I adore how Bev Thomas writes! The love affair began with A Good Enough Mother and continues here with The Family Retreat-an emotional look at family, the lies we let ourselves believe and the sacrifices family demands from us. If I did trigger warnings then I wouldn’t know where to start as there are some very difficult subjects covered here but I don’t and every single distressing situation is handled perfectly by an author who completely understands the dynamics of relationships within families. As autumn approaches, Jess - and the reader - will come to realise this is going to end in a way no-one could have imagined. . . Jess has a high demanding job not just as a partner in a GP practice but also volunteering for the safeguarding team.

I read A Good Enough Mother by this author which was incredible, so I was delighted to get my hands on this one and it didn’t disappoint. I LOVE the author’s style of writing; her prose, her reflections, her hints of what is to come swept me right into this story. And I don’t often quote parts of books but the following passage brought tears to my eyes (yes another book that’s made me cry round the pool in Fuerteventura, I’m on a roll here! 😭) as it was just so powerful and perfect. Fuelled by a heady rush of altruism, she decides to act - a choice that will have unforgettable, potentially devastating consequences.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. The Family Retreat is fabulously written, and I loved the setting descriptions particularly. It comes as no surprise that the author was a psychologist as the authenticity, the sensitivity and the authority of the psychological elements is mesmerising, making the book a brilliant read. There are some difficult themes explored through the narrative that give The Family Retreat incredible depth and maturity. The author asks intelligent questions, she excavates – why is Jess’ father behaving in this out of character way; what is it that contributed — maybe caused — her sister’s anorexia, and why is fellow holiday maker, Helen, so aggravatingly perfect?

The characters are not likeable and mostly disturbed, probably too many people with issues in one place. It's been a long time since that book and I was delighted to find that Thomas had published her second novel; The Family Retreat. I think the main character, Jess, was so relatable. Her drive to help others, much to the detriment of her own happiness, could describe so many of us. There were also funny, relatable moments of 'keeping up with the Jones' that brought a lightness to the story. Other, more prominent characters were well-rounded, though I couldn't keep up with some of the lesser-mentioned characters and who I was reading about at times. This is a well-paced tale where tension builds slowly over the course of the book. I adored the sweeping, dramatic setting which could be picture perfect one minute and a brooding, angry, dangerous threat the next. There’s a sub-plot featuring Jess’s parents which I thought really added to the story. Making characters that already felt real to me even more believable. With the extended absence of husband Rob (away on a business trip in the US), with the strange behaviour of her father, with the pressure to return to work, with two young children to look after and the need to fit into a new community, it’s no wonder that Jess has the weight of the world on her shoulders.On holiday with her family, Jess starts to ingratiate herself with the other people living near her country cottage – villagers and visitors. And while on the surface, it is all sweeping beaches and sinking your toes into the sand here, there are several harrowing stories playing out beneath the picturesque surface. A horror is about to explode in the idyll. Jess and her family have rented a cottage for the summer. It’s the perfect chance to unwind and spend time together. But there are secrets lurking under the surface, just waiting to emerge… 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. There is also the local farmer Pete and his wife Joyce and their eighteen year old son Loe who has learning difficulties. In the adjoining cottage is Penny and her father Phillip. But as the weeks went on, something started to shift. It was during a stay on Ko Phi Phi island in Thailand, when a woman I’d met earlier on the beach approached me and asked if I was free that evening. She’d invited a few other women to meet for dinner. Would I like to join them? We were six women of different ages. At the meal she told us it was her 40th birthday and, as she was travelling alone, she’d decided to celebrate by gathering together a group of women she’d enjoyed meeting during the week. As the waves lapped on the beach, we sat together under a canopy of fairylights eating pad Thai and drinking Tiger beer, and for the next four hours we shared stories about our lives: hopes, dreams, sadness, loss and disappointment. I felt profoundly moved by the honesty of these strangers, and was surprised, too, by the ease with which I felt able to share things about myself. I felt profoundly moved by the honesty of these strangers, and by the ease with which I felt able to share things

But Jess' intrusive behaviour is validified, and we wouldn't have had all the drama, otherwise, I suppose. There is also some great social commentary along the way. You can tell that the author has experience in psychology as she uses Jess to get into other people's dilemmas, and I did enjoy the concept of seeing [or not seeing] problems from the outside. 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.So, a holiday can be a break from normality, a chance to be away from the familiar and to experience new places and meet new people. Free from responsibilities and routine, we can connect with the more playful parts of ourselves. The time-limited and transient nature of a holiday means our usual social norms and inhibitions are cast aside. The desire to share and connect can be intense and effortless. And in the strangeness of a new country, there is the unexpected and the unpredictable, and with this comes the opportunity for spontaneity, adventure and risk – and the chance to dip our toes into a different version of ourselves. I never saw them again, but I still remember the magic of that night 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 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. 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 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. First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Faber and Faber (and in particular Rachel Quinn), and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. On the final part of my trip I went on a two-week bus journey from San Francisco to New York, during which I told my fellow passengers about wanting to write fiction on my return to England. Not knowing me at all, they were unanimously encouraging and supportive, and when I returned home with no job, money or flat, it was helpful to remember their unbridled enthusiasm. Being away can sometimes allow us to realise our strengths, aspirations and dreams. It’s here that the voice of the super-ego is silenced. We can experience the joy of playing a game of no judgment or consequences. The critical voice is usually our own, but sometimes it’s those of others who, because of legitimate worries or concerns, might be less eager to champion a risky decision.

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. 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.