Story is a carbon copy or Ali Lowe’s the private Island. Either these authors both attended the same “how to write a story” course or it’s AI that designed the story outline. The crossover is uncanny. Ali Lowe’s story is better but this is ok as an easy beach read. Honestly, you couldn’t make it up the characters and their backgrounds, problems etc. I’d be I interested to hear other views as there’s a definite lack of originality somewhere. It’s definitely not a coincidence.

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin for allowing me this ARC... This was an enjoyable, quick read for me - one that I can imagine packing in my suitcase to read on holiday. My first read from this author, but it definitely won't be my last! It is a modern day thriller, where we follow a family of three from the UK on their luxury holiday to The Maldives. We quickly learn however, that the Hamiltons are not the perfect family that they appear to be - with secrets and lies between them threatening to be exposed, and even fellow guests not being as they seemingly appear. With plenty of twists, turns & surprises throughout to keep you guessing, this is a good holiday read for the summer.

I was so looking forward to this book. As a lucky one time visitor to the Maldives I was looking forward to reminiscing about my own experience. I had also read the authors previous book The Beach Party and enjoyed that. However!! This book takes the tangent of fluffy prose (constant naming of designer labels anyone? Always a pet hate of mine in books) and flaky plot and 2D characters. I tried to get past this as I had had a positive experience with this author as I said, and hoped it would improve. BUT the straw that broke the camels back was the shameless plugging of her OWN book at 11% through; “She slides them open to find her mother stretched out on the hammock by the plunge pool, a copy of The Beach Party in her hand, the paperback bestseller she’d picked up in W. H. Smith at Heathrow.” What??? Really???? If I didn’t value my kindle I’d have thrown it out of the window at this point. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC, but this really was pants.