House on Fire by Bonnie Kistler is a family drama that will have the reader wondering where one's loyalty should lie in a blended family in crisis. Attorney Leigh Huyett and contractor Pete Conley have been married for five years. This is a second marriage for both and the couple have brought together their children from their previous relationships. On a weekend when Leigh and Pete have left her daughter Chrissy, 14, with his son Kip, 18, a horrible accident occurs. Chrissy and Kip are on their way home from a party when their vehicle slams into a tree. Within 12 hours, Chrissy is dead and Kip has been arrested for the manslaughter of his step-sister. This tragedy drives a stake through the heart of this family. With broken hearts on both sides, Leigh and Pete are doing their best to be fair and supportive while grieving. What would you do and whose side would you be on? The author has included a few other storylines which seem to deter from the main plot. Hence only 4 stars but definitely a book well worth reading. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I like a novel that makes me think, and Ms. Kistler certainly managed to fill that need. House on Fire would be a strong book discussion selection. I found myself bringing up the situations in the book to friends, and starting whole conversations as a result. Family dynamics in this day and age are so fluid and complicated, Ms. Kistler poses many questions, not the least of which concerns blood being thicker than water, and nature vs. nurture.
The pacing gets a little uneven at times, and at times I was confused by side characters and tangents, but it all circled round to a satisfactory conclusion. I would definitely read more from Bonnie Kistler!
I received my copy through NetGalley and am under no obligation to the publisher.

Bonnie Kistler presents the reader with a story of family and tragedy. Will a tragic accident be enough to tear the blended family of Leigh and Peter apart? Or will love and understanding keep them together? Is everything as clear cut as it seems?

Leigh and Peter decide to go away for the weekend to celebrate their fifth anniversary, a second marriage for both. The marriage resulted in a blending of children from their previous marriages, and is working out very well.

On the way back the unthinkable happens; a car accident. Kip, Peter’s son, was driving and Chrissy, Leigh’s daughter, was a passenger in the car. Everyone seems to be alright. However, the next day, Chrissy suffers an aneurysm and Kip is charged with vehicular manslaughter.

Will this blended family survive? Can their love for each other overcome the grief and help them find their way back to each other? It is a heart wrenching look at a family in distress and a rocky ride to the end.

I highly recommend this book. It is well-written and the characters are well defined. I found that the story evoked many emotions. I found myself grieving with Leigh while yelling at Peter and Leigh to open their eyes. It is a book for people who like stories about family relationships and mystery.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Atria for approving my request. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

In the beginning I was really interested and just sucked right in. That quickly fizzled out for me and it was hard to keep going. It felt too long for me. I’ve heard of some people loving this book, it just wasn’t for me.

The first part of this book literally had me in tears. I had to put it down for the night, and regroup the next day to pick it back up. I had high hopes for the book, but the subplots distracted from what should have been an amazing story, and the ending was definitely a disappointment.

A second marriage that brings children into the mix can become a difficult proposition no matter how loving the family is. An accident leaves one child dead, while the other is accused of manslaughter. How does the parent of the deceased child cope? Bad enough the child is dead, but to live and love the father of the living child is almost impossible. No parent should have to chose.

"House on Fire" by Bonnie Kistler, Atria Books, 416 pages, March 12, 2019.

Leigh Huyett, a divorce lawyer, and her husband Pete Conley, a contractor, joke about their perfect blended family.

Leigh's twins are in college. Pete's son, Kip, a high school senior, lives with them while his daughter lives with her mother. Leigh's daughter, Chrissy, is 14.

Kip has a suspended license because he was charged with drunk driving as a minor. Leigh and Pete are away, celebrating their wedding anniversary, when they get calls. Kip goes to a party to celebrate his and his friends' acceptances to colleges. It is the night before his 18th birthday. He is driving home and is in an accident. Chrissy is with him.

Kip is arrested for drunk driving a second time. He and Chrissy say they are fine, but Chrissy suffers a fatal cerebral hemorrhage. Kip is now charged with vehicular homicide.

But Kip claims he is innocent because Chrissy was driving and she swerved to miss a dog on the roadway. Pete believes him. Leigh thinks he is lying to save himself. Kip claims that there was a witness, a priest.

The tragedy impacts the whole family. Can the once perfectly blended family stay together?

There are subplots about Leigh's work as a divorce attorney and while at first the reader wonders why they are in the book, they tie together.

Bonnie Kistler is a former lawyer. This is her first novel. The plotting and characters of her multifaceted novel are worthy of a more experienced author. She is an author to follow.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

⭐️⭐️💫 What would you do if your beloved stepson was seemingly responsible for the death of your adored biological daughter?

