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The Family Retreat: 'Few psychological thrillers ring so true.' The Sunday Times Crime Club Star Pick

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These guidelines and standards aim to keep the content on Booking.com relevant and family-friendly, without limiting expression or strong opinions. They're also applicable regardless of the comment's tone. On the matter of characters, I didn't really like any of them that much, which makes for a difficult read. I imagine I was supposed to like Jess, but for someone as bright as she was supposed to be, she "missed" a lot of signs, and she was very self-centered. Her husband was a bit of an idiot, and her parents and sister just pissed me off. Helen was really interesting (although I did see through her story from the start), and I liked both Joyce and Philip. Overall, the plot is good but I would have enjoyed it more with a more in the moment proactive approach from Jess. I really enjoyed this book, it had a lot of tense moments in it and I couldn’t read it in a day as it wasn’t what I would call a relaxing read! The characters were all very different and I loved how the scenery of Dorsey made for some great moments. I would have liked Jess to have been more in holiday mode than getting involved in the village as fast as she did but that’s a minor hiccup on my part.

The summer heat intensifies Jess – ever vigilant – unearths a secret, a problem she’s sure she can help solve. But things are not always as they seem. The water may look inviting but even the gentlest looking waves can hide the deadliest undercurrents. GP Jess, her writer husband Rob and their children Sam and Ruby retreat to a seaside cottage for a month as Rob believes Jess in particular needs a break from their London life. At a fundraising event Jess meets Helen, their initial meeting is not auspicious but then something changes when Helen asks for Jess’s help. I was drawn to this novel when I saw an informed review of the novel, describing it as full of psychological ‘aha’ moments. And it is. In the review it said that it has “an astuteness that most other books would miss, whatever their genre....” This idyllic Dorset cottage might just be the perfect escape. But when the neighbour hints at a dire predicament, Jess puts the idea of sun-kissed, sandy bliss on hold. Like a door nudged ajar, the lure of solving someone's problems invites her in.

This idyllic Dorset cottage might just be the perfect escape. But when the neighbour hints at a dire predicament, Jess puts the idea of sun-kissed, sandy bliss on hold. Like a door nudged ajar, the lure of solving someone’s problems invites her in. After a complaint by a patient Jess was asked to take some time off away from work but as things escalated she needed more than just two weeks leave. Jess, a doctor, has been having some problems at work. She also doesn't feel she is getting enough support from her husband. But perhaps this trip to the seaside will be just what she needs.

I am addicted to summer thrillers this year. Last year I had a thing for flight-based thrillers. This year it’s definitely the ‘summer holiday gone horribly wrong’ vibe I am loving! So when The Family Retreat landed on my radar I was, of course, drawn to it. I love the cover. It screams ‘PERIL’ at me, with the child in the ocean, and I found the blurb to be very intriguing. Plus a lot of the summer thrillers I’ve read recently have been set overseas but The Family Retreat is based in beautiful Dorset, which was also a pull. It’s an extremely well-written, suspenseful, dark tale which I devoured. For me, the creeping fear and tension created by Jess's thoughts really made the book work. I liked the fact that I knew that something was going to happen, I loved the slow exploration of events and the fact that what seemed to be the obvious conclusion really wasn't. Our family retreat's purpose is to connect with one another, by practicing fun activities, focusing on how our bodies re-align, swimming together, group sections of mindfulness conversations that assess where we are individually and as a family. Also, time outdoors, meditation in nature, kindness, and mindful self-compassion that benefits all."

Retreat Bela Natureza is a great place to find peace and rediscover your sense of wholeness and well-being. The 15 dogs are something very special and unique to observe and coexist with, bringing a whole new different experience to the concept of nature retreat. The cabins are very cosy with a colorful brazilian design. The place has everything you would need for spending a quiet and relaxed time, access to an outdoor kitchen, internet a pool, and the whole grounds full of trees and plants from typical atlantic forest native to Brazil. The retreat is walking distance to the village of Arembepe and the beach. Great experience!" In the cottage next door Helen her husband James and there two children Ollie and Lexie have also come to spend the summer in Helen's mum cottage whilst she is away. Even though James can only visit at weekends due to setting up is own business. Her husband Rob is a screenwriter and has just landed his first major movie deal.as well as having two small children Sam and Ruby. Contributions should be travel related. The most helpful contributions are detailed and help others make better decisions. Please don’t include personal, political, ethical, or religious commentary. Promotional content will be removed and issues concerning Booking.com’s services should be routed to our Customer Service or Accommodation Service teams. We recommend Wonderment, a retreat festival held once a year in September in Berkshire, UK. A retreat by day, featuring a full programme of workshops and family activities, including yoga, and a joyous festival by night. This intimate, friendly and inclusive hybrid offers a weekend away of complete balance and joy. On arrival, guests are greeted with delicious plant-based appetisers and a cold glass of Wonderment water. During the retreat, the chef and team provide three delicious plant-based meals per day with large portions to keep you nourished throughout. What happens at a yoga retreat?

