Sally Royer-Derr’s The Christmas Guest blends elements of holiday charm with psychological suspense, offering readers a story that’s both cozy and unsettling. Set in a scenic Maine guesthouse during the festive season, the novel follows Laura, a woman whose quiet life is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious guest.

Strengths:
* The setting is richly described, evoking a strong sense of place and seasonal atmosphere.
* The plot introduces intriguing questions early on, keeping readers curious about the characters’ true intentions.

Considerations:
* Some readers may find the pacing uneven, particularly in the middle chapters.
* I’m not a fan of insta-love or romance in a thriller so this didn’t work for me.
* The twists, though engaging, might feel familiar to seasoned thriller readers.

Overall, The Christmas Guest is a solid holiday read for those who enjoy light thrillers with a touch of romance and a festive backdrop.

Thank you to @netgalley & the author for a chance to read and leave an honest review.

Just finished reading The Christmas Guest by Sally Royer-Derr. Wow, was.it twisty! I will look for more.if this author's work.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

Wow what a great book! I really enjoyed the premise of this book. The characters are great. I even enjoyed the secondary characters. The writing style was great and this really was an easy read. It had meek hooked from page one. I don't always have a hard time putting books down but this one had me..lol. I highly recommend this book if you are in a reading slump. This was a first for me by this author but will not be my last.

This was an extremely fast read, so fast in fact that I didn't take time to mark that I was reading it until I finished the whole thing. This story had me guessing until the very end and if I'm being honest, I may still be guessing with that line. The romance was sweet, but had me on edge the whole time. It was as if I wanted to be happy that they were together, but also very nervous to like them as a couple. While this is a Christmas themed book, I feel like you could easily read it any time of year (I read it at the end of August.). While there was definately romance, I would say that the spice bordered on closed door (with the door slightly ajar.) This book was very suspenseful, while not being so torturous that it messed with my sleep. I could have definitely read this book alone on a cold winter night and been ok. I would warn you, don't start this thriller unless you are ready to spend a few hours with your head buried in a book. Spice 1/5

It’s not often you come across a Christmas psychological thriller, which is exactly what made The Christmas Guest such a fun surprise for me! Set in a picturesque coastal town, the story follows Laura, who opens her guesthouse to Nate—an author she’s admired for years. Their whirlwind romance gives off cozy Hallmark vibes, but the secrets each of them carry bring in that darker, thriller edge I love.

“Funny how a simple phone call can change your entire perspective.” That phone call—from Laura’s college roommate—sets everything in motion, and I loved how the prologue circled back around midway through the story in such an unexpected way. It added a fresh layer to the pacing and kept me hooked.

What really surprised me, though, was Ashley. She starts off as a background character who clearly has something “off” about her, but the way she tied into Nate’s secret completely blindsided me. I definitely didn’t see that twist coming!

Overall, this was a quick, engaging read that blended romance, suspense, and holiday cheer in a way that felt unique. If you like your Christmas stories with a little more bite—something cozy yet unsettling—this is a perfect pick.

Thank you to Sally Royer-Derr and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun mix of cozy holiday romance and twisty psychological thriller vibes. I loved the Maine setting—it had that perfect small-town, snow-dusted guesthouse atmosphere that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and keep reading. Nate was charming but definitely gave off a too good to be true energy, which kept me second-guessing him the whole time. And Laura… well, let’s just say she’s not as straightforward as she first seems either.

The story moves quickly and I found myself saying “just one more chapter” more than once. Some of the twists were a little predictable, but honestly, that didn’t bother me because it still delivered the tension and drama I was hoping for. It felt like a lighter, binge-able thriller with a holiday backdrop, which is exactly what I wanted.

Perfect if you like your Christmas reads a little dark but still with some swoony, fun romance sprinkled in.

A fun physiological thriller, set during the holiday season.

It’s a quick read, I finished in two sittings, mostly from being interested in how it would all unfold. Written mostly from Laura’s point of view, I liked the additional chapters in Nate’s and the stalker’s perspective to help give it a little depth.

While I liked the first 90% of the book, I found the final conclusion lackluster. There were plot holes and loose ends that never were addressed. I was hoping there would be a need twist but there wasn’t, the stalker was obvious and the end scene didn’t really make sense to me. Overall I’m still happy to have read it, I just wish the ending would have been more complete.

Thank you to Sally Royer-Derr and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Guest was a really quick, easy popcorn thriller. I really wanted to like it but unfortunately, this one was just a miss for me. I felt that there wasn't much character development. Things between the FMC and the MMC moved extremely quickly. Without giving any spoilers, Laura shared information with Nate that you would NEVER share with anyone, let alone someone you've only known for a couple of months. Incredibly unrealistic. The way everything came together felt a little awkward and forced to me. I will definitely read more from this author because I've enjoyed her works in the past, but this one just isn't my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this book! Sally has done it again, completely consuming my evening. I never get anything done when I start one of her captivating novels.

This was a really enjoyable mix of thriller, romance, suspense, gorgeous setting, holiday cheer, mysterious characters, secrets and murder. The romantic popcorn thriller you will gobble up this Christmas! It was all such good fun.

I liked that it was a romance featuring a couple a little older than you normally see in a romance novel. The mystery surrounding Nate was great, he certainly had something to hide. He was dashing and sexy but had an edge to him. I loved Laura's character. She was realistic and smart, she knew Nate had secrets, but her secret really surprised me. I also liked how loving she was with her son, Charlie, and her dog, Gertie.

The ending was good, sort of a happily ever after, but it's a thriller so there's shades of grey. There's a little shock at the end, but I saw it coming.

Overall, a smart, sexy and utterly addictive story full of suspense. Add to your Christmas TBR immediately! Solid five stars!!!