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The Staycation: A hilarious tale of heartwarming friendship, fraught families and happy ever afters Kindle Edition

by Michele Gorman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 510 ratings
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'Perfect summer reading!' - Bella Osborne

Two families. One cancelled flight. And a last minute house swap...

Things get desperate for strangers Harriet and Sophie when they become stranded with their families in Heathrow's Terminal 5. Each woman has her own reason for really really really needing the family holiday they've anticipated for months. But Iceland's volcano has other plans for them. When their flights are cancelled, the families swap houses and discover that sometimes the best things in life happen close to home.

This ash cloud has a silver lining, even if no one can quite see it yet.

For fans of Sarah Morgan, Veronica Henry and Sue Moorcroft.

'A lighthearted funny read about two very different families who meet at Heathrow airport when their holidays abroad are cancelled due to the ash cloud!' netgalley reviewer

'This is a great book because it has allowed me to switch off from everything that's going on and be lost in the pages.' netgalley reviewer

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  1. Print length
    253 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Trapeze
  5. Publication date
    June 1, 2020
  6. File size
    2243 KB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

Review

It offered me the escape I needed!―Holly Martin

Perfect summer reading!―Bella Osborne

A light-hearted - and big-hearted - comedy to lose yourself in.―Matt Dunn

About the Author

Michele is a USA Today bestselling author and has sold more than 450,000 copies globally across all formats, with seven novels published by Penguin Random House and HarperCollins. She was born in the US and now makes London home, writing comedies under her own name and cosy rom-coms as Lilly Bartlett.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B082HJK9JP
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Trapeze (June 1, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 1, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2243 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 253 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 510 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Michele Gorman

Michele Gorman

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Michele writes comedies packed with lots of heart, best friends and girl power. She is both a Sunday Times and a USA Today bestselling author, raised in the US and living in London.

Michele also writes cozy comedies under the pen-name Lilly Bartlett. Lilly’s books are full of warmth, quirky characters and guaranteed happily-ever-afters.

BE SURE YOU DON'T MISS MICHELE'S NEXT BOOK. Copy and paste this link into your browser: http://eepurl.com/dr5RGX and sign up for her newsletter (only around 3 per year) to get the chance to read her books FOR FREE before they are published!

Instagram: @michelegormanuk

Twitter:@MicheleGormanUK

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MicheleGormanBooks

Blog: www.michelegormanwriter.blogspot.com

Website: www.michelegorman.co.uk

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
510 global ratings
Cute and funny summer read
4 Stars
Cute and funny summer read
⭐⭐⭐💫/5⁣⁣Thank you to @michelegormanuk and @orionbooks for sending me a free e-arc to read and review. All opinions are my own. This book is out now!⁣⁣The Staycation was a ironic book to read right now! Two families are at the airport waiting to go to their vacation in Italy. Mother nature on the other hand says NOPE, and a big volcanic ash cloud cancels the flights. Harriet and Sophie meet at this airport and decide to not let this ruin their families vacations! So, they swap houses - city vs the country. ⁣⁣Cue some funny scenes - there is a python in one of the houses, one woman gets some really interesting spa treatments - there are some amusing moments in this book! On the other side, this book does have some more heart and depth to it. Each woman is struggling with their husbands - the growth and realization is awesome to see by the end of the book. I will say that Dan had me so angry throughout the whole book, which was the point. But dang, he was a terrible person. I also enjoyed that Harriet and Sophie become friends and helped support one another! ⁣⁣Overall, a cute book and would recommend as a summer read. Has some funny moments but also touches on some deeper topics like infidelity, mental illness, autism, and abusive power. ⁣
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Top reviews from the United States

Donna Olcavage
5.0 out of 5 stars Starvation was so fun
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
Loved the story and the ending. Wish I had gone on a Staycation like that! The OCD person, Harriet, sounded perfect with all the ideocinctrities that comes with it. I will read another of Michele's books next!
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Sara Steven
4.0 out of 5 stars Unique and Fun!
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2020
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The Staycation presented with a really unique story idea, and at the perfect time too, considering most of us are finding it hard to travel or go on any vacations right now. We can live vicariously through the two main characters, Harriet and Sophie, who find themselves dealing with cancelled vacation plans. This is where the “unique” comes into play; instead of chucking it all, the two decide to trade houses instead, giving each other’s families a well-deserved vacation.

