I really enjoyed this book. Read it over just 2 days. Easy to get into it, and maintains its pace well. There's a lot of house swap novels out there right now, but this one worked really well and stands out in it's own right - an amazing sense of place. I didn't connect a huge amount to the characters, but enough to be intrigued with the story. A great summer holiday read!

Wow another fantastic book from this author with an incredible twist at the end I wasn’t expecting . I wasn’t too upset at the husband dying as he was a right piece of work and she’d be better off without him . Definitely reminded me of my ex husband . I love her character and the woman she became . Brilliant story about a holiday house swap , definitely a must read , 5 stars from me

“𝙳𝚒𝚍 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜? 𝙳𝚒𝚍 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎?“

This new book from Shalini Boland is unlike any I have read before. It is almost as if we are getting two books for the price of one. It is quite obvious from the prologue that what we are about to read is an intense and suspenseful thriller. However, the first half of the narrative reads like a beautiful piece of travel literature. The lovely imagery and in depth descriptions will take you on a leisurely stroll through sumptuous Italy.
 
“𝙱𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝚊𝚒𝚘𝚛𝚒 𝚝𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚕𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚞𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚜𝚎𝚊 𝚛𝚒𝚙𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚕𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝-𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚗.“

And, will have you sitting by a log fire in a cozy English cottage.
 
“𝙰 𝚍𝚘𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚎-𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍, 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚠𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚗𝚎𝚢𝚜. 𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚕𝚊𝚠𝚗, 𝚒𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞‘𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚖𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚍.“

The reader enjoys these delightful locations along with two families who have chosen to do a family holiday house swap. We are introduced to the Kildares of England and the Masons of Italy. Our story is told through the POVs of Beth Kidare and Amber Mason, two very different women with two very different, though seemingly happy, lives. However, as we quickly realize, not everything is as it seems.
 
“𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚜𝚗‘𝚝 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚢 𝚊 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙸𝚝‘𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚑𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕, 𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙰 𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐.“

The second half of this novel delightfully turns into a fast paced ride full of despicable, insufferable characters, explosive, unpredictable reveals, and an epilogue that I did not see coming. Although I was able to predict a few of the smaller reveals, the ending left me with my mouth hanging open. I was honestly so shocked that I audibly gasped.
 
“𝙰𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚕𝚕, 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛.“

Give this one a try. The slow burn of the first half of this read will be well worth the pay off you are blessed with in the end.

Beth and her husband do a house swap for 2 weeks. Whilst Beth and her family swap with Amber Mason and her husband for a two week holiday in Italy Amber and her husband stay in Beth’s house for 2 weeks. What could possibly go wrong.

Beth had her reservations right from the start about this swap however her husband Niall convinced her that it would be a great idea for them to get away and enjoy 2 weeks relaxing in the sun. Eventually Beth is swayed but deep down she’s still not 100% convinced.

The minuet Beth and Niall leave their home cracks already start to appear Niall is distant and leaves Beth to deal with her 2 boys whilst he finds a corner in the airport to go and do some work. Things continue to get worse between Beth and Niall she can’t seem to do right for wrong where her husband is concerned. Then whilst snooping through Ambers wardrobe Beth finds a photo of her husband and Amber together in her jacket pocket. Is it possible the 2 of them know each other and that isn’t just some random holiday swap.

On the other hand there is Amber and her family they are wealthy and have everything you could ever want for however Amber is hiding a deadly secret one that could have huge consequences for both her family and Beth’s family. Ambers husband notices something isn’t quite right with his wife however she’s not the most open of people and by the time she’s ready to open up to her husband it’s to late.

I really love Shalini Bolands books and was so excited to get my hands on an advanced readers copy of this book. Her style of writing never fails to excite me and I find her books so moreish and this book was no different. Packed with secrets, twists and lies what more could you want. You won’t be disappointed with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Thanks NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC to review.
As with her previous books, Shalini wrote an engaging captivating page turner that will keep the reader hooked till the very last word!
It all started with a family holiday, where two families swapped houses to spend a nice holiday in the other family home.
A beautiful warm beach in Italy and a cosy English cottage in Dorset, two happy families..what could possibly go wrong?

The Family Holiday by Shalini Boland

Two families. One house swap. … Beth and her family arrive at a gorgeous Italian villa, their home for the next two weeks but as soon as they arrive, everything starts to go wrong.
Beth received a telephone call from her neighbour back home to say they have concerns about Amber and the family they have swapped with.
I'm a big fan of books by Shalini , but although still a good read I did not find this one grabbed me in the way her other titles have done in the past.

