Acres of horse ranch stretched under the sun, every inch polished into perfection for the grandest of occasions: the Drakes’ gender reveal party. This wasn’t just any celebration—it was a display of wealth, power, and ambition. The rolling hills and white-fenced paddocks were dressed up like a scene from a glossy lifestyle magazine, every detail carefully curated not just for family joy, but for business. Because for Wes Drake, this day doubled as a networking goldmine. Deals could be made between sips of champagne, new partnerships forged as the powder-pink and baby-blue bunting swayed in the breeze.

Madeleine, radiant but exhausted, shuffled through the grounds with her swollen belly, barely managing her shoes, supported by her best friend and midwife Joanna. She tried to smile, but her eyes darted—spotting uninvited archenemies mingling freely, wondering why her husband seemed so absorbed in conversation with the striking redheaded waitress at the far corner. Was it paranoia, or intuition? And why, moments before the announcement, did Dix and Wes break into a heated argument? Something was off, yet the spectacle demanded optimism. It had to be perfect. After all, even country music royalty Reba had taken a break from judging The Voice to grace their stage with a live performance.

The moment of truth came with cinematic flair. A rifle raised, poised to ignite a rigged truck carrying the explosive device that would reveal the baby’s gender in a glorious shower of colored powder. But instead of one triumphant blast, chaos erupted: two explosions thundered across the ranch. Smoke, screams, flames. What should have been pink or blue joy became carnage. In the haze of fire and fear, one guest lay dead near the barn, several were gravely injured, and Madeleine herself was rushed into an ambulance—her only companion the mysterious young waitress, Mellie, who, shockingly, was pregnant too.

If there were an award for most explosive scene in a book, Heather Gudenkauf would deserve to clutch the golden statue. The set piece was raw, cinematic, and utterly devastating. It reminded me of the relentless intensity of the opening 24 minutes of Saving Private Ryan—a literary moment so visceral I could see it playing out in my filmmaker’s mind.

But was this horrific blast just a tragic accident? Or were the Drakes—one of the town’s most powerful families—deliberately targeted?

Enter Jamie Saldano, an ATF agent with ties to the very soil now charred and bloodied. Jamie isn’t just an outsider investigator; he’s a boy of the town, carrying his own scars. Two decades earlier, his sister vanished, and he himself was beaten nearly to death and left for dead in a ditch. The man who saved him back then? None other than Wes Drake. This connection makes Jamie’s role dangerously complicated. Can he remain objective when the man at the center of this inferno is the same one he owes his life to?

As Jamie begins peeling back layers, it’s clear the Drakes’ empire runs deep—too many people in town are in their pockets, too many secrets lie beneath the glossy surface. Wes himself appears far too comfortable with the women around him, especially Mellie, who quickly bonds with Madeleine through their shared pregnancies. Is Mellie a confidante—or a pawn? Did someone seek revenge on the Drakes, or is there a darker, more tangled conspiracy at play?

The threads multiply: the victim’s grieving husband points his finger directly at the Drakes. Lucy, Mellie’s estranged sister, shows up at the ranch in a stolen truck, her motives dripping with suspicion. Furious over family inheritances that left her penniless while her sister controls the money, she’s a live wire with a grudge. Could Lucy be the hidden hand pulling the strings?

And haunting Jamie at every turn is his own past—his sister’s ghost whispering through the streets, reminding him that some wounds never heal. To solve the case, he’ll need to untangle not just the Drakes’ deceptions, but his own nightmares.

Overall: I came this close to giving the book a full five stars. I guessed the big twist fairly early, and I wasn’t a fan of Mellie’s character—she leaned a bit too heavily into telenovela-style melodrama, almost like a glamorous young villainess written for prime-time. The closing scene also felt a touch unnecessary, and a few of the reveals were too convenient, bordering on haphazard. Still, I devoured every page. The pacing was spot-on, Jamie’s POV was riveting (I need him to appear in future books), and Lucy, surprisingly, was my favorite—an intriguing blend of struggling outcast and dangerous femme fatale.

