The story starts at the airport and for me the actual going on holiday is always really stressful I really resonated with the female characters Sophie and Harriet.

Looking for the best in the dire situation, Harriet offers Sophie and Dan their country cottage in return for a holiday in their London home.

On the surface Harriet thinks that Sophie is calm and collected and that her husband Dan takes control, unlike her husband James who is so laid back he is almost horizontal.

Both desperate to be heading away on holiday they are stressed, disappointed and sad that due to to ash cloud their trip to Italy is not going to happen. Harriet is the control freak loves order and planning. She had planned the Rome holiday down to the last detail and this spontaneity throws her into a tail spin. The characters are warmly written and realistic and all have their flaws.

When Harriet, James and daughter Billie reach Sophie and Dan’s house, she really freaks out ! She starts to organise Sophie’s house like her own but finds out that you cannot control everything in your life, which is a hard lesson for her. She also has to contend with the family pet Spot.

Sophie and Dan and their children arrive in the Cotswolds to Harriet and James house with their children they are also in for a surprise.

Sophie is also stressed, dangerously high blood pressure and Dan is the opposite of James though he is attentive and appears kind he is also workaholic. As the story progresses the women start chatting and also start to see the cracks in their relationships.

I really liked the development of Sophie and the storyline regarding Dan is really gripping but I am not going to give anymore away.

This is a fun read with more serious issues and I really liked the female characters and the story.

It was easy to read and enjoyable escapism. It was reassuring to read about other women and their insecurities and it was great to see how the characters lives change in each others spaces.

I was sent a copy of this book to review from the author but all opinions are my own!

3⭐️

Two families are stranded at the airport after a volcano’s ash in the sky makes it too dangerous to fly. The wives chat for a bit and then decide to make the most of their situation and have a “staycation” and swap houses for the week since both women were so desperate for a vacation of any kind, one house in the city and one in the country. Their husbands and children go along for the rude and plenty of shenanigans ensue.

I think if you’re looking for a light and fluffy beach-read type book for the summer, then this might be for you! Especially if you’re a fan of the show wife swap or anything like that, or if you’ve enjoyed Michele Gorman’s books in the past and love her sense of humor. And I think the premise is very relevant currently since I’m sure a lot of our vacations are derailed this year due to covid. Unfortunately I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters and I actively disliked both of the husbands which made it hard for me to really delve deep into the book and enjoy it as much as I was hoping to.

This book was so cute - told from the perspective of two women who swap their houses for holiday (one in the city and one in the country), when an ash cloud prevents them and their families from heading to Italy. Out of their element and the drudgery of daily lives, both women have epiphanies of how their life is, and what they've settled for. Talking daily, through text and phone calls, they both eventually realize what it is they want, and how they'll have to change to get it. While the story jerked around a little bit, this book was all female empowerment wrapped in a super sweet bow.

CW: This book features gaslighting and an emotionally abusive relationship.

The Staycation, from the outside, seems like a light read. We have two couples who are our main characters in the book. Really it's Sophie and Harriet who we follow, but we get a good glimpse of both their marriages throughout this book.

Both families are trying to board a plane for vacation when our story starts, but there's been flight cancellations left and right and everyone realizes quickly this holiday isn't going to happen.

Harriet and Dan vaguely know each other from a work thing (conference maybe?) and someone suggests swapping houses for two weeks so they each get their vacations.

I admit that this concept is really unique, but the reality of this idea is so farfetched for me. I couldn't help but think that I'd never just invite people I don't know to live in my house for two weeks with all my belongings. But hey, it works in this case right?

From the outside, both Harriet and Sophie look at each other's marriages and are envious. But it's easy to look on the outside and have an entirely different perspective of what things seem, rather than what they are.

Harriet is very, very organized to the point of annoyance. Sophie is very very meek and docile. And yes, because of this staycation arrangement, both women are in contact with each other and strike up a friendship.

Sophie's marriage was very uncomfortable for me to read and it's because Dan was scary for me, honestly. This book definitely wasn't a light read in that aspect.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this via both women's perspectives and I was happy with how things ended.

