What do you think?
Rate this book
Her Last Holiday
You come to the retreat to be healed. You don’t expect to die.
Two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong.
Tom Wade, the now infamous man behind Soul Shrink Retreats, has just been released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third victim: Jenna.
Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat – the first since his release – and finds herself face to face with the man who might hold the key to her sister’s disappearance. The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?
The master of suspense is back. Prepare yourself for the latest heart-in-mouth rollercoaster ride from the Sunday Times bestseller.
Two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong.
Tom Wade, the now infamous man behind Soul Shrink Retreats, has just been released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third victim: Jenna.
Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat – the first since his release – and finds herself face to face with the man who might hold the key to her sister’s disappearance. The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?
The master of suspense is back. Prepare yourself for the latest heart-in-mouth rollercoaster ride from the Sunday Times bestseller.
400 pages, ebook
First published April 29, 2021
About the author
C.L. Taylor
25 books3,137 followersC.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including THE GUILTY COUPLE, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for summer 2023 and SLEEP, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019. Her books are not a series and can be read in any order:
2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
2025 - IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND
She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.
C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of two million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.
She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club to receive THE LODGER for free:
cltaylorauthor.com/newsletter
www.cltaylorauthor.com
www.twitter.com/callytaylor
www.Instagram.com/cltaylorauthor
www.facebook.com/callytaylorauthor
www.youtube.com/cltaylorauthor
2014 - THE ACCIDENT / Before I Wake (U.S.)
2015 - THE LIE
2016 - THE MISSING
2017 - THE ESCAPE
2018 - THE FEAR
2019 - SLEEP
2020 - STRANGERS
2021 - HER LAST HOLIDAY
2022 - THE GUILTY COUPLE
2024 - EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
2025 - IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND
She has also written two Young Adult thrillers, THE TREATMENT and THE ISLAND.
C.L. Taylor's books have sold in excess of two million copies, been number one on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play and have been translated into over 25 languages and optioned for TV.
She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
Sign up to join the CL Taylor Readers' Club to receive THE LODGER for free:
cltaylorauthor.com/newsletter
www.cltaylorauthor.com
www.twitter.com/callytaylor
www.Instagram.com/cltaylorauthor
www.facebook.com/callytaylorauthor
www.youtube.com/cltaylorauthor
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,274 reviews
September 10, 2021
This is my very first waltz with the author! Suspicious deaths, missing sister at a wellness retreat, mental gurus or charlatans with deep secrets, dysfunctional family members who are obsessed to know what really happened the daughter/ sister, narrated by three different vivid women characters, alternating between past and present: this formula truly worked for me!
Here are our three POVs: middle aged Fran is still haunted from her sister’s memory who has been missing for two years. She attended to wellness retreat in Gozo but so many things went dangerously wrong! Thanks to the pressure and guilt tripping of her miserable parents who lost rest of their sanities after sudden disappearance of their young daughter, Fran attends to the same retreat because the same health guru couple Tom and Kate reopen the place after Tom has been set free from two years long prison time.
As she digs more about the past, she gets more tangle into web of lies. ( did I tell you there were so many spooky supporting characters in this book act like innocent but keeping their own secret agendas to themselves?)
Jenna is the sweet sister who attended the retreat where so many strange and unexplainable things started to occur incessantly as like she’s been trapped into a classic claustrophobic Christie story!
And Kate is the wife and resilient assistant of Tom who tries to keep together after murder accusations ruined their lives financially and mentally. She works hard to manage their ruined reputation but it’s not gonna be so easy and her lovely husband is not such a good help when he’s still stuck with the memories of Jenna.
You keep asking yourself as you observe several counseling sessions of these health gurus: are they conmen or are they really talented soul shakers who help the people get through their mental problems?
Both of the characters keep secrets and as they discover more lies of each other’s, they never hesitate to use them as leverage. It was a truly entertaining to be witnessed of their power game as if watching a challenging tennis game !
Overall: it was one of my quickest read with very unique and well developed characters! I think I enjoyed spending my time in their heads more than reading the mystery part of the story!
I’m giving four mysterious, dangerous retreat, lies, games, hidden agendas, delicious twist stars!
I’m so happy this book put this brilliant author on my radar. I cannot wait to read the lord works of her.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
blog
instagram
facebook
twitterm
Here are our three POVs: middle aged Fran is still haunted from her sister’s memory who has been missing for two years. She attended to wellness retreat in Gozo but so many things went dangerously wrong! Thanks to the pressure and guilt tripping of her miserable parents who lost rest of their sanities after sudden disappearance of their young daughter, Fran attends to the same retreat because the same health guru couple Tom and Kate reopen the place after Tom has been set free from two years long prison time.
As she digs more about the past, she gets more tangle into web of lies. ( did I tell you there were so many spooky supporting characters in this book act like innocent but keeping their own secret agendas to themselves?)
Jenna is the sweet sister who attended the retreat where so many strange and unexplainable things started to occur incessantly as like she’s been trapped into a classic claustrophobic Christie story!
And Kate is the wife and resilient assistant of Tom who tries to keep together after murder accusations ruined their lives financially and mentally. She works hard to manage their ruined reputation but it’s not gonna be so easy and her lovely husband is not such a good help when he’s still stuck with the memories of Jenna.
You keep asking yourself as you observe several counseling sessions of these health gurus: are they conmen or are they really talented soul shakers who help the people get through their mental problems?
Both of the characters keep secrets and as they discover more lies of each other’s, they never hesitate to use them as leverage. It was a truly entertaining to be witnessed of their power game as if watching a challenging tennis game !
Overall: it was one of my quickest read with very unique and well developed characters! I think I enjoyed spending my time in their heads more than reading the mystery part of the story!
I’m giving four mysterious, dangerous retreat, lies, games, hidden agendas, delicious twist stars!
I’m so happy this book put this brilliant author on my radar. I cannot wait to read the lord works of her.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
blog
twitterm
January 6, 2021
How nice it is to read a thriller from the POV of three women with their own distinctive voices, good character arcs, and not running around being overly emotional and silly.
They're not all likeable characters but I found them to be good characters and that was my favourite thing about this book 🙂
𝙁𝙍𝘼𝙉 - two years ago, during a wellness retreat, her sister Jenna died under suspicious circumstances. It was labeled suicide but Fran needs answers so she's attending the latest retreat by the same self-help guru as Jenna did.
𝙆𝘼𝙏𝙀 - manages and organizes the retreats. Her husband Tom is the guru but she's the woman behind the man and she knows how to pull the strings.
𝙅𝙀𝙉𝙉𝘼 (2 years ago) - heartbroken by some recent developments in her life she hopes Tom and Kate's retreat will fix her.
Her Last Holiday takes its time to pick up speed. First it builds it's base and makes sure the reader is cozy but it often drops little hints at what's to come and then the pace starts moving faster.
Also, lots of characters in this book!
There's the group that attended Jenna's retreat PLUS the group in Fran's retreat.
Some overlap but I still had one or two '𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵.... 𝘸𝘩𝘰'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯?' moments. Making notes would have helped ✒📒🙈
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺. 𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘈𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘭 29 /2021
They're not all likeable characters but I found them to be good characters and that was my favourite thing about this book 🙂
𝙁𝙍𝘼𝙉 - two years ago, during a wellness retreat, her sister Jenna died under suspicious circumstances. It was labeled suicide but Fran needs answers so she's attending the latest retreat by the same self-help guru as Jenna did.
𝙆𝘼𝙏𝙀 - manages and organizes the retreats. Her husband Tom is the guru but she's the woman behind the man and she knows how to pull the strings.
𝙅𝙀𝙉𝙉𝘼 (2 years ago) - heartbroken by some recent developments in her life she hopes Tom and Kate's retreat will fix her.
Her Last Holiday takes its time to pick up speed. First it builds it's base and makes sure the reader is cozy but it often drops little hints at what's to come and then the pace starts moving faster.
Also, lots of characters in this book!
There's the group that attended Jenna's retreat PLUS the group in Fran's retreat.
Some overlap but I still had one or two '𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵.... 𝘸𝘩𝘰'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯?' moments. Making notes would have helped ✒📒🙈
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺. 𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘈𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘭 29 /2021
June 5, 2021
This was a hell of a story to believe.
