From the author ~ “I can promise only two things: no knights in shining armour and no flying cars. My heroines save themselves, as in the end we all must do”.

An incredibly insightful and imaginative story, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Helen, Caro and Kay. I think we’d be friends. I loved the window into the 50 something liberation a lot of women experience. Just enough character history to build a trilogy, a sprinkling of realism by way of tragedy and injustice, but plenty of transactional endeavours to bring them to life. Funny, cringey, sad, thought-provoking, the author does exactly what she says on the tin.

Bring on book 2 of the trilogy!

This is a thoroughly enjoyable, yet thought-provoking book about three friends who are now in their fifties, taking a 'midlife' holiday together. The novel reflects on what it means to be a mother - putting your own career on hold for your family and the repercussions this has - and any reader in a similar situation will immediately understand and relate to both Helen and Kay. The third friend, Caro, has prioritised her career and successfully so - but is her life all its cracked upto be? The intricacies of female friendships is brilliantly explored leading to both humorous and poignant moments, and I just loved it. I will certainly be looking out for the second book in the trilogy as we follow the three women as they challenge the lives they've been living so far!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
At the start of the book I felt sorry for Helen, her fiftieth birthday was one disappointment after another, and I found it completely unbelievable that a longstanding, close friend would give her such a present. Once Helen and Caro arrived in Cyprus I thought the behaviours of the friends became increasingly unbelievable, the way they spoke to each other seemed more suited to teenagers. I do not intend to provide any spoilers, suffice to say I wouldn't like friends like these and have given the book 3 stars because it was well-written, not because I liked it.

I hugely enjoyed this entertaining story about 3 fifty year old women who have been friends for decades, and are all going through their own life crises when they head to Cyprus for a holiday together. The book is entertaining, moving and as a woman of the same age, I can vouch that it is extremely relatable. How exciting that this is the first in a series - the characters are fantastic and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
With thanks to NetGalley, Hansson Publishing and Cary J Hansson for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot remember the last time I laughed out loud when reading a book - I could not suppress the humour. This book is heart-warming, heart-breaking and hilarious.

Essentially it is about 3 lifelong friends, whose lives have taken them down completely different paths. There was so much in this story that I could relate to, and if it hadn't happened to me personally, I knew someone else who it had! This is a story about rediscovering who we are. Life has a way of shaping and eroding away at us until we wake up one day truly mystified at the person we have become: this book recognises that and these three friends have to re-balance who they are individually and what they mean to each other. It felt gritty and real!

Helen's adventure is a little unbelievable but thoroughly entertaining and I was behind her all the way. Her phone call with her son and its consequences were brilliant - I could just picture it. My heart broke a little for Kay's holiday packing shopping trip and dilemmas. Caro's life choices have backed her into a corner and who she projects publicly is very different to the person inside - but Helen has a plan and knows just how to put Caro's boss right.

That ending. That ending! Unexpected and totally shocked, yet in awe of how masterfully this is brought to a close. I cannot wait for Cary Hansson's next novel - it has a lot to live up to! Do not miss this !!

A joyful story I thoroughly enjoyed. Three mature friends decide to go on holiday together, leaving behind lives that are very full and demanding on each them in different ways. This time away makes them think of how they each have little time for themselves and how they might want to change things. - good on them! A lovely story of love and friendship

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Really enjoyed this book, great characters that I think everyone would find something to identify with. It is a really thoughtful book but there were places where I laughed out loud. I enjoyed the ending too which wasn’t all neatly tied up. I was then pleased to find out that the book is the first of a trilogy, so more to come - looking forward to that!

This was a fun little read with all of the issues of life over 40/50. Of course we have to throw some excitement in as well and I think most women would find it very relatable!

welll, i really wanted to enjoy this book. but alas, i did not. it just didn't do it for me and i wish i would have loved it. thank you so much to netgalley for letting me read this one early!! i am always grateful!!!

This book was very enjoyable. I really enjoy books that take the characters on vacation, and reading about Cyprus gave me the travel bug! I found all the characters endearing in their own ways, and as a fertility clinic nurse, I felt connected to Caro’s journey, particularly. Science is amazing! I really wish we found out if she got pregnant or not though!

A beautiful character led novel with some serious Shirley Valentine vibes. The writing is thought provoking and funny, the perfect summer read for 2022.

Love this agrees holiday story

Helen Winters worries the walls are closing in. With her children grown and her selfish husband absent on her fiftieth birthday, she regrets not taking the exciting paths she dreamed about in her youth. So when a well-meaning birthday gift reveals a depressing image of her future, she takes a leap of faith and jets off to Cyprus with two lifelong friends.

Basking in the glorious sunshine and crystal-blue waters while enjoying the attention of handsome men, she starts to feel truly alive. But her best friend isn't in Cyprus for the sunshine and when Helen learns the true reason, tensions threaten their lifelong bond and she fears nothing will ever be the same again.

Can she shake off the years of disappointment and re-discover the woman she once was?

A Midlife Holiday is the affirming first tale in the Midlife Trilogy women's fiction series. If you like vivacious heroines, relatable humour and re-awakenings of the spirit, then you'll love Cary's nuanced take on ageing with attitude.

