Title: The House Guests
Author: Emilie Richards
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

In the wake of her husband’s sudden death, Cassie Costas finds her relationship with her teenage stepdaughter unraveling. After their move to historic Tarpon Springs, Florida, Savannah hates her new town, her school and most of all her stepmom, whom she blames for her father’s death. Cassie has enough to contend with as she searches for answers about the man she shared a life with, including why all their savings have disappeared.

When Savannah’s rebellion culminates in an act that leaves single mother Amber Blair and her sixteen-year-old son homeless, Cassie empathizes with the woman’s predicament and invites the strangers to move in. As their lives intertwine, Cassie realizes that Amber is hiding something. She’s evasive about her past, but the fear in her eyes tells a darker story. Cassie wonders what the woman living under her roof is running from…and what will happen if it finally catches up to her.

This book wasn’t what I expected—in a good way! I enjoyed both Cassie’s and Amber’s viewpoints and stories, but I found Savannah more than a touch annoyingly selfish and oblivious (although there was character growth, thankfully). The friendship that developed between the two women was believable and realistic—no insta-best friends here.

The unraveling of the two mysteries was well-done, leaving the reader intrigued and curious, with no dumping of information to overwhelm the senses. I think the best part of the story was the Greek family and culture layered in, not to mention the descriptions of food. The author juggled all the different plotlines fantastically, bringing them all together into one tidy and fascinating package.

Emilie Richards is a bestselling author from Florida. The House Guests is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 6/22.)

I'm waffling between three and four stars for this, so I'll go with 3.5. I think part of it is the fault of publisher marketing -- from the description I was really expecting more suspense, but this is heavier on the domestic end of "domestic suspense," with multiple POVs and a story that felt a little too drawn-out for my taste. (Also, it is not my favorite when adult books have teen POVs because they never get them quite right, and if I want a teen POV I will read a YA book.)

If you're in the mood for domestic drama, pick this one up.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed The House Guests  by Emilie Richards. Any moment I had I was very happy to pick the book up and sink into it.

I was immediately drawn by the gritty Amber and her Dad's wisdom on the luck of the bird and the worm. I liked her son Will too, a sixteen year old with a good heart. But their plight and the mystery that surrounds them had me worrying and wondering.

Cassie has had a big upheaval in her life and has returned to her hometown, most likely where she feels more secure. She has lost her husband and Savannah, her stepdaughter, blames her for the death of her Dad. So tension abounds between the two, and yet Cassie's love is to be only admired.  A few times their relationship had me tearing up.

Sometimes when reading a book there are memorable events that I never forget. One such one involves Savannah and so called friends and two teachers. At times I'd want to say to Savannah 'get over it', but really she is struggling and its going to take awhile.

I found the pacing just right, the characters interesting - I wanted to know more about them and how they would fare. I enjoyed seeing them find their ways through the maze of challenges. I loved the Greek flavour of the family restaurant, the minor characters and the friendships and bonds that develop. 

There is some mystery, some underlying tension - is the bogey man going to jump out at some stage! Of course there are some issues explored and that is done with compassion and thoughtfulness. 

Thanks to Emilie Richards for another story for me to read and enjoy.

This was such a fun, thrilling read! I love a good mystery, but I don’t always want to be disturbed by the ending and this one checked all the boxes for me! It was well balanced by character development and relationships between the characters. I also really enjoyed reading about Greek culture and traditions! Thank you so much to MIRA for supplying me with an ARC! All opinions are 100% my own.

This was a good story, but it was a very slow-paced story. Even when the action hit, it was sort of glazed over, which was fine since I did enjoy the story and character development. However, I honestly would categorize this book in general fiction rather than mystery and thriller.

The story is told by different POVs, which I really enjoyed! That’s where all the character development unfolds and where I find the author thrived in this book. We got to know what both woman’s secrets were in the end, but I truly was more invested in the relationship and dynamic between characters at that point. Overall, it was a well written, easy, enjoyable read!

