Wow I literally couldn't put this down, right from the off, I was hooked. The story, the characters, the plot just fit together perfectly.

Listen, this one was entertaining, I’ll give it that. And I am a person who LOVES short chapters because I refuse to put a book down in the middle of a chapter. So this one was definitely good for that.

But…it was predictable. Obviously the family was going to make it out safe and the perpetrator was going to get caught and reprimanded by the law. It was predictable at every turn. I didn’t hate it…but I also didn’t love it. It was good. That’s really all I have to say about it.

If you’re dipping your foot into thrillers for the first time, maybe this is the book for you. It’s not incredibly suspenseful, but it will hold you attention and it might be less obvious if you’re not familiar with the genre.

Firstly, I am thankful for the opportunity to have received a free advanced copy of this eBook through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Karen needs a break, she’s still hung up on her husband’s affair from a year ago. With work, family life, 2 unruly boys to look after, it all gets a bit too much. So when her new friend Eve recommends a lovely holiday house that she knows, Karen can’t refuse the brief time away to herself.

However things are never as they seem, could Karen and her family soon be in danger….?

I rate this Ebook 4 stars and would recommend to those who enjoy a suspense thriller.

#TheBreak #NetGalley

At a new friend's suggestion, Karen books a two night stay at a vacation house near her own home. She's looking forward to a little bit of time away from her busy schedule, away from her husband and rambunctious boys. By the second chapter, the reader knows exactly who is out to get her, but not the full details behind the other woman's plan. The chapters alternate between Karen and her stalker, with an occasional chapter from her husband's point of view. Of the three, he's the most developed character, but wow does that man lack judgment. The pace is slow and I felt that there was a lot of unnecessary repetition to pad the book's short length. The pace finally picks up over the last few pages, but it was too little too late.

Karen has a busy life between working, her husband, looking after two children and doing household chores. One day it becomes too much for her and she decides to take a break by herself, staying in a holiday home recommended by her friend Eve. But things aren't as pleasant as they seem and Karen and her family could be in terrible danger...

Yet another brilliant book by Daniel Hurst, he is definitely my favourite author. The story is tense and thrilling and keeps you turning the pages until the end. Recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I’ve read a lot of books by this author and have found them fast paced, easy reads in the thriller/mystery category with various degrees of implausibility. However this time I really struggled to accept the many plot twists which had characters behaving irrationally and the general premise of the story - revenge - was hard to get on board with because of the unlikely way it was planned and executed.
The wife (Karen) was not an especially likeable character but as a pleasant change her husband Peter, despite being portrayed as pretty useless as both a father and a husband was allowed to develop and redeem himself at the end of the book. The main problem I had with the story was that I didn’t really engage enough with any of the characters to care about what happened to them.
I do think the author is talented and creative and I will definitely be looking out for future books from him even if this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I debated between 4 and 5 stars for this book, but on balance it has to be 5!
Read it in a day with barely any breaks, but the breaks that I took just meant that I was thinking about it and wanted to get back to it!
A really gripping read, with loads of twists to keep me wanting more, and the multiple POVs were well defined with concern from the reader that they were gentle, vague characters with no personality! I was concerned about how memorable it is, but I'm even still thinking about it after finishing it last night!
Just what I needed. A new author for me but will definitely read more from him!

I was so excited to read this, even more excited to discover I could read it straight away.

I absolutely love Daniels books, and each one just gets better and better! It genuinely kept me enthralled from page one. Five of five stars

I’m not sure how I feel about this story to be honest. I liked the suspenseful moments and I wanted to know how this will end because I was interested in seeing if the “villain “ will be caught and how much this family has to go through before that. Also to see if Karen will decide to trust her husband and stay with him.
Overall is an addictive story that kept me intrigued throughout the chapters.

3.5 stars NetGalley arc

The Break tells the story of married couple Karen and Peter. Karen feels overwhelmed due to events in her life and decides to stay in a holiday home for a short while to recharge. Unfortunately this triggers events involving a third party, who has sinister plans for the couple, to begin.

Stalker style thrillers are usually always good for an exciting read, and there's a good concept here. Karen seems believable as an overworked and underappreciated mother and wife, and she's easy to sympathize with on her quest for some breathing room. The story is written from three POVs, Karen, Peter, and the mysterious watcher described in the blurb.

This structure is where the story falls down for me. I feel this stalker style of book is most effective when not too much is revealed about the villain. If you are doing a POV from them, a few pages scattered through the book is usually enough. Here, every second chapter or so is from the watcher's POV, which leads to a crazy amount of redundant information. We see Karen eating chocolates and reading a book from her POV. The next chapter then inevitably repeats the same information, Karen's eating chocolates and reading a book again, but it's seen through the Watcher's eyes. This goes on through the whole book and the redundancy just drags things down. I understand the author's trying to get across how the victims are vulnerable and have no privacy, but it really slows the book down.

