This book is fast paced and told from a multiple POV, which I always enjoy. While a decent domestic thriller, I did think it was a bit predictable. Overall good for a quick thriller, but don’t expect to be super surprised by the twists.

Dnf at 25% this is the first ARC I’ve not finished but I just can’t. “Sandi, get back the kitchen where you belong,” Was the last straw. Every character was super annoying and either shallow, racist, or dimwitted. Also I thought I was getting a mystery/thriller, the book opens with someone in the house that shouldn’t be there. Although initially intriguing, it turned into a more contemporary drama/suspense with a heavy examination of religion and that was not interesting enough to keep me going in the cast of increasingly unlikable characters.

Kaira Rouda portrays characters that you either hate to love or love to hate, and sometimes both. It’s incredible the way she uses the human psyche as an almost separate living character. I was fascinated by this book and recommend it to all thriller and suspense fans.

Somebody's Home by Kaira Rouda is the story of Julie Jones, leaving her abusive husband, and buying the former home of Tom Dean and his father and stepmother. Julie just wants a new start for herself and her daughter, but things go from bad to worse very quickly. Her daughter gets caught up in a controversy, her husband is arrested, and Tom refuses to leave her property. This book had a lot going on, and I found to be highly unbelievable. The characters were all rather unlikable as well. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

The story is told from 5 perspectives - they all live in Oceanside but in different neighborhoods and their lives all intersect. Some of the characters are highly unlikable for different reasons and the others you really want to root for. But wow - Tom is just absolutely nuts and creepy. There is lots of privilege in this book and there are some good redemption story lines. There were just so many story lines and topics tackled including religion, antisemitism, social media scandals, guns, etc. It does feel a bit over the top in places. A LOT happens in this three day weekend and there is so much tension and secrets being revealed throughout!

This domestic thriller is perfect for fans of Lisa Jewel’s Invisible Girl - the multiple POVs will keep you guessing and wondering how it all comes together.

This is my second book by this author. This one starts out with a pull you right in beginning and does just that. Though I am still wondering what happened to the person in the vehicle who rushed in to save the day. Could it have been the pastor's wife? I do believe it was...

This book is told from different POVs. Julie, Jess, Roger, Sandi, and Tom. Julie is married to Roger and they have a daughter, Jess. Julie left Roger and bought Sandi and Doug's house. Tom is Sandi and Doug's son. Actually Sandi's stepson but she loves him as if he was hers.

This story is very complex but easy to follow. There is a whole lot going on. A group of teens who are busted for a beer drinking game that slams Jews and makes it look like they are Neo-Nazis. A stupid game that they should never have even known about. Should have got into too much trouble for. For playing and for drinking. Though teens are going to party so that part maybe was not the worse part. The Nazi game was horrid though. Then we have a husband who is arrested for being involved in a possible prostitution ring. Also a young man who is plotting something very sinister and horrible. Friends will turn their backs on each other. Parents are not there when they should be for their child. A priest who does bad things and thinks it's ok. Let's just sweep it under the rug and move on. A whole lot going one. But each person tells their story and why they do the things they do. Why they did the things they did.

There is a lot going on. A lot of hurt. Hatred. Selfishness. Narcissistic people. Rich who think they can get away with anything. Mothers who will do anything to protect their children. Parents who are not always listening. This book takes a turn for the worse and you will have to buckle in and hold on tight. The feelings are very raw. The anger. The hurt. The horror.

This book gave me a lot of feelings. A lot of tears for some of the characters. A lot of anger for some. Some I really didn't like and may have grown a tad fond of in the end. Sometimes it takes a drastic turn of events for a person to realize what they have. What they don't want to lose. But is it too late? Will things work out?

Thank you #NetGalley, #KairaRouda, #Thoma&Mercer for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

4/5 stars and I do recommend it. Be warned there is a lot going on. But it's so good.

