What I love most about The Family Holiday, by Shalini Boland is the way that you’re instantly captivated in to the story. Very few authors grab my attention the way this author does. If you’re looking for a book that has interesting characters, a shocking ending, a plot that will keep you hooked- read this!! I finished it in less than 24 hours!

I think it’s impossible for Shalini to write a mediocre book!
Another belter of a read from the brilliant author

A quick, easy-to-read thriller about a house swap that goes horribly wrong should have been right up my alley! The author is a great writer and I sped through this book, but the characters were all so incredibly unlikeable that I ultimately didn't care what happened to any of them. Rounding up because the final epilogue was a great twist, but it couldn't make up for the awfulness of all the main characters throughout the other 95% of the book. I loved the descriptions of the Amalfi Coast and the English countryside, making it an easy read that is perfect for the beach, but overall it just left me a little disappointed. I'm excited to see what Shalini Boland does next though! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Another excellent read by the wonderful Shalini Boland, her books draw me in right from the First page and I read this in a day.
The author creates such vivid characters who you love and hate, I loathed Niall from the First page and it was quickly clear that Amber was a sociopath. As usual not everything is as it seems, and this author has the ability to always shock you with something you never saw coming, right at the end.
Great characters and a great plotline, written brilliantly, highly recommend this great read.

Two families both decide that they need a chance to reset; to spice up their life. Insert a house swap website. Amber and Beth connect and swap their houses - Amber wanting to show her children her roots in England, and Beth wanting to experience. Proper, glamour outs holiday in Italy. However, the trips do not help settle the families back to a honeymoon-like love affair as they had hoped.
Boland does a great job of switching between Amber and Beth’s points of view to keep the reader on their toes. It is hard to put down because you want to know what happens, and you want to find out how the families are really connected. There are small, anecdotal thoughts peppered throughout the story, and you are left wondering who is thinking these thoughts. When Beth’s husband is found dead, she questions what she really knew about this family she swapped houses with.

This book was great. It had me hooked from the very beginning and I could not guess the ending like I usually can. I'm a huge Shalini Boland fan and this was my favorite book of hers so far! She described the characters so well I personally felt like I knew each one of them. She was so descriptive I felt like I could close my eyes and smell the amalfi coast! Such a good thriller I can't wait to read shalini's next book! Thank you

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shalini Boland is an amazing writer, theres no doubt about that and The Family Holiday is really well written, the story is great and addictive. The problem for me that spoiled it was Beth. Right from the first page she just irritated me. She lets herself be a walk over and puts up with her childish husband. I personally, am getting tired of reading about women like this. They're too good for their lives, they deserve better but oh maybe its all their fault.

And then the little added chapters of threats that you dont know who they're coming from where just unnecessary.

Wow, this is some book, it’s completely compelling reading! I’m already a big fan of this author, but I think this is her best yet.

The concept of the house swap for a holiday seems to be a really great idea, even though Beth and Niall seemed to be getting the better part of the bargain, with the stunning villa that they were exchanging their house for.

As soon as their holiday starts, things begin to go wrong, but with this very clever and complex plot, it’s impossible to know why, and who might be responsible. The more I got to know Amber, the less I trusted her, but what could be the link between the characters, and why would anyone wish harm on the family?

This book will keep you guessing as you race through the pages. I absolutely could not put it down, and even when it began to become clear as I got nearer to the end, I just needed to see how it was all going to end.

Completely addictive and compulsive reading, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a pacey and compelling thriller.

Wow! A rollercoaster of a book. Alternating in being told from two main characters you begin to see the telling of a unique story line. One that takes the wonderfully woven characters through a terrifyingly twisted story. No one is telling the truth it seems. Set among both a cozy, chilly England spring and a hot beautiful sunny Italy, the atmosphere is life like and brings this book to life. The finale is explosive. You won’t regret picking up this book, you just won’t be able to put it back down.

A quick, easy-to-read domestic thriller about a holiday house-swap between two families that goes horribly wrong. Beth and Niall agree to swap their cottage in Dorset, England with Amber and Renzo's villa on the Amalfi Coast for a two week family holiday after Niall suggests signing up with a house swap website. Shortly after arriving at the stunning Italian villa, Beth realizes that finding the listing might not have been a coincidence when she finds a photo of her husband in Amber's wardrobe. The story alternates narrator between Beth and Amber (plus an occasional unnamed third person) and there are a few plot twists along the way although none are very surprising until the one revealed in the final words of the Epilogue. The book is fine as an easy beach read that doesn't require too much attention but it left me a bit disappointed as I was expecting more of an edge-of-your-seat thriller. If you're planning to read it then it's best not to read the blurb for the book which gives away a major plot point that doesn't take place until the last quarter of the book.

I received a digital Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley.

Interesting story and character development. I was sympathetic of the wife struggles from beginning to end. Although I was not a fan of any of the characters, I enjoyed this story and found it entertaining. Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author, for allowing me to read a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I could not put this book down!
A classic tale of house swap gone wrong but this really had me turning the pages.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, or, more accurately, I hated them! They were so well written that I found myself agitated by the way they behaved.
I also liked that the book was told from two narrators and from two different countries. This made the story unpredictable and every time I thought I'd figured something out there would be a new subtle twist.
Would definitely recommend this book.
Also reviewed on my Instagram account.

Beth (a mum of two boys living in an Idyllic town in the English countryside) and Amber (a mum of two, who is living in a beautiful small town in Italy) decide to do a "houseswap" on one of those swap sites for a family vacation. Similar idea as to the movie, They Holiday. But, unbeknownst to one woman, the other knew her before they agree to swap and it may not have been exactly anonymous.

