The New Friends
- Downloads：1613
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-12-19 21:21:30
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Daniel Hurst
- ISBN：B09N3SSFH1
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
They are fun， wealthy， fabulous。 Pray you never meet them。
Becky and Jamie are an ordinary hard-working couple trapped in the daily grind， dreaming of an easier life。 On one of their rare vacations， they meet a wealthy couple， Phil and Mel， who seem to have it all – they are fun， well travelled， and very generous with their money。
But they are also very， very dangerous。
Because Phil and Mel are not who they say they are。 And this is no random vacation friendship， they have chosen Jamie and Becky carefully， seducing them with the promise of a lifestyle just like theirs。
By the time Jamie and Becky realise what their new friends really want， it’s too late， they’ve lost everything， their hopes and dreams lie shattered。
The only question now is how far will they go to get even？
The New Friends – the stunning psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Passenger， The Boyfriend， The Promotion。
Becky and Jamie are an ordinary hard-working couple trapped in the daily grind， dreaming of an easier life。 On one of their rare vacations， they meet a wealthy couple， Phil and Mel， who seem to have it all – they are fun， well travelled， and very generous with their money。
But they are also very， very dangerous。
Because Phil and Mel are not who they say they are。 And this is no random vacation friendship， they have chosen Jamie and Becky carefully， seducing them with the promise of a lifestyle just like theirs。
By the time Jamie and Becky realise what their new friends really want， it’s too late， they’ve lost everything， their hopes and dreams lie shattered。
The only question now is how far will they go to get even？
The New Friends – the stunning psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Passenger， The Boyfriend， The Promotion。
Reviews
Amanda
，
I have been a fan of Daniel’s work for a little while。 I have read a couple of his books but I have a fair few still to read， which I intend to do when I have the time。 I read the synopsis for ‘The New Friends’ and it certainly sounded like my kind of read – a psychological thriller with a twist or two。 I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The New Friends’ but more about that in a bit。I was drawn into ‘The New Friends’ from the synopsis alone and the story within the book’s covers sealed the deal as it I have been a fan of Daniel’s work for a little while。 I have read a couple of his books but I have a fair few still to read， which I intend to do when I have the time。 I read the synopsis for ‘The New Friends’ and it certainly sounded like my kind of read – a psychological thriller with a twist or two。 I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The New Friends’ but more about that in a bit。I was drawn into ‘The New Friends’ from the synopsis alone and the story within the book’s covers sealed the deal as it were。 It was as if the story developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break。 I had my own theories as to what was going to happen and I had to keep reading to see if I was on the right track or whether I had wandered down the wrong path altogether。 To say that reading ‘The New Friends’ became addictive is a bit of an understatement。 I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I would become so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters， that I would still be sat there reading several chapters and an hour later。 The more of the book that I read， the more of the book that I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn。 All too quickly I reached the end of ‘The New Friends’。 I found ‘The New Friends’ to be a tense， gripping and dramatic read， which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat。‘The New Friends’ is extremely well written but then I think that to be true of Daniel’s books in general。 Daniel has an easy going writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with。 He certainly knows how to grab your attention and draw you into what proves to be a compelling story。 The story hits the ground running and maintains a fairly steady pace。 The story is told in the form of chapters from the viewpoints of the four main characters。 The chapters interlink well and the story flows seamlessly as a result。 Reading ‘The New Friends’ felt like being on at times scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way。 I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Daniel’s very vivid and realistic storytelling。In short， I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The New Friends’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers。 I will certainly be reading more of Daniel’s work in the future。 The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*。 。。。more
Charlotte Baddeley
，
