A fantastic read. I loved the writing style of the character narrating their internal thoughts to each other. Really different but it worked. A mother in law from hell who wants Saffron gone. A new nanny and some other juicy characters. I really loved the storyline and the twists on the way.

'The Unwelcome Guest' grabbed me from the start - a beautiful rich and successful family Saffron and Miles, and their two much loved boys, are joined in their happy household by Caprice, Miles' mother. Caprice has always disliked Saffron, not thinking she's anywhere near good enough for her son and Saffron knows this, but Miles is blind to her dislike. The story develops with chapters from the view of various characters, not just Saffron and Miles, but also their new NZ nanny who is everything that Saffron isnt as far as Caprice is concerned - and also Aiden, Miles's equally rich but less attractive younger brother.
Caprice tries plot after plot to break up Miles and Saffron's marriage, and you can't help but think that her scheming ways could have achieved such great things if she'd harnessed her energies in a different direction!
A quick and entertaining read - 3.5 stars from me

The Unwelcome Guest
by Amanda Robson
Pub Date: August 19, 2021
Avon

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon publishers for this ARC. I really enjoy reading mystery/thrillers.
However, this book did not make the cut for me. I have read several reviews that are quite positive about this book, however, It was not a good fit for me.
Saffron barely interviews the new"young" nanny and tells her to show up on Monday. This was not believable to me. Why does Caprice dislike Saffron? No real answer here either. Aiden lusts for Saffron, who loves Miles, who probably loves Saffron too, but might possibly still have feelings for Julie, who inexplicably married Aiden after having once been in a relationship with Miles. It all makes perfect sense, right?
Cheesy dialogue and other reasons made me dislike this book. I cannot recommend it but others liked it.
3 star

Absolutely loved this book. Fabulous storyline and I kept changing my mind where it was going. Definitely one to read, with surprises along the way. Really compelling reading.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I have enjoyed her previous books so was looking forward to reading.

I loved this! Raced through it . This is an addictive and compelling book.

You go on a real rollercoaster of a journey with these characters . They are all pretty outrageous with their morals and toxic behaviours.

Completely unpredictable and cleverly written.

You think you know where its going for there to be a swift diverson.

Absolutely brilliant and loved it.

Published 19th August

Woooooo!!! Here we gooooo! This was one of the best and most unique books I’ve read all year! Y’all know I love my first person chapters and I love alternating characters narrating chapters but Amanda Robson went and threw on another super cool layer where every chapter had a character using first person AND second person! I loved to see each character’s object of obsession (Good or bad? That’s to be determined!) and I just could not freaking put this book down! I honestly could not even begin to guess how this book would end and that made it even better for me! I’m going back to buy all of her previous books and putting her on my auto buy author list!!! 87 stars from me!!!

A newly minted wife sure in her love finds that love challenged and her life in danger. An over concerned mother-in-law, a too silent son equals a very confused wife. It’s evident mom has an ulterior motive by moving in and Saffron waits too late to put her foot down. It appears even the nanny is not who she seems. Drama!

Y'all with a title like this you know it's going to be a fantastic thriller. I think Amanda Robson does an amazing job at capturing your attention for the start and not letting go. Definitely suspenseful and the main character really keeps you guessing throughout the story. Must read!

This could have been a great book, and I’m sure it is for a lot of readers, but sadly it wasn’t for me. Don’t get me wrong, it entertained me on some level, it just wasn’t as good as I thought it could be.

What I liked is, that it’s really fast-paced and for that a quick read. I was rushing through the pages and at some points couldn’t put it down. It wasn’t boring at all.

What I dislike, and that by far, were the characters. I didn’t get what Caprice’s reasoning was behind hating Saffron so much, except she just didn’t like her. Miles was so dense and brainless that he didn’t seem to get all the horrible things his mother did to his wife. They were all loathsome. And there were so many secrets and so much drama in this house, I would’ve gone crazy.

Loved the marital relationship between Saffron and Miles, and how honest they were with one another when times got difficult (despite certain misunderstandings) ...well almost. While we genuinely cannot condone Saffron's literal 'nail in the coffin' Caprice was outright monstrous. Never happier to see a character kick the bucket. Good read, thanks Netgally for the advanced reading.

I really enjoyed this book particularly as it was told from multiple points of view. In addition, the chapters are very short so the pace of the book is fast and easy to read.

