Caroline Hulse

A couple, now separated. Their daughter. Their new partners. One epic Christmas vacation. What could go wrong? This razor-sharp novel puts a darkly comic twist on seasonal favorites like Love Actually and The Holiday. Meet The Adults. Claire and Matt are no longer together but decide that it would be best for their daughter, Scarlett, to have a "normal" family Christmas. They can't agree on whose idea it was to go to the Happy Forest holiday park, or who said they should bring their new partners. But someone did--and it's too late to pull the plug. Claire brings her new boyfriend, Patrick (never Pat), a seemingly sensible, eligible from a distance Ironman in Waiting. Matt brings the new love of his life, Alex, funny, smart, and extremely patient. Scarlett, who is seven, brings her imaginary friend Posey. He's a giant rabbit. Together the five (or six?) of them grit their teeth over Forced Fun Activities, drink a little too much after Scarlett's bedtime, overshare classified secrets about their pasts . . . and before you know it, their holiday is a powder keg that ends where this novel begins--with a tearful, frightened call to the police. What happened? They said they'd all be adults about this. . . . Advance praise for The Adults "Your worst-ever family holiday gathering can't possibly be as painfully hilarious as the one in Caroline Hulse's The Adults. I happily devoured this funny, insightful novel and believe you will, as well."--Julie Schumacher, author of Dear Committee Members and The Shakespeare Requirement