Two years ago, Jenna went to a retreat in Malta organized by Tom Wade, the man behind SoulShrink. But she didn’t come home. She disappeared and the local authorities judged that she had committed suicide jumping from a cliff.
Two other accidents took place on that retreat leaving Tom in prison for manslaughter. However, he will be released soon.
Jenna’s mother is set on blaming Tom for her daughter’s death. She sends her daughter, Fran, to the retreat that Tom organized (or rather his wife, Kate).
The book is told from 3 perspectives, Jenna in the past, Fran in the present, and Kate’s.
The book was easy to read and I finished it rather quickly. I found the first half more interesting, we were learning more about Fran’s family, Tom, and what happened two years ago.
However, I couldn’t understand how the mother would force her daughter to go to a retreat that she believes killed Jenna. Isn’t she worried about her daughter’s life? While sister’s dynamics usually interest me, having a sister myself, I simply couldn’t like it here. There was an astonishing lack of communication and Fran was very selfish not trying to connect with Jenna growing up. I also found the story difficult to believe especially with that plot twist at the end. The thrill of mystery for me is the possibility that these events might happen in real life. These simply, wouldn’t.
Another thing I didn’t like is that the second half kind of got repetitive, especially with Kate. I didn’t find her perspective very useful to the story. But it’s not like I particularly liked any of the characters either. I was mostly indifferent about them.
This is my first book by C.L. Taylor and while this book didn’t impress me, it won’t be my last book of hers.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Two years ago, Jenna went to a retreat in Malta organized by Tom Wade, the man behind SoulShrink. But she didn’t come home. She disappeared and the local authorities judged that she had committed suicide jumping from a cliff.
Two other accidents took place on that retreat leaving Tom in prison for manslaughter. However, he will be released soon.
Jenna’s mother is set on blaming Tom for her daughter’s death. She sends her daughter, Fran, to the retreat that Tom organized (or rather his wife, Kate).
The book is told from 3 perspectives, Jenna in the past, Fran in the present, and Kate’s.
The book was easy to read and I finished it rather quickly. I found the first half more interesting, we were learning more about Fran’s family, Tom, and what happened two years ago.
However, I couldn’t understand how the mother would force her daughter to go to a retreat that she believes killed Jenna. Isn’t she worried about her daughter’s life? While sister’s dynamics usually interest me, having a sister myself, I simply couldn’t like it here. There was an astonishing lack of communication and Fran was very selfish not trying to connect with Jenna growing up. I also found the story difficult to believe especially with that plot twist at the end. The thrill of mystery for me is the possibility that these events might happen in real life. These simply, wouldn’t.
Another thing I didn’t like is that the second half kind of got repetitive, especially with Kate. I didn’t find her perspective very useful to the story. But it’s not like I particularly liked any of the characters either. I was mostly indifferent about them.
This is my first book by C.L. Taylor and while this book didn’t impress me, it won’t be my last book of hers.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2021
DNF AT 60%
MY THOUGHTS CONTAIN SPOILERS
I got to the 60% point of this book and can no longer waste my time on this book. The people are ridiculous, the entire book is ridiculous. Why would a mother send her other daughter, actually why would said daughter agree, to go to a retreat where her sister Jenna was possibly murdered?????
The dangerous rafting experience was something no upstanding retreat would ever engage in with inexperienced people. They don't even know if these people can swim.
The sessions led by Tom are ridiculous, he plays at being a psychologist while being an untrained lay person who just got out of prison.
The detailed description of the mutilated bird on the patio and the ensuing throwing of stones at a passing cat was awful.
The writing is terrible, it flip flops all over the place and there is so much detailed chatter it's driving me bonkers.
I really have to get back to reading only thriller writers that I know I like. There are just too many out there that are just poorly written and it drives me crazy.
I am only writing my thoughts for those who follow my reviews as I feel that it's it's important to state my reasons for not finishing a book.
Thank you
MY THOUGHTS CONTAIN SPOILERS
I got to the 60% point of this book and can no longer waste my time on this book. The people are ridiculous, the entire book is ridiculous. Why would a mother send her other daughter, actually why would said daughter agree, to go to a retreat where her sister Jenna was possibly murdered?????
The dangerous rafting experience was something no upstanding retreat would ever engage in with inexperienced people. They don't even know if these people can swim.
The sessions led by Tom are ridiculous, he plays at being a psychologist while being an untrained lay person who just got out of prison.
The detailed description of the mutilated bird on the patio and the ensuing throwing of stones at a passing cat was awful.
The writing is terrible, it flip flops all over the place and there is so much detailed chatter it's driving me bonkers.
I really have to get back to reading only thriller writers that I know I like. There are just too many out there that are just poorly written and it drives me crazy.
I am only writing my thoughts for those who follow my reviews as I feel that it's it's important to state my reasons for not finishing a book.
Thank you
April 28, 2021
3.5*
What happened to Jenna?
That’s the question her sister Fran is desperate to answer! Jenna vanished from a retreat two years ago. Blood was found on the edge of the cliff. But her body was never discovered. Fran is determined to get answers and solve the mystery behind her sisters disappearance.
Fran signs up to attend the retreat guided by the same team duo that held her sisters retreat. Under disguise can she find the answers she is looking for?
Told in dual timelines. Jenna from the past and Fran in the present.
C.L. Taylor writes a suspenseful read that will keep you glued to your kindle. I thought I had this one figured out but I was completely off base! 🤦🏻♀
I hope the twists are just as surprising to you!
This is my second read by this author. And though I didn’t love this one as much as Strangers it was still a very solid thriller. I cannot wait to read more from this very talented author.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC to read and review.
What happened to Jenna?
That’s the question her sister Fran is desperate to answer! Jenna vanished from a retreat two years ago. Blood was found on the edge of the cliff. But her body was never discovered. Fran is determined to get answers and solve the mystery behind her sisters disappearance.
Fran signs up to attend the retreat guided by the same team duo that held her sisters retreat. Under disguise can she find the answers she is looking for?
Told in dual timelines. Jenna from the past and Fran in the present.
C.L. Taylor writes a suspenseful read that will keep you glued to your kindle. I thought I had this one figured out but I was completely off base! 🤦🏻♀
I hope the twists are just as surprising to you!
This is my second read by this author. And though I didn’t love this one as much as Strangers it was still a very solid thriller. I cannot wait to read more from this very talented author.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC to read and review.
January 16, 2021
OUTLIER OPINION!
If you are like me, and prefer a well crafted mystery with clues to follow, and revelations that you can buy into, then this may NOT be the book for you.
This book will appeal to readers who have no trouble suspending disbelief!
Two years ago, at a Soul Shrink retreat in Gozo, two guests died, and one guest went missing, presumed dead.
Fran’s sister, Jenna was the guest who disappeared.
So, what does Fran’s mother do, when she learns that Tom Wade has been released after serving his two year prison sentence, and that he will be running another retreat? She books a spot for Fran, so she can go investigate her sister’s presumed death.
No qualms about risking her remaining daughter’s life?
When Fran arrives, she learns that several other guests who had attended the retreat that Jenna was on, are in attendance as well.
Because, having two guests on your retreat die, and one go missing isn’t too traumatic, right?
Fran teams up with a reporter who is undercover, to try to learn the truth.
When all the CRAZY is said and done, I hope the reporter was at least given an exclusive!
C. L. Taylor’s writing style is engaging and I have enjoyed her past work, so I look forward to reading what she releases next. But, this one was too OVER THE TOP, for me. 😕
Thank you to Avon books, UK for my gifted copy provided through NetGalley!
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!
Available April 29, 2021
If you are like me, and prefer a well crafted mystery with clues to follow, and revelations that you can buy into, then this may NOT be the book for you.
This book will appeal to readers who have no trouble suspending disbelief!
Two years ago, at a Soul Shrink retreat in Gozo, two guests died, and one guest went missing, presumed dead.
Fran’s sister, Jenna was the guest who disappeared.
So, what does Fran’s mother do, when she learns that Tom Wade has been released after serving his two year prison sentence, and that he will be running another retreat? She books a spot for Fran, so she can go investigate her sister’s presumed death.
No qualms about risking her remaining daughter’s life?
When Fran arrives, she learns that several other guests who had attended the retreat that Jenna was on, are in attendance as well.
Because, having two guests on your retreat die, and one go missing isn’t too traumatic, right?
