Thanks netgalley for this book, I loved the description of Bali makes me want to,pack up and go there immediately
The four of them, Nate and Lydia, Jude and Sophie had been friends for a long time since university they did everything together, and the two men even worked together.
But when Nate and Lydia decided to quit London and go and ,Iive in Bali Jude got very jealous and he too wanted the good life in Bali.
He to Sophie he was taking a sabbatical and they too should go and see how wonderful Bali was and see the wonderful
Villa they had there.
But friendship sometimes is only skin deep and things started going wrong in their relationships.
I enjoyed this book very much, going to,book a flight to Bali right now.

I love a destination thriller and this didnt disappoint. I love books by this author and I was super happy to have this one.
The setting was great and I enjoyed the build up. I disliked most of the characters but in a good way if that's possible.
Enjoyed the ending.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Two thirty-something couples living it up in Indonesia - they should be having the times of their lives shouldn't they? In They Had it Coming, however, none of the characters are happy and all have something to hide. One will end up in hospital, the victim of an unhappy accident ... or was it an accident? This was a really engaging book which took me back to my early 30s backpacking around Thailand - although the key characters in this book enjoyed a much more luxurious lifestyle than I ever did. All the characters were rather unlikeable but I really enjoyed the way their various secrets and back stories were revealed. This feels like a perfect summer read. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars
I have to admit the first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover, so eye catching, I love it!
Then I read the blurb and that really drew me in. I was hoping for a juicy plot packed with drama and a sunny setting of Bali.
Right from the start I was hooked. The story really drew me in and I flew through this in a day.
I liked the characters and was interested in what was going to happen throughout.
Also, I loved the setting. It really played a huge part of the story from start to finish and it added a lot to the plot.
I do have to say though by the end I did feel ever so slightly disappointed. I wanted more thrills, twists and drama, which would have really added to my enjoyment.
The ending didn't really work for me either, I ended the book feeling a bit let down as this had so much promise throughout to be a great read for me.
Overall I do recommend this book as I did have a good time reading it.

They Had It Coming by Nikki Smith is a gripping thriller that transports readers to the sun-soaked and increasingly remote working expat occupied beaches of Bali, where secrets and lies unravel among two couples. Nate and Layla, Jude and Sophie have shared a close-knit bond for years, but when Nate and Layla suddenly relocate to Bali, cracks begin to show as the couples reunite. Showing that, shock horror, the Instagram #Blessed #LivingMyBestLife visuals are far from indicative of reality. The story explores betrayal, revenge, and the complexities of relationships, keeping readers on edge with its twists and turns.

Nikki’s writing is evocative, capturing the glamorous yet tense atmosphere of Bali while delving into the darker sides of human nature. The narrative is told from multiple perspectives, adding depth and intrigue as readers navigate the tangled web of deceit.

What an addictive read, I was hooked from the first chapter until the last. The story weaves brilliantly with lots of intrigue that keeps you guessing throughout and holds no punches.

If you want a great revenge story, set in the beautiful Bali - then this is for you.
The story of two couples who are friends and the secrets they're all keeping from each other.
The first half of the book sets up the scene and the atmosphere perfectly, but be warned the second half comes at you fast.

I honestly think Nikki Smith just gets better with every book, such an exciting author.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this read from Penguin and NetGalley.

The first thing I will say is that if I'd been on holiday, I would have read this in a day! Set in Bali, a country I have never been to so I did quite a lot of Googling, 4 friends are reunited but all have secrets and there are grudges galore. This made for a real page turner as I just had to know what everyone was up to and why!

I also loved Nikki's reference to one of her other books, The Guests, being looked at my one of the characters at Heathrow WHSmith 😉

Highly recommend for your summer holiday this year!

My favourite quote:
"(She was) struck by a pang of loneliness as she realises she can't remember the last time she touched his face that intimately."

I’m a sucker for a thriller and this delivered!

Nate and Layla have been living the digital nomad life in Bali. Jude and Sophie are desperate for a change from London life following a burglary at home. Unresolved issues threaten to ruin the reunion but they’re all friends, right?

