I found The Beach Party to be a great summer read. I liked the dual timeline aspect of the story and there were plenty of twists and turns that kept me hooked.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Despite the anti-climactic ending, I did enjoy this.
The dynamic between the friends was interesting to read and there were characters I liked, and some I didn't.
I wish I could have read about what happened to each of the characters after they left the villa before they got their mysterious email. And I wish I had read each character receiving their email.
The mystery of the emailer was good, it literally could have been anyone, but it was a little bit of a disappointing reveal. I felt like there could have been more thriller aspects.
The 1989 chapters were really well done and kept me reading.
I received a copy via NetGa;;ey and all opinions are my own.

I like a book where the story is something that could occur in real life, but unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations. The Beach Party is about unconventional friendships that highlight the intricate web of relationships and the delicate balance between power and vulnerability. However, the overall believability of the story left much to be desired.

The novel revolves around a group of 6 university friends, led by Nina the seemingly rich and self-centred party girl, who all embark on a vacation to Nina’s parents lavish villa in Mallorca. However, beneath the glamorous facade, the dynamics within this friendship circle are far from ordinary. Rather than close-knit friends, they seem more like a group of acquaintances who ended up traveling together, most with dark secrets from their past.

As we delve deeper into the lives of these characters, it becomes clear that each one is flawed in their own way. Claire, seemingly trapped in an eternal quest for Nina's approval, prioritizes her every whim to an excessive degree. Zoe, on the other hand, finds herself on the outskirts of the group, alienated from the hushed conversations and private exchanges shared between Nina and Claire. And then there's Seb, a loyal companion to Nina, whose loyalty comes at a price. Burdened by a dark secret skilfully wielded by Nina as a means of control, Seb serves as her faithful lapdog, obeying her every command. Aiden and Will left much to be desired.

Nina embodies a character type we've encountered many times before. Her predictable behaviour lacks depth and fails to evoke any empathy or interest from the reader. Whilst the backstory of most of the male characters is explored, I don’t recall reading anything about Nina, Zoe or Claires childhood/parents. Additionally, the group dynamic feels strained and forced, with tension brewing between two of the male characters.
While the characters in "The Beach Party" are intricately woven into the fabric of the story, unfortunately, none of them managed to evoke a genuine connection. Their actions and motivations often leave the reader questioning their likability and relatability. However, despite these shortcomings, Nikki Smith masterfully captures the complexity and intrigue that can arise within friendship circles, even if this particular group falls short of being entirely endearing.

The Beach Party takes readers on a sun-drenched journey filled with secrets, manipulation, and hidden agendas. Excitement is attempted through various twists and turns, they fall short of leaving a lasting impact. These minor plot twists, add depth to the story, but left me feeling confused and I still have questions such as how was Zoe treated for her injuries and how did Zoe and Will get home, what happened next?

Regrettably, I found little enjoyment in this novel. The unconvincing plotline and weird group dynamic made it difficult to immerse myself in the story or develop any connection with the narrative.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Penguin General UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

Hold onto your hats and prepare for a twisty, murky ride!

There are more layers of deceit in this book than you would think possible!

In 1989 a group of friends, well some of them already don’t get on, go on holiday together. While their tragedy befalls them! Who is to blame? Who gets out alive? And who 33 years later wants to bring them all back together?

A largely unlikeable bunch of people, a gritty, twisty and dark plot. This book somehow managed to be both fast paced and feel like it was dragging. At times I was riveted and at others I wondered how long it would take.

A good read that certainly keeps you on your toes. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

This one wasn't quite what I expected, I wasn't prepared for the dual timelines, but it was an addition that I really enjoyed. There were many twists and turns throughout this that I didn't see coming and a few that I did.

I found a few of the chapters a little slow, and not many of them were very likable, but I can appreciate that they may have purposely been written this way.

I enjoyed how the story unfolded and I would definitely pick up another read by Smith!

