Smart, stylish and shocking, T J Emerson’s The Perfect Holiday is a twisty page-turner that will keep you glued to your sun lounger this summer.

A holiday in Spain lazing about in their beautiful villa is just what the doctor ordered for Olivia and Julian. With the two of them leading very busy lives where they barely have time to draw breath, this vacation in Spain will enable Olivia and Julian to rest, recuperate and recharge their batteries. The two of them have had a difficult couple of years with Julian having been reluctantly thrust into the limelight after the tragic murder of his wife. Olivia and Julian hope to put the challenges of the last few years behind them and focus on themselves and on having the perfect holiday. However, a chance encounter with an attractive stranger quickly propels them headlong into jeopardy and danger…

Gabriel is a young man Olivia and Julian have never met before. He’s handsome, charismatic, charming and much younger than they are. What could he possibly want with them? Is he just being friendly? Or does he have an ulterior motive for getting close to them? As events take an unexpected and sinister turn, Olivia and Julian find themselves caught up in a high stakes and heart-stopping game where they must watch their step and keep their eyes and ears open because their perfect holiday has just become a nightmare of epic proportions…

So tense it will have you biting your nails to the elbow, The Perfect Holiday is a taut and terrifying read that will send your heart rate skyrocketing through the roof. T J Emerson knows how to keep her readers completely glued to the pages of her book and in The Perfect Holiday, she has written a shocking and jaw-dropping chiller I couldn’t read fast enough.

Perfect for T M Logan and B A Paris fans, The Perfect Holiday is an addictive thriller from a writer to watch out for: T J Emerson.

I liked this book but soooo much could have been cut out.. it was very redundant in parts. Just average for me with no big twists or turns. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

I enjoyed this book but was left waiting more. I wish the big secret was shared latter in the book rather then so soon. I personally don't love that because I loose interest. However it was still an enjoyable read for me.

I absolutely love discovering new authors and T. J. Emerson is certainly a new author for me. I read the synopsis for ‘The Perfect Holiday’ and it certainly sounded like the sort of read I love- a psychological thriller with twists and turns throughout. Well I was spot on because I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Perfect Holiday’ but more about that in a bit.
I was drawn to this book by the synopsis alone and the story within the book’s covers sealed the deal as it were. As soon as I started reading, I knew that I was going to become addicted to reading this story. I was spot on too. I had initially picked the book up only intending to read a chapter or two to make a start but I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. The characters intrigued me and I got the distinct impression that things weren’t as they first appeared. I seemed to fly through the story. I found ‘The Perfect Holiday’ to be a gripping, tense and dramatic read which certainly kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘The Perfect Holiday’ is well written. T. J. Emerson has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. She certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and take them on what proves to be one hell of a journey. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fast pace throughout. The story is written in the format of biographical notes by the male lead character, Julian, chapters are written detailing events from the past and chapters are written detailing events as they are happening in the present day. The different methods of telling the tale interlink and the story flows seamlessly. Reading ‘The Perfect Holiday’ felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I love the way in which the author makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That’s how I felt at any rate.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Perfect Holiday’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more from this author in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This would make a great beach read, or when you’re looking for a quick easy read that will keep you guessing. Personally, the synopsis mention of ‘high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse’ had me expecting a really exciting thriller, however, I found The Perfect Holiday to be more of a suspense. I still enjoyed it though. I could not figure it out, I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen and the book would veer into a different direction. I did not even come close to guessing the ending, which I always love. I loved the setting of Mallorca, which is where we went for our honeymoon.

Thank you @rachelsrandomresources and @bookandtonic for the complimentary digital review copy

Olivia and Julian are a busy couple. Finally, they're able to rest and relax while holidaying at their Spanish villa. But when Gabriel, Julian's old friend, spontaneously shows up, their perfect holiday starts to take a dangerous turn. Will they all make it out alive?

This was a good book but I think because I could predict what was going to happen next (several times!), I didn't find it overly thrilling. It was an easy and quick read though. This book would suit a beginner mystery/thriller reader.

This book was engrossing and unputdownable! It kept me guessing as to what was going to happen next. The ending was a surprise I never saw coming. I highly recommend this book to other mystery readers.

I'm afraid this book was way too slow for me. None of the characters were likeable. Sometimes this is ok, but I don't think it is what the author was going for. Sorry! Dnf @ 30%

The Perfect Holiday, is one hell of an intoxicating novel.

The instant addiction was real...

This book is the perfect beach read to kick off summer. The pace was quick, perfectly narrated, with both likable and unlikable characters. I was instantly intrigued with the story line and "one more chapter" turned into reading the entire book in one sitting before bed. Yes, I am dragging today, but it was well worth it.

TJ Emerson is the perfect storyteller who knows how to engage with the reader. This book was hands down one of the best books I have read this year.

I highly recommend you pick up this book and hit the beach!

Happy Reading

This was a great read. Dark, twisty and full of suspense and tension. This will definitely keep your attention.

This a superb thriller, it’s a real page-turner, but it’s also a beautifully written and supremely cleverly plotted book.

It’s so easy to imagine the setting, the descriptive prose depicts the sights, sounds and even the smells of the surroundings, and I found myself completely transported to the hot Spanish climate.

The pace is steady, but this perfectly suits the languid pace of the holiday, and really ramps up the suspense and sense of foreboding.

The story goes back and forth between the present day, and Julian’s memoirs. I found this to be a fascinating combination, and the contrast between the public and the private man to be very interesting. Later on, when secrets are revealed, it all comes together.

Olivia is a strong character, and I found myself liking her. They are an unlikely pairing, but when Gabriel appears on the scene everything changes, and it’s very tense waiting to see how it’s all going to play out.

