I was very much looking forward to reading this book, but I quickly became very disappointed. The way the three main characters act resembles more a teenage-like behaviour, rather than that of 50-year-old women. A lot of the dialogues and descriptions just feel very fake and strained. While I enjoyed some parts of the novel, I really did not like most of the book.
The whole concept as a whole sounded amazing when I initially read the description of the book, but the execution of it left me disappointed. It took me over a month to read it, simply because I did not enjoy reading it, but did not want to give up on it either.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hansson Publishing for providing me with a free electronic version of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What a great read. Loved the characters, three old friends who all thought they knew each other so well until they came together on holiday. Great fun

This is not my usual genre of book however it was exactly what I needed while being in bed with COVID. A light read that focussed on female friendships, relationships with others and dealing with life changes. I read it in a couple of sittings and did enjoy it,it left itself open to a sequel so am interested to see where the characters go from where it left off.

Kay, Carl, and main character Helen have been “best friends” since their early days at college. Having gone off and started careers and families of their own, one wonders if they truly are still best friends. They come together to reconnect for Helen’s 50th birthday only to realize that they barely know each other anymore. Deciding to make changes, they all agree to whisk off to Cyprus. It is here that their friendships face challenges and each character has to look at their lives and ultimately their future.

This book would have been better for me once I reached my mid-forties. Sadly, I found myself uninterested in the women and their problems after a while because they seemed to not even really like each other much. To me, the women were constantly bickering, and judging one another. I could completely resinate with Helen though as she had lost her entire identity within motherhood and with grown children and her husband still exploring his passions, she felt completely lost. Helen, along with Kay, who has a mentally challenged son and aging parents to start worrying about, we’re my absolute favorites in the book.

It was definitely a book that makes one think about their life choices more carefully and ultimately makes one cherish their lifelong friendships.

Everyone has a different reason for needing a holiday and this book gives an insight into some of those reasons.
Following each character let you see a different perspective and how one person’s needs can just totally different, but just as important to another’s

A story about friendship. An average read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

I rather enjoyed this. It's about three middle-aged friends, each having reached a crossroads in their lives. Not knowing which way to turn, a holiday in Cyprus...a destination deliberately engineered by one of the three with an ulterior motive...albeit ever-so-slightly bumpy, provides the answers for all three.

A sun-drenched island can't fail to provide the perfect backdrop, of course. Hansson portrays the sunny isle just like a postcard. Her skill, for me, was in the characterisation of the three fifty-something women, firm friends since university days. You could feel their pain, disappointment, desperation even, which all turn to optimism with hopes and plans for a different future.

Despite the fact it's a teensy bit stereotyped and clichéd (midlife crisis is an overworked plot line), flavoured with Shirley Valentine, it's beautifully and emotionally written. Late at night in bed, I was desperately urging myself with, 'come on, just one more page'.

Definitely a read-more-of author for me.

Very light easy reading.
I was ill when I read this, it was not in any way taxing. Not really my sort of novel, I felt all of the questions had ben asked before. Marriage, friendship, love, betrayal and being unfulfilled as a woman.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hansson Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I am the target audience for this novel. I turned 50 at the beginning of this year. It was refreshing to read about women of my age (often forgotten in the fictional world!) and much of the story rang true to me. It is a story about emerging and finding yourself again after dedicating your life to marriage, children, family and work.

I was expecting a light, beach read, and this was delivered, but it actually went somewhere I wasn't expecting and has a number of ethical and moral dilemmas at its' heart. The friendship between our three main characters felt real and believable. It was a fun read, in parts funny and infuriating.

I would recommend for fans of Marian Keyes, and for those looking a for a fun summer read.

Helen is turning 50 and has a moment of reckoning. She has dedicated her life to everyone and truly never taken a moment to put herself first. The kids are grown and have their own lives and she is married to an incredibly egomaniacal selfish man-child. Well, she has finally had enough and she just won’t take anymore! She is for the first time ever putting herself first and figures out that she’s a terrific woman who deserves more. She deserves to be happy, to feel loved, to be appreciated and that she matters. I found myself wanting all of that for her and more. Its a lovely, humorous, sad, emotional read that was the first in what will be a trilogy. I am looking forward to the next in the series.

When Helen’s best friend Caro invites her and their other best friend Kay to Cypress it’s perfect timing her husband of 30 years missed her 50th birthday and then called her own said birthday and burided her for not answering the phone the night before when he reach the summit on Everest. All she wants is fun in the sun with her two best friends and may be a wink or two from a hot guy, but when she finds out Caro brought him there with ulterior motives she isn’t happy at all. Will she let this ruin their friendship or at the very least the time in Cyprus? Let me just say I wasn’t expecting the book to go where it did at all. I thought it was something underhanded and/or a betrayal I really enjoyed the book and thought it was funny, sad but mostly interesting I enjoyed this writers style and fast pace chapters and can’t wait to read more by her in the future. I received this book from Net Galley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

I knew I would love this book from the first line. Helen, Caro and Kay are all lifelong friends and Helen's turning 50 so what do you do when your life seems to be so unsatisfying?