What a gripping read。 I read this more or less in one session， only stopping for a few hours sleep before picking it up next morning。 I loved the fact that it was written from the four main protagonist’s point of view。 This really fleshed them out as characters and certainly added to my enjoyment， as you waited to see how on earth this was all going to pan out。 It is easy to judge with hindsight and some might say Becky and Jamie should not have been so naïve but how many of us have not wished f What a gripping read。 I read this more or less in one session， only stopping for a few hours sleep before picking it up next morning。 I loved the fact that it was written from the four main protagonist’s point of view。 This really fleshed them out as characters and certainly added to my enjoyment， as you waited to see how on earth this was all going to pan out。 It is easy to judge with hindsight and some might say Becky and Jamie should not have been so naïve but how many of us have not wished for a lottery win or a successful investment to improve our lifestyle。 Becky and Jamie come across as really sympathetic characters and I was rooting for them all the way。 On the other hand Phil has no redeeming features and I couldn’t wait to see if he got his comeuppance。 Mel was a much more complicated character and I worried what would happen to her （with good reason）。 Of course， nothing in life is ever simple， as proves to be the case here as Becky and Jamie attempt their revenge which makes for a cliff hanger of an end。This is the third Daniel Hurst book I have read and really enjoyed。 I’m looking forward to his next。 。。。more
Louise Mullins
，
A scarily believable thriller full of twists and unexpected revelations。'I love Hurst's work， because he draws upon our fears and the dynamics of family and friendship to create unique， absorbing fiction。 A scarily believable thriller full of twists and unexpected revelations。'I love Hurst's work， because he draws upon our fears and the dynamics of family and friendship to create unique， absorbing fiction。 。。。more
Christine Abruzzi
，
Enjoyable storyI gave this a 5 star rating because it was a good story that I really enjoyed reading however I do want anyone looking for a "gripping psychological thriller"， to know that this book is not either of those things。 Jaime and Becky are a married couple， working low paying jobs who scrape together enough money to go on an inexpensive holiday and end up losing every pound they have ever saved to scammers。 They find they are angry enough to fight to get their money back， no matter what Enjoyable storyI gave this a 5 star rating because it was a good story that I really enjoyed reading however I do want anyone looking for a "gripping psychological thriller"， to know that this book is not either of those things。 Jaime and Becky are a married couple， working low paying jobs who scrape together enough money to go on an inexpensive holiday and end up losing every pound they have ever saved to scammers。 They find they are angry enough to fight to get their money back， no matter what they have to do。 Really interesting story that I recommend to everyone that enjoys reading ！ 。。。more
Petra Be
，
I didn't like this book。 It's so repetitive that it borders on obsession。 Everything gets repeated over and over again。 Everything is explained as if readers are considered of very low intelligence， with no possibility of drawing their own conclusions。。。 Also the characters all "sound" the same （It is told from 4 points of view so the reader actually knows what is going to happen all the time。） so sometimes it is impossible to distinguish who is talking。 Also that's why a lot of stuff gets repea I didn't like this book。 It's so repetitive that it borders on obsession。 Everything gets repeated over and over again。 Everything is explained as if readers are considered of very low intelligence， with no possibility of drawing their own conclusions。。。 Also the characters all "sound" the same （It is told from 4 points of view so the reader actually knows what is going to happen all the time。） so sometimes it is impossible to distinguish who is talking。 Also that's why a lot of stuff gets repeated again and again。And when Jamie was so unsure what to text back to Phil when he wanted to meet him， it was like he was asking a girl for a date！！！ Seriously？？？ It's not very likely that I'll read another book by this author。 。。。more
Sue Wallace
，
The new friends by Daniel Hurst。Jamie and Becky are on holiday when they meet Phil and Mel。 But Phil and Mel are not who they say they are。 I thoroughly enjoyed this book。 Read In one sitting。 I liked Jamie and Becky Mel grew on me but I didn't like Phil at all。 Didn't like Zara either。 I loved the ending。 5*。 The new friends by Daniel Hurst。Jamie and Becky are on holiday when they meet Phil and Mel。 But Phil and Mel are not who they say they are。 I thoroughly enjoyed this book。 Read In one sitting。 I liked Jamie and Becky Mel grew on me but I didn't like Phil at all。 Didn't like Zara either。 I loved the ending。 5*。 。。。more
Hazel
，
My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Inkubator Books for the electronic copy。This is an OK read - something to pass the time on a holiday flight。 There are no real surprises。Becky and Jamie are on a 5 night holiday at a three star hotel in Southern Spain。 They're an ordinary couple on a budget。 On the last night of their holiday Jamie encourages Becky to go into the town to celebrate; this is where they meet up with Mel and Phil - they are generous， fun， and already retired despite their youngis My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Inkubator Books for the electronic copy。This is an OK read - something to pass the time on a holiday flight。 There are no real surprises。Becky and Jamie are on a 5 night holiday at a three star hotel in Southern Spain。 They're an ordinary couple on a budget。 On the last night of their holiday Jamie encourages Becky to go into the town to celebrate; this is where they meet up with Mel and Phil - they are generous， fun， and already retired despite their youngish ages。 Like many holiday couples， they exchange contact information。When Jamie returns home he's unsettled - he wants the secret to Phll's monetary success and arranges for their new friends to spend a weekend with them。But， gaining that secret leads to disaster。 Yes， it's all a con （this isn't a spoiler because the "plot" is transparent throughout）。 。。。more
