This was gripping and it had a lot of suspense. Everything was just eerie throughout this house and you’re just thinking what the hell is going on???? My favourite part was when Greg was slicing the goose. That entire part had me laughing! There were a lot of tense moments in this and it had me questioning what was actually real?

Overall, even though it was short , it was a good Christmas thriller 🎄❄️⛄️

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC.

This book may be short but it certainly packs a lot in. Isla and her husband James are invited by her estranged sister Clara to spend Christmas with her in a remote cabin. They haven’t spoken for three years, but Christmas is about forgiving and forgetting isn’t it. With the festive snowy back drop, this could be a Christmas to remember, for all the wrong reasons. Thank you to NetGalley, Books Go Social and the author for the chance to review.

I like nothing better than Christmas except a Christmas thriller book! This one has it all festive season cheer with murder, mystery, isolation, intrigue, family feuds and much more wrapped in a short book. I don't normally read short stories but I am glad that I read this one.

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller. It's written so you can read a chapter a day, like an advent calendar. I chose to read it all at once, I couldn't wait to find out what happened. If this sounds like something that interests you, throw in some Christmas season, this is the book for you. It had enough Christmas spirit in it along with edge of your seat thrills and chills.

Great short story! I normally don’t like short stories but this one had just enough that I feel like I got the whole story! It had suspense, intriguing, murder, mystery and a fabulous who done it that I didn’t see!! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I just finished the most entertaining Christmas thriller. Xmas Break: A Christmas Thriller was a great time!!

A nice little novella for the Christmas season, I enjoyed it and was just the right size book, good ideas as well

Tensions high and they are in a cabin isolated. This book had been doubting everyone including myself.

What a fun little thriller. Lots of questions and an ending I didn't see coming. I love when books surprise me!
Four and half stars rounded up to 5!!!
Will definitely read more by this author.

First, as always, thanks to Netgalley and JE Rowney for this ARC copy!

While XMas Break was meant to be read one chapter each day during December, I did actually read it in one sitting after putting up the tree for this year! What can I say, the tension did build quickly and I just could not stop. Even more since I love settings in remote areas, like, in this case, a cabin surrounded by mountains and snow.

This time, I was able to figure out the culprit while reading for the first time in months! This did not mean the rest of the story was less tenseful, though! I still had to keep reading, needing to know why the person did what they did, and how this all would end.

I think this is my first XMas thriller in general, but it will surely not be my last! Also, again, looking forward to any and all future releases by the author!

That was such a fun and entertaining short novel! It took my half a day to read it and I was hooked! There isn’t much twists and turns, to my deception, but that’s okay! The only thing that kinda annoyed me with this one is how many times the author described the wind outside the house. Like at some point, we get it, there’s a snow storm. I really liked the setting, I could fully visualize the house and the surroundings in my head. It wouldn’t be so bad to stay there for Christmas, it seems so cozy, without the crazy killer, obviously. Fast paced and entertaining, I would definitely recommend it for this time of year!

The perfect short read for Christmas, curled up cosily inside while it’s cold and dark outside.
Isla and her sister Carla haven’t spoken since their Mother died, but this year Carla invites them to spend a family Christmas in their little place in mountains.
A strained dinner is made impossible by a power cut, with the snow falling thickly outside, it can only get worse can’t they?

A locked room style thriller, this is a great book club read and I think the idea of a chapter a day in the lead up to Christmas is a fun advent idea.

This was a great Christmas thriller! A beautiful wintery setting filled with tons of suspense! I really enjoyed the twist at the end and was entertained throughout the book!

A quick read but oh so good.

Felt like a novella was the perfect length to accommodate the story.

Secluded Christmas getaway. Estranged siblings and their significant others. Power goes out. What can go wrong?

The twist which I was trying to figure from the get go was not at all what I would’ve expected. And to me that makes this a good read.

This is my first J.E. Rowney book but based on this read I’d definitely try another by this author.

This was a short fun read about Isla and her husband James who visit Isla's estranged sister Clara and her husband Greg at their beautiful isolated home in the woods. I loved J.E. Rowney's writing, the eerie Christmassy vibes, and the message Rowney was able to convey in under 200 pages. But...the hot cocoa?!! 😂

I received a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was an easy, quick read, a thriller novella! Set on the side of a mountain in a storm, 2 sisters reunite and Christmas Eve becomes a Christmas nightmare. I enjoyed this book and will investigate other books by this author.