Aaah, the mother-in-law, the woman that can make or break your marital bliss, if she is so inclined. It is the drama of it all, the pride and the hurt; that is what makes it so enticing for an outsider to peek in. And we get plenty of chances to peek in with The Unwelcome Guest! Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mother-in-laws, that feared stereotype. Ever since reading The Unwelcome Guest I've been wondering whether it is somehow linked to the Evil Step-Mother archetype, the mother who isn't a real mother and therefore can't possibly have your best interest at heart. It is a fascinating stereotype that can absolutely be mined for drama and tension, but that can also give the author a chance to really dig into society's expectations of women and mothers, and into the drastic difference in experience between different generations of women. Addressing these themes doesn't mean your novel has to turn into a Social Commentary Novel. You can still have high-stakes, tension, drama and fun, but you can also add depth and bring something to a story that everyone thinks they know.

Saffron and Miles love each other, they have great careers, lovely children, a stunning house and family money. But there's an issue in the form of Miles' mother, Caprice, who knows that Saffron simply isn't good enough for Miles, with her career and her 21st century feminism and her vegetarianism. So she starts planning. But so does Saffron. The novel's story is split across various narratives. There is Saffron, the suffering wife; Miles, the loving but clueless husband; Caprice, the controlling mother-in-law; and Hayley, the young and vivacious nanny. And that is pretty much who they are. The characterization doesn't go very deep and they move violently between different emotions and motivations. Things happen to them, but nothing seems to quite stick, and they go from one high-stakes situation to the next without anything ever truly, lastingly affecting them. The Unwelcome Guest was a fun read, the kind I would interrupt to tell my housemates 'Guess what she's done now!'. But it is also the kind of read that will fade rather quickly, since it didn't add anything new or unexpected to an old story.

This is my first novel by Amanda Robson and I liked the slight OTT-ness of the story. The Unwelcome Guest is a quick, fun, ridiculous read full of beautiful people against beautiful backdrops doing dumb things. It's shlocky and I would have loved to read this by a beach or a swimming pool. But I would have hoped for a little bit more. An interesting element in the novel was that each first-person narrator often discussed other characters in the second, rather than the third, person. It brings you a little closer into their mindset, tells you that they are indeed constantly mentally rehashing arguments. At times the narrator will change mid-chapter, which is quite confusing, but I think this might be due to the ARC itself. While this review may seem overly negative, I did enjoy reading The Unwelcome Guest although I left it slightly underwhelmed.

The Unwelcome Guest is a quick, dramatic read full of surprises and twists. While it doesn't go as deep as I would like and is a little confusing here or there, it is a perfectly enjoyable summer read.

9/9: Edited to add link

3.5 stars for me

This story features some malicious characters. Honestly just look at the title!

We hava a happily married couple Saffron and Miles and oh man Miles' Mum Caprice who just happens to live with them.
Caprice does not approve of Saffron and she is quite nasty if not even evil towards her daughter-in-law.
We further are introduced to Hayley, the nanny. Let the games begin!
Twists and turns take you through this book with a very satisfying ending!

Thanks #NetGalley and #Avon Books UK, Avon for the ARC of this nightmare of a mother-in-law

Mother knows best...

Caprice is tired of her daughter-in-law, Saffron. Saffron never has time for her family, never lets her children have chocolate, and lets her children have too much screen time. She's skinny and frumpy, and not good enough for Caprice's perfect son, Miles. She will do whatever it takes to make Miles realize that Saffron is not the right woman for him...
This novel was a quick read for me. The chapters were short and the story pulled me in right from the beginning. I found the dialogue a bit unnatural, but otherwise felt that the story and the characters were well-written. The characters were very unlikable, but in a way that made the story more interesting and thrilling. There were many twists and shocking moments throughout the book that kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend this novel to anyone who loves domestic thrillers!

The Unwelcome Guest, Amanda Robson's latest novel shares what it feels like to live with the mother-in-law from hell. I have to say, that my mother-in-law was a loving and accepting person and I hope her example has paid off in my relationship with my daughter-in-law. Saffron’s mother-in-law, Caprice, really wants to stir the pot in her son and daughter-in-law’s marriage. For whatever reason, she despises her daughter-in-law, and will do whatever it takes to destroy the marriage between Miles, the son she loves, and Saffron. Caprice believes that Saffron is too career-driven and doesn’t devote as much time as she should to her family. She was a stay at home mom and raised Miles and his brother Aiden without nannies or working outside the home. When the story begins we meet the bitter Caprice, shortly after she has moved into the family home from the annex that had been built for her. She wants to be involved in her grandson's life and also be able to see what is happening between Miles and Saffron. When a new nanny is hired, Hayley from New Zealand, Caprice figures out how she can use her to drive a wedge between her son and his wife. She also uses Aiden, her younger son to stir up trouble. Oh, she is a devious one. As I read on, I had no idea how things were going to end up for Saffron and her husband, Miles. Would Saffron’s mother-in-law succeed in getting what she wanted?