Stina
，
★★★★★ 4。5 stars （rounded up）This is the first book by Daniel Hurst I have read and I was not disappointed。 Whilst I had read the premise to begin with and it sounded intriguing， sometimes it doesn't always live up to the hype。 But in this case， I'm glad to say that it most certainly did。 Oh my goodness， it was a fast paced thriller of a different kind that held my attention throughout。It's been said that if it's too good to be true then it usually is。 Such is the case in this gripping thriller T ★★★★★ 4。5 stars （rounded up）This is the first book by Daniel Hurst I have read and I was not disappointed。 Whilst I had read the premise to begin with and it sounded intriguing， sometimes it doesn't always live up to the hype。 But in this case， I'm glad to say that it most certainly did。 Oh my goodness， it was a fast paced thriller of a different kind that held my attention throughout。It's been said that if it's too good to be true then it usually is。 Such is the case in this gripping thriller THE NEW FRIENDS。Thirtysomething couple Becky and Jamie have been married for ten years and after the daily grind of everyday life， they decided they deserved a short holiday abroad in Spain for five days， post-peak season for a cheaper rate。 Becky is a teaching assistant and Jamie is a warehouse worker and while they are not flush with money， the both earn a modest income。 This holiday comes as a well-earned and well-deserved break for the couple as they lap up the sunshine before heading back to the bleak and miserable British weather of northern England。 Five days of pretending they can afford holidays like these more often than not before returning to the daily grind。On their last night in Spain， Jamie begs Becky for a night out in town before flying out in the morning and while she was reluctant to spend their last one hundred euros on extravagances they could barely afford， Becky agreed that it would be nice to treat themselves。 How they would live to regret that last night out to come。。。They instantly attract the attention of another couple， Phil and Mel， seemingly on holiday and the foursome soon strike up a conversation together sharing in the champagne that Phil has flowing on tap。 The couples click immediately and before the night is over， they exchange phone numbers and plans to keep in touch upon returning to England。Before they have even touched down in Britain， Jamie is languishing over the stories Phil regaled them with of their lavish lifestyle all over the world。 Somehow his modest warehousing job seems to pale in significance and despite his stash of secret savings he's set aside for when they start a family， Jamie cannot help but be a little envious that he has to return to a mundane job to earn a modest living while their new friends have all but retired and live a life of luxury。。。all because of some wise investments Phil had made when working in the finance world。 It isn't long before a message from Phil stirs that longing in Jamie once again and soon they organise a weekend get together at their modest home where they will play host to their new friends。 As soon as Phil and Mel arrive， Jamie and Becky cannot help but notice the stylish sports car they have arrived in。。。and compare it to their outdated barely roadworthy car。 But Phil is quick to reassure Jamie that he has a good life with a beautiful wife in a lovely house。Over dinner as Phil regales them with stories of his time in the finance world， Jamie and Becky cannot help but be seduced by the lavish lifestyle their new friends appear to enjoy in their early retirement。 And while he was always happy with what they had before， now that they have seen how the other half live， that is Phil and Mel， Jamie wants a taste of that too。 I mean， who wants to work hard for such little reward？ That opportunity comes when Phil invites Jamie out for a sneaky cigar。Excited by the ideas flowing through his mind， Jamie cannot wait to share them with Becky but is deflated when she doesn't seem to share his excitement。 In fact， Becky is reluctant to take the step that could lead them down the same path as Phil and Mel。 It's risky， but the higher the risk the higher the return， right？ Becky's not so sure。 Especially as Mel didn't appear to be very happy and she isn't sure that all is as rosy as Phil claims。If only they knew。。。The new friends the young couple made on their modest holiday aren't who they thought they were。Phil and Mel are accomplished at what they do so when they spot Jamie and Becky， a couple of modest means with ambitious dreams， the deceptive couple soon insinuate themselves into Becky and Jamie's lives just long enough to relinquish them of their hard earned savings。。。every last penny。 Mission accomplished。THE NEW FRIENDS is a dark and suspenseful read with a disturbing truth woven into its plot。 Just how easily it is to fall under the spell of seemingly genuine "friends" and while Becky and Jamie may seem a little naive， I think its safe to say that the onus is on those pulling the con and how incredibly clever they are。 Otherwise they wouldn't get away with what they do， would they？ What I especially love about this book， besides its steady pace throughout and its engaging style， is the fact that we get the story from the perspectives of all four players - Becky， Jamie， Phil and Mel。 