Fran teams up with a reporter who is undercover, to try to learn the truth.
When all the CRAZY is said and done, I hope the reporter was at least given an exclusive!
C. L. Taylor’s writing style is engaging and I have enjoyed her past work, so I look forward to reading what she releases next. But, this one was too OVER THE TOP, for me. 😕
Thank you to Avon books, UK for my gifted copy provided through NetGalley!
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!
Available April 29, 2021
January 19, 2021
3.5 stars
Tom Wade, the public face of SoulShrink is about to be released from prison after serving two years following tragedies at his last retreat in Gozo. His wife Kate is waiting for him, anxious to reboot SoulShrink and get their lives back on track. Fran, an ICT teacher watches proceedings carefully as her younger sister Jenna disappeared from the Gozo retreat. When Tom and Kate offer another retreat in Wales, Fran attends to try to find out what happened to Jenna. The story is told from two years ago and now and from Kate/Fran and Jenna’s points of view.
This is a ‘game of two halves’. I like the first half of the book which looks at the dynamics of several relationships especially Tom and Kate. You can see how brittle and strained things are between them which is heightened after Tom's prison release. Fran and Jenna’s relationship is interesting as is their dynamics with their absolute harridan of a mother and you appreciate their struggles to cope. The characterisation is one of the best elements of the book as you try to work out each of them. Is Tom a fraud, a player or genuine? Is Kate controlling, manipulative, domineering and jealous or is she used? Fran struggles so much but as you grow to understand her you realise why she is so socially awkward and a boiling cauldron of anger and regrets inside and of them all, she is the one I grew to like. I appreciate her sense of humour too. It takes a while to get to understand Jenna, her confusion and reasons for her issues. The pace in the first half is good and a number of unsettling events occur, there’s a lot of suspicion in the Welsh retreat and a good puzzle to unlock.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the second half is as good. The retreat events become rather longwinded and overlong and so it gets a bit dull. There are a lot of characters to get your head around too and some of them change their names which gets confusing. It’s the end though that I have the biggest problem with as it just doesn’t work for me. As the ‘string puller’ is revealed the motivation seems spurious and it feels implausible.
Overall, it’s a pity the book tails off as I was enjoying the first half and I usually really like this authors books but I don’t think this one is up there with her best.
With thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the arc for an honest review.
Tom Wade, the public face of SoulShrink is about to be released from prison after serving two years following tragedies at his last retreat in Gozo. His wife Kate is waiting for him, anxious to reboot SoulShrink and get their lives back on track. Fran, an ICT teacher watches proceedings carefully as her younger sister Jenna disappeared from the Gozo retreat. When Tom and Kate offer another retreat in Wales, Fran attends to try to find out what happened to Jenna. The story is told from two years ago and now and from Kate/Fran and Jenna’s points of view.
This is a ‘game of two halves’. I like the first half of the book which looks at the dynamics of several relationships especially Tom and Kate. You can see how brittle and strained things are between them which is heightened after Tom's prison release. Fran and Jenna’s relationship is interesting as is their dynamics with their absolute harridan of a mother and you appreciate their struggles to cope. The characterisation is one of the best elements of the book as you try to work out each of them. Is Tom a fraud, a player or genuine? Is Kate controlling, manipulative, domineering and jealous or is she used? Fran struggles so much but as you grow to understand her you realise why she is so socially awkward and a boiling cauldron of anger and regrets inside and of them all, she is the one I grew to like. I appreciate her sense of humour too. It takes a while to get to understand Jenna, her confusion and reasons for her issues. The pace in the first half is good and a number of unsettling events occur, there’s a lot of suspicion in the Welsh retreat and a good puzzle to unlock.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the second half is as good. The retreat events become rather longwinded and overlong and so it gets a bit dull. There are a lot of characters to get your head around too and some of them change their names which gets confusing. It’s the end though that I have the biggest problem with as it just doesn’t work for me. As the ‘string puller’ is revealed the motivation seems spurious and it feels implausible.
Overall, it’s a pity the book tails off as I was enjoying the first half and I usually really like this authors books but I don’t think this one is up there with her best.
With thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the arc for an honest review.
February 20, 2021
A woman wants to discover the truth about her sister's mysterious death in a group retreat two years ago... Who's lying? Who's telling the truth?
I'm sorry to say this book is another unmemorable thriller. Unfortunately, the author didn't manage to grab my attention. Also, there were too many characters and I never felt close to any of them.
I only finished it because I'm curious by nature and wanted to know how it would end. I finally skimmed through the second half and, just as I thought it got better, there was a twist about a culprit that totally fell flat.
I have a couple of C. L. Taylor's books on my TBR and I'm still gonna read them. This one just wasn't for me.
Many thanks to Avon books UK and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Publication date: April 29, 2021
I'm sorry to say this book is another unmemorable thriller. Unfortunately, the author didn't manage to grab my attention. Also, there were too many characters and I never felt close to any of them.
I only finished it because I'm curious by nature and wanted to know how it would end. I finally skimmed through the second half and, just as I thought it got better, there was a twist about a culprit that totally fell flat.
I have a couple of C. L. Taylor's books on my TBR and I'm still gonna read them. This one just wasn't for me.
Many thanks to Avon books UK and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Publication date: April 29, 2021
April 28, 2021
Two years ago, Jenna went missing at a wellness retreat run by Tom, the charismatic man behind the Soul Shrink retreats. He has just been released from prison after serving time for the deaths of two individuals who attended the same retreat where Jenna went disappeared. Is Jenna just missing or is she dead?
To find out what happened to Jenna, her sister Fran, books herself into Tom's upcoming retreat at her Mother's strong urging. Will she finally learn what happened to her sister? Is she putting herself in harm’s way?
We see both Jenna and Fran's storylines throughout the book. Plus, there are plenty of unlikeable characters. Were they unlikeable because they had something to hide? An agenda perhaps? The unlikeable characters served as suspects for me. The plot kept me guessing and formulating an idea about what could have happened to Jenna. But at the end of the day, I thought the book simmered when it could have sizzled. I found I had to suspend some disbelief while reading this. Unlikely scenarios and dangerous situations might have scared off some, but Fran is determined to learn the truth at any cost.
By the end, I was ambivalent and a little let down. Was it me or was it the book? I am not entirely sure. I have enjoyed other books by this author more. I am putting this in the liked but did not love category.
Others are enjoying this more than I did, and I encourage you to read those reviews as well.
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
To find out what happened to Jenna, her sister Fran, books herself into Tom's upcoming retreat at her Mother's strong urging. Will she finally learn what happened to her sister? Is she putting herself in harm’s way?
We see both Jenna and Fran's storylines throughout the book. Plus, there are plenty of unlikeable characters. Were they unlikeable because they had something to hide? An agenda perhaps? The unlikeable characters served as suspects for me. The plot kept me guessing and formulating an idea about what could have happened to Jenna. But at the end of the day, I thought the book simmered when it could have sizzled. I found I had to suspend some disbelief while reading this. Unlikely scenarios and dangerous situations might have scared off some, but Fran is determined to learn the truth at any cost.
By the end, I was ambivalent and a little let down. Was it me or was it the book? I am not entirely sure. I have enjoyed other books by this author more. I am putting this in the liked but did not love category.
Others are enjoying this more than I did, and I encourage you to read those reviews as well.
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
August 15, 2024
Another mystery to solve. Interesting concept, a retreat hosted by an ex felon. While the story line was great the execution lacked a bit. Still an interesting enough read to keep me going till the end.
March 13, 2021
2.5 stars rounded to 3
I've read many of Taylor's books prior to this one and have thoroughly enjoyed each one. She is an incredibly talented author, and her stories always have my heart beating wildly in my chest while trying to put clues together to solve the mystery at hand, but something was missing from Her Last Holiday for me. Perhaps I had to suspend too much believability to swallow the story as a whole, or it could be that I just couldn't connect with the characters, and the motives behind their actions to get behind the conclusion. Either way, I'm still a fan of the author and can't wait to see what she pens next!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
I've read many of Taylor's books prior to this one and have thoroughly enjoyed each one. She is an incredibly talented author, and her stories always have my heart beating wildly in my chest while trying to put clues together to solve the mystery at hand, but something was missing from Her Last Holiday for me. Perhaps I had to suspend too much believability to swallow the story as a whole, or it could be that I just couldn't connect with the characters, and the motives behind their actions to get behind the conclusion. Either way, I'm still a fan of the author and can't wait to see what she pens next!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
March 12, 2021
This is my third C.L. Taylor novel, and I've never rated one higher than three stars.
