This book had my heart racing the entire time! As a mom myself who has a had issues getting pregnant before I can’t imagine being worried that something could ever happen to my baby. There were so many plot twists that made my stomach drop. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for something fast paced that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of The Guest House in exchange for my honest review.

The Guest House follows Victoria and Jamie who are soon-to-be parents. The two of them have struggled with infertility in the past and are now weeks away from their miracle baby. They decide to take a trip to a remote cabin to relax before the baby comes. However, trouble ensues when Victoria goes into labor and they find they are locked in and the owners of the guest house, Fiona and Barry, are to blame.

The story is told from two timelines, the day Victoria gave birth and the months following. Immediately we are thrown for a loop because they do not have their son, Danny, with them. Something happened on their trip to the mountains and no one is explaining why.

Initially, this book was difficult to get into. The dueling timelines and narratives made it hard to follow along. The book steadily picked up steam as time went on and I found myself entirely engrossed in the story.

The characters were made to be sympathetic, however, I quickly realized the only redeemable character was Jamie. He did anything and everything to protect his son, despite all other characters being against him. I was rooting so hard for Jamie so I’m glad that by the end, he came out on top.

MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD

The twist of having Victoria and Fiona be related and in on the scheme to kidnap Danny was WILD. I absolutely did not see that coming. This twist pushed my rating or the story to a 4 star. I loved how they wove this twist into the storyline. I had no sympathy for either woman so I was glad that they faced their just desserts.

MAJOR SPOILER ABOVE


All in all, this was an exciting tale and eventually piecing together the drama and mystery of it all is what made it a one day read for me. Once you get passed the beginning, it is easily digestible from then on.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press

An enjoyable read… a couple go away for a break and after their first night they find the owners have vanished and they are locked in their accommodation with no way out ..

I thoroughly enjoyed the twist in this book, but sadly it wasn't enough to make me like it as a whole. I felt the characters were too unlikeable, including Jamie, who I am sure is meant to be a sympathetic character as he is a victim?
I also read this thinking that the inclusion of Jamie's CP was a bit heavy-handed. However, I did change my opinion when I read the author's acknowledgements and realised that he himself has CP, in which case I suppose it must be a realistic portrayal of the disability, and I was ignorant to this.
Ultimately the ending makes the whole narrative make sense, but the scenario (a babymoon hours away from home when you are weeks away from giving birth?) was just too improbable to get my head around.

Jamie and Victoria are expecting their first born. They decide to take a quick holiday to the remote country side a few weeks before the baby arrives. The next morning Victoria is in labor. Their keys and phones are missing. They are along and locked in the strange house.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and had me hooked from the beginning. I couldn’t put it down.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. If you’re looking for a face paced mystery/thriller then I definitely recommend this one. This was one of those books that you just couldn’t put down. It’s written in different points of view (Victoria and Jamie - and later Fiona). The chapters also alternate from the time of the guest house visit to after. I really enjoyed the authors writing style. It starts off with a bang and has you guessing throughout. I try to make predictions while I’m reading and if it’s too predictable, I don’t care for that but I do like when I’m able to figure a few things out as I’m going. This one I made a couple correct guesses but also had a few shockers in there that I did not see coming!

As far as characters and trigger warnings. I liked Jamie’s character alot. I think the author did a great job writing his disability into the storyline (cerebral palsy). Victoria, I had definite mixed feelings about her. Fiona and Barry….creepy and very disturbing characters. I could picture them in a movie that I probably wouldn’t want to watch! Lol The trigger warnings are child abuse and threat to harm a baby. I did not like reading about that at all but understand why it was written into the story. To be honest, there were a few spots when I would think “omg, if they (Fiona or Barry) do that, I can’t keep reading this”.

Overall, I did really enjoy this one and would recommend it for a quick read if you like disturbing psychological thrillers. The ending was satisfying although without giving spoilers there were a few parts that didn’t sit well with me at the end. Basically with Victoria.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Guest House,
Robin Morgan-Bentley
Pub: Poisoned Pen Press
Pub Date: 13 Sept 22

Does it count as a workout if you’re exhausted when you finish reading a nail biting, rollercoaster of a thriller? It should.

