Thank you so much Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley!

I read this book in one sitting. Wow, great characters, very fun storyline.

A solid 5 Star read for me!

This was a very enjoyable summer read. Somewhat predictable was my first impression, but it had a nice twist at the end.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. I have read other books by this author and liked them too.

Jodi couldn’t seem to make anyone happy - her husband, her parents, her sister. Searching for a housekeeper for her parents as her mother’s health was deteriorating, she finds the perfect candidate in Elyse. Was she too good to be true - yep. Did Jodi figure it out too late - yep.

The book was a great read that I zoomed through. I figured out most of it except the end was a shocker ! I liked Jodi finding her strength throughout the book considering most of the people around her treated her like crap.

Thanks Net Galley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC.

Do we marry people like our parents? Jodi did. Her father was overbearing and critical and now her husband seems to blame her for everything. As her mother's health deteriorates she needs to hire someone to help her ageing parents, enter Elysse. Perfect resume and references, excellent with the elderly and ailing she seems to be the perfect answer. Uh oh maybe not so perfect after all. Suspense, drama and those all too familiar family relationships take us to a surprising end. I've read several books by Joy Fielding over the years and have enjoyed them immensely. She weaves a tale full of suspense and danger that keeps you on your seat's edge and "The Housekeeper" is no exception.
#TheHousekeeper#NetGalley

This book was riveting from beginning to end!! Jodi’s Mom is ill with Parkinson’s and her elderly father can’t care for her on his own any longer. Jodi hires a housekeeper to lend a hand, soon that decision turns into serious trouble. I finished this book in less than a day, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

The Housekeeper was a good, but traditional read for the genre: 3.5 stars. The traditional elements gave the plot away almost immediately, so there was no great suspense in the tale, but Fielding kept me reading, nonetheless. The character development was weak, as I could not totally envision either Harrison nor Tracy - two main characters. Perhaps, it was because Fielding told us how to interpret them, rather than allowing the reader to actually visualize them. Likewise, I had no idea what Jodi looked like, but that wasn't as important, since her vision of herself seems to be at odds with the reality of her life.

Without creating a spoiler, I found I had a hard time believing Jodi's choices. It seems to be a trend these days in this genre, taking an uncharacteristic risk in order to amp the narrator's internal conflict. Didn't ring quite true the way it was written here.

The ending, though, was unexpected and a stroke of genius. Very enjoyable, but I wish there had been more of that throughout the novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book did not work on my ereader - it froze the ereader and did not load. Therefore I was unable to read it. Please contact me if a new version of this book is released so I can read it.

I forgot how much I love Joy Fielding. She writes such believable family dynamics, people who make terrible mistakes trying to do the right thing. Characters who often try to work through those bad decisions and wind up making worse decisions as a result.

Jodi seems to be making a good choice when she hires Elyse to help her aging father look after her bed-ridden mother. But it doesn't take long before cracks start to show. Cracks Jodi misses because her husband, Harrison, is being an insufferable ass taking time and attention that is needed elsewhere. Because the family dynamic for Jodi is set up so well, it is easy to understand that she makes decisions based on a "don't rock the boat" mentality. That those decisions are going to bite her in the end, but that it would be completely out of character for her to act a different way.

But watching Jodi grow is also completely in character. The things that push her to make those changes in herself are compelling and believable. And the ending was so very satisfying.

Thank you NetGallery and Random House Publishing for giving me an advanced copy.

Jodi Bishop has many things to juggle in life. She is a real estate agent, mom, wife, daughter and sister. Because of her mom's deteriorating health and her father no longer able to take care of her mom full time, she hired a live-in housekeeper, Elyse, so Jodi can spend more time with her family. However, things did not go as planned. Her mom passed away, Elyse married her father and her marriage felt apart..

Although the story plot is predictable, I enjoy reading it. Another great book by Joy Fielding.

This is a great thriller to pick up and read. It is written in quick chapters which allowed me to read throught it quickly. I loved the premise of the story. I found that the begininng was a bit predictable but I was a little surprised by the ending. I found myself engaged and unable to to put it down. I loved the character development and the multiple story lines. I just wanted a little more from this book. I will definitely still be recommending this one!

