This was better than I thought it was going to be even if some of the middle part was slow. This book is about Matt and Eva living every parent's worst nightmare, the disappearance of their young child. They decide to redo the house and have a housewarming party. With alcohol flowing and inhibitions lowered, Eva overhears the name of her missing daughter dropped and tells Matt, who doesn't believe her and says she is imagining things and shrugs it off. Other events occur and Matt is starting to change his mind because nothing adds up. Obviously, Matt and Eva work together to find out what happened to their beloved daughter.

This was so emotional and raw and so well written. Yes, there were a couple slumps in this book, but it does not take away from the characterization and the rest of the story. There are many twists and turns and the climax and ending.... OMG!!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

I am definitely purchasing this at publishing to re-read this later.

Thanks to Netgalley, SE Lyons and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 10/23/20

It was 4am in the morning and I just could not put this book down. Ava and Matt's trauma is so eloquently expressed, each word so perfectly placed, every sentence honed to perfection. Their emotions are tangible, your heart aches for them. S.E. Lynes is such an accomplished writer, there are no cheap shots or extraneous words. This is a classy and quality book, which is utterly credible and horrifically realistic. The tension ramps up and up until you feel like you might explode. I devoured the book as quickly as I could and was frustrated with myself for needing sleep. The Housewarming is an extraordinary and brilliant novel that I'm thrilled to recommend.

This is now one of my favourite books of Susie Lynes', and one of the most emotional I have read in a long time. I read it in a day, and it certainly took my mind off everything else. I had to remind myself to breathe at various points. The characters are so well crafted, you really feel like you know them. Ava's story morphs into your story, and there is nothing like the total horror and panic of losing a child - as anyone who has ever lost one even for a few minutes in a shopping centre can testify. The plot is genius, and has all the twists and turns I associate with s Susie Lynes' book. If you are looking for a gripping story which you can invest in 100% this is the book for you.

Ava and Matt had an idyllic life, living in the area Matt grew up in, and down the road from his best friend Neil and his wife Bella. About to take their 2 year old daughter Abi out for a walk to feed the ducks, having strapped her into the buggy, Ava pops upstairs to the toilet. As Abi is seemingly content downstairs, she quickly checks her phone, strips the bed, and sorts a few things out before they go taking 10-15 minutes instead of the 3 minutes it should have taken. When Ava comes back downstairs the buggy is empty and her beautiful daughter is gone, with the front door open. Thus begins the day that Ava sees over and over in her head, trying to replay the events differently. The Police do what they can but Abi is nowhere to be found.

Fast forward a year, and Neil has finished work on the neighbours' kitchen. It is stunning and luxurious and they want to show it off with a lavish party and invite the whole street who have been watching the renovation with interest. Ava doesn't want to go, but Matt talks her into it, and Neil and Bella come for drinks beforehand. Once at the party, the alcohol, and particularly cocktails flow, loosening tongues. What Ava hears starts her wondering, and putting things together. At first Matt doesn't believe her, but soon things are not adding up for him too. Can they pull together and find out what really happened to their beloved daughter?

Written during the Covid Pandemic, although set beforehand, it brings up the questions of community, and people acting for others or thinking of only themselves. Powerful, thoughtful and emotional. Easy 5/5 stars from me.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3568526728

The Housewarming Review!
Ava, without giving it much thought, walks away from her baby girl for just a few minutes. When she comes back, her sleeping baby is gone. Full of grief for so long, Ava and her husband, Matt finally decide to get out of the house. They go to a housewarming party for a new neighbor, and it turns out to be more than she bargained for. This read had a slow start, but got better and better as the pages turned. It was a great drama filled book with some suspense elements as well. It keeps the readers attention, and consistently gives them something to look forward to. I recommend this to anyone looking for a book with a lot of depth but not to much suspense!

This was such a gooooood book. Gave me all the feels being a new mom to my two year 9ld and newborn. Anything could happen in the blink of an eye! No matter depiction or perception. Cleverly written. 5 stars!

Thanks to Netgalley, S.E. Lynes and Bookouture for allowing me to read this Arc in exchange for an honest review

I have read and enjoyed all of S E Lynes previous books, and she is one author that I will read without having to read the blurb first because I just know that it will hit the right spot and this is no exception.

