Cover Image: The Vacation

The Vacation

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Member Reviews

Now this is my king of book!
Straight from the jump we find out not all is what it seems as we follow six adults and four children who are in Jamaica for Thanksgiving. Suddenly, one of the children turns up missing, surely the police can figure out what happened, right?
This one was a real page Turner, with twists being thrown out here and there, never being able to really figure out what was happening until the end.
I would definitely recommend this to other lovers of thrillers like me!

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Did keep my interest. Enjoyed novel with a bit of a twist although I did guess what had happened quite early on

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Wow, what a gripping read. I couldn't put it down. So much tension as it was obvious there were many secrets amongst the group, some of which could have led to the crime. I didn't expect the reveal. Some great twists!

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This book had lots of twists and turns and had you guessing right to the end. This sounds like the Madelaine McCann case to me. It was a fast paced book . It was about a family vacation and a child goes missing. It was hard to predict what was going on.

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A tense, atmospheric thriller when a dream holiday with friends goes very wrong and causes irrevocable relationship damage. Thought provoking stuff.

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Rose, her husband Brandon and their two children Lily and Jackson are invited by step brother Leo and his wife to join them for a holiday in their rented villa in Jamaica. They have also invited friends Annabelle and Matteo and their two sons. Unbeknown to the others, Leo and Bree have had several unsuccessful rounds of IVF and several miscarriages and Bree is envious of the other women. They all seem very close friends but feelings of jealousy and resentment are beginning to show . Whilst they are partying Rose goes to check on Lily and Jackson but discovers that Lily has disappeared from her bed. The window was open but had been closed the last time she had checked. Rose’s fear has become a reality as she was worried before travelling after reading about the disappearance of other little girls. The police are called but there was no ransom call which they were expecting as they were convinced that Lily had been kidnapped. However as the police investigation continues evidence is found that someone in the villa was responsible. We realise that everyone has secrets and they all begin to doubt each other. The story is told by each of the adults from before the kidnap and after. This is a tense and thrilling story that kept me guessing until the end with so many twists and turns. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

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This story is full of family secrets, twists and turns, all packed together. Nothing is as it seems, and I will definitely read some more by this great author. Recommended.

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How can an idyllic vacation result in the disappearance of a three-year-old girl named Lily? A four-day Thanksgiving retreat should recharge three families, Rose and Brandon Martin and their two children, trying to recover after Brandon's affair and the fact that he often drinks a bit too much. They are accompanied by Anabelle and Mateo and their two boys. Then there is Leo and Brianna, Rose's sister-in-law, who is suffering from devastating losses. It is their home that the other two couple will be visiting in Jamaica.

Lies and secrets abound, but what possible connection could there be to Lily's disappearance? This dual timeline read is quite chilling, especially when the story shifts to the days prior to Lily's disappearance. As this is done, this presents a snapshot into each couple's lives. In any event, the suspect pool is quite small, so it should have been easy to discover who took the child? Or was it?

Considering that Rose is still reeling from something that happened when she was a child, and now that her Lily is gone, will she be able to hold up? What about Bree, considering the devastating losses she suffered? Do they play into what happened to Lily? A maelstrom of events is laid out in rapid succession as the search for Lily - and the truth - gets.

The Vacation is the perfect book if you want a fast-paced read that is rich with excellent writing and complex characters,

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

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TERRIFIC suspenseful read with a very surprising ending. First time reading this author but have since purchased 2 of her previous books. RECOMMEND fully. Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest review..

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I was so happy to hear that this brilliant author who wrote the Detective Jo Fournier series was releasing this standalone thriller, The Vacation by M.M. Chouinard was a brilliant book and I was hooked within the very first few pages. This book was excellent and I loved it especially as it packed with twists and turns throughout!

I highly recommend this book.

