I really enjoyed the story of this one. It was refreshing take on a difficult topic identity and self discovery.

I did struggle in places when the POV switched without pre-notice. However on the whole this was an easily digestible read at a good pace.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find it as funny as I was hoping. I also struggled with how unfinished it felt but I suppose that makes sense now I know it’s a triology.

The setting was idyllic and the characters interesting - I do wonder if I’d enjoy it more if I was older and could relate more.

I’ve given this one a 3/5.

Even after reading the book blurb, I had thought that A Midlife Holiday was going to be a fun read about three best friends going on a much needed holiday together. This was not that, instead it was a very deep story about three 50 year old women contemplating their own lives and reflecting on their friendship.

I loved this story, while I am not quite there yet, it's getting close and it is great to have a story that addresses what it can be like for women at mid-life. Not just physiologically, but also emotionally and mentally as well.

A Midlife Holiday also looked into how it friendships evolves as people go through life, and about weathering hard times together and that even if you don't agree with your friends choices, it is about having their back no matter what.

Caro is going on a trip to Cyprus. She convinces her two friends, Helen and Kay to come along with her for a holiday. Helen has just had her 50th birthday and she is feeling stuck and unhappy. In Cyprus, Helen is able to find her sense of adventure and her happy again and realize she isn't happy in her current situation and needs to make some changes. Kay, who is caring for her elderly parents and autistic son, while working full-time, needs a break. Single and childless, Caro is contemplating where she is in her life and if she wants something that she thought she hadn't wanted before and Cyprus is just the place to find out if that is possible.

I read this book in a weekend, it was very well written and I really enjoyed it. A Midlife Holiday was a great reminder to take care of ourselves and our friendships. Sometimes with everything else in our lives, we can lose site of that.

Sorry this really wasn't for me - not the correct age group I expect.

I enjoyed the writing style I just couldn't resonate with any of the characters.

A Midlife Holiday
by Cary J Hansson

(Thank you to NetGalley and Hansson Publishing for a copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest feedback)

This book centers around a trio of friends, women in their early 50s, all in desperate need of a vacation. Helen is a woman who has settled for a life less exciting while her husband does the opposite, Caro has spent her life laser-focused on work and not relationships, and Kay whose life is entirely devoted to her grown autistic son and her worries about him handling life on his own.

They head to Cyprus to truly find themselves, or simply find peace, in the midst of lives that maybe aren't what they always dreamed of. Caro is also carrying a bit of an extra reason to be on this trip, as her friends find out, adding another layer to this story.

Although it was fun to read about their trip and all the shenanigans, good or bad, that occurred, the story as a whole just lacked a bit for me. Kay remains somewhat of a side character, never getting even a fraction of the story time as the others. Helen also becomes a different person way too quickly on, making it feel a little unrealistic. Caro had the most developed and emotional storyline, as she contemplates major life changes and the effects it will have on her and everyone around her.

A frustrating part for me was that the book is very open-ended. I know this is the first book in a trilogy, but to not find out how anyone's story continues once they go home is very unsatisfying. To have to wait for a second book to resolve the 3 storylines of book 1 is is not so thrilling.

Overall, a decent book to read and keep you busy on the treadmill. So we will leave it at that, the book is simply decent.

most enjoyable book to read story of three friends who have stuck together from being young ladies and now at the age of 50 still sticking together through thick and thin now looking foreward to next adventure in los vegas

Thank you to Hansson Publishing and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for a review. This novel released on May 17, 2022.

I received a complimentary copy of A Midlife Holiday by Cary J. Hansson in exchange for my honest review.
This is book #1 in a trilogy about life, friendship, and self discovery as three friends navigate the waters that will test everything they thought they knew about themselves and each other.
Helen Winters is celebrating her 50th birthday alone, while her self absorbed husband is climbing Mt. Everest. Feeling angry, alone and taken for granted, Helen meets up with her two nearly life long friends Caro and Kay and over lunch they decide to take a girls trip to Cyprus.
Helen needs this trip, she needs to decide what she really wants out of the rest of her life, and who better to help her than her friends?
Caro, an amazing financial advisor, is climbing the corporate ladder, jetting from place to place, making her way in the world. However, Caro is lonely and wondering if the price she is paying for success is too steep.
Kay is divorced, caring for her 22 year old mentally challenged son and taking on more and more of the care for her aging parents. Kay loves her family fiercely, but the stress and pressure are taking its toll on her.
As these three women try to come to terms with what they want and what they are willing to do to get it, small fractures begin to appear in their friendship. Maybe they don't know each other as well as they thought? What secrets are they keeping from each other and from themselves?
This was a very good book and I look forward to the others. The women's characters were well developed, and even though I didn't connect with them all, I found their life stories kept me intrigued.

3.5 stars

Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and author for having this available as an ARC. It took me some time to finish this book as I’d take breaks and come back when I felt like reading it.

This is very much realistic fiction following 3 best friends Helen, Caro and Kay as they navigate life at 50. The entry chapters follow Helen anticipating lunch with her besties to celebrate her 50th birthday. Her husband Lawrence deciding to climb Mount Everest instead of being present for her birthday, so this lunch was the most excited she’d been. Helen basically ends up breaking down that she is unhappy in her marriage and life in general. Caro has always been a go-getter, putting career first and never successfully holding a relationship. Kay has familial duties, looking after her parents and son who is on the spectrum.

