Victoria and Jamie visit Choristers' Lodge for one last weekend away before their baby comes. Are they cutting it a little close to the due date? Perhaps, but they aren't worried about it. Not until Victoria starts going into labor and they realize that they they are locked inside the countryside cottage alone, with no sign of their phones or car keys.

The Guest House follows the perspectives of a couple on two timelines: during their stay at Choristers' Lodge, and the aftermath in the months following as the couple tries to put their lives back together after the ~mysterious thing that happened~ that they reference constantly. While the story was interesting, I struggled to really get into it. I did enjoy it, but the current perspectives were not very interesting to me as they felt slow-paced.

Thank you to Netgalley, Robin Morgan-Bentley, and the publisher for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Well...this was disappointing. It seemed very promising and with the many good reviews I've seen, I thought I would enjoy this psychological thriller. Unfortunately even with the many twists and turns, it was not enough to keep me engaged and by 60% I was skimming to finish it as quickly as possible.

I can't quite put my finger on what it was I didn't like about this book. It was unique and there was definitely some moments where the twists were shocking. But it just seemed to drag on and couldn't hold my attention for whatever reason. Huge trigger is loss of an infant and unfortunately, would not recommend this book.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

The story centers around a couple, Jamie and Victoria, who have been struggling to get pregnant, and after giving up on IVF treatments suddenly find themselves expecting. Before the birth, they take what is supposed to be a relaxing mini vacation. Victoria finds a quaint cottage that is out of the way.

On their first night, Victoria wakes with labor pains, but in the excitement of expecting their first child, they'll soon realize the horror of their situation.

Their keys and phones are missing, and they have no way out of the cottage. Jamie's disability adds a degree of complication when he breaks out of the house to seek help. Finding none, he realizes he needs to make his way back to Victoria, only to be hit with another surprise. The surprises keep on coming.

This was told from present to past, which I enjoy because I feel there is a build-up to finding out the whole story. There were a lot of twists and turns in this Psychological Thriller that had me turning the pages. The ending shocked me, I didn't expect that.

I requested and received an ARC from NetGalley via Poisoned Pen Press and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

Wow wow wow what a mind blowing read

My heart was racing at certain points and at the end of the book I am still sitting here processing what I've just read.

Gripping,intense, extremely hard to put down!

An easy 5 star for me

Thank you so much Netgalley, Robin Morgan-Bentley & Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this book!

Readers need to pay attention to the clues and hints that lead them through The Guest House. Anyone who has rented a guest house will think twice after reading about Jamie and his pregnant wife, Victoria who are locked in the get-away home they rent before the birth of their son, Danny. Kudos to author Robin Morgan-Bentley on his realistic rendering of Jamie and cerebral palsy. Good, spooky novel made for book discussion groups.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. A couple decide to go away for a babymoon prior to the birth of their baby. They awake in the guesthouse to find they are locked in the guesthouse, their keys and mobile phones have been taken from them and now they are in labour. Dark and disturbing characters, secrets and twists all wrapped up in an atmospheric isolated thriller read. ⭐⭐⭐ #theguesthouse #robinmorgan-bentley #netgalley #goodreads #litsy #thestorygraph #amazonaustralia #thriller #bookqueen #bookstagram

"The Guest House" by: Robin Morgan-Bentley is a thriller about a couple who goes on a trip before their baby boy is due to be born. Things quickly spiral out of control and the plot of this thriller evolves from there. This was an enjoyable thriller to read, the main issue I had was the ending but I will get to that in a bit.

The story switches from present time to past time when the couple was at the guest house on holiday. Things are eluded to until they are plainly spelled out and I did enjoy how the book kept the tension but also did not drag things on for too long. Jamie and Victoria are good main characters and I felt connected to them, especially in the moments of the book which were set in the past when they were at the guest house.

I felt as if Victoria's character was done an injustice during the present tense of the book. Her actions did not match up with her thoughts and her anxities made sense but then her acions would spiral in a completely different direction, I found myself feeling as if the situation was bizarre for no specific reason except because.

I absolutely despised the ending of this novel, I felt as if it did the rest of the book an injustice as well as the characters. It felt as if things were done merely for shock value instead of fitting in with the characters and the events of the book. I was left feeling very empty at the end which was a shame because the book was a fun read up until a certain point.

I raced through this book in a day, I love a good atmospheric thriller and this is what I was looking for. Isolated, creepy and gripping. I could not put it down!

