Read with Fern

Welcome to Himlafall Clinic, where we use revolutionary therapy techniques to heal you from heartbreak. Whether you are going through a devastating breakup, or can’t seem to stop picking the wrong partners, we are here to help you change your life, once and for all…
Isobel Anderssen has heard rumors. Nestled deep in the Swedish woods, there is a clinic. Primarily aimed at helping women who have gone through devastating break-ups, the Himlafall Clinic is meant to heal your mind and help you move on.
Sometimes people are never heard from again.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

As a crime thriller junkie, I am well-versed in the multiple subgenres and their quirks. And my absolute favorite subgenre is isolated therapy retreat with mysterious disappearances and a cult-like leader. So when I got an advanced copy of The Break-Up Retreat, which focuses on an investigative reporter using a hidden identity to get into an isolated therapy retreat, I dove in!

The story follows Isobel, who has been researching the Himlafall Clinic and its founder, Dr. Martina Hastings. Isobel had found a man desperately searching for information after his sister attended the clinic and never returned. After a wellness check by police, the man was told his sister had left the clinic and was simply refusing to reconnect with her family. Isobel’s interest was piqued, and her obsession began. The book begins with Isobel’s entrance to Himlafall Clinic and follows the full week of the retreat. 

Things take several dark turns almost immediately, with the intensity ratcheting up with each chapter and discovery. The retreat is in isolated Swedish woods, and Isobel spends her days with Dr. Martina, two retreat staff, and 5 other female retreat attendees. As the plot develops, things continue to get darker and psychologically taunting. Isobel is clearly in distress, and the reader is forced to decide over and over if Isobel is still a reliable narrator. 

This book had great pacing and plot development, forcing me to read more and more to get the answers I wanted. The final twists at the plot’s peak were surprising, but not completely unexpected. The ending is where the pacing seemed to hit warp-speed, leaving me disappointed instead of getting the resolution I craved. However, the plot developments saved the day, still giving me the answers I wanted and a peek into Isobel’s life after her adventure.

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a psychological thriller who also enjoys cult-like environments, a manipulative but loved therapist, or isolated retreat settings!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review!