The story of Alex and Matt, a couple, going in a long weekend break over Christmas with Marr’s ex Claire and her new partner Patrick, somthey can spend christmas together with Matt and Claire’s daughter (and invisible rabbit friend!). An interesting read that flits back and forth between the story of the holiday andnthe accident that takes place during the break. I enjoyed, rather than loved, but would recommend as a read.

A really enjoyable fun read!

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley, Orion and Caroline Hulse for my ARC.

In order to spend time with their daughter, Scarlett, Claire and Matt take their new partners on a Christmas break. Add together simmering resentment, growing mistrust, misread intentions, and throw in an 5ft invisible purple rabbit and you have the recipe for a disastrous break.

It was an entertaining read and there were several times it raised a smile, but I would call it offbeat rather than hilarious. Patrick is pompous, Claire is too good to be true at times, Alex is rather bland, whilst Matt reminds me rather too much of an ex. An enjoyable read but not sure I would read it again.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers, Orion Publishing Group, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

I really liked the idea of this story. Scarlet's parents and their new partners go away on holiday with Scarlet to try and spend Christmas as a family. Everyone does not get along. There are arguments and brewing jealousies and a lot of tension. Scarlet's imaginary friend causes problems as well. Overall the story was good. I had hoped there would be more humour in it and I felt that in places it rambled on unnecessarily.

Now. Surely you wouldn't actually go ahead with this? Go on holiday with your partners, their ex and their children.? It sounds a nightmare and it actually was - but it made for a great story for us readers! The writing was great, I both loved and hated all of the characters at different times. Full of humour, I won't be surprised if this ends up being a TV one-off. Great fun.

When feckless man-child Matt persuades his girlfriend Alex to spend Christmas at a slightly over-the-top country activity centre along with his fabulous ex-partner Claire, their 7 year old daughter, Scarlett and the uptight Patrick (Claire’s new ‘punching over his weight’ boyfriend), Alex is full of foreboding. And she has every right to be - it’s obvious that Matt isn’t completely over Claire; young Scarlett has taken her parents’ break up very badly and spends much of her time talking to Posey, her imaginary friend - a wise cracking street-smart giant purple rabbit - and poor insecure Patrick is completely out of his depth. What could possibly go right, and why on earth did any of them agree to go there in the first place?

At the start we find out that simmering resentments have, not surprisingly, got out of hand between them all and one of the house party has been shot, perhaps fatally. Who is it, what happened and why? And so the scene is set for a hilariously great blockbuster of a read.

I really loved this book. It is genuinely funny all the way through. The characters are brilliant (especially Posey the rabbit) and I can’t wait to read more from Ms Hulse.

Many thanks to NetGalley, to Orien and to the author for allowing me to read and review this lovely book.

The unlikely but entertaining scenario of this novel has two couples spending Christmas together with each other's ex-partner at an organised activity centre, along with the young daughter of one of the divorced pair. What could possibly go wrong?
The title is an ironic indication of how the ‘grownups’ regress into infantile behaviour, when the tense atmosphere of close proximity (plus excess booze) reveals their shared insecurities, resentments and guilty secrets. As soon as the Monopoly board appears we know it is all going to end in tears. The characters are well drawn with their individual flaws and foibles which made them endearingly believable (although I’m somewhat ambivalent about Posey - the purple rabbit imaginary friend belonging to the daughter).
This hugely enjoyable comedy, bordering on farce by the end, would make an excellent sitcom episode.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and Caroline Hulse for the ARC of The Adults in return for my honest review.

I was drawn to read the book by the description of the two couples together with the daughter and her invisible rabbit going to a lodge over the Christmas holidays. It seemed a bizarre combination because the parents of the daughter were both taking their new partners. In addition, it begins with the telephone call where one of the party has been shot with a bow and arrow. Although not the type of novel I usually read I was expecting humorous, witty conversations and snide comments all the way through.

The story worked only partially for me. The one scene when Alex was drunk I found clever, amusing and thoroughly enjoyable. If more of the book had been along those lines I would have given it five stars.

Recommended.

The Adults is a quirky and humorous novel about the complications of life and the reality of trying to act like grown ups. Matt and Claire are split up, but they want their daughter Scarlett to have a good family Christmas. This means that somehow they end up at a holiday camp over the festive period with their new partners in tow, and Scarlett’s imaginary rabbit friend Posey coming along too. Everyone might think it’s a weird set up, but they’re all going to be adults about it, or so they think until it ends up with a phone call to the police.

The novel opens with the phone call and then tells the story of the characters getting there and having their holiday together intercut with witness statements, as the truth of the incident and what happened beforehand slowly comes out. The narrative isn’t hugely surprising, though it is nice that this isn’t just an ‘exes get back together’ type story. Instead, it is funny and slightly dark, with a lot of the comedy coming from the ridiculous awkwardness of the situation and the inclusion of Scarlett’s imaginary giant rabbit, as a group of people with a lot of differences and complicated personal ties try to get along amidst fights and lies. At times it can feel a bit slow, but it picks up the pace later on once the groundwork is laid down.

The Adults is a light read that can be sweet and also embarrassing, showing how bizarre life can be when some well-meaning adults make stupid choices to try and make a child happy over Christmas. It is the kind of book that would make a good indie comedy film adaptation, with a slightly surreal imaginary friend and a kind of ‘look how awful someone else’s Christmas could be’ vibe.