im not even sure. I liked it, but the unreliable narrator did get a little old. The writing style for good, but i was slightly disappointed with the ending and lack of twist. maybe i read too many of these to be surprised. I will read more from Sanders though.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I liked this one! Slightly predictable in some areas but still enjoyed the twists. It kept my attention throughout! The narrator was good as well.

DNF at 35%
This is a frustrating read that I know is not for me, so I am going to cut my losses and move on.

I found the characters very caricature-ish. We have the younger wife and new mother married to an older man who have their stepdaughter visit and disrupt their seemingly normal life. The stepdaughter is cartoonishly evil to the wife. The husband sides with the daughter and the wife is essentially a doormat. I am finding the continuous abuse and gaslighting of the wife intolerable to read.
Overall, these are such annoying characters that I don’t really want to continue anymore.

If you like reading about dysfunctional family and domestic thrillers, this might be up your alley. It ended up being not a book for me.

The audiobook narrator is great though and did a fantastic job.

Wow, this was a fast paced, edge of your seat, thriller that even when you thought you knew what was going on threw another twist.

Young mum Joanne and her older husband Richard seem to be living a wonderful life with their baby daughter Evie. Then Richard's estranged 20 year old daughter gets back in touch and moves in with the family. From there the story weaves with relationships, gas lighting, suspicions, secrets and twists at every angle. And to top it off the conclusion leaves this wide open for more. The suspense and fear has you holding on wanting more.

Thanks to the author Nicola Sanders, NetGalley and the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for the Audio ARC. #NetGalley #Dreamscape Media

Wow! This book had so many twists it made my head spin. I really liked it. I will however warn if you don’t like the trope of blissfully unaware women who ignore the red flags right in front of their eyes to skip this one. 5 stars for me!

Joanne and Richard are a happy little family adjusting to life with their newborn daughter Evie. Aside from Joanne being a little stir crazy, everything is going perfectly. When Richard's 20 year old daughter Chloe comes for a visit after being estranged for years, Joanne is so excited to meet her. She welcomes her into their home, and when Chloe asks to stay for a while Joanne sees it as a perfect opportunity to get to know her better. But it doesn't take long before things start to change and Chloe begins to show another side of herself. Joanne suspect Chloe's motives aren't right, and after learning of Richard's first wife's untimely death things start to spiral out of control.

I really enjoyed this psychological thriller, a dark and twisty web of deceit, lies and gaslighting! It's enough to make anyone question what is really going on. Penelope Rollins did a great job narrating this story, I would definitely recommend this audiobook it, I couldn't stop listening!

Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook to review

Don’t Let Her Stay by Nicola Sanders
Audiobook narrated by Penelope Rawlins
Dreamscape Media
Publication Date 07 March 2023

Don’t Let Her Stay had me guessing and second guessing until the very last second! I thought I had this figured out but the last chapter, especially those last few seconds, threw me for a loop. The questions running through my head throughout the book: "Who is telling the truth? Richard or Chloe? Who is Johann to trust, her husband or her grownup step-daughter? Or is Johann's forgetfulness causing tension and confusion in the household?"

This story was truly captivating and the conflict introduced in the beginning of the book pulled you in with all of its twist and turns. What pushes the narrative of this book further? Is that we are hearing the story of this dysfunctional family through the eyes and ears of Johann. Not knowing the personal thoughts of Richard or Chloe helps build tension till the very end.

Don’t Let Her Stay is definitely worth a listen to and Penelope Rawlins did an excellent job at narrating. Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC.

Reviews are also posted to my Instagram blog (bibliophiles_elite).

This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! My anxiety was high with this book with so many twist and turns The narrator did a great job telling the story and voices to tell the difference between characters. I highly recommend this book for sure a page turner! Well done. Thank you for the early review #netgalley

I was pulled in right from the beginning, and remained on the edge of my seat until the very last second. 🤯

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time with this book, even up until the very end! The author reels you in with the first few chapters and doesn’t stop throughout the book. I don’t want to give too much away and give away the book, but there are some very manipulative characters in this book and it will having you going back and forth wondering who exactly you don’t want staying!!

I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator did a great job. I will be looking for books narrated by her, she did the different character voices really good. I would highly recommend this version of Don’t Let Her Stay.

Yet another great story by Nichola Sanders was a fantastic read.
Once I started listening to this audio version I literally couldn’t stop.
Sanders knows how to weave a compelling tale.
Don’t Let Her Stay was very well paced and had interesting characters.
This book is a thrill ride from cover-to-cover and there is not one dull moment.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Got to start off with saying that this was a creepy thriller! And it really hit the psychological aspect on the head! There were some many twists and turns that it really had me all wound up trying to figure out who was the killer and really at the end, I still don’t really know what I know.

The tension is really high in the book, more so as the story progresses, and I find it is a great example of gaslighting and how it really has you doubting everything about yourself. The unreliable narrator really plays into all of it quite well. The narration was done well and helped play into the story.

This book was extremely fast paced that had you needing to know what was going to happen next.

The question kept popping up, even at the end… who can you really trust?

