I thought I had the book figured out multiple times. But this book kept me guessing until the very end! The middle was a little slow but was wrapped up nicely with many twist and turns in the last few chapters of the book. A perfect book of you don’t always get what you want but get what you need. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced audio

, turns and edge of your seat moments. I loved the narration, by Stephanie Willing, and that the story wraps up nicely in the end.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭
𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢 𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟐.𝟕.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑


When Alyssa Macallen’s self-absorb husband leaves her, she should be relieved - he is toxic. But he controls the money and controlling he is. She may soon be without anything.

Now feeling low and at her wits’ end, a woman named Bree suddenly appears in Alyssa’s life. It turns out Bree is running from her own troubled situation.

It seems to Alyssa that Bree would make a great friend.
Alyssa even welcomes Bree to stay in her home. (When you're sad, and in a life crisis, it’s not a good time to make big decisions like this, Alyssa!)

When Bree starts making suggestions on how to solve each other’s problems, you get the feeling things are not as they appear, but be prepared; the twist is not what it seems either. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘵!

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @forgereads and @hankpryan for a spot on tour and a gifted book.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the complimentary audiobook.

I was really excited to receive an advanced audio copy of this book. It would be my very first from this author and it might be my last. I truly disliked the female lead in this story of heartbreak, betrayal and feeling sorry for yourself.
Allyssa is facing a devastating divorce, which she didn't see coming, and the introduction of 2 new friends. All I kept thinking was "Girl you do not know these people why are you telling them all of your business." As each new twist or turn to this story emerged I disliked Allyssa more and more. In this time of my life I want a strong female not one who second guesses her decisions. and is portrayed as a door mat, Who word vomits her problems to people even when she is suspicious of them. It took me longer to finish this book then most only because I had to take a break from Allyssa. She just made me so mad.
I also struggled with her "new" friend Bree who just so happened to be at the right place at the right time to meet Allyssa. Her story for me wasn't believable from the beginning. Soon we learn Bree is coming into a lump sum of money and that brings another new friend into Allyssa's life, Dez. She suspects he is up to no good but instead of following her instincts she tells him everything about her life.
Id like to say the ending made up for the rest of it but unfortunately it was too little too late.

This book was fun. It didn't change my life or blow my mind but it delivered on what I expected: domestic drama, secrets, twists, and a relatable heroine who has been screwed over and appears to be in for more, With the tag line: "You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve." this book delivers with a cat and mouse, who to believe, who can you trust dynamic that puts the reader and the protagonist in the same boat.
This book was quick and entertaining, with a very good narrator. I enjoyed this more than Hank Phillippi Ryan's HER PERFECT LIFE.
I will definitely read her work again.

I enjoyed this novel and getting to know the characters in the book. They were interesting characters. A novel that I would recommend.

The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan is another great book by this author. I enjoyed the storyline. The characters did things I am not sure I would, but that is how there are books like these out there. A twisty book that keeps the reader guessing. Enjoyable.
The audiobook is narrated by Stephanie Willing, and I really like her tone and cadence. It is easy to listen to and helps the reader feel a part of the action.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley, for being able to listen to this.

I’ve never read a book by Hank Phillippi Ryan before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect from this thriller. What a fantastic audiobook! There were times that I rewinded the book because I had to be sure I heard something correctly - not due to poor narration - due to the fact another twist was thrown at me.

It is an over-the-top thriller, no scratch that, suspense book that you need to set your reasonable mind away. If you go into the into expecting nothing but to be entertained, you 100% will be with a few possible eye rolls.

I think it was plotted out well because, at least to me, the twists wowed me, made sense, and entertained me.

Do I think I would have enjoyed reading it more? I don’t know. I really enjoyed the audiobook, and Stephanie Willing is the perfect narrator for this.

I would suggest the audio if you are going to pick it up.