First time I've heard of this author I enjoyed this one and the little twist at the end a good summer read

Blimey - that was a bit stressful. But in a REALLY GOOD WAY! Nikki Smith is known for building tension and keeping us guessing, but she has surpassed herself with The Beach Party.
I love a little bit of 80s nostalgia (and she was absolutely spot on with the details, big and small) and a summer read that takes me away to somewhere more glamorous than my own back garden. This ticked all the boxes.
Definitely recommend this pacey and twisty thriller.

Six university friends grab the opportunity of a cheap holiday in a borrowed villa in Majorca.

Tangled relationships and secrets within the group lead to a tense holiday which ends when they’re involved in a serious accident.

30 years later they are contacted by someone who knows their secret!

You know from the start of this book that is going to have you on edge. The characters are mostly unlikeable with each having a secret and all of them have a reason to dislike at least one of their fellow travellers.

This is a good summer read (I wish I’d read it on holiday a couple of weeks ago) with plenty of twists and a great ending.

Thanks to netgalley, PenguinUKBooks VikingBooksUK for this ARC I received for an honest review.

3.5 stars.
So... back in 1989 six friends went on their hollibobs to one of the gang, Nina's parent's villa in Mallorca. There was a little bit of shenanigans on the way there but, once they got there, things really kicked off... A beach party, arrived at by boat, with drink and drugs, and a very late, tired, inebriated, boat journey home ended in tragedy. Being upstanding kids on the cusp of adulthood, the rest of their lives, and showing great responsibility, they decide to sweep it all under the carpet. All involved were "involved" and it was an accident and... well, they shouldn't have to suffer...
Shocking I know... but that's what happened.
Fast forward to the now and the secret they hid for decades is infiltrating their present. Emails are received... Someone is threatening exposure... Unless they all go back and face what they did... Now, who didn't see that coming!
Throw in a few more secrets and a few more shenanigans along the way and you got yourself one heck of a wild ride... a bit on the eye rolley side. Shockingly over the top on occasion. And a few credibility and continuity issues which niggled and irked a bit but the rest was so much fun I can mostly forgive them.
The characters are all, well, how can I put it... nasty. Horrid. I really didn't like any of them. Even Zoe, who elicited the most sympathy from me until I realised that it was her own fault she was friends with these losers so she made her bed...!
Pacing was mostly OK. A bit draggy in parts but nothing too slow that I lost interest.
All in all, a decent enough read which did engage me, left me mostly satisfied. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A good read with a great twist.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

I've enjoyed the author's previous novels so was looking forward to reading The Beach Party. It's a dual timeline novel, set in the present day and 1989 when 6 friends travel to Mallorca for a decadent post graduation celebration.
I loved the 1980s setting and the cultural references which really brought the novel to life for me. It is a slow burn novel that took me a while to get into and I felt that the unlikeable characters were drawn a little superficially as it took me a while to differentiate between them. An average thriller.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. Set mainly in 1989 it is the story of 6 friends who have just graduated and are on holiday in Majorca. There is clearly a lot of history between them, which becomes clearer as the story progresses. They are having a great time drinking, smoking and enjoying the sea and sun. Then, one night after a beach party, tragedy strikes , and the group find themselves covering up a serious crime. Now, 30 yeas on, somebody is determined they are going to pay for what they did. This is a real page turner that will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

This quite a good story about 6 friends from uni who go to stay in a villa in Majorca. There are 3 boys and 3 girls and at first I found it difficult to differentiate them so it could be said that they are rather thinly drawn.

It is a very easy read and keeps your interest by having all sorts of secrets between the characters mentioned as we go along but the truths are not revealed until further on in the book.

None of the characters are very likeable so I felt a certain detachment and no involvement with them. The book does show the dreadful things reckless, self centred people will do when bad things happen to them. I found their actions to be just about believable and I suppose it does make you think about what you would do in the (unlikely) event that you found yourself in similar circumstances.

