If I were an author, this would be the book I'd want to write. In fact, of all the books I've had the opportunity to read in the last six months or so, I think this is my favorite. There is so much I want to say about this one, but I also feel that it is most likely a novel that will be enjoyed more and more the less you know going into it. The one thing I WILL say, however, is that I was completely blown away and in awe of the ending. Never in a million years would I have been creative enough to write an ending to a "ghost story" like that! This was the first book by Sarah Pinborough I've ever read, but I'm absolutely in love with her writing, and if her future books are as good as I felt this book was, she has a fan for life. Obviously I will be recommending this book to customers- and family, friends, enemies, pretty much anyone who will listen- because yes, it IS that entertaining. A definite must-read.

This is gothic thriller perfection. I am thrilled my introduction to this author is a five star. I couldn’t get enough of this book.

One tropey thing that I am really critical of is the ways in which female main characters are gaslit and manipulated into not believing themselves. If done poorly, I’m left feeling no trust in the characters at all, giving them no credibility. That is 100% not the case here. This was written with such craft and finesse. I was completely hooked.

Couple Emily and Freddie move from city life to the country, following an accident that almost took Emily’s life. Freddie is ready for the fresh start, but Emily is immediately witnessing things that terrify her. Something is wrong with this house, but Freddie is unaware. So, we get to see the cracks in their union, we get to see the both of them kind of devolve, and as this happens, secrets from the past begin to surface.

This was so fast paced and very unique. I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this book. Not at all what I was expecting going in… but 10x better.

🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛.5 (gonna start rating in fun stuff)

“After an accident that nearly kills her, Emily and her husband, Freddie, move from London to a beautiful Dartmoor country house called Larkin Lodge. The house is gorgeous, striking—and to Emily, something about it feels deeply wrong. Old boards creak at night; fires extinguish; and books fall from the shelves But these things happen only when Emily is alone, so are they happening at all? She cannot fully trust her senses. As bizarre events pile up and her marriage starts to crumble, Emily becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about Larkin Lodge.“

Firstly, thank you @netgalley and @flatironbooks for the advanced copy of this book! I was ECSTATIC to get it! I loved the show adaptation of Behind Her Eyes (I still need to read it) and the premise of this story sounded so interesting to me. I love a good haunted house and someone questioning their sanity.

Overall, I liked the vibe. I think it could’ve been longer, while also cutting some parts out. The crow’s chapters did nothing for me. I also wish we knew more details about the exterior and interior of Larkin Lodge to really paint a picture while we’re world building. There is a huge, somewhat slow but still good and eerie build up to the climax, and then that’s cut very short and almost feels rushed and very condensed. I like the twist on the haunted house and what makes it haunted, but I think her thinking she was crazy went on too long and the actual meat of the problem was too fast at the end. I love the short chapters, I love Joe and Sally’s aura of the hot older artsy couple, love the scandals in Freddie and Emily’s marriage, and their messy friends. The ending was a bummer for them but made sense.

Overall, it’s a neat story! I think I’d like the audiobook even more so I could fully be immersed and feel the dread in a different way.

We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough is a fast-paced and darkly atmospheric gothic thriller that expertly combines suspense, domestic drama, and supernatural elements.

Following Emily and Freddie as they move to the eerie Larkin Lodge to escape their tumultuous past, the novel delves into the secrets each partner is hiding, and the mysterious, sinister happenings surrounding their new home.

While the setup is familiar—a haunted house driving a wedge between a couple—the story takes unexpected twists, leading to an explosive, mind-blowing conclusion that will leave fans of psychological thrillers and gothic horror thrilled and unsettled. Fans of Gone Girl and The House Next Door will find much to enjoy in this gripping tale.

This book was so creepy and wild!
I loved the short chapters and the fast pace.

A spooky house, and with secrets on its own, strange stories unfold from people that lived there before.

I truly enjoyed this book, as I slowly started to read more of creepy/horror

Thank you so much Flatiron Books, NetgGalley and Sarah Pinborough for this eARC.

I definitely recommend!