After Helen breaks down at this lunch, Caro suggests that they all go on a holiday she’s planned for herself to Cyprus. It’s an opportunity for them to all relax but maybe breathe some life into their set routines. At first Kay is reluctant with all her responsibilities, but Helen convinces her that this is maybe something they all need. But the trip ends up being so much more where we find out Caro is wanting to visit a clinic that will help her get pregnant. Helen has much disapproval on this choice and an argument ensues. Kay always being a mediator, reasons that despite any decision they’ve made, they have always been there for each other. On top of this, Helen cheats on her husband and realises she wants more for herself in life. Kay ends up really just getting the relaxation and rest she needs, also reinforcing the fact that her family doesn’t always needs her.

This book is very relatable to our own experiences. Whilst it seems they are going through their own midlife crises, the characters realise there is so much more to life than what they had built their lives around. Somewhere along the way, they had lost themselves to what they thought they should be. It’s easy for us to get caught up in routine and sacrificing parts of ourselves to please others. Sometimes we do what we think is right but that can only be to serve others and not ourselves. This story is much about self actualisation and going after what you need.

I didn’t realise that this is just the first book in a series. Am interested to see how the story continues with each of our MCs lives.

I started reading this book because the weather was a bit rubbish and I fancied reading about somewhere warm. I finished it the next day, I found it fantastic escapism and interesting to read about three friends who were very different to each other yet very long term friends.

After laughing a few times in the first couple of chapters I did find the book a joy to read and I’m looking forward to the next one in the trilogy.

This one was a lovely read. I really enjoyed reading this one. I just love this kind of books.
3.5 stars read for me

As an intro to this author, I found it to be relatively well written with some interesting likable characters. I enjoyed getting to know Helen, Kay and Caro, who are long time friends. Each is about to embark on an inspiring journey of self discovery whilst on holiday in Cyprus. It certainly wasn't smooth sailing that's for sure, as Caro is not in Cyprus for a holiday. I did find i wanted more at the end of the story though, so intrigued to read what happens next in 'A Midlife Baby' .

Thank you NetGalley and Hansson Publishing for accepting my request to read and review A Midlife Holiday.

Author: Cary J. Hansson
Published: 05/17/22
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) -- Humor -- Women's Fiction

Oh how I wanted to love this the moment I saw the cover. I waited to read this until I could devote 100% of myself to the story. This was just okay for me, and at times I saw blah blah blah as opposed to words on my screen.

The characters are 50ish, middle-aged and in different phases of their lives. The story centers around a group of friends who take a vacation without their kids and/or husbands. Each woman is in a different head space and the book chronicles their journeys.

I didn't relate to any of the women, and consequently didn't like any of them. This was another Charlie Brown teacher blah blah blah read for me.

None of the stories rang true and examples would spoil the book.

There is an audience for this story. I would gift this to someone turning 50 with an invite for a Women's Weekend, and a reminder the characters don't have to be emulated, the travel concept is the treat.

A lovely realtable read that is extermely witty and laugh out loud at times.

The story revolves around three fifty-something friends whose friendship began while they were at university. This covers the topic of menopause which is extremely apt for the current environment as there is a lot more focus and conversations around this now than ever before. The characters are extremely likeable and I find myself invested in their future so I'm very pleased know this is a trilogy.

Looking forward to the next instalment!

The midlife holiday tells the story of Helen, Caro and Kay, three women who have just turned 50 facing their futures.
After making a life changing decision Caro whisks her friends to Cyprus for some sun, sea, sand and …. For one of the women there is a lot more to explore in Cyrpus and after an accidental FaceTime call she is forced to face her future and her husband!
This was a slow burn to begin with but once in Cyprus the book seemed to pick up a gear and was highly enjoyable.
Would definitely recommend!

Super cute read! It was funny, genuine & relatable. It was nice to read a book about older women & the struggles of getting older. This book was great & I can’t wait to read the others!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
- destination novels
- “middle age” humour
- vacation romance

Helen, Kay and Caro are 3 best friends of a certain age, and they are desperately in need of a vacation from the monotony of their everyday lives. Helen’s husband is climbing Mount Everest on her 50th birthday and Caro wants to have a baby. They decide to take a girls trip to Cyprus, but one of them has an ulterior motive for wanting to go on the trip. When the true motive is revealed, will everyone still be friends in the end??
I don’t know why it was so entertaining to read about the lives of middle-aged girlfriends, but it definitely was enjoyable!
The scenery was described in really nice detail throughout the book, I could really feel like I was in the scene reading it; smells, sights, sounds all of it was described beautifully and allowed me to get away from my life for a little bit and imagine myself in a much nicer scenery 🤪
I always appreciate humour in the books I read! This book made me laugh on more than one occasion throughout the book! The banter back and forth between the ladies was laugh-out-loud funny!
Going into this book I was expecting a light, fluffy read but instead it was actually very dramatic and juicy! I couldn’t stop reading.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Hansson Publishing for my ARC in exchange for an honest review 💕

A nice easy read about 3 menopausal middle aged women, few funny references made which if you're in the same age as these friends, you can relate to and have a laugh about. Makes you want to read further books about the three friends...

Fantastic holiday read that focuses on three fifty year olds, each on their own personal journey.. A time to focus on themselves with a real Shirley Valentine vibe. Funny,, warm, and laugh out loud. Part beach read part personal reflection, It would make a perfect gift for any of your girlfriends and a great book club book.

A book about the long lasting friendship of three women all in their early fifties. It covers the menopause, parenthood but most of all about living your life how you want it.
When I got into it I wanted to finish it. I hope there is another one as still lots of adventures to be had

I’ll be honest and say that it was the cover that made me click the read now button. I had thought it would be more along the lines of a rom-com but it was so much more. It had depth and it resonated with me to some degree. This book is ultimately about friendships and focuses on the menopause for middle aged women and how we often see ourselves differently when going though that change.

Not my usual go to but definitely a very poignant read.

Highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. All views are my own.