Nina Manning is a hit-and-miss author for me. I enjoyed her book The Bridesmaid, but The Waitress was a flop. I am sorry to say that The Dinner Party falls in with the latter title. The current rating for this book is 3.27 stars, and that seems very generous to me.

My first problem with the book was the fact that Lily had many complaints about her husband. Why did she marry him if he doesn't talk about his past or his family? If that is what bugs her, then she should have never married him in the first place. Secondly, if she doesn't want kids, why not just say so? This just seems a stupidly immature way for 35 and 40-year-olds to behave.

I'm not sure if it was meant to be a thriller, more like a psychological suspense, and it failed miserably on both fronts. I know the pacing is deliberately slow. Over and over again, the characters discuss various appetizers, only to have the actual dinner itself be rushed and anticlimactic. There was no tension, just boredom. The characters were like immature teenagers from a bad soap opera. Every interaction felt forced, every secret revealed was figured out in advance, and the twists were very predictable, too.

And the writing? Let's just say I've read grocery lists with more compelling prose. The dialogue was stilted, the descriptions were overdone, and the attempts at suspense were not effective at all. I spent more time rolling my eyes and shaking my head than turning pages. If you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat or even mildly entertained, The Dinner Party is not for you.

Quick, fun read that kept me guessing until the final pages

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

there is a seedy and atmospheric undertone that needles you from the off in this book. you are not quite sure at points where its going. you arent quite sure who is innocent or perhaps wasnt so innocent in their past? why the fixation from a renowned chef on a couple. and why does this couple need to keep coming back for more. are they just desperate for something to fix them. or are they aware of something more. and why does the dinner invites increase and the husband somes to retreat more.
a gripping thriller that wraps you up in questions you can wait for the answer too. and original plot that i loved because it really was so different from thrillers ive read before. and i cant imagine how difficult it must be for all those talented authors to keep finding new themes or plots when the market seems to have its favorite tropes.and how do you dare pull away from said themes when they are loved and read for a reason... and there are just some authors that hit it out the park every time.

Another superb thriller from Nina Manning. As a surprise for their wedding anniversary Lily Leonard books a table at one of renowned chef Hector Bolson- Woods restaurants. There are cracks in the marriage and she is hoping that this will go some way to helping them reconnect. Hector invites them to dine privately with him and then more invitations follow. However the deeper Lily gets involved with Hector the more her husband Stig pulls back. It is obvious from the start of this that something isn’t right and what follows is a story full of intrigue, twists and turns. I liked the interactions between the characters, how it wasn’t easy to work out how this was going to develop and I thought it was at times quite chilling. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

I was hoping to write a rave review about this week, but despite the original seeming premise, the book was way too predictable and the ending was rushed. That said it was a nice easy read and I managed to get to the end which I don't always do. However, time is precious and I won't be reading work from this author again.

The premise is intriguing—Lily and Stig’s crumbling marriage, a lavish dinner at an exclusive restaurant, and an invitation from the enigmatic celebrity chef, Hector. There’s an immediate sense of unease as Hector’s charm pulls Lily in while Stig remains distant and resistant. The dynamic between the three kept me engaged, and I found myself eager to uncover what Stig was hiding and why Hector seemed so fixated on them.
Manning does a great job of creating an unsettling atmosphere, particularly with the power dynamics at play. Lily’s longing for attention and Stig’s coldness made their relationship feel authentic, if frustrating at times. The slow-burn nature of the mystery kept me turning the pages, even though the pacing lagged at times.
Where the book faltered for me was in its climax. After all the build-up, the resolution felt a little flat—like it wrapped up too quickly or didn’t fully capitalize on the suspense that had been brewing. I loved the twist and the conclusion, but it felt rushed which unfortunately means it didn’t quite deliver the punch I was expecting. I went into The Dinner Party expecting a suspenseful, tension-filled read, and while it delivered in some ways, the ending left me feeling a little underwhelmed.
The Dinner Party was an okay read. It had an intriguing setup, solid character dynamics, and an unsettling vibe, but the ending didn’t quite work for me. If you enjoy psychological suspense with a slow build, you will find it engaging.

3.75 stars

I’m a fan of Nina’s writing. The beginnings always pull me in quick and the synopsis of this was so interesting! Imagine taking your husband on an anniversary date and accidentally unleashing a crazy sequence of events.

There were some predictable things, but there were others that I wasn’t expecting at all. However, the last two chapters felt very rushed for an ending and I was left wanting a bit more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fanastic book which had me gripped throughout! It was fast paced which I always like and I felt myself want to keep reading to find out what was going to happen! Great book and can’t wait to read more by this author!

