Thanks to HQ and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I'm a big fan of Louise Candlish, having read and enjoyed a number of her thrillers in the past. While this book didnt quite pack the same punch as The Other Passenger and The Heights, it certainly picked up in part two. I found the beginning a little too slow burn, got a bit confused with all the character names and wondered where some story lines were going. The second half however seemed to gain pace and finally kept me more enthralled and empowered to keep reading. An enjoyable read but not one i would rush to recommend.

A nail bitting family thriller that exposes the deep tensions in a seaside hotspot between the locals and the wealthy who descend a few weeks a year to holiday in their second homes. The locals are being outpriced, and the hot summer sees lots of protests and tempers flaring. Two couples arrive from the city expecting a fun and relaxing summer, and instead, the summer ends in a death. A read reflective of current issues in coastal resorts. #ourholiday #louisecandlish #familythriller #netgalley

Topical subject building the plot towards a nail biting conclusion. Narrated by the many characters; of which I found too many, along with complex relationships to keep track of( I read on kindle & would have preferred a paper version allowing me to refer back). I didn’t bond with any character which left me in the position of “going along with the story “ rather than rooting for a particular outcome. Not your average lazy summer read, this will keep you on your toes.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I usually enjoy Louise Candlish's books, but unfortunately, I found this one a little slow and not up to her usual standard. Sorry.

Louise Candlish is an auto-buy/ auto-read author for me - she always finds new angles to explore in her fabulous stories. Our Holiday is a very timely read about the tensions between second-home owners in popular holiday locations, versus the mainly low-paid locals who live there all year round in sub-standard accommodation or live at home for ever. In Pine Ridges, the most desirable houses have been bought by DFLs (Down from London) who instantly set about ripping up the gardens and installing summer houses to make already out of reach properties even more exclusive. They see this as valid payoff for years of hard work and high earnings; they've worked for these luxuries after all. Our main families are Charlotte and Perry, Amy and Linus, neighbours in London and also in Pine Ridge.

Opposed to them are the local NJFA activists- Not Just for August- who object to these houses being left empty for 11/12ths of the year. Their leaders, Robbie and Tate, have started a direct action campaign to highlight the issues caused by the inequalities.

The book opens with one of the exclusive houses falling into the sea; from this exhilarating opening we go back and forth between the haves and have-nots, as NFJA fight their corner whilst the holiday-makers try to relax and enjoy their second homes.

Fantastically written as always, tightly plotted with twists and turns at every corner. Highly recommended.

Sorry, this book is definitely not for me. I’ve only read a few chapters and my dislike of the characters doesn’t make me want to continue.

A clever and insightful domestic suspense set in Dorset during August. Two successful couples travel to their holiday homes on the south coast, hoping for relaxation. Instead of coastal calm, they are faced with a well-organised activist group highlighting the problems of local people unable to afford homes where they were born because of second home ownership. The pertinent contemporary issues form the basis of this domestic suspense, full of dark secrets and dishonesty. The sinister themes are balanced with humour, and the plot is complex and multi-layered. There is a large cast of characters, so it requires concentration, but it's clever and contemporarily relevant and thought-provoking. The characters are relatable; as expected, many are unlikeable, and the setting is vibrant and easy to visualise.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Set in a seaside resort on the South coast, this novel explores the inevitable tensions between second home owners and the locals who find themselves priced out of the housing market. The events take place over several hot and conflict-ridden weeks in August. London friends Charlotte and Amy are also second home neighbours at Cliff View but their arrival for the summer coincides with direct action from a pressure group who are pushing back at the influx of second home owners, Tensions between and within the families, as well as vandalism from the locals mean that the holiday is anything but restful, with everything coming to a head with tragic consequences on the day of the beach festival.

A compelling and well written domestic drama which highlights the second home dilemma very well.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

If you like books with surprises and twists and turns this book is for you. Told from different character's perspectives it is intriguing and easy to become engrossed.

Such a great summer holiday read full of unexpected twists and turns. I loved the contrast between the characters of the locals and second home owners and how their lives entangled for a summer. The setting is gorgeous and the plot interesting and unique.

This was a great summer read, a very believable situation with lots of characters who have hidden sides to them. I found the characters so realistic and the clashes between young and old a very familiar experience.

The story is based around two families who are going to stay in their "summer homes" in August. However, locals in the area are campaigning against those who only turn up in August and leave their homes empty the rest of the year. This is the backdrop that shapes the novel, but several side plots are also going on at the same time.

Perry, the dad in one of the families, appears on the surface to be quite a stereotypical right wing, relatively well off man. He bristles at the more progressive ideas of his son's latest girlfriend, who in his eyes is probably a "snowflake" or "woke". His wife Charlotte finds herself having to challenge him, although when he isn't around she ends up coming out with similar things, then regretting the possibility that she isn't quite as liberal as she'd thought herself to be.

