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I absolutely love Rona Halsall and The Getaway was such a treat. This was the perfect holiday read fast paced, twisty, and utterly unputdownable. I found myself up late into the night desperate to see where the story would go

The changing settings and high stakes tension really drew me in. Maddie’s vacation escape quickly turned into a psychological rollercoaster that kept me flipping pages long after bedtime. The story’s suspense and unexpected twists kept me guessing right until the very end.

I will be highly recommending this especially for anyone who loves a gripping, page turning thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this thrilling book.

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I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Getaway by Nora Halsall is out on July 25, and trust me—it needs to be on your summer TBR list!



Maddie and Tom are just looking for a relaxing break when they meet another couple, Alex and Ed, while on holiday. A casual conversation turns into a spontaneous house swap: Alex and Ed take over their London flat, while Maddie and Tom extend their stay in a dreamy getaway.



But what starts as a perfect escape quickly spirals into something much darker. Without giving too much away… let’s just say this is not the relaxing vacation anyone had in mind. Secrets unravel, tensions build, and the suspense doesn’t let up until the very last page.



Fast-paced and twisty, The Getaway is a gripping psychological thriller that explores trust, identity, and how well we really know the people we let into our lives.

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Maddie and her partner Tom are enjoying a much needed vacation in Croatia when, early one morning as she sits enjoying coffee at a nearby café, Maggie makes a new friend. Bubbly Alex asks to share her table and, within minutes, Maggie thinks this woman could be her sister. They have so much in common! So when Alex proposes that they trade apartments for two weeks, Maggie jumps at the chance. Alex and her husband need to be in London because her mother is ill and Maggie…well, Maggie and Tom can continue their dream vacation. Sounds perfect, doesn't it? Remember that old saying “If it seems to be to good to be true…”? Within hours, Maggie is in the middle of a nightmare, one that just keeps getting worse.

What a wild ride The Getaway is! Although Maggie is a bit naive, she could never have seen this coming. The next few days will make her question everything she has been told by her partner and friends and will change her life forever. The Getaway is a fast read, full of almost constant action. Take this one to the beach and try to put it down long enough to go in the water! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rona Halsall for this ARC.

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The Getaway is a gripping psychological thriller by one of my favourite authors Rona Halsall. This is a suspense filled novel that is fast paced and so difficult to put down.
Maddie and her long-time boyfriend Tom are desperate for a change, tired of their routine in London the long to work from home living abroad. A sunny beach town holiday is a good place to start where they meet a captivating couple who offer them the opportunity to swap homes for two weeks to test their dream of a new lifestyle.

Surely this is the perfect chance to try out their dream, but when Maddie and Tom hand over the keys to their London flat, cracks in the plan quickly begin to show. Their new “friends” aren’t who they claimed to be and suddenly, the couple finds themselves trapped in a living nightmare with no easy way out.

The story is well written and the tension is high, aided by the fast pace and the unease the couple feel. The characters are strong, especially Maddie who is eager for a fresh start to her current lifestyle. There are the customary twists and turns along the way to throw you off the scent which adds to the enjoyment.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Boldwood Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

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I loved this book they were apartment swapping what made it feel like home was the setting of the book because i was born in croatia so i loved the story line. there was a lot of twists and turns and i didnt know who to trust i also think that tom knew the whole time how weird it was to swap and had a bad feeling. It wasa clear who you can an cant trust in this book.

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This was a pretty quick and fun read. A good beach read if you like a thriller with lots of twists. It is much more than the house swapping situation, which really just sets up the problem. I found Maddie to be a little frustrating in that shes considering being a digital nomad and uses technology well, but doesn’t share her location with anyone. Also I liked the idea of not knowing who to believe, but because of the way Tom’s chapters were written (not in 1st person), it was clear who to trust. I think I would have liked it better not knowing the full truth/story and who to believe until the end.

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I just couldn't get into this one. I usually love Rona and maybe it was because I didn't have much time to read so it took me a while - but it was just 3 stars for me. Looking forward to the next one though!

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Wow, this was a wild read that had my heart racing. I could not anticipate where this story was headed.

Would you temporarily swap houses with a stranger, to try out a digital nomad lifestyle? Sounds like a fantastic option right…

If you enjoy a twisty thriller story from the likes of Kiersten Modglin, Paula Hawkins, Freida McFadden or Jeneva Rose, then I definitely think you will enjoy this one too.

