Hold on to your sun hats, you’re in for a nail biting ride with Nikki Smith’s The Guests! This really was a fast paced read with lots of clever twists and turns. I was constantly desperate to read the next chapter! The main characters were complicated and complex and not particularly likeable. The plot kept me on my toes as I really never foresaw where it was going next. The ending was intriguing and left me wanting more.

Highly recommended. Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for an eARC of The Guests in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn't really my kind of book although I'm sure for many people would be a fantastic holiday read. The depth and level of development of characters didn't feel right to me and some of the things that took place didn't feel like decisions that would be taken by those characters. I couldn't help feeling that it was like reading something designed to be shown on screen with a definite feel of White Lotus but without the depth and dark humour.

I went on a bit of a journey with this book, it started strong with the prologue then we meet the Hamiltons, I was intrigued from the offset as to what had happened to cause such an emotional response from Cara (Mum) and the injuries to Alexa (daughter)… as the story unfolds we find out and I like the way it just flowed, dropped into the dialogue.

This book was good in terms of pace, I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next and there was alot happening at once.
A couple of unanswered questions.. 1) I still don’t fully understand what Cindy’s problem was with Cara and why. 2) The ending….

This premise of this book was brilliant! I have recently been on holiday to The Maldives and as someone who works hard to minimise waste and support the environment, it was something that I thought about myself when I was there, so this was totally relatable for me.

Zach and Cara, with their daughter Alexa, meet social media influencer Skye and as the lies and manipulation started, the tension definitely built up like a pressure cooker ready to explode! There were some great twists and a brilliant ending!

The only negative for me was that I didn’t like any of the characters.

4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Nikki Smith and Penguin for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Cara, Zach and teenage daughter Alexa are meant to be having a luxury, environmentally friendly on the Maldives, but they are harbouring individual secrets, as is every other completely dislikeable character in the book. Some get their comeuppance, others seem to get away with it.
I wasn’t keen on the style of the book. Lots of characters early on. I wasn’t sure if we were meant to engage with any of them, but none of them had any redeemable features. An average 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I loved The Beach Party by this author; I have been to Majorca on numerous occasions & could imagine myself in the setting. Moving on to this new book, I have always wanted to go to the Maldives, not so much now.

The Hamilton family take a break to an exclusive resort in the Maldives following a traumatising break-in at their family home. Husband Zach, promises not to work whilst he’s away but that idea swiftly evaporates when he sees an Instagram influencer on the island & espies a golden business opportunity. He continually disappears & his wife starts to be concerned about what is going on, especially as he returns later & later.

A twisting thriller which is an ideal holiday read.

Great beach thriller about a family visiting a luxury resort in the Maldives. Hoping to put some traumatic events behind them and make new business connections, their secrets followed them. Certainly put me off diving, luxury resorts and the Maldives!

Idyllic setting. A chance to see how the other half holiday. I was conflicted between wanting to experience the luxury and the setting and the environmental issues caused by this kind of tourism. The characters all had their dark secrets. Not very likeable characters, but well written, .Good twist at the end.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin General UK and Nikki Smith for this EARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book after reading The Beach Party, and it certainly didn't disappoint!

Here we travel along to the idyllic island of the Maldives with the Hamilton family. It is clear from the start that their is some sort of rift between then, that they are trying to escape something and forget themselves on a tranquil island.

However, they just can't escape the drama. Honestly keeps you gripped with the twists and dark vibes within the story, giving the perfect destination thriller! Lots of sun, sea and secrets!

I loved The Beach Party last year and was delighted to get an early copy of The Guests from Ellie Hudson at Penguin books.

After a traumatic event, the Hamilton family arrive for a restful holiday in the Maldives, with no idea of what their break will turn into. The story ends in the prologue, with the subsequent chapters taking us on a countdown to that discovery. On the way we meet multiple dubious characters all with their own motive for being on the island.

The story twists and turns as we countdown the days and hours. Even though I knew who did it, I had no idea how it would end, and (after reading the end) whether there will be a sequel! 🙏

Nikki Smith is skilled at pulling you into the story, making you feel the sun, the sand and the sea, and I’m now itching for my holiday next week! ☀️

The Blurb
The resort of their dreams.
A destination to die for...
WELCOME TO PARADISE!

Or so the staff say when they greet the Hamiltons at the idyllic Asana Fushi resort in the Maldives.