Please note this is an ARC file.

What a delightful read.
Three friends from way back, now all of a certain age. All have very different problems, some they share with each other and some they try to hide.
A thought provoking tale but with some hilarious parts.
I look forward to Cary J Hansson's next book.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy and have given my honest review.

What a lovely way to take yourself out of your life for a little while. A fabulous story of friendship and how the bond overcomes hurdles, likes and dislikes and comes out on top! A real holiday book, one for the beach!

Three long established best friends, Helen, Caro and Kay know and understand each other really well. However, when they all go on a girls holiday to Cyprus, things take an unusual turn. They discover things about each other that surprises them all, and the author dealt with this exceptionally well.

In the characters of all three women we can see aspects that we can either identify with, or know someone a bit like them. It is this ability to be able to identify with them that made this both an engaging and worthwhile book to read.

It is very much a character led novel which is driven ahead with excellent dialogue as well as wonderful descriptions. I would challenge anyone who, having read this, does not want to immediately jump on a plane and sit on a Cyprus beach.

The author excellently describes women of middle age and the feeling that there are still so many things that they each wanted to achieve, but have not been able to due to various responsibilities they have toward careers and families.

A fantastic read and one I will be purchasing as gifts for family members to read! This book was advertised as a modern day Shirley Valentine and I couldn’t think of a better description. Helen, Caro and Kay are all loveable, flaws and all, and such relatable characters. The story has a number of touching moments alongside some great comedy and warmth, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance books or cosy stories.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sometimes standing back from your life reveals things that surprise you. The three friends in this book all have dysfunctional lives, but seem to just go on living them....until they take a step away to Cyprus. I didnt warm to t he three at all and found them quite self absorbed.
However it was an enjoyable book to tread, and I thank NetGalley for a review copy.

Today I bring to you a delightful summer read that is sure to lift rhe mood.
@caryjhansson recently released, ᴀ ᴍɪᴅʟɪғᴇ ʜᴏʟɪᴅᴀʏ should be your next beach read! Thank you @netgalley for the digital arc.
Ⓜⓨ Ⓣⓗⓞⓤⓖⓗⓣⓢ:
ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴠᴇʀʏ ғᴇᴡ ʙᴏᴏᴋs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴀɢᴏɴɪsᴛs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴍʏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴀᴍ ɢʟᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀ ᴍɪᴅ ʟɪғᴇ ʜᴏʟɪᴅᴀʏ.
ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴅᴏᴇs ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇʟʏ ᴏɴ ᴏɴᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ, ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs, ʜᴇʟᴇɴ, ᴄᴀʀᴏʟɪɴᴇ ᴀ ᴋᴀʏ sᴛᴇᴇʀ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ. ɪ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴀᴡɴᴇss ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅsʜɪᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟɪsᴛɪᴄ ᴀsᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘs, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴀs ᴘᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴇsᴛ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ʜᴏʟɪᴅᴀʏɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴄʏᴘʀᴜs.
ʜᴇʟᴇɴᴀ sᴇᴇᴍᴇᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ʀᴀɴ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴅᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ. ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇʟᴇɴ ᴏғ ᴛʀᴏʏ ʀᴇғᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴄʟᴇᴠᴇʀʟʏ ɪɴᴄᴏʀᴘᴏʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sɪᴍɪʟᴀʀɪᴛɪᴇs ᴅʀᴀᴡɴ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ. ʜᴇʀ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴋᴀᴠᴇʜ, ᴀ ᴄʏᴘʀɪᴏᴛ ᴀɴᴅ sᴀɪʟɪɴɢ ɪɴsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛᴏʀ ᴡᴀs sᴡᴇᴇᴛ.
ɪ ᴅɪᴅ ғɪɴᴅ ᴄᴀʀᴏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ sʜᴀʟʟᴏᴡ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋᴀʏ, ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ sᴋᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪɴᴛᴜɪᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ, sᴇᴇᴍᴇᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴘᴜsʜᴏᴠᴇʀ. ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ sʜᴇᴅs ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴏɴ ɢᴀsʟɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ, ᴛᴏxɪᴄ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴘᴀᴛʜʏ.
ᴘɪᴄᴋ ɪᴛ ᴜᴘ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴏғ ᴀɢᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ, sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴsɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ғᴏʀ

I was intrigued by this story... a 50 year old woman, dissatisfied with her life, leaves for a getaway adventure with her girlfriends, and discovers something important about herself that leads her into her second half of life! That story is right up my alley!

Except it wasn't. The story had the right elements, but the main relationship in this book- the lifelong friendship between the 3 women- was painfully dysfunctional. They don't communicate about important things, they keep significant secrets from each other, they don't trust or support each other, they are judgemental and cruel to each other... It sucked dry any joy I might have felt from this book. I think it's telling that my favorite character in this book in the desk clerk at the hotel. Can we get a book about Marianne??

As always, your mileage may vary. I do appreciate the ARC that I received in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley,
#MidlifeHoliday