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Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books.The book is twisty and I definitely wanted to find out what would happen.

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Great page turner! Loved the storyline, and although the reader is very aware that Maddie and Tom are making a mistake, there is no hint of the gravity of it, or where it will lead. The twists then came thick and fast, and I was unable to put it down. There was nothing predictable about the ending, but it was very satisfying that all loose ends were secure. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

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Very very gripping. Part way through, I did not want to put it down or reach the end. Great read! Thanks @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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First, thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

This is my second book by Rona Halsall after the Soulmate, and I think I like it just as much as the other one. Even when it once again why I never would agree to a house swap of any sorts. I mean, you can never really be sure whom you invite into your home in cases like this. But Maddie and Tom did it anyway. And soon, the feeling grows that this is the worst mistake they have ever made after it was meant to be the start of their new life...

What can I say besides, get the book while you can? I was hooked from the start, reading it in almost one sitting in this heatwave and felt pleasently entertained while doing so. Highly recommended!

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⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ARC Review
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read The Getaway by Rona Halsall.

This one was a mixed bag for me. It started off really slow, and I had a hard time staying engaged early on. I also spent a good chunk of the book being completely annoyed by Maddie. I get that people make mistakes under stress, but some of her decisions were just plain dumb. I kept hoping she’d snap out of it but nope, poor choices galore.

That said, the pace does pick up in the second half, and once things start unraveling, I was more invested. The twists were decent, and I enjoyed the overall concept. Not my favorite by Halsall, but still an okay read if you like domestic thrillers set somewhere remote and atmospheric.

#TheGetaway #NetGalley #ARCReview #RonaHalsall #ThrillerReads

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The author's work is always a pleasure to experience. This particular book had me intrigued right from the start. It masterfully held my attention, making it difficult to put down. The story's twists and turns kept me guessing throughout the entire read. Overall, it was another page turner

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“The Getaway” is a thriller by Rona Halsall. I thought the idea of this book was a good one - though the idea of house swapping is something that is not on my bucket list. I have a little bit of knowledge about the digital nomad lifestyle, so those parts seemed to match up with what I knew. I did find the main female character, Maddie, to be incredibly - well, gullible is the second word that comes to mind. There are a number of untrustworthy characters in this book, but I have to say that the ride to the ending was an interesting one.

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A twisty novel with lots of suspense and changes, had me guessing till the very end! Loved the storyline and the setting

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Absolutely thrilling! The cover of the book is one of the most captivating I've every seen, it's so beautiful. I devoured the story completely. Loved the characters, and the descriptive setting, and the storyline is a complete rollercoaster. Loved it.

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Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of The Getaway.

I enjoyed this book and read through it quickly. It kept my attention and I didn't find it predictable.

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The Getaway is a psychological thriller that follows Maddie and her boyfriend as they holiday in Croatia, make new friends, and agree to a house swap. Maddie has always wanted adventure in her life; however, until now, she has played it safe. Now, on the coast of Croatia, she meets Alex and her husband Ed - an absolutely fascinating couple living the digital nomad lifestyle. When the opportunity arises to swap houses for a couple weeks, Maddie quickly agrees. This is her chance to live the adventurous nomad life in Croatia, while also knowing that her apartment in London will be well taken care of by Alex and Ed. But once keys are exchanged, Maddie realizes that Alex and Ed are not who they seem to be, and Maddie's boyfriend is definitely hiding something. Stuck in a foreign country with a partner she no longer trusts while her apartment has been let to two deceptive con artists, Maddie is living her worst nightmare.

While I really wanted to like The Getaway, it wasn't a book for me. I didn't find the overall story to be that exciting or interesting. There were no real twists or reveals. The characters are all extremely unlikable. Maddie, in particular, is super annoying, which is unfortunate as the majority of the story is told through her POV. A lot of the story felt very forced and unbelievable. The pacing throughout the book was also off. Simply put, The Getaway was not a book for me.

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What a great read this was, just brilliant from the beginning until the end and I was hooked on this fast paced thriller with interesting characters, not all likeable though.

The storyline was interesting and well written and what can I say about the end, just when you thought it was done out pops another conclusion that you would never guess.

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Rona Halsall for this brilliant ARC and I look forward to the next masterpiece.

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