This was such a good read, it was well written with well developed characters and a gripping storyline. It was twisty and unpredictable and I couldnt work out what was going on. I really enjoyed it.

The family holiday is a great read that kept me captivated from start to finish!
Two families agree to a house swap,Beth,Niall and their two sons swap their English country cottage in Dorset with Amber, Renzo and their two children who own a huge state of the art villa in Italy!
The holiday ideally should provide Beth and Niall with quality family time and reconnect them as a couple and Amber and Renzo want to show the children ambers home country, however all is not as it seems!
Things start to go wrong as soon as Beth and family arrive in Italy and get worse much worse as time goes on! Beth finds a photo whilst snooping around that sets off warning bells in her head about her husband but unbeknown to her Amber and Renzo have their own reasons for getting away which unfortunately Beth’s family become embroiled in!
A great twisty thriller that will keep you guessing till the end!
Thank you netgalley for this early read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Shalini Boland's newest thriller, The Family Holiday. This is a gripping and unpredictable story about a vacation house swap that goes horribly wrong.

When Beth is given the opportunity to leave her cold England town and escape to the warmth of Italy with her husband and their two sons, she jumps at the chance.... but as soon as they arrive, things begin to unravel. Her husband Niall is consumed with working on his latest book and is constantly picking fights with Beth and leaving her to care for their boys. As she stays in touch with Amber, the woman who owns the beautiful villa and is staying in Beth's cozy home with her own husband and children, Beth begins to suspect that this seemingly fortuitous house swap may not be the relaxing getaway that she had hoped for.

This is another win for Shalini Boland, a master at creating stories that will keep you up all night holding your breath until the very last page.

I so look forward to Shalini Boland's books and am never disappointed.

The Family Holiday is about a House swap between Beth and Amber's families. The two families are seemingly strangers. As the plot unfolds, connections from the past crawl in threatening Beth and Niall's marriage. Amber meanwhile is busy hating Beth.
When Niall is found murdered, one wonders if its a case of the wrong person in the wrong place. Just when I thought it was all nicely tied up the Epilogue packed a punch I didnt see coming!

The story has characters whose friendship is heart warming

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC

This book was a complete page-turner and I couldn’t put it down. The author does a great job of building suspense with these characters. You want them desperately to all trust their instincts as they try to convince themselves that they are over-reacting. The settings were extremely well described and I could picture the scenes vividly the entire time. Telling the story from various points of view added to the interest. Great read in one of my favorite genres! Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Beth Kildare has two beautiful boys, her husband’s a best selling author and she  is about to swap her quintessentially English country cottage for two weeks in a stunning Italian villa. Could life be any better? Probably not but, as she is about to discover, it could definitely be a lot worse!

Ex-pat Amber Mason lives with her husband and soul mate Renzo and two young  children in the house of her dreams above the rugged Amalfi coastline. Her business is successful and her homelife almost perfect but she wants her son and daughter to experience the English lifestyle she enjoyed as a child. A house swap sounds just right and for two weeks it will be fun even with strangers in her beautiful home. Even the best laid plans can fall apart however, and when the local carabineri get involved, she should really tell her husband, shouldn't she?

This is a very good advertisement for Italy as a holiday destination, for holiday swaps, not so much! Shalini Boland, I wasn't surprised to read, has enjoyed family holidays in Italy and her love of the country shines in her descriptions and characterisation throughout. The story pulls you in immediately and is a roller coaster from the start. Beth is an engaging main protagonist but needs a good metaphorical shake! She and Amber tell the tale between them but the latter is far more enigmatic and closed off.

There are twists, turns and 'oh' moments throughout and I especially liked being able to see what happened after the dust had settled. I often wonder how protagonists would or wouldn't be able to move on so this was a great addition to a very good read.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was a quick read which made me long for sunny days and beautiful beaches.

I can always count on author Shalini Boland to supply an exciting read and this was no exception. Interesting characters, decent plot and plenty of suspense make this a very enjoyable read.

Two families agree to swap homes so that they can each enjoy an holiday. Beth, Niall and her two boys are holidaying in a beautiful Italian villa with pool, sun and picturesque views while Amber, Lorenzo and family appear to have drawn the short straw by holidaying in Beth’s English cottage.