— Leigh and Peter have the perfect blended family. Until one weekend, on their way home from a getaway, they’re informed that Peter’s son Kip has been arrested for driving drunk and crashing his truck into a tree. Chrissy was with him. Twelve hours later Chrissy is dead, and Kip is charged with manslaughter. Once tried, Kip says that it wasn’t him who was driving - it was Chrissy. Peter and Leigh are torn between their loyalty to each other and their loyalty to their children. Can their marriage survive? What really happened? —

That was a summary of the information from the book jacket. It all sounds amazing and really drew me to wanting to read this book. Unfortunately it completely went to pieces for me. There was potential for a great story here. An exploration of what loyalty means, of parents raising children and stepchildren, of how relationships work in blended families, of how families can be torn apart when lines are drawn and sides are taken. Of how your faith in your own children can be shaken by love for your stepchildren.

This story, on the other hand, while knowledgeable about trials and law, comes across as a textbook case and none of the depths are really explored. There are numerous subplots that didn’t make much sense and that, in the end, turned one story into a complicated, overwrought set of stories that have no credibility or believability. Characters behave in a way that feels completely false. There is rampant drug use and sexual overtones that just aren’t believable in light of the death of a family member. There is also a parental disconnect that I just did not understand. There were questions that never got asked, and behaviors that never got explained or corrected.

And that’s the main issue. Believability. There just isn’t a lot that happens in this story that is believable. Nobody behaves the way they should, the way real people would, or at least people of my acquaintance. At the end of the day, it was hard to get invested in the lives of people who were continually making decisions and then acting on them, when their information was sketchy at best. And a couple of the subplots, in particular, veered strongly off course and just derailed the story completely. It was never able to recover its footing.

This book is a definite page turner, and I read it in about 3.5 hours. But I found myself sorely disappointed by how it played out, and I was left wondering what the purpose was of what I’d just read. It just didn’t work for me.

My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a quick read for me! The characters were well thought out and it kept me at the edge of my seat. I didn’t love some of the side stories and it didn’t wow me like some others have. Overall it was three star for me.

I was so excited to read this domestic thriller. The book's description paints what one would hope to be a thrilling ride of a family torn apart by tragedy. I am just sitting here shaking my head...

I am going to be blunt. I am shocked that a publisher allowed such a disorganized, extra book like this. Extra as in, extra subplots that completely ruined what could have been a wonderful read. 

If one were to take out all of the extra subplots in this book, fixed the ending to replace those subplots, and this book would have been a huge winner for me. I still don't understand what the point was in adding things that were so over the top and distracting from the main plot. Those things definitely didn't make this a more interesting read.

I loved the main characters. Their struggles with what happened and what is currently happening are so great. They are raw and real. Their story alone is what kept me from not finishing this book. I wanted to see if they would be able to mend their broken family.

I can't even think of a person I would recommend this book to. I know that sounds harsh, but it's the truth. I would feel guilty if I weren't anything but honest.

In House on Fire, Leigh and Pete are returning home early from their fifth wedding anniversary trip when they get a call from Leigh’s fourteen-year-old daughter, Chrissy. She is calling from the police station, where her stepbrother, Pete’s eighteen-year-old son Kip, is in custody.

Kip was planning on spending the weekend with friends beginning with a party celebrating Kip’s acceptance into Duke University. After drinking and smoking a bit, Kip is surprised by Chrissy’s appearance at the gathering. She bicycled there after learning that their parents are returning home early in just a few minutes. Kip hadn’t pre-approved his weekend plans or borrowing his dad’s truck to get to the party so he desperately needed to get home before his parents.

Kip puts her bicycle in Kip’s dad’s truck and they drive home together. During the drive, they swerve off the road into a ditch and a tree while trying to avoid hitting a dog.

When the police arrive, they arrest Kip for driving under the influence. When Chrissy later dies, the charge of manslaughter is added. Kip changes his story and states that Chrissy was driving the night of the accident.

House on Fire was fantastic until the wave of amazing coincidences at the conclusion. Describing them would be a major spoiler. However, I can’t rate this book higher than 3 stars.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Family drama to the highest level. Divorce lawyer Leigh is on her second marriage. Leigh and Peter, her husband, go out to celebrate their anniversary, leaving Pete's son Kip in charge of Leigh's daughter Chrissy.

Kip goes out to a party, and later crashes his car - killing Chrissy.

This isn't like the accident in Hereditary - but the drama is about the same (minus any weird supernatural effects. ) Lies, tensions, heartbreak - it's all there. This is the story of a family - a broken family. It's full of pain and hope and love.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I very much enjoy family dramas and have read quite a few over the years, so was pleased to have had the opportunity to read 'House on Fire' via Netgalley. It is not often that i am left feeling disappointed after finishing a book. The synopsis sounded so good! I am not going to write what the book is about, as i prefer one to read it for themselves.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.