The Housewarming is a domestic noir rather than a thriller and as I have come to expect from S.E Lynes it is a well written, intense and compelling story. The characters are well drawn and the sheer panic that develops when Ava discovers her daughter missing really had my heart racing with anxiety. The author really captures all the feels.

It is an emotional story of friendship, secrets and lies, guilt, suspicion and grief and I highly recommend it!

The problem with writing any type of a review on a psych thriller is that invariably you will give something away that will spoil the read, even when you try not to! So I will say nothing about the storyline other than it was cleverly written with a couple of crazy twists that you will not see coming. The characters were beautifully fleshed out creations, who had depth aplenty, alongside their flaws which we were made more aware of chapter by chapter. We thought we knew these people so well ....didn't we?! Apparently not! Ms Lynes is a master at holding a mirror to reflect the world we think we know then scaring the bejesus out of us! Loved it!

This was an exciting thriller that never slowed down. The characters were well drawn and the storyline flowed seamlessly. Highly recommended!

The Housewarming is probably S.E. Lynes best book yet. I couldn't read it quickly enough. It's thrilling and edgy and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Ava only left her daughter in the pushchair for five minutes. The buckle was fastened, and she was sure it was safe. But when she came downstairs, the door was open and Abi was gone . Ava is distraught and blames herself for leaving the front door open. Twelve months later Ava is in a bad way. Abi was never found and Ava is falling apart. Ava and her husband Matt are invited to their neighbours housewarming party. Matt persuades Ava to go and it's then Ava hears a comment that changes everthing.. Is she about to find out what happened to Abi?

One day your whole life can change in the blink of an eye. A year ago, Ava and Matt’s daughter disappeared from their front door, never to be seen again. This novel follows the couple from that fateful day (in both past and present) as they try to rebuild their lives, while still clinging to the past as they try to find out the truth surrounding the mysterious disappearance of their daughter Abi.

I found <i>The Housewarming</i> to be an easy, quick read and thought predictable from the start, there was a slight plot twist that surprised me! 2.5 stars.

Ava was only upstairs, having a moment to herself, scrolling and liking...Abi ( her daughter ) was fastened into her chair just in the hallway, safe and secure
But when Ava goes downstairs she is gone, vanished, without a trace
The beginning of this book is emotion on a stick as you feel and experience the welling panic of realisation that Ava feels as she cannot find Abi, it felt so real, like I was there with her and in my mind I was helping her to try and find her, breathtaking realistic narrative
The book then follows Ava and her hubby Matt as they try to come to terms with what has happened and again you feel Ava’s( particularly ) absolute devastation at their loss
And then there is the ‘Housewarming’ at the Lovegood’s and a trickle turns over a few days into a stream of feelings, realisation and horror that the truth might be nearer than they thought, it is a nightmare on top of their worst nightmare
You are then carried through and led to the finale and a 2 prong shocking twist (s)
A different, emotive, wordy read that was told in a way that made you feel you were there experiencing everything the characters were
Excellent

9/10
5 Stars

Ava is living every parent's worse nightmare.
She left her two year old daughter downstairs while she went to do a few chores and have a few moments of alone time. She was only gone for a few minutes, but when she comes back to check on her daughter, Ava finds her missing and the front door open. One year later, her daughter is still missing and presumed dead. Ava has another child and her husband tries to be supportive. However, since her daughter's disappearance, Ava has become a shell of her former self, choosing to isolate herself and give into her dark thoughts. The day of her daughter's disappearance keeps swirling in her head. She constantly second guesses herself and becomes entangled in her own grief and self loathing.
Her hopelessness changes when Ava overhears something at a neighborhood housewarming party. After that party, she goes on a mad search for the truth about the day that upended her life.

This is very much a story about the grief and guilt associated with losing a child and the never-ending battle of depression, confusion and pain of the parents. Ava's struggle is very real, raw and heartbreaking. However, I did find the ongoing descriptions of her feels repetitive and thought that it made the story move slow.
I was expecting more mystery and suspense, but I found this book to be more of a dark family drama.
Overall, though, this was a great story of the exploration of pain and grief.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ava and Matt are parents to Abi who is around 2 years old. One day Ava decides to take Abi out to feed the ducks. She straps her into her pushchair and realises she has left her phone upstairs so goes upstairs grabs her phone and uses the bathroom. When she comes back down Abi is nowhere to be found and the front door is slightly ajar. The story goes back and forth between present day and the day Abi went missing.