And although we are privy to the con from the onset it doesn't detract the level of heartpounding tension that fills us as we devour every last scrap of the story。 The way it is written we are meant to sympathise not only with Becky and Jamie but also Mel。。。and it is cleverly done。THE NEW FRIENDS moves along at such a steady pace that it is indeed a quick read that I could have easily devoured in one sitting。。。had it not been for the need to sleep in between。 I was so absorbed in the story I just couldn't wait to see how it all panned out。THE NEW FRIENDS is such a unique thriller I cannot compare it to any other， but if you like your thrillers different， pacy and engaging then give this one a go！I would like to thank #DanielHurst， #Netgalley， #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheNewFriends in exchange for an honest review。This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic。blogspot。com/。 。。。more
Donna
，
New FriendsA couple on vacation meet another couple who are the same age but retired。 Or so they say。 There is a plan to scam them。I will read anything by Daniel Hurst。 He never disappoints。 Is it great literature？ No。 Is it entertaining？ Absolutely！ Five stars！
Ashley Sickora
，
First I like the cover of this book！ I can't say what it is but it stands out for me！ It's well written with a writing style that is engaging for the reader！ The premise of the book is realistic which goes with helping you relate to the characters！ Also with multiple point of views you are able to get to know them even better！ I would have to say Becky was my favorite！ The pace of the book was a comfortable pace for me！ Overall it was a fun & enjoyable read！ Happy reading everyone！ First I like the cover of this book！ I can't say what it is but it stands out for me！ It's well written with a writing style that is engaging for the reader！ The premise of the book is realistic which goes with helping you relate to the characters！ Also with multiple point of views you are able to get to know them even better！ I would have to say Becky was my favorite！ The pace of the book was a comfortable pace for me！ Overall it was a fun & enjoyable read！ Happy reading everyone！ 。。。more
Francesca
，
*I read this book in advance on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*'The New Friends' follows Jamie and Becky， a couple who get to enjoy a well-earned holiday in the sun。 However things don't go to plan， and they find themselves embroiled in a scheme to steal their money by a devious couple。This book definitely plays on a very real-life fear that I'm sure many people experience; meeting strangers abroad who appear friendly and generous， but who actually are preying on you all along。 It's *I read this book in advance on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*'The New Friends' follows Jamie and Becky， a couple who get to enjoy a well-earned holiday in the sun。 However things don't go to plan， and they find themselves embroiled in a scheme to steal their money by a devious couple。This book definitely plays on a very real-life fear that I'm sure many people experience; meeting strangers abroad who appear friendly and generous， but who actually are preying on you all along。 It's a believable premise and you definitely empathise with the protagonists as they go through their ordeal。However， I find that this book could have done with a few more edit sweeps and a little more refined style。 Daniel Hurst， while talented simply for being able to write so many books in a short space of time， definitely needs to slow down while writing his stories and letting the plot unfold more naturally。 Each chapter is in a different character's point of view; we even get the POV's of the antagonists， so this means the reader knows exactly what's going to happen before it does。 Most of the chapters are the character's inner monologue where they describe what's happened to them， what they think about it， and what they think will happen next （which almost always does）。 This means that we get a 360-degree view of events at all times， and events are recapped and foretold pretty much constantly。 This kind of stream-of-consciousness can certainly work but here it does feel like you're reading the same scene over and over。 The main antagonist is also rather cartoonish at times （there is even the line "as if there is anything in the world more important than money" at one point）。 I wish there were fewer chapters in their POV so that they have a more sinister presence。 All in all I think it is a good effort， and quick and easy to read， but the plot was predictable and the characters fairly bland。 。。。more
Claudete Takahashi
，
The New Friends is the sort of story that really makes you think about people and what they might do。 Sometimes people may do despicable actions in order to acquire material things without having to put too much effort into working。 The plot in this story is just about this， how one human being can profit from the other without any remorse on how it will affect everybody's lives。 It's mean， wrong， and pitiful， and deserves the ending that is shown in the book。I received a free copy of this book The New Friends is the sort of story that really makes you think about people and what they might do。 Sometimes people may do despicable actions in order to acquire material things without having to put too much effort into working。 The plot in this story is just about this， how one human being can profit from the other without any remorse on how it will affect everybody's lives。 It's mean， wrong， and pitiful， and deserves the ending that is shown in the book。I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review。 。。。more