I did not enjoy this book at all. The flow was way off for me and couldn't figure out who was talking. Don't know if it was formatting or how it was written. Also did not enjoy the ladies of this one and the one husband was a huge asshole.

I requested this book on Netgalley as it sounded a great holiday read and then my holiday was cancelled so I decided to have my own staycation by renting a hot tub and plenty of milkshake deliveries! Right now to my review of the book!
i love the start of the book, two families stressing out at the airport and after searching for somewhere to sit, they ending up chatting. The two ladies may be wearing the same dress and are completely different but they both needed this holiday so when their flight is cancelled, the deiced to house swap (to be honest, if someone offers this option to me in the airport, I would defo be saying no!)
Whilst I was reading the book, I kept jotting down my thoughts and some of them was actually correct!

Harriet's husband James seems to be hiding something, as Sophie found him back into the village up to something - I so wasn't expecting what was being arranged!
Harriets daughter - always on the phone (but who isn't these days?) is something more going on?
If this was a thriller, I would be betting on Sophie's husband being dodgy. Sophie is poorly, is there something more sinister going on?
The only thing I'm jealous about Sophie's holiday is the daily spa treatment!
Overall, I did really enjoy this book but I kept thinking something more interesting was going to happen, but I was slightly disappointed at the ending!

I would still recommend people buying this book, as it's a great summer read. Especially for everyone who can't go on holiday this year!

This book was very easy to read! It followed the lives of two women and their two different perspectives, problems and lives. I enjoyed the journey and warmed to Sophie in particular.

The language and dialogue was all believable and realistic... it has me giggling and invested from the beginning!

If you’re looking for a great summer read then this is the book for you. If you’re looking for a book that will help you take you’re mind off current events, lift your spirits and just give you a bit of escapism then this is the book for you.

When the ash cloud puts an end to Harriets holiday to say she’s disappointed would be an understatement. She’s had everything planned, she’s over planned even and this holiday was her chance to get her family back on track and possibly even her marriage.

Sophie and her family were booked on the same flight and Sophie is devastated, she was looking forward to a holiday where she could truly relax and possibly spend some time with her workaholic husband.

When the two family’s meet and start talking, Harriet suggests a house swap, Harriet and her family live in the countryside where the local village even has a spa, perfect for Sophie. Sophie and her family live in London near to the hustle and bustle where there’s plenty going on, perfect for Harriet.

What then follows is a story of self discovery really, Sophie is a stay at home mum, husband Dan works and brings in the money and Sophie has lost herself over the years. Harriet is what you might call a bit of a control freak, she has to have everything planned and knows what’s best for her family.

I really liked Sophie, I instantly took to her and although I didn’t dislike Harriet I didn’t really warm to her to start with. As the chapters alternate between the two women I got to know more about them and Harriet began to grow on me and I loved seeing the changes in them. They are two very different characters who would probably never have become friends if it weren’t for the ash cloud.

The Staycation is a story that flows so well, you completely get lost in the words. The characters all feel so real that it was almost like reading about friends. I laughed and went through all the emotions with them and I have to say it was a total joy to read. From the first page i was hooked and I ended up just devouring this story. It’s defiantly recommended by me.

A really fun set up for a book - 2 couples unable to travel on holiday decide to do a house swap instead. I really enjoyed the lighthearted side of this story, unfortunately there were some heavier moments and some particularly nasty characters which I didn’t get along with. I like how there was more depth to the story but I would have preferred for more funny bits.

A great light hearted, fast paced and quirky read. This book is a perfect read with the pandemic we’re living through!! Harriet finding the missing house pet and Sophie’s spa debacle were just some of the goings on in the book. The book also dove into midlife marriage issues and how some couples are able to work through them while others are able to find their true selves again. A great book!

Fate, in the form of a volcanic ash cloud, has determined that the much anticipated holidays to Italy by two families just won't happen. Their flights are cancelled. The families get talking and decide to do a home swap, instead, just for the holiday period...... Like the ladies concerned, their homes couldn't be more different - one in central London (with a python), the other a luxurious cottage in the countryside (with goats!). However these two ladies are both going through some stressful times and hope the holiday will help reinvigorate their marriages and their lives . . . .

