Love the style of writing, totally draws the reader in from the start.
Told from different characters viewpoints but totally mesh together and move the story forward.
This is the second book I have read by Sarah and she has been added to my list of authors to look out for.
A big family holiday with obnoxious male characters of differing generations.
Already committed to having her husband killed on return Chloe is trying to project an Ideal marriage to both sides of the family. It does not go to plan.
Enjoy I did

I so wanted to love this book. It's started out as a super strong 5/5 with Chloe's sarcastic musings and veiled contempt of her husband. And then all of the sudden we went into psychological thriller territory where everyone is batsh@# crazy and completely Gone Girl delusional so the story no longer has to make any sense or follow any logic b/c everyone is a psycho. To be fair, it said it was a dark thriller but I didn't realize it was one of those psychological ones where in the end it was all just a dream.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

In How To Slay on a Holiday we follow Chloe and her extended family. This is not a normal holiday, no. It's one to establish an alibi. You see, Chloe wants to kill her husband but first has to make sure her in-laws and her own family thinks they are in a happy relationship. This might sound terrible, but no worries; Her husband <spoiler>is a manipulative abusive jerk that is in on top of the drugs crime world, just like everyone else.</spoiler>. The plan however is derailed. Why? You have to read to book to find out.

The story is funny, tense, full of twists and little clues scattered throughout. The prologue is the perfect ending although I did still have a question of what might have really happened on a night that is talked about in the book.

The writing style is easy to follow and hooks you in. I couldn't stop reading and had multiple nights cut short because of that. The book follows 3 of the woman who are a lot more layered then first thought. They are awesome girl bosses and I wouldn't mind being their friend. The one thing that I didn't like and got me out of the story sometimes (and the reason for 4 stars instead of 5) is that the characters sometimes speak to us, as if we are there next to them. It might be meant as a way to explain things but sometimes it just wasn't necessary.

Overall it's a good book and definitely a fun light-ish read.

How to Slay on Holiday by @sarahbonner101 is a 4 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ funny, true crime fictional read. Grab this book for some laughs inside the pages off a thriller. 😊☠️ Thank you @netgalley and @boldwoodbooksnl for this ARC. In this read, Chloe is planning the murder of her husband, Scott and a family vacation to the Greek islands seems to give the impression that they are in love and remove any doubt in her family. But, when she discovers that she isn’t the only person who is plotting Scott’s death things take a drastic and dramatic turn. Using multiple perspectives the narrative is very witty and filled with fun within the premise of a thriller and mystery. Readers will laughs and enjoy the twists within the plot. Look for this publication soon! #peachypages #bookstagram #bookreview #book #booklover #netgalley #arc #sarahbonner #thriller #truecrime #boldwoodbooks #readreadread #bookworm

A dark and twisted thriller set in Mykonos featuring two crime families related by marriage. Although the characters were dislikable and unbelievable I enjoyed the story and multiple viewpoints. A great holiday read.

Review: How to Slay on Holiday by Sarah Bonner

How to Slay on Holiday is a book that hooked me with its premise but ultimately left me frustrated. The story revolves around Chloe, who plans to kill her husband. To avoid suspicion, she organizes a family vacation to present the image of a perfect couple. The setup was intriguing, and the first half of the book promised a thrilling read.

One of the positives was the simplicity of the writing style. It was accessible and made for a quick read, with multiple points of view adding layers to the narrative. The first 50% had solid pacing and enough tension to keep me turning the pages. However, things began to unravel in the second half.

The story’s execution didn’t live up to its potential. Characters appeared suddenly to conveniently solve problems, while plot elements introduced early on were abandoned or contradicted later. This led to inconsistencies and shallow motivations that made it hard to stay invested. Chloe, the protagonist, lacked depth, and her actions often felt unconvincing. While Tori was a standout character with a more compelling presence, others, like Scott, Rob, and Jack, felt one-dimensional and unpleasant. Even the subplot about the parents’ rivalry, which had potential, was discarded without resolution.

The pacing also suffered in the latter half. What began as a promising thriller devolved into chaos, with rushed twists and implausible resolutions. By the time the epilogue revealed its final twist, I had already lost interest due to the uneven storytelling between the 65% and 90% mark.

In the end, while the premise was creative and full of potential, the execution fell short. How to Slay on Holiday could have been a gripping thriller, but the lack of cohesion and character development held it back.

Rating: 2/5. A promising idea that ultimately disappointed in its delivery.

Chloe has brought her and her husband Scotts families together for a luxury holiday to Mykonos. Both families being crime bosses, they are all used to such luxury and getting what they want. However, Chloe is planning her husbands death and this holiday is purely to create an alibi of the smitten wife still in the lovey dovey phase with her husband. She has hired a hitman to kill him, so if she plays her cards right, no-one will have any reason to suspect her.

Except her sister in law who knows her plan (it's never explained how she came to this realization, we as the reader are just to accept that) and wants in!