Sarah
，
Superb book that kept me on the edge of my seat。A proper page turner with plenty of twists and turns。Full of jaw dropping moments that made my eyes pop and my heart beat faster。Highly recommended 5 stars from me
ally’s reading corner
，
This was such an incredible read， I think I resonated with this story more because the main characters lived locally。 Knowing the area a book is written in does make me a little bit excited。This was a story fuelled by lies and deceit。 Making friends as an adult is always hard， you have lived life experiences and have no doubt been burned along the way and trust is never easy – this book shows exactly why you shouldn’t just let your guard down and trust people with you life soon after meeting the This was such an incredible read， I think I resonated with this story more because the main characters lived locally。 Knowing the area a book is written in does make me a little bit excited。This was a story fuelled by lies and deceit。 Making friends as an adult is always hard， you have lived life experiences and have no doubt been burned along the way and trust is never easy – this book shows exactly why you shouldn’t just let your guard down and trust people with you life soon after meeting them。As someone who is lacking friends， this book definitely makes me think twice about trying to peruse friendships。This is a gripping， thriller with some amazingly written characters， even the antagonist you love to hate and he is probably one of the most EVIL characters I have met。Keep your guard up， while you are reading this one！！ You will not know who to trust。 。。。more
Kristi
，
They are fun， wealthy， fabulous。 Pray you never meet themA quick read yet so much story in the pages。 A thrilling read with suspense， intrigue， mystery and twists and turns that keep you sitting on the edge of your seat while you're glued to the pages。 This one will make you think twice about making new friends with people you know nothing about。I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review。 They are fun， wealthy， fabulous。 Pray you never meet themA quick read yet so much story in the pages。 A thrilling read with suspense， intrigue， mystery and twists and turns that keep you sitting on the edge of your seat while you're glued to the pages。 This one will make you think twice about making new friends with people you know nothing about。I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review。 。。。more
Karen
，
The New Friends by Daniel HurstMY REVIEWThis book tells the story of an ordinary couple called Becky and Jamie， who go on holiday to Spain and end up chatting to a couple called Phil and Mel。 Thinking they have found some lovely new friends， they agree to meet up back in England after their holiday。 But are Phil and Mel what they seem？This is a fast read， as you want to find out what happens。 It has quite a few twists in， so just as you think you know where it’s heading， it changes direction。 I The New Friends by Daniel HurstMY REVIEWThis book tells the story of an ordinary couple called Becky and Jamie， who go on holiday to Spain and end up chatting to a couple called Phil and Mel。 Thinking they have found some lovely new friends， they agree to meet up back in England after their holiday。 But are Phil and Mel what they seem？This is a fast read， as you want to find out what happens。 It has quite a few twists in， so just as you think you know where it’s heading， it changes direction。 I enjoyed reading it and really cared about Becky and Jamie and what was going to happen to them。Phil and Mel are very interesting characters too and I wanted to understand their motivations behind their actions， and this was explained well in the novel， so it all seemed very believable。 The chapters are told from the perspectives of the main characters， so you have a chance to see the situation through their eyes， which is a very good storytelling device too。 8 out of 10 。。。more
Vicky Chapman
，
Thanks to netgalley and Inkubator for the advanced ebook to review。A fairly quick read。 I didn't particularly warm to any of the characters。 It's more of a reminder that it's not just the elderly that get conned。 Thanks to netgalley and Inkubator for the advanced ebook to review。A fairly quick read。 I didn't particularly warm to any of the characters。 It's more of a reminder that it's not just the elderly that get conned。 。。。more
Katie Belle
，
New Friends has me questioning if I ever want to make friends again… Spine tingling and fast paced。。 I am almost speechless at how good this book makes me consider a stranger’s motives？ A quick read that leaves the reader breathless。。
Cynthia Rodrigues
，
Read Full & Detailed review: https://cynthology。blogspot。com/2021/。。。The Prologue warns us about a couple’s new friends who turn out to betray them in the worst way。British couple Becky and Jamie， who’ve been married for ten years， go off on a short budget holiday in the off-season to Spain。 There they meet fellow Brits， Phil and Mel， who live a charming lifestyle， having retired after making some savvy financial investments。 Jamie is intrigued and wants to know more so he and Becky can also set Read Full & Detailed review: https://cynthology。blogspot。com/2021/。。。The Prologue warns us about a couple’s new friends who turn out to betray them in the worst way。British couple Becky and Jamie， who’ve been married for ten years， go off on a short budget holiday in the off-season to Spain。 