I felt that the roundup when they all go back to the villa was fairly believable with some interesting reveals but i did not like the actual end - the existence of the recording seemed just too convenient and I am surprised that anyone would be prosecuted today under the Act mentioned.

This was my first book by Nikki Smith. It is a mystery thriller with a dual timeline based in 1989 and the present day.

A tragedy occurs in 1989 and, in the present day, it seems like someone knows the secret.

I found this to be an engaging book and enjoyed the dynamics of the friend group. Once I got started, I read this one quite quickly.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review and the very best of luck to the author in their future career.

A gripping thriller that brought me back in time and surprised me with all the twists. There's nostalgia of the past, a tense plot and a cast of well developed characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love Mallorca & the title/cover of this book grabbed my attention straightaway.

It’s 1989, six friends head off to Mallorca to celebrate university graduation. Fast forward to present day where the group are receiving anonymous emails regarding that holiday & their secrets.

Well balanced between past & present with enough twists & reveals to keep me happy. These were not superfluous; they were necessary to keep the story flowing & explain some of the characters’ behaviour. Speaking of the characters, I didn’t really like any of them but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.
A solid read & perfect for a holiday. Just not on Mallorca!

I really enjoyed this book , loved the way it was set in the 80s and kept moving from then to the present day . Really interesting characters and individual stories that became their life in the 35 years after the event . Loved the twist at the end too . All in all this was a great book and a fantastic summer read . I will definitely recommend this book , 5 stars from me .

This is an interesting page turner and a really good beach read.

Love that it was set in the 80s when travelling abroad was not so common for the majority. It really got the tone of the 80s very well.

The introduction to each character wasn't great...wasn't as clear as it should have been. However, once it was established who was who..the characters were very well rounded and felt very real.

I was really eager to see the story unfold. However when what happened was finally revealed (which took alot longer than I would have liked) it was just very far fetched.

I know there has been a very similar case in the news recently, but even so this took it those few steps too far. It became very lord of the flies, out of almost nowhere.

The ending was very satisfying and overall did enjoy the book as a whole, just think the actual incident should have been slightly more realistic as the rest of the story and the characters were, at times, very relatable.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn't read one of this author's books before, but will definitely look for her others after reading this.

The story of six friends is told mainly in flash back, with moments from the present day, interspersed throughout. The friends are looking forward to holidaying at Nina's luxury parents villa in Mallorca, but one night after a party on the beach, something dreadful happens and their lives will never be the same again.

I loved this book, the late 80's setting so cleverly brought to life by mentions of bubblegum pink lipstick, Sony Walkmans and descriptions of the music and perfumes of the time. The oppressive heat and atmosphere was also wonderfully captured and I could almost picture myself there. The characters were so realistic and although not all likeable (Nina I'm looking at you!), all were believable. The tension is expertly created and builds so you just have to keep on reading. I didn't guess the outcome either, always a bonus for me!

If you like anything by T M Logan, Lucy Clarke or Mark Edwards, then you will love this! Read it on a beach or beside a pool somewhere, or at home, but just read it!

Thanks to author Nikki Smith, publishers Penguin UK and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was instantly hooked by the premise of this book - six university friends, a beach party, an accident. I could easily picture the Mallorca setting with the drunken beach party and tumultuous sea at night. It made for the perfect twisted summer read.
I enjoyed how each chapter was told from a different person's perspective as their secrets and past were slowly revealed. I started to gradually understand each character and in some cases, how they related to their modern day selves.
However, I did find the start slow. The build up to the beach party was almost completely set in the past with no current day POV. I think more of a change in POV would've made me more interested and invested in the story. Instead, I was just waiting for the beach party to happen and was little bored.
After the beach party though, I was hooked and desperate to find out what happened, worrying about Zoe.

All in all, a thrilling read that once it got going, kept me thinking of the story even when I wasn't reading it.