I think I liked the cover and blurb more than the book. I had high expectations because of those two things and my expectations just weren't met. The story was alright just nothing great.

This is a lighter, escapist suspense book full of twists and I recommend listening to the audio book! The pacing is great and I enjoyed the narrator! This book is slightly predictable but still keeps you on your toes! This is full of lies, secrets, and manipulation. 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

Alyssa was living a charmed life. But then her wealthy, connected husband left her, taking her friends and her future from her. One day she befriends Bree, who needs help, to give some meaning to her life. But then she begins to discover that everything-and everyone -is not who and what they seem.

I enjoyed this story of strong female characters, caught in a web that they had to get out of. A fun read. The narration was spot on.

The entire time I was reading this book I was thinking – what the hell are you doing? Why are you bringing strangers back to your home, especially when you live alone??? Why is every choice that you make a bad one? These were only some of the thoughts that went through my head while reading. Alyssa meets Bree at a hotel bar and invites her to come stay at her guest house. Is Bree who she says she is? And then wait… they meet a guy, while on a personal investigation and invited him back to Alyssa’s home too? What is going on? I did not connect with any of the characters. There wasn’t much thrill, just merely speculation throughout. The end did have a couple of twists that I wasn’t expecting. For the most part, this book seemed unrealistic.

This was a bit of a slow start for me. There was a lot of suspension of disbelief and after about 80% things got really over the top. But that being said, this is definitely a great escapist and fun thriller, made so much better by the audio. I definitely found it to be an entertaining cat-and-mouse thriller! This was my first book from the author and I will be checking out the backlog!
Thank you Macmillan audio for the ALC of this one!

Following Alyssa, a woman separated from her husband, this book takes place over roughly two weeks while divorce negotiations are underway. Alyssa meets Bree at a bar one night, and Bree invades her life. Not in a sinister way, but in an omnipresent way. A disturbing way. A “I just met you, this is crazy, let me move into your guest house” way. Especially when Bree suddenly comes into good fortune and her financial advisor Dez also starts hanging around.

For the first half of this book, I couldn’t decide if it was a psychological thriller or contemporary fiction. I just knew that Alyssa is a completely ignorant main character. With regard to her personal life AND her marriage. But then things picked up and we were definitely in thriller land. The FBI got involved. Suspicious events started happening. Bree and Dez get weirdly close and involved in Alyssa’s life. Their advice on so many things? Pshhh I would hope nobody would take it 😅 And can they PLEASE stop drinking all of Alyssa’s good wine please!

Then we hit 80% and wow. Twists start revealing themselves. And they keep hitting until the very end. You think things are resolved? Nope. Try again. And again. What a great final resolution.

I’m so glad to have read this. Solid psychological thriller, and it’s set in Boston which is basically the best city ever 💁🏻‍♀️ It kept me guessing the entire time!

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and MacMillan Audio for a review copy!

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.

I am so excited to write this review and share how much I loved this book! I can’t believe this is my first read from this author, but I’m immediately adding everything else she has written to my TBR!

“The House Guest,” is about a woman named Alyssa who is going through a divorce, when she meets Bree, who is also down on her luck, and they become friends. Bree, has boyfriend drama, and agrees to go to Alyssa’s house for the night for a mental break from living in a hotel. During her short stay with Alyssa, Bree’s life changes quickly. (Yes, I’m being vague on purpose!) Then, when the FBI come to Alyssa’s door, Alyssa’s life changes as well!

This book is the ultimate game of cat and mouse! I never knew who to trust, and was completely confused, yet captivated, by the story! I loved the ending and felt so satisfied. Out tomorrow, you have to check this one out! The narrator of the audio book was fabulous, and this gets 5 stars from me! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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

I enjoyed the narrator overall , the story has a lot of repetitive conversations which came very apparent in the audio version for me

While I didn't find these to be very likable characters, I did enjoy the plot. When Alyssa learns her husband is leaving and she may not be rich for long she's also lost of of her "friends". In a random bar across town she meets Bree who seems like she has just as many problems of her own. As they quickly begin to rely on each other, the problems increase quickly when the FYI comes to Alyssa about her soon to be ex.
Is Bree going to be the person who helps save her or sink her?

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.

Wonderful narration, smooth transition between characters. Keeps you guessing on who is involved with what!! Excellent story telling!!!!

This was an easy and fun quick weekend binge full of unexpected twists. On the brink of a divorce, Alyssa is feeling lonely and afraid of what her soon to be ex-husband is capable of taking from her. She makes an unexpected friend and is suddenly thrust in the middle of a complex web of twists and turns. While the writing felt a little flat and forced and the characters weren’t super likable, I enjoyed this listen, narrated bg Stephanie Willing.

If you’re looking for a thriller with a good mystery component, and crave the juxtaposition of rich and poor, this story is your you.

