Fantastic book - I loved this so much A clearly unhappy couple who are clinging on the their
marriage set of on a holiday hoping that this will bring them together .....
When much money is involved then anything can happen and it does!
Great read, i absolutely loved this twisting thriller.

I really enjoyed this latest offering from author John Nicholl. “The Holiday” is a gripping thriller is a gripping psychological thriller featuring Suzie and George Reynolds who have a very turbulent marriage. Full of deception, betrayal and secrets as we learn more about this unlikeable couple. George and Suzie are on holiday in the Canary Islands and trying to rescue what remains of their troubled marriage.

John Nicholl paints a bleak picture of this couples marriage as he highlights Suzie’s insecurities and George’s endless list of flaws ranging from gambling to infidelity. For some strange reason Suzie appears to want to recapture whatever they had before as she remains fully committed to their failing relationship. She remains hopeful that this holiday could be the kick start their marriage needs. .

Suzie’s sweet dreams are never going to happen though and the holiday swiftly becomes a nightmare. All this is not helped by a beautiful woman on the same holiday who George appears to be transfixed by.

This fast paced novel maybe a little predictable but still I found it impossible to put down as I had to know what happened.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Boldwood books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A clearly unhappy couple begin bickering and taking jabs at each other before they even reach their vacation destination. He cheats and gambles, while she is a strict catholic who has suffered a few recent losses. She has money, he wants it….and so does his mistress.

The Holiday was EXCELLENT, a definite page turner. The writing style was great, easy to follow and the twists were all so unpredictable. I love the dual POV in this one! Highly recommend The Holiday to anyone looking for a twisty thriller!

I struggled at the very beginning of this book. The two married main characters are headed off on vacation. They have a troubled marriage and are hoping this will help their relationship. The constant complaining about each other was a turn off for me. Once I got further into the book it did pick up some.

What I liked:
the flawed characters, even though I didn't actually like them. I don't mind unlikable characters.
The setting was nice and well described.
The twist, even though I guessed from very early on.

What I didn't like:
The Catholic church bashing. Even the devout character was portrayed as over the top with her beliefs.
Too much complaining about the other spouse.

This just wasn't the book for me. I would read other books by this author because I've heard great things about some of his other novels.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3

Thanks to netgalley and Boldwood Books for the arc.

'The Holiday' is the first novel by John Nicholl I have had the pleasure of reading and I have to say, it was an enjoyable, if a little surprising, read!

The storyline starts with a Welsh couple flying out on holiday to the Canary Islands. Wife, Suzie, is a good catholic wife, she is wealthy, but is reluctant to freely share her wealth with husband George, given his traumatic history which has seen him turn to gambling, presumably as a coping mechanism.

On the flight, a beautiful woman (Amelia) is situated close by and while Suzie initially feels jealous and suspects her husband will be drooling at the sight of this woman, once on holiday, they soon become friends. The relationship between Suzie and George can be described as fractious at best, and this novel focuses on the dance around money that is played out between them. The influence of Amelia features heavily in this novel and in some unexpected ways.

There is simplicity in this novel, this was kind of refreshing! Just a good entertaining read!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

This is good. But in my humble opinion not as good as most of his other works.

I am hoping that this author since his days of being self published isn’t been geared by Publishers to change his previously truly amazing talent that we all loved about his books. One of his abilities that I really really REALLY loved was getting into the distorted mind of the “perverse” character. I realise that can’t be accomplished in every book he writes but this character (or even the inner thoughts of both of them ) would have been great fodder for a reader to behold and draw many of us in.

I’ve never been to Tenerife but my grown adult children have, and I know the author has and it’s beautiful going by photos I’ve seen. So I loved the narrative of the surroundings within the pages of this book, I could mentally envision it.

This couple has tremendous problems within their marriage and some trauma when it came to miscarriages too, and with her husband having a wandering eye doesn’t help or a past affair!

She’s now got money.
He had a problem with money so he can’t be trusted with it, fully understand that.
He’s reliant on her mostly.

Certain things raise up within the chapters that are mostly plain to see where this is leading as the start of it her husband is eying up a woman on the plane so pennies do drop.