I enjoyed the narrator’s voice, and it was well read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for this copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This domestic/psychological thriller kept me engaged from the beginning and kept me guessing until the very end. There is a lot of gaslighting and suspense in this book, so be ready for a rollercoaster ride. The story is told from Joanne’s POV. I enjoyed this book, and I definitely recommend it.
I look forward to seeing more of this author.
I listened to the audiobook and Chloe's voice when talking to her dad was annoying, especially for a 20 yr old.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC.
#DreamscapeMedia #NetGalley #Don'tLetHerStay #happilyaddictedtobooks #psychologicalthriller

I thought the book started off slow, and with a rather predictable conceit: a couple's relationship is shaken up when the adult stepdaughter returns to the home and insists on nannying the baby. To her father she is an angel, but when he's not around, she shows her true colors to the stepmother. As a parent myself, I can't read books where children are harmed, and I was safely able to read this book.

Things picked up in the second half of the book, as the history of the family is examined, and suddenly things are turned on their head. In fact, the twists kept coming right up until the final page. The narrator did a nice job of differentiating voices and kept the pace and suspense up the whole way through. I really liked this creepy thriller!

Don't let her Stay

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel.

This novel begins with a well-matched, pleasant couple who have a baby. Life is going swimmingly until the husband's daughter from an earlier marriage moves in and she starts to undermine their marriage, behind her father's back...

Until next time, be wary of those in-laws.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of Don't Ler Her Stay by Nicola Sanders, narrated by Penelope Rawlins and published by Dreamscape Media
Loved listening to this audio book, it was my first. I'd always hesitated but I think I'm hooked as you can listen while doing housework, it's awesome
This was a great novel, didn't see the first big twist coming and certainly didn't see the 2nd. Narrator did a great job with voices and expressions
Joanne is main character, she is married ro Richard and they have a young daughter Evie. Richard has a daughter Chloe from his previous marriage, and Chloe has decided to come for a visit. She wants to get to know her baby sister. But Joanne is having a really hard time forming a bond with this 21 year old despite all her efforts, and why can't Richard see things from Joanne's perspective. It's to the point she doesn't want to leave Evie with Chloe for fear of what may happen.
I liked the characters, their voices, or sometimes not when Chloe got to whining, was glad the main character Joanne had more backbone than I thought she was going to.
Loved this novel, I want more! Will read more from this author. What a great psychological thriller.

Such a solid read/listen. I would almost say 4.5 stars for me.

The characters were written just right so you either liked or hated them. The story keeps moving without any parts dragging or drawn out. Everything fits right into place and keeps you guessing until the very end.

It was almost predictable, until it wasn’t. Then another twist. I think the ending was perfect. Wrapped up the story so well. I didn’t really want more from this book. It was better than I hoped.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Dreamscape audio for the ARC audiobook.

The beginning of the book is very hard to get into. It took me a couple of tries. There is something about the main character and her dynamics with her husband that puts me off. Plus, I was annoyed by Chloe and her attitude. However, I pushed through because the book is quite short.

But to be honest, I want to stop midway because the story is not really capturing my attention even though it kind of picks up in the end. But for me, it doesn't justify the 1st half.

Even though I didn't like it as much, I could see people liking this. Plus, I could imagine this as a movie, and it would be a good psychological thriller. But as a book, all in all? Not for me.

Don't Let Her Stay by Nicola Sanders (Goodreads Author)
Colleen Chi-Girl's review Mar 16, 2023
3-1/2 STARS
Bookshelves: 2023, audio, contemporary, england-uk, women-centered, netgalley, thrillers

Publisher's blurb: Joanne knows how lucky she is, Richard is a wonderful husband, Evie is the most gorgeous baby girl, they live in a beautiful house, life couldn't be better. But then Richard's twenty-year-old daughter Chloe turns up. Chloe hasn't spoken to her father since the day he married Joanne two years ago. But with the arrival of her baby sister Evie, Chloe wants to make peace. Richard is delighted, and since Joanne is struggling with the new baby, he suggests Chloe could move in and help. Then things happen to make Joanne feel like she's losing her mind. Is Chloe really here to help?

MY REVIEW: I read this on audiobook, narrated by Penelope Rawlins. I found it was hard to get into at first due to Richard's snobby, old-fogie, tone, voice and demeanor, as well as the fact that Joanne was so subservient to him and his demands, and then there's daughter, Chloe's total immaturity and nasty behavior. But the story builds with some funny, odd, frightful, and interesting events, and the last third of the novel, it began to be more interesting,
You'll have to suspend your disbelief towards the end, however, for me, it was too abrupt and easily sewn up.

Nonetheless, it was satisfying. Hope you give this a chance as this is Nicola Sanders' 2nd novel. Worth reading and following this new author. Set in England.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the author, and Dreamscape Media for the ARC Audiobook!

I received this as an audio galley to listen to for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for giving me access.
•
This story brings a refreshing view to the whole step mother/daughter combo — where indeed, the step-daughter is the one stirring up problems.
•
But oh my word. Never have I been so annoyed with a character as I have with Chloe, the 20 year old step daughter. She talks to her father as if she is five, whinny voice and all. Every time she started saying, “but Daddyyyyyy….” I just wanted to slap her and I wouldn’t blame Joanne if she did.
•
Aside from that one character flaw, Sanders did an amazing job at keeping me guessing. I really thought I knew what was going to happen just to be thrown in the opposite direction…I think I still have readers whiplash 😅 I am still not over that ending.