Anyway, it was nice going into a book I knew nothing about although there was a point where people deaths, a lot of them, became a real possibility. I won't say if anyone died or not but this book had my heart racing at one point. I really enjoyed reading it and will probably read more by this author.

As the days pass they discover that Masha's methods for transformation are even more radical than they had at first thought. Halfway through, there was a genre-changing twist and things get a little serious. Although I had a suspicion, I was only partially right and the author managed to take me completely by surprise. No spoilers here, but it suddenly became an entirely different story, and the nine must band together for a solution. (I’m being deliberately vague as it’s important to go into this story blind.)If you like snarky humor, as I do, then you’ll find much to enjoy here. I appreciate an author who can write subtle satire and I loved the wit of the author and the sly digs into self-important authors, the publishing industry, our obsession with age, appearance and ‘wellness’, and the psycho-babble of some spirituality gurus.

This remote health resort called Tranquillum House is located in Sydney- Australia, built in 1800s and renovated into a secluded place providing extra pampering, luxury, mindfulness, medication, soul healing etc. I loved this novel. One of the reasons I rounded up to 5 stars is because I know I’ll remember the plotline for a long while (memory longevity factors into my rating). years later - Yao is a well being consultant at the healing resort. Masha is the Head honcho. Her regimens are unconventional... ha to say the least. We learn more about the rules and tactics as time goes on. There are too many characters, eleven in all. And readers really get to know only two well: fifty-something romance author Frances and twenty-year-old nice-kid Zoe, who become unlikely allies as the spa experience grows weirder and more challenging. Ben and Jessica are a young married couple whose relationship has definitely seen better days. All Ben seems to care about is his fancy new sports car (well, it's a Lamborghini, so can you blame him?) while Jessica has spent tons of money on plastic surgery to make herself look better (at least in her eyes), yet her husband doesn't ever tell her how great she looks. They're hoping some marriage counseling might make the difference.

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So a problem fairly soon into the book was I just was not connecting with any of the characters. It's not that I found them unlikable, it's more I just wasn't all that interested in their lives. Not even the romance writer did anything for me. I was bored for the first half of the book and then finally something peaks my interest but it just goes into ridiculous territory so I couldn't even enjoy it.

So there's a lot of repetitiveness here, a lot of people talking, and all about the same... exact... events. For me, it felt repetitive, and it really slowed down the pace of the story. Nine people, all from very different walks of life, arrive at Tranquillum House, a highly recommended health resort. Each of them is coping with various life issues, from simple domestic uncertainties, or huge family problems, to marital woes, and weight loss goals.

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I have to give this one 5* for pure enjoyment levels. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much at the same time as being made to consider life so much whilst reading a book. Frances can’t open the gate to the Wellness Resort. She entered the correct code several times - but it still won’t open. Twenty frustrating minutes go by and new guests arrive. A claustrophobic, extra sarcastic, smart, unconventional mystery about 9 people who keep big secrets, find themselves at the weirdest place with extra unconventional and unethical methods to help them solve their problems But they will be eventually forced to confront each skeleton they hid in their closets.

As I was making my way through the last half of the book, I was thinking, "Oh my God. I'm going to have to go on Goodreads and give Liane Moriarty a 3-star rating. Oh my God." Moriarty’s usual wry, spot-on observations about the dramas of real life are missing from this book. Setting all the action in an isolated (and oddly un-chichi) health spa cuts Moriarty off from showing everyday life and culture, which has been one of her greatest strengths. These characters are stranded, unable to go about their daily business of planning, worrying, drinking coffee, and bonding with other women. (Or worrying about what other women think of them.) strangers gather around an ultra expensive wellness resort suffer from different issues contain grief, marriage, career problems, addiction, loss, anger management, unhealthy living style, weight issues etc.She remembered her first-ever boyfriend of over thirty years ago, who told her he preferred smaller breasts than hers, while his hands were on her breasts, as if she’d find this interesting, as if women’s body parts were dishes on a menu and men were the goddamned diners. So I'm laughing at a lot of things in the book although almost every character had some serious things going on in their lives and very real reasons to be depressed, sad, discouraged and on the verge of giving up. Then things really go lopsided and it was interesting reading how the characters handled the situation. I'm thankful for the sappiness of the book and can see Fran writing the ending and I loved it.