Skip to main content

Member Reviews

EXCERPT: She patted her face dry with a fluffy white towel, monogrammed, and wondered if she could somehow cut all the monograms off. She reached out to pull down the blue-and-white striped duvet, then paused, arm in mid-air. She had never been in this bed alone.
Now she stared at it, a thing suddenly from another life. The elaborate headboard had been crafted from local driftwood, buffed and painted a bleached blue, like a stone tumbled by the waves and left in the sand. Blue-striped linens, thin white matelassé blankets, and an oversize almost threadbare antique quilt of pale blue and white diamonds draped across the foot of the bed, so lavish that both ends draped on the floor. Bill's favourite ship model, the Cutty Sark, he'd explained, still sailed to nowhere atop three steamer trunks, stacked like unpacked Russian Dolls in the corner. She had half a mind to throw the thing over the balcony and onto the grass below, and it gave her chills, thinking about destroying Bill's possessions. Destroying what he loved, just the way he'd destroyed her.

ABOUT 'THE HOUSE GUEST': After every divorce, one spouse gets all the friends. What does the other one get? If they’re smart, they get the benefits. Alyssa Macallan is terrified when she’s dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a devastating divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her—leaving her alone and penniless. And when the FBI shows up at her door, Alyssa knows she really needs a friend.

And then she gets one. A seductive new friend, one who’s running from a dangerous relationship of her own. Alyssa offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house, and the two become confidantes. Then Bree makes a heart-stoppingly tempting offer. Maybe Alyssa and Bree can solve each others’ problems.

But no one is what they seem. And the fates and fortunes of these two women twist and turn until the shocking truth emerges: You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve.

MY THOUGHTS: Yeah, nah, maybe . . .

Sometimes reading this was like wading through molasses, or being caught in a whirlpool, going round and round and round in circles over and over again. At other times it was intriguing and engaging.

The story started well with Alyssa meeting another down on her luck woman in a bar and taking her home to stay with her. Shortly after this the story gets a bit bogged down and repititious, not really becoming interesting again until the final 20%.

During the middle period my mind ran over all the possible scenarios and I was 90% correct with my predictions. Which isn't a criticism, but had I been fully engaged and living 'in the moment' of the storyline, I wouldn't have had time for my mind to wander . . .

None of the characters, with the exception of Mickey, are particularly likeable. And I was kind of rooting for Alyssa throughout but, for such a smart woman, she made some remarkably dumb decisions.

The plot is clever, but I never became fully invested. I have previously read books by this author and loved them. Had I gone into this not knowing who the author was, I never would have picked it to be Hank Phillipi Ryan.

A story of love, betrayal and revenge that isn't up to the author's normal standard. But I adore the cover.

⭐⭐⭐.2

#TheHouseGuest #NetGalley

I: : @hankpryan @macmillanusa

T: @MacmillanUSA

#contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #friendship #psychologicaldrama

THE AUTHOR: Hank Phillippi Ryan is an American investigative reporter for Channel 7 News on WHDH-TV, a local television station in Boston, Massachusetts. She is also an author of mystery novels.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The House Guest by Hank Phillipi Ryan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Was this review helpful?

A sense of unease rolls over you almost from the moment you read the first page of The House Guest, and the unease settles in and stays with you, getting worse once Bree appears. That is author Hank Phillippi Ryan’s superpower: in every book she sets the stage like nobody else, throws you on it and doesn’t let you get up until the shocking, terrifying conclusion. She creates an environment we can almost identify with, even if we’re not married to a billionaire. Who of us hasn’t felt hurt, lost, unwanted and been grateful for even the smallest bit of kindness? We want things to work out fine for Alyssa but we’re so worried, we’re thinking, thinking, thinking. What a great start for this novel.