And it starts off that way: champagne picnics on powder-white sand, snorkelling in the serene blue sea and moonlit walks under the stars.

But lies lurk beneath the luxury because each of the guests has a secret, and they’re not the only ones.
How can a once-in-a-lifetime trip turn into the holiday from hell?

A tropical island and a chance to come together as a family but is it really that easy. With all the secrets and lies, how can anyone figure out the truth?

Everyone has a secret and has been lying. This was an interesting read and the plot drew me in. There's a lot going on and at times it came across as a little rushed. The ending was not quite how I wanted it to end but I think for the concept of the book it worked really well. There is no one overly likeable in this at all. Every person has their own issues and by the end you're not sure who or how you want it to end. A thriller of twists and lies.

The Hamilton family have made their way to the Asana Fushi resort in the Maldives for a much needed family vacation. Things are strained between them at the moment, so they're hoping this trip will help to mend some bridges. What the family aren't expecting is who they come across when they arrive. Suddenly it's not just their own secrets that are at risk of being exposed.

I haven't read The Beach Party, somehow that one slipped me by. After reading this I'll definitely be getting myself a copy though. I was hooked in to this book from the first page, and found it incredibly hard to put down.

Surprisingly I didn't dislike the Hamilton family like I expected to. Don't get me wrong, each of them has some issues, and if they communicated with each other properly they might not have such strained relationships, but I thought they seemed like real, everyday people. THe supporting characters were well put together too, each with their own agendas that become evident as the story progresses.

In terms of the plot I had no idea where this one was going to go. It's evident from the countdown that runs throughout the book that the story is building to a key event, but until things actually unfold you don't see what is coming. Every time I thought I was getting an idea what was going on something else would happen and send things on a different path.

I've never been to the Maldives, but had a really clear picture in my head of the resort because it's described so well. One thing that did stand out to me from this is the level of wastefulness that occurs at luxury resorts like this one in order to please the guests. It definitely made me stop and think about the impact to the environment, and the local people and cultures.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and will definitely be keeping my eye out for future books by Nikki Smith.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review

A brilliant read with lots of twists which keep you guessing. This was a page turner which I would definitely recommend for anyone who loves psychological thrillers.

This was a great read that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat.
A brilliant cast of very different characters & the idyllic setting was perfect.
A very well written gripping thriller.

If you liked ‘The White Lotus’, you’ll love ‘The Guests’.

Nikki Smith captures her intriguing cast of characters perfectly, weaving their individual interests with an idyllic resort in Maldives. From the eco-influencer to the high-profile businessman, everyone has something to hide in Asana Fushi.

Nikki Smith’s writing is so evocative, you can feel the sand beneath your feet and the salt water in your eyes. You can also feel the desperation of some of the characters as their lives begin to fall apart - and their lies are threatened with exposure.

This is the perfect summer read.

WOW - Never read a book like this before - so many different characters and so well written too, kept me guessing all the way.
Edge of the seat thriller- highly recommended.

I dived right into this book, immediately interested and keen to turn the page. The story focuses on the Hamilton family, Zach and Cara, plus teenage daughter Alexa, on a luxury trip to the Maldives. The narrative is all headlined with a countdown to an event, which kept me wanting to find out what we were cantering towards as the family secrets and troubled relationships tumbled out. I was captivated and intrigued as the tale twisted along. A really good holiday read!

I found this to be a decent, easy to read drama. A perfect beach read as it’s set in the beautiful Maldives and tells the story of a family on holiday.

The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the husband’s 50th birthday as well as recover from a traumatic experience.

There are a number of well drawn characters all with various secrets.

It held my interest, but, only just as I felt it never really gripped me fully.

Overall a 3* decent read and thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for the opportunity to preview.

I found this book intriguing, there were lot's of hints and suspense of different events that had previously happened, that I think my nosiness kept me reading.

The book starts with a family going away on holiday to a very exclusive and supposed eco-friendly resort. Once there all three from the family encounter there own problems that they have to face, whilst also carrying the problems from home.

I didn't particularly like most of the characters, but that's not to say they weren't fully formed and I don't always believe we're supposed to like all the characters in a story.

I thought the story had potential, it really felt like it was building to an exciting end, but I felt let down and underwhelmed by the conclusion of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC

This was a quick easy read but it struggled to keep my interest. I didn't particularly like any of the characters and couldn't relate to any of them. The setting was brilliant and I will definitely look out for more by this author in the future.