I enjoy a thriller that has short, quick chapters. The one more chapter lover in me just kept going and going. Of course this also builds tension as we see the reactions from each of the characters. This is definitely a character driven psychological thriller. I could feel Saffron’s frustration as she tried to form a relationship with Caprice for Miles’s sake. I got so frustrated when Caprice undermined Saffron's wishes for her children. The characters were well developed and I could identify with their emotions and frustrations. There were times I wanted to slap Miles, for not believing Saffron and defending his mother, it gave a different meaning to the term "Mama's Boy" but I understand that he faced an impossible choice, and I had no idea what he was going to do. Caprice was deliciously evil in her actions. There were a few twists, but nothing unbelievable, and I read on eagerly to see what would happen next. All I will say is that I absolutely loved the ending of this one and I smiled as I put The Unwelcome Guest down.

I just couldn’t put this book down. It hooked me from the very beginning. It was so easy to read with the short chapters, each one told from a different character’s viewpoint. The characters were well written, especially Caprice the mother-in-law who was such a spiteful woman and whose actions never failed to surprise. The story progressed at a good pace which kept the reader’s interest. The suspense built up towards the end, which didn’t disappoint. If you’re looking for a fast , easy read with twists , turns and suspense then this book is definitely one you should try.
Thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I have read and loved many previous psychological thrillers written by the brilliant Amanda Robson. This one is one of my new favorites this year! The classic setup of the wife vs the mother in law is told in a different way and turns the trope backwards, upside down with more turns then a roundabout. Saffron is the wife and Caprice is the mother-in-law and in turn you feel for each as the story starts and the ultimate showdown begins. Excellent writing with different POVs in timed sequences add to the pleasure of reading this confident startling novel. Highly recommended!

What a wonderful, different slant on the mother in law with Ms Robson being careful not to overload us readers with the 'jokes'!

As for the other characters they are mainly believable and the short, sharp paragraphs kept the pace up and I never knew what was going to happen next. Was Saffron that bad a daughter in law? The description of the mother in law, Caprice, is as perfect as the dictionary definition of CAPRIcious, i.e 'given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behaviour.'. Well done Ms Robson.

Yes, a real page turner with an intriguing ending. No spoilers from me on the actual stor.

Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Books UK for the chance to read and review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for granting me this arc!

I feel like this book was good but not as enticing as Robson’s other books. It felt a little bit similar to other books I have read but it was a good read.

The characters were all very good and well beloved

"Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Amanda Robson for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Caprice is the mother-in-law from hell, but she only really wants one thing. For her daughter-in-law Saffron to go away. And she will make sure that happens if it is the last thing she does.

Imagine one of those crime scene white boards with lines going from one connection to the other. If there was a white board for this book, the lines would go crazy. No one is innocent, yet no one is really guilty of anything, though they do try. The reader is never quite sure of what is going to happen next, and I loved it. Caprice is just a horrible person, and she is fine with it. She wants the best for her son and Saffron is not it. Saffron, a lawyer, is the breadwinner in the household. She dotes on her husband Miles and two young boys. And then there is the nanny, Hayley, who is, at the very least, unpredictable. The wealthy brother who wants Saffron, not only because he wants to spite his brother, Miles. At some points in The Unwelcome Guest, every character is lying. That being said, this book was hard to put down.

Caprice Jackson is as devious a character as I have seen in a long time. Her plot to get closer to the Nanny and encourage her to make a pass at Miles and then her plot to have Saffron arrested for the abuse of her children. And then we can’t forget about her confronting one of Saffron’s older clients to persuade him to file a lawsuit against her. Sadly, for Caprice, these all come back to haunt her. While her plots are devious and thought out, she underestimates how smart Saffron is; and also how well liked she is. The one person in this book who didn’t seem to get it was Miles, and I felt his “head buried in the sand” attitude towards his Mother was exhausting and disappointing.

Amanda Robson offers nothing new in the crazy mother-in-law genre. But what she does is entertain. Because the book is told from all points of view; Hayley, Miles, Aidan, Saffron and Caprice, it can be confusing as sometimes there are no separators. This book has been described as insanely readable and I would agree. This was my first Amanda Robson book, and I really liked it. The chapters are short and fast-paced and The Unwelcome Guest is a twisty tale that keeps the reader engaged.