House guests… happy to have or happier when the leave? I just adore Hank Phillippi Ryan and her books can be guests in my house anytime!⁣
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She writes the ultimate twisty thrillers with all the cat and mouse vibes, and it’s always impossible to guess in which direction things will go.⁣
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The House Guest was the ultimate who-done-it. And who-is-it. And why-did-it. And… well - just when you think you have it all figured out - bam! - think again. Oh… so you guessed the motive? Nope! - guess again. Got these characters all figured out? Not so fast, my friend.⁣
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Forget everything you think you know, or think is happening, and just let it ride. Nothing is ever as it appears to be.⁣
⁣
Alyssa’s sadness from her impending divorce has her doing something completely out of character. She meets Bree at a bar, also drowning her sorrows, and Alyssa decides to invite Bree to stay with her. Because two women bonding over the men who wronged them, is better than sulking alone, right? Add another houseguest to the mix, and strange occurrences and suspicions start to build. Toss in an FBI investigation and mysterious inheritance and the masterful plot-building takes you for a ride you’re going to have to buckle up twice to endure!⁣
⁣
It’s a wild tale of twists, secrets, and manipulation that you’re going to want to hold on tight for - and it all builds up to the most fantastic ending - that will totally make up for all the times you were tricked along the way!

This book was an amazing and wild ride, and I am totally here for it! I loved this book and can't wait to read more by this author. I was immediately hooked into the book and couldn't put it down! I highly recommend this book! Now I'm off to add the author's backlog to my ever-growing TBR!!

A chance encounter of two very different women leads to an invitation to become her house guest. The plot unfolds and leaves the reader trying to discover which woman is to be believed and trusted. This book made me read faster to try to figure out the answers.
Thanks to #Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion and was it expertly narrated by Stephanie Willing.
#NetGalley #MacMillanAudio #Goodreads

4 stars for a twisty suspense novel!

The audiobook overall: This was PACKED with twists and turns! This was one of those books where anything that could go wrong definitely DOES... and it kept me guessing till the very end.

The narration: I really liked it. I thought it was engaging and a great performance overall.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an audiobook ARC for review!

From my blog: Always With a Book

I have been a fan of Hank Phillippi Ryan for quite some time and am always left stunned at her books and this one was no exception. She is at the top of her game with this book and I am so glad I finally had a chance to read it.

I love a good cat and mouse game and this one really kept me guessing all the way until the very end – and the very best part is you really have no idea who is chasing who at times. I had no idea what direction is was going and I absolutely loved it! I had no idea who to trust and who was reliable and the further in I got, the more confused I got as to where the book might be heading. This one really has some fantastic twists that even I did not see coming!

A story about manipulation, I was hooked from the start. This gets into the dark side of marriage and friendship, and it is one wild ride. As with all Hank’s books, this one was completely addicting and binge-worthy and filled with deliciously fun characters – and the less you know going in, the better which is why my review is on the vague side. Just trust me when I saw this is a good one! I definitely recommend picking this one up if you haven’t already – you really can’t go wrong with a Hank Phillippi Ryan book!


Audio thoughts: This was such a fun book to listen to and the narrator, Stephanie Willing, did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. Her pacing was pitch perfect and she infused just the right amount of emotion and tension into her voice as needed.

This was twisty and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I kept trying to figure out what was actually happening before Hank Phillippi Ryan revealed the next twist and I was wrong every time. Looking forward to reading more of Hank Phillippi Ryan's books in the future.

Stephanie Willing did a great job narrating this novel and I will look for more novels narrated by her in the future.

I requested Phillippi Ryan's The House Guest because, quite a few years ago, I quite enjoyed one of her murder mysteries, evidence my positive review:

https://missbatesreadsromance.com/2016/02/27/review-hank-phillippi-ryan-what-you-see/#more-22549

Considering how much I enjoyed What You See, I was greatly looking forward to listening to this latest. Sadly, I did not enjoy this at all. What made What You See likeable were the leads. This was more in the category of a thriller, with a limited POV in the naïve narrator, who was, frankly, boring. Her double, in Bree, was unlikeable, and their interactions felt like Phillippi Ryan was aiming for girl-on-the-train vibes. The narrative read contrived and I bailed at about 15% in: there was suspense, but I didn't really care to find out what happened, or why it did.