There's also a huge contrast in the inherent nature of the two ladies. Harriet is so uptight about everything - wanting life scheduled to the minute, everything having a place and definitely kept in that place. In contrast, Sophie is comparatively laid back, relaxed and doesn't worry about schedules or keeping things pristine. For both ladies this holiday staycation will prove to be a revelation, sometimes shocking and sometimes empowering. The story is a fun look at life, expectations, realisations and fresh starts. It is an entertaining read with characters to love and others to at least dislike. I found it a fun and thoroughly enjoyable read and have no hesitation to anyone looking to escape into a holiday story with a huge difference and plenty of surprises and life changing consequences!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

When their flight to Rome is cancelled, because of an ash cloud, both Harriet and Sophie (and their respective families), face the possibility that their much needed 2 week holiday is not going to happen. A chance meeting in the airport reveals that both ladies are looking for something different from their holiday to what they have at home.

Harriet lives on a farm in the countryside and can’t wait to get to Rome to take advantage of all the city attractions like museums and galleries. Whereas Sophie lives in the city and is looking forward to a quiet peaceful spa break in the Italian countryside.

When it looks like they have no choice but to go home, Harriet suggests an alternative. If Sophie wants to enjoy the countryside she can stay at Harriet’s house, which is in a village with a spa. When in turn Sophie suggests Harriet stay at their house in London, it seems like the perfect compromise.

Will this staycation have an unexpected silver lining for both families or will it be a natural disaster...

The Staycation is a lighthearted read about relationships and self-discovery that has some underlying important messages. It had me laughing out loud and rolling my eyes at the same time but ultimately, it left me with a feel-good factor.

Both ladies have very different personalities. However as the story progresses they realise that although they made lead very different lives, they get along well and a friendship starts to blossom.

Michele’s writing style was fluid and that made the story flow at a good pace. The contrast between the two settings added variety and felt authentic.

Of the two characters, Sophie was the more likeable and had the most warmth. She also had the greatest character development and I really enjoyed seeing her grow in confidence. Having said that I actually liked Harriet more than I expected to by the end of the book. Initially I thought she was too abrupt but as the story played out it became more obvious why that was and I warmed to her.

The Staycation is a perfect summer read especially at a time when we are all likely to be staycationing ourselves.

A vacation was all that Sophie and Harriet wanted, but Mother Nature had other plans. Swapping lives seemed like the fun thing to do, which leads to a fun read that had me me laughing. This was a look into that saying thing are not always greener on the other side. Learning to appreciate what you have and making life exciting. A good quick read!

The Staycation was a quirky funny little book that I read in one afternoon. It is told by Harriet and Sophie's point of view. Harriett and Sophie are scheduled to be on the same flight to Rome from London. Due to a weather disturbance, the flight is canceled. On a whim, Sophie mentions they were looking forward to going to the countryside in Tuscany, and Harriet suggests that they swap houses for their holiday. High Jinx ensue. It was at times a fun story and overall I enjoyed this quick read but I do wish it had a little more substance as I did not relate to Harriet or Sophie. If you are looking for something to distract yourself for a few hours during this pandemic you might enjoy this one. Thank you to Michele Gorman, Trapeze, and NetGalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is an excellent story about the ups and downs of life and marriage, and how sometimes you can find yourself when you least expect it.

Harriet is determined that this holiday with her husband and teenage daughter will get them all back on track as a family, especially her marriage. She has everything planned down to the second, itineraries for every day, and contingency plans for anything that could possibly go wrong. But when an ash cloud shuts down all of the flights, Harriet finds herself swapping homes with a fellow traveller, Sophie, who seems to have the perfect family and a husband who cares for her deeply. Harriet hopes that some of it will rub off on her family.
Sophie is so happy that Dan is willing to take time off to take care of her and the kids. Yes, Italy would have been lovely, but she is just as excited when she gets the chance to house swap with Harriet, and experience life in a country cottage. As Sophie really relaxes for the first time and begins a friendship with Harriet over the phone, she realises that Dan is working and being bossy just as much as usual. Only Sophie is beginning to rail against the idea that she cannot do anything for herself and as she begins to feel like her old self, will she view her marriage differently?