As autumn approaches, Jess - and the reader - will come to realise this is going to end in a way no-one could have imagined. . . Rob and Jess try to escape their current problems by renting a cabin by the sea for them and their two children. The narrative focuses on the female characters, the mothers, and their desire to protect their children. The author is a former clinical psychologist, which came across in the astute observations about human behaviour and in Jess's therapy sessions, in particular. Centred on a short period of time during two families' summer holidays, in idyllic Dorset, this is slow-burning with hidden secrets, where I felt invested in Jess and her holiday neighbour, Helen. There was a dramatic twist in the tale, which brought the potential tragedy closer to home. The ending, whilst tragic, was satisfying and justified, compared with the alternatives, although I did struggle with the open ending of the cause of Jess's father's behaviour. If you’re looking for a family retreat for summer 2021, there are some lovely options on Queen of Retreats. Some offer activities, wellness and fun for all the family, while others will help you work through issues with your children and teenagers. Rob manages to find a beautiful but tiny cottage Dorset for a month even though Jess is reluctant at first but as soon as she arrives it felt like home. The cottage is set in a small hamlet just outside the local village.

Featured Reviews

The characters are not likeable and mostly disturbed, probably too many people with issues in one place. I can’t say much about the plot for fear of spoiling the read for others, but what Bev Thomas does so completely brilliantly is a kind of sleight of hand that has the reader believing one thing before she hits them with a different reality that is breath taking. As the narrative drew to a close I felt literally rooted to my seat as I read, unable to tear myself away form what was happening. She meets another woman who is staying at the cabins for the summer, and she has two children roughly the same age as Jess's. Although Jess finds Helen a little stand-offish at first, she soon finds herself embroiled in this woman's life. I chose this book because I'm a fan of mysteries, I thought it might be something like the genres that I have read before. However, this book is more of a suspense drama. Ngorongoro and Serengeti Safari is arguably one of the finest experiences in Africa and offer a wealth of wildlife viewing opportunities. Pretty much every large animal in East Africa can be regularly seen in the Ngorongoro crater national park or wider ecosystem. This Serengeti and Ngorongoro Safari gives you the opportunity to fully Explore the Ngorongoro Crater/Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Park entirely. During this one-week Northern Tanzania safari, our itinerary will cover these two parks that are the Northern Circuit big weights."

Yes. In fact, yoga retreats are often best taken alone. When you travel solo, you can focus fully on yourself and reconnect with your heart’s desire. You will also meet like-minded people if you’re on a group retreat. You might come away with a gang of new friends. Each review score is between 1-10. To get the overall score that you see, we add up all the review scores we’ve received and divide that total by the number of review scores we’ve received. In addition, guests can give separate ‘subscores’ in crucial areas, such as location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value for money and free Wi-Fi. Note that guests submit their subscores and their overall scores independently, so there’s no direct link between them. We will be teaming up with Uganda Adventure Safaris, accompanied by their professional guide, Chris, for the duration of the retreat. Chris will be showing us what makes Uganda so special as we hike the Murchison Falls and drive through 5 National Parks for a chance to see Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe, Lion, Hyena and Leopard, just to name a few. We will set out on foot to trek Gorilla and Chimpanzee, which will for sure be one of the most memorable experiences of your life...whilst also focusing on your yoga practice." Jess isn’t convinced though their kids are thrilled and the combination of the Dorset sea air and the idyllic cottage works their magic and Jess starts to relax into the holiday vibes. She even makes friends with Helen, another woman who is holidaying there with her husband and kids. This book is classed as general fiction which, on the face of it, conforms to the family drama tropes. However, the underside is of the story is a mystery, things are not as they seem, but small clues are scattered through the tale enabling the reader to puzzle out the true nature of the drama. The writing is of high quality and the whole thing proceeds at a surprisingly fast pace, while feeling, in the early stages, like a meander on a warm afternoon. The ending is well constructed and the final tidying up expeditious and satisfying. I would give it 4.5 so rounded to 5.I loved the descriptions of the surroundings, making the coast and the dancing ledge almost a character in its own right and of the characters I felt I could really picture the story as it unfolded and it kept me intrigued to see what would happen next and if my suspicions were correct. Contributions should be appropriate for a global audience. Please avoid using profanity or attempts to approximate profanity with creative spelling, in any language. Comments and media that include 'hate speech', discriminatory remarks, threats, sexually explicit remarks, violence, and the promotion of illegal activity are not permitted.

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