Chaos follows when a seemingly innocent invitation from your husband's supposedly favourite chef wrecks the rest of your fragile marriage. This novel is an engaging and fast-paced read. The book delves into the depths of human traumas, character development, and abuse, delivering a unique thought. It is full of traps of deceit developed by our undeniably unlikable characters and their "annoying" choices throughout the story, yet it's strangely intriguing.

The transitions between Lily's and the third-person perspectives were smooth. It is one of the proofs of the author's skills that guarantees the pace stays the same. While I was able to predict some of the twists, there were undoubtedly a few surprises that caught me off guard. Despite my overall impression, the intriguing plot twists were, beyond a doubt, effective in keeping the story "somehow" unexpected.

The cover was stunning, and the short description had me hooked right away, but I felt a bit dissatisfied, especially in the few chapters towards the end. The conclusion, in particular, felt rushed and lacked the intensity that had built up throughout the story. It would be nice if they added the narrative there instead of adding unnecessary details in the beginning. There are also quite a few unanswered questions that baffled me. Some of the characters' actions were frustrating and made no sense.

Despite having some parts that didn't quite "pull off something for me", I can't ignore the author's undeniable talent in crafting this novel and without a doubt, there's a lot of potential in this novel, and I know some could relate to the theme, especially those who are learning to face their traumas and understand how to trust their partners. I'd recommend it if you're up for a story that challenges perceptions of relationships and personal struggles.

Not really a thriller in my opinion but I still enjoyed it a quick easy read with an ending you won't see coming well I didn't anyway 3.5 stars

It was a pleasure reading an ARC of The Dinner Party. This story is more of a mystery and a bit on the slow side. However, the mystery kicks off from the beginning and it has you believing you know what will happen. You might also believe you have the characters figured out but soon you’ll realize you don’t. The twist and ending come rather too quickly for my liking but over all a decent read.

This book was one that had me gripped right away, it was such an intense and exhilarating and twisty read overall.

It was an easy read, with relatively simple language, but I did also notice a number of editing errors which wasn't ideal. I didn't particularly like the characters or relationships and overall this book felt a bit nothing to me. Overall 3 stars

Thank you NetGalley! I loved the premise of this book. It started out great. But I kind if became bored with the storyline and the characters and couldn’t finish it

This book fell short for me. I had anticipated a psychological thriller, but it didn’t truly become one until about 60% of the way through, and even then, it didn’t have the excitement I had anticipated. While I appreciated the underlying concept of the story, its execution left me unengaged and uninterested. The writing style lacked the smooth flow I prefer, instead feeling choppy and forced.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own!

Very twisty interesting fast paced book however I kinda struggled with the disconnects and also the frustration I had with most of these characters kept me on edge.

The Menu meets Revenge with a sprinkle of Harry Potter/Malfoy rivalry. Fast-paced thriller that highlights trauma and human desire for emotions so strong, they could often blind the person and who they truly are or could have been.

I've enjoyed reading the story between Lily and Stig that started as a failing marriage, attempting to find a spark again. What I truly enjoyed is author's ability to shift perspective on character building and how we feel about their motives. What started out as a simple want to make her husband happy, spiraled into a timeline shifts - exposing us to the past and present's consequences.

Overall, a great read for fans of domestic thrillers and although I wish there could have been a little more common sense in our main characters and frustrating moments of their decisions, I'm glad I had more exposure into the author's mind.

Positives
Plot: Premise is great. Love the idea of the chef inserting himself into various parts of the plot and scenes.
Characters: They are written in a way that the reader understands motivations and decisions.
Food scene!

Could be Improved
I thought it was just the beginning of the book, but there is a consistent issue of disconnect between events. While character motivations are clear, there isn't an intrinsic "why" and the continuity is disjointed.

The book does keep the reader through the thriller concept.

Lily is so excited as she has a table at the restaurant of a famous celebrity chef, Hector. Stig her husband doesn’t want to go, he hates going to fancy places. When Hector invites them to the open table seating Lily is so happy. This was a fast paced thriller, a bit slow at the start, but when you start the back story it’s fun. Didn’t see that coming. The lies that were told in this book was huge. I liked the twists. A chilling 4 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

The premise attracted me - a disconnected couple go to a dinner at a famous chef's restaurant to celebrate their anniversary. The chef inserts himself into their lives in various ways.

I think the problem for me was the plot became disjointed about 70 percent in. The viewpoints changed and I think maybe Lily should have been the singular viewpoint. It became confusing after a while and I lost interest.

All of the characters are unlikeable, which was okay, but I really wasn't rooting for anyone by the time the action started.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an e-copy of THE DINNER PARTY to review.

I rate THE DINNER PARTY three out of five stars.