Compelling, engaging, current, and with characters that feel like friends, THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is a wonderful novel that gripped me from the very beginning. Harriet is very direct and controlled but I could see how much she loved her family even though she knows she drives them crazy. Sophie was my favourite, a strong and intelligent woman who had lost control over her own life and lost the spark that made her unique, and it was lovely to watch her come into her own. The country setting was my favourite and the type of place that I would love to live but it was fun to see city living too.
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THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is my favourite book from this author so far and I look forward to more.

I always enjoy Michele's books. She writes great dialogue and her characters always come to life.

In The Staycation, we meet Harriet, James and their daughter Billie and Sophie, Dan and their children Katie and Oliver, when they end up stranded after a cancelled flight to Italy.

They decide to swap houses for the duration of their 2 week vacation, with one family going to stay on a goat farm in a quaint village and the other staying in the centre of London.

Over the course of the holiday, the families both learn a lot. About themselves and each other. They discover that appearances can be deceiving and things aren't always as they seem.

I really liked the way thw stories unfolded for both families. I particularly had an affinity for Sophie, as I have kind of been where she is. I was rooting for her to figure things out.

This is a great, easy, summery read that will entertain you and make you forget your troubles for a little while.

When I saw the cover I immediately thought this would be a light summer beach read.

Harriet and Sophie are two women stuck with their families in Heathrow Airport, unable to take their much needed vacations. The two start talking and decide to swap homes, and explore the new areas of the towns of the other women. One goes from the city to a farm, and the other from farm to the city.

While they women and their families start exploring their new locale, you start to learn more about them and their need to escape from their respective lives. One is disorganized, the other is compulsive organizer with a labelmaker. One a stay at home mom, and the other a lawyer. One is controlling, the other controlled. Both form a friendship and being to influence each other manage their relationships, their marriages, and themselves. The final end was a transformation of each woman and their relationships.

If you like The Holiday, you’ll like this book. The Staycation gives the same fuzzy charm as any feel-good movie. It’s heartfelt but funny, which in my opinion, is the best combination.

The chapters alternate between the lives of two mothers: Harriet and Sophie. Harriet is very straightforward. She’s a logical thinker, thrives in organisation, and enjoys life as a successful solicitor. She has a teenage daughter, Billie, and a goat-loving husband, James. Sophie is a kind soul. She’s friendly, intelligent and significantly less organised than Harriet. She’s married to James, a dominating solicitor and they have two children, Katie and Oliver.

After a cancelled flight to Italy, Harriet and her family end up staying in Sophie’s house in London. While Sophie and her family end up staying in Harriet’s house in rural Gloucestershire. Neither of the women have perfect marriages. The flame between Harriet and James is dying out, and despite the little moments they have together, there’s a still a cavity between them. Dan thinks of himself as a provider to Sophie. He pretty much arranges everything she does and wears. What he calls it “looking after”, most people would call possessiveness.

The plot is totally addictive. When I put the book down, I was still thinking about the characters and the story. I always wanted to know what would happen next. I also found myself feeling really comfortable with this book. It’s the kind of story I would reach for when the sun is shining. Despite the struggles the characters face, there’s something about Gorman’s writing that just feels warm and inviting.

The characters were so well developed. I knew who I liked and who I didn’t like from just a few pages of dialogue, which gave the book a good head start. However, I definitely feel like we could have had more from James as a character. Dan had the kind of personality that’s very easy to figure out. It doesn’t take long to dislike him. James on the other hand didn’t seem to have much of an opinion on anything, didn’t react much, and fell into the background.