I enjoyed this book overall but this is not what I would describe as a thriller which is what it is marketed as. I would describe it more as a family drama with a mystery element. There are a few twists within the story which did keep my attention. I was not quite sure about the ending. In a way it was satisfying but felt a bit too contrived. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and I am open to reading more by this author.

The Housewarming is a dark family drama and every mothers nightmare. The story begins a year after Ava and Matt’s daughter goes missing after Ava had left her in her pram while she went upstairs. When she came back down her daughter was missing and the front door was open. Even after a year there are so many unanswered questions, such as did someone take her or did she unclip herself and wander outside. Ava is filled with grief and guilt and after attending her neighbors housewarming party, she realized her friends, neighbors and even her husband are all keeping secrets. Thanks Netgalley for this ARC.

Wow what a beautiful but heartbreaking book. Keep the tissues handy for this one. When Ava accidentally leaves the front door open and her baby girl goes missing it is the start of a parents worse nightmare. When the child’s coat is found in the river Ava must learn to accept that Abi has gone and now she has another baby on the way to look after. In the months leading up to the anniversary of Abis disappearance Ava and Matt are invited to their neighbours house party. As the drink starts flowing Ava starts to question everyone and is not sure if she has stumbled onto what happened that night or whether she is going mad. Are her friends and lovers lying to her and will she ever know the truth about what happened. This is a great thriller and I could not put it down.

Ava and Matt are living every parent's worse nightmare. A year ago, their two-year-old daughter Abi disappeared from their home after the front door was accidentally left open by Ava. The police did everything they could to find her but with no leads, the case went cold very quickly. However, all that changes when Ava learns some new information at her neighbors' housewarming party - information that could change the entire course of the investigation.

The Housewarming by S.E. Lynes is a beautifully written and dark family drama, with believable characters you can empathize with and a mystery that will keep you on your toes. Although I was expecting something a little more fast-paced, I enjoyed this book very much. The author did a brilliant job of building the tension and there are a few surprising twists along the way. This story begs the question of how well do you really know the people in your life and how far would you go to protect what's yours? A moving and gripping read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this book!! What an emotional roller coaster. All the lies and secrets! And then you think you know but then you don’t and there’s a big twist in the story.
This book is not for everyone. It’s very sad story but also a great mystery/drama,which I do love.

I’m excited to read more books by this author.

A devastating portrayal of loss, grief and the effects on your emotional and physical health.

I really wanted to love this book more than I did. I can’t fault the writing or the character development, it really draws you in and you really feel like it’s happening to you. It’s a real tear jerker.

What I didn’t enjoy was just how much inner dialogue and emotions this book focuses on. The first 52% of the book is very repetitive and harrowing without any progress or revelations. Then the party happens and it picks up speed for another 17% then it’s all over and done and the book returns to its comfort zone of reflection and denial.

I wanted something a bit more dramatic and perhaps a little shocking but instead I wasn’t surprised by the ‘twists’ and just left feeling a bit depressed and sad like it was my own child that I’d lost. The book, for me, was much more family drama than crime fiction as the police feature very little in this book and the emphasis is much more on the shockwaves left behind after their daughters disappearance.

Luckily, it would appear I am in the minority with my review. As I agree that it’s a good read but just wasn’t for me.

I have been a fan of all of this authors books and was excited to read The Housewarming. This one felt a bit different, more of a family drama than a thriller. It kept me hooked right through and was a great read, although I had my suspicions quite early on what had happened.

Ava and Matt are living every parents nightmare. A year ago thrower daughter Ava disappeared when the front door of their house was left open. The police and neighbours did everything that they could to find 2 year old Mia. Now the investigation is being scaled down but Bella is still grieving. No way their neighbours are having a housewarming party to show off their renovations. Begrudgingly Bella goes along and as the alcohol flows the secrets start to come out. Could they finally find out what happened to their daughter?

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read

This book is every Mother's worst nightmare! Mum Ava comes downstairs to find her front door open and 2 year old Abi missing, Ava starts the search hysterically looking all over for her. The story jumps between past and present to find out what really happened that day. A tangled web of lies and deciet between family, friends and neighbours. The author makes us feel the Mothers pain. Will she ever find out what happened?