Quick read and a perfect Christmas thriller. Short novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy of the book.

This book was great. It told the story so well and i would have never seen that twist coming would recommend.

What a wild ride this one was! This book had me hooked from the beginning because I love a good fast paced thriller. I had no idea where this book was gonna go at the beginning but once I was about 60% of the way through, it was a little predictable. Xmas Break is about more than just lies and secrets but it’s about family and warmed my little grinchy heart. Also Greg supremacy 🫶🏼

A few years after the death of their mother. Sisters decide a family retreat to spend Christmas at a luxury mountain is just what they need! But they are far from wrong when a storm blocks their only escape!

Compelling..
An idyllic luxury mountain retreat, a snowstorm and a family torn at the seams. A short and snappy Christmas domestic suspense packed with familial drama, hidden secrets, lies and tension. Is this one Christmas family reunion too good to be true? Compelling and engaging with twenty five chapters for the run up to Christmas Day.

Sometimes the power goes out and the masks fall away; leaving something much more precious in their place. Xmas break is a wonderfully short thriller that helps you get into the Christmas spirit, and then leads you to ponder what perfection means and leads you to grow increasingly suspicious until - wham!!! You won’t know what hits you - but it’s definitely worth the read in this cleverly told Christmas thriller. Perfection can be over rated, breaks can turn into breakdowns and sometimes we all need reminders of the value of family especially at Christmas. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing an advanced reader copy in exchange for my review.

Xmas Break: A Christmas Thriller by J.E. Rowney is a quick and suspenseful read, perfect for the holiday season. The novella centers on two estranged sisters, Isla and Clara, who reunite for a Christmas getaway at a remote mountain retreat with their husbands. As a snowstorm traps them in isolation, tension builds within the family, and secrets begin to unravel, making for a thrilling (and at times eerie) atmosphere.

The story is filled with familial drama, which adds an intriguing layer of complexity to the thriller genre. While it may not be as "scary" as one might expect from a thriller, the suspense is palpable, and the plot twists are cleverly executed. Many readers appreciated the unexpected ending, though some felt the pace was rushed, given the novella's short length.

A unique feature of the book is its structure, which is designed like an advent calendar with 25 chapters that could be read one per day leading up to Christmas. However, some reviewers noted that the story's brevity made it hard to maintain the pacing of one chapter a day, and a few found the repetitive dialogue and similarities to The Shining detracted from the overall experience.

That said, the holiday setting and familial themes of healing and reunion make this a heartwarming read, despite the tension and suspense. The twist at the end adds a satisfying surprise, and the novel’s atmosphere is one of its strongest points, with readers commenting on how well Rowney captures the snowy, secluded retreat and the tension that builds as the power goes out.

Overall, Xmas Break is a quick, engaging Christmas thriller that provides a blend of suspense and holiday cheer, perfect for those looking for a short, intense read. Though some aspects could have been fleshed out more, the book is still a fun, festive choice for fans of domestic thrillers.

This is such an atmospheric novel. From the first page, Rowney sets the tone and draws the reader into the book. It is a wonderfully tense book, that really tests trusts, and dives into the complexities of family dynamics. Rowney builds the tension expertly through this fast paced book and flawlessly executes twists and turns throughout. This is a gripping novella that is definitely worth a read!

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION DAY BOOK REVIEW 📚

Xmas Break: A Christmas Thriller By JE Rowney
Publication Date: November 22, 2024
Publisher: Little Fox Publishing

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚MY REVIEW:

This novella from JE Rowney combined two of my favorite things: Christmas and thrillers. When I saw it available as a Read Now option on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it! And I'm so happy I did!

This was a fun and quick read that just DRIPPED with creepy suspense. There was a strong presence of foreshadowing from the book's very beginning, and that left me feeling like I didn't know the whole story - which was a fantastic tactic to nudge up my anxiety. Nothing felt right with any of the happenings within this story, and I knew something bad was coming...I just didn't know what it was.

An isolated and remote setting. Estranged family relationships. Pictures of strangers throughout the house. The power going out. A giant snowstorm. Weird noises upstairs. Sounds like the perfect book for a holly jolly holiday... And I'm here for it.