This is the kind of book that hooks you from the very first chapter and refuses to let go. The kind you put your phone on silent for, cancel plans, and just lose yourself in its grip until you’ve turned the final page. Not my all-time favorite from Gudenkauf, but still a wickedly entertaining, deeply cinematic mystery I highly recommend.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for granting me early access to one of my auto-approved authors’ unputdownable thrillers in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! I did not want to put this book down and I can say I finished it in less that 12 hours. I KNEW Heather Gudenkauf was going to serve twists, as she always does. For some reason, I was so invested in these characters. It was as if I was investigating all of these crimes with them. i love the past to present connections that really drive the plot and have you questioning EVERY character. && the ending leaving us on a little cliffy. Who is a cold blooded killer? Who has been keeping decades old secrets? AND who isn't being silenced with money?

An over-the-top gender reveal party (Pearls and Pistols) goes horribly wrong when a vintage pickup truck rigged with a device expected to blow pink or blue smoke into the air explodes. There is chaos. Many guests are seriously injured and one is dead. Hosts Wes and Madeline Drake are in shock and heavily pregnant Madeline is in risk of premature labor. ATF agent Jamie Saldano is sent to investigate what appears to have been two separate, deliberately set explosions. Everyone is a suspect and everyone has a secret they are desperate to keep hidden. Nothing is as it seems.

Heather Gudenkauf has done it again! The Perfect Guest is a perfect thriller, fill of plot twists and surprises. It’s impossible to put down. The characters are all well described, especially Jamie, Madeline and Lucy. The location is almost a character itself with its vast open spaces, isolated ranches and lonely roads. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Heather Gudenkauf for this ARC.

Ms. Gudenkauf has done it again!! I've loved every book that she has written and this one was no exception. My absolute favorite of hers is The Overnight Guest and this one is running just about neck and neck. I was saddled in from the first page and didn't dismount til the homestretch! It all came down to the wire only revealing the final twists at the finish line. I read it in one sitting because I had to know how it was all going to play out.
There were multiple POVs that kept it interesting. I did figure out a twist or two but was shocked by some of the reveals! This one really gives the reader a run for their money and is, hands down, one of her best.
Thank you to Harlequin via NetGalley for providing this advance copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Oh. My. Gravy!!! I absolutely love love loved this book! Heather Gudenkauf has once again written a masterful story of suspense with The Perfect Hosts. Ever the fan of hers, I couldn't wait to dive into this book and what a deep dive it was. Deep layers are so intricately woven with devious secrets and nerve-wracking twists on every layer. This is action packed from start to finish, barely giving the reader a chance to catch their breath.

I've heard of many gender reveals gone wrong, but this was the granddaddy of them all. The uniqueness of the reveal was interesting in itself, but the repercussions of the mishap left me reeling with my jaw on the ground. This was an all-out crash and burn for all the characters. I blocked out everything around me and settled in for a long night of reading.

The story is told through multiple perspectives, making the storyline easy to follow. It is very fast-paced and left me guessing the entire time. Did not see that shocking ending coming. Gudenkauf does a thriller like no other, and this is no exception. If you like fiery, explosive, and suspenseful, this is a must-read. I can't wait to see what she cooks up next for her readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for the advanced copy

This book kept me hooked from the beginning. Read in one day.. wow the secrets, the lies, who,? See if you can figure it up. Great characters most not likeable but made perfect for the story. Loved it

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book.

Madeline and Wes Drake are hosting an over-the-top gender reveal party, that quickly goes sideways, leaving 1 person dead, and a lot of unanswered questions. ATF Agent Jamie Saldano finds himself back in his hometown helping with the investigation, and it reveals past connections and unanswered questions that he also has.

This book hooks the reader from the very first chapter and has several twists and turns. I appreciated a wide cast of characters with several different storylines that the detectives had to chase as they were figuring out what really happened, and who was responsible for this deadly party.

I absolutely devoured this book! Heather Gudenkauf IS SUCH AN AMAZING AUTHOR! The overnight guest has been one of my favorite books of all time, and I’ve read a ton of thrillers. I will always support her work. Everything about this book is a win, the story, the characters, the fast paced…. LOVE IT ALL. Thank you so much. I love this as much as I do overnight guest.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf.