The suspense and tension builds until the shocking ending, and I found myself on tenterhooks as the end approached.

A very clever and gripping read, I’d really recommend this to anyone who loves a good heart-stopping thriller.

The premise sounded really good and initially, I was quite intrigued but the story never seemed to deliver, and I quickly became bored. I didn't really find any of the characters likeable and I quickly tired of the main character, Julian, and his self pitying attitude. I did like the twist at the end. Overall not my favorite.

This book was not my cup of tea. I did not connect with the characters at all and was honestly more annoyed with Julian than anything. I felt that the book was predictable, although I did enjoy the twist at the very end. I also would not categorize this as a psychological thriller, as it is currently categorized, as I did not feel any thrill until the last chapter. I’m sure there is an audience who would appreciate and enjoy this book, unfortunately it fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Baldwood Books, and T.J. Emerson for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was inticed by this book because of the cover and the synopsis and both of those things did not add up to how utterly rubbish this book was.

There was no guessing in what was going on at all, it was all pretty predictable and not in a good way.

I absolutely hate the trope that was the bulk of this book, too many thrillers rely on this and it just ruins the book for me. The book was actually ok up until the point that this trope was executed and Gabriel showed up, who was just an awful character but nothing compared to the horrendous character of Julian. He is honestly one of the worst characters I've ever come across in books, absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever and I liked what became of him as both of his wives deserved so much better.

Absolutely awful book, wouldn't recommend to anyone.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and TJ. Emerson for the copy of this book. All views are my own.*

This is described as a psychological thriller, but I wasn't that thrilled. It was an okay story that I finished and thought it was okay, but I was not gripped like I often am when reading thrillers. Jillian’s life changes drastically when he and his wife are in a car accident. Helen is seriously injured and needs a caretaker for the remainder of her life. Julian commits his life to being her caregiver and does everything he can to make her life as good as possible. When he is told to take a weekend to relax and rejuvenate, he meets Gabriel, a twenty something wanderer, who he spends a couple of nights with in an intimate way. Gabriel follows him to London and he and Julian agree that he will put Helen out of her misery and allow Julian freedom. The story picks up years later and Julian has remarried to a wealthy woman. They both run different foundations and Julian is well respected. He has written a memoir, runs his foundation that supports caretakers and is a sought after speaker. While on vacation, Gabriel reenters his life and things go off the rail.

This book has an interesting concept, however it failed to surprise me because the big secret is revealed sooner than it should have been. Much of the story was about Julian's and Gabriel's illicit affair. I felt bad for Olivia, who is on her third marriage and really thought Julian was the one to make her happy. She was a nice character who was using her parent's money for good. I will say I grew tired of her body constantly being referred to, especially the size of her chest. It wasn't until the last quarter of the book that the plot picked up and a couple of twists were thrown in. I did think the ending gave all the characters what they deserved. Overall, this story was just okay for me.

Perfect Holidays yes the surrandings there are wonderful. It is hard to express my self without spoilers here. The fact is that the couple in vacation is not married for long and a man come across and pretends it is a coincidence but it is obvious that it is not. We get to know what happened in the past, how they met, what they did. Maybe it was obvious that this is a cat mouse game but we could not know what whould happened in the end. And if I was sometimes a little anoyed at some parts but the ending was my kind.

I could understand someone is lost and feel alone but to fall so deep like one of the main characters was really incredible. How we can be manipulated by an other persons was crazy. But that was also ok, I wanted to go on and see how this involments would be solved. And I was quite right of what was going on behind the scenes and was glade I was this time. Nothing very deep about but an easy reading. If you need that is really a perfect book.

A new author for me and I enjoyed this fairly light holiday style read. It is a fairly slow read and there are scenes some readers may find uncomfortable but I found it a good plot line and a lovely descriptive read. Told in two timelines, the past when Julian is caring for his first wife and the present with his second wife.

Briefly, ten years ago Julian’s first wife was murdered and he set up a charity in her name with money received from the Criminal Injuries Tribunal. Now remarried to Olivia they have decided to holiday at her house in Mallorca. One morning when they are in the local village they are accosted by an American called Gabriel. They had met in Scotland when Helen was still alive. What they don’t know is their lives are about to change, dramatically!

Julian seems incredibly naive and I did want to shout at him! The story builds to a climax which seems inevitable. The only question was how rather than when! However, there is an unexpected twist I wasn’t prepared for. A simple but good crime mystery thriller. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I found this to be an exciting read and it was definitely a page-turner. It is thrilling read and captured my attention from the very start and kept my interest till the end. Julian and Olivia are taking a break from their chaotic and busy lives and take a vacation spending time in a Spanish villa. They encounter Gabriel and things begin to change. Although a little slow to start, the plot was intriguing and there were some twists and turns which kept me thoroughly engaged. It's a compelling page-turner with a twist you won't see coming. The author did a good job of crafting an entertaining and engaging psychological thriller.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was gripping from the start and kept me guessing until the very end, easy to follow, I enjoyed the characters as well. Would definitely recommend.

This is a dual timeline novel, set now (which is "after") and "before". In the before timeline we have Julian who is caring for his wife after she's been paralysed in a car accident. Now/After, he is on holiday with his second wife, Olivia.
I find it difficult to enjoy a book when I really don't like the main characters, and I really didn't like Julian, he has no redeeming features. I also wasn't a fan of Gabriel (although that's intentional from the authors pov, I can't imagine anyone would like him). There was potential for Olivia to be a decent enough character but she was never allowed to reach her potential, she was almost secondary to the narrative, a part of the setting rather than an actual person.
This is another example of a domestic thriller, which I never find thrilling. I always love the idea from the synopsis and then find that they fall short.