Overall, I enjoyed The Weekend Away, and I was surprised at its conclusion. Konstandin quickly became one of my favorite characters, and Sebastian's role added a believably creepy layer to an already twisted tale. The author did a good job of describing Orla and Kate's friendship in years past so that the action in present day was more meaningful and grave.

Two elements, in my opinion, became a little distracting:
--Orla's cheeks or face "flame," "flush," "heat," "warm" or are described as "hot" or "overheated" often enough that it began to feel repetitive. In many cases, the accompanying description was sufficient to convey her embarrassment and/or shame.
--Also repetitive is the mention of Orla's gut, i.e. "the worm in my gut," "worry burrowing into my gut,"' "a buzzing feeling in my gut," "a worming gut feel," and "my gut feels very iffy" (to name a few).

Very quick and easy read. Finished in 2 days. I had higher expectations for the book based on description. Started out as decent mystery but I started to get annoyed with the two forty something character s trying to relive their 20 something youth. Kate was very immature and I got very annoyed with the character of Orla putting herself in some stupid situation s with some not so nice characters. Plot did have lots of twists and turns thinking one thing when it was another. Disappointed in the ending. Left you hanging. No closure.

Orla and Kate have been best friends for years, but work, relationships, and Orla's new baby have meant that their lives haven't been as intertwined as usual lately. But with Kate in the middle of a messy divorce, and Orla experiencing intimacy issues within her own marriage, the two of them decide to fly to Barcelona to reconnect, have some fun, and leave their daily responsibilities behind them for a few days.

On their first night out, it's clear that Kate is out to party. When they meet two men in a bar, Orla is livid when Kate wants to bring them back to their holiday apartment. And when Orla wakes up the next morning with hazy memories of the night before, and there's no sign of Kate, it becomes clear that something is very wrong.

Can Orla retrace their steps and find her friend? Or will she find something much darker?

I enjoyed this book with its twists and turns, and I liked that it took an unexpected route (I thought I knew what the deal was and had my theory about Kate was fully formed, but was genuinely surprised). Some plot elements were a little convenient - the mysterious taxi driver who goes out of his way to help Orla despite having only met her once, for example- but on the whole, it was well-plotted and well-written, and I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read! I had taken a bit of a break from thrillers as I had read a few that were a little too formulaic, and it was nice to step back into the genre with this book. Sarah Alderson has penned a gristly, twisty story about two friends on holiday in picturesque Lisbon with Orla waking up to a terrible scene: where’s Kate, and what happened last night?

An engaging, suspenseful read that readers are sure to devour in one go.

Many thanks to NetGalleyUK and Avon Books UK for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A good thriller is one of my favorite books to read outside in the sunshine over the summer. Every year there are lots released which tick this tick this box and 'The Weekend Away' is definitely one I'd recommend. There are plenty of twists and turns to the story which will keep you hooked until the very end.

When Orla and Kate go for a weekend away in Lisbon things very quickly start to unravel. I found it difficult to connect to the characters at first - Kate seemed like a terrible friend and I couldn't understand why Orla would go away for a weekend of parting and drinking when she had a young baby at home. Somehow I'd forgotten the tagline of the book so when I found out the fate of one of the characters I was still shocked.

I found that Orla made a series of bizarre decisions, the police were frustratingly unhelpful and what sort of husband leaves his wife staging in a foreign city with a stranger? Even though I found the characters frustrating all the plot points were nicely tied up at the end.

If you are looking for a quick and enjoyable read this summer then I would recommend this book - even if it wasn't my favorite thriller.

Not bad. It didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat but maybe it’s that I’m reading 3-5 of these type books per week, due to COVID-19 / Quarantine?? I thought the cabbie or Uber driver was a bit odd. On a good night, I really didn’t know “ whodunit” or why until it was nearly revealed @ the end which is always a plus. Not a bad book, I just need more action.

Wow!! What a page turner this book was. I read it in a day and late into the night because I just had to know what happened to Kate. This is the first book I have ever read by this author and it most definitely will not be the last. The story line was amazing, the characters I instantly felt like I was friends with. Just when you think you have it all figured out bam you don’t up until the very last page. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars and would recommend to everyone!!! This is my top book of 2020 so far and I can’t wait to share my love for this book with friends. Thank you so much netgalley and publisher for the advanced copy.

What a fun read! I've heard nothing but good things about this author and I'm happy to say she doesn't disappoint! While the ending is a bit predictable, I enjoyed every little piece of the puzzle as it was unraveled. The characters were likeable and Kate was a nice mix of likablenand unlikable. I like that the author didn't spend a whole lot of time describing Lisbon, but gave us just enough to picture it. It was a fast read and I finished it in about a 24 hour period. Once I got to about 40%, I didn't want to put it down because it was so enjoyable and so easy to read without the writing being juvenile. I will definately be picking up more from this author!

*Review copy recieved thanks to Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I did not see that coming. The end of this book was my absolute favorite. I missed a few hours of sleep but it was well worth it.