This is my favorite Heather Gudenkauf that I've read by far! I have not read her whole portfolio, so I can't speak for them, but of her most recent titles, this one is the best. The set up of a gender reveal gone wrong was great, but there were so many more layers to the mystery that I enjoyed a lot. A lot of scenarios that I did not see coming.

Great storytelling!

Gender reveal party gone wrong. I have really enjoyed some of the author's previous books and was excited to dive into this one. While it wasn't my favorite from this author, I still enjoyed it! The characters were a little hard to like and connect with. The plot was suspenseful and had a good amount of twists. The story is fast paced and told from multiple POVs which keeps the momentum moving forward.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Madeline and Wes Drake have invited the whole town to their gender reveal, when it goes wrong and another explosion goes off the party is now pure chaos. Madeline is in shock seeing all of the injured guests and is trying to find her best friend and midwife Johanna. When ATF arrives to the scene to help with the investigation it looks cut and dry on who made the bomb. Jamie is in charge of the investigation and this isn't the first in Nightjar, Wyoming. Twenty-seven years ago Jamie was twelve years old when he was beaten to near death and found by Wes Drake. That night his older sister Juneau went missing and has never been found. Jamie is having a hard time seperating both cases while his focus should be on finding out the killer that planted the bomb. This book will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Park Row for letting me read an advanced copy of this novel.

Another great read from Heather Gudenkauf! This one was full of secrets and twists that kept me hooked from the start. That’s one of the reasons I love her books—she always knows how to layer suspense and keep you guessing. Once the secrets started coming out, the story really took off and the twists just kept building. I was able to figure out a few things before the end, but not everything, which made the reveal even better. A fast, gripping read that didn’t disappoint!

I Loved this book. Heather Gudenkauf is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me. In this book you find a gender reveal party turns deadly when an explosion takes place leaving one dead body. How much is the couple hiding from their friends? How much are they hiding from each other. When ATF agents come to town to investigate there is another added layer to the mystery.

I definitely recommend this book if you like a good thriller! There were a few different plots going on and because of the main pieces I had a hard time caring about it all, but still recommend! 4/5 stars for me! Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this work in exchange for my honest opinion

I have been a Gudenkauf fan from her first books, though there were some I liked a bit less than others. This one i LOVED. The idea of using a gender reveal as the inciting incident was brilliant. The intertwined storyline were flawless.
I know a few other reviewers complained that there hadnt been many clues to the ending, but that's why I loved it! It was twisty and kept me guessing all the way through!
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was pretty good. Lots of guessing to see what the big deal of who caused the explosion was. Heather included conflict and drama within the story. Along with a personal vendetta from another character. Ultimately I did not expect the person who caused the chaos to be who it was. That character barely scratched the surface through the entire book. I would recommend this still to someone. This author is one I enjoy.

I really enjoyed reading this book. A gender reveal was such a unique setting to introduce such an intricate story.

Another great read of 2025! This one totally held my attention and I found myself wanting to do nothing else but read this book! A gender reveal gone wrong- that alone intrigued me! A unique plot, multiple POVs, and few different mysteries had me flipping the pages, needing to know how it was going to all play out. A bit of it was confusing, but I think it’s because I read an uncorrected copy and still needs some fine tuning, so I will absolutely be buying this once it comes out and giving it a re-read. Can’t wait to suggest this book to all my guests!

Wow! This book was really good. The author's writing style, descriptions and characters were likeable (and hate able) in a real way. There were so many characters that I was afraid I was going to get lost, but she was able to write them in a way that never felt confusing or overwhelming.

Also, LOVE the backstory. A little bonus mystery that was held until the last chapter. Yes,.so glad it wrapped up on a nice bow.

(The final chapter leaves a nugget of information, too, but that's up to the reader to interpret)

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I did not live this one and I really wanted to. I see that most reviewers loved it, and I usually enjoy this author, but something about the characters in this book just made it hard for me to feel invested in the story. The premise was great, I just didn’t particularly enjoy the actual story.

Loved the theme for the book and the drama. Felt like a tv show. Fast paced and easy to read. Really enjoyed it!! Can’t wait to read more of hers!!