Alyssa is cautious, paranoid, afraid, desperate – pick one, pick them all. She’s vulnerable and susceptible to any little bit of kindness, to feeling like she is in control of something. But something is off about Bree. It just doesn’t seem right. Maybe it’s that we are conditioned to not trust strangers, to not put ourselves at risk, open to trouble and being taken advantage of. Or that this is a thriller we are reading so we are expecting something terrible to eventually happen. Alyssa wants to escape her fears and despair and helplessness and helping Bree, taking charge of Bree taking charge, seems to make that possible. Bree’s situation seems to Alyssa to be even worse than her own: they can be two against the world instead of Alyssa all by herself, doing something instead of waiting for something to happen. Maybe Alyssa is right and Bree is just another woman getting a bad deal. From her barstool it does look like Alyssa is the one who approached her, who questioned and pushed and pried and insisted until here they are – instant BFFs at Alyssa’s house. I still have that creepy feeling, though. It can’t be that simple and it can’t be good. Bree always seems to strike the right pose, say the right words, protest at the right time to keep reeling Alyssa in. She’s really revealed almost nothing about herself but has allowed Alyssa to create quite the story. Alyssa’s vulnerability is very close to gullibility. She seems baffled, in a fog. Maybe it’s because of everything that’s happened with Bill. Maybe – as she seems to have come to believe – she’s not that bright to begin with. But it is very unsettling to think Alyssa may have been so easily targeted.

My dislike of Bree was instant. She seems manipulative and phony. And I didn’t like Alyssa all the time because instead of suspecting a setup with meeting Bree, she thought of Bree as waiflike and untethered that first night. The one who seemed untethered and off balance was Alyssa. But she is lost and grasping at anything that will give her the tiniest sense of control, of normalcy.

The completely unexpected brutal way that Bill dumped her was devastating. And her life has only continued to deteriorate. Her so-called friends have quickly abandoned her, many in a malicious way, probably poisoned by Bill. She feels watched and knows Bill has been in the house when she’s not there. It’s against their agreement but Bill has always been in charge of everything and vicious to his enemies, which is the category she now seems to be in. So every bit of closeness with Bree – real or otherwise – feeds the hurt and resentment Alyssa feels about her new unexpected, unwanted life.

After the excellent set up by author Ryan, The House Guest moves briskly along, with twists and turns we don’t see coming and characters we don’t know if we can trust or not. Just when Alyssa begins to feel certain of the “facts” something happens to set her reeling. It’s at this point we begin to realize that even though she is baffled and hurt and uncertain she has strength Bill never gave her credit for and was maybe not quite as clueless as he thought – or hoped.

The House Guest is one excellent read that will keep you guessing. You won’t know who to believe but you will know that the danger to Alyssa is real. She just has to figure out exactly where it is coming from. Thanks to the author for providing an advance copy of The House Guest. I am voluntarily leaving this review; all opinions are my own. I cannot recommend this book, and this always-fantastic author – highly enough.

Was this review helpful?

The House Guest
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook and Audiobook
Date Published: 2/7/23
Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan
Publisher: Macmillan
Narrator: Stephanie Willing
GR: 3.83

HAPPY PUB DAY!! I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: The House Guest is a disturbing cat and mouse game thriller from Ryan. Alyssa is a newly separated wife, from a very powerful, wealthy man. Charles, the soon-to-be ex, gives a new meaning to gaslighting. She meets this timid young woman, Bree, in a bar, and truly wants to help her. They form an instant bond. The plot seems simple, however the simple plot is delivered into many complex subplots that really up the level of a thriller. I do not want to give too much away as to not spoil for other readers.

The story is narrated by Alyssa. Alyssa appears as an unreliable narrator, but is far from this. Bree appears to be a timid young lady hiding from her abusive ex. The characters were developed well, fleshed out, had depth, were mysterious, and brilliantly created. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, twisted, dark, intriguing, brilliant, and engaging. This story had me guessing to the bitter end. There are few thrillers that keep me guessing until the end, so when a book stumps me, to me that is a very well written book!

For the last few thrillers I have read, only a few have really gripped me, this being one of the top ones. This was gripping, diabolical, dark, and kept me on the edge of the page. The last quarter delivers a punch and the ending was twist upon twist and brilliantly carved out. I devoured within a few days. I HIGHLY recommend picking this one up today. I know that I will be adding Ryan’s backlist to my TBR.

Was this review helpful?