Beattie, the teenage girl of the other family, has a huge secret and since arriving on holiday and getting involved with a local she gains another. She's another great character - she has traits that readers will probably love to hate in terms of a spoilt, self-centred, shallow character but at the same time we can see her point of view.

The book takes us through various crises of the characters as their secrets come perilously close to emerging. The various scenes with Perry - who is embroiled in a relationship with another man - as his secret life arrives on his doorstep were at times hilarious. As was the rivalry between him and the second dad, Linus.

It's possible that the wives - Charlotte and Amy - are a bit less fleshed out than the husbands, particularly Charlotte, who doesn't really seem to have much going on in her life other than her daily dog walk and opening the rose later in the day. I found this particularly odd because her relationship with Perry is obviously troubled, but she doesn't seem to reflect on this at all throughout the book, until the end.

Nonetheless, the vast majority of the characters are very well drawn, and the interweaving plots are more than enough to keep a reader's attention.

This book was fantastic - utterly immersive with some very unlikeable characters and within a beautiful setting. It was a great beach holiday read - the only trouble was I couldn’t put it down!

I’m a huge fan of Louise Candlish but this one did fall a bit short of the mark for me. I’m not sure why but I think I just didn’t particularly like or care about any of the characters so didn’t really care what happened to them! Now I do love an unlikeable character as much as the next person but these just didn’t connect for me. The storyline was great but again not as engaging as previous novels.
Not my favourite unfortunately.

Thanks for NetGalley and Louise Candlish for this ARC in exchange my review.

"Our Holiday" is a testament to Louise Candlish’s prowess in crafting psychological thrillers that resonate with readers. Through its intricate plot, well-rounded characters, and exploration of profound themes, the novel engages the audience in a gripping narrative that lingers long after the last page is turned. It is a gripping read that I highly recommend for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller. Louise Candlish has a knack for creating a story that’s as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. If you're looking to lose yourself in a world of suspense, secrets, and emotional turmoil, grab a copy of Our Holiday. Just make sure you have a cozy spot and some snacks ready—because once you start, you won't want to put it down! Happy reading!

r Holiday

Thoroughly enjoyed this escape to the seaside with a twist.
A really thought provoking ‘destination thriller’
Second home owners Charlotte & Perry love their beautiful holiday home by the sea in beautiful Pine Ridge. Neighbours Amy and Linus have recently bought their second home. Both couples leave London and head down to Pine Ridge for the summer and come to blows with local anti second home owners NJFA (Not Just For August).
Tate & Robbie are Pine Ridge born and bred - and they are priced out of their home town. Living on a caravan site, unable to afford a home of their own and with rental properties going to holiday makers they’ve had enough.
This takes a really thought provoking deep dive into both sides of this very real issue. One that I hadn’t really given much thought to in all honesty so it was really interesting. Some great characters, lots of plot twists and an idyllic setting. A really good read - perfect for a staycation…as long as it’s not in your second home…

Our Holiday follows a big cast of characters in a Cornwall coastal village during the month of August. Relations are fraught between the the second home owners and the locals for whom housing is scarce. Tensions rise as the novel twists and turns. Very gripping and fun, while also considering the housing crisis seriously. Tourist/local relations seems to be a popular topic for summer thrillers this year, with Lucy Foley’s The Midnight Feast looking at similar themes.

I would definitely recommend this for fans of fast moving and thoughtful thrillers - I read this in a day when the sun was out (ideal).

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC.

I usually love books by Louise Candlish and she's always an auto buy author for me but this was my least favourite book that I've read by her.
I found the book very slow to get into. There were so many characters and it was hard to remember who was who. The book was set around the issue of buying second homes in holiday locations which didn't leave enough housing for the local people. This led to protesting in a local English seaside town. The storyline didn't really grip me at all and the story didn't seem to have the plot twists that other books by this author do. I enjoyed the last quarter of the book the most as the strands came together and the story resolved. A disappointing read overall that I nearly didn't finish.

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I was hoping too. It was a very slow burn and felt like it took a long time to see in what direction the story was going. Was really gripped by any of the characters either.

The story in emojis: 🏡🏖️💳

My Top 3 things from this book:
•Multiple POV
•Dual Timeline
•Unreliable Narration

Our Holiday is a twisty thriller, jam packed with red herrings and unreliable narration from start to finish.

There are a lot of characters in this book and quite honestly they are all awful people! The more the story progressed you realise just how terrible these people are and when you think they can’t do anything worse….. they do!

I thought that I had the plot and the culprit decided quite early on, but the more turns the story took, the further away I was.

I really enjoy Louise Candlish’s writing style and whilst this wasn’t my favourite of hers (The Other Passenger - 5 star), I did enjoy it and recommend it to all thriller readers.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Louise Candlish is one of my favourite authors in this genre. Louise has such a talent for writing people so well, and making readers question their own views on many topics. I found Our Holiday a clever and thought provoking read. The plot was clever and the writing gripping. Definitely will recommend!