They Had it Coming follows two couples who used to be inseparable: Nate and Layla, and Jude and Sophie. We know that years ago, something happened to someone, but we don't know who it is or what really happened. In the present, Nate and Layla are living the Insta-life of their dreams in Bali. Jude and Sophie live in London, and after an unsettling experience at home, they decide to pay their old friends a visit. Soon enough, tension rises between the couples. Whatever happened that night in 2007? Who's lying and who can you trust?

First of all this book is so REAL! Yes, I said it!! The prologue of this book is captivating! I was hooked from the first 'flash'. The characters are built so well. That ending... OMG!!!

This was my first novel by Nikki Smith, it won't be the last!

I read The Beach Party last year and jumped at the arc for this. The Beach Party had been a solid 4/5. This book revolves around 2 couples and best friends. Nate and Leyla who after Leyla’s parents die in a car accident move to Bali to live as digital nomads, enjoying the sun, lifestyle and getting away from everything. Jude and Sophie, their best friends decide to take a sabbatical from the London commute and visit Bali to see how the other half live. Nate and Jude go back as friends from their university days and subsequently working at the same banking firm in London. We know that something happened at Sophie and Jude’s wedding that was caused by Leyla and led to a subsequent falling out and thawing of their friendship.

I loved this book. Everyone has secrets that threw me at every turn. Who has the most to gain or loose? I loved the reminders of a Bali I’d visited as a backpacker and the possibility of ditching uk grey skies to live in the sunshine. One of my favourite books this year and a perfect beach/holiday read. Next please!!

Thanks to the publishers and net galley in exchange for a review. I really enjoyed the setting of Bali and the flashback at the beginning made me realise from the start I was in for a slow peel to find out what had happened in the past for Sophie to want to get her revenge on her friend Layla. This was an easy read and would be a great beach choice.

An exotic thriller set in Bali around two toxic friendship couples, with secrets and twists. I found it an OK thriller. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for ARC.

Who doesn’t love a destination thriller right. I have never. Even to Bali, but reading They Had it Coming I felt like I was there. Beautiful beaches, cocktails, temples and so much more. A great read for a dreary day.

This was a suspenseful and addictive read about 4 people that I really didn’t like very much at all. These couples were supposedly best of friends but they were lying and hiding things from each other for years. It takes a while for the reader to understand exactly how much they are deceiving each other but when you find out it is jaw dropping. I loved the wild ending and didn’t see any of it coming.

Such a fun read. Thanks so much to Penguin, Viking Publishing on NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on May 22nd.

A great story with so many twists in it, what seems like a dream lifestyle isn't all it cracked up to be...

A luxurious thriller set in the sublime setting of Bali, where luscious cocktails in 5 star resorts are the norm now for Nate and Layla as they have swapped their hectic London life for a slower pace in paradise. Following the loss of her parents and the ensuing breakdown, Layla has revamped her lifestyle into an Insta-perfect one with wholesome smoothies, yoga and mindfulness poolside in a glorious villa. Nate continues to be a social butterfly, swapping his boardroom prowess for the modern and cool open hot desks on the island where all the deals are made. Their best friends Jude and Sophie have been distant since the wedding debaucle, but recent turmoil at work and home sees them clamouring to visit Bali for an extended trip. The temperatures are set to rise , as are tensions on their arrival. Old issues come bubbling to the surface. This is a sizzling summer thriller. #theyhaditcoming #Nikkismith #netgalley

Set in Bali, 'They Had it Coming' sees the reunion of four friends: Nate and Layla, Jude and Sophie. Until Nate and Layla moved abroad to establish a new life for themselves, the four were inseparable, working and playing together. But their friendship was not as tight as it seemed on the surface - they were all keeping secrets from each other. When they meet again, emotions that they have been holding in check for years begin to erupt as each seeks to get revenge on the person they think hurt them.
This novel was a story of two halves - the first half was gripping and left me with more questions than answers, which made me read on. The second half was a bit too speedy for me as answer after answer flooded out. It explored entitlement, jealousy and fear to name but a few of the reasons 'they had it coming'. I really enjoyed the setting too. This would be a great holiday read.

This was a book I had massive hopes for. It started off brilliantly – the first few chapters totally had me hooked. And honestly, for most of it, it was great. But then… it just went a bit off the rails.

It got way too much – like, trying too hard. The plot started jumping all over the place, random secrets from the past popped up that didn’t really add much, new storylines were chucked in that barely tied into the rest… It was like everything got thrown into the mix, and it just turned into a bit of a mess. So instead of a big, jaw-dropping finale with fireworks, we got a half-hearted sparkler. Bit of a letdown, really.

I do love the Bali vibe – not just the Instagrammable stuff, but the real, raw atmosphere too. And I enjoyed the glimpses into the characters’ pasts. But there just weren’t enough threads tying it all together, and at times I genuinely felt lost in it all.

Real shame, that.