I really enjoyed The House Guest. My mind was constantly clicking through the possibilities of what could happen. I was content when I’d guessed what would happen, and was absolutely delighted with some twists, especially those saved for the end.

The characters were compelling, especially seen through the eyes of the main character who was wavering in her opinions based on each situation. The main character even questioned herself and whether she was being rational or paranoid, which was very relatable.

I listened to the Audiobook through the iPhone NetGalley app. The narrator does a fantastic job. I’ve listened to another audiobook performed by this narrator, and I’ve become fond of her. She’s an excellent actor. I listened at 1.75x speed, which is my most preferred audiobook speed.

Thank you Macmillan and NetGalley for this advanced audio copy.

I have really liked this author's books in the past, but this one didn't work for me. From reading the blurb and it describing the book as a "cat and mouse thriller" I was expecting a fast-paced story. Unfortunately, it was rather slow and kind of boring. I did like the ending though and how things came together and were revealed.

This was the first book I’ve read by Hank Phillippi Ryan and I was not disappointed. I overall give this a 3.5 because it did hold my attention the full way through.

I listened to the audio version of this and the narration by Stephanie Willing was good as well and she is one of the reasons it didn’t take me long to get through this book.

We start off meeting Alyssa who was recently dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband Bill. He practically leaves her alone, and without friends because of his power and influence. She goes to a bar one night when she is feeling super down and she meets Bree. They get to talking and it turns out Bree also has a pity story of her own having just gotten out of an abusive relationship, hence why she is at the hotel bar. Alyssa and Bree hit it off, and in no time Alyssa has invited Bree to stay in her guest house.

Soon after, Bree discovered she has a brother through one of those DNA/genealogy sites and an attorney named Dez, has been trying to reach her via phone for days with information.

On top of all this, the FBI reaches out to Alyssa and they are going after Alyssa’s husband for some shady business. Her new friend Bree and Dez, who seemed to latch onto them rather quickly, are ready to help her take him down.

It really felt like Alyssa let these people into her life so fast but to me, everything they did seemed super shady and I wouldn’t have trusted them. It made the book a little less believable because of that. Who would be that naive?

This book had quite a few twists and turns which kept it interesting however a lot of things that happened were not super realistic and again the trust that Alyssa had in the people she just met annoyed me. The ending was alright, and overall I was satisfied because it was hard to guess how it would end and kept me reading/listening.

Thank you Macmillan audio and NetGalley for providing a copy to review. I’ll be on the lookout for other novels by Hank and other books narrated by Stephanie.

Alyssa Macallan is figuring out all that is being subtracted from her life after her wealthy husband asks for a divorce, lifestyle, friends, and a loving partner. What she doesn't expect is to add a house guest and maybe even a friend when she encounters Bree at a hotel bar. In Bree she thinks she has found a kindred sprit, someone else that is subtracting things, an abusive boyfriend. A series of events, unexpected wealth, the FBI, and a man that offers to help makes Alyssa question everything. Who can she trust? What is real? How can she survive and create the life she wants?

The narrator does a good job of conveying emotion and immersing you in the experience.

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, @MacMillanAudio and @MacMillanTorForge for an advanced copy of @TheHouseGuest.

#TheHouseGuest #HankPhillippiRyan #MacMillanAudio #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

“Money itself wasn’t a bad thing. Not until bad people used it.”

Alyssa Macallan is terrified when she's dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her. 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 to let Bree Lorrance stay in her guest house, and the two become fast friends. Then Bree makes Alyssa a very tempting offer. Maybe they can help solve each others' problems.

But no one is what they seem. And you can't always get what you want but, sometimes, you get what you deserve.

This was a super quick read that kept me guessing until the very end. I both read and listened to this and I LOVE doing that because that means you are never without your book! The audio was great and I enjoyed the narrator.

Just when you think you can trust someone BOOM, a twist. And you’re like damn I didn’t see that coming. None of the twists are mind blowing, though, but I was definitely surprised at multiple points throughout the story. If you enjoy twisty thrillers this is a solid one.

“The Mass Turnpike was insanity on wheels in any weather.” #IYKYK

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, Forge Books, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️

The House Guest was a twisty, turny psychological thriller that had you guessing until the very end!!

The story begins with Alyssa, who we find out is going through a rough divorce from her very rich and controlling husband, Bill. While having a drink, she strikes up a friendship with Brie, who also seems to be going through a tough time personally. Brie needs a place to stay, and hence we have our house guest.

Next thing you know, the FBI shows up at Alyssa’s door, and we find out that Bill may be in deep deep trouble…

This was so good! The pacing was fantastic, and I absolutely was not able to guess the ending. Alyssa is a complex character who was described wonderfully.

I listened to the narration of this and was incredibly pleased with the narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.