Synopsis: Alyss Macallan is terrified when she’s dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a devastating divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her—leaving her alone and penniless. And when the FBI shows up at her door, Alyssa knows she really needs a friend. She meets Bree, who she met at a bar and the two become instant friends as Bree just left an abusive relationship. She lets Bree live in her guest house, and the two become confidantes. Then Bree makes a tempting offer: maybe Alyssa and Bree can solve each others’ problems.

Review: This book has lots of twists and I recommend to listen the the audiobook! The pacing is great and I enjoyed the narrator! This book is slightly predictable but still keeps you on your toes! This is quite entertaining but you need to suspend reality at how quickly the friendship evolved and to the level it did.
Recommend if you like:
 Lots of twists Strong female friendships Cat and mouse story Red herrings and lots of breadcrumbs Fast paced
Redemptive ending
A good comeuppance

Was this review helpful?

"Money changes everything"

Lack of money changes everything too as Alyssa finds out when her manipulative pathetic soon to be ex husband walks out on her taking their money and their friends in the tension filled trust no one psychological thriller The House Guest by premier thriller author Hank Philippe Ryan.

Once again, this author brings the nerve wracking nail biting tension as we watch the loyal trusting Alyssa align herself with new people we just know are not who they say they are, even inviting one to live in her guest house. Reading her accidental meeting with Bree had me on high alert. Then conveniently meeting lawyer Dez seems too good to be true. But when an FBI Agent shows up I wasn't sure who or what to believe; which I am sure was the plan all along from this so much fun to read writer.

I also listened to the audiobook and the wonderful Stephanie Willing brought her usual acting abilities so that we felt Alyssa's paranoia, her fear and her confusion.

There were elements that seemed a bit far fetched at times, like the bank account with millions in Alyssa's name that she knew nothing about; not a single phone call about investing her millions? Now that's hard to believe! But what made this a four star read for me was the extremely satisfying ending that proved sometimes people get what they deserve including the house guest.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Alyssa’s husband just left her and he has been messing with her making her uncomfortable in her home so she goes to a hotel. She’s drinking in the hotel when she meets this woman named Bree. Her and Bree are hitting it off so well she invites her to stay in her guest home. Bree needs a place to get away from her ex and Alyssa needs someone to be there to make her feel safe. Bree then finds out she’s got a brother from an ancestry test and Alyssa pushes her to go meet him when they find out Bree is set to inherit millions. While this is happening Alyssa gets a visit from an FBI agent regarding her soon to be ex husband. Alyssa is freaked out now and starts investigating everyone and starts uncovering a lot of secrets!!
I was so excited when I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley as an arc to read because I am a big fan of Hank Philippi Ryan books. There are always so many twists and you’ll have to read to find out who these people truly are and what really happened.

Was this review helpful?

After reading so many glowing reviews of this book, I was really eager to read it, and overall it didn't disappoint. I found the beginning of the book to be a bit slower moving than I expected, but the last quarter or so is filled with enough unexpected twists that it made up for it. This is one of those that I definitely thought I had fully figured out early on, but I was wrong- and I enjoyed it even more for that.

Was this review helpful?

I thought this was different and exciting and all the things.
I was super happy that this wasn't just like every other thriller out there now.
The ride this takes you on is a journey not a sprint and the ending will catch you by surprise.
So hold on and enjoy the ride.

Was this review helpful?

2.5 STARS - I have heard a lot of good things about Hank Phillippi Ryan's books, but surprisingly, this is the first book I've read by the author. The House Guest is labelled a 'diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller' in its blurb, so I was ready for a twisty read.

But it wasn't twisty cat and mouse read for me. It was much more of a slow-paced domestic drama with secrets, lies and manipulation that requires readers to suspend disbelief due to a character's naïve decisions and the unbelievably quick bond between two strangers. Alyssa and Bree meet in a bar, bond over the problems in their lives and by the end of the night Alyssa has invited Bree to live with her. They become instant BFFs and readers are left to wonder who is manipulating whom.

