A very easy read; the writing was entrancing. I saw on another review that the author spent a lot of time describing the setting, but honestly, it didn’t feel like it at all. Rowney did a great job in setting the setting and introducing the characters, and I honestly don’t feel like she wrote too much. 
 
My only issue with the book is that it is too short! I would have loved it to be a little bit longer so we could have more context of the dynamic between the sisters and know more about their husbands because it almost feels like we’re dealing with strangers. I feel like I only cared about Isla and her sister, but even then, when the ending comes, I feel like I didn’t even know Isla, so I would have loved to have more context about the characters so we could fully engage with them. The suspenseful tone was palpable, so powerful. 
 
A great quick read to get you in the holiday spirit for us thriller lovers.

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!

Clearly inspired by The Shining, Xmas Break suffers a bit from novella syndrome, in which the short length makes it difficult to tell a full-fledged story.

In the book, two estranged sisters gather with their spouses for the holidays. Will they make peace? Or will things get dark and deadly?

I always do like a sister story, though!

Estranged sisters Isla and Clara agree to spend Christmas in a remote mountainside haven with the husbands after several years apart. The holiday reunion seems too good to be true, and when a brutal snowstorm cuts them off from civilization, family secrets begin to surface and tension ensues.

This short holiday novella is a perfect read to help you meet your year-end Goodreads goal and will be best enjoyed with the lights on.

Thank you to J.E. Rowney, Little Fox Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of the book for an honest review.

The Christmas vibes in this book were really fun, especially when set in a thriller book. The author did a great job of conveying the season and turning normally happy Christmas items into something more sinister.

Unfortunately, the story fell flat. There was so much potential in the beginning but it ended up being boring and predictable. I found there was some weird repetition in the story, which was odd for a book so short. There was also a lot of alluding to something happening in the past and not enough of a payoff in the end.

I did really enjoy the author's writing and would pick up another book by this author.

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.

first christmas read of the year! this book has 25 chapters so can be read as an advent calendar with one chapter a day or in one sitting like I did. it was a short and Christmassy read and I liked the aspect of sisters, healing and Christmas being about family and creating memories. however for a thriller, this wasn’t eerie or scary at all which is why I’m giving it 1.5 stars.

thank you NetGalley for the arc.

When it came to some of the descriptions I think Rowney did a little too much. I also think that it's resemblance to The Shining was so obvious it took me away from the story. I think if you're writing/publishing a short story you really have to laser focus on having everything and make it super clean, and this didn't feel that way.

Giving this a 1.5.

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.

Difficult one to review really.
An ok storyline set in a wintery/xmas setting but just as it started getting going it had finished.
Short and sweet.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

I wanted to like this novella but for me it was too predictable, redundant dialogue, and too simple. I really didn’t care for the writing so I will not be posting this on my blog.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and reviews this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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.

This was just okay for me. Wanted more thriller and less family drama- but it was quick and would be a great read to help meet your Goodreads goal for the year.

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!

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?!! 😂

This was a quick read and yes, it was rushed in some parts so it would've been better if it were longer. However, it was pretty tense and I didn't expect that ending. It was a wild ride!

When Isla reluctantly accepts her estranged sister Clara's invitation to spend Christmas at a luxury mountain retreat, she expects awkward family tension – not a fight for survival. After years of silence following their mother's death, this holiday reunion seems too good to be true. And it is.

As a brutal snowstorm cuts them off from civilization, dark secrets begin to surface. With time running out and nowhere to run, two sisters must put aside years of mistrust to survive the night. But in a house full of lies, how do you know who to trust?

This was a fun story. I like the idea of chapters as an advent calendar and needing to wait until the next day to read the next chapter! The story was repetitive in places, like the author didn't trust the reader to follow the story. Otherwise, this was a quick read. I don't think I could have read one chapter a day, though! 3.5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

A quick to read thriller that somehow packs an awful lot into its short length.

Two sisters are brought together after years of not speaking to spend Christmas with their respective husbands in an idyllic isolated cabin. The book is atmospheric and I could imagine the snow falling outside and the log fire burning inside whilst I read. The festive warm feeling soon dispersed as the story takes its first turn when the power goes out and Isla and Clara’s husbands set out to locate the emergency generator that has failed to start. A few twists within the plot kept me reading to find out how the story finished.

A good Xmas read.