There they meet fellow Brits， Phil and Mel， who live a charming lifestyle， having retired after making some savvy financial investments。 Jamie is intrigued and wants to know more so he and Becky can also set their financial troubles aside and plan for a baby。Becky and Jamie are working class people who enjoy their lives but hope for better days。 They will learn soon that not all friends have your best interests at heart。 The book， written in the first person present tense PoVs of Becky， Jamie， Mel and Phil， is a quick read。There are 46 chapters， with the perspective shifting in each chapter from one character to another， moving the story along and keeping us engaged。 Unfortunately， each perspective is firmly mired in long narration and indirect speech。There’s a big lesson here on being wary of scamsters and of get-rich-quick schemes。 I found Becky and Jamie very naïve。 Neither one bothered looking Phil or Mel up on social media， or even asking for their full names， falling for their lines completely。 Also， it was odd that Jamie would transfer money to another person rather than opting to invest in stocks in his own name。I began to warm more to Mel than even to Jamie or Becky。 She was in a conflict situation， willing to make a huge change in her life but unable to。This is the second Daniel Hurst book I’ve read， the first being The Promotion。 The style of writing is very similar。 Both plots were interesting， but I felt let down by the long passages of indirect narration。 Dialogue is brief， and all the action is swallowed up by the indirect narration。 Also， none of the characters have surnames， which I find annoying。The repeated foreshadowing becomes a drone when it comes once too often。 。。。more
Heather
，
This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Inkubator Books and #NetGalley for my honest opinion。 Opinions expressed are completely my own。 I found this to be a fun of the mill thriller， it didn’t disappoint though。
Kimberly Sullivan
，
Hmmm… I read this novel （quite literally） thinking I was going to be reading an entirely different book。 The publishers seem to have mistakenly placed a blurb from a completely different novel， by an entirely different author， on NetGalley。So， I can honestly say I was confused when I began reading a story that did not at all match the book description。 Furthermore， it probably isn’t a book I would have chosen to pick up had the description matched the actual content。 That said， I did read the fu Hmmm… I read this novel （quite literally） thinking I was going to be reading an entirely different book。 The publishers seem to have mistakenly placed a blurb from a completely different novel， by an entirely different author， on NetGalley。So， I can honestly say I was confused when I began reading a story that did not at all match the book description。 Furthermore， it probably isn’t a book I would have chosen to pick up had the description matched the actual content。 That said， I did read the full novel and somewhat enjoyed the story and the writing。This novel， set primarily in northern England， presents the story of a con-artist couple and their victims。 Told through the alternating perspectives of all four directly involved in the con， it fully fleshes out Phil and Mel， who have been preying on unsuspecting victims for years， befriending gullible working class couples strapped for cash， and primed to accept a get-rich-quick investment scam from their new “friends”。Jamie and Becky are one such struggling couple。 Eager to start a family and hoping to grow their modest nest egg， they fall hook， line and sinker for an offer to invest their savings。In the end， while not my usual genre， it was still interesting to read an entirely different novel than what I normally read。 While not as layered as stories I generally enjoy， there were fairly well-fleshed out characters and the story and pacing keep the novel moving along。Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel， in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Cathylynn
，
I related to Becky and Jamie and the life they led and taking a break from their lives and work。 They were a great couple and I could feel for their lives。 The night they meet another couple， Phil and Mel it changes everything。 I could not put this book down， it was another into the night reading。 Then still could not sleep trying to process everything that had happened。 Great story。I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review。
J_Mc 251
，
The New Friends is an engaging thriller that serves as a cautionary tale: be careful of who you befriend – especially while on vacation。 While it is a good rule of thumb to follow， it feels like it is a little too simplistic in the telling of the actual story。 The setup of the story is excellent。 Jamie and Becky are “every people” and therefore relatable。 The blurb gives you a good idea of how that works out for them。 Everybody wants something in this book， and there are more character parallels The New Friends is an engaging thriller that serves as a cautionary tale: be careful of who you befriend – especially while on vacation。 While it is a good rule of thumb to follow， it feels like it is a little too simplistic in the telling of the actual story。 The setup of the story is excellent。 Jamie and Becky are “every people” and therefore relatable。 The blurb gives you a good idea of how that works out for them。 Everybody wants something in this book， and there are more character parallels than meets the eye。 The second half of the book felt rushed。 There is not a lot of character motivation， especially for Mel。 And as the plot reaches its climax it falls flat instead of being pulse-pounding。 This is largely because the author chooses to tell the reader what occurred instead of letting the reader experience it with the characters。 Too much narration。 However， it was still decent。 For more details， please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks。 This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Inkubator Books。 。。。more
