"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.

Wow!!! This book was full of surprises and suspense. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the climatic finish! Readers will be happy that they chose to read this book. Couldn’t recommend it more!

Wow. As a new mother, this book gripped me like no other because it was such a nightmare. I kept putting myself in Victoria’s shoes and needed to keep reading to find out what was going to happen to Danny!! I enjoyed the twist, but felt it was wrapped up too quickly. Overall, this was a gripping read that caused many sleepless nights because I just had to keep reading!!

This is a fast paced thriller that will keep you guessing. The characters, the atmosphere, the suspense, the creepiness are all top notch. I devoured this book wanting to know what happened. There are twists and turns throughout the story all the way up until the end. Well done!

Whew. Some darkness lies within. Both heart wrenching and anger inducing, suspenseful, and fast paced, this book will keep you reading to its conclusion.

Allow me to quote the American classic Billy Madison and say . . . . I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

Sometimes my addiction to all things house covers really bites me right in the keister.

The Guest House, by Robin Morgan-Bentley, is a tension-filled psychological thriller that is wrought with anxiety and anticipation as events unfold.

This novel contains a rather terrifying premise, a couple, Jamie, who owns a fraud protection company and suffers from cerebral palsy, and Victoria, a musician who only occasionally performs, are expecting their first baby. They decide that a final getaway is needed and they choose a countryside getaway, similar to a bed and breakfast. They awake the first morning to find their hosts gone, devices taken and their doors locked. The panic is palpable on every page, and as Victoria goes into labor soon after arriving, the situation rapidly escalates.

This story is told from two primary timeframes, until the ending. The sections from the past divulge the intense and mystifying events that occurred the first day at the Guest House. The second perspective is a month later, in the aftermath of the tragic events that the couple underwent. They have come home without their expected son and lies are told to all, but why?The conclusion takes us into the present just as all the events are culminating and what has actually transpired is revealed.

The Guest House is a menacing, creepy story, and while reading it, I found myself filled with dread, hesitation, and oddly a bit of boredom. Halfway through the novel, I found myself wanting to skip through to the end to see how it all wrapped up, and when I eventually reached the conclusion, I was a bit underwhelmed. Though the story was eerie and certainly unique, I felt rather detached from the characters, and the manner in which the plot played out didn’t quite captivate me and motivate me to continue reading, like I’d anticipated. I’m sure others will be thrilled with this atmospheric story, and I enjoyed elements of it, but it wasn’t an instant and overall hit for me.