I think it's safe to conclude that she's simply not the author for me...and move on. Her Last Holiday did not work...on any level. The characters were awful, the writing was clunky, implausibilities abounded throughout the book's entirety, and worst of all, it was simply boring. This was not a book I was ever excited to pick up and read.
Historically, what I've found with Taylor's work is a huge build up, only to get to a conclusion that fizzles pitifully. With this one...the whole story fizzled. It was like a carbonated beverage that's been sitting out (and opened) for too long.
You guessed correctly that I won't be recommending Her Last Holiday.
Available April 29, 2021
Despite my unfavorable review, I'd still like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my review copy.
I think it's safe to conclude that she's simply not the author for me...and move on. Her Last Holiday did not work...on any level. The characters were awful, the writing was clunky, implausibilities abounded throughout the book's entirety, and worst of all, it was simply boring. This was not a book I was ever excited to pick up and read.
Historically, what I've found with Taylor's work is a huge build up, only to get to a conclusion that fizzles pitifully. With this one...the whole story fizzled. It was like a carbonated beverage that's been sitting out (and opened) for too long.
You guessed correctly that I won't be recommending Her Last Holiday.
Available April 29, 2021
Despite my unfavorable review, I'd still like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my review copy.
March 23, 2021
Tom Wade and his wife Kate used to run wellness retreats under the name SoulShrink, for people unhappy with some aspect of their lives. Although with no training in psychology, Tom is the charismatic and gentle listener that people would come to hear while Kate managed the running of the retreats. However, after a retreat on the Maltese island of Gozo ended disastrously with the deaths of two participants and the presumed suicide of a third, Tom was sentenced to two years jail. After his release his cash strapped wife goads him into holding another retreat again, this time in Wales.
Fran Fitzgerald's sister Jenna disappeared during the retreat on Gozo and was thought to have committed suicide there. Now Fran's mother has pushed Fran into going to the retreat in Wales to find out what really happened in Gozo. Registering under a false name, she discovers three of the other participants were also at the Gozo retreat, but understandably no one wants to talk about it.
Told in two lines, that of the Gozo retreat and of the current retreat from the point of view of the three women involved, Jenna, Kate and Fran, I kept getting confused about who was narrating and which retreat we were at and who all the other characters were, since some of them changed their names during the Gozo retreat. Fran's time at the retreat in Wales really dragged and felt repetitious with the story becoming a really slow burn to get to the point where we find out what happened to Jenna.
Generally I don't mind suspending belief in the cause of a good story, but there was just too much in this novel that beggared belief. Firstly, that Tom would have been allowed to restart his business after two people died and a third disappeared at his last retreat. How could he even have insurance for the retreat (which Kate mentions they have) after what happened before? Secondly, why would anyone sign up for his retreats after what happened, including people who attended the Gozo retreat? Thirdly, why would Jenna and Kate's mother force Fran to go on the retreat after what happened to Jenna (and why would Fran go along with it)? And finally there is the ending which was just too contrived for me.
Although I usually enjoy C.L. Taylor's novels, this is not one of her best or one I'm likely to find memorable. 2.5★
With thanks to Avon and Netgalley for a copy to read
Fran Fitzgerald's sister Jenna disappeared during the retreat on Gozo and was thought to have committed suicide there. Now Fran's mother has pushed Fran into going to the retreat in Wales to find out what really happened in Gozo. Registering under a false name, she discovers three of the other participants were also at the Gozo retreat, but understandably no one wants to talk about it.
Told in two lines, that of the Gozo retreat and of the current retreat from the point of view of the three women involved, Jenna, Kate and Fran, I kept getting confused about who was narrating and which retreat we were at and who all the other characters were, since some of them changed their names during the Gozo retreat. Fran's time at the retreat in Wales really dragged and felt repetitious with the story becoming a really slow burn to get to the point where we find out what happened to Jenna.
Generally I don't mind suspending belief in the cause of a good story, but there was just too much in this novel that beggared belief. Firstly, that Tom would have been allowed to restart his business after two people died and a third disappeared at his last retreat. How could he even have insurance for the retreat (which Kate mentions they have) after what happened before? Secondly, why would anyone sign up for his retreats after what happened, including people who attended the Gozo retreat? Thirdly, why would Jenna and Kate's mother force Fran to go on the retreat after what happened to Jenna (and why would Fran go along with it)? And finally there is the ending which was just too contrived for me.
Although I usually enjoy C.L. Taylor's novels, this is not one of her best or one I'm likely to find memorable. 2.5★
With thanks to Avon and Netgalley for a copy to read
April 1, 2022
Her Last Holiday was my fourth read by CL Taylor, and my least favourite.
Nearly three years ago, a wellness retreat on the Mediterranean island of Gozo ended in tragedy – with two people dead, and one missing, and the face of @soulshrink, motivational speaker/self-help guru Tom Wade being charged with gross negligence.
It’s now been nine months since Tom was released from jail, after serving a two-year sentence, and his wife Kate (who looks after the business side of @soulshrink) has a new plan to relaunch the brand and get their lives back on track. She’s organised another retreat, this time at a large estate in the Welsh Valley.
Geraldine Fitzgerald, the grieving mother of Jenna (the woman who went missing at the Gozo retreat) has never gotten over not knowing what happened to her daughter, and is sure that Tom holds the key to the truth. To find much needed answers, she convinces her eldest daughter, Fran, to enrol in the retreat.
Truthfully, the synopsis of this one never really grabbed me, I only requested it because CL Taylor’s name was on it, and I was convinced it was going to be better than it sounded. And I was worried when I struggled to make it through the first half due to the slow, boring pace that I had made the wrong choice. Thankfully, the last half was better, and I did quite like the ending. It wasn’t amazing, but I would place it in the above average category. Okay, so maybe the plot was a bit outlandish, but at least I didn’t guess it! The only thing I could’ve done without was the huge info dump in the second to last chapter.
The format followed the familiar NOW (Fran and Kate) and THEN (Jenna) narration, with chapters cycling through the three POV’s. I really enjoyed Fran’s personality and familial hang-ups, but failed to connect with any of the other character’s. Kate’s POV seemed unnecessary, and quickly grew redundant and repetitive. And, what was up with all the ‘slapping’ nonsense? I also felt two characters underwent complete personality transplants. Other character’s were just so bland that I failed to understand why they were included. FYI, those group activities seemed kind of risky too? I also wish it would’ve had more of a gothic horror tone, given the isolated nature of both settings, but at no point was I creeped out.
An average read overall, but there was just nothing unique enough to make it stand out from every other domestic noir.
I’d like to thank Netgalley, Avon Books UK, and CL Taylor for the e-ARC.
Nearly three years ago, a wellness retreat on the Mediterranean island of Gozo ended in tragedy – with two people dead, and one missing, and the face of @soulshrink, motivational speaker/self-help guru Tom Wade being charged with gross negligence.
It’s now been nine months since Tom was released from jail, after serving a two-year sentence, and his wife Kate (who looks after the business side of @soulshrink) has a new plan to relaunch the brand and get their lives back on track. She’s organised another retreat, this time at a large estate in the Welsh Valley.
Geraldine Fitzgerald, the grieving mother of Jenna (the woman who went missing at the Gozo retreat) has never gotten over not knowing what happened to her daughter, and is sure that Tom holds the key to the truth. To find much needed answers, she convinces her eldest daughter, Fran, to enrol in the retreat.
Truthfully, the synopsis of this one never really grabbed me, I only requested it because CL Taylor’s name was on it, and I was convinced it was going to be better than it sounded. And I was worried when I struggled to make it through the first half due to the slow, boring pace that I had made the wrong choice. Thankfully, the last half was better, and I did quite like the ending. It wasn’t amazing, but I would place it in the above average category. Okay, so maybe the plot was a bit outlandish, but at least I didn’t guess it! The only thing I could’ve done without was the huge info dump in the second to last chapter.
