This twisty thriller kept me engaged throughout. I found the characters very likeable, They were written in such a way that we even had empathy for the flawed characters and didn't really want them to be caught out. There were some interesting sub stories going on in the background but then everything seemed to piece together going towards the end. I never got bored or found my mind wandering reading this. I would highly recommend giving this book a chance!

When families from London spend the summer at their second homes on the south coast conflict with the locals ensues. Secrets are uncovered and property is destroyed as the summer lingers on.

Louise Candlish has written some superbly twisty thrillers so a new book is always keenly anticipated. Our Holiday, unfortunately, didn’t quite live up to expectations for me. The book is a classic slow burner. Right from the outset you know that something monumental has happened, but the vast majority of the book focuses on the slow build-up to the actual event and I felt that this was a little too drawn out.

I think the main reason for not loving the story was that none of the characters are likeable. We focus on two families from London who descend on Pine Ridge each August. The rest of the year their holiday homes are left empty. They are so entitled that they feel that they add value to the area, little realising that the only value they add is to property prices which results in the locals having to live in caravans. Their only consideration is how things effect them.

The living situation of the locals elicits more sympathy and raises a number of points that would be really good for a reading group. Some of the younger residents are keen to raise awareness of what is happening through peaceful protest. The second-homers feel that they are being harassed. A local hotel is commandeered to house refugees, leaving the locals feeling that their plight has been overlooked, with the refugees ending up in better accommodation than the caravans they are forced to live in.

Once the story reaches the shocking event we are told about at the start of the book the pace really picks up. I was fully engaged at this point, wanting to know exactly what had happened. Louise Candlish manages to keep the reader dangling for a little while longer as events are slowly unpicked and alibis examined.

Gosh, what a rollercoaster of a ride with this book! Lots of characters and sometimes a bit tricky to keep up with them. However as the story is told from each person’s perspective it helps keep them on track, a clever way of telling a story as it unfolds bit by bit with a fast forward every now and again.

I got the feeling it was placed in somewhere a bit more exotic than Dorset but nonetheless it didn’t spoil the plot which covered some interesting points about 2nd homes and homelessness and the those who had riches and those that didn’t and how quickly the tables are turned. Overall a good mystery that turns to a murder, very clever plotting and some interesting characters!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Another enjoyable book by Louise - full of secrets, some frankly unpleasant people, a beautiful seaside location and a very topical issue of how second home owners are pricing locals out of the area.
Lots of twists and turns to keep the reader gripped and reading late into the night, desperate to find out what really happened

My first book by Louise Candlish, and it was
too much of a slow burn for me.

The setting of the book on the Dorset coast is described beautifully. There were too many central characters for me, and switching between them often was a little hard to keep up with. I felt like I was watching at tv drama show rather than reading a thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A promising theme here - the conflict between second home owners and locals who are being priced out of any homes at all in their pleasant seaside town. The cast of characters is quite large and it took a while to slot everyone onto place at the start of the book, and the ‘before and after’ timeline also took a bit of getting used to, but the story unfolded in many unexpected ways and had more than enough going on to keep the reader engaged. The writing here is fluid and readable, with real characters and a fine sense of place. The book is perhaps a little too long and drawn out, but overall it’s a good story and an engrossing read.

For me this did not quite hit the mark, maybe the length of the book and that there are a lot of characters
each with a sub-plot that made it hard to follow and get into.
The pace is also a little off for me

I don’t know what to say really. I had high hopes for this book because of the description and some glowing reviews, but my hopes were soon shattered. I honestly wondered if I was reading a different book to other reviewers. I didn’t like anything about it – the plot was silly and unbelievable, a lot of the narrative was just useless information, all the characters were dreadful and some were just stupid, and it just seemed to go on, and on, and on. It was a real struggle to finish it. The writing was just about OK (which is the only reason I’ve given two stars instead of one) but there is nothing here that would inspire me to read another book by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the early copy but I’m afraid I won’t be recommending it.

I was looking forward to reading a twisty gripping thriller but sadly it didn’t hit the brief. The characters were all quite unappealing and Perry in particular was unbelievably stupid. Overall quite disappointing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC

Louise Candlish is one of my favourite authors and although a slow start it didn't take long to get fully immersed in the storyline. Focussing on privileged families owning second homes it highlighted the problem in many popular coastal areas. Definitely would recommend this book.

The friction between second home owners and locals in coastal holiday spots is the subject of Louise Candlish's latest book. There is a large cast of characters and for some reason it took me ages to get them all straight - who is married to whom and where do you live? I am not sure if this slow bonding process led me to not really care, or whether that they are all rather unlikeable characters so I was hoping something would happen to all of them.
It is slow to get going, an awful lot of Rose is consumed before the pace picks up. Probably best consumed with a glass of wine on a sun lounger - just be careful whose house you are staying in!