Riddhi。
，
Special thanks to NetGalley for sharing this free digital copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts。Phew！ That was a heavy read。Becky and Jamie lead a simple life in a small town in England。 They decide to go to Spain on a budget holiday， where they meet another British couple。 Jamie is fascinated by their lifestyle and wealth。 He too wants a taste of it。 But Phil and Mel are not the sweet and friendly couple they seem on the surface。 You know what they say， "Be careful what you wish for"。 Special thanks to NetGalley for sharing this free digital copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts。Phew！ That was a heavy read。Becky and Jamie lead a simple life in a small town in England。 They decide to go to Spain on a budget holiday， where they meet another British couple。 Jamie is fascinated by their lifestyle and wealth。 He too wants a taste of it。 But Phil and Mel are not the sweet and friendly couple they seem on the surface。 You know what they say， "Be careful what you wish for"。This book is exceedingly dark， suspenseful， and disturbing， a true nail-biting read。 I definitely recommend it to the readers who love engaging， gripping， twisty plots！ It’s the best dark thriller I've read in a while。 The entire time I was reading this， I was terror-stricken but also extremely curious， all at the same time。 I still have so many questions spinning in my mind after reading this。 You know when you are watching a thriller/horror film， and you know something is about to happen and suddenly you just get hit by a lofty twist？ This book did the same to me。I loved this book way too much than I expected！ It never got boring， was quick-paced， and had played out deliciously。 The heart-pounding， tension-peak mind games dragged me mercilessly into the story。 Well done， Daniel Hurst！ 。。。more
Bookishdays
，
Becky and Jamie are a young couple， happily married， whom are having a good time in Spain， in their first holidays in three years， when they met another couple， very friendly。Instantly， the four of them became very closed and make plans to continue the friendship back home。This is the beginning of a nightmare， because Phil and Mel， the so-called friends， are not what they pretend to be。I liked this book because the story is told in different point of views。 We have Becky and Jamie as narrators， Becky and Jamie are a young couple， happily married， whom are having a good time in Spain， in their first holidays in three years， when they met another couple， very friendly。Instantly， the four of them became very closed and make plans to continue the friendship back home。This is the beginning of a nightmare， because Phil and Mel， the so-called friends， are not what they pretend to be。I liked this book because the story is told in different point of views。 We have Becky and Jamie as narrators， but also have Mel and Phil's perspective， which for me， added a thrill to the story。 I felt nervous， outraged and engaged till the last chapter。 I couldn't wait to know if justice was done。 I was so absorbed in the story that I read it in just one day and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a good combination of action and suspense。I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review。 。。。more
Billie
，
This is a brilliant read。Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start。Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable。Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously。Can't wait to read what the author brings out next。Recommend reading。I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review。 This is a brilliant read。Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start。Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable。Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously。Can't wait to read what the author brings out next。Recommend reading。I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review。 。。。more
Carrie Shields
，
𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳， 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘯𝘦， 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦， 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳。Told through alternating points of view， THE NEW FRIENDS is the story of Becky and Jamie， a hardworking couple who are able to enjoy a holiday by living frugally and watching every penny， even while on vacation。 On their last day at the hotel， they encounter Phil and Mel， a happy well-to-couple who invite Becky and Jamie to share a bottle 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳， 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘯𝘦， 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦， 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳。Told through alternating points of view， THE NEW FRIENDS is the story of Becky and Jamie， a hardworking couple who are able to enjoy a holiday by living frugally and watching every penny， even while on vacation。 On their last day at the hotel， they encounter Phil and Mel， a happy well-to-couple who invite Becky and Jamie to share a bottle of champagne with them。 Jamie is unhappy with his job at a warehouse and is envious of Phil's lavish spending。 When Jamie finds out that Phil is close to his age and already retired， he is consumed with jealousy。Mission accomplished。Becky and Jamie were targets。 A couple of modest means who dreams of having more。。。Phil and Mel can spot them a mile a way。 Soon the deceptive couple insinuates themselves into Becky and Jamie's lives for just long enough to clear out the savings Jamie had set aside so he and Becky could start a family。 Devastated， their dreams of having a family disappear overnight。。。until Mel contacts Becky with shocking news。The newest thriller from Daniel Hurst was a fun， enjoyable read。 I loved the alternating points of view， and the ending was quite satisfying。 Thank you to Inkubator Books for allowing me to read an early copy of this title。 。。。more