The format followed the familiar NOW (Fran and Kate) and THEN (Jenna) narration, with chapters cycling through the three POV’s. I really enjoyed Fran’s personality and familial hang-ups, but failed to connect with any of the other character’s. Kate’s POV seemed unnecessary, and quickly grew redundant and repetitive. And, what was up with all the ‘slapping’ nonsense? I also felt two characters underwent complete personality transplants. Other character’s were just so bland that I failed to understand why they were included. FYI, those group activities seemed kind of risky too? I also wish it would’ve had more of a gothic horror tone, given the isolated nature of both settings, but at no point was I creeped out.
An average read overall, but there was just nothing unique enough to make it stand out from every other domestic noir.
I’d like to thank Netgalley, Avon Books UK, and CL Taylor for the e-ARC.
April 14, 2021
2.5 stars rounded up.
Jenna Fitzgerald disappeared from a mindfulness retreat on the island of Gozo in Malta 3 years ago. Two other people died at the retreat. It all came to a head on the night of the sweat lodge rebirthing ceremony. The ‘wellness guru’, Tom Wade spent 18 months in jail for, presumably, negligence over the deaths. They were certainly accidental deaths. Jenna’s disappearance was ruled a suicide by the local police after some bloodstains and her flip flops were found at the top of a steep cliff. The body was never recovered.
Now, Tom is out of jail and his wife Kate, who does all the admin and marketing for the retreats, has organised the first retreat since the disastrous one of three years ago. Tom is not keen but Kate is adamant they need the money. This time it will be held in Wales. Jenna’s mother, a strange and very annoying woman, bullies her much older other daughter to attend and see what she can learn about Jenna’s disappearance. Already I am thinking - why would the mother send another daughter into potential danger? If she’s so keen why doesn’t she go herself?
But Fran goes along with it, using her mother’s maiden name Geraldine Rotherham. As the participants arrive and meet up I couldn’t help thinking - awkward! The whole thing just screams awkward. Kate comes across as a deranged harradin, Tom comes across as a useless twat and most of the participants are either simpering females or highly annoying men for one reason or another.
Obviously this retreat has its own dramas and I won’t go there. The book seemed ok until we got close to the end when, honestly, it turned into a mess. It was all too much. Too much contrived drama, too much melodrama, too many unstable people who should be on medication and too many highly unlikely happenings. I know you have to suspend disbelief to a certain degree to read fiction. But this veered into seriously deranged territory. I’m giving it 2.5 stars rounded up because I did want to finish reading it rather than DNFing. Thanks to Netgalley, Avon Books UK and C.L. Taylor for providing a copy to review. My opinions are my own.
Jenna Fitzgerald disappeared from a mindfulness retreat on the island of Gozo in Malta 3 years ago. Two other people died at the retreat. It all came to a head on the night of the sweat lodge rebirthing ceremony. The ‘wellness guru’, Tom Wade spent 18 months in jail for, presumably, negligence over the deaths. They were certainly accidental deaths. Jenna’s disappearance was ruled a suicide by the local police after some bloodstains and her flip flops were found at the top of a steep cliff. The body was never recovered.
Now, Tom is out of jail and his wife Kate, who does all the admin and marketing for the retreats, has organised the first retreat since the disastrous one of three years ago. Tom is not keen but Kate is adamant they need the money. This time it will be held in Wales. Jenna’s mother, a strange and very annoying woman, bullies her much older other daughter to attend and see what she can learn about Jenna’s disappearance. Already I am thinking - why would the mother send another daughter into potential danger? If she’s so keen why doesn’t she go herself?
But Fran goes along with it, using her mother’s maiden name Geraldine Rotherham. As the participants arrive and meet up I couldn’t help thinking - awkward! The whole thing just screams awkward. Kate comes across as a deranged harradin, Tom comes across as a useless twat and most of the participants are either simpering females or highly annoying men for one reason or another.
Obviously this retreat has its own dramas and I won’t go there. The book seemed ok until we got close to the end when, honestly, it turned into a mess. It was all too much. Too much contrived drama, too much melodrama, too many unstable people who should be on medication and too many highly unlikely happenings. I know you have to suspend disbelief to a certain degree to read fiction. But this veered into seriously deranged territory. I’m giving it 2.5 stars rounded up because I did want to finish reading it rather than DNFing. Thanks to Netgalley, Avon Books UK and C.L. Taylor for providing a copy to review. My opinions are my own.
April 29, 2021
EXCERPT: As Caroline continues to rant, Fran stares at her in awe. It's been a while since she met someone with such fervour and passion, such a powerful drive to vanquish injustice and reveal the truth. It's really quite inspiring, despite Caroline's dubious taste in knitwear.
'And that,' Caroline says, 'is why I'm not going to let them drive me away. They might have found a way to cover up your sister's murder but they're not going to intimidate me into letting this drop.'
'No, but they could kill you.'
ABOUT 'HER LAST HOLIDAY': Two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong.
Tom Wade, the now infamous man behind Soul Shrink Retreats, has just been released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third victim: Jenna.
Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat – the first since his release – and finds herself face to face with the man who might hold the key to her sister’s disappearance. The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?
MY THOUGHTS: I simply flew through Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor. Yes, I had to suspend belief, and no, this isn't what I would call a psychological thriller, but it was fun and I enjoyed it, mainly I think, because of the characters, because I certainly didn't find this suspenseful.
Fran, who is the central character, has been a disappointment to her parents, i.e. her mother. She's a 'no-frills' type of person, an I.T. teacher who has never married nor produced a grandchild. She is twelve years older than her sister Jenna, a clone of, though much nicer than, their mother, a force to be reckoned with.
Jenna was bored by her job, her boyfriend had cheated on her, and Fran had inadvertantly pulled the rug out from under her feet, when she decided to go on a retreat to try and get her equilibrium back. It was a retreat from which she didn't return, her death ruled suicide, her body never recovered.
Tom, the leader of the SoulShrink retreat, has had trauma in his own life, which led him to where he is. He is good looking and charismatic, but seems to be controlled by Kate, his facilitator.
Kate is more than just Tom's assistant. Much more. SoulShrink was her idea, her baby, Tom the person she chose to front it. She is focused on success, complete with all the trappings, and God help anyone who gets in her way.
Now the blurb for Her Last Holiday is somewhat misleading. 'Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat...' Fran did not book herself onto this retreat. Geraldine, her mother, was booked to go but had an accident and couldn't. She bullied Fran into going in her place.
I loved the machinations between the characters. A lot of people aren't who or what they appear to be (highly improbable, I know, but fun) and there are many hidden agendas.
The downfall, for me, was the denouement. It all went a bit pear-shaped and OTT. I was disappointed. I can't say more than that for fear of giving something away.
⭐⭐⭐.6
#HerLastHoliday #NetGalley
I: @cltaylorauthor @avonbooksuk
T: @callytaylor @AvonBooksUK
One of my favourite lines: " 'There's no need to cause a fuss.' A fuss? I found out my dad's not my dad and she acts like I found a hair in my soup?"
THE AUTHOR: Cally Taylor was born in Worcester and spent her early years living in various army camps in the UK and Germany. She studied Psychology at the University of Northumbria and went on forge a career in instructional design and e-Learning before leaving to write full time in 2014. She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'And that,' Caroline says, 'is why I'm not going to let them drive me away. They might have found a way to cover up your sister's murder but they're not going to intimidate me into letting this drop.'
'No, but they could kill you.'
ABOUT 'HER LAST HOLIDAY': Two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong.
Tom Wade, the now infamous man behind Soul Shrink Retreats, has just been released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third victim: Jenna.
Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat – the first since his release – and finds herself face to face with the man who might hold the key to her sister’s disappearance. The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?
MY THOUGHTS: I simply flew through Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor. Yes, I had to suspend belief, and no, this isn't what I would call a psychological thriller, but it was fun and I enjoyed it, mainly I think, because of the characters, because I certainly didn't find this suspenseful.
Fran, who is the central character, has been a disappointment to her parents, i.e. her mother. She's a 'no-frills' type of person, an I.T. teacher who has never married nor produced a grandchild. She is twelve years older than her sister Jenna, a clone of, though much nicer than, their mother, a force to be reckoned with.
Jenna was bored by her job, her boyfriend had cheated on her, and Fran had inadvertantly pulled the rug out from under her feet, when she decided to go on a retreat to try and get her equilibrium back. It was a retreat from which she didn't return, her death ruled suicide, her body never recovered.