Beth is looking forward to a well deserved holiday but after an awkward start things only get worse. She discovers an old photograph of her husband in one of the wardrobes in the villa which has Beth scratching her head. Husband Niall’s mood is very strange and denies any knowledge of knowing Amber or her family. Tempers rise and it is only a matter of time before they have a full blown row occurs while having a meal out. Niall storms off but when Beth returns to the villa she discovers her husband lying dead on the veranda. What has happened and why?

An exciting read that is a page turner. Lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing throughout.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Shalini Boland is one of my favourite writers and I always look forward to her new books.
However, I found this one a little slow and predictable.

Shalini Boland has done it again with The Family Holiday. If you are looking for a propuslive, compelling, and thoroughly addictive read, your search is over. I must say that I absolutely love Shalini's books, and I could not wait to get my hands on her latest. I was not disappointed.

A house swap between two families will lead each of them down an unimaginable path that is anything but the relaxing vacation that they had envisioned. Tired of her life as a frustrated stay at home mother, and worn down by a husband who is tempermental and unappreciative, Beth is thrilled when Niall suggests a house swap that will take them to a beautiful Italian villa. Why Amber Mason and her family would want to swap their sun-drenched life for a stay in the cold and damp English countryside is anyone's guess, but Beth doesn't want to risk her own holiday by delving too deeply. Suffice to say, the dream holiday very quickly becomes a nightmare that will have both families wishing that they could turn back the clock. Indeed, this is one holiday that none of them will ever forget.

If you are new to the writing of Ms Boland, you will want to add this, along with all of her other titles, to your TBR immediately.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

This book certainly had my attention from start to finish. However, the characters seemed a little too simply drawn, and because Niall was such an arrogant bully, it was hard to understand why anyone would want to be with him. I also felt the ending was wrapped up a bit too quickly. Nonetheless, I found the book entertaining overall. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The Family Holiday” by Shalini Boland was an interesting idea, mixed in with a thriller element. This was a pretty fast paced book, with some interesting twists and it held my attention. I cannot say that I was fond of any of the main characters, though some of the secondary ones I found good supporting cast. I didn’t see two of the twists coming, but I also felt like the ending was a little abrupt, though it did give closure to the book. This book was a bit of wild ride. A great idea nicely executed by Ms. Boland.

Two families. One house swap. A vacation to die for… Beth and her family arrive at a gorgeous Italian villa, their home for the next two weeks but as soon as they arrive, everything starts to go wrong. They’ve swapped homes with Amber Mason and her family, but when Beth’s neighbour calls her with concerns about Amber, Beth is wondering who she has swapped homes with. This is a book of secrets and lies. I read it in less than a day as I was hooked from the start. A great novel that I can highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture, and Shalini Boalnd for my gifted copy!

Synopsis:
It should have been a quiet getaway for Beth and her family, but when she arrives at the house they're going to spend their holiday, she knows immediately that something's off. Suddenly, she's not so sure anymore that the house swap was such a good idea. And then she finds a picture of her husband in the homeowner's coat pocket ...

My thoughts:
House swaps are one of my favorite thriller tropes, and I really enjoyed this fast-paced story. While I absolutely hated Beth's husband, I loved her and her new-found friend as characters. I was gripped by the events from start to finish, I just think the ending was a liiittle bit abrupt and rushed. And whereas the ending was really, REALLY satisfying, the motive of the main perpetrator felt a bit weak.

Parts of this book reminded me of:
- Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas
- The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet
- I Let You In by Lucy Clarke
- The Happy Couple by Samantha Hayes

This was my first book by this author.

#TheFamilyHoliday #NetGalley
OMG!!! EPILOGUE WAS CLEVER.
Niall and Beth engage in a house swap with Renzo and Amber. They aren't so innocent as they're seeming in the first impression. Berh is discovering many things about the other couple while getting bullied by Niall who's a terrible husband. And Amber is behind the scenes pulling strings, manipulating. There is the perfect family with the perfect holiday and with the almost perfect murder. I'm saying almost because there's no such thing like perfect murder.
One wife is innocent while the other one is the mastermind. I'm not going to say more about the story. I can only tell that it's a story about a House swap gone terribly wrong and the past coming to catch them even on the other side of the world.
The epilogue was clever. I thought i figured it out but left it because Amber kept me engaged in her terrific activities.
It's a fun read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advance copy.