Maybe some will feel the conclusion was predictable -- I definitely didn't predict it. Once the pieces of the puzzle started coming together, I still found myself wondering if maybe I had it wrong. It's tough to develop deeply-understood characters in a novella, but I thought Rowney did a good job of that.

I loved the "just what in the hell is going on here?!" vibe I immediately got from this book, and the fact that it was such a quick read made it even more fun! If you're looking for a quick and entertaining holiday read, with the suspense you love in your favorite thrillers, I definitely recommend picking up Xmas Break. Thank you to NetGalley, Little Fox Publishing, and JE Rowney for this advanced e-book in exchange for my honest review.

#XmasBreak #JERowney #LittleFoxPublishing #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #holidayreads #holidaythriller #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #booklover #bookaddict #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

Xmas Break by J.E. Rowney is a suspenseful novella.
A very quick and enjoyable book.
The storytelling and chilling premise drew me in from the very first page, and I was completely enthralled.
With its gripping plot, well-drawn characters, and evocative prose, it is sure to captivate readers from beginning to end.

This is a short read with only 184 pages, and 25 chapters making it readable as an advent calendar. I thought that was cleaver, however I read this in a day. This story flows well and has you suspicious of everything with all the family drama involved. This holiday thriller takes place in a remote cabin home during a snowstorm with an estranged pair of sisters and their husbands. Which one holds a dark secret? You will find out soon enough. This is a perfect read for someone wanting a little holiday mixed in with their thrillers, without investing a lot of time.

A quick read or can be read a chapter a day in December as a 25 day advent calendar. Maybe a little predictable but a good festive read nonetheless.

Quick, engaging read!

Definitely suspenseful and heart pounding, this novella kept me turning pages way past my bedtime. I had to know what happened and refused to put it down until I did. It’s a nice little Christmas themed book that’s not a sappy Hallmark movie romance.

What drew my attention to this book was the cover. I think it has the perfect cover art. I'm so glad I read it because the storyline hooked me almost immediately. I couldn't put it down, I needed to keep reading because I couldn't see where the story was going (in a good way). This was my first book by J.E. Rodney, and now I'll be looking into her other books.

Billed as a quick, 25 chapter advent calendar of a thriller, J.E. Rowney's 'Xmas Break: A Christmas Thriller'---much like Santa---delivers.

Isla and James need a break. Badly. It's been a rough year---for reasons unknown---and when her estranged sister Clara invites them to a Christmas getaway at her mountain retreat, it seems like a perfect opportunity for rest, relaxation, and reconnection. Isla is skeptical. James is giddy.

Once they arrive at her sister Clara's mountain retreat, a gorgeously appointed cabin with halls decked to the extreme, her worries---previously a simmer---roil slowly to a boil. Old tensions die hard and there's something not quite right even amid the beautiful holiday decor.

Without spoiling anything---the novella is a speed read---Rowney's Christmas is packed with well-paced clues and tone shifts placed carefully throughout like, well, a thrilling advent calendar. Is it particularly innovative? No. But, like unwrapping socks on Christmas morning, it hits familiar beats and tropes that lead to a satisfying ending.

It's out now and great for a quick evening read with a cup of mulled wine or as a chapter before bed for the entire month of December.

I received an E-ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review:

I really enjoyed this short little Christmas/thriller novella.
I feel thrillers are extremely difficult to write in so few words because of the lack of space to build up that suspense and plot, so this was very well done! I enjoyed the plot and characters and the ending was perfectly cozy for a Christmas read

Perfectly written fast paced Christmas Thriller! I absolutely loved this book!
This is written like an advent calendar so you can read one chapter a day leading up to Christmas. However, this book drew me in and I had to finish it in one sitting! Suspenseful, heart pounding and keeps you guessing. I recommend this for all my thriller fans to get you in the Christmas spirit!

Xmas Break is no ordinary holiday story!!
Perfect for anyone trying to get into the Holiday spirit.


It's an easy but very satisfying read and perfect for a cozy night in!
J.E Rowney captures the joy and challenges of Christmas with family, blending holiday warmth and festive charm with suspense and mystery.

At the beginning of the book it is suggested you could read it as an advent with it having 25 chapters.
This is an awesome idea, however once I started reading I couldn't stop until it was finished!!