Tom, the leader of the SoulShrink retreat, has had trauma in his own life, which led him to where he is. He is good looking and charismatic, but seems to be controlled by Kate, his facilitator.
Kate is more than just Tom's assistant. Much more. SoulShrink was her idea, her baby, Tom the person she chose to front it. She is focused on success, complete with all the trappings, and God help anyone who gets in her way.
Now the blurb for Her Last Holiday is somewhat misleading. 'Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat...' Fran did not book herself onto this retreat. Geraldine, her mother, was booked to go but had an accident and couldn't. She bullied Fran into going in her place.
I loved the machinations between the characters. A lot of people aren't who or what they appear to be (highly improbable, I know, but fun) and there are many hidden agendas.
The downfall, for me, was the denouement. It all went a bit pear-shaped and OTT. I was disappointed. I can't say more than that for fear of giving something away.
⭐⭐⭐.6
#HerLastHoliday #NetGalley
I: @cltaylorauthor @avonbooksuk
T: @callytaylor @AvonBooksUK
One of my favourite lines: " 'There's no need to cause a fuss.' A fuss? I found out my dad's not my dad and she acts like I found a hair in my soup?"
THE AUTHOR: Cally Taylor was born in Worcester and spent her early years living in various army camps in the UK and Germany. She studied Psychology at the University of Northumbria and went on forge a career in instructional design and e-Learning before leaving to write full time in 2014. She lives in Bristol with her partner and son.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
May 28, 2021
Well CL Taylor has done it again, another addictive and twisty thriller than kept me guessing right until the very end. Her books are always so clever with a cast of characters who are not always very likeable. The ending of this book is exciting and surprising. Loved it.
Jenna disappeared from a wellness retreat in Gozo 2 years ago. Nobody really knows what happened and her family are grieving. So when Tom Wade is released from prison and runs another retreat for Soul Shrink, Jenna’s Sister Fran decides that she is going to get answers. She goes along to this retreat and asks uncomfortable questions of those who were in Gozo. Will the same fate befall her r will she find out the truth?
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my advanced copy of this book to read.
Jenna disappeared from a wellness retreat in Gozo 2 years ago. Nobody really knows what happened and her family are grieving. So when Tom Wade is released from prison and runs another retreat for Soul Shrink, Jenna’s Sister Fran decides that she is going to get answers. She goes along to this retreat and asks uncomfortable questions of those who were in Gozo. Will the same fate befall her r will she find out the truth?
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my advanced copy of this book to read.
April 17, 2021
Jenna disappeared while at a SoulShrink wellness retreat ran by Tom and Kate Wade where two other people died after a sweat lodge. After serving two years for those two deaths, Tom is released and Kate is ready to restart their business by doing another retreat. Jenna's mom convinces Jenna's older sister Fran to go and get to the bottom of what happened to Jenna.
This is a slow burn story at first that builds into a fast paced page turner at the end. It is told with dual timelines and in three POV. The first is our main character, Fran, as she investigates Jenna's disappearance. Second is Kate, who runs the retreats and will do anything to be sure that nothing negatively affects the SoulShrink brand. Last is Jenna, who recounts the events leading up to her disappearance three years ago. It was all easy to follow and worked really well. Fran was a bit unlikable at first, but I grew to like her more as the book progressed. Kate was very unlikable, as she was intended to be,and I felt sympathy for what all Jenna was going through. There are plenty of suspects to choose from as the plot twists it's way to an unforeseen ending. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who appreciates a good mystery.
My appreciation to Avon Books UK, author C.L. Taylor, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is a slow burn story at first that builds into a fast paced page turner at the end. It is told with dual timelines and in three POV. The first is our main character, Fran, as she investigates Jenna's disappearance. Second is Kate, who runs the retreats and will do anything to be sure that nothing negatively affects the SoulShrink brand. Last is Jenna, who recounts the events leading up to her disappearance three years ago. It was all easy to follow and worked really well. Fran was a bit unlikable at first, but I grew to like her more as the book progressed. Kate was very unlikable, as she was intended to be,and I felt sympathy for what all Jenna was going through. There are plenty of suspects to choose from as the plot twists it's way to an unforeseen ending. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who appreciates a good mystery.
My appreciation to Avon Books UK, author C.L. Taylor, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 30, 2020
First of all I’m a huge fan of C.L Taylor’s books. I’m always in a dilemma,part of me wants to take my time saviour the experience, but as soon as I get started I end up hooked and reading it in one sitting!! There are worse dilemmas I guess!!!
Fran’s sister Jenna went missing two years ago while she was on a wellness retreat at Gozo, the police told them she may have committed suicide but her mother wants answers and pushes Fran to go to Wales on a wellness retreat.
She meets the couple Kate and Tom who ran the retreat in Gaza along with three others who were also there. Surely someone will know what happened to Jenna?
The story is told in 2 timelines, the present and back when Jenna was at the retreat.
This story kept me captive from the first page until the end. I love how the suspense slowly builds and I would never have guessed the ending.
A brilliant book that I would highly recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Fran’s sister Jenna went missing two years ago while she was on a wellness retreat at Gozo, the police told them she may have committed suicide but her mother wants answers and pushes Fran to go to Wales on a wellness retreat.
She meets the couple Kate and Tom who ran the retreat in Gaza along with three others who were also there. Surely someone will know what happened to Jenna?
The story is told in 2 timelines, the present and back when Jenna was at the retreat.
This story kept me captive from the first page until the end. I love how the suspense slowly builds and I would never have guessed the ending.
A brilliant book that I would highly recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
December 29, 2020
I enjoyed this book and found it to be very engaging. It centers primarily on Fran, who joins a wellness retreat to try to figure out what happened to her sister Jenna, who disappeared on a similar trip over 2 years prior. You also get chapters from Jenna's perspective before her disappearance, and from Kate, the wife and business partner of Tom, who runs the retreats. I am a fan of alternating perspectives throughout a book and thought that it was interesting to see how various situations were seen from the different POVs.
I liked Fran and found her to be a realistic character- she was trying to investigate what happened to Jenna but is not a detective, thus she makes a lot of mistakes. There is also personal growth throughout the book, as she explores her relationship with Jenna and the rest of her family, as well as reflects on her current lifestyle. Some reviewers said there were plot lines left unresolved, but I actually think that was done purposely, allowing the reader to make their own decisions about the true motivations of some of the characters. The ending was tied up maybe a bit too cleanly, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who like mysteries and domestic suspense. I liked the other book I read by Taylor as well, and am planning on picking up a couple other books by this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked Fran and found her to be a realistic character- she was trying to investigate what happened to Jenna but is not a detective, thus she makes a lot of mistakes. There is also personal growth throughout the book, as she explores her relationship with Jenna and the rest of her family, as well as reflects on her current lifestyle. Some reviewers said there were plot lines left unresolved, but I actually think that was done purposely, allowing the reader to make their own decisions about the true motivations of some of the characters. The ending was tied up maybe a bit too cleanly, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who like mysteries and domestic suspense. I liked the other book I read by Taylor as well, and am planning on picking up a couple other books by this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2021
This is an interesting story about Fran who wants to discover what happened to her sister a few years ago.
Usually, I don't like a book written from multiple POVs, and even more so, I don't like flashbacks or entire chapters set in the past. But here it didn't bother me at all. Jenna's chapters were as interesting to me as the other ones. I guess that's because there is a good balance between the Jenna’s and Fran’s chapters. I found both plotlines equally interesting. Of course, there are also Kate’s chapters, but they didn't bother me either. I think it is because of the great writing style of the author that something that usually bothers me, here worked so well for me.
So we have two main characters here, the sisters Jenna and Fran. A few years ago, Jenna took a wellness retreat on the Maltese island of Gozo and committed suicide under mysterious circumstances. Her mother cannot understand what happened to her ideal daughter and forces her much older sister, the rebellious Fran, to attend another retreat and find answers to the questions that haunt her.
Although Jenna and Fran are sisters, they are pretty different from each other. In my opinion, they are perfect for guiding us through this story. They are both are lost, both suppress their emotions, and both try to find a place in their lives. Fran is a woman with a strong personality who has been suppressing her emotions and distancing herself from other people for years. Jenna is a lost young woman trying to find her true self and understand who she is. The picture is completed by Kate, the wife of the man behind the retreat, who we suspect from the very beginning of evil intentions. But is it true?