So imagine the shock when Chloe wakes up next to her dead husband who has obviously been murdered. It's too early, she doesn't have an alibi, she can't remember the night before, did she kill him?

Despicable characters, money, family politics, plenty of twists and people not always who they seem make this a fun, easy read. Add in the gorgeous backdrop of Mykonos and you've got yourself the perfect beach whodunit.

This book was so good! It gave me plenty of laughs and I really loved Tori! There was a massive twist at the end and I was a bit gobsmacked if I’m honest! I really disliked Scott, he was just a horrible human being and Sarah described him in such a way, you do dislike him. The family dynamics were brilliantly written as well and give you a laugh! I liked the fact it was written between Grace, Tori and Chloe’s POV as it let you know these character more. I’d definitely recommend this!!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I thought this was going to be a sequel to How to Slay at Work, which I absolutely loved. It is not. Completely different characters and I disliked every single one of them. The first third of the book was slow, I found myself skimming a lot, and I almost gave up....but I'm glad I didn't, because the second half flew by, and even if you figure out most of the twists, it's still fun. I did not guess that ending, though. As in the first book, I love how the characters speak to the readers, and I do enjoy the writing style. Great premise, not so great execution (pardon the pun) this time around. There are some questions that are never answered and characters that could have been fleshed out more.

I always love a deliciously dark and twisty murder mystery with cheek and humor added in. How to Slay on Holiday is definitely all those things, even if I found myself not liking a single spoiled character (and there are quite a few to not like). And while the story started slow, it did pick up about 30% through, though parts were a bit hard to follow as the author tried to hold some things perhaps too close to the vest at times to up the suspense.

In How to Slay on Holiday, the main character Chloe arranges an extended-family holiday in Mykonos as a way to show everyone how in love she is with her insufferable and abusive husband, Scott, so that she will not be suspect when Scott dies the following week via her arranged "hit." However, things begin to go awry from the very beginning. As every boorish male and their significant others arrive, we soon discover that many people in both Chloe's and Scott's families are hiding secrets, and that many have their own motivations for wanting Scott dead, As the story unspools--told through multiple POV's--Scott ends up dead a week early, and numerous people are suspect. With many red herrings thrown in, the final reveal was no surprise to me (I felt I was led there pretty easily), but the journey getting there was pretty fun anyway.

Oh my, what a perfect setting for an entertaining book about a couple of crazy characters on holiday! This was a fun read. I loved it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was twisty, turney, and binge worthy. I had never read any of the authors books before but I was hooked at the beginning. I loved the family dynamics and got to know the cast of characters quickly. I would recommend this book to anyone!

When you find out your husband’s deepest darkest secret and hire a hitman, the next logical step is a family holiday, right? Darkly comic easy read.

This book was pretty good, but still had some flaws and issues. The synopsis was good, but the overall execution of this book was not the best. I think the book had choppy timing and some things were not fully finished and finalized.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

The author was incredible at describing locations and how someone is feeling, however this book fell a little short for me with the barely fleshed out side characters

Rounded up to 3.5 stars

Chloe is going on a family vacation to Mykonos to prove to everyone that she is deeply in love with her husband, Scott so that when he is killed the next week, she won’t become suspect #1. Don’t worry though, her husband is a despicable human, and her extended family is… not the greatest, so you want him to die. 

I grabbed this ARC from NetGalley based on the cover, the title, and the promise of a fun beach read. It definitely is a fun beach read, and it held some pleasant surprises, so let’s dig in.

At first, I felt a little out of sorts with this story because it seemed to take forever for Chloe to reveal why she wanted her husband dead. I get that you can’t info dump, but this seems like a pretty major detail. He seems like a lazy, annoying, unhelpful lout, which okay, sucks, but a divorce would work just fine, no? When the reason is finally revealed, it makes sense, but then I was wondering why Chloe ever married him, which is again revealed later. It’s not a huge deal, but I think the pacing would improve if those curiosity seeds (which do compel us to keep reading) were cleared up a bit sooner.

There were several times where Bonner dropped the names of characters without telling us who the eff they are. In chapter 1 she mentions “Jack” but it isn’t until chapter 8 that he is definitely attached to a character. Most of the other characters have been introduced by then, so you can infer who he must be, but that is a long time to wait. She does the same thing with several other characters throughout, and it is a bit disorienting.
There were a few reveals that were really fun, and added new layers to the readers’ understanding of the motivations and reasons for certain plot points. A plot to kill a husband on vacation could be terribly basic, but I liked how the backstories and the plan itself made the entire story more of a page-turner than just a fun ride (which it still was).

There were definitely a lot of clues dropped that I guessed were misdirects or red herrings right away. A few of the major motivations and items attributed to the wrong characters were obvious to me, but at the end of the day I still found the story compelling. I still wanted to know exactly how it would turn out. So it didn’t really matter. And Bonner threw enough extra complications in to make it interesting.