I enjoyed trying to guess the identity of the manipulator, but I struggled with the very slow build of the story, Alyssa's repetitive dialogue and her mercurial feelings towards her spouse. I also felt frustrated that readers are told about the bond between the main characters instead of being shown how their relationship could have believably evolved. But if readers are patient, the story picks up around the 80% mark when things fall into place and readers are hit with a decent twist.

This is a lighter, escapist kind of read that has received rave reviews from other advanced readers. The House Guest didn't quite make it into the suspense genre for me and I'm left feeling disappointed that I found it to be a convoluted story whose focus was more on an implausible friendship than building tension.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Macmillan Tor/Forge Books for my advanced digital copy which was provided via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

📚Pub Day Shoutouts📚
*
Thank you so much to the tagged publishers for advanced readers copies of all of these books! I couldn’t possibly read them all this week but just wanted to give them a shout out and share a little about each of them:
*
The House Guest- described as a cat and mouse game. Alyssa gets divorced from her rich husband and suspects she’s being scammed. A new friend offers to help her and drama ensues ! Thank you @forgereads !
*
The Black Guy Dies First- explore the black journey in modern horror. This one I’m going to lend to my movie obsessed husband! Thank you @gallerybooks !
*
Don’t Fear the Reaper- sequel to my heart is a chainsaw. Jade returns to town as convicted serial killer Dark Mill *escapes to complete his revenge killings! Thank you @gallerybooks
*
Secretly Yours- a steamy small town rom com about an uptight professor and the bubble neighbor he clashes with at every turn! Thank you @avonbooks
*
QOTD- Do any of these new releases sound like something you would like to read ?
*
#bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofig #booksofinsta #bibliophile #booknerd #bookworm #bookwormsunite #bookobsessed #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #newreleasetuesday #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #readersgonnaread #readersofig #bookaholic

Was this review helpful?

THE HOUSE GUEST by Hank Phillippi Ryan is a twisty cat-and-mouse thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I couldn’t put this book down! Alyssa Macallen’s life is turned upside down when her rich and powerful husband of eight years dumps her. Until the divorce is final, she is left all alone in their mansion, sad, lonely and soon to lose everything. One night she stops in to a local hotel bar and by chance meets Bree Lorrance, a woman who is fleeing a toxic relationship. Against her better judgment, she invites Bree to stay in her guest house where she can be safe. The two quickly become friends and share secrets, but soon Alyssa wonders whether Bree is telling the truth. Too many coincidences leave Alyssa questioning everything in her life, including who she can really trust. The tension builds as the plot unfolds and secrets are slowly revealed. The clever twists and turns kept me guessing right up to the dramatic ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest thriller from Hank Phillippi Ryan and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Was this review helpful?

The House Guest
By Hank Phillipi Ryan

A cleverly Woven Story

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Alyssa is dumped by Bill, her wealthy husband of eight years, and a divorce is looming. She believes that her husband is determined to cut her off without a cent or and her friends at the country club have shunned her. Drowning in her sorrows with a drink or two at a bar across town, she meets another lonely woman, Bree Lorrance. The two hit it off and Alyssia, who is desperately in need of a friend, invites Bree to come stay at her guest house. Perhaps they can help each out.

Next the FBI show up at Alyssa’s home and allege that Bill’s charity fundraising was lining his own pockets. They think Alyssa must have know about the fraud, since there is a huge account in her name. Alyssa’s life soon spends out of control and she doesn't know who she can trust.


REVIEW
Hank Phillipi Ryan can undoubtedly weave a clever story. She has been in journalism for 43 years and has seen a lot on which to draw her stories upon. Her latest novel THE HOUSE GUEST will keep you guessing throughout this involved and twisty thriller.

I recently watched an interview with Ryan where she discusses the impetus for THE HOUSE GUEST. She asks how much do we really know about the person laying on the pillow next to us Are they really going to work and doing what we think? How do you know? They could be doing something illegal for all you know. While this is not a true story, Ryan knew a woman whose story was similar to what she has written about in the book. The woman didn’t know her husband was committing fraud until the police showed up at their door.