The author effectively created an atmosphere of unease and suspicion. Like Kate and Fran, we wonder who the participants of the camp really are and what their intentions are. There are some interesting twists and turns, not only at the end of the book. The ending surprised me only to some extent, but it's more a matter of having read so many stories in this genre than anything else. I wasn't surprised by what happened to Jenna, but I didn't predict which people were involved and what their motives were. It was an interesting experience.
This is my first book by this author, but I will certainly read her other books. I recommend this story, especially to those who like discovering family secrets from years ago and complicated family relations.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Usually, I don't like a book written from multiple POVs, and even more so, I don't like flashbacks or entire chapters set in the past. But here it didn't bother me at all. Jenna's chapters were as interesting to me as the other ones. I guess that's because there is a good balance between the Jenna’s and Fran’s chapters. I found both plotlines equally interesting. Of course, there are also Kate’s chapters, but they didn't bother me either. I think it is because of the great writing style of the author that something that usually bothers me, here worked so well for me.
So we have two main characters here, the sisters Jenna and Fran. A few years ago, Jenna took a wellness retreat on the Maltese island of Gozo and committed suicide under mysterious circumstances. Her mother cannot understand what happened to her ideal daughter and forces her much older sister, the rebellious Fran, to attend another retreat and find answers to the questions that haunt her.
Although Jenna and Fran are sisters, they are pretty different from each other. In my opinion, they are perfect for guiding us through this story. They are both are lost, both suppress their emotions, and both try to find a place in their lives. Fran is a woman with a strong personality who has been suppressing her emotions and distancing herself from other people for years. Jenna is a lost young woman trying to find her true self and understand who she is. The picture is completed by Kate, the wife of the man behind the retreat, who we suspect from the very beginning of evil intentions. But is it true?
The author effectively created an atmosphere of unease and suspicion. Like Kate and Fran, we wonder who the participants of the camp really are and what their intentions are. There are some interesting twists and turns, not only at the end of the book. The ending surprised me only to some extent, but it's more a matter of having read so many stories in this genre than anything else. I wasn't surprised by what happened to Jenna, but I didn't predict which people were involved and what their motives were. It was an interesting experience.
This is my first book by this author, but I will certainly read her other books. I recommend this story, especially to those who like discovering family secrets from years ago and complicated family relations.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2021
Two years ago, Fran's sister attended a wellness retreat, disappeared and is assumed dead. Now Fran is on the hunt trying to find out what happened and she books a wellness retreat of her own with the same health guru.
Told in alternating timelines, then and now, from both Jenna's and Fran's point of view, plus one of the wellness guru's perspective, this is a fast paced thriller. I always love alternate timelines and different perspectives.
This story grabbed me and didn't let go. The ending was a bit extreme, a tad far fetched, but it is fiction after all, and I went with it.
Fran's quirky character was well developed and I enjoyed the supporting characters of the other wellness retreat attendees.
This was my first book by C. L. Taylor but it certainly won't be my last.
Thank you Avon Books UK and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Told in alternating timelines, then and now, from both Jenna's and Fran's point of view, plus one of the wellness guru's perspective, this is a fast paced thriller. I always love alternate timelines and different perspectives.
This story grabbed me and didn't let go. The ending was a bit extreme, a tad far fetched, but it is fiction after all, and I went with it.
Fran's quirky character was well developed and I enjoyed the supporting characters of the other wellness retreat attendees.
This was my first book by C. L. Taylor but it certainly won't be my last.
Thank you Avon Books UK and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2021
⭐️3.5 Stars⭐️
'Learn how to heal your trauma, free yourself from anxiety and fact the future with optimism rather than fear’
Packed with mystery, wonderfully twisted characters and told in two timelines Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor is set in a wellness retreat in Snowdonia, Wales and another in Malta. The face for the SoulShrink Retreat is Tom Wade a motivational speaker and anxiety survivor and he’s just been released from jail!
Fran Fitzgerald is a teacher with attitude and Tom Wade from SoulShrink was the last person to see her much younger sister Jenna alive! Jenna went missing at a SoulShrink retreat that took place in Gozo, Malta.
On his release from jail Tom had decided he wasn’t going to run another retreat but his mind has been changed, it’s back to business and one will be held.
Seeing online that Tom has been released and within three days he's begun tweeting again, Fran’s mother Geraldine is bloody angry! Geraldine decides Fran should try and find out what happened to her daughter Jenna as she doesn’t believe it could of been a suicide. So Fran books herself on the next retreat to confront Tom and look for answers. Will Fran get her answers and will she get out alive?
There are many characters in this story (keep a notebook!) as the story is told from both Jenna’s and Fran’s point of view at each different retreat.
And we have our third narrator, Kate. Kate is the organiser, business partner and the drive behind the retreats. She has held everything together and pushed on after the murder accusations ruined them financially.
The story begins with a great dynamic and later in the story the tone and pace changes with many red herrings and secrets. I think to enjoy this story one hundred per cent you have to realise it's fiction so it doesn’t have to be believable!!!
The story is tantalisingly character driven. An entertaining psychological thriller!
Release date is 29 April 2021!
I wish to thank NetGalley & Avon Books UK for an advanced copy of the book for review
'Learn how to heal your trauma, free yourself from anxiety and fact the future with optimism rather than fear’
Packed with mystery, wonderfully twisted characters and told in two timelines Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor is set in a wellness retreat in Snowdonia, Wales and another in Malta. The face for the SoulShrink Retreat is Tom Wade a motivational speaker and anxiety survivor and he’s just been released from jail!
Fran Fitzgerald is a teacher with attitude and Tom Wade from SoulShrink was the last person to see her much younger sister Jenna alive! Jenna went missing at a SoulShrink retreat that took place in Gozo, Malta.
On his release from jail Tom had decided he wasn’t going to run another retreat but his mind has been changed, it’s back to business and one will be held.
Seeing online that Tom has been released and within three days he's begun tweeting again, Fran’s mother Geraldine is bloody angry! Geraldine decides Fran should try and find out what happened to her daughter Jenna as she doesn’t believe it could of been a suicide. So Fran books herself on the next retreat to confront Tom and look for answers. Will Fran get her answers and will she get out alive?
There are many characters in this story (keep a notebook!) as the story is told from both Jenna’s and Fran’s point of view at each different retreat.
And we have our third narrator, Kate. Kate is the organiser, business partner and the drive behind the retreats. She has held everything together and pushed on after the murder accusations ruined them financially.
The story begins with a great dynamic and later in the story the tone and pace changes with many red herrings and secrets. I think to enjoy this story one hundred per cent you have to realise it's fiction so it doesn’t have to be believable!!!
The story is tantalisingly character driven. An entertaining psychological thriller!
Release date is 29 April 2021!
I wish to thank NetGalley & Avon Books UK for an advanced copy of the book for review
March 8, 2021
Her Last Holiday is a non-stop drama thriller set on an island retreat where the protagonist, Fran, tries to discover the secrets of her sister's disappearance. I read one CL Taylor book a while back, and from what I remember the two are very similar in terms of pacing and how it constantly leaves the reader on edge.
This is another book that I've read this year that's a very character-driven story. On paper it doesn't sound like a lot is going on but under the surface you do get a fair amount of interesting narration from Fran, Kate, and Jenna.
My main issue with Her Last Holiday was that there were too many characters. This book works with just a few main parts and the three alternating perspectives because the concept itself isn't that complex. This isn't a novel where you're going to be trying to put the pieces together or analyzing every event, but it is one where you'll get really intriguing monologues from the few characters. Anyone else who was featured were just names that I was trying to remember while still trying to grasp the main plotline.
This is another book that I've read this year that's a very character-driven story. On paper it doesn't sound like a lot is going on but under the surface you do get a fair amount of interesting narration from Fran, Kate, and Jenna.
My main issue with Her Last Holiday was that there were too many characters. This book works with just a few main parts and the three alternating perspectives because the concept itself isn't that complex. This isn't a novel where you're going to be trying to put the pieces together or analyzing every event, but it is one where you'll get really intriguing monologues from the few characters. Anyone else who was featured were just names that I was trying to remember while still trying to grasp the main plotline.