Harriet and Sophie are the classic Odd Couple. Harriet is incredibly organized and believes that everything in her life has its place, including her children and her husband. Sophie is haphazard and does not believe in an orderly life, which is showcased heavily when Harriet’s family moves into her chaotic and messy world. I love how there is such a strong contrast between the two, yet much like The Odd Couple, it works. We begin to see a potential budding friendship while both women deal with some truly inventive scenarios, like missing snakes and uncomfortable awkward massages, or squatter stranger teenagers who throw parties. We see that their personalities begin to rub off on one another, for the better, or possibly for the worst.

There are plenty of comedic moments, yet there are serious moments, too. In taking a break from normalcy, both women see the cracks in their relationships with those closest to them. I thought for sure I knew what was going on where their marriages are concerned, but I soon discovered that my ideas and opinions on how things might end up couldn’t be further from how it eventually plays out. In getting away, it becomes more than just a family vacation. It seems to be a moment in time where they discover clarity, having the opportunity to see their lives for what it really is.

The thought of switching homes with strangers sounds a little off the beaten path for me- maybe I’m more the Harriet instead of a Sophie-but it got me thinking on what it would be like to switch homes with friends who live elsewhere, and it’s certainly something to think about and possibly entertain. Much like the synopsis states, a chance to get away and possibly discover sides to myself I’ve let lie dormant could very well become a silver lining that can’t quite be seen yet, much like what happens for Harriet, Sophie, and their families along the way. This was a fun, exciting, yet deeply touching story, a nice reprieve from the stressors and introverted lifestyles so many of us have been living as of late.
One person found this helpful
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Sandbassqueen
3.0 out of 5 stars Strong women characters
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2021
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Here is a contemporary tale of two couples that change households for a holiday one to the country and one to the city. Both female characters know they need a change in more ways than just locale. They are entirely different personalities, and yet they see something in the other that warrants examination. They need to find out what makes each act and react the way they do. So, the story really isn't about a vacation at all; it's about finding out who you are and who you want to be.
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Karen A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great, fun read!
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2020
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Creative premise with fun characters. Good banter and drama. I recommend this book and this author. A fun summer read!
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Books Of All Kinds
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent story and my favourite from this author so far
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2020
THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is an excellent story about the ups and downs of life and marriage, and how sometimes you can find yourself when you least expect it.

Harriet is determined that this holiday with her husband and teenage daughter will get them all back on track as a family, especially her marriage. She has everything planned down to the second, itineraries for every day, and contingency plans for anything that could possibly go wrong. But when an ash cloud shuts down all of the flights, Harriet finds herself swapping homes with a fellow traveller, Sophie, who seems to have the perfect family and a husband who cares for her deeply. Harriet hopes that some of it will rub off on her family.
Sophie is so happy that Dan is willing to take time off to take care of her and the kids. Yes, Italy would have been lovely, but she is just as excited when she gets the chance to house swap with Harriet, and experience life in a country cottage. As Sophie really relaxes for the first time and begins a friendship with Harriet over the phone, she realises that Dan is working and being bossy just as much as usual. Only Sophie is beginning to rail against the idea that she cannot do anything for herself and as she begins to feel like her old self, will she view her marriage differently?

Compelling, engaging, current, and with characters that feel like friends, THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is a wonderful novel that gripped me from the very beginning. Harriet is very direct and controlled but I could see how much she loved her family even though she knows she drives them crazy. Sophie was my favourite, a strong and intelligent woman who had lost control over her own life and lost the spark that made her unique, and it was lovely to watch her come into her own. The country setting was my favourite and the type of place that I would love to live but it was fun to see city living too.
​
THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is my favourite book from this author so far and I look forward to more.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
I can't think of a book I've enjoyed more than this. The two main female characters are awesome , James is adorable and Dan is a bully and the storyline draws you right in. Not without a good dose of humour, this book is fantastic.
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Leah
4.0 out of 5 stars Stay at home and read this
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 3, 2020
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Michele Gorman is one of my favourite authors – she’s been on the book scene for so long now, pretty much since I started book blogging originally (over 10 years now!) and she always produces the goods. Knowing she has two new books out this year made me super happy, especially since I’m only just getting back into the book blogging scene. The first one is The Staycation (aka this one!), and she has The Wedding Favour coming out in a couple weeks under her pen-name of Lilly Bartlett. (I have OBVIOUSLY) pre-ordered it.

