I received a free copy of The Birthday Reunion by Claire Seeber in return for an honest review.

The Birthday Reunion is a suspense thriller that revolves around four women—Simone, Hannah, Vicky, and Jodie—whose close friendship was shattered by a betrayal. The story begins with an invitation from Jodie, the friend who betrayed them, to a luxurious getaway on a Mediterranean island. Upon arrival, the women discover that Jodie isn’t there, and they are left to unravel the mystery of what is going on.

Told from the perspectives of all four women, the narrative shifts between past and present, giving readers a good sense of the characters' lives and the dynamics of their friendship. The author does a decent job of developing each character, but I felt that there were times when the plot became a bit too convoluted, making it harder to keep track of everything. There were many opportunities for the story to be more intense, especially in terms of the "creepy" factor, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to its potential.

For me, a true suspense thriller should "grab me by the throat and not let go," and I didn’t quite feel that level of intensity here. The pacing was slow at times, and though there were several twists, they didn’t hit with the shock and excitement I had hoped for. That said, the setting—a secluded island with fancy, movie-worthy accommodations—did add to the suspenseful atmosphere, and I appreciated the mix of luxury and eerie undertones. The suspense wasn’t absent, but it didn’t quite escalate to the level I was expecting.

The characters themselves were intriguing, though not particularly likable. While they were mostly tolerable, I found Hannah to be particularly immature and petty, which made it difficult to sympathise with her at times. The end of the book did have some interesting revelations, but I felt there were lingering questions that never quite got answered in the way I was hoping.

Overall, The Birthday Reunion is a fast-paced and engaging read that I did enjoy. However, I would have liked more closure and a few more thrills along the way to make it truly unforgettable.

A decent read. Slow build, closed proximity.
Jodie is turning 40 - and invites the women who used to be in her group to her party. In the Mediterranean. Expense free. Who would said no? But they should - oh yes!

Initially the book is very slow paced, you are drip fed information and it is really not until the half way mark that things pick up. I didn’t find the ending very satisfying and at times I was left shaking my head as I felt a bit puzzled in parts. I did enjoy this other than the ending but feel like it could have been faster paced from the start.

So much tension in this one! It kept me gripped from the very beginning, along with the fascinating dynamics between the 'friends'. I read it in one evening.

Incredible… so twisty and suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t put it down and more importantly I didn’t want to. It pulled me in from the very beginning and kept me glued to it until late in the night. I wasn't stopping until I finished it. There are SO many twists and turns that your head will be spinning trying to figure out what is going to happen next. I absolutely loved this and can't wait to read more by this author in the future.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

A great thriller - I would recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Okay this was a chilling thriller. Three friends suddenly receive an invitation to their estranged friend’s birthday party after years of no contact. They decided to accept since hey it’s a free holiday to Ibiza but the catch is that their former friend didn’t invite them. The plot was interesting but the first half is basically an info dump. Things started to get moving during the second half and the ending was meh.

I wasn't sure who to trust and who to like in this book! The suspense was heartstopping and I was on the edge of my seat the entire book!!

#TheBirthdayReunion #NetGalley
3 friends receive invitations to a 40th birthday party on the party island of Ibiza. The party is for their long lost friend, Jodie, who years ago betrayed all 3 of the women in various different ways. This leads all of them to wonder why they have received the invite and most of all, should they go?
All 3 ladies do decide on going in the end, all be it reluctantly, the arrival is a little stilted, but when they finally arrive on the secluded island villa, they are met with a surprised Jodie, as according to her, she didn’t invite them! The weekend then unravels at a pretty quick pace as does the story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advance copy.

Whoa! That was mind-blowing! I loved it! That twist really changed everything for me because this was definitely a slow-burn. Wow!

Thrilling storyline of a group of friends having a reunion.

Lots of twists and turns that keep the pages turning!

i have to admit this wasn't very original, but it was entertaining enough to keep me glued to the pages.
seeber's writing is particular and articulate, and she definitely can create suspense.
despite this novel not being unique in its genre, it's definitely a pleasant read and one that kept me entertained.

Three friends receive an invitation to a former friend's birthday party in Ibiza and all decide to accept despite their falling out 20 years before. The three friends arrive and the birthday girl doesn't know why they are there. Then, other past friends begin arriving. The story has potential but just wasn't for me. The timeline and plot holes left me wondering what was happening.

Holy moly!! What a breathtaking ride this book was. The pages were glued to my hands and they turned themselves. I didn't want to look away in case I missed something.

What a fun birthday read. I didn’t guess the twists and I enjoyed the character development. I thought the writing was good and the atmosphere as well.

I’ve read pretty much all of this author’s books so when this one appeared on Netgalley to request, it was a no brainer as I have enjoyed all of her other work.

This wasn’t maybe quite as good as her other books, but it was still a good premiss of a story.

3 friends receive invitations to a 40th birthday party on the party island of Ibiza. The party is for their long lost friend, Jodie, who years ago betrayed all 3 of the women in various different ways. This leads all of them to wonder why they have received the invite and most of all, should they go?

All 3 ladies do decide on going in the end, all be it reluctantly, the arrival is a little stilted, but when they finally arrive on the secluded island villa, they are met with a surprised Jodie, as according to her, she didn’t invite them! The weekend then unravels at a pretty quick pace as does the story.

The story flips between the present time (the weekend away) and the past, where you learn the various betrayals.

For me it just lacked something unlike her earlier books. The characters are all pretty unlikeable, a mix of naivety and self interest.

I give this 3.5/5 (rounded down to 3).

A good read
Loved it from the first page to the last
A book written from each characters perspectives
Will have you just turning the pages to get to the end
Thanks NetGalley

it was okay, nothing to go home about. if you want a quick and easy thriller, this is perfect to read in a day or two.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of The Birthday Reunion by Claire Seeber from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. HOLY COW this book is outstanding! It pulled me in from the very beginning and kept me glued to it until late in the night. I wasn't stopping until I finished it. There are SO many twists and turns that your head will be spinning trying to figure out what is going to happen next. I absolutely loved this and can't wait to read more by this author in the future.

I’ve seen movies with this plot of friends reuniting on a weekend trip away. And it always seems to end in disaster. This was a great idea of the friends being invited separately, but who invited them? The chapters are short and keep you hooked. Questions at every corner. The ending didn’t come together the way I had hoped. It felt rushed. But worth the ride nonetheless!