You get drunk with your friends, be honest about your unhappy life and go on a midlife holiday to Cyrus!

I adored Helen and her honesty about her marriage, her children and her role in life and how hard it was to like where she was. I wanted more hotel antics from the ladies while Lawrence was climbing Everest.

I loved so much of this book. The middle got a bit muddy but overall, I adored all the characters.

Well done.

This would make a great book club pick. This novel is about three middle-aged long-time friends who travel to Cyprus on a vacation together to get away from their problems, reconnect with each other, and take stock of where they are in their lives and where they want to go. Each woman has particular things they are struggling with, and the reader will be able to relate to at least something these women are going through, be it deciding whether to an unhappy marriage, dealing with “the change of life”, regrets over not having children and perhaps it being too late, taking care of an autistic grown up child, dealing with aging parents, etc. The issues touched upon will resonate with readers, and the relationship between the women is well-drawn and realistically-portrayed.

I loved this book. I was expecting it to be just liked a lot of ‘ female friends get together’ books….. but no it was so much better.

This about three university friends who are now in their 50’s. Helen is married with two older children and a Husband who takes her for granted and just goes off and does his own thing without a thought for her. Kay is a divorced working Mother of an Autistic older child and looking after ageing parents, one who has Dementia. Caro is a high power career woman who hasn’t any children or partner.

They come together for a night out and Caro wants them to come with her on a holiday she has booked to Cyprus. After a few problems sorting this out they all go.

This is a turning point in all their lives and each have different things happen whilst there. None of what you may think when starting the book!

A lovely tale of friendship that as in real life has it’s ups and downs.
Look forward to the next one out late 2022.

Great book, and an ideal holiday read, the characters draw you in from the begining as they are like people we all know which is comforting, definitely recommending to friends!

I knew I would love 'A Midlife Holiday' from the opening line! I haven't devoured a book in one sitting for a long time but I literally could not put this down. This is the first in a trilogy and I cannot WAIT to read the next instalment. It shouldn't be so rare (or refreshing) to read about the lives of middle-aged women, but it is. Cary J Hansson handles her subject matter with authenticity. She illustrates perfectly why menopause is often referred to as "the change" as, over the years, everything alters - our opinions, our bodies, our friendships, our willingness to make ourselves smaller/quieter/compliant. The book is funny, brutally honest and so, so relatable. I loved it. Highly recommend!

N. B.
A more comprehensive review has been published in the July edition of South Asia magazine. Print copies are available and here is the web link:
http://www.southasia.com.pk/2022/06/29/a-midlife-holiday/

Read this whilst on holiday myself.
A really heartwarming read that really resonated with me. The plot and characters are perfect as a holiday read

A really good poolside read! I think it will appeal to a certain demographic and I definitely fit into that. The three lead characters were relateable, interesting and developed enough to engage with them. The back stories were ones with which you could empathise. The setting was well described and easy to visualise. Thank you #netgalley - this was worth reading.

I chose this book based on its title because I can relate to coming to that 50-year-old milestone and re-evaluating your life. I appreciated the role good friends can have in your life over years and years. I loved Helen's story of life, family a not-so-satisfying marriage and the need to rediscover yourself and what you want out of life. I also enjoyed Kay and her backstory of always being a caretaker and having a special needs son who will always need caring, but I felt like I didn't get enough of her voice during the holiday. Where did her thoughts go? As for Caro, I pictured her younger even though they were all the same age, and I loved her characterization of being career-minded and a perfectionist, but I couldn't figure out if she was happy or sad about why she went to Cypress to begin with and why she would tell one friend why she was there but not the other. Why did she care so much of what other people thought. Surely but that age and the decision she was making it shouldn't have mattered. The tension between her and Helen seemed unnecessary. And what was up with Caro and Helen's husband? Did Lawrence make advances toward her over the years and she responded? Or it felt good to get his attention because Lawrence was the kind of guy she wish she were married to? I didn't understand the undertones. It was unclear. Over all the characters were well developed, I loved Kaveh and what he represented, but the tying together of the all their stories fell short.

Helen, Caro and Kay have been friends since college. At 50 Helen feels the need for a change and when invited to Cyprus by Caro she persuades Kay to join them on a well deserved break. Each have their issues to work through and cracks appear in the bonds of their friendship. Secrets have been kept which threaten the fabric of their relationship.

This is a thought provoking story about women at the mid point of their lives evaluating what they have accomplished and what they want to happen. I am interested to see where the author takes the three women.

There were lighter moments and I await part two of their journey with much anticipation.