Each chapter was written from a different characters POV which I really like as a format. I really enjoyed getting to know each characters and how they tick. I was kept guessing right up to the end! This was a really easy read, perfect for the holiday switch off. The past issues between the boys felt a little petty but I enjoy the reveal at the end that through one of the relationships into a whole new light!

I’d definitely recommend this book and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the eARC.

Really enjoyed this one! Super twisty and kept me guessing. Some parts were a bit slow, but I think they served the story well and overall it was a fun, satisfying read. Definitely worth picking up if you're into domestic thrillers.

What a fab book, Couldn't put it down at all. Kept me gripped the whole way through it. Defo worth a read.

One of the best books I've ever read and definitely my book of the year. This is a book of secrets, where everyone has something to hide. When Jude wants to take his wife Sophie to stay with his old university friend Nate and his partner Layla in Bali, it is the first time they have met since the disaster caused by Layla at their wedding. With Sophie still angry over this, and reeling from a recent burglary, there is a definite atmosphere. With Nate leading a seemingly perfect life compared to Jude's, there is also much rivalry. Paired with an ongoing story from 2007, of a local man taking visitors on white water rafting trips while simultaneously ripping them off, this is a tale of lies and bonds which somehow all ties up in the end.
This is a brilliant book and I cannot recommend it enough - go out and buy it!

An intriguing premise that didn’t fully deliver for me.

They Had It Coming follows two couples, Nate and Layla, Jude and Sophie, who’ve been inseparable for years, sharing everything from dinners to holidays and even their work lives. When Nate and Layla suddenly leave London for a new life in Bali, Jude and Sophie jump at the chance to visit. But as old secrets and betrayals surface, tensions rise.

The characters weren’t especially likeable and difficult to connect with, which I think was intentional by the author, did lead to me occasionally mix up the two male characters.

Though I found the pacing was slow at times, it kept me curious, overall it was a decent thriller.

When Jude and Sophie take a sabbatical to stay with friends Nate and Layla in Bali, it is soon clear that the visit won’t go smoothly: the guests from London are running away from trouble back home, and the hosts’ lives aren’t as perfect as they make it out to be. They Had It Coming is a tense and exotic thriller filled with secrets.

I liked the way Nikki Smith explored the dynamic of the group and I enjoyed seeing tensions emerge and relationships complicate as the plot developed. I didn’t find the characters particularly likeable. each main character narrates, which I think allows them to implicate themselves as much as rationalising their behaviour.

The author’s physical description of Nate and Layla’s Bali worked well to depict a fake, social media aesthetic. I think this contrasted well with the sounds of the scenes in villa at night creating an eerie atmosphere. The uneasy feeling builds throughout the book, increasingly permeating into scenes, quickening the pace of the storytelling, and changing the feel of the luxury locations the couples visit.

Overall, I enjoyed but I do think it was over-stuffed with plot devices, where themes seemed skipped over or rushed. I would have enjoyed more if it was stripped back a bit and some themes explored further.

Nate and Layla, a British couple fed up with the monotony of everyday life, move to Bali in the hopes of a better lifestyle, joining the other digital nomad/ex pats. Their friends Jude and Sophie decide to join them on a sabbatical- and then things turn bad quickly.
This has all the elements of a great location thriller- Balinese setting, unreliable characters who claim to be great friends but don’t seem to actually like one another, a second seemingly parallel storyline with an unknown narrator, and hints that indicate secrets that threaten to unravel. A very satisfying ending!!

Second Nikki Smith book I have read. I find this authors books very quick to read but with a lot of action to entertain this reader. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for chance to ARC this book.

I do love a destination thriller - and one author guaranteed to take me somewhere exotic and whose books I always look forward to, is Nikki Smith. This time it’s a trip to Bali full of secrets, lies and some pretty messed up individuals!

