I do like S.E. Lynes' books in general, but The Summer Holiday was - like its title - fairly unmemorable, though readable enough. (As titles go, The Summer Holiday really is about as bog standard as it gets.)

Anyway, there are three main characters here who are, indeed, on a summer holiday - married couple Kate and Jeff, enjoying (though that's not quite the word) their first holiday without their teenage daughter, and their unexpectedly-met old university acquaintance with the unlikely name of Coco Moss. The downtrodden Kate, who hero-worshipped cool-girl Coco at uni, sees an opportunity to reinvent herself by befriending her, but of course trouble isn't far away.

None of them are very likeable - Coco is an obvious nightmare, Jeff is a really lousy husband and Kate is a doormat with a bit of a drink problem. There are no huge surprises either. There's a Mysterious Bad Thing in the past, but when revealed, it's bad, certainly, but not that surprising. And it was obvious that one relationship wasn't quite what it appeared to be.

It was an enjoyable enough read but I'm not sure I'll remember anything about it later, and it all seemed to fizzle out a bit at the end. For me, not the best from this author.

Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Another tense thriller from this author with a few unexpected twists.

I found it hard to empathise with the three main characters but that was probably the point. Not all characters have to be likeable.

I confess this isn't my favourite book by this author but against a background of so many brilliant books the bar is still high.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy of The Summer Holiday by SE Lynes in exchange for an honest review. I loved her book Can You See Her? (5⭐️) and was so excited to get approved for her newest book.

Like with Can You See Her?, The Summer Holiday was super bingeable- I finished it in one day. Lynes hooks you in right from the very beginning with a jaw-dropping moment. Though the story slows down right after, the way she weaves Kate, Jeff, and Coco’s stories together will keep you wanting to turn the pages.

I loved the way Lynes got into the minds of these characters. She created very believable, unlikeable characters who you can’t help but want to read about. Coco was my least favorite character and yet somehow her storyline was the most addictive.

While this book wasn’t as much of a rollercoaster as Can You See Her?, it did have a twist I didn’t see coming, and another twist that didn’t unfold quite in the way that I was expecting. Still, I was hoping for a little more of a “Wow!” factor.

I have mixed feelings about the ending. At first, I was a little unsatisfied. Without spoiling anything, I thought, “*this* doesn’t seem to be enough of a driving factor for *this.*” And “why would *this* character’s story have ended *this way*?” But the more I sat with it and thought about the characters, the more the ending felt fitting.

Still, did I want more? I’m not sure.

Overall, I recommend this if you want a slow-burn thriller that’s a super quick, bingeable read.

3.5⭐️ out of 5

The Summer Holiday is a quick read about a married couple, Kate and Jeff, on vacation for the first time without their 17 year old daughter. Kate sees Coco, a woman she and her husband went to college with, at a cafe whilst on this vacation. Kate chats her up and invites her over to the family's villa for a drink. Everything spirals out from there and the actions of their past significantly impact the present and future.

S. E. Lynes definitely knows how to build suspense! The last third of the book was gripping and had tons of thrilling action. There was even a superb twist I didn't see coming, which is always a joy for me. I was so excited about this book because I love psychological thrillers and twisty mysteries but ultimately I don't think this book was for me.

The characters were really irritating and I found myself pitying Kate, hating Jeff, and appalled by Coco. And this book is completely driven by these three characters. Once you finish the book so much of who the characters are and why they are the way they are make total sense. I just don't enjoy finding the characters insufferable or sad for most of the book. Without giving anything away, Kate still yearns for Coco's approval. Even at the age of 53, Kate goes so far as to find a dress that is similar to what she sees Coco wearing that first day before approaching her. That truly made me sad to read. Jeff is a workaholic who disregards his wife and behaves sort of like a man out of the 1950s, expecting her to have meals handled and clean up after him. Unfortunately I can't go into more detail about why I hate Coco without spoiling much of the story. Suffice it to say I don't agree with her choices and her outlook on life.

Eventually I began to sympathize with Kate but it took so long to get to that point. For almost half of the book I didn't really care about what happened to any of them. And if I don't care what happens to the characters, why am I reading the book? In this case I was just curious about the big mystery and couldn't let go of that.