Big thank you to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

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Ms. Chouinard is quickly becoming one of those authors where, if I know a book of hers is going to be released, I immediately request it or know I will be buying it. She is a solid thriller writer. I first was introduced to her through her Det. Jo Fournier book series. This is a standalone thriller and as usual, she did not disappoint! Three families are on vacation when one couple’s daughter disappears from their vacation rental. The book is told from alternating timelines and different character’s points of view of present day and just before the disappearance. The author has a unique talent for giving her characters backstory as well as being very clever with her red herrings. I thought some things were obvious, and they were, but then she’d hit me with a twist I didn’t see coming. The last few pages were a bit of a jaw dropper for me. I loved it! This author definitely deserves more recognition for her talent! If you haven’t read a book by her before, do yourself a favor and read them! Read. Them. ALL.

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Three families go to Jamaica on vacation which should be a fun holiday
When Rose’s daughter goes missing from their room one evening it turns into a nightmare
All the secrets come out that the families are keeping.
Who knows what happened to lily ?
Great book
Thanks NetGalley

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Thank you #Netfalley for the advanced copy!

Wow! This one kept me guessing until the very end! I thought I had it figured out a few chapters in, but boy was I wrong. This book follows three couples who visit their friends/family who are currently living in Jamaica. Each couple has their own hidden struggles but put on a happy face to enjoy their Thanksgiving vacation. But then one night, young Lily, goes missing. Rose her mother is panicked having trouble recalling the night. The detectives turn each adult against each other to try to figure out what actually happened. This book will keep you on your toes, I could not put it down!

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This book felt quite complicated initially. It is told from multiple perspectives over different timelines and there are a lot of characters, so I found myself having to refer back (which isn’t easy on a Kindle)
Once I figured out who everyone was and the relationships it was easier to concentrate on the story
The book examines adult friendships, three families on holiday together, when one of the children is taken it shows the devastating consequences that can have on everything and secrets, resentments and lies throw the group in to nightmare.
It is hard not to see the similarities between this story and the disappearance of Madeline McCann - policing in a foreign country not as responsive to what we are used to, children in the apartment sleeping whilst the adults enjoy a drink and a card game, bedroom window open when an adult checked on the children, 3 year old Lily missing whilst her brother Jackson was still fast asleep etc
Overall, the book was just okay. It’s one of those books you consider giving up on a few times instead of racing to the end because you’re so invested in the story. The parallels to the McCann disappearance were off-putting, so for me it’s a 3/5 star review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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A family holiday gathering turns into an ominous event upon the disappearance of a young child. All secrets will be revealed as the reader plows through this intricate plot. A big thumbs up!

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This was a good book, it definitely kept me guessing. I didn't really connect with many of the characters, but, maybe it was written that way on purpose. Almost every one of them was weirds to me. It was an easy one afternoon read.

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I really enjoyed reading this book. It had several stories running through it and twist and turns right until the end.

Three couples are friends and are linked in several different ways. One couple lives in Jamaica so they hit three connected villas and go on holiday together to Jamaica.

One night whilst they are drinking and playing cards one of the children is taken.

What follows next are lies and accusations.

The police don’t seem to move quickly and the parents are decanted. It becomes clear things are not as they should be regarding the 3 couples.

This was a good read and the writer was excellent the way the story was in the present then in the past.

Would highly recommend.

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Three families holidaying in idyllic Jamaica when a devastating event occurs. This novel takes everything from you, the pace is unrelenting, the secrets gripping and the anguish is hard not to feel.

A clever thriller looking at the consequences of a mistake that changes life forever. There is no way to ignore the parallels between this novel and the McCann case, but at no point does this feel like a slight or even a narrative on it.

Incredible

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This book was mine kind of story – 3 families out on vacation in Jamaica and something goes terribly wrong. I was hooked since first page and could not put it down.
The story is written in three point of views and moves between current and pre accident events, which allows you to get a better picture of the characters and their lives. There are lies, marital issues and many unexpected twists.
I recommend it to anyone that likes fast paced thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture & the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Absolutely fantastic read. I have loved this and been completely unable and unwilling to put this one down.
This is a great read which I will be highly recommending.

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