Jose inherits a house from his grandma which they have been working on for several years. Jose and Ava want to accomplish their dream of building a retreat. Since they know there are some things that could go wrong off kilter the retreaters get quite a discount. Things are not as good as expected. The guests are having odd things happen some of which are a safety hazard. It seems someone wants them to fail with their retreat. Someone is out for revenge and they don't want Ava and Jose to succeed. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Retreat by Karen King in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Loved the cover and description so was so excited to settle down and read this over a long weekend. I found it to be a good book but at times felt it was a bit slow. I did finish and would say all in all it was a good book but not exactly what I was expecting.

Karen King will keep her readers guessing until the very last page with her latest nail-biting thriller, The Retreat.

Eva had made a new life for herself in Spain. Having met a wonderful Spanish man, Eva has put the past behind her and has put her blood, sweat and tears into transforming a traditional farmhouse into a gorgeous mountain retreat for guests looking to unwind and take some time out for themselves. The resort is finally open for guests and it seems as if Eva’s dream has finally come true – until she recognises one of the guests and begins to relive a nightmare from her past all over again…

Eva and Saskia had once been the best of friends – until Saskia had betrayed her in the most shocking of ways. Saskia’s presence in her life spells trouble for Eva as her former friend knows secrets from her past she has gone to considerable lengths to keep hidden from her partner. As things begin to go awry for Eva, the life which she had fought so hard for is in jeopardy. Eva is naturally wary of Saskia, but when she finds a note in her bedroom revealing her deepest and darkest secrets, she realizes that there might be someone else at the resort intent on ruining her life…

Can Eva figure out who it is and keep the truth about her past hidden? Or is she about to lose everything?

Tense, unpredictable and exciting, this unputdownable thriller will keep you up all night reeling from plot twist after plot twist. A creepy and unsettling chiller where nothing is what it seems, Karen King’s The Retreat is perfect for readers who loved Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers and T M Logan’s The Holiday.

This book was entertaining. The subtle sabotages that continued to escalate. You were left guessing on who the culprit really was, as the author was did a great job pointing fingers at multiple characters. It was an easy quick read.

This was a new author for me and the book was ok. The book felt a tad drawn out for me. But needless to say I still enjoyed it.

A gripping read, full of red herrings and twists. I was gripped right from the start and read it in one evening.

A really great read,and enjoyable premise that kept me engaged throughout! Loved the main character and the ending. I would definitely read another book from Karen King ,one to recommend to a friend!

Wow!!! That was one suspenseful & thrilling read!!! So many twists & turns that kept me on my toes throughout the entire book!!!

What could go wrong at a wellness retreat at a Spanish villa? Turns out, a lot!
Eva and Jose are realizing their dream of hosting wellness retreats and invite a small group of guests to try it out before everyone else. Soon, things start to go wrong and the mishaps become more and more dangerous.

I enjoyed the premise and the setting was a great change from the usual closed door hotel mystery. There were a lot of coincidences, but those could be overlooked. However, the amount of ruminating the characters did about what was happening and why was too much for me. I would have preferred additional view points to break it up.

I was not able to finish the book and therefore do not feel that I can give an unbiased review about the book, its plot, characters, or the author's work. I might revisit this book at a later time and finish it then, but not right now.

A quick read - a couple inherits a home and create a bed and breakfast. I enjoyed the closed door trope - who has the connection. Lots of behind the scenes goings-on. I liked it.

#TheRetreat #NetGalley
We meet José and Eva in this story. They have created the most wonderful holiday retreat in the Andalucian mountains in Southern Spain.
A home that used to belong his grandparents.
This has been a labour of love for both of them and finally it is ready to accept guests and they couldn't be happier.
Deciding to have a trial run, they both decide to accept just six guests to their retreat offering them a discount. They'd like feedback on what they have created.
When they notice that Carlos, a cousin of José who has been estranged through a family feud going back over the years, has signed up for the retreat, they can't help wondering what his motives are for wanting to take part.
Another person to sign up for the retreat is an old friend of Eva's, Saskia. Eva feels their friendship ended with one leaving down the other quite badly so she is baffled as to why her former friend would want sign up to their retreat and reconnect.
But they want to think positively and so they welcome all their guests to their retreat and delight in showing them what they have to offer.
When a series of mishaps happen with no explanation, José and Eva begin to wonder is someone trying to sabotage their beautiful dreams.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advance copy.

