A great read. I was finding it hard to concentrate and focus on anything other than the Corona virus and thus book grabbed my attention and kept me focused, I loved the main character Orla. This is a thrilling exciting and fantastic read,

I'm a Sarah Alderson fan and this book continued her trend of making me read her books in one sitting.

While there were some overly predictable elements and certain things I felt were a tad convenient, I still couldn't put the book down. I loved the set up of the story and was immediately drawn in by the complicated friendship dynamic of new mom Orla and wild card Kate on vacation in Lisbon.

When Kate disappears I liked how resourceful Orla was, and it never felt like the clues were coming from out of the blue and the investigation followed a logical progression. And even though I guessed some of the twists, I also liked how breadcrumbs were left to guess at these twists instead of having revelations come out of the blue. I do love to be surprised in a thriller, but I also really love it when I can guess at secrets because of well-placed hints and clues.

However, I did think it was a bit convenient that one somewhat random character decided to help Orla hunt down Kate. While this character's backstory was interesting, I thought his big secret was over the top. It seemed like the character could have been as useful as he was without the ultra convenient details of certain aspects of his job. I don't know want to say too much and spoil it though, so this is a bit vague! But I felt like this character could've used a touch more finesse to fit more artfully into the story.

And while I wasn't surprised by a most of the main twists and turns, I still loved the ride. I also the thought the final twist was a nice touch.

Orla heads off to Lisbon with her best friend Kate and looks forward to a relaxing break from being a mum for the weekend. Kate seems to have other ideas and wants to go partying. Orla wakes up the next day to find Kate missing, and realises that it is up to her to try to find out what happened to her friend. Is she away partying still, or has something bad happened to her? It soon becomes clear that not everyone can be trusted, but who can be? Orla relies on those willing to help her while hoping she is placing her trust in the right people. It soon becomes clear that there are many secrets and shocks that may just explain what really happened...

This was the first book by Sarah Alderson that I have read, and it's one of my favourite reads in a while. The plot is brilliant, the characters well developed and interesting, and the story is full of twists and turns - I couldn't stop reading until I had finished it! At one point or another you end up suspecting everyone and it really does keep you guessing until the shocking ending. It really is a fantastic, thrilling read and I can't recommend it enough. I'll definitely be reading Sarah's other books now!

Thanks so much to the publisher, author and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