Another absolutely brilliant novel from Louise Candlish! I loved every page and felt totally engrossed in it. I have enjoyed all her books and this is probably my favourite. It’s contemporary and beautifully written, with characters that get under your skin. The dialogue is so well-observed especially the interaction between parents and their teenage children. I could really relate to it. There’s so much to enjoy in Our Holiday - the coastal setting, the secret lives of the characters, and the tension between the second home owners and the young locals (Not Just for August) priced out of the exclusive Pine Ridge area. The ending is just perfect! An excellent, absorbing read.

I have been wanting to try a book from this Author for some time, so was delighted to get approved for an early copy (thanks to NetGallery and HQ). Unfortunately, I am 40% of the way through the story and finding every reason NOT to pick the book up, which is a good sign that I am not enjoying it in the slightest: And it is a pretty long book. There are lots of characters, each with their own sub-plot, mixed with a few secrets and a bit of drama; however I have found it way too slow for me and am pretty disappointed in all honesty - this one just did not work for me.

I normally love this authors work but sadly found this one a bit lacking. It took a long time for me to finish it , I found it very difficult to like the characters and the story seemed to drag on. Towards the end it improved but not my cup of tea

I always enjoy a Louise candlish book. This one was by no means one of my favourites but it was good none the less. I wasn't a big fan of any of the characters a d found it hard to relate to. But the premise was good. There were.plenty of secrets to uncover and it was paced well .

I always have high hopes for a Louise Candlish book and this sounded like it would tick plenty of boxes for me. Unfortunately it wasn’t a perfect match- whilst it touched on some topics of interest to me- it felt as though these were thrown in as ’hot topics’, rather than essential to the plot. I disliked pretty much every character and wasn’t particularly interested in their narratives within the story. I didn’t feel I had anything in common with any of their lives ( thankfully), and that many of them were way too stereotypically portrayed. There was an uplift to the story in the latter third- some twists in the character arcs which piqued my interest, but ultimately I found the book overly long and a bit underwhelming .

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC - I will continue to get excited at the prospect of a new novel from LC- just too few connections for me with this one!

Our Holiday by Louise Candlish
This is the story of the privileged DFL’s (or Down From London as the locals refer to them) on holiday in their second homes in the idyllic Pine Ridge in Dorset. Charlotte and Perry’s arrival is accompanied by their car being covered in what appears to be passata as they disembark from the ferry but their problems are only just beginning.
Scratch beneath the surface of these seemingly perfect lives and we discover there are many secrets which surface as the book progresses. We know from the outset that one of these perfect houses is going to disappear over the cliffs and into the sea, but which one? The NJFA or Not Just For August group are ramping up their opposition to the holiday home owners just how far is Robbie, their leader, prepared to go?
There are multiple layers and we are constantly led in different directions as we try to work out how the story will end. The author keeps you entertained throughout and your sympathies are with the local groups for whom living in their home town has ceased to be an affordable prospect. I love the way in which the tensions between Perry and his son’s girlfriend Tabitha are portrayed and how Tabitha is very quick to criticise everything which Perry stands for but is more than happy to enjoy a free holiday in his second home.
This is an interesting novel and a very quick read. Fans of Louise Candlish will no doubt love this and I will be recommending it at my various book groups. Thanks to the author, Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

This could have been 50% shorter. Some/many parts of it dragged and I found myself taking breaks while reading. The ending was also not very satisfying! A lot in here held promise but ultimately the execution wasn’t quite there for me.

Absolutely brilliant - another hit from Louise Candlish!

I love choppy narratives flicking back and forth in time and between characters, although I will admit it took me a while to get the two families straight for some reason.

Once I was settled in and got to know this complicated and flawed cast of characters I was hooked. I don’t know why I tried to figure it out as I went as Louise Candlish is the master of twists and once again I was blindsided. I loved it though, I love getting it wrong and being surprised!

I didn’t know much about second homes and the effects they have on communities and so I found this aspect really interesting and something a bit different as it was bigger than personal relationships.

If you enjoyed Our House and The Heights you’ll love this!

In beautiful surroundings the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' are in conflict. Each page brings an insight into the the characters' lives, thinking and morality. Or lack of it. Cliff edge death, ineffective investigation, blackmail, tables turned - they are all there. Not to mention belief in 'superiority' and privilege. Is there redemption for crimes committed; is there resolution of conflict? Best to read on, discover and enjoy!