"The Break-Up Retreat" by Camilla Sten

 

The Break-Up Retreat by Camilla Sten is a slow-burn psychological thriller following Isobel Anderssen, a journalist determined to make a name for herself and show that she is nothing like her infamous father.

Isobel Anderssen has heard rumors about unethical practices and a missing woman at Himlafall Clinic, a Swedish wellness retreat promising to help women recover from heartbreak. Smelling a scoop, she goes there undercover to find out more and reveal the underhanded therapy techniques of Dr. Martina Hastings, the head of the psychological clinic, that led to the disappearance of a patient.

Among group and individual therapy sessions, she finds herself drawn to the charismatic doctor and her fellow women, while trying to get to the root of the issue. The more she digs, the clearer it becomes that something is rotten in the state of Denmark, or the clinic, in our case. The stakes get high when a storm hits and they lose electricity. Isobel quickly finds herself in over her head, caught in a perilous game that puts her life on the line.

Creepy, chilling, atmospheric, and haunting, this is a story that gets under your skin. After a slow opening, the story begins to take off. The Reddit and Instagram post interludes added another dimension to the tale. This is a story about mismanagement, abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, and fallible humans.

The story focuses on building dread rather than fast-paced action, and does so well. The last section had me holding my breath, and I found the ending satisfying. I liked Isobel and rooted for her, but found some of her actions hasty, not to mention foolish. There's a solid cast of supporting characters, and I liked the portrayal of the women at that clinic.

There were a few plot holes - such as the backstory of Isobel's dad, which wasn't fully developed. Overall, I enjoyed the story despite it all. Therefore, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. The writing is evocative, bringing the eerie setting vividly to life and keeping me engaged in a suspenseful and creative plot. The story’s eerie atmosphere and unrelenting sense of dread stayed with me throughout the story. I highly recommend this book to lovers of atmospheric psychological thrillers and intense, emotionally driven stories that slowly build to a truly chilling payoff.

*  Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own. 

* For more info about the book: "The Break-Up Retreat" by Camilla Sten