The House Guests tells the story of recently widowed Cassie and her daughter Savannah. Cassie is not only grieving, but she has also discovered that her husband emptied all their bank accounts, and Savannah, who always called her mom, blames her stepmother for her father's death. When an act by Savannah causes a mother, Amber, and her teenage son Will to be evicted from their apartment, Cassie steps in and offers them a place to stay.
While Cassie's generosity is most welcome, Amber cannot stop looking over her shoulder and jumping at shadows. What exactly is she afraid of, and has she put Cassie and Savannah in danger. While Cassie tries to uncover the mystery of her late husband's behavior, someone close to Amber has opened the door to her worst nightmare.
Two stories about two women who are struggling to make everything right for their families. I liked all the main characters even though I could have yelled at Savannah more than once. Cassie's large Greek family was a bonus. I am an only child and I really enjoyed their family dynamics.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I loved how all the pieces of the puzzles came together.

There are two mysteries in The House Guests. First, what is the real story behind Cassie’s husband’s death and erratic behavior. Secondly, why is Amber running from or maybe a more fair question is who? I liked the unique plot and the unusual circumstance that led to Amber and her son moving in with Cassie and her stepdaughter. There is character development in all the main players, but probably the most with Savannah. My favorite person was Yiayia. I liked her big heart and tenacity. I appreciated reading this book.

Book: The House Guests
Author: Emilie Richards
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Mira Books, for sending me an ARC.

This book turned out to be a lot different than I thought it was. I really thought the thriller aspects were going to play a bigger role than they did. I’m really not complaining. This is one of those deals in which not having the thriller aspects at the forefront turned out to be a good thing. This is more of a family and domestic than anything, which is something that I love in books. I love the focus on the two women and their families as they try to navigate a rather cruel world.

One thing that I really loved was seeing the two women’s lives. We have Cassie, whose husband has died and is now being raising her teenage stepdaughter on her own. Savannah, Cassie’s stepdaughter, blames Cassie for her father’s death. We see their messy relationship right from the get go as they struggle and now have to deal with this hole in their lives. We see them at their lowest point. We see Cassie trying to figure out what to do next and how to move forward. We also get to see Savannah’s struggles as well. She was a girl who had it all and now has lost everything-her school, her friends, and her pride. You see, she was kicked out of school for beating up another student who was picking on a younger student and no one believed her what had happened. Then, there is whole money situation. Cassie thought that her husband had money tucked aside and has now discovered that it is gone. Now, she has to not only figure out what happened to the money, but figure out a way to make everything work. They end up leaving New York and moving Florida-where the problems don’t stop.

Then, Savannah starts to rebel. She and a group of friends find a wallet with money in it. They decide to throw a party that is going to forever change Savannah’s life.

You see the money belonged to Amber, a woman who is just trying to make it. The main issue with the money is that it is her rent money and she and her teenage son, Will, are now forced out onto the streets. I really enjoyed Amber and Will’s story. Life has thrown them a bunch of curveballs, but they still have each other. No matter what happens to them, they are there for each other and it seems like nothing can break their bond. A local reporter learns about their story and writes about it. Cassie learns about their story and asks them to move into her house-since it is actually Savannah’s fault that they have been forced out onto the streets.

Once Amber and Will move in, Cassie learns that, like her, there is more to their story than what meets the eye. As we see the two families intertwine, we see that both have dark secrets and that the men in their lives have failed them in more way than one. Now, this does not mean that it is the men’s fault, but we learn that the men’s decisions, who are now out of the picture, are the reason that they are even in this situation. We see these two women have to rebuild and try to keep the past buried. I really can’t say anymore without spoiling the book.

This whole idea of two strangers meeting and becoming friends under rather difficult circumstances is something that I loved in this book. Emilie presents it all in a way that doesn’t make you feel sorry from the families, but in a way that gives you hope. This is the type of book that shows us that even when we hit rock bottom, there is still hope out there and that you can come back. Throughout the whole book, we see that sense of hope, community, and strength.

The only reason I gave this a four star instead of a five is because I found the ending a little short. Don’t get me wrong, it was a pretty solid ending, but it just seemed to be missing something to really drive the punch home.

Overall, I do highly encourage you to pick this up when it comes out. If you are looking for something that focuses more on the family side and domestic side of thrillers, then I encourage you to check this one out.

This book comes out on June 29, 2021.

Yotube: https://youtu.be/gYGrgEPop1c

Emilie Richards is one of the authors whose books I read when I find them, and there is a good reason for that--for the most part I've enjoyed them and found them to be my type of books. When The House Guests came across NetGalley I missed it because the cover didn't look like the kind of book I usually read and I didn't notice the author's name. Then I saw people starting to talk about it, so I went and grabbed it.

