This book started out really slow and seemed to take a long time to reach a climax but then it kind of fell flat. I felt like there were still so many unknown pieces of the story. I usually like hearing from different characters but in this, I found it hard to relate to them or even like them. The mystery was solved pretty early on but it still dragged on with all the different characters. There are characters I wish we would have heard from to put some of the pieces together. Overall I enjoyed parts of the story but the "twist" was predictible. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The pacing of this novel was slow and at times took me a while to get into. Some of the storyline was a little predictable and the pace is where it fell short for me. I was a little disappointed cause I am usually a Laura Elliot fan.

I received this book as an arc, and honestly I wasn’t overly impressed.
The writing style was very overdrawn, and lengthy for just your casual thriller.
I found the story to be slow, and drawn out.
The first half the book was rather drab, but the second half did pick up while we tried to learn who the mystery woman was in the car.

Honestly, as quickly as I a read this book.. I’ve forgotten most of it.

I had high hopes of this book as I have read previous books by Laura Elliot and I found the idea of a marriage retreat appealing. However I found it slow to get into and as it went from Ireland to California to Scotland with different lines and so many different characters , I became a bit confused and found the story a bit disjointed. . I did find it hard to finish.

I found this one thought to get into and hard to stay engaged. Sadly I didn’t really love any of the characters including the main character Lorraine.

I feel like this one could have been told much quicker.

This book isn’t for me.

It is long winded and so descriptive. It goes on for pages and pages. I feel like the book is so unnecessarily long. The premise was super intriguing but I just couldn’t get into the actually story. I am thinking because of the insane amount of detail muddled the story a bit.

I delved into Laura Elliot's The Marriage Retreat expecting a gripping tale of unraveling secrets, and the initial setup truly drew me in. Victor, the charismatic leader of a couples' retreat in Sedona, Arizona, lured me into a world of mindfulness, yoga, and mystique. However, when his sudden death reveals a mysterious woman in the car with him, the narrative takes a thrilling turn, threatening the very foundations of the marriage haven they had built.

Yet, as the plot unfolded, my anticipation waned. The mystery, promising at the beginning, unveiled its cards too early, leading to a somewhat predictable trajectory. Even the protagonist's descent into desperation felt foreseeable. The story seemed to lose its edge, and what started as a compelling exploration of secrets and consequences became somewhat lackluster.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when the guru who runs marriage retreats is involved in a fatal accident with an unknown young woman in his car at the time? Who is she? Why lie to his wife about his whereabouts?
   His wife of 26 years discovers on his death that he had decided to change his will, leaving her and their son without means of income. But there may be hope, the will wasn’t signed which leads to behavior that leads to more deceit and lies.
   A journalist with a grudge against the man is determined to uncover the truth and and bare it all for the world to see and the satisfaction of destroying his reputation and that of the business.
   Twists and turns result out of desperate measures by the characters. An enjoyable domestic thriller.

Wasn’t able to get into this book. It was really slow and is my first DNF. It dragged on with a lot of irrelevant information.

Well what can I say! Be prepared to go on a rollercoaster emotion ride. My stomach dropped out of me a few times and I could not believe some of the plot turns.

I want to give this a 4/5 stars. I found it suspenseful at times and slow at times. I have always enjoyed Laura Elliot’s books so I still look forward to reading more. It was a good thriller and worthy of a recommendation!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc. This story was very slow and I found it hard to like the characters.

For me to really enjoy a book , I want to like it from the very beginning. Unfortunately, it took a while for me to start enjoying this one. I found it hard to connect to the main character.

A Middle-of-the-Road Tale

Laura Elliot's "The Marriage Retreat" offers a glimpse into the intricacies of relationships and the challenges faced during a retreat meant to heal and strengthen marriages. While the novel has its merits, it falls into the three-star category for various reasons.

The narrative unfolds with a promising premise, and Elliot skillfully portrays the dynamics between the characters, capturing the nuances of their emotions and struggles. The exploration of the retreat setting adds an interesting backdrop to the story, creating an immersive atmosphere.

However, the pacing tends to lag in certain parts, and the resolution of conflicts feels somewhat predictable. The character development, while present, lacks the depth needed to fully connect with their journeys. As a result, some moments that should have been emotionally resonant felt a bit flat.

"The Marriage Retreat" succeeds in shedding light on the complexities of love and relationships, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of more compelling narratives in the genre. For readers seeking a moderately engaging exploration of marital challenges, Elliot's novel may hit the mark, but those expecting a more profound impact may find it falling short.

Unfortunately, The Marriage Retreat was a miss for me. I found the pace of the novel to be too slow and the main character, Lorraine, to be irredeemable. The concept of the book - a couple owning a marriage retreat having secret marital problems of their own - pulled me in, but the execution was just not there.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was just OK to me. It was hard to connect the characters to me. It was a bit confusing for me but I can see others really enjoying it.

An easy yet slightly confusing read about a marriage retreat and secrets and lies….a bit slow but twists and turns and kept me reading

I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

I thought this book was entertaining. I had a few “ahhh, good one” moments in it. It wasn’t anything jaw dropping or extremely different, but it’s a good “middle tier” thriller.

This book had a great beginning that really hooked me. Victor is a charismatic man who leads people through mindfulness, yoga and meditation in Sedona, Arizona in special 'vortexes' where energy is the most concentrated. Lorraine falls under his spell, even though he is twenty-one years her senior. They build a life together as hosts of a marriage retreat called Rekindle Connections, with Victor as the 'love guru' and face of the program. When he dies suddenly in a car accident, Lorraine's world is rocked to learn there was a young woman in the car with him. This mysterious woman is in a coma and threatens to blow apart their entire reputation as a solid couple and marriage experts.

In my opinion the mystery showed its hand too early. The plot was way too predictable with absolutely no surprises toward the end. Even the desperation of the main character was easy to see coming. Because of that the story seemed to drag on for me.