As holidays generally leave us with not much spare time, it really is the perfect book to fit in a chapter a day, inbetween cooking/other holiday activites or even just to wind down after a busy days gift shopping!


Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and J.E. Rowney for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Xmas Break by JE Rowney is a domestic thriller with a unsettling Christmas backdrop. The story follows two estranged sisters, Isla and Clara, who reunite at a remote mountain cabin for the holidays. A snowstorm traps them and their companions, forcing buried family secrets to surface as the atmosphere becomes increasingly tense and danger approaches.

This fast-paced thriller, though brief, maintains a gripping tension throughout. Structured into 25 short chapters, it can be read as an advent calendar or devoured in one sitting, as I did. The characters are well-developed, and the seamless plot keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The author masterfully crafts a suspenseful and engaging story that keeps you on edge until the final page.

This was a thrilling and cute Christmas story to get you started with the season! When Isla’s estranged sister invites her and her husband to a remote cabin for Christmas, what could go wrong?

The sisters find themselves in a fight for survival, cut off during a snowstorm. When the truth comes out, will the sisters band together? If you’re looking for a quick Christmas themed story, give this one a go!

Thank you Books Go Social & JE Rowney for this read!

I binged this book from start to finish in one go. It was a quick and addictive thriller that is perfect for thriller lovers hoping to read a christmas books that is sure to thrill you!

The setting was creepy and while the intensity builds fast, you will be questioning what is going on! The twist was not totally unexpected however was still satisfying!

If you're after a quick and easy, addictive and thrilling holiday read -- this book is for you! Good enough to devour in one session or ready a chapter each day this December!

I found this to be a fun novella! I found it to be suspenseful and had my heart pounding, I absolutely had to know what happened and refused to put it down until I did (I couldn’t have read this as a chapter-a-day advent read, impossible). It’s a nice little Christmas themed book, the author got the chill of the season and scenery perfectly. The tension between sisters was palpable, there were secrets and unknown motives which kept me guessing as to what was going on.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for this ARC. I read this book in one sitting and laughed in parts. I really enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend this book.

I read this book in one sitting!!! From the very beginning your wondering what is going on and you keep that frame of mind throughout. This was such a fun simple read!

I didn't have the highest of expectations going into this book as the reviews weren't great but I was pleasantly surprised! It was a quick and fun holiday read! I love a good mystery that takes place in the mountains in a blizzard! ❄️

Quick read. Very fast paced, I loved that it was Christmas’-y. Kinda had it figured out at the beginning. It flowed pretty well. The ending was great and my favorite character was Isla. She was a strong woman doing what she did. Would definitely read another book by this author.
Thank you to the publisher and author J. E. Rowney for the advanced readers copy.

Such a cute idea! I love the thought of using this book as an advent calendar so much! I ended up adopting the concept with a short novel in my classroom. A great read - too bad I couldn't put it down to use as an advent calendar!!

This was such a fun, quick read. I didn’t expect to be so enthralled as I know novellas can sometimes fall short without much time for character development. This was a mix of horror and thriller genres, and I appreciated that the author didn’t take it too seriously - lots of breaking the fourth wall and acknowledging just how silly characters in these genres can act (noooo, don’t go upstairs to investigate that noise alone!)

I really enjoyed this holiday read!
I obviously did not read one chapter a day, as I did not have that much self control. It was tense, thrilling, claustrophobic, and eerie all at once. The descriptions were great, albeit a bit repetitive.

If you’re looking for a good Christmas thriller that will keep you wanting more and keep you on the edge of your seat this is it! I highly recommend this short thriller!

Wow what a fun Christmas thiller novella! Honestly I wish it was a little longer and went in a bit more depth of each character.I guessed the killer about half way through but even though I still enjoyed it. It was fast paced and an easy read. I feel like if you like Frieda McFadden you would enjoy this fast paced popcorn thiller. Also the Christmas vibes were SO good! Thanks to net galley for a e-arc!!!

My first Christmas read this year and I loved it!
This book held my interest through each chapter, a fast paced read.
If you love a classic thriller/horror story, this one’s for you!