A story of two friends on a weekend away , which goes wrong. The girls are in Porto for a hard drinking weekend, staying in an air B&B. They end up at a club, taking two men back to their appartment. One of them then disappears . The story was Ok, though peppered with references to brands (handbags etc ) which I have found do not stand the test of time and details about the copious amounts of alcohol (and drugs) consumed.
Once Orla has discovered that her friend has disappeared, she goes to the police station where she is not really taken seriously . She then runs around Porto in a search, helped by an Uber driver and lots of coincidences There are lots of twists to this tale, some believable some stretching the realms of possibility. It is quite fast moving and suspenseful . In my opinion Orla seems quite naive and shallow, making on the spot decisions about who to trust based on very little evidence and snap decisions about what to do .
One glaring fault was that she couldn't remember the names of the men picked up in the bar/club. In the next paragraph both names are mentioned ....
I would read more by this author
Thanks to net galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Oh... my... word. This was wild, I tell you, absolutely wild. Utterly captivated from the first page to last, The Weekend by Sarah Alderson had me devoted to reaching the final conclusion of this absorbing novel, leaving me restless and curious until I had done so. I'd be lying if I was to say that the cover hadn't helped in the persuasion of me wanting to read this book. It looked and sounded exactly like the sort of novel I was hoping to lose myself within, and boy, did it achieve that goal. Only a handful of pages was all it took for my surroundings to completely fade away, and for me to become fully-immersed in Orla and Kate's story as their weekend away in Lisbon, Portugal, began.
After reading the blurb for this novel, I'm sure it will provide you with a brief enough idea of the premise for Orla and Kate's story. After settling into their sleek and shiny apartment once in Lisbon, they head straight out to a classy restaurant for dinner, and from there, events begin to take a swift turn for the worst. Waking up the next morning, Orla realises that she's now alone. Kate, her best friend, has vanished. And in a strange, unknown city, it falls to Orla to try and find her, and use the shattered pieces of her foggy memory to try and piece together what exactly happened the night before.
Let's talk about Alderson's characters. Orla and Kate were exceptionally believable and well-constructed, and were the sorts of friends who were the complete opposite to each other. Orla, having recently become a mother, is not really on the same wave-length as Kate anymore, although she once had been. More prone to afternoon naps and a nice cup of tea, Orla is astonished when Kate mentions heading to a nightclub on their first evening in the city, emphasising just how much has changed since she gave birth to her daughter. Kate, glitzy and glamorous and bursting with energy, is used to an entirely different side of life. Champagne, expensive handbags and clothes, and luxurious holidays are more Kate's style, and this contrast between the two women only becomes more and more prominent the further the plot progresses. I loved the conversations between these two, and how smoothly the prose flowed throughout. It was clear to me that, despite whatever differences there may have been in Orla and Kate's lifestyles, they were still incredibly close friends. Alderson writes with such a confidence, it was simply effortless, the way my imagination picked up the words and turned them into an image in my own mind. As well as Orla and Kate, there were so many other characters to be introduced to, each of them important in their very own ways. From Rob, Orla's husband, to Toby, Kate's ever-furious ex, to the rest of the people Orla meets in her quest to find Kate, I utterly adored meeting all of them and figuring out what role they would eventually come to play in the unfolding mystery which lay ahead. But let me tell you now, not one of the people you will meet in this novel are what they first appear to be.
As for the plot, blimey, it absolutely blew me away. With every page turn, my pulse would race with suspicion, with questions, and an insane need for answers. There was always something new waiting just around the corner, and twists around every bend that I just couldn't get enough of. I loved the mystery of this novel, the complete absence of any sort of reliable or honest answer to the questions Orla was always trying to ask, which only spurred me on more in my quest for something real to explain all that had happened on their first fateful night in Lisbon.
When finally, all was revealed, I just couldn't believe it, but it made sense. There was a calm that settled within me once Orla finally discovered the truth, but when I reached the final page and read the author's parting words, I was hit again, a double-whammy of an ending, if you will, and actually let out a little scream of frustration. It was wild. I felt like I'd been right there beside Orla, every single step of the way, and I was willing her to be able to head home to her daughter, for some peace and serenity at last. It was just such an enjoyable novel to lose myself within. I absolutely loved it and really hope there is more to come from Sarah Alderson in the near future. This novel was utterly perfect for me, and I would highly-recommend it to anyone who loves a twisted, suspicion-driven story about friends, and poses the question, 'Just how well do you truly know the people you love?'
The Book Babe is giving The Weekend Away by Sarah Alderson a rating of five out of five. I'd like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book. You can pre-order your copy here.

This one was crazy good!!!! I will be recommending this one to all my friends who love an amazing thriller. The writing was great, the story was exciting.

The Weekend Away is a great who did it thriller with a very good ending.Orla and best friend Kate are in Lisbon for a weekend away staying in an apartment whose landlord Sebastian is just one of the strange characters to emerge in the book.When Kate goes missing on their first night the weekend takes a terrifying turn for Orla as she discovers that Kate wasn't really the best friend Orla thought she was.The lies Kate has woven bring Orla to the conclusion that she didn't really know Kate at all,the book is well written and keeps you guessing until the final chapter.A great book which will keep you engrossed in these difficult times,a 5 star read from me..

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

So many twists and turns that kept you guessing until that last few pages! Orla goes for a weekend away with her best friend Kate, leaving behind her baby for the first time with her husband. The trip starts our great at a beautiful airbnb following by going out for dinner and drinks, After that its full of guessing as to what actually happened the rest of the night and where Kate disappeared too.