I love this authors books. I’m a huge fan. And I’m being a critic maybe? However, it just lacked that certain ‘John Nicholl’ touch we all love.

Please don’t let me sway anyone from reading this as there are many that has given 5* and 4*. My 3* is that I liked it. I didn’t hate it, but for me, I know this authors made of brilliant “stuff”.

#TheHoliday #NetGalley
It was meant to be the perfect getaway…
As I board the plane, all I can feel is hope and excitement. One whole week away. Just me and the man I have promised to be with forever. Time to repair what has been broken. Maybe even try for another baby, and pray that this time it doesn’t end heartbreakingly.
I just need to not think about what George has done. He’s my husband. And this is the holiday where we make things right. But then I realise he can’t take his eyes off the beautiful woman who’s just boarded the plane in front of me… In that moment, everything changes. And nobody is safe.
It was ok.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me an advance copy.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

a psychological thriller that i had hoped i would like more but i did struggle with this one quite a bit...

normally i am a fan of this authors works but this one i found hard going...

Different to my usual book genres but certainly a page turner! I had a good idea the direction the book was going from about half way through, but hadn't predicted the ending.

Well written psychological thriller.

Susie and George are married. Susie has money and George doesn’t. George loathes his wife. George will do anything to secure his future with `Suzies money. Even a holiday away does nothing to ease the tensions and solve George’s money worries.
This book has a twist. Neither of the couple are particularly likeable characters but do they deserve what they get.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see a DRC

Suzie is married to George but things are not going well. He has cheated on her, she has had several miscarriages, he has debts, she has money. He wants her money and a divorce but she is catholic and won’t leave him. Something has to give. Will a holiday bring them back together or will it change everything for ever.

The Holiday by John Nicholl was a fast paced read. I read this in one day, essentially one sitting. I felt such loathing for the MMC, however, that I almost DNF this book. He is a detestable character and the dialogue between him and the FMC felt gross to me. His behavior was abusive but it felt even less appealing because of the gullible and ignorant way the FMC acted. On top of that the over-abundance of religion/church bashing dialogue left a bad taste in my mouth. With all this combined, I came very close several times to putting my Kindle down and not finishing this book.
The twists toward the end were slightly interesting - enough that they kept my attention. I did, however, figure out all the twists ahead of time which took the thrill away.

I have posted this review on Amazon, Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6272773674

And Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3qMocqL-pW/?igsh=YTQyODJ2cDM1MXFh

Nicholl is one of those authors that guarantees you a heart pounding, page turning thriller full of suspense and excitement that will grip you from the first page to the last.

The characters are flawed, toxic and unlikeable, yet believable and their POV will have you second guessing them throughout the book...just who is telling the truth?

I really enjoyed The Holiday, it's twisty, addictive and I would definitely recommend it.

Heady Atmosphere..
A holiday. Can it ever mend anything? Make everything right with the world…or even, with a relationship? Probably not, in truth, but that is what Suzie and George decide to do. A holiday to Tenerife will make everything fine. Won’t it? However, not everything is quite as it seems and things are about to get much, much worse. Tension fuelled suspense with mainly unlikeable protagonists, a heady atmosphere and a propulsive plot littered with twists - which the reader may or may not see coming. An entertaining read.

The Holiday is a classic thriller with an unhappy marriage and a greedy husband. I loved to hate the husband because he is a terrible man. The authors did an excellent job writing about him and the other characters. I would definitely read more book by this author.

Suzie and George are on holiday and trying to repair their marriage or so Suzie thinks. On the plane is a great looking lady who George is admiring and Suzie notices. Well the deception is repetitive and I had a ball reading this book. I didn't like any of the characters but I enjoyed rolling my eyes at them and the plot is twisty. Although I could see what was going to happen it was still enjoyable and the atmosphere was tense with unanticipated themes. I loved how atmospheric it felt from the descriptions of the hotel and the stunning sea. The story unfolds at a nice even pace and feels tight lipped with mystery. I could feel my blood pumping waiting for the eccentricity of the secrets to be revealed and when they were my heart literally stopped! A memorable physcological thriller!

It was meant to be the perfect getaway...

...but this holiday is anything BUT a holiday! What I wouldn't give for a week in Tenerife, sipping pina coladas by the pool, walking on the sand at sunset, swimming in the pristine waters. But I haven't even got a passport so the closest I can get is to dream.