This is a great read! I could not work out where is was going and this made it so refreshing. Whilst the characters aren’t particularly likeable, you still end up completely invested in how things will pan out. The story twists and turns, the pace is just right and I was surprised by the ending. Would definitely recommend!

An enjoyable read with loads of twists and turns. Two toxic couples , not very likeable but I had to know how the story ended !! A lovely holiday read and would recommend

So much history and past relationships with 2 couples , 4 friends with so many secrets about each other and hiding them, written by 4 of them back to 2007

A destination thriller, Suspenseful and twisty set in Bali - really enjoyed it

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin/Viking Books

After an unsettling experience in their home in London Sophie and Jude decide the time is right to take up the offer from close friends Nate and Layla to visit them in their new home in Bali. The simmering tension between Sophie and Layla puts the dream holiday at risk of turning into a nightmare.

They Had It Coming is my first foray into the novels of Nikki Smith, well-known for her destination thrillers. After the gradual revelations, the proliferation of secrets and the wicked twists I don't think it will be my last.

Recently married Sophie and Jude have successful careers and the plans for their future are well underway. Returning home from work one day Sophie disturbs a burglary taking place in their flat, an event which really unsettles her. The couple decide that now is the perfect time to put their plans on hold and visit their close friends in Bali. Nate and Layla moved to the island a year ago and have had a luxury villa built, perfect for them to host a visit from their friends.

When Sophie and Jude land they discover that everything isn't as ideal as Nate had described, problems with the contractor have delayed the completion of the villa, however, they have plenty of space in their rented accommodation. However, this isn't the biggest stumbling block in what should be the reunion of close friends and a dream vacation, there is a lot of hostility between Sophie and Layla. The reason for the acrimony is events that took place at Sophie and Jude's wedding a year ago, events that Layla is responsible for.

I immediately wanted to know what had happened at the wedding but author Nikki Smith keeps the reader in suspense, drip-feeding us little snippets of information to feed our curiosity. And then, just at the perfect moment, there's a whisper of something else, this time involving Nate and Jude and far more sinister. It soon becomes clear that the four friends are all harbouring secrets, that they have very weak morals and self-preservation is the only thing they care about. The underlying tension between the women in particular is palpable and the desperation to keep their secrets hidden becomes a vicious spiral, dragging them deeper and deeper into despair.

As the conclusion approached all of the secrets were finally revealed. The brilliant writing which slowly exposed each misdeed meant that I wasn't rooting for any of the characters as they'd proved themselves to be so narcissistic and untrustworthy. While some received fitting punishments, others escaped, but you get a sense that karma is waiting in the wings.

An enjoyable read about the friendship of two couples. Junde and Sophie decide to fly out to Bali to visit their friends. The narrative is told by each character and it's interesting when secrets are unravelled.

A Destination Thriller with an unexpected twist! ☀️ 🌊 🏄‍♂️ 🍹

This story is written from four perspectives, with a separate flashback to 2007. We follow two couples, Nate and Layla who live in Bali and Sophie and Jude who live in London.

Sophie and Jude decide to stay in Bali with their friends for an extended break, after a burglary and problems at work. Both couples have secrets and as individuals, they all have secrets from each other. With exception of the men, they do not seem to like each other overly much either. As a reader, the characters are not particularly likeable, and you do not know who to trust and what to believe.

This was a slow burn thriller, with the first half giving more questions than answers. Once the answers started to come, they are quick and fast with a really good twist at the end. For me, it took a little too long to make any reveals, hence, it was quite frustrating, particularly with so many perspectives.

The location setting was beautiful and well described and perfect to read whilst on holiday.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin General UK – Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business and Nikki Smith for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Due to be published on 22 May 2025.

Another beach scorcher from Nikki Smith. Jude and Sophie are visiting their Bali based best friends Nate and Layla for an exotic getaway. However, relationships are strained and they all have secrets!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

This was an ok read for me, none of the characters were particularly likeable. Considering they're supposed to be best friends, they don't seem to get along that well!

Nikki smith smashes it with another exciting destination thriller, perfect for holiday reading. Set among the expat/ digital nomad community the idyllic lifestyle of layla and nate starts to unravel and secrets from the past start to come to light and threaten to rock the boat. Really tense, great cast of characters and will keep you hooked til the end.

Went into this expecting a good holiday read and it was even better than I expected.
Two toxic couples with more secrets than the vatican as it turns out.
It was a little confusing as there are a lot of consecutive plots but definitely grab a copy and if you’re lucky you can sit in the sun and enjoy this twisty turner novel by Nikki Smith.
Thank you for an advanced copy in return for my honest opinion. NetGalley. Nikki Smith.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I went into it with high expectations having read Smith's other works. My expectations were not only met but blown out of the water! Fantastically written, its gripping and twisty, an absolutely emotional experience. This is my new favourite of Smiths if you haven't read The Guests and The Beach Party I highly recommend those too!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley and Nikki Smith 📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