I have to say I really wasn’t expecting what I got with this title but I was pleasantly surprised!
Can’t wait to see what others thought of the twist

A topical book which the sandwich generation finds herself in. Caught between aging parents, needy spouses, demanding children, one's own ambitions and pressing jobs, women find themselves at loggerheads with spouses, siblings, parents, children and jobs. Women give support and encouragement, and receive little of it in return. This book brings out the very worst of all situations, even when the strong female finds care for her ill mother. The worst case scenarios prevail: mother dies suspiciously, father marries the housekeeper and becomes distant from his children, his children argue, the women and husband have affairs....can it get any worse? This book stands out for me as it shows once again, that strong women have a weakness, and that is being strong. Yet that weakness is obviously a strength, and shows that caring, intuition, and following one's principles will prevail in the end.

A quick, fast-paced and thrilling read!

Joy Fielding does a great job at maintaining the suspense throughout the book. While you see many of them coming, there's still enough surprises to keep anyone hooked!

My only complaint is there are several characters that really don't have anything to add to the story. For example, other than existing to prove Jodi's motherhood, her kids really don't do much and I think the book might have been better without them.

Other then that, I really enjoyed this book and will absolutely be checking out more of Fielding's work!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to enjoy this one!

I love Joy Fielding, she never fails to disappoint - The Housekeeper was indeed a gripping page-turner that kept me guessing until the very end!

The Housekeeper is the latest domestic thriller by Canadian author Joy Fielding. The story centres around Jodi Bishop, an overworked real estate agent who is trying to juggle her stressful career, family life and her troubled marriage to Harrison, and her aging parents. She works at the prestigious real estate firm founded by her father Vic Dundas, an overbearing and difficult man. He is entrusted in caring for his wife Audrey who is in the late stages of Parkinson’s disease. Audrey’s care is becoming too much for Vic to handle himself so Jodi decides to hire someone to assist him. She interviews Elyse Woodly, a charming and attractive 60ish widow who checks all the boxes. At first Elyse is a godsend and goes beyond the duties of housekeeper and slowly ingrains herself into the Dundas clan. As is often the case, Elyse is indeed too good to be true, and as the story progresses, her true personality is revealed.

What I liked about the book:
-I loved the high society world of Toronto and seeing how the other half lived
-the character development, Fielding did an excellent job with the backstory of Jodi and her life
-Elyse was a deliciously villainous person who drew you in with her charm and her reasonable explanations
-the satisfying ending where everything fell into place
-dysfunctional families for added drama
-the cat and mouse game between Elyse and Jodi
-the twists and turns

What I disliked about the book:
-at times Jodi completely frustrated me with her choices and how she was a stepping mat by her family especially her dad and spoiled, entitled sister Traci
-Harrison was a very unlikeable character who seemed like a whiny narcissist

My rating: 4 out of 5

My final take away:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I was a big fan of Fielding’s writing style which kept me engaged the entire time. I recommend this book for fans of domestic thrillers and dysfunctional families. If you enjoy books with some twists along the way with a mix of villainous characters then this is the book for you.

Potential Trigger Warning
Extramarital affairs
Emotional abuse
Body shaming

A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this eARC

What an interesting twist of an ending! I loved it.
Financial elder abuse is something that exists not only from outside players, but also internal family members. This book displays all forms of abuse across the life of Jodi, our narrating character. I like the way the author culminates her character's behaviour based on the verbal and emotional abuse she perpetually receives from her parents, and then her spouse. Thankfully she is able to become a successful professional, while at the same time a naive and vulnerable individual who openly craves meaningful attention and praise as a result of the incessant abuse. In an interesting way, Jodi single-handedly supports every characters' successes like a human stepping stone who doesn't complain - and she is ok with that. This is how she roles because this is how she grew up being treated thus, just as her perfect sister learnt to be the favourite and "worked" receiving allowance "payment" to fulfill her role. Although our housekeeper, Elyse, is egregious in her financial abuse, she too 'works' for her "pay".
The author disguises the more nuanced forms of abuse that continually occur to Jodi; she uses rationalized thinking of "that is just how that person is" and continually lets abuses go. The verbal abuse towards Jodi is truly insidious, and just like her learned behaviour to ignore the hurt that slowly eats away at her self esteem, so did I as the reader, which was an interesting realization. Abuse takes many forms and the author weaves them into this story when we don't even realize it. Well done!

