Starting this was really slow, but eventually it picked up and kept me very engrossed. Very well written and engaging!

I wanted to like this so much and especially enjoyed the premise, but I DNFed after 20% ish. The “present day” timeline and chapters intrigued me a lot, but the chapters in the past were weird and didn’t engage me. I’m wondering if there’s going to be a cult theme emerging with Victor which is a trope I don’t really like. Thanks anyway for the ARC!

Ooof the beginning for this one was rough to get through. I nearly didn’t continue because it was just dragging so much. It got a lot more interesting towards the end, but I’m not sure the end is enough to carry the book. If the premise intrigues you, you could give it a go. But be prepared for a lot of powering through some boring bits.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Serenity Falls where couples can come to find a new beginning.
When her husband Victor is killed in a car crash which leaves a woman in a coma- her world falls apart. Who was the woman? Why was she with Victor? She begins the search for answers. Can she run Serenity Falls alone? She must someway keep up the good image. Was her whole life a lie?

I really enjoyed this book. Lorraine’s husband suddenly dies with a young woman in the car with him, her world is shaken to the core. Why was her husband not where he said he was? Who is this girl who is now in a coma? Secrets just tumble out and the don’t stop. Lorraine must discover who this girl is and why her husband was with her. She quickly finds her husband isn’t the man she thought he was. Lorraine also discovers she’s not who she thought she was either.
I loved the surprises and secrets throughout this book. I definitely recommend reading this fascinating domestic thriller.

Not as good as her others, this book was unfortuNately predictable and seemed to drag on a bit of the story

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

There are so many secrets, so many lies uncovered. How far will she go to stop the truth coming out ? The plot and twist was very interesting even if I felt that it was really slow paced and too long. It was still an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of the Marriage Retreat.

If I've ever read of a slow burn, this would be it. The Marriage Retreat is too drawn out that it kind of made me lose my focus on it a lot. I had difficulty getting through it and to be honest, I never did. I kind of wish I DNF'd it because it was really dull for me. It's just not for me and I'm very disappointed with it since I really like the premise of the book.

I didn't find myself empathizing for any characters and the sudden appearances of the backstories in the middle of the chapters were just confusing. It's like one of those old soap operas or telenovelas that my mom used to watch.

I think this would work for those who like slow paced thrillers that are written in quite a complex style.

Interesting storyline though one of the relationships creeped me out. I really prefer not to read about relationships like that in my fiction! I also found the pacing rather slow and my interest waned after a while. Not my kind of book, I’m afraid.

3 stars from me.

The Marriage Retreat is told in several different POVs as well as present time and past. It is written with articulation, describing events and emotions well. The plot is a VERY SLOW burn. That made it difficult for me to stay focused on the book. The Ireland and Scottish way of speaking was also prominent in the book. This doesn’t usually affect the book for me but this book was on the heavy side making it difficult for me to understand at times. I had to look up a lot of the terms used in this book to understand what some sentences meant.

The plot was very predictable and I never found any jaw dropping twist. This is a psychological thriller with a slow, predictable plot.

Thank you, Bookouture for the eARC read.
#TheMarriageRetreat
#NetGalley

This was really slow and I almost DNFed since I found the beginning confusingly written. It took almost 60% for me to get into the book and I didn't really care about Lorraine and her trying to figure out what her husband was hiding. When everything started to come together, I was more interested and ultimately glad I stuck with it. I think it was the writing that just didn't work for me, but I did like the resolution of the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! Review live now on GoodReads and StoryGraph.

I love a good whodunnit kind of book but this just misses the mark for me. The main character was hard to relate too and some parts of the story were hard to get into. If you can get through the beginning it does get a little better but this just wasn’t for me.