Julie Jones has finally left her emotionally distant, billionaire husband with her daughter Jess and they have moved to a new home many steps down from what they've been used to and hubby won't be very happy when he arrives home from his business trip and finds both of them gone. The new home's previous owners signed a contract with Julie that their son (Tom) could stay a few extra days in the guest house to finish all his packing and find a new place to live. Unbeknownst to Julie, Tom is very angry about having to move and when Jess and Tom lay eyes on one another it's instant chemistry so Julie will have more problems than her unhappy, hubby to contend with. Meanwhile somewhere out in the country, Tom's preacher father and docile stepmother are dealing with their own personal problems and know that Tom is a bit of a troublemaker but both families couldn't have ever imagined how their lives would intertwine leading up to cataclysmic, climatic, outrageous ending.

I did enjoy the storyline and loved how the book began but I'm afraid I'm in the minority about how I felt about this book. I found the wring very stilted and abrupt at times plus so much was thrown into the story (religion or lack of? plastic bimbos, neo-nazi teens, hate, lust, new homes? first love, dead animal, guns, subservient women, adulterous preacher, money madness, etc., etc., etc.) it felt just way over the top for me, oh, and not one bit of happiness anywhere in the story I didn't feel any tension or suspense. Almost all the characters were unlikeable so I couldn't feel any compassion or empathy for any of them. Now, I know a lot of the story was tongue and cheek but it just didn't work for me. Then in the last 35% some type of religious theme was overused and too silly especially for the dramatic climax. Whew! "That was a mouthful.". I kept plowing through because I needed to find out how this story would eventually play out. Kaira Rouda is a popular author with a great fan following and I will still try another book but this one just left me putting my hands up and saying, " OKAY THEN" and just shaking my head. Please remember this is only the opinion of this humble reader and I know that many other reader really loved and will love this book.

I want to thank the publisher "Thomas &Mercer" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this story a rating of 2 DIFFICULT 🌟🌟STARS!!

Somebody’s Home is a domestic thriller centered around two dysfunctional families and the house that connects them. It is a fast-paced read told from the perspectives of multiple characters, all of which are unlikeable. There’s a lot that unfolds in this book, and I found it to be a bit predictable at times, but it captured my attention right away and kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

Wow what a thriller of a novel! Julie Jones and her daughter move into their new home where they should feel safe and secure. However, Tom has other plans. What plans does he have in store for Julie and her teenage daughter Jess? You’ll have to read this thriller to find out!

I enjoyed this novel from beginning to end! There were several nail-biting chapters and I found myself flipping through the pages to see what was going to happen next. Many shocking revelations and secrets, and OMG moment that will have you thinking long after you’ve finished this novel. I was hooked from the very beginning. I highly recommend this novel.

Way to go Kaira on another hit of a novel. I look forward to seeing what novel you come out with next!

One of the most fear inducing novels I’ve read in a long time. Check your doors!! Read w the lights on

“ Somebody’s Home” by Kaira Rouda started off promisingly. Julie Jones has left her husband Roger before. Roger would send his lawyers to bring her back home with promises of spending more time at home and expensive presents and Julie gave in. She’s determined this time is going to be different. Her first step was buying a home for herself and her daughter Julie. She tried to keep it a secret but she knows that her daughter will tell her father- her mother may be downsizing but Julie likes the life her fathers’ money provides.
The house formerly was owned by a preacher who was transferred when his indiscretions with members of his congregation were discovered. When preachers’ family moved they left Tom, the oldest son behind in the guest house, telling Julie he would be out by the weekend. Tom has plans but they do not include moving out.
Based on this beginning I did not expect this story to veer off into drugs, incel, and social media scandals. I did not connect with any of the characters and did not like or care about any of them. This author has written previous novels with characters that I took great delight in detesting but this one was a miss for me.
I know reviews on this are very mixed so give it a try and let me know what you thought!
Thank you to # netgalley and #thomasandmercer for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

“Somebody’s Home, and he isn’t supposed to be there.” The beginning captured my attention right away and didn’t let up. The heavy topics and characters were not pleasing to me - but I loved the multiple POVs, short chapters, and the plot overall.

