The Weekend Away by Sarah Alderson

The main characters are Kate and Orla, friends who head out for a girl's weekend to Lisbon Portugal.  They are both in their late thirties and these two women couldn't be more different.  Although they have been friends for years their current lives now have distinct contrasts. 

Kate is wealthy, single, in great physical shape and quite sexy.  A party girl who is about to be divorced.

Orla is married to Rob and has a nine month old baby girl.  She is flabby, out of shape and leads a sedate lifestyle.  

These two friends have had many past weekend get-aways away from their London lives.  Paris, Istanbul, Spain....this was before Orla became a mother.  Now Kate wants to get her friend out and party as they once did.  Well, anyone who has experienced recent motherhood knows you are tired earlier, you go to bed earlier and the party lifestyle has left the building!

A fun fancy dinner was in the plans but Kate then wants to go to clubs and bars.  Orla reluctantly goes along and then things get weird. After meeting two handsome men at a club (Kate's preplanned idea) the evening takes a bad turn.  Orla awakens to an empty apartment and Kate is gone.  Orla has no idea what happened as she was passed out.  She then starts looking for her friend with the assistance of Konstandin, the cab driver who ferried them to the club earlier.

Konstandin's character was well developed and you will love his part in this mystery.  He is from Kosovo and has a good backstory.  

Orla was fairly naive and it's hard to believe someone could be as dense as her character is portrayed.  Still, she kept me invested as the narrator of this story, as did the unraveling of Kate's life.  The ending was a bit abrupt and I wish that had been fleshed out more.  Maybe it's a plan for a second book. 

This is the first novel I have read by Sarah Alderson and I enjoyed it.  Definitely will search out more by this author.

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