Thank you for an advance copy of this thriller/drama. We have Louise and Tim who are given an opportunity to go to a beautiful villa in the South of France for holiday. Louise has some reservations but in the end they go...and then secrets are revealed about them and some of the other guests staying at the villa. As someone who is just starting summer holiday, I loved this setting and I liked the alternating POV/timelines to slowly reveal the secrets. A good summer thriller.

Tim and Louise are invited to a luxurious villa in France so that Tim can sell his veterinary practice to a major conglomerate. The other guests, as well as the Cutlers, have secrets which are revealed throughout the course of this murder mystery. James unweaves the tale using multiple narrators. This was a quick and engaging read. Though somewhat predictable, I found it enjoyable and would recommend it for a summer pool bag. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

3.5 ⭐️

Tim Cutler and his family are spending 2 weeks in the south of France with a prospective buyer to his company. During their stay an unknown woman is found dead by the side of the pool. There are several suspects but what’s the connection to the dead woman?

This was an enjoyable (although very predictable) murder mystery that is perfect for a beach read. It’s very fast paced with chapters told from different characters.

There was an end reveal that was unexpected but not a huge twist.

Thanks to NetGalley for the EARC!

Fast paced, edge of your seat thriller! I loved this book and stayed locked on the entire time! I love a good thriller and this one did it for me! 10 stars if I could give them!

Tim and Louise, along with their kids, go on a two-week holiday in the south of France. Tim, a vet with a big business deal in mind, invites another couple, Kevin and Shona, which upsets Louise. The tension between Louise and Shona creates drama during the trip. Their host Renee is the only one Louise feels comfortable around. However, a grim discovery by the pool changes everything, revealing secrets that challenge Louise and Tim's marriage.

As secrets unravel, Louise questions her beliefs, while Tim's hidden truths put their relationship to the test. Past mistakes resurface, causing chaos. Although not all characters are likeable, they add depth to the gripping story, making it an easy yet captivating read.

I'd like to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of the book. My thoughts are my own.

Five stars for this addictive, immersive read! I'm not sure what I liked most about this book, because it truly has everything. This psychological thriller is set in a private villa in the south of France, and that alone sets it up for the perfect summer read. There are characters who are mostly acquaintances all coming together for a two week stay with a wealthy host. Eventually something tragic happens, a body is found by the pool, and suspicions are on all the guests. Watch the lies spill out, and the relationships get tested, as the murderer is sought out.

Some of the characters include:
Tim - veterinarian, about to sell his practice to the wealthy owner of the villa. You want to like him, but find it difficult based on what he does early on in the book.
Louise - Tim's wife, who seems to drink the Tim and Louise are a perfect couple Kool-Aid.
Shona - the trainwreck of a wife of Tim's friend, who makes everything awkward for Tim and Louise, and her husband.
Renee - owner of the villa, who may not want to buy Tim's vet practice if some of the secrets are brought to light.

The story is told from multiple POVs, shifting from the past to the present. This really helped develop the main characters, and made the book more interesting -- right up to the epilogue!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

Definitely one of those books that makes you want to keep reading. I loved the tension at the holiday home and the awkwardness and undertones were addictive. A perfect summer read.

Wow! What a great read! This is the perfect summer thriller. Just the Nicest Family starts out slow but then it picks up quickly and I could not put it down. This is the first book that I have read by Alison James; but it won't be the last.

This book is filled with secrets and lies. I really liked how this was told in multiple points of view and that it shifted between the past and the present. I really liked how well the characters were all developed.