April 15, 2021
Wow, I really enjoyed this! I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it since my book friends either loved it or hated it. I can happily say that this one really worked for me. I listened to this as an audiobook and loved the narrator.
So many things happen in the story and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many screwed up people trying to hang out! And as everything started to unfold I just couldn’t predict one thing. Brilliant!
What happened on those retreats?
Who was responsible?
Great crazy characters and I loved the drama. This was mysterious and had me gripping the edge of my seat the entire time.
I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Avon Publishers via Netgalley for this audiobook. I’m voluntarily leaving my review.
So many things happen in the story and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many screwed up people trying to hang out! And as everything started to unfold I just couldn’t predict one thing. Brilliant!
What happened on those retreats?
Who was responsible?
Great crazy characters and I loved the drama. This was mysterious and had me gripping the edge of my seat the entire time.
I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Avon Publishers via Netgalley for this audiobook. I’m voluntarily leaving my review.
March 14, 2021
I continue to enjoy the books I've picked up from this author. I thought this was a successful use of a dual timeline, because I felt like even if the story had been told completely linearly, it still would have been a compelling thriller. Overall, this gave me the kind of claustrophobic vibes of an isolated setting along with a cutting commentary on the wellness/self-help influencer space. I didn't love the way the character arc ended with our main character Fran, but other than that, this was a really fun one!
May 17, 2021
3.5 Stars
Interesting, light, and entertaining!
HER LAST HOLIDAY by C. L. TAYLOR was an easy read that had a few surprising twists and turns. It was a fairly good book that did indeed keep me turning those pages, but it wasn’t one that I was particularly excited to get back to reading though.
C. L. TAYLOR delivers an engaging, suspenseful, unpredictable, and slower paced mystery here that is told from three different perspectives and two timeframes. I do love unreliable and unlikeable characters, but for some reason I didn’t particularly enjoy any of these characters or felt a connection towards any of them. So that definitely had an impact on why this one was just an okay read for me.
For the most part this was an unpredictable read, but I did quess one of the major reveals but had no clue how the author was going to pull it off though. The primary motive and the resolve left me feeling a little bit underwhelmed and unconvinced. Even though it fell a little bit flat for me, I was satisfied and felt that it provided all the answers I needed.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and C. L. Taylor for my review copy.
Interesting, light, and entertaining!
HER LAST HOLIDAY by C. L. TAYLOR was an easy read that had a few surprising twists and turns. It was a fairly good book that did indeed keep me turning those pages, but it wasn’t one that I was particularly excited to get back to reading though.
C. L. TAYLOR delivers an engaging, suspenseful, unpredictable, and slower paced mystery here that is told from three different perspectives and two timeframes. I do love unreliable and unlikeable characters, but for some reason I didn’t particularly enjoy any of these characters or felt a connection towards any of them. So that definitely had an impact on why this one was just an okay read for me.
For the most part this was an unpredictable read, but I did quess one of the major reveals but had no clue how the author was going to pull it off though. The primary motive and the resolve left me feeling a little bit underwhelmed and unconvinced. Even though it fell a little bit flat for me, I was satisfied and felt that it provided all the answers I needed.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and C. L. Taylor for my review copy.
August 8, 2021
A good easy and enjoyable beach read. The ending was a bit light but a good storyline overall.
A good cast and I liked that all the characters we were introduced to in the book were used in the story. I thought it was someone else so enjoyed that is was not as predictable as I originally thought.
A good cast and I liked that all the characters we were introduced to in the book were used in the story. I thought it was someone else so enjoyed that is was not as predictable as I originally thought.
December 26, 2020
I really enjoy C.L Taylor books and yet to read one I didn’t enjoy so I was eagerly looking forward to this one. Another excellent gripping novel that will have you racing through the pages to find out what is going to happen.
Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared two years ago on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong. The man behind the retreats, Tom Wade was recently released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third victim, Jenna.
Fran is desperate to uncover the truth and books herself onto the retreat under a pseudonym so that she can come face to face with Tom Wade and find out what really happened to her sister. There is a lot of emotion surrounding the events of two years ago and a desire for the truth to remain hidden.
The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?
The 400 pages in this book go so quickly due to the fact you will be unable to put the book down. Fascinating characters, good twists and a suspenseful finale.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Avon Books UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared two years ago on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong. The man behind the retreats, Tom Wade was recently released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third victim, Jenna.
Fran is desperate to uncover the truth and books herself onto the retreat under a pseudonym so that she can come face to face with Tom Wade and find out what really happened to her sister. There is a lot of emotion surrounding the events of two years ago and a desire for the truth to remain hidden.
The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?
The 400 pages in this book go so quickly due to the fact you will be unable to put the book down. Fascinating characters, good twists and a suspenseful finale.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Avon Books UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2021
Her Last Holiday is a psychological suspense drama about a woman looking for answers following the death of her younger sister at a “Wellness Retreat”. This is the fourth book I’ve read by this author, and the last two have been brilliant, so I’m disappointed to report that this one missed the mark for me, with an implausible yet tedious plot, twists that have been done to death, too much ridiculous drama and completely unbelievable character behaviour.
Fran is a middle-aged single schoolteacher who is bullied by her domineering mother Geraldine into signing up for the first retreat led by controversial life coach Tom Wade since his release from prison after two participants died after a cleansing ritual on the Mediterranean island of Gozo, two years earlier. The same night, Fran’s sister Jenna went missing, her death ruled a suicide, and now Geraldine wants answers. Tom’s wife Kate is determined to get their careers back on track so must ensure that this Soul Shrink retreat is a success - whatever it takes...
I’ve read and enjoyed quite a lot of mysteries this year about people going missing or being killed while trapped on a secluded island, but they’re starting to get a bit samey now. This one features a particularly unlikeable cast of characters, (not necessarily a bad thing but you do actually need one protagonist to care about) and confuses the reader further by having many of them change names. This is told from the present tense (ugh) POV of Jenna is the past and Kate & Fran now, and the first half was quite good, as we learn about poor emotionally stunted Fran infiltrating the group and gradually piecing together what happened, but after her first brush with death I couldn’t believe that she wouldn’t get out of there and call the police. Then the revelations keep coming as each character comes under suspicion, but their motives don’t make sense either.
I think people who haven’t read much in this genre might still enjoy this, and feel free to make up your own mind, but I know I’m not alone on this one, with several of my reviewer friends panning it. I did however finish it because I wanted to know what happened and whether I was right about the mystery (I was), and I did like the ending. 2.5 rounded down for the present tense. Note: do not let this put you off from reading “Sleep” or “Strangers” by this author, both are fantastic reads.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review.
Her Last Holiday is published on 29th April.
Fran is a middle-aged single schoolteacher who is bullied by her domineering mother Geraldine into signing up for the first retreat led by controversial life coach Tom Wade since his release from prison after two participants died after a cleansing ritual on the Mediterranean island of Gozo, two years earlier. The same night, Fran’s sister Jenna went missing, her death ruled a suicide, and now Geraldine wants answers. Tom’s wife Kate is determined to get their careers back on track so must ensure that this Soul Shrink retreat is a success - whatever it takes...
I’ve read and enjoyed quite a lot of mysteries this year about people going missing or being killed while trapped on a secluded island, but they’re starting to get a bit samey now. This one features a particularly unlikeable cast of characters, (not necessarily a bad thing but you do actually need one protagonist to care about) and confuses the reader further by having many of them change names. This is told from the present tense (ugh) POV of Jenna is the past and Kate & Fran now, and the first half was quite good, as we learn about poor emotionally stunted Fran infiltrating the group and gradually piecing together what happened, but after her first brush with death I couldn’t believe that she wouldn’t get out of there and call the police. Then the revelations keep coming as each character comes under suspicion, but their motives don’t make sense either.
I think people who haven’t read much in this genre might still enjoy this, and feel free to make up your own mind, but I know I’m not alone on this one, with several of my reviewer friends panning it. I did however finish it because I wanted to know what happened and whether I was right about the mystery (I was), and I did like the ending. 2.5 rounded down for the present tense. Note: do not let this put you off from reading “Sleep” or “Strangers” by this author, both are fantastic reads.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review.
Her Last Holiday is published on 29th April.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,274 reviews