On the one hand, I don't usually read suspense or mystery books, so I don't really know what normal expectations are, but this story had two major plot lines and I found the resolution of one to be unrealistic. As noted above, the reader learns early in the story that Amber is running from something--we just do not know what. When we learn and when that whole plotline resolves, I just didn't find it believable. Maybe that's because this isn't my usual genre.

The other plotline is Cassie learning that her late husband cleaned out their retirement accounts not long before he died and trying to find out why. I found the resolution of this plotline to be very believable.

Emilie Richards' strength as a writer is her characters, and that holds true in this book too. Cassie's grandmother was my favorite.

A lot of Richards' books have strong romantic subplots. The romance is there in this book but it isn't a major factor and in the end, it isn't HEA, but rather, the suggestion that HEA will happen eventually.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B

Fantastic story of lives intertwining and intersecting; the secrets and mysteries unfold slowly but the tension amps swiftly. I was engrossed from the first page and really enjoyed the author's writing.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy, it was my pleasure to write an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I loved it! It’s amazing how one mistake can make a world of difference in so many lives. This book really took me on a journey that kept me wondering and guessing what was going to happen next.

Cassie and Savannah were really going through a confusing and difficult time which led Savannah to act out. Although, when she thought her world was crumbling down around her for one mistake she could never repay- she realized quickly how that one mistake changed so many lives over time and for the better.

It was truly amazing the way the author weaved the two stories together into a blended family. They shared secrets, love, compassion and all under one roof. Lastly, I thought it was amazing how Cassie thought she was doing a favor for Amber and her son, but how they both realized how much they needed each other after mistakes and loss.

This was a very enjoyable read. Two families have secrets that haven’t been revealed. The families come together and support each other as the secrets begin to come to light. How they handle these challenges reveals an inner strength in both families and produces such a strong bond of friendship.

Watching Cassie have life throw a curveball such as her husbands death, and tumultuous relationship with her step daughter was raw and bittersweet. As if that wasn’t steep enough, when they have a stranger move in, Amber, that is when this story really picks up into something juicy. Watching these women and their children have to cohabitate in such a unique circumstance was truly a page turner.

I enjoyed this book very much! The House Guests by Emilie Richards is surprising in the depth of friendship, trust, and mystery.
Cassie Costas is a recent widow who is raising a teenage stepdaughter, Savannah. Cassie has noticed Savannah has become sullen and difficult. Cassie is also struggling to understand what happened to the funds in the retirement account she shared with her husband. The life insurance did pay a modest amount, but it will not be enough to live on with Savannah and send her to college. The missing money is a mystery. Cassie decides to move back to Florida and be closer to family and to move Savannah to a less stressful school.
Amber Blair is a single mother raising her teenage son, Will. She waits tables or serves as a floor manager in restaurants to earn a living for her little family. Amber never knows when she will need to relocate with Will. Amber always has a plan and stays ready to move to a different small town where she will not be recognized. She has secrets she cannot share with Will. Amber had saved enough money to pay on her delinquent rent and lost the brocade money pouch she had made to take to her landlord. Now she and Will are homeless.
Savannah is having a challenging time adjusting to her new life in Tarpon Springs. She misses her father since his death on a boat during a storm. She feels if Cassie and her father had not been arguing, he would have never gone boating during inclement weather. She finds about eight hundred dollars in a brocade pouch. She does not see anyone around who could have dropped the money. She is soon convinced by her friends to keep the money and they decide to throw a party.
Will has questions about a father he has never known. His mother has told him his father died a hero and that is all he needs to know. Will is a good student and hopes he will get to continue in Tarpon Springs long enough to finish high school. He loves and respects his mother, but he has no idea of her secrets.
Each woman is dealing with harsh circumstances. Each woman has no idea how their lives will intersect and the future events that will change each of their families.
Publication Date: June 29, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a great book! At first I wasn't overly thrilled. Didn't quite tag along. But soon after the story picked up. I enjoyed the characters they were strong and interesting. The story was awesome and one I loved.

The description really grabbed my attention. I loved the book, loved it! I think it was so well developed and the characters felt real, you get attached to them, you feel what they’re feeling. I couldn’t wait for the end and wow!

I love this book. The characters were so real I felt like I knew them. Even from the beginning I had so much invested in the plot. I couldn’t wait to see how things would end up. I recommend this book, It’s an extremely well told story.