This is the 3rd book I’ve read by this author and my my this book has taken it up a gear! I just could not put it down. I really liked the characters Orla and Kate - I thought you could really relate to them and also their friendship. The Book was in a linear format and flowed really well through Orla narration. I enjoyed how the author managed to cast suspicion in areas then completely change course and get you thinking of the situations in another way. I only guessed one part otherwise it kept you swapping and changing your mind about who had done what like a yo-yo! This authors books are the easiest books to read, they do what they set out to do and are thoroughly enjoyable!

This book got off to a slow start and I wasn't sure if I was really going to enjoy it. But I'm glad I stuck with it, because it really did improve

This book, has a really simple premise. You follow two women Orla and Kate, who have been best friends for years, they decide to go on a weekend away, what could possibly go wrong? But something does go terribly wrong. Orla wakes up and finds Kate missing and has to frantically retrace her steps, to try and find her best friend.

I thought this book started off pretty slow. There was also a couple of comments about weight and mental health, which I didn't like.

However, once the story got going, I was really hooked. There was a lot of action and it was very fast paced. It definitely kept me hooked to the end.

Overall, I think it was well written. There was a few common thriller tropes in this book, which it probably could have done without.

I think if you are looking for a summer read, this year, I think it would be perfect. It's a dark, engaging thriller set on holiday, what more could you want?

I was hooked to the very end. I was making lots of guesses throughout the book, as I was reading as to whodunit but I didn't guess correctly. The ending was definitely surprising

Overall, a really fun and engaging thriller which will be perfect for the summer reading season

TW: murder, violence and discussions of rape

Where to start?! I found the story absolutely fascinating and I raced through the pages as I couldn't wait to delve deeper. The characters were intriguing and well written. I would recommend this book to anyone.

I just knew by the title that this was going to be a creepy one! I am so excited I was able to read it because I loved it. Definitely a must read!

FANTASTIC BOOK!!!! I VERY rarely say I can't put a book down..but i had to know what really happened to Kate!!!!
Each time I though I had it there was another twist and I was so wrong!!!
This keeps you turning pages...in my case all through the night!!!!
The ONLY problem I had was the ending..there definitely was one but the book left you knowing there was going to be another one following at some point .
Definitely get this book if you can..only downside is you'll be up all night till you finish it!!!!!

This book made me dream about summer, warm sunshine on my skin, a glass of wine in my hand and a fresh, salty breeze from the ocean! Now that I'm finished, I want to visit the beautiful capital of Portugal even more than before. Apart from the amazing setting, I devoured this story in three sittings. While I needed a few chapters to really get into it, I couldn't stop reading once the pace picked up. The main character, Orla, is so relatable and down-to-earth, it's impossible not to like her. She's a little bit clumsy, but incredibly loyal. More than it does her good!

Following her, trying to make sense to what happend to her best friend was so much fun! If you often read thrillers, you will figure out some of the twists ahead, but I definitely wouldn't have seen the ending coming. All together this is a gripping story, set in a gorgeous city, with funny characters and nice little twists that will keep you from putting the book down! What else is there to wish for?

Wow, I didn't see the twist at the end I thought i had it all figured out so I was pleasantly surprised when I realized I was so wrong. Totally a page turner, written exceptionally well, and will have you wanting more after the last page of this book. I will be looking for more from this author!

When Orla wakes up after a wild night with few memories she finds Kate missing. Orla frantically tries to retrace their steps of the previous night to put the pieces of the puzzle together. July 23 2020.

A lovely mystery/thriller filled with twists until the very end. I will say it is predictable in some ways, but it still had me convinced I knew who the killer was at the very end only to be wrong. The beginning of the book made me wish I was taking my tote bag down to a foreign beach on a holiday with my best friend haha! This is my first read from Sarah Alderson but I will definitely be looking into her other works! Be sure to look for this stunning cover in July!

I found it quite difficult to get into this one. Around halfway through i decided it wasn't the book for me. it's very hard to pinpoint exactly what it is i don't like about it. looking forward to reading the next one though.

It has been a while since i was completely blown away by a thriller.
Orla and Kate have been best friends for many years and each year they always take a vacation together. They go on the getaway to catch up and basically hand out. So here they are in Lisbon. Kate going through a really messy divorce and Orla is coming to terms being a new mom so both are really excited and needed this break. So one night Orla and Kate went out for a night. They went to dinner and then off to dancing. The next morning when Orla wakes up Kate is no where in sight. To make things worse Orla has an issue trying to remember all the events that happened the previous night.
Did Kate take off on her own or did something more sinister happen?
This is the first novel by Sarah Alderson, and it definitely wont be my last. The novel is well written and the ending i never saw coming and was alarmed on what happened and how betrayed Orla was. I loved the diverse characters, and the good mystery on finding out what happened. Definitely reccommend!

I got invited to read the weekend away and I've enjoyed every twist and turn in the book.

With orla and Kate weekend away and Rob and Toby and all the secrets they have.