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a pulse pounding, exhilarating, read, there were multiple twists that just made you kinda stop and say what? I would recommend this book to anyone how knows how to read its amazing it's got something for everyone literally it's got comedy when Victoria gets drunk and tells some people how she really feels, it's got drama, thrills & chills coming out from everywhere.This author has a way of pulling you in on page one yanking to set that hook and your all in. He makes you wonder what is going on that you don't know about yet because things just don't add up however they are intense, explosive & twisted. A sincere thank you to Publisher Poisoned Pen Press, the Author Robin Morgan-Bentley and Netgalley for the ARC.

Jamie and Victoria from London are holidaying in the North Pennines, staying in a guest house owned by Fiona and Barry. When they get up the morning after their arrival, they discover that they are locked in and their car keys and phones are missing. The chapters go back and forth in time, with plenty going on to fuel your interest. This nailbiting, if a little OTT book, with its shocks and well-disguised twists, will keep you on the edge of your seat until the great, unforeseen finish.

This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and held my attention. I will be reading more from this author :)

4.5⭐

WHAT A RIDE!

Ok. So this book was totally unexpected. I started it a while back and just couldn't get into it -- the problems of being a mood reader. However, when I tried again recently, I LOVED it.

This was thrilling and suspenseful and I didn't see what was coming. Possibly one of my favorite thrillers I read this year.

Jamie and Victoria have been trying to have a baby for a very long time. Que in IVF treatments. They finally succeed after some time and decided to take a "babymoon" before the baby is born. They go off to some isolated cottage in England to get away (which may not be smart but that's like my perfect vacation lol).

Victoria starts going into labor when they find themselves locked in the house and their phones and car keys are gone.

It turns out Fiona, the woman who was hosting the couple, is a midwife and helps Victoria through the labor in a very creepy manor and setting. When Barry her husband returns, they start making a scandalous demand.

I don't want to give anymore away than that! Read this book! It's absolutely worth it!

This book had so many creepy twists and turns that kept me reading, but it wrapped up nicely in the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Guest House drew me in from the first chapter. I loved the unique premise of the book. Jamie and Victoria have longed for a child and are finally pregnant only to have the baby kidnapped by the owners of a remote guest house.

I loved the alternating character timelines. I also really felt for all of the characters. Even though some of the characters committed bad acts, I still had a soft spot for all of them because of past trauma. I did take away one star because the ending was a little too far fetched for me, however the book in it’s entirety was a twisty page turner that I’m sure I will continue to think about long after I start my next book!

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was unique compared to any books that I've read in the past. I was very intrigued the entire way through the book and was surprised at the way the events unfolded. The multiple POVs helped move things along and keep the story straight. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Fast-paced and entertaining. The Guest House is a recommended purchase for collections where thrillers are popular.

This was my first book by this author and it didn’t disappoint! It was fast paced, the plot kept me intrigued, but the plot fell a bit short for me in the end! If you like isolated settings and plots that are in a race against time then you should enjoy this one!

I just... I have no words about this. I loved it.

It's been a while since I've read such a twisty, mysterious, gripping book.

Victoria and Jamie aren't the world's most likable characters, but, in thrillers, let's be honest, they never are. They seem real, though, flawed. They're just a couple who has struggled to conceive and it turns out the baby comes at the worst possible moment. Or does he?

I had a bit of a hard time with it between 40-60%, because I felt like there were some obvious plot holes there and it annoyed me a lot.

But I continued reading (because I could hardly put it down) and I wasn't disappointed. Oh, but not at all.

I totally, full-heartedly recommend this book to all lovers of the genre. It's so good.

This is my favorite book by Robin Morgan-Bentley, but it will probably not be my last.

<i>Thank you, NetGalley, for providing a free copy in exchange of an honest review.</i>

4.5 ⭐️ Twisted freightening domestic family thriller

Going into this book blind, I had No expectations and was immediately exhilarated when a twist in the story was thrown in the second chapter.
Told from husband and wife perspectives, and from before and after they visited The Guest House and Victoria went into labor. You slowly learn what happens and why.

I was completely thrown at the ending and didn’t see that twist coming until it hit me in the face.

Frightening as a parent, this had me on the edge of my seat and finished it in a day.

Really enjoyed this. Gripping with tension and biting my nails from the first page to the very last! I don't even know what else to say. One of the best psychological thrillers I've read in awhile, with extra ick factor. Probably won't be for everyone. TW include hostage, kidnapping, child endangerment. You are never quite sure who to trust and the alternating timeline gives clues to a terrible tragedy while also building tension and curiosity about the events that lead to this. Once you find out what happens, you're both horrified and relieved, only to be thrown through another fast-paced twisty loopy build-up to a perfect last page ending, in my opinion, but might be a bit over the top for some. If you like twisty psychological thrillers, give this one a go.