Rona Halsall is really on it with this fantastically original psychological thriller!

Maddie is enjoying a holiday win Croatia with her husband when she meets Alex, and a friendship is formed. Alex enjoys the digital nomad lifestyle that Maddie aspires to, and can't believe her luck when Alex has to return to the UK for a family emergency and offers Maddie a house swap that will enable Maddie to test out the digital nomad lifestyle in Croatia.

It doesn't take long for the buyers remorse to kick in though as things come to light that really cause Maddie to question the wisdom of her decision!

I really enjoyed reading this, the pages practically turned themselves, it was SO gripping. Definitely a winner for fans of psychological fiction.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rona Halsall, and Boldwood Books for the eARC. Rona Halsall never disappoints! This is a gripping psychological thriller packed with twists and turns that kept me turning the pages late into the night. A truly addictive read—loved every minute of it!

In The Getaway, Maddie and her boyfriend Tom head to Croatia for what should be a relaxing, working escape. When they meet the charming Alex and Ed, an impulsive house swap seems like the perfect opportunity to extend their stay. But things start to unravel fast when Tom recognizes Alex from his past—and suddenly, their dream getaway turns into a nightmare. With shifting trust, mounting tension, and secrets on all sides, the swap becomes a trap neither of them saw coming.


Told through multiple perspectives and shifting timelines like “Now” and “Three days ago,” the story builds suspense with short, punchy chapters that keep the pace quick. While some twists felt predictable and emotional stakes could’ve been stronger, Halsall delivers an entertaining, tightly plotted thriller with a satisfying ending.


Read this if you like:
• House-swap gone wrong thrillers
• Timelines that shift between past and present (“Now,” “Three Days Ago,” etc.)
• Multiple POVs that enhance the story
• Short, fast-paced chapters with cliffhanger endings
• Vacation settings that turn threatening
• Secrets unraveling in confined, high-stakes situations
• A satisfying ending that ties things together
• The world of digital nomads and remote work
• Themes of betrayal, identity, trust, and consequences of past choices
• Authors such as Claire Douglas and Freida McFadden

My rating: 3.65 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC that will be published July 25 2025.

The Get Away
Imagine you and your partner swapping houses and lives with perfect strangers!
Becoming digital nomads is the dream of Tom & Maddie’s. And when a seemingly nice couple befriend Maddie, they make her an offer too hard to refuse. After keys are exchanged, their dream get away turns into a living nightmare!
Full of mind-bending suspense!

The age old saying that if something seems too good to be true… it probably is hit the nail on its head here!!

Maddie and Tom are on holiday outside of the country, a trip that Maddie is hoping will fix the growing tensions in their relationship. Maddie meets a nice stranger in a cafe and strikes up a conversation about working abroad digitally and she is thinking this is just what she and Tom have been needing, right!! Well she strikes up a friendship with Alex ( cafe friend ) and this leads to Alex offering to switch places for a few months… like house swapping! Maddie is thinking this is perfect because they won’t be losing money and she can totally trust Alex… right??
Only once the swap happens things start to get a little weird… certain things, truths, and connections start to come to light and now Maddie isn’t so sure she made the right decision.

Ok! So first I want to say that Maddie, baby you crazy as hell! Just bless your precious little heart for being so damn gullible and trusting… here’s the thing though… once is fine, more than that and we need to start looking in the mirror to figure out where the problem is!!!
I spent about 75% of this book yelling at this girl and saying NOPE! 😂😂 it was infuriating 😂😂 I liked the pacing in this book, I never really felt bored. I liked the little twist at the end, that I didn’t see coming and when I tell you I slow clapped… because DAMNNNN FINALLY!!!!
I really liked this one!!! I think it’s the perfect summery thriller!!!

Maddie & Tom are on holidays in Croatia where she meets Alex who tells her about the nomad working lifestyle. They agree to the apartment swap but is Maddie doing the right thing?
A good read but I found the characters very annoying and wanted to give Maddie a hard slap for being so gullible.

I get frustrated with books where the main character seems to make silly decisions repeatedly. At least with this one both the male and female male characters did ridiculous things and it’s not just the female painted negatively.

This is an easy book to read. The story moves along quite fast. It’s just not very deep and I didn’t find the reveal to be that shocking. Basically you have to suspend some belief as you read.

If you like page turner popcorn type thrillers then you’ll enjoy this book. Definitely a good summer read.

Wow! A bit of a slow burn to start but then we went on a crazy ride. This story didn’t let up after the first few chapters I had no idea who was being lied to and who was lying. What a great story that wound its way all over the place ending up with a very satisfying ending! Loved it!