Everyone has a secret in this fast paced, high energy, whodunit. Jose and Eva worked hard to turn their home into a relaxing get away and decide to invite six lucky winners the opportunity to visit prior to the grand opening. Tensions rise immediately when included in The Retreat’s first visitors are Jose’s estranged cousin and Eva’s ex-best friend. While already on edge, weird things keep happening and they get harder and harder to explain away as accidents. Is it just bad luck? Is someone sabotaging the business? In a cast of characters who all have something to hide, you will need to read to the end to find out and I recommend you do.

The ending of this book was very disappointing. The dialogue between the characters was blah, I thought it could have been better. I liked it but I couldnt say I loved it.

She has longed for the life she now has and will stop at absolutely nothing to keep it. I was terrified of how far she was willing to go.

Loved this book!

It was perfectly paced! It didn’t have too much going on at once, it gave away a little at a time. It was atmospheric and thrilling!

The authors description of the villa had me wanting to join the retreat! It sounded absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed all of the characters and their personalities. It really could have been ANY of them. They all had secrets and reasons to want to take Jose and Eva down. It truly kept me guessing until the end!

What a great read. Super entertaining and thrilling! Definitely recommend this read!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing the ARC!

Eva and her partner José have invested their savings to transform his grandparents' family home into a vacation haven. The narrative unfolds as they welcome their inaugural guest for a trial run before the official summer season kick-off. Little do they know that some of these guests harbor grudges against them.

Set against a picturesque backdrop with likable main characters, the initial promise of this story intrigued me, especially as a fan of revenge tales. However, it falls slightly short of expectations. While the thriller aspect is introduced early with a body in the swimming pool, the suspenseful events are deferred until the final fifty pages. Throughout the majority of the book, the atmosphere resembles a soap opera, laden with secrets and lies that manifest more as pranks than perilous threats. Despite the plausible motive for business destruction, the sense of imminent danger was lacking.

The book does redeem itself towards the end, delivering the promised suspense and plot twists, though, for me, it came a bit too late. This is a narrative best enjoyed by readers who relish character-driven dramas, viewing it more as a soap opera than a thriller. Those seeking a character-centric drama with surprising twists at the conclusion might agree on it deserving of a four-star rating.

This book took me longer to read because I have experienced what Bianca has experienced and any time it was mentioned I needed to take a mental break before continuing. I considered not finishing just because of this trigger, but I was enjoying the story otherwise so I just took some breaks and kept going when I was ready.

I’m glad I decided to continue on because the story was good. It was a slow burn and the first 70% just slowly sets up everything and the majority of the “action” happens at the end. I definitely fell for the red herrings and didn’t see the ending pieces falling the way they fell.

This suspenseful thriller weaves a tale of betrayal, guilt, and the haunting past that resurfaces to threaten a seemingly idyllic life. The story unfolds in the tranquil setting of a Spanish farmhouse turned retreat, where the protagonist, with a carefully guarded secret, faces the sudden reappearance of an old friend, Saskia.

As the sunlight dances on the turquoise pool, the protagonist's initial joy turns to icy fear when confronted by the familiar face. The narrative skillfully delves into the complexities of the protagonist's relationships, unraveling the past betrayal by Saskia. The idyllic life in Spain, built with a new love, José, seems perfect, but the protagonist harbors a dark secret that could shatter it all.

The tension escalates as mysterious occurrences, like a stained water fountain and a revealing note, hint at a threat looming over the protagonist. The fear intensifies, knowing that someone at the retreat is aware of the buried truth and seeks revenge.

This is a riveting exploration of how past actions can cast long shadows over a seemingly perfect life. The protagonist's struggle to protect their newfound happiness adds depth to the story, creating a compelling psychological thriller that leaves readers guessing until the final revelation. If you enjoy tales of secrets, suspense, and the unraveling of hidden truths, this novel is a must-read, showcasing the author's ability to craft a gripping and atmospheric thriller.

I did not finish this book. I could not get into it and the writing felt very robotic. It wont let me choose "I will not be giving feedback on this title"