There's a good idea here, but it just didn't grip me. A good thriller will have me rushing me to the end and thinking about it when I'm not reading it - that didn't happen here.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

WOW !!! I raced through this book. Gripping from the start and everything that a psychological thriller should be. Dont take my word for it........................................read it ! You wont be disappointed
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC

One of my favourite authors since reading the passengers I’ve read almost all his books. After just finishing we used to live here I started on the break. I don’t even know how to start this review as I know my words will never do it justice. Each time I pick one of this authors books up, I wonder how it is going to top their previous book as each and every one I’ve read has absolutely blown me away and warmed me to the core.I read this book very quickly, gulping it down as though I’d been deprived of good fiction for months. Brilliant as always can’t wait to see what you bring out next!

I just love the way Daniel Hurst writes female characters, and he'll always be an auto-buy for me!

Karen is still reeling a year later after learning of her husband's affair. Despite his remorse, he doesn't seem to be doing enough to make it up to her, and she just wants a break from everything - the house, the kids...Peter. So when she complains to her new friend from the gym, and her friend not only agrees with her, but suggests a cool, local vacation house, Karen can't pack her bags fast enough.

Will Karen enjoy her break? Will Peter learn to appreciate Karen when he has to cook and take care of the kids...or will he stray? And who is watching all of them? All in good time, dear reader....and it will be worth it to read this fast-paced thriller!

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for making my heart race!

The Break by Daniel Hurst is another pulse-pounding thriller from a master of the genre. I could not wait to get my hands on his latest, and I was not at all disappointed.

Karen is a busy wife and mother who is feeling a bit burnt out. It is not easy keeping up with her two energetic boys, while at the same time trying to heal her marriage following her husband's recent infidelity. When her friend Eve suggests that she take a solo break at a holiday house not far from home it seems the perfect opportunity for a rest and reset. But what Karen doesn't realize is that someone is watching her, and it seems that they might have some very specific intentions. Just who is watching the exhausted mother from the shadows as she enjoys an innocuous and low key break from her everyday life?

If you are looking to be fully immersed in an utterly addictive read, then look no further. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an ARC.

I've seen a lot of praise for this author so was keen to try one of his books.

A thriller with three narrators, a wife, her husband and her friend. Strictly no spoilers as the fun is working out what's going on for yourself, suffice to say one of the characters has cheated, one is innocent and one is hellbent on revenge.

The prologue sees the Police picking through the wreckage of a burnt out house, suspected arson.

It's written in a quick and easy style, my favourite part is the villain's plotting, they're very good at being bad.

Generally, I prefer more depth, detail and description in a novel, but while it didn't set my world alight it was fairly entertaining.


Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books

Wow vengeance is sometimes a terrible thing! This book definitely had a woman set on revenge! Her best friend had an affair with a married man and then she killed herself when the married man picked his wife instead of her! The best friend sets her revenge on the man and his whole family! With some terrible consequences! This book had suspense, intrigue, and kind of a who done it, we know who did it but the main characters do not! Lol I will definitely recommend reading this book as it was a great read! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I enjoy Daniel Hurst's books, The Break did not disappoint. At different times throughout the book I wanted to scream at all the characters, which I believe means it was a great book. I love reading the different POV and trying to guess what each person will do next or is thinking. I wish there was one more twist at the end to leave me wheeling, but the ending was enough to get me to continue to read more from this author!

“Is it normal to not want to go on holiday with your family?”

Karen is at her limit. She’s emotionally, physically and mentally drained because she has given everything she has to everyone who needs her…and she just wants a little time to herself. A chance to recharge, relax and reassure herself she’s going to make it. For the past 12 years she’s put her husband, Peter, first and for 8 of those years, her son, Noah, and the last 6, Oscar. One night away is not too much to ask. Or is it?

If we could ask Peter if it was worth it, he’d say no. It definitely wasn’t worth it for Karen. The one who paid the ultimate price for the retreat was her friend, Eve.

You’ll need to read this quick ‘n easy psychological thriller to find out what secrets #23 Churchill Road is keeping. I promise you’ll think twice before heading off to an Airbnb next time you need to get away from it all!!!

Hurst has his finger on the pulse of what readers are looking for in a good thriller. He takes an everyday action and puts his signature spin on it and leaves readers breathless. You’ll know the end result with the prologue, you’ll suspect what’s happening early on, but you’ll be on the rollercoaster ride of a lifetime as you watch how far someone will go to exact revenge and retribution. It doesn’t come out of left field, it’s been boiling and toiling for a while, but as a reader, you’re only spoon-fed little bits every few chapters and kept in the dark. Buckle up. Enjoy the ride.

I was given this advance copy by Daniel Hurst, Inkubator Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This was a really enjoyable read. It was well written with a triple narrative that really added an extra layer to the book, and well developed characters that were relatable. The plotline was gripping with twists and unpredictablility that kept me on my toes. A great read.

Thank you Netgalley for this early copy.

Karen is a wife and mother who spends all her life consumed in work and taking care of her two young boys. Lately, she desperately feels she has no time for herself and her needs. So it is a nice surprise when her friend suggests taking a vacation on her own for a weekend at a beautiful house in the country. She has no idea of the dark history of the house and it's occupant and soon things take a turn for the worst. This was a quick, fun read.