Ryan defines this story as a cat-and-mouse thriller. We don’t know who is the cat, the mouse, and who is allied with whom? She sees her job as an author as trying to pull the rug out from under the reader, so we can’t guess who are the good guys and who are bad. She nailed the rug pull on this story. She described THE HOUSE GUEST as akin to a Rubik’s cube. Little bits of the story come from lots of different places and touch on greed, divorce, betrayal, female empowerment, and revenge.

The story is told from Alyssa’s point of view, as an unhappy wife that has been wronged, and her husband is possibly playing tricks on her. Think about the movie Gaslight. She connects up with Bree, thinks about the movie Thelma and Louise and when they both agree to help each other solve their problems, think of Strangers on a Train. It's a bit of a challenging read but the ending is worth the challenge.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge
Published February 7, 2023
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Was this review helpful?

While I thought Alyssa was an idiot, I was all in from the start of this one. I must’ve screamed at her more than once at what I thought were poor choices. Who invites someone to stay at their home when they’ve only known them for a few hours? Ah, but then I guess we don’t have a book without the invite. I spent the entire book trying to figure out who was trustworthy and who was scamming whom and for what reason. And while I had many correct guesses, I had even more incorrect ones, so not sure I can claim a win there.

I am quite the fan of cat and mouse games and this one is a doozy. I wasn’t exactly sure who I liked and if I didn’t why, including Alyssa. Page after page and twist after twist, I flipped and flopped over what was happening and who was on the up and up. The story and the characters were layered and every time I figured something out, another layer changed the narrative. While I waffled on trusting Alyssa, I did feel for and could relate to her angst with her current situation. Of course, instead of bringing home strangers, I brought home pets. They can be a little shady too.

There was a slight need to explain things at the end, which isn’t my favorite way for a book to end and the situation might be a little much for some to believe, but I did not want to put this one down and that outweighs everything else.

I went back and forth between the book and the audio and found both equally entertaining. Stephanie Willing did a great job with the voices to help me keep track of whose mind we were in and let me concentrate on the plot.

If you want to sit back and be swept away by the story, you should pick this one up.

Was this review helpful?

I started this on on audio, but it is a slow paced story so I ended up switching to the book - which is always faster for me as I can’t do audio on super speed like so many others . Overall the plot was interesting and the last 20-25% of the book was a lot more exciting - I do generally prefer faster paced stories though

Was this review helpful?

This book brings you everything to keep you glued to its' pages: Lies, greed, and twists! The characters are so deceptive that you aren't sure who you should trust as you turn the page. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reading copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

Ugh, I was so disappointed by this one. It sounded amazing and I had such high hopes, but it felt very flat for me. I really disliked the main characters - they were unrealistic and they frankly bothered me. The decision making went against common sense to a fault. The story line was very slow and repetitive - I wanted something to actually happen, but instead the book went in circles. The book just never had the oomph that I was hoping for in a thriller. I seem to be in the minority though and I have enjoyed the authors books before - so maybe I just set my expectations too high?!
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Was this review helpful?

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Was this review helpful?

This one was a bummer for me. I love this author and almost always live her novels but this one was just really confusing to me. It was almost as if not a single scene was complete. I’m surprised by all the five stars.

Was this review helpful?

When her wealthy husband files for divorce, cutting her off financially, Alyssa is in a quandary. She takes in a house guest with a friend who offer to “make her troubles go away.” Now who can she trust? This is a twisty thriller that will keep you guessing.

#Hank_Phillippi_Ryan
Universal Buy Link:
https://bit.ly/3V6fEKc
Forge Books
MacMillan Audio

Was this review helpful?

Reading Between the Wines book review #13/115 for 2023:
Rating: 3 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: The House Guest
Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASES February 7, 2023!!

Sipping thoughts: Who can you trust? Alyssa is going through a divorce when all these weird things start to happen? Is her soon to be ex-husband to blame or the new friend who she just let AND offered her to stay in her guesthouse? I did not predict what was going to happen with this ending, and it kept me on my toes. I appreciated how all the ends were tied up so the reader had an explanation for everything.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @MacMillanTorForge for an advanced copy of @TheHouseGuest.

#TheHouseGuest #HankPhillippiRyan #MacMillanTorForge #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers

Was this review helpful?