Firstly, Suzie and George. Has anyone ever met a more unlikely couple? Suzie is in love with George (more's the pity) but George is too busy being in love with himself (and Suzie's money). Although the sum of which is never disclosed, it is hinted at being a tidy sum that could mean he could chuck in his job at the gym and buy a luxurious home on the coast and never have to worry about money again. But George doesn't have access to Suzie's wealth, which she had won on a premium bond, and he spends the week in Tenerife and then back home trying to convince her to let him have even just a taster. A joint account. Shared assets. Paying off his debts. And new wills leaving all their worldly goods to each other.

But Suzie has a problem. She can't get past George's wandering eye, convinced that he has been unfaithful though she has yet to prove it. And under her father's guidance, she has cut off all access to her wealth and handing her husband out tidbits like he was a child. In some ways, he is. Like a teenager he thinks with only one part of his anatomy and lets that lead his life. George hates her that her father has so much influence over a grown woman's life. And he kind of has a point. I'm all for respecting your elders but reallty, Suzie's father is a bully who demands obedience and justifies it as God's law. Of course, Suzie is a strict Catholic so divorce was never going to be an option for her. As she says on more than one occasion, George is her cross to bear.

And then while they are on holiday in Tenerife, the holiday that is to be a new start for them both, Suzie strikes up an unlikely friendship with Amelia after the woman witnessed George's drunken tantrum poolside one afternoon. It's a friendship that continues when they return to Wales and one that Suzie is thankful for. But Amelia is stunningly gorgeous and she knows that George would ogle the woman given half the chance.

Howver, once they return to Wales Suzie gives George an ultimatum. Try for another baby and once she gives birth to a healthy child (after suffering two miscarriages) only then will she give him access to her wealth.

But this holiday, that was meant to be the perfect getaway and a new start for them both, turns out to be a nightmare...where nobody is safe...

This psychological thriller is so entertaining like a car crash from which you can't look away, with completely despicable characters who were as hateful as each other, and even with its oh-so predictable plot I had to stick around to see it through. Even to the very last line of the very last page...I was rolling my eyes at the ridiculousness of it and how gullible they all were.

I love John Nicholl's books and as much as the characters were cringeworthy, it was so skillfully written that it was entertaining from start to finish. And I enjoyed the ride.

I would like to thank #JohnNicholl, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheHoliday in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This was supposed to be a new start for a couple with marital problems. When suzi won a life changing amount of money, she was the one who held the purse strings, as george couldnt be trusted as he had already clocked up debts.George expected suzi to pay them off but she refused.
When suzi meets a beautiful women called amelia, she thought she had found a true friend, has she?? Or does amelia have something in mind??, is she all she seems to be?? Suspense, twists,, i really enjoyed it, i became fully invested in all the characters, great job!!! Well worth a read

The Holiday by John Nicholl

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

As I board the plane, all I can feel is hope and excitement. One whole week away. Just me and the man I have promised to be with forever. Time to repair what has been broken. Maybe even try for another baby, and pray that this time it doesn’t end heartbreakingly. I just need to not think about what George has done. He’s my husband. And this is the holiday where we make things right. But then I realise he can’t take his eyes off the beautiful woman who’s just boarded the plane in front of me… In that moment, everything changes. And nobody is safe. A gripping, twisty, breathtaking psychological thriller that will keep you reading late into the night.

My Opinion

I started this book and put it down for the night around 14% completed, within minutes I was picking it up again to read on. I have picked this book up at every available opportunity knowing that something was going to happen but not being sure what. This really didn't fit with my idea of a psychological thriller, but it was very entertaining and I was definitely hooked.

As a main character I have to say that Suzie annoyed me and as the book went on I grew to like her even less. There are many twists in this to keep the reader guessing.

Rating 4/5

I'll begin by saying that I did not like any of the characters in this story however that seems to make it more addictive. From the first page, you wonder where the story is going and is told from alternative view points of the husband and wife, and John has nailed all the problems which can accumulate when a marriage isn't working especially when it comes to trust and money. It was a good page turning story which hooked me in quite quickly albeit , with a sudden ending!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.