The Staycation is a fascinating read, Harriet and Sophie and entirely different entities on the personality spectrum. Harriet is forthright and likes to have a plan and know how her life is going, whereas Sophie pretty much lets her husband Dan tell her what she needs/wants/should do. So when they do a The Holiday-style house swap, after an ash cloud ruins their trips to Italy, it seems like the perfect way for both families to still get a holiday of some kind, even if it is still in the UK.

I actually thought The Staycation was set in 2010, when the original ash cloud occurred, but it was merely a plot device for the families to not get to their intended destination of Italy. I quite liked the idea of the throwback, but it was actually set (presumably) in present day as they reference the original (real) ash cloud. I love the idea of doing a house swap with someone, which is I suppose what the concept or AirBNB is, but not having used it, I don’t know for sure. Like, there’s the worry that you’d be super aware it isn’t your house and so I’d feel anxious/uncomfortable the whole time, but in theory? I love the idea! Especially if it’s a house swap somewhere I haven’t been (ie. Harriet’s family go to London and Sophie’s family go to the countryside).

Harriet was such an interesting character, she’s hard to love, I won’t lie because she’s so regimented in everything she does; she calculates everything down to a T. Like, I’m genuinely surprised she didn’t schedule in bathroom breaks. It’s all very Sheldon Cooper-esque, although she does say she isn’t on the spectrum, and she probably isn’t, it’s probably more so a form on anxiety/control. Nothing can go wrong if every single second is accounted for, although that doesn’t leave her open for unforeseen circumstances (like ash clouds).

On the other hand, Sophie is laid back. Honestly, she comes off as quite simple at first – very unaware/naive. Leaving a lot of decisions to Dan, not really owning her own life. But I actually really warmed to her once she started to realise everything that was going on around her. Her transformation from a meek little mouse, who wouldn’t say boo to a goose to someone who sticks up for herself and has a backbone was the best part of the novel for me. It was slow little realisations, slow little changes that made her realise that, actually, she COULD do things for herself, she could stand up to Dan, her husband, and the world wouldn’t end (although he would be slighted, typical alpha male behaviour).

I will say, there are a few “eeek” moments in the novel. There’s a massive point of contention between Harriet and her daughter Billie that was borderline homophobic. Personally, I’d have re-written that entire thing. I can understand shock and confusion, but the blatant homophobia (“she doesn’t look gay”) made me cringe. I understand Gorman wanted something to spin Harriet’s world out of control, but her daughter’s sexuality was the wrong thing for that to be (imo). There was also a line, I think about Harriet, being “woke” and, again, I would have edited that out or used a different word. On the one hand, Chick Lit does not feature gay or lesbian romances as a whole, unless it’s the token gay best friend, so I appreciate that Gorman included Billie’s sexuality, but to use it for a cheap plot point made it cheap/rote.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Staycation, had everything above been edited out/changed this would have been an incredible read, but the slight homophobia kind of put a dampener on the novel for me, personally. I still enjoyed it, it was a fab little read, and I really liked the contrast of Sophie and Harriet’s characters, I never thought I’d warm to Harriet, but I did. Because I kind of understood her mind-set. And Sophie’s too. Sophie was a darling and I just wanted to hug her and make everything okay, because I can’t imagine spending years with someone who wants to control your every move and makes you feel like a child. Like, at the beginning, I thought it was cute how Dan called Sophie a silly bean, because it seemed like a term of endearment, but for every time he used it, it became clear it was used to patronise/condescend towards Sophie and that made me angry.

I’m so excited for Michele’s Lilly Bartlett offering in a couple of weeks, I really enjoyed The Staycation, it was a very apt novel for our times at the moment, where everyone is stuck at home!
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Mr. Kieran Bassett
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2020
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While this book is funny there is also a very serious back story to it which I loved. Two friends brought together from simply missing a flight. It’s a ,just read
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable summer read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2020
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Really lovely, down to earth book. Relatable characters. Light read that is perfect for summer, especially during a covid 19 staycation
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karen sheen
3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoying
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
Really enjoyed this story line
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