The multi-layered story had both families facing trials. Harriet’s family had to reconnect and rebuild. Over the years, family bonds suffer from wear and tear, and I really like that the relationships aren’t perfect. They’re realistic and authentic. Gorman tactfully told a story that has weighty concepts with a levity that made it enjoyable.

There are little moments that definitely made me chuckle. Like the fact that Harriet becomes frustrated with James’ breathing, or Sophie’s reaction to unconventional spa treatments. It added a smooth light-heartedness and cheeriness to this summer read. I also really liked that the author established two different atmospheres between the families. They never bled into one giant group of people, even the children had their own tone of voice which was lovely.

The only reason this book wasn’t a five-star read for me, is because I would have liked more from the ending, it felt a little rushed. I wasn’t totally satisfied, and I think the circle could have been completed with an epilogue or a fuller conclusion.

Overall, The Staycation is an entertaining read. I liked the dynamic between the two families and the fact they both had to overcome challenges to grow closer. If you’re looking for a relaxing, poolside, charming read, this is the book for you.

I enjoyed Michele Gorman's "The Staycation," the funny, sweet story of two families whose vacation house swap leads to unexpected but lasting changes for all of them. The story is told in parallel by mothers Sophie and Harriet, who are strikingly different in personality and lifestyle but form an unlikely friendship and end up being positive influences for each other. Both Harriet and Sophie were very likeable and well-developed and I found it very easy to wish the best for them both, but I particularly loved the way that Sophie grew in confidence over the course of the story and chose to take back control of her life.

Harriet and Sophie were both incredibly brave to allow strangers to stay in their house with no advance notice! I can't imagine letting a stranger stay in my own home, even now in the age of Airbnb. (I don't even like it when my family and friends see my mess, and it's usually messy around here!) Sophie and Harriet's decision made for a very entertaining story with quite a few funny moments, however, such as Harriet's effort to reorganize Sophie's spice cabinet while giving her a play-by-play over text. There were many other funny scenes in the book, but my favorite was Sophie's "special" facial. Who knew that such outlandish spa treatments existed?

Overall, "The Staycation" was a fun summer read that kept me turning the pages, and I would recommend it for fans of humorous women's fiction. I would definitely read more of Michele Gorman's work in the future.

*ARC provided by the author/publisher via Social Butterfly PR. All opinions expressed are my own.

Favorite Quotes:

Dogs smelled, and they sniffed crotches and licked their bits and breathed their bitty breath into your face. She didn’t actually know what kind of dog it was, but she was sure it did all of those things.

Your crown is crooked, drama queen…

There were enough scented candles to light a Roman Catholic Mass, but not one had been lit anywhere in the house. Someone was either romantically optimistic or had a friend who thought their house could use the extra fragrance.

How wonderful to be a bird, she thought. Except for catching live rodents and tearing them up into little pieces for dinner and living on top of the whole family in a cramped nest. Still, the flying would be nice.

‘I loved having babies, the way they’re so warm and snuggly. I craved the feeling, the smell.’ ‘That’s just the hormones your body makes so you don’t eat your baby,’ Harriet said.


My Review:

Michele Gorman is a wickedly clever, highly observant, and insightful lexicographer. I adore her wry humor and perceptive storytelling, she weaves quite an amusing tale with red herrings and unexpected tricks thrown in for added kicks. I cringed, gnashed my teeth, and giggle-snorted my way through this engaging story featuring vastly different women.

Harriet and Sophie were polar opposites in most ways, although they were both going through a similar period of adjustment and significant marital concerns while away from home during a much-needed vacation. Harriet was controlling, rigid, uptight, impatient, selfish, thoughtlessly insensitive and blunt, painfully and obnoxiously OCD and mostly like also a high functioning Aspergers. Sophie was easy-going, loosely organized, and eager to please. I enjoyed the dichotomy although Harriet was difficult for me to appreciate as well as being uncomfortably familiar as she was a judgmental cold fish with limited social skills and not someone I would choose to spend time with as I had already suffered this unfortunate fate during my first eighteen years of life. Yet Ms. Gorman tricked me into caring for and about her, which is a testament to her mad skills.