I don't think there's a whole lot the author could do to improve on this because if you don't have these characters then the story doesn't work at all. Maybe if Kate wasn't so intensely desperate for Coco's approval for so long I would have enjoyed reading it more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy to read for review.

I love S.E Lynes and this new book definitely didn’t disappoint.
I started it one evening and found that I couldn’t put it down and finished it over the next day.
It’s fast paced with plenty of twists throughout. It’s the perfect domestic thriller that has been elevated due to its sunny Spanish setting. An ideal summer, beach read.

Yet again, this author does not disappoint. Always a thrilling read with lots if mystery and turns along the way.

Kate and her husband, Jeff, finally go on a holiday alone together after 17 years. Jeff is a successful lawyer, so this was meant to be a nice getaway. It was, until Kate sees Coco Moss, the popular girl that she was obsessed with at University, that her and Jeff attended. Kate invites Coco for drinks at their Villa and she notices a surprise reaction between Coco and Jeff. She has the feeling something happened between them years ago and she is determined to figure it out.

THE SUMMER HOLIDAY was a slow burn thriller. It kept me entertained and intrigued. I was thinking this was going to be book about cheating, but it was so much more than that. Be prepared for a bomb shell of a twist, I totally did not expect. You will have to wait until the end of the book, but I promise it is worth it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Another cracking read by S E Lynes. I couldn’t put it down, not as dark as some of her previous works but not in a bad way, just different. As always the characters were well built and I became invested in them. 5 shiny stars from me.

I absolutely love this author's writing style. She has a knack of getting into her characters' psyche that is so rare and honestly a joy to read in a genre that can sometimes be full of cardboard cut out characters.

This book is not action-packed, it is very character led and even though the characters may not be likeable, as a reader I was really drawn into their story. The Spanish setting is perfect, the writing is so atmospheric that I almost felt like I was on holiday whilst reading it (if only!).

I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy a character-driven story.

The other woman is mysterious. What are she and the husband doing? What are the secrets? The main character is really suspicious. This is a quick read about a couple with too many problems. It is written by a talented author. The characters are realistic and the central part of this book. This novel was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher and the author.

Just WOW! SE Lynes just hits another one out of the park! I absolutely love her writing style. I can sink into her books like visiting with a favorite friend. Just effortless and not wanting it to end. Perfect tension that just keeps getting wound tighter and tighter. Fabulous characters. I was fascinated by them all. Don’t miss this one!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

I must confess when I grabbed The Holiday, I imagined it would be a typical, quick beach type of read, but I couldn't have been more wrong! I found this book gripping. It’s a cracker of a book that deliciously twisted, with unreliable narrators, and unlikable characters. And don’t get me started on the lies, half truths and manipulation!!! Don’t you just love this kind of storytelling? It’s the type of book that gives you goose pimples. A heightened sense of menace and dread grows at each flick of the page.

Kate and Jeff are on their first parent free holiday. Kate imagines long romantic walks, cocktails and reconnecting with her husband. Sounds idyllic? Hardly! Kate runs into Coco, and it soon becomes apparent that Jeff and Coco not only know each other but they're hiding something! Each of them must decide how far they’ll go to protect themselves. And at the end of the holiday, not everyone will walk away…And so begins a deliciously twisted tale.

I really disliked the three main characters. They had so many traits that I find off putting, but you know what? It didn’t make an iota of a difference as these negative traits actually made the characters more believable. The story is told in alternating chapters from Kate, Jeff’s and Coco’s POV. This not only gives the reader a personal perspective, but it allows us to be privy to the secrets they have kept hidden and their dangerous thoughts! I really couldn’t see why the couple had such an unhealthy fixation with Coco. Out of the three, I found her the most manipulative and calculating. But I guess as the saying goes, ‘People will see what they want to see’. Amid the subterfuge, the characters’ relationships fracture, the tension is palatable, pushing the reader onwards to the dramatic conclusion.

One of the strengths of this book is the way S.E. Lynes  delves into the human psyche, exploring the complexities of relationships. For me, a psychological thriller has to have that jaw dropping moment that takes me by surprise! And there was! I really enjoyed The Summer Holiday. It’s an intense character-driven psychological thriller that’s seriously twisted.

My review will be posted to my Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thebookreviewcafe and all relevant book sites