I ate this up so quick! If I didn't have responsibilities, I would have finished this in one setting. You can always count on Pinborough to take you on the WILDEST ride. Loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley & Flatiron Books | Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5/5 stars!
Wow, that was interesting. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I can see why she’s widely known and loved. This was a fresh and interesting take on the haunted house trope. It’s a very engaging and fast paced read and will keep you flipping the pages dying to know what’s happening.

✨I’ve been waiting three years for a new Sarah Pinborough book, and this one was just as bizarre (in the best way) as her last – and truly next level. Take a crumbling old estate (Haunted? Maybe. Maybe not. 🤷🏻‍♀️) with an isolated location and two potentially unreliable main characters. Add in some family drama with some creepy goings on then tack on an extra maniacal little twist. It’s a slow burn with an ending that pays off.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Gothic suspense
✨Family drama
✨Creepy old houses
✨English countryside stories
✨Isolated locations
✨Snowy settings
✨WHAT WAS THAT endings

My thanks to @flatiron_books and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

This is the best book I have read in a long time! A story about a couple and their relationship problems with a creepy paranormal twist. It was a bit dark and kept me guessing until that crazy ending. The characters were so well done. even the dead ones!! Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy you will not be disappointed.
Highly recommend

An original & dark tale of relationships tied to an eerie & haunted house. The lies & secrets in a relationship are told against an interesting house with a twist you won’t see coming. I love the layers of this story & how what’s happening in the story can be taken literally or figuratively.

If there’s one thing @sarahpinboroughbooks knows how to write, it’s the weird. And boy! Was this book weird, and I absolutely LOVED IT!

After reading Insomnia a couple of years ago, and watching the Netflix series, “Behind Her Eye” (yes I said watched, not read, don’t judge me) I went into knowing this book was going to end with me saying, “what did I just read?” And I’m here for it!

This book was creepy, and took the haunted house trope in a wild direction. I didn’t know if Emily was crazy, or if Freddie was. This book was so well done, with the short chapters and the epic conclusion I can’t recommend this book enough!

Thank you @flatiron_books and @netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review. PUB DATE: 5/20

🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛/5

A spine tingling, haunting tale. I was drawn to the mystery of Larkin Lodge, the flawed characters and the Raven’s story. The Raven’s story adds a layer of darkness and creepy to this immersive, unique story about a house that feeds on the weaknesses of its inhabitants.

Highly recommend horror and gothic fans add this book to your 2025 TBR. (Pub Date: May 20, 2025)

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #WeLiveHereNow

Sarah Pinborough has done it again – created a crazy, creepy, wtf story complete with a spooky old house that is definitely haunted in some way. But, if you think this is just a run of the mill ghost story you are in for a shock. Larkin Lodge attracts couples in trouble, couples with secrets, couples with which it can play. Would it be worth murdering someone if you could get back the best part of the person you used to love? And what price would you have to pay? We Live Here Now will definitely give you something to think about, long after you have discovered the secret of Larkin Lodge.

As a die-hard Sarah Pinborough fan, this book was okay. I have read all of her books, and this one felt too similar to another novel she wrote. Sepsis was brought up a minimum of 300x in the first half of the book, yet never mentioned in the second half. I finished the book with a lot of questions that I was hoping there would be answers to - especially pertaining to one room in particular. I wanted more of a haunted house thriller, and this just wasn't it.

I adored Behind Her Eyes, especially as I read it when it was brand new and there were no spoilers, no TV show, etc. and I could go into all the deliciously shocking story blind. Since then Pinborough's books haven't landed well for me. Always hoping to find the same sweet spot as Behind Her Eyes I was eager to read this one, and finished it in a weekend.
It feels a bit like revisiting some of her previous world-building, and unlike it BHE, it did bother me that there wasn't much of an explanation for the how of it all.
The story has great classic tropes and misdirection that kept me reading, and I was eager to learn what was really happening. Once I did, I felt a little "Huh..." about it, but it was still a fun read. I think the very end will make for interesting book club discussions as I have mixed feelings about it.