Janell Madison
，
"Great book！ Whenever we go on vacation， I may be a little suspicious of new friends！ Highly recommended， quick read， be careful—it could happen！"-Books and Pens on Green GablesBooks and Pens on Green Gables thoughts-This was the first book by Daniel Hurst I have read and it was great！ It never got dull， stayed fast-paced， realistic （unfortunately）， well-written， and a satisfying ending。 What could be better than that？ Highly recommended！ 5 stars！About The New Friends by Daniel Hurst- Jamie and "Great book！ Whenever we go on vacation， I may be a little suspicious of new friends！ Highly recommended， quick read， be careful—it could happen！"-Books and Pens on Green GablesBooks and Pens on Green Gables thoughts-This was the first book by Daniel Hurst I have read and it was great！ It never got dull， stayed fast-paced， realistic （unfortunately）， well-written， and a satisfying ending。 What could be better than that？ Highly recommended！ 5 stars！About The New Friends by Daniel Hurst- Jamie and Becky have saved for their vacation。 They work hard and save as much money as they can， but life is expensive！ They feel like vacations are a big luxury， but the time away is so rejuvenating， they get away as they can。 Jamie， a warehouse worker， and Becky， a teaching assistant， live a pretty frugal life and they both keep in mind their hope for a baby soon。 Without Becky knowing， Jamie has been saving for when they do start a family and he wants to surprise Becky about the money he has saved up。 On their last night of vacation， they decide to splurge and go out for drinks。 The table next to them is celebrating with champagne！ They invite Jamie and Becky to join them for a drink。 The four have a lot in common， except for one big thing。 Phil， around Jamie's age， is already retired！ He did well with investments and now he and Mel travel and enjoy an amazing life。 They have great time getting to know each other and really hit it off。 They share lots of laughs， and champagne！ Phil and Mel even invite them back to their extravagant hotel for one last drink。 As they say goodnight， they exchange phone numbers and hope to see each other again soon。 Phil and Mel， are not the fun loving new friends that Jamie and Becky think they are。 Instead， they carefully chose Jamie and Becky to join them for champagne that evening。 They also had a script they followed the whole evening to get Becky and Jamie feeling exactly as Phil wanted them to feel。 What will happen the next time they are together？ Will Phil proceed with his plan to destroy them-and why has Phil targeted this hard working young couple？ Will Jamie and Becky realize what is happening before it's too late？The New Friends is a great book！ Five stars！ Highly recommended！ I was given a copy to read and review。 Thank you！ 。。。more
marnie | once upon a time book reviews
，
It is easy to be seduced by someone's money and lifestyle when you struggle to make ends meet。 This is the case for Becky and James when they meet wealthy couple Phil and Mel whilst on vacation。 Unfortunately for Becky and James， their new friends have their own agenda and it is one that could just well destroy them。I did like the premise that this story offered and I normally don’t like to compare to other books the author has written， but I found this one lacked the excitement that I am normal It is easy to be seduced by someone's money and lifestyle when you struggle to make ends meet。 This is the case for Becky and James when they meet wealthy couple Phil and Mel whilst on vacation。 Unfortunately for Becky and James， their new friends have their own agenda and it is one that could just well destroy them。I did like the premise that this story offered and I normally don’t like to compare to other books the author has written， but I found this one lacked the excitement that I am normally used to from Hurst。 Everything was set up for it to be such a thrilling read， but after a strong start the deeper into the story I got， it just lost its momentum。 In saying that， the book cover is awesome， the writing is still engaging， the pace is fast， the characters are well developed and it is still worth a read if it appeals to you。Thank you to Daniel Hurst。 Inkubator Books and Booksprout for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The New Friends， which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily。Where you can find me 😊💻 Blog: bit。ly/3gR3io8👩🏫 Facebook: bit。ly/3gVeC2B🐤Twitter: bit。ly/3BQk2Dl📷 Instagram: bit。ly/3wSv0Gj📌 Pinterest: bit。ly/3vS2HGX📚 Goodreads: bit。ly/3wQxUM3 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The New Friends
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The New Friends&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The New Friends&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0