This domestic thriller is full of twists and turns and will keep you guessing until the very end. Although parts of the plot were foreseeable, other parts were not. I loved the setting, the scenery and the "summer vibes" the book gave off. If you are looking for a summer beach read, look no further than Shalini Boland's latest book. I will definitely be checking out more of her books. I found myself thinking of this one late into the night and trying to guess what was going on. With each chapter ending in a cliffhanger, this page-turner will be sure to keep you entertained this summer.

Special thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Always love a Shalini Bland book, didn’t disappoint, throughly enjoyed. Thankyou for the ARC 5 stars

I received this arc from NetGalley by the publisher. I got into reading it immediately and was hooked within a couple of pages. It’s an easy read without much thought required, but is really thrilling and makes you keep reading to see how things develop.

The story alternates between the two families who are doing a house swap, with the mother’s being the protagonists. Both holidays sound promising on paper, but each’s starts to go wrong pretty quickly.

The ending isn’t as believable as I’d like & there’s not the most logical cause and effect leading to it. It all kind of turns on it’s head close to the end and rockets towards the conclusion that is a bit unbelievable and convoluted. HOWEVER, it was enjoyable and a great read.

Perfect ‘no thought required’ beach read!

You can never go wrong with a Shalini Boland novel. Looking for twisty, suspense-filled books? Try her NOW!!

Another page turning suspense novel from Shalini Boland! I can usually count on her to get me out of a reading slump, and this was no exception. Her writing is creative & imaginative. There were some plot holes, but nothing too distracting. A fast paced, skillfully executed psychological thriller. Definitely recommend!

Wow! This book was incredible! A story full of mystery, twists and turns. I couldn't put this book down. It was easy to read but still kept me entertained and wanting more. 5 stars! You won't be disappointed if you choose this book!
Shalini Boland has an excellent style of writing. This is the first book I have read by this author but I will definitely be purchasing some of the other titles!
Thank you to Shalini Boland, NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Beth used to have a busy social life,lots of friends and aspirations of opening her own restaurant but then handsome Niall Kildare had charmed his way into her life. Now, fifteen years later, Beth's dreams,social life and friends were all just distant memories and she spent her days caring for her two young son's whilst walking on eggshells whenever Niall deemed his family were worthy of his company. Beth was desperate for a holiday but Niall had always insisted that he preferred to spend his spare time at home so she was understandably shocked when he suggested that they took part in a house swap with another couple called Amber and Renzo Mason. After some initial reluctance from Beth, the holiday was locked down and it was agreed that the Kildare's would spend two weeks in April staying at the Mason's luxurious villa that was situated on the Italian Amalfi coast whilst Amber and Renzo would be staying in Beth and Niall's rustic house in Sherbourne, Dorset.

Beth couldn't wait to spend some quality time with her husband away from the demands of his work as a best selling author but they hadn't even reached their holiday destination before things started to go wrong. Unbeknownst to Beth, she and her family were pawns in a scheming puppet master's twisted and perfectly plotted and planned production. A tale of lies,secrets,deception and ultimately murder with threads that reached back into the past.

The chapters of this captivating thriller were written from the alternating perspectives of two women who were polar opposites in character,demeanour and attitude. Beth was a loving, if at times overprotective mother to her two son's who I honestly thought very often behaved like a pair of spoiled brats. I couldn't help thinking that Beth was subconsciously forced to overcompensate during her interactions with the boys due to Niall's unpredictable behaviour and parenting skills. Other reviewer's have stated that they had thought that Beth needed to develop a backbone and was a bit of a doormat but I personally felt that her behaviour and demeanour came across as authentic and believable when you took into consideration the fact that she had spent fifteen years with a obnoxious bully like Niall. She did have her rebellious moments as demonstrated by her determination to stay friends with Sal in Dorset and Luciana in Italy.

There was absolutely no aspect of Amber's character that was likeable in any way, she was such a obnoxious individual and had so many character traits that mirrored Niall's that I thought that I thought the pair would have made a perfect couple. I thought that Amber's husband Renzo was adorable, he obviously adored his wife despite her flaws and behaviour towards him and their two children. To be honest,I very often get confused and struggle to understand some reader's observations and reactions to men like Renzo who are loyal and genuinely love their wives. The characters are very often written off as wimps and their behaviour is viewed as unrealistically sentimental. So it's wrong to beat and abuse your wife but it's also wrong to be devoted and loving towards her, that sounds very much like a case of your damned if you do and damned if you don't to me. I personally would much rather be married to someone like Renzo (which I am) than someone like Niall, thank you very much.

Interspersed throughout the story was chapters that were written in italics and voiced from the perspective of someone who we know from the beginning of the story has committed a shocking crime and is having doubts about their actions. But, who is this person and how do they fit into the drama that was unfolding under the hot Italian sun?

In my mind Shalini Boland is one of the queens of the psychological thriller genre, her stories are always guaranteed to be beautifully written,intricately plotted, addictive page turner's that keep you guessing and cause you to growl in frustration at anyone who has the audacity to interrupt you whilst you are immersed in her latest story. Her cast of vivid characters are each imbued with character traits that are authentic, realistic and relatable and as in The Family Holiday her stories generally have a unexpected concluding plot twist. I absolutely love this author's unputdownable stories and would gladly recommend her books to anyone who enjoys reading gripping, twisty thrillers.

I liked this book a lot and managed to finish it in two sessions. It had some twists and turns along the way that kept me guessing to almost the end. Do we ever really know our partners I wonder? It's amazing how some people can keep things hidden, and how far others will go to seek revenge!