Wow! I loved this! I couldn’t put it down and read during every free second I could spare. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The perfect summer thriller!!! Set in the south of France, with memorable characters, this book will not disappoint. Tim and his wife Louise, along with their children are offered a two week holiday at a luxurious villa ,by the CEO of a company looking to close a business deal with Tim during their trip. Posh surroundings as well as other guests puts Tim and Louise in unfamiliar territory, but they try their best to fit in. They invite a couple, Kevin and Shona, (against Louise’s wishes ) to join them at the villa. While Tim is trying to do business with Renee, the CEO, Louise is left with the other guests, none of whom she feels comfortable with.
They all wake up one morning to find a dead body next to the pool. This is when everyone’s holiday changes as well as everyone’s future. Storylines from the past mix with the present. Lots of good twists, and the ending- never saw that coming!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookutoure for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

Just the Nicest Family : Alison James

Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: June 19,2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tim and Louise find themselves in Paris for two weeks. This seems like a wonderful getaway for their perfect family. Little does anyone know, Tim has some secrets in his past.

Alternating POVs go between Louise and Tim, and then also time jumps to the past. So many secrets and so much drama! I was able to guess the twist pretty early on in this one. Some of the book was hard to focus on as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

#JusttheNicestFamily #NetGalley #AlisonJames

For me, this book started out slow but I am not a believer of giving up on a book - so I pushed through, and I'm happy to say I am so glad I did! It definitely starts to pick up a third of the way in, and you getting hit with info stack after info stack and it gets very exciting! I always love a good who-dunnit, and this definitely gives you that plus some! This is the first book I have read by Alison James, and it will not be my last! I am excited to look into her other works. Also, let me just say - the last excerpt OMG! Worth the wait guys!

They seem like the perfect family. But their secrets are about to come out… A must read for those who love a mind-blowing psychological twist! Deliciously dark and twisty… Will have you locking all the doors and flipping pages in order to find out what happened…

"Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive" Sir Walter Scott's famous line could not be more apt where this book is concerned. When four very different couples end up spending time together in a luxury villa there are bound to be problems but no one could have expected to wake up to the body of a strange young woman lying by the pool. This is a really great read. The knowledge that one of the guests has a secret almost leads the reader into a false sense of security. But of course this is too easy as gradually other events in the guests' pasts come to light.
Alison James always produces a book that just begs to be read in one sitting. Her tantalising peeks into the past had me breathlessly racing through the book.. But I could never have guessed at the shocks to come. I read the epilogue three times and I still could barely believe it. Another brilliant read by a great author, I can't wait for the next one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

Just the Nicest Family is a fast paced murder mystery/thriller with full of secrets, past and present timelines, multiple character viewpoints and several unexpected twists. Once the secrets and mysteries start to reveal themselves you will have a hard time putting this one down. Solid 4 stars.

Thanks to the author and Bookouture via NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

Just the Nicest Family is a straight forward, easy to read thriller. The slight twists in who is pulling the strings and hiding secrets is obvious but the book was still addicting to read. The ending fell a bit flat and the consequences for the main characters were more minimal than I expected. I would have also liked the friends that they invited to have more of a role in the ending but it seems they were just there to add tension. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a ARC of Just the Nicest Family. This one really surprised me. I felt like it had a bit of a slow start, but I am so glad I did not give up on it, because wow, what a ride! If you are looking for a summer read that is an entertaining thriller that delivers a few good twists, then this is it!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC! I loved this book so much!! Tim and Louise go to a villa in the South of France and things don’t go according to the plans!! Lies, secrets snd murder, oh my!! This book had me hooked from the first page until the very end. I loved the multiple timelines and the different POV‘s from the characters. Highly recommend this book. I will be reading more from this author. I thoroughly enjoyed it.!

3.5 stars!

This was an entertaining book for sure! The beginning was a little slow for me but it picked up quick. A psychological thriller full of lies, secrets, and everything in between. There were a few extra characters I thought the book did not need, it became a little confusing at times. This was my first Alison James book and after reading, I definitely plan on reading more from her.

If you like a psychological quick read, this is expected to be released June 19, 2024… so plan accordingly!
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Alison James for this ARC! (:

This book was just ok for me. The writing is very British and it was a little distracting. I enjoyed the plot and premise.