Xmas Break is a fast-paced Christmas thriller that’s as chilling as the snowstorm trapping its characters. Isla reluctantly agrees to spend the holidays with her estranged sister, Clara, at a fancy mountain retreat. What starts as an awkward family reunion quickly turns into a fight for survival when dark secrets come to light, and the sisters realize they can’t trust anyone—not even each other.

The snowy, isolated setting really amps up the tension, and the relationship between Isla and Clara feels raw and relatable. The twists kept me on edge, even if a few were a little predictable. It’s a quick, suspenseful read that’s perfect for fans of family drama mixed with mystery.

I gave it 4 stars—definitely worth picking up if you like your holiday stories with a side of danger!

I really like the idea that Xmas Break had 25 easily read chapters; I liked that I could read a couple chapters, set it down, and then pick it back up again. I also liked the fact that this novel was set in a remote cabin with a blizzard. It had The Shining vibes written all over it. I loved that the story was a bit unrealistic. I mean, a smart cabin out in the middle of nowhere? But that just made me like the story even more. I will definitely read more by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Xmas Break is a fast-paced Christmas thriller novella. I loved the concept of 25 chapters, reading 1 chapter a day for the advent. I, however, read this in one day because I couldn't wait 25 days, lol.
If you are into quick Christmas thrillers that are a little predictable and somewhat over the top, then this is the book for you!

Thank you @NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
I always enjoy a good Christmas thriller & this didn't disappoint. What happens when the perfect Christmas isn't so perfect after all?

I give this one 3.75 stars, I enjoyed it! Great pace for a compact thriller, love the Christmas vibes and quick character development, easy to read in a sitting! Upon approach to the cabin in the the story you really felt like you were there in this luxurious wintry location. I wish we knew a bit more about the PTSD the brother in law was experiencing. My only other note would be the wrap up, last 10% of the book seemed unneccessary since nothing else really happens other than the sisters get their relationship back. I would and have recommended this to friends!

I recently discovered Christmas thrillers. Christmas is supposed to be a time of love and happiness, not a time for m$rder. But, I am here for all the Christmas thrillers.

This was a short read at 182 pages. It was a bit of a slower burn. There was a lot of tension created in the first half of the book as two estranged sisters get together at Christmas for the first time in years with their spouses.

We know immediately that something is a little off with the couple who is hosting. The atmosphere of the story just lends to the tension. A beautiful mountain home in the middle of a snow storm, and of course, the power goes out.

But there are definitely some surprises in this story, some plot twists I didn't immediately see coming.

I liked how the story ended. While not exactly a happy ending, it was probably the closest to you could get.

I hope I will be forgiven for not reviewing this book as soon as it was downloaded and I am only 1/2 way through BUT I am reading it chapter by chapter as it was suggested through Christmas day. The story of two estranged sisters with one receiving an offer a Christmas get away to a secluded luxury mountain home. What could go wrong. The story begins with simmering tension and barbed remarks against a Christmas decorated home that seems to good to be true. As storm hits followed by a power outage, the sisters veneer of civility begins to crack. I wake up each morning looking forward to my next installment and I know I will not be disappointed in the outcome.

What a nail-biter! A must-read mystery to read in your coziest Christmas pj's by the fireplace. I devoured this short in one sitting, and you should, too.

a great Christmas thriller with a plot you can't see coming! I really enjoyed the setting of the book and the characters! Even though this isn't a long book you got to know the characters and got invested into the story.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of Xmas Break:A Christmas Thriller.

I devoured this book in one sitting. There are 25 chapters, one for each day of advent, only if you are able to put the book down after each chapter!!
Nice quick Christmas read with great thriller storyline.

It was nice and short, I like the idea of 24 chapters, so that you can read one from December 1st till December 24th counting down to Christmas :)
The idea was gripping, and it was an overall pleasurable read

I enjoyed this book! Definitely liked the happy ending. My heart was beating fast and I was very scared at parts, like when Isla was alone in the house with Greg. I’m a big fan of Christmas thrillers and horror and this hit the spot.

I loved the idea of a advent calendar book! Unfortunately, I’m impatient and read it all in a couple of days!! It was a great thriller set on christmas, two things I love! It’s well written, not too stereotypical, which is usually my issue with a lot of thrillers. Also, that santa claus was HILARIOUS! And I also loved the commentary of the main character who was like « let’s try not to be the dumb main character in a thriller shall we ».