Who was driving when Kip and Chrissy crashed and Chrissy died? Does it matter? Yes, it does, and it would to you to if you were one of the parents in this blended family. Leigh, who is Chrissy's mom, has to cope not only with the death but with Kip, who is a snot, and Pete, her husband. What does Pete do? Lots of questions here but these are the ones which are actually more interesting than some of the side plots which pop up. Leigh is a divorce attorney (ironic, right?) and her cases, as well as a mystery, figure in. This is a good read but it's got a lot going on and might have been better had it been tightened a bit. The blurb comparisons are unfair to Kistler, as they set up expectations for what is a pretty good debut. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Described as "domestic fiction ", House on Fire was really great in the beginning as Leigh dealt with the death of her daughter, Chrissy and Peter reeled from the arrest of his son, Kip. Soon the family find themselves torn apart by their grief and Kip's impending trial. But oh lord, the three subplots took precious time away from the main event.

3.5 Stars

First off I would like to thank Netgalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel for a fair and honest review.

Leigh Huyett and Pete Conley are the perfect couple with the perfect blended family until tragedy strikes leading to the death of fourteen year old Chrissy, Leigh's daughter and the glue that holds the family together. At first they are told by both Chrissy and Kip that he was behind the wheel but after the funeral and Kip getting arrested for the death of his stepsister he confesses that it was not him driving but instead it was Chrissy behind the wheel. Leigh just doesn't buy the story Kip is telling. There is no way that Chrissy would lie about something so important. Kip explains that because he was drunk and slightly high, that Chrissy refused to let him drive. After the accident they changed seats and he took the blame. From there the family completely falls apart.

I feel that Bonnie Kistler did a wonderful job when it came to describing the grieving process. As someone who has lost someone you never really completely get over the loss of a loved one. You completely feel the pain of the family and Leigh's grief. She also did a wonderful job of showing both Pete and Leigh's try to navigate the complicated feelings of how to react when you feel as if you almost have to choose between your biological child and your stepchild. The problem lies in the execution of the rest of the novel. I was ready for a domestic fiction novel. I thought this would read much like a Jodi Picoult novel but instead this was kind of a confused mess. I actually really hate saying this as the writing was very good. The issue was that there were too many story lines. For instance we went into Leigh's job as a divorce lawyer too much. So many of her side story lines really did not belong in this novel and there was very little payoff.

I am a reader that enjoys various POVs and story lines when they all come together in the end but this did not do that for me.

I would like to thank Bonnie Kistler, Atria and Netgalley for giving me this book for my honest review.
Review By Stephanie
WOW. Bonnie Kistler did an great job with her debut novel! House On Fire had me hooked from the very beginning and kept me on the line until the very last word! Bonnie Kistler wrote an amazing storyline and well developed characters that kept my head spinning throughout this book. The storyline was very original and questions the bond of a blended family when someone’s neglect caused someone else’s death.
I really enjoyed House On Fire and I look forward to reading more of what Bonnie has to write in the future!

House on Fire is an incredible new debut by Bonnie Kistler. After reading this I will definitely be on the lookout for her next novel. This story reminded me of two things: the moral struggle of right and wrong similar to that in All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin and the alternating voice/storyline style of Liane Moriarty.

Leigh Huyett and Peter Conley have the perfect blended family until one night when their son has a wreck with their daughter in the car and she dies less than 24 hours later. Suddenly the children stop being “theirs” and become Peter’s son and Leigh’s daughter.

At times I found myself yelling at the book for the main characters to “just talk to each other!” And there were a couple of subplots that I felt were hurried and unnecessary to the overall story which could have just focused on the morality of lying and been strong enough for me. However, it was a fast paced read that made me feel strongly enough to yell at a book, so I would recommend this one.

This novel started with so much potential. I was pulled in by the promise of an intense legal drama and a family tragedy. However at some point I felt that there were just too much going on. There were so many complex subplots that I’m thinking it would have been better if the author just did a series dedicated to the main character Leigh’s adventures with her clients. Perhaps I was expecting too much out of it because I truly loved Little Fires Everywhere and I was promised a Celeste Ng experience. I don’t know why I always fall for that.

I am still giving this a 3⭐️ rating because the novel did succeed in portraying the rewards and struggles of being a part of a blended family. It’s also effective in terms of discussing themes of loss and coping with grief. I seriously think this could have been a great book if there was more focus on just one or two topics. I felt the author just forced some of her advocacies into multiple subplots like gun control, women’s rights, etc. (all in good intention, I’m sure) but it just ruined the experience for me.

What a strong debut from this talented new author. This book had me hooked from the beginning pages until the last sentence was read. With a cast of well drawn characters and a plot full of twists and turns, I read this book practically in one sitting, yes, it was that good! At the heart of this book was the death of a daughter, caused by the negligence of a stepson. Could this blended family survive, or would this tragic accident ultimately tear them apart? A story of love, grief and forgiveness, mixed in with court room drama, along with some other dramatic law cases and a kidnapping! Quite the mixed storylines, that tied in nicely by the end with only a couple of loose ends. Can’t wait for more from Kistler!!