The Houseguest
Hank Phillipi Ryan

Ryan takes her audience on a non-stop from beginning to end rollercoaster ride where when the passengers expect the ride to stop it simply changes directions, takes a 360 loop and starts all over again, but don’t get too dizzy because to follow the subtle hints you’ll need your wits about you. Hank gifts her readers/listeners with a solid plot, fluid narrative, amazing scenic backdrops, exotic locales and characters that range from mundane to over the top and each one is unforgettable. Alyssa is the absolute star of the novel and while she may seem naïve to some she’s actually a refreshingly humble designer wearing classy leading lady. On the other hand, Bree, the “houseguest” and other female lead is more of a mystery and a bit harder to pigeonhole. The novel moves at breakneck speed from the beginning until just before the end when Hank does a cool down to allow her audience to get their breathing back under control. Fans of this amazing storyteller, the novels of JT Ellison and Lisa Gardner and lovers of twisty turny chilling thrillers will stay up all night to get to “The End” of this unputdownable read.

Narration:
A great narrator can make or break a novel and Stephanie Willing does a bang-up job with Hank’s new novel. She inserts the right expression and emotions in all the right places making her listening audience moan, gasp and bite their nails. She also does a great job with all the voices both male and female making the audio version of this thriller the way to go!

With no explanation Alyssa McCallan is tossed aside by her uber-wealthy and well connected husband Bill, with a nasty divorce on the horizon she decides to drown her sorrows in a not so up-scale bar where she’s positive she’ll never run into anyone she and Bill knows. Instead she meets Bree a woman who may just have more problems than Alyssa does and makes a perhaps rash decision to not only take her under her wing but make her “The Houseguest”. But after inviting Bree to stay in her guest house Alyssa starts suspecting someone is entering her home when she’s gone and wonders if maybe Bill is messing with her. If that’s not enough, not is all as it seems with her new houseguest and she’s left wondering is she going crazy or is someone really out to get her?

This book was uneventful for me. The main character was overly-anxious about everything and, even though I am also anxiety-ridden, her anxieties seemed to spiral for me. It felt like she was triple guessing everything but then continually convincing herself not to worry and moving forward anyways. It just didn't seem like the character traits matched the personality the author was attempting to portray. Overall, I didn't mind the book, but I won't be running to recommend it to others.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for my advanced copy of this audiobook. My thoughts are my own.

This is a domestic suspense story with an intriguing storyline. I thought it would be predictable, like so many other books in this genre, but I was WRONG!

Alyssa Macallan has it all: a wealthy husband, multiple homes, beautiful clothes, jewelry, and a country club membership. That is until she is suddenly dumped by her husband! She is not sure what her next steps should be when she meets Bree Lorrance in a bar. When Bree tells her she is in hiding from a dangerous ex, Alyssa offers to let the beautiful stranger stay in her guest house. The two women quickly become friends. Then the FBI makes a visit and Alyssa begins to suspect her husband is trying to ruin her. Alyssa is concerned about her future when Bree makes a startling suggestion. How far are these women willing to go to help a new friend?

The publisher’s synopsis sums it up best: “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.”

You won’t guess the conclusion to this one!

I listened to the audio version and I felt my own sense of unease build as I listened! The narrator, Stephanie Willing does a great job.

Listen to this if you enjoy domestic suspense with lots of twists and surprises!

My first book by this author, and I absolutely loved it! A fast-paced suspense with layers of twists and turns, this story had me guessing until the very end. While some of Alyssa's actions felt a little unbelievable (who lets a stranger move into your guest house?), I did appreciate her as a character. The ending was so satisfying!

5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 for the wonderful Hank Phillippi Ryan’s THE HOUSE GUEST, a cat-and-mouse thriller narrated by Stephanie Willing. I just couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook.

The story is fast paced with lots of unexpected twists and turns. It’s well written, the characters are intriguing, the plot believable and the narrator’s voice very pleasant.

Some of the settings are among my favorite places to visit: Cape Cod and St. Bart.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this ARC.