What an entertaining book! Great characters with interesting and diverse backgrounds - and just when you think you know some of them, boom! You learn something unexpected. There are plenty of secrets and lies, mysteries, crimes, relationship troubles, and it's all set against the backdrop of Rekindle Connections - a program held at beautiful Serenity Falls where couples learn to rebuild and strengthen their relationships. It is moderately paced, which is perfect for gradually revealing the many aspects and details of what's going on. This was my first book by Laura Elliot, but it won't be my last. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book early!

Lorraine and her husband run a marriage retreat for couples looking to rekindle that spark, but when her husband dies, Lorraine has to confront the secrets he left behind.

This was my first book by this author, but it will not be my last! It took me until about 50% into the book before I was really invested in the story, but after that, it was great!

I ate this book UP! Loved the pacing and the layout of the story. Great plot (and plot twists!) and loved the characters too. Such a fun thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat! I definitely plan to read more of Laura’s Elliot’s books!

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC! ❤️

OMG, you guys need to check out "The Marriage Retreat" by Laura Elliot! 📚 I read in a day. This book totally blew my mind, seriously! It's an intense thriller that had me questioning my whole dang relationship! 😱 I can't even find the right words to express how freaking awesome it was!

So, at first, I thought I had the plot all figured out. And boy, was I wrong! 🙅‍♂️ This book is a total master of deception – nothing is as simple as it seems! There were so many crazy twists and turns that I never saw coming, and it had me doubting everything!

The writing, the plot, the atmosphere, everything is perfect it is beautifully written.

The book follows Lorrane, the wife of a marriage "guru" Victor, who died in a tragic accident. But he was not alone when this happened. He was with a young mysterious woman who is now in a coma. As Lorraine moves on with her life and tries to reopen the marriage retreat, secrets are being discovered and Lorraine will do anything to keep the life she worked so hard for.

I loved how the story took its time unfolding, keeping me hooked without rushing the big reveals. The slow pace was actually what made it so gripping. And the best part? The multiple POVs! It wasn't just one person's perspective; we got insights from different characters, which made it even more intense!

Big shoutout to NetGalley for hooking me up with this ARC! 🙌 And let me tell you, this review is totally honest and based on my own personal opinion. If you want a page-turning, mind-bending thriller, grab this book ASAP! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 #TheMarriageRetreat #NetGalley

Usually I don't read adult or new adult books,but a triller is a thriller,and I'm happy to say the marriage retreat doesn't desapoint. I started it thinking I already have all the answers but en d up staring at the wall for fifteen minutes because I just couldn't process what was that than I've been trough. Would totally recomend this one.

The Marriage Retreat is a good whodunnit book. It’s pretty predictable, but the characters are well-developed and the story keeps you intrigued. The fact that Aidan and Megan had romantic feelings for each other but were related to each other kind of creeped me out. That storyline is very reminiscent of a daytime soap opera. Overall, it was a good book, but it wasn’t a great book. Thank you for the ARC.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an early copy of The Marriage Retreat. This was an EXCELLENT plot, kept me glued to my kindle!!!! Lorraine would do ANYTHING to keep her image intact, WOW!!!! There was a bit tough reading and understanding what was going on in the beginning but it all came together very nicely. I have to admit, I cried at the end, soooo realistic and sad. This book I will NOT FORGET for a long time, definitely will be telling my friends about it. Thank you again.

Book Review 📚
The Marriage Retreat by Laura Elliot - 4.5/5 ⭐

Holy hell. This book has left me questioning my entire relationship! What an absolute mind blowing thriller. I cannot put into enough words how phenomenal this was.

I read the first couple of pages and I instantly thought "yep I know where this is going" and was calling myself a know-it-all. How wrong I was! It didn't only have me questioning myself but questioning the book! Like nothing was as simple as it seems, there was so many possible options that I didn't even see them coming.

I love that the book had a slow pace to it so it wasn't all revealed instantly and it wasn't predictable. The slow pace is what actually kept me reading. The jumping between POVs really made the book that much better. It was never just one person and their thoughts! It was a page turning and a wonderfully structured thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoture for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.