Premise:
Jaimie and his very pregnant wife, Victoria, set out for a brief getaway to a guest house in the country; mere weeks before their child is due. The host couple greets them, serves them dinner, and then disappears. The young couple awakens the next morning literally trapped in the house - all doors and windows are locked, their phones and car keys are gone. Victoria goes into labor….

Told in multiple Povs and timelines, this is super-sonic train of a speedy read. Nothing is as it seems. Be prepared to be led astray, downright fooled. There are subtle hints thrown about - pay attention.

Many (most?) of the characters are unlikeable, which only adds to the creep factor. Jaimie, however, is a dear man, absolutely thrilled with the notion of becoming a dad. His character is uniquely, beautifully, vulnerable, due to a disability. His storyline could only have been written (with such tenderness and grace!) by someone who has lived this journey. Absolutely brilliant, touching, writing.

I zoomed through this book at light speed; loved it! I will read everything Morgan-Bentley writes!

My sincere gratitude to Robin Morgan-Bentley, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen press for the opportunity to read The Guest House as an eArc, in exchange for my honest and wholly independent review.

Trigger Warnings
Infertility, miscarriage, child loss, Claustrophobia

Definitely wasn't expecting that. Told in past and present timelines, a young couple decide to enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy relaxing at a remote guesthouse. The house is run by a sweet elderly couple that make them feel right at home. However, things take a dramatic turn when Victoria goes into labour and the sweet elderly couple turn out to be anything but.
The two timelines really kept the story intriguing. I had so many questions and couldn't wait to find out how it all ended. It reminded me of a movie called Timber Falls that has a similar vibe; how far would a loving mother go to protect her child?

Wow just wow! Visceral, Terrifying, Enthralling & Compelling. I so didn't see that ending coming! This was a pulse pounding, exhilarating, exceptional read, there were multiple twists that just made you kinda stop and say what? I had to read a couple of paragraphs over a second time to be sure I read what I thought I had, then after I confirmed I wasn't seeing things all I could think was this author is amazing. This was the first novel I'd read by Robin Morgan-Bentley but I guarantee it will not be the last he blew my mind and I've already Google searched him. I will most definitely be giving this a 5/5 star rating but only because it doesn't go to 10 or 100! I would recommend this book to anyone how knows how to read its amazing it's got something for everyone literally it's got comedy when Victoria gets drunk and tells some people how she really feels, it's got drama, thrills & chills coming out the wazoo! I'm a mother and my greatest fear is to have someone kidnap my daughter, let me tell you parts of this book left me chilled to the bone! This author has a way of pulling you in on page one yanking to set that hook and boom your all in. He makes you wonder what is going on that you don't know about yet because things just don't add up however they are intense, explosive & twisted. I was asking myself what would I do to keep my family safe and save my daughter? A better question is what wouldn't I do? I sincerely thank the Publisher Poisoned Pen Press the Author Robin Morgan-Bentley and Netgalley for the ARC it has literally been an honor to read such an amazing book.

This was a tense thriller that has a difficult subject matter...the loss of a child. A young couple goes away to relax in the country just before the birth of their first child...what happens next they could not predict. What happens to these new parents is hard to read about, but I enjoyed the twists and surprising turns in this story. It also has a satisfying ending and is a quick book to read. It's a little too mature for my younger students but it would be great for older students.

This book had me hooked right from the start. The premise of the novel is that a couple who are expecting a baby go on a baby-moon and, during their trip, have an experience at the guest house that changes their path.

I was so intrigued by the plot that kept me guessing throughout but I could not have predicted the ending- the plot twists were a huge surprise for me.

Highly recommend this book for those that enjoy thrillers and family dramas.

𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 4 ⭐️
𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 4🌟

The Verdict: Loved this book! Nothing is what it seems and the twist will knock your socks off. Set your calendars for a September 13 pub date!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🌸 Unlikeable characters
🌸 Unreliable narrators
🌸 Lucy Foley + Shari Lapena

💕 Totally bingeable! I read this in 3 days and absolutely enjoyed it. The beginning was addicting and utterly thrilling
💕Unlike any thriller I’ve recently read. Very unique plot
💕The twist at the end threw me for a loop! I did not guess that Victoria and Fiona were in on it together

👎🏼 The middle could have been trimmed a bit to keep the story fast paced
👎🏼 It