#TheWeekendAway #NetGalley
An enjoyable read.
Iris and Katie, two best friends planned a weekend away. But then something terrible happened. Katie found dead while Oria was unconscious because of excessive drinking. Who killed Katie?
Well, there is nothing to say more about this story. Its plot is good but I personally find the ending a little bit dragging.
I loved the characters of Oria and Rob but didn't feel connection with other characters of the story.
But psychological thriller fans definitely can read it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advance copy of this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Avon UK for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. Orlas and Kate initially reminded me of my best friend. I'm the more introverted one, and she's the life of the party. So, initially I saw us, and when I'd wonder why in the world Orlas would choose to spend time with Kate, I'd have to remember my BFF. Orlas gets a weekend away with her friend, a bit of a break from being a new mom. Only one of the women will come home. The book has twists and turns I didn't expect, and even when I uncovered one piece, there would be another twist lying just beyond that. I really enjoyed this book so much. The only thing that detracted from 5 starts is that the ending seems to be a set up for a series. I'd like a series from this, but I wish I'd realized there wouldn't be a clear end to the plot. Again: I still recommend the book, but just realize that, and you won't wonder where the end went.

Twisty but sadly no real sense that they were in Lisbon. They’re definitely somewhere strange with a different language though. And if this book is not a lesson to never go on a girls weekend again, then I don’t know what is. Or at least do a CRB check haha.

Twisty so you never really know what’s going on which is good. It’s the sort of novel you ask yourself what you would do in this situation.

A good beach read! .

I really enjoyed this one! A long overdue weekend getaway for best friends Orla and Kate in Lisbon starts out great but soon becomes tragic, as Kate disappears. To make matters worse, Orla can't remember most of what happened the evening before. She passed out soon after returning to their lodging following a night on the town and now she's in a strange country alone and searching for her best friend. Thank goodness she gains the assistance of the helpful Uber driver from the night before, but can she trust him? And as she soon discovers, can she trust anyone?

This was a fun story and the author did a great job characterizing the paranoia and fear that such a situation would bring. Not only does Orla have no idea where to look for her friend, but she doesn't speak the language and knows no one, making it seem impossible to find answers. She also has a husband baby girl back home whom she misses terribly and it puts her in such a bad position, as she wants to return home but just can't do it without Kate. There are surprising discoveries regarding those closest to her that makes it that much harder for Orla to solve this mystery. But the question becomes, does she really want to know the truth?

This is a fun read that you will find hard to put down until you, too, find all of the answers!

A really great read that I devoured very quickly. I loved the Lisbon détail as well as a plot line that made me what the know the outcome as soon as possible. I definitely recommend !

This story had me hooked from the beginning! I finished in one day because I couldn’t put it down! The main character, Orla, is so relatable and I was rooting for her the whole time. I love all the twists and turns that had me constantly guessing myself. I docked a star from my rating because the ending left me wanting more; I felt like there was more information that could have been shared. Perhaps even a sequel could come from it!

I really enjoyed this book, started off a bit slowly but once it got going I couldn’t put it down. Plenty of twists and a shocking ending.

The Weekend Away is a great mystery/thriller that doesn’t disappoint! You’ll love it!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Orla must be the unluckiest person in the world of psychological thrillers. In the space of two days her world falls apart on a girls getaway weekend in Lisbon. Orla, a comfy clothes and sensible shoes kinda woman and her best friend, Kate, over the top red carpet ready at all times, go out for dinner and drinks the first night and Kate disappears. With as many twists and turns as the Lisbon streets, Orla needs to find Kate and unravel what happened. Instead, she unravels her life and that of everyone around them. Loved Friends Like These and this was a great read too. I just had to keep going as I couldn’t wait to discover who was responsible in this enjoyable cast of characters.

2 friends go on a weekend holiday to Lisbon. Only one comes back.
A really good book with the right amount of description at the beginning to scene set to get the imagination going of the location and characters.
It’s been a while since I didn’t want to put a book down but at the end of every chapter I wanted to read just one more which turned into one more .... plot twists, intriguing, a proper page turner of a book. Give it a go.

I loved this novel, with its wonderful cast of characters and gorgeous prose. The storyline was engaging and flowed seamlessly.
Highly recommended!

Wow, I absolutely positively love this author! I think this was a great, chilling, and often times heart wrenching book. I do need a follow up though, as it’s that good! Twisted for sure, chilling as heck, and shocking! Preorder today, ALDERSON is an author to watch!
Will make sure I buzz it up on the different platforms!