Nate and Layla have quit London to move to Bali and build a new life there. Their best friends Jude and Sophie decide to escape London for a few months and go and visit them - but as soon as they arrive it is evident there are tensions between the foursome and all is not what it seems.

It soon becomes clear that all four of them have secrets they are trying to hide, some more recent than others. Told from each of their points of view, it’s hard to know if any of them are reliable narrators - and all pretty flawed, they aren’t always terribly likeable. But peeling away the layers of their friendship, and the dynamics that lie just below the surface, as things begin to unravel makes for compelling reading and the short chapters make it one of those “just one more” books as you get drawn into the story.

There is plenty to keep the reader guessing - until it all comes together at the end with some definite surprises! The author very much brings Bali to life and makes me want to visit, though there are some interesting observations on the tensions between the locals and expats and visitors.

All in all it is a book I raced through - and would make the perfect holiday read. So pack this one in your suitcase this summer.

I foresee a summer bestseller for Nikki Smith - a fantastic cover and fabulous setting for a fast paced thriller. They Had It Coming kept me turning the pages with four unlikeable characters who are all unreliable storytellers. It’s an easy read and I really could imagine myself reading it on a sun lounger and getting burnt as I couldn’t put it down, but I did finish it slightly underwhelmed. There were plenty of twists and turns but I felt they all were a bit flat and happened as a bit of a rush in the last few chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for an eARC.

This was such an intense read full of secrets, lies, and danger as the friendships unravel and revenge takes hold, leaving you questioning just how far people will go to protect themselves.

Nate and Layla decide to move to Bali, leaving behind best friends Jude and Sophie. Wanting to leave London behind, Jude and Sophie travel to visit their friends in Bali. But rather than a happy reunion, cracks begin to appear, while secrets are uncovered.

I was looking forward to reading this as I enjoy destination thrillers and the Bali setting sounded intriguing. The author did a good job describing the environment and creating the atmosphere; I felt the luxury, beautiful setting. The story was told in different voices and the chapters were kept fairly short, which worked well. I didn’t particularly warm to the characters, however they were well developed.

I found that it was interesting trying to discover the secrets, however it felt like it took a lot of time to get there and at times dragged. Even so, this will certainly be a great book for those who enjoy twisty thrillers set in sun soaked, exotic locations and is a perfect holiday read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Nate, Layla, Jude and Sophie have been friends for years, doing everything together. When Nate and Layla quit their jobs and move to Bali, Jude and Sophie become their first visitors. Who knows, maybe they will fall in love with the Balinese lifestyle too? But its been over a year since the couples last spent time together, and when they reunite things just aren't the same. Can they put the past behind them, or will the thirst for revenge take over?

Another great read from Nikki Smith, this time set in Bali. I've actually been to Bali so had some ideas in my head of the villas and beach clubs etc, but regardless Smith describes them in such a way that you can imagine being there.

I found the 4 main characters in this book particularly off-putting, and hard to relate to. They are all keeping secrets from each other, and behaving sneakily and suspiciously. It meant I didn't trust any of them, didn't relate to any of them and didn't sympathise with any of them. Strangely enough this didn't stop me from enjoying the read - I guess because I wanted to see them all get what they deserved!

The storyline for this did keep me guessing, and kept me turning pages. One thing I would say was that the secret keeping was made very blatant, with each character mentioning in their chapters how they were keeping things from others. This felt a little crude, and perhaps could have been done with a bit more subtlety. Because the subterfuge was discussed so openly it meant I wasn't overly surprised by anything that happened throughout the book. That said, I still had the 'I want to know the secrets' feel as I was reading, so it still worked.

Something that did strike me whilst reading was how Smith disctourists, emigrants and 'digital nomads' (I hate that phrase!) on the local economy and businesses, particularly in countries like Bali. It's a very delicate balance in these countries, where tourism is necessary for the economy but also can end up having a very negative effect (both on the economy and on the local customs, traditions and landscape).

Overall I thought this was a good read, and the destination thriller aspect again shone through. I'm thinking of suggesting Smith's earlier book, The Beach Party as my next buddy read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review