4.5 stars. This was full of twists and turns. Every time I thought I had figured things out, the author throws a huge curve ball into the mix. The story follows Maddie and Tom, who are on holiday in Croatia. Maddie strikes up a friendship with Alex an Ed a lovely couple living the digital nomadic lifestyle Maddie dreams of. Soon there is an offer of swapping lives for a couple of weeks so Maddie and Tom can try out the lifestyle they have always wanted to experience... no strings attached. But when an offer sounds too good to be true surely there must be a catch?

The story is told through Maddie and Tom's points of view. This worked really well as without giving anything away, I would be convinced something was the truth only to have the rug pulled from under me. I loved the twisted ending too.

It is a gripping, well-paced thriller that had me reading in one setting as I needed to know what was coming next. The author really brought the characters to life and I really felt for Maddie and Tom as their lives seemed to unravel. Be careful what you wish for!

A really enjoyable read perfect for the summer.

Maddie and Tom are vacationing in Croatia when they meet a charming couple, Alex and Ed. Before long, Maddie, being her overly trusting self, agrees to swap apartments with them. Alex and Ed will stay in their place in London, while Maddie and Tom take over the couple’s apartment in Croatia for a few weeks.

From the very start, it’s obvious to the reader that something about this setup is suspicious. No shock there. But there were a few twists along the way to keep things interesting.

The story hooked me in the beginning, but Maddie’s naivety had me wanting to shake her more than once. The plot was fairly predictable, but the drama and tension in between made it worth sticking around for.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free copy.

Wow wow and wow this authors books just keep getting better and better. I always know with a book from this author not to start reading if I need to do something else as once I get started I cannot put their books down and this one was no exception.

This was a dark and deep psychological thriller full of twists and turns and makes you question everything and that if you think something is too good to be true then maybe it is.

This would make a great tv adaptation. Can’t wait to read what the is author comes up with next.

The Getaway is a slow burn thriller that you will finish way too quickly. Maddie and her boyfriend, Tom, are on vacation in a beach town in Croatia, They love the feel of the place and wish they could stay longer. As Tom works late designing his next video game, Maddie is always up and out much earlier than him. Maddie likes to walk to the local cafe' and get her morning coffee and breakfast. Maddie meets a woman, Alex, who asks to share her table on a crowded morning at the cafe'. The 2 women hit it off and enjoy each other's company. Alex and her boyfriend are living the nomad life and travel wherever they want renting different places. Maddie loves the idea of living like this and wants to ask Tom if he'd consider doing this for a bit. They both can work anywhere as long as there's wifi, so Maddie is hoping she can talk him into it.

One morning Alex is very upset and says she has to return to London because of a sickness in the family. She hates to leave before their rental is up as they've got 2 more weeks left. Maddie and Alex get to talking and come up with a house swap idea. Maddie and Tom would move into Alex's place and she and her boyfriend would move into Maddie's place in London. It would only be for 2 weeks until Alex can find something else or come back to Croatia. Maddie runs it by Tom and he's a bit hesitant as Maddie has just met this woman. They are all supposed to go to dinner tonight to discuss it and get familiar with one another. Tom has to back out of the dinner as he's got to turn in an outline of his new game to his boss. Maggie goes with Tom's blessing that if she feels good about it to go ahead and exchange keys. Maggie feels good about it and they swap keys after dinner. Alex and her boyfriend are leaving the next morning for London, so Maggie and Tom can move into their apartment then. When Maggie shows Tom a selfie of her and Alex, he turns pale, and almost collapses. Tom never got to meet Alex and it's obvious he knows her somehow.

What is Tom not telling Maddie? How does he know Alex? Why does he seem terrified? Was it a mistake to give the keys to their apartment to Alex? Will they return to find damage? Tom has been keeping a very big secret from Maddie that could change everything. Will he come clean and fill her in on his past? Will Maddie be able to enjoy her extended stay in Croatia? Will Maddie be able to get past Tom's secret? Is Alex really who she claimed to be? What will Maddie and Tom find when they return to London? This book will have you flipping pages at a record pace to find out the answers to so many questions! I loved The Getaway by Rona Halsall and rate it 4 stars with a high recommendation. If suspenseful thrillers are your jam, this book is for you! The Getaway is out now and can be devoured any time you're ready! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of The Getaway in exchange for a fair review. #TheGetaway

Great beach read with lots of twists and turns - perfect for a day by the pool

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an easy read if you suspend belief at times, and overlook the main characters tendency to make quick, ridiculous decisions!