This domestic thriller was a page-turner full of very unlikeable characters. Jodi the successful real estate agent who hires the “too good to be true” housekeeper Elyse to assist with her sick mother (Audrey) and the mean aging father (Vic) in their old, dark, creepy home. As the plot develops with many red flags the perfect housekeeper becomes controlling, a liar and thief. The sister Tracy is spoiled as her father provides her with a generous allowance. Jodi’s husband (Harrison) a writer who does nothing but complain about how much he has to care for his own children.

This was my first Joy Fielding novel and even thought the revealing of everyone’s secrets were somewhat predictable I still enjoyed this read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joy Fielding for allowing me to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well Fluffer My Nutter!! 😳😯🤯😳

What The Fluffin Pancakes!? Wholy cheesy Mac & Cheese! Fielding is always a top 10 author for me I've loved and yet again, she sets it in stone with this novel for me. Freakin' unreal with how she came up with this. Now I know your thinking "another housemaid / keeper novel" but this one is exceptional and one of the best! Fluff me sideways what the heck! I can't get over the twists and turns this had with one heckuva thrill!

Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: Jodi has it all - a successful real estate company inherited from her father who's retired, her husband, Harrison, a successful writer, & two adorable kids. However, her mother has advanced Parkinson's disease and it's become too much for just her Father to deal with so she finally convinces him to hire a housekeeper to help with her mother & all house keeper duties. Enter, Elyse. She seems to beyond perfect and more than Jodi could've hoped for. But as the months go by, things drastically change with her mother worsening unexpectedly and Elyse changes... to the point Jodi doesn't know who this woman is or what she wants.

I'm shook from that fluffery of an ending. The characters drama were endless and I soaked it up like a sponge cake doused in fudge sauce! You get hooked in and lose yourself in the book so plan to not do a thing when you're about to read it. A suspenseful, entirely crazy novel. I'm still thinking about this as I write my review mumbling and shaking my head. Absolutely a top favourite of mine now by Fielding. When something seems to be too good to be true, it usually is. Now excuse me while I refresh my coffee and catch some Sun Vit D after that shake up!

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC.
Release Date: August 16, 2022

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 4.5 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊

"In the end, I only have myself to blame. I'm the one who let her in."
Jodi's mother is sick, and her father can't take care of her anymore. It's time to hire him some help. She is delighted when she finds a housekeeper so perfect she would put Mary Poppins to shame. But things aren't always as perfect as they seem...
Joy Fielding is one of my go-to auto-buy authors, and for good reason! She is the queen of domestic thrillers, and this one was no different. The story, although predictable, is well written, as well as the characters, most of whom are awefull in this book. Her father's attitude towards Jodi (and her appearance, trigger warning on body shaming) is appalling. Tracy, her mid-fourties sister, is a brat. Jodi's husband, Harrison is... a very unsupporting husband, and not a very good one at that. And the villain is as villainous as they get although she always appears as no less than perfect, so much so that at some point in the book, you start doubting Jodi's doubts about her. I can tell a character is well written when it brings out so many emotions out of me!
The only negative thing I can say about it, is that there is a LOT of foreshadowing. I don't mind some foreshadowing, but I'd say in about the first quarter of the book, there is some at the end of almost every chapter... we get it, something bad is going to happen... Also, there is a little bit of struggle in the time line where it says Elyse has been working for them for a few months, but she then talks about Harrison who is about to start teaching, but he was only 5 weeks from starting when they hired Elyse.
Otherwise, this was amazing, once again, Joy Fielding did not disappoint!
I received this book in exchange from my honest opinion from NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada.