Member Reviews
In true fashion with this author, this book will have you wondering exactly what is going on. I loved the mystery in this book. The character development was really good, and the plot kept me guessing. I didn’t see the twist coming and I’m still scratching my head. This book really delivered the suspense!
This book was another hit from the author. It was an enjoyable read filled with mystery and suspense. A few twist and turns added to the enjoyment of the book. However, I did not like the last few pages and that part of the ending was quite unnecessary. This is a book which I would recommend to others.
This book pulled me in from the first page. Two families, one from England and one from Italy, find each other on a website and swap homes for a two week vacation. I loved the descriptions of the Amalfi coast! Shalini Boland is a very good writer and I have read most of her novels. Recommend this book and all of her books!
A family house swap. England to Italy. Two families of four, finding each other online. What could possibly go wrong?
Beth and Niall travel with their boys to Italy, whilst Amber and Renzo travel to the UK with their children. Amber has her own reasons for wanting to be out of the country and a Beth is just desperate for a holiday. Beth is overjoyed with the glamorous Italian villa they are staying in and all is going well until an innocent game of hide and seek leads her to make a shocking discovery with life changing repercussions…….
Shalini’s books never disappoint and keep me guessing throughout. She knows how to write a cliffhanger and the dual narrators worked really well. Would highly recommend.
I’d always fancied a holiday house exchange. Have changed my mind! Have read some of the authors work before and this is by far the best! Have recommended it to a friend which is rare for me to do!
This book had me hooked, once I started it I struggled to put it down until I had finished. Really good story, definitely worth reading
Wow.
I have to say this has to be the best book Shalini has wrote so far. Gripped from the first page. Really enjoyed Beth’s character but not a fan of Niall
I did not expect that at the end.
Note to self, never do a holiday house swap
The perfect family holiday turned into a nightmare. A body was found at the bottom of a balcony on a cold night.
Two families swap houses for two weeks. Amber and Renzo Mason live in Italy. Niall and Beth live in Dorset, England. This is the first time both of them use the house swap site. Niall suggested the house swap to his wife Beth. Amber suggested the house swap to her husband Renzo.
Niall is an internationally famous writer. He has gone to Italy for book signing tours. Beth is a stay-at-home mother taking care of there two boys. She’s hoping to reconnect with her husband while also hoping for him to reconnect with the boys. They’ve been disconnected from each other. Beth worries that her husband is distracted by his writing not focusing on her anymore. Admittedly, Niall is preoccupied with his phone or writing to take notice of his wife and kids. Something is definitely bothering Niall. He’s tired and easily agitated by the boys. Before the boys, Beth had a career as a chef, but Niall wanted her home with the boys. The Kildares home is a shabby little cottage where the boys share a room together.
Amber works in PR. Renzo owns luxury jewelry stores. They own a beautiful home overlooking Amalfi Coast. The Mason’s home is pristine.
Shalini Boland hooked me from beginning until the end. Each little suspicious mystery gave readers the perfect amount of information to keep the guessing game going. Shalini writes a thought provoking story using actions and comments to stir up the curiosity. Shalini’s writing voice procures a steady pace of activity. I was impressed with the amount of unexpected circumstances she created. Even this concept is fresh and original.
Shalini drops the bomb of secrets one after another. She really upped her game with this book. The unexpected twist’s were a game changer. Now I’m not so sure house swapping is in the cards for me.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy of The Family Holiday. You are always a winner with Shalini’s books, they are Great reading. This one did Not disappoint, soooo happy for the ending. Plot was good and fast reading. Terrific novel to get lost into for a few hours. Thank you Shalini.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yet another entertaining read from Shalini Boland! I'm a big fan, I believe I have been with her from her very first book! 😊
~2 Families, 1 House Swap, Someone won't be returning home ~
As always, Shalini wrote another engaging, fast paced thriller that had me quickly turning the pages, I read this in 2 days. I can always look forward to a solid plot and quick read with this author.
It all starts with a family holiday and a house swap and ends in murder.
Another twisty thriller that kept me guessing until the end! I can't wait to see what Shalini comes up with next, I will be here for it.
A big thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. 4 stars!
Beth and her husband Niall have hit a rough patch in their marriage. When Niall suggests a house swap for a family vacation to sunny Italy, Beth is skeptical but soon gets on board with the idea. A few weeks later, they find themselves staying in a stunning Italian villa along the sea while the owners (Beth, her husband, and 2 kids) are staying in their English cottage. Sounds like a dream come true, right? Think again! Someone won't survive the 2 weeks!
I wanted to love this one: the writing was great and I enjoyed most of the characters. But I guessed most of the plot early on and that took a big chunk of excitement out of the reading experience for me. I was waiting for some big twist...that just never came. If you love a good domestic suspense read though, this will be your cup of tea!
Thanks so much to @netgalley @bookouture and the author for the ARC!
A holiday in the sun in freezing April where there does not seem to be any sign that spring is on its way, who would say no to that idea? I would not. I would not even spend time packing and jump on a plane straight away. 😊
But a house swap? I don’t think I would do that. I would not like other people staying in my home and I would be to scared to break something in the other house to really being able to enjoy the days of freedom.
Beth is not in for the idea immediately either, but little by little the idea grows on her and before she knows it, she bundles her family in a taxi for the journey to the airport. Let the good times begin…
I like Beth. She is a typical mother who puts everyone’s needs first. Her dream is waiting on the backburner, but will she ever be able to make it come true?
Niall, her husband, is egocentric and what he wants is what is going to happen.
Amber could be Niall’s sister, because she is exactly the same while her husband Renzo is made out of the same cloth as Beth.
People make mistakes. Some do it out of love, others do it to hide things. So some will be forgiven and others will get what they deserve.
Another book by this author that made me forget everything happening around me for a few hours. A great book deserves a great rating. 5 stars
Thank you
Yet another very entertaining read by Shalini , I find all her books grab me in the first few chapters and this was exactly the same , two couples arrange a house swap for a much needed summer holiday , what could possibly go wrong , when Beth finds a photo of her husband in the jacket of the supposed strangers they had swapped houses with its clear that he is hiding some very big secrets, , thie story is told from both Beth and Ambers point of view and I found it an easy fast paced read , loved it all until the very last chapter , although this did not impact my enjoyment , 5 stars as usual , can’t wait for the next
Very good book with an interesting plot. From the get go, I did not like the husband. Was a bit of a jerk. Very self absorbed. I've read other Shalini books and this is definitely one of my favorites. The plot turns constantly kept me guessing as to where the book was going. this is a great book for a book club to discuss.
This book started off with a great deal of promise, and the storyline was original. As I got into it the storyline line developed, but it lacked credibility the more I read. I found the ending tied everything up, but I did not like the very end when the restaurant owner went onto the patio.. I found it totally unnecessary ..
Two families swap houses for their holidays. Seemingly innocent……. Amber lives with her family on the Amalfi coast but is English by birth. Beth is a stay at home mum, her husband Niall is a successful author and they live in Dorset in a country cottage. The families swap cars and surroundings for a couple of weeks as a break from their busy lives. Amber forgets to leave their car in the prearranged place for Beth’s family, but things get forgotten when in a hurry - don't they? There are intermittent chapters- we know not by which character- adding a sinister chill to the proceedings, someone with more than a holiday on their mind. The seemingly innocent swap which we all feel we could do- perhaps with some hesitation as to what others may do to our own homes- draws the reader into a comfort zone but there are clues as to that something is amiss. I love Shalini's books- there is always a good solid plot and a few surprises along the way. This one didn't disappoint. A thrilling read right to the very end.
#blogtour
Thanks to Netgalley et all for the opportunity to read this book. I have read Bolands books before and
was looking forward to this one. It was an okay read but very predictable and very unbelievable at times. I liked Beth as a character but Niall and Amber were horrible people. The endings was rushed and I didn't enjoy this book as much as others.
I want to thank NetGalley and Bocouture for providing me with a free review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.
A family holiday turned nightmare.
A marriage of lies.
Nothing is as it seems.
We follow two families swapping houses for a holiday, from the UK and Italy respectively. But what first seems like a perfect get-away soon turns sinister, as the main character begins finding hints that her husband and the owner of the Italian villa they're staying at are perhaps not as unacquainted as he had led her to believe...
I read this in two days and was thoroughly entertained the entire time; it's one of those books that just fly by. What didn't quite work for me were the characters, who felt a little too cookie-cutter imperfect family to me. There seemed little depth to them beyond the characteristics needed for the plot. However, I don't read thrillers for their characters, I read them for the thrill; and it certainly delivered on this front.
A compulsive page-turner full of twists and turns, perfect for fans of Riley Sager, Rachel Hawkins and Gilian Flynn.
The Family Holiday by Shalini Boland is the latest edition by this popular author of psychological thriller books.
As always, Shalini spins a vivid tale that kept me on my toes looking for clues of who the bad guys are in the book. The plot is well thought out and contains a few red herrings and events that seem out of character for some of the well-developed characters. But then again, what makes psychological thrillers so intriguing is the fact that we really can't always tell what darkness might be in people we think we know.
This author always writes intriguing, thought provoking stories, so if you are looking for an interesting thriller, that will twist your thoughts this way and that, you will enjoy her books
Two families do a house swap vacay thingy. One goes to a magnificent Italian villa and the other goes to a quaint English country cottage. They don’t know each other. Or do they? A fast paced and clever plot keeps the reader on her toes as the clues and red herrings just keep coming. Surprises in store for sure. Thanks for another great thriller!