Maddie and Tom are holidaying in Croatia for two weeks. They are trying to figure out where they go in the future as a couple. While there, Maddie meets Alex and Ed. They are virtual nomads, and are living in Croatia on a short term lease. Maddie is fascinated by the virtual nomad lifestyle, and suggests to Tom that they do this. He agrees. During a lunch with Alex the next day, Alex tells Maddie that she and Ed need to return to London for a family emergency, but they are still responsible for their short term lease, and would have to find a place to stay in London. She suggests that Maddie and Tom move into their apartment, and she and Ed will move into Maddie and Tom's apartment until they can find something on their own. Maddie decides this is a great way to see if she and Tom would like the virtual nomad lifestyle, and immediately says yes (hence an example of quick ridiculous decisions). Tom isn't thrilled about this, but eventually agrees (since Maddie already said yes!). Keep in mind that Maddie has only known Alex and Ed for a little over a week.

Things quickly become very strange on the day that Maddie and Alex swap keys and Alex departs to the airport. incidents occur, and the reader is never really sure which character/narrative to believe. What is real becomes the predominant question as the twists keep coming and the pace ratchets up! Trying to keep it all straight was hard- yet I wanted to know what was happening, who was doing what, and WHY????

So, it is a fast paced, entertaining read. It offered a unique take on this type of mystery. The three things that did not work for me:
1. Some of the twists were convoluted and eye rolling!
2. The level of Maddie making the most ridiculous decisions without thinking anything through was mind boggling.
3. I enjoyed the ending, but do not think it fit with this characters narrative.

Overall, an entertaining, twisty read that will keep you engaged and wanting to find out how this ride ends!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A trip to Croatia with my boyfriend? Yes, please! It sounds like exactly what I need to reset. Things are going great—especially after I meet Alex, a fellow vacationer who’s warm, fun, and living the dream as a digital nomad with her partner, Ed.

When Alex tells me she needs to rush to London to care for her mother who’s just been diagnosed with cancer, she offers us the chance to stay in her Croatian apartment. I mean…why not swap places? We’ve got a flat in London too—seems like a win-win.

Before she leaves, I snap a quick photo of her—just in case our neighbors get suspicious. But when I show the picture to Tom, everything changes. The woman I know as “Alex” is actually Lexi—Tom’s ex-wife.

The ex-wife I never even knew existed.
The one he says stalked him.
The one who was institutionalized after their marriage imploded.

And I just gave her the keys to our home. 😳

Rona Halsall delivers again! This FOUR STAR thriller had all the things I love: an international setting, relationship secrets, a false sense of safety, and that creeping, slow-build dread. This is my sixth read from Halsall, and they truly keep getting better and better!

📚 The Getaway released July 25th, 2025 and is available to read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Big thanks to NetGalley, Rona Halsall, and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read another fabulous thriller in exchange for a review!

Maddie and Tom are on vacation in Croatia, they are enjoying themselves when Maddie met a woman who puts an idea in her head, something she was contemplating before, going digital nomad, both her and Tom’s jobs allowed the option. Alex, the new friend suggests a house swap, they have an apartment in Croatia and need to be in London so they both agree to proceed.
Throughout this story the author goes back and ford with lies and betrayals, Tom’s previous life is caught up with both of them.
I enjoyed this page turning tale that goes back and forth in their lives.

Well this book was a wild ride 😃
One takeaway from this book is never swop keys with someone you’ve just met ✔️
This would make a great summer in fact the cover screams holiday at you, I love it.
A real page turner and something I read in one go, twisty and full of suspense.
A thoroughly enjoyable read 😍

Thank you for having me on this tour

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📱E-Book Review📱

The Getaway
Rona Halsall

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I love a good psychological thriller and this was my first by this author.

I loved the concept of this one, but I definitely think that Maddie was pretty naive to trust a literal stranger and to agree to the house swap.
This was a great lesson - if it looks too good to be true, it most probably is!

After only a short time, things take on a more sinister tone and things come to light that show that maybe this was far from an innocent chance meeting and that maybe things are much more manipulated than Maddie first thought.

This started off at a steady pace but it still drew me in and grabbed me pretty early on.
Although much more of a slow burn than I usually read, there was plenty going on and lots of drama to keep me turning those pages.

I loved all the twists which held my attention and kept me guessing right to the end.

I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.

Great easy holiday read. Lots of twists. I love the aspect that you never know who to trust. The main character was a bit frustrating and too trusting but it added to the plot. I did feel sometimes it was repeating itself with the other aspects and it could have been a little bit shorter with plots being built up then the next chapter being a bit of a buffer chapter. But it wasn’t enough that it stopped my attention to find out what happens. I think I preferred the beginning and the back story and not knowing who to believe the most, but the ending was full of action to. Overall a great book if you want something to read on holiday that you can pick up and put down.

What a fun and fast paced thriller.
The storyline was great, the characters were interesting, and the twists and turns kept me turning the pages from start to finish.
The characters were well developed and portrayed.
Overall, The Getaway is a solid psychological thriller that keeps you guessing and provides a satisfying, suspenseful journey.