phil is quick to reassure Jamie that he has a good life with a beautiful wife in a lovely house.

Over dinner as Phil regales them with stories of his time in the finance world, Jamie and Becky cannot help but be seduced by the lavish lifestyle their new friends appear to enjoy in their early retirement. And while he was always happy with what they had before, now that they have seen how the other half live, that is Phil and Mel, Jamie wants a taste of that too. I mean, who wants to work hard for such little reward? That opportunity comes when Phil invites Jamie out for a sneaky cigar.

Excited by the ideas flowing through his mind, Jamie cannot wait to share them with Becky but is deflated when she doesn't seem to share his excitement. In fact, Becky is reluctant to take the step that could lead them down the same path as Phil and Mel. It's risky, but the higher the risk the higher the return, right? Becky's not so sure. Especially as Mel didn't appear to be very happy and she isn't sure that all is as rosy as Phil claims.

If only they knew...

The new friends the young couple made on their modest holiday aren't who they thought they were.

Phil and Mel are accomplished at what they do so when they spot Jamie and Becky, a couple of modest means with ambitious dreams, the deceptive couple soon insinuate themselves into Becky and Jamie's lives just long enough to relinquish them of their hard earned savings...every last penny. Mission accomplished.

THE NEW FRIENDS is a dark and suspenseful read with a disturbing truth woven into its plot. Just how easily it is to fall under the spell of seemingly genuine "friends" and while Becky and Jamie may seem a little naive, I think its safe to say that the onus is on those pulling the con and how incredibly clever they are. Otherwise they wouldn't get away with what they do, would they?

What I especially love about this book, besides its steady pace throughout and its engaging style, is the fact that we get the story from the perspectives of all four players - Becky, Jamie, Phil and Mel. And although we are privy to the con from the onset it doesn't detract the level of heartpounding tension that fills us as we devour every last scrap of the story. The way it is written we are meant to sympathise not only with Becky and Jamie but also Mel...and it is cleverly done.

THE NEW FRIENDS moves along at such a steady pace that it is indeed a quick read that I could have easily devoured in one sitting...had it not been for the need to sleep in between. I was so absorbed in the story I just couldn't wait to see how it all panned out.

THE NEW FRIENDS is such a unique thriller I cannot compare it to any other, but if you like your thrillers different, pacy and engaging then give this one a go!

I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheNewFriends in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book was incredible! I have not read anything like this before and I loved it! It was so suspenseful and I did not want to stop reading!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The New Friends by Daniel Hurst is a vacation read that ended up being disappointing for me. The story revolves around Becky and Jamie, who are an ordinary couple. While on vacation, they meet Phil and Mel, a wealthy couple who offers to help them invest their money and get rich. Becky and Jamie decide to go along with it. But is it all a scam?

Here is a captivating excerpt from the Prologue:

"'I wish we'd never met them.''
I've lost count of how many times I've said that since that damn holiday in Spain. It must be dozens of times. Certainly enough to make my husband get tired of hearing it, although he shares the sentiment, too. Of course, I have good reason for saying the same thing over and over again. It's the truth. I couldn't mean any more than I already do.
I really do wish we had never met them."

Overall, New Friends is a delightful vacation read with a very slow start. I kept thinking that the action would pick up. Halfway through, it was still extremely slow. 75% of the way through, nothing much had happened. Then, there was some split-second action, and the book was over. I wish that instead, there had been some tension that built up into an explosive climax. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, you can check out this book, which is available now.

This was a good book - wasn't much suspense or surprises in the plot but the writing was engaging.

The storyline and ending were predictable but these types of book always have you disbelieving that the characters can't see what's happening to them or suss out the motives of others

I received a free copy of The New Friends by Daniel Hurst through NetGalley for an honest review.

It was a three star book, but honestly, only slightly. There were no shocking twists or turns in this book, and one was able to essentially roadmap the entire story from the very start.

This story follows Becky and Jamie. We meet them on a well needed holiday. Likeable, average, normal and likeable. They meet a couple at a bar and find themselves spiralling into a scheme of deception and mistrust.

The plot isn't as shocking or twisting as some thrillers but it plays on the reality of the plot. It's believable and that's what makes it tense and really readable.

Under it all is a really interesting theme of how we compare our lives, how we often don't want to settle for the average life and how we can easily become duped.

This book stressed me out so much! But I think that was the aim of the book and we can't fault it for doing what it wanted to do! The action doesn't start until about half way through, meaning the pacing was a little off, but I still felt stressed throughout!

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me the ARC! I was left disappointed and wanting more. It started off strong and fizzled out too soon for me. I rate this book a 2.2

Loved this book. I was hooked from the first page until the last. Characters very believable and I could understand how they were tricked.

The New Friends is a chilling, dark psychological thriller that was fast paced and intriguing.
Becky and Jamie are in their thirtys and have been married to each other for ten years. They have blown their meagre savings on a holiday they desperately needed. Although they are on a very tight spending budget they lap up the sunshine and enjoy their well earned holiday. On the last night the couple blow the last of their holiday cash on a very rare extravagance- a night out. This is where their lives get changed forever.
Mel and Phil are also on holiday and get friendly with Becky and Jamie on their last night. But are they all they seem to be? After exchanging numbers, the couples vow to keep in touch with each other after they've returned from their holidays. But how well do they think they know Mel and Phil, and should they trust everything they're told?

This was a really enjoyable read for me! I managed to read it in two sittings which rarely happens to me. A must read for Daniel Hurt's fans as well as fans of a fast paced psychological horror.

Great book that kept me hooked! A couple meet another couple on holiday, it all seemed to be going well but people aren’t always what they seem!

I have read all of Mr Hurst's books, and once again wasn't disappointed. I really enjoyed this book, and will read more by the author in future.