There are several POV switches throughout the book, which I didn’t expect based on the description, but I think they were a wise choice by the author. Switching between Tori (sister-in-law), and Grace (concierge), builds up the suspense as we get a realization from one character and then are whisked to another before we get any resolution.

I particularly enjoyed Tori and Grace’s POV—they provided some unexpected characterization moments, and I liked the way Bonner had them all thinking stuff behind the other’s back that would then be addressed in the next POV. 

I liked the ending, but it did feel a bit rushed. I also wanted a bit more of an explanation as to why the murderer took the risk to do what they did on vacation, and with the knowledge that the person they were trying to protect would most definitely become a suspect. 

Some of the writing could use a bit of a tidy-up. There were several instances of the same phrase being used within the same paragraph, as well as a reliance on some cliche phrases (stared daggers, for example), and one transition that I almost couldn’t believe survived an editor, “Anyhow back to the here and now.” If you’re going to the past and back again, you better have a reason for it, and that reason better give you a damn good transition. And this is a personal pet peeve, and definitely is not a big deal, but she mentions the “bougainvillea that gives the villa its name” about 3 times.

Overall, though, this was an enjoyable read. It kept me turning the pages, was light and amusing (not quite funny, but definitely amusing), and is British, which is just always more fun, ain’t it?

If you’re looking for a beach read that delivers a bit more than the premise promises, pick this one up. It’s light enough to take on vacation but layered enough to keep you reading and working on that tan. 

On another note: if anyone knows how to get ahold of Bonner, I’d love to bug her about endorsing my upcoming release, Alibi by Accident. It’s a crass cozy mystery romp set partially in Mykonos so… I think she might enjoy it.

Another fun summer read from Sarah Bonner. Absolutely a must read author for me. Always guaranteed binge read, full of laughs and shocking twists. I powered through this one, loving this story of 2 rich and powerful families on a Greek Island holiday where things don’t exactly go to plan.

Chloe is fed up with her husband Scott and decides that the only way to get away from him is to kill him. She has it all worked out. So she plans a big family holiday to act as her alibi for when he is dead, But of course nothing works out the way you hope it will which leads to a hilarious series of events keeping them all on their toes.

These people were all quite awful and it was so fun seeing them all wondering what in earth is happening. If you love a good popcorn thriller grab this one and have some fun with it.

Thanks so much to Boldwood Books on NetGalley for my early copy to read. Publishes on February 27th.

Synopsis:

Chloe has meticulously planned her husband Scott's murder, but to avoid suspicion, she must first craft the perfect alibi. Her plan? A lavish family getaway to a luxury villa in Mykonos, playing the devoted wife.

But cracks appear as soon as they arrive. Family tensions flare, Scott's sister Tori grows suspicious, and the ever-watchful villa concierge, Grace, seems to see too much.

Review:
A. Twists and Suspense
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Consistently suspenseful, with clever and satisfying twists.

B. Atmosphere and Writing Style
⭐⭐⭐: Good atmosphere, writing was solid but lacked emotional or suspenseful depth.

C. Character Development
⭐⭐⭐: Decent character development; some characters stood out.

D. Pacing and Engagement
⭐⭐⭐: Pacing was decent, with a few engaging moments.

E. Mystery Resolution
⭐⭐⭐: The resolution made sense but wasn’t particularly satisfying.
P.S. There is a plot hole for me (like how did even Tori knows!?)

F. Emotional Impact
⭐⭐: Minimal emotional engagement; few memorable moments.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC (epub)!

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
If you’ve read Sarah bonner’s other book - How to Slay at Work - you’ll enjoy this, but it’s important to note that although the titles are similar this is not related. This is a decent beach read - I guessed two of the main reveals but there’s enough twists and turns in the midst and at the finale to keep even a savvy reader happy and satisfied.

Rating: 3.4/5

From the title and accompanying synopsis, I had anticipated "How to Slay on Holiday" centering around a serial-killing strong female character à la Villanelle or Sweetpea. However, although this novel is clearly derived from that sphere of influence (which is acknowledged by references in the book to both of these individuals), author, Sarah Bonner, takes this story down a slightly different track.

Given that it is revealed at the start of proceedings, it isn't really much of a spoiler to say that the tale begins with Chloe planning to end the days of her bullying husband. This seems to establish a fairly basic premise for the subsequent plot development, but matters are about to become more complicated. This aspect is well executed and I like the way Sarah Bonner gradually incorporates further elements of the backstory to allow the narrative to develop in a more unexpected fashion. There are numerous twists along the way, which could be described as either clever, convoluted, convenient or possibly even contrived, depending upon your personal viewpoint, but it does provide for an enjoyable romp.

The marketing blurb suggests that this book would appeal to fans of Katy Brent or Julie Mae Cohen and that claim is easy to appreciate. Personally, I don't think this quite matches the sharp-witted edginess of Katy Brent's work, but I prefer it to the excessive chick-lit bias of Julie Mae Cohen's books. Overall, a good fun read and I dare say I will be back for more from Sarah Bonner.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.