Somebody’s Home is such a fast paced intense thriller that I feel like I need to catch my breath after finishing it. It was amazing!

Julie has decided to leave her life of luxury and privilege and end her marriage to her domineering and controlling husband. She secretly packs up her car and takes her daughter Jess with her. Leaving her beach front million dollar mansion and husband behind. Julie bought a small house on Cherry Hill Lane with hopes of a fresh start and a new life full of meaning and connection with her daughter. However, what Julie didn’t count on was the baggage the previous owners left behind in her carriage house. Their twenty something year old son Tom. Tom is an angry, bitter, racist and lonely young man. He was to vacate the carriage house two days after Julie moved in. But Tom has no plans of leaving. In fact, Tom has much bigger plans that involve his thuggish new friends and the demise of his preacher father.

Somebody’s Home is written from the viewpoint of several characters. Which I found very interesting as they are all so very different. Two of the characters are somewhat likeable but the rest are not. They are shallow, self-centred and troubled people. I didn’t fall in love with any of the characters. But I think that was the authors point. Kaira Rouda’s writing style was engaging and very fast paced. I look forward to reading another book by Ms Rouda. Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Kaira Rouda for my electronic arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was not my favorite book by the author. It was a slow burn without any true twists and unfortunately due to that i lost interest quick. I did love the short chapters

The characters in this book are downright scary from the standpoint that there are people out there just like them. I can’t say I liked any of them and I certainly couldn’t emphasize with any of them. You kind of knew where the story was headed so the ending wasn’t a big surprise except the author did redeem Roger in the end. A must read for fans of diabolical suspense.

Somebody’s Home is a domestic thriller and suspense read that is told in multiple Point of Views - that is a wild ride right from the beginning.

There is the Jones family from Oceanside (the rich side) - Julie, a trophy wife to a self made uber rich real estate developer Roger, and mother to 17yo Jess, who leaves her husband and purchases a home in the not so glamorous side of Oceanside from the Dean family.

Then the Deans - Doug is a pastor for a mega church but recent indiscretions has him moving to another church in Temecula, is married to Susan the Sunday school teacher, and father to Tom, their adult son from Doug’s first marriage, who is now homeless and told he has to move out in two days because the only home he has ever known is now sold.

There is a lot that happens over the course of three days, and brace yourself as author Rouda keeps bringing the tension higher at every page. There are plenty of unlikable characters, and there is a palpable fear as the plot builds up to mangled twists and turns in this domestic thriller. Highly enjoyable!

First, thank you to @letstalkbookspromo net galley and Kaira Rouda for the gifted eARC cope in exchange for my honest review.

The book wad well written however I disliked every character. There was not a single character I could get behind and root for. Be aware there are several trigger warnings for the book for anti semi risk and Nazi rhetoric.

Julie finally decides to leave her abusive and suffocating marriage and start a new life with her daughter Jess. An unexpected squatter in their new home turns what should be an amazing new beginning into an unrelenting nightmare.

Somebody's home had a promising start..Julie leaving her horrible marriage with a daughter in tow. I enjoyed reading from the POV's of the new owner of the house, Julies' daughter, her husband, and two of the previous owners of the house. But I did not expect as I read on the story would develop into what it did like neo-nazi's, prositiution, and adultery and a not so wholesome church leader. Therefor that I why I rated this book how I did.
This book left me angry more than reading as an escape.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was a honest review.

Julie has just left her husband of many years with a toxic marriage across town for a fresh start. Their daughter is not happy about this and wants to stay in their mansion on the "right side of the tracks".
Meanwhile, Tom refuses to vacate the premises where Julie has just moved. The book has a lot of moving parts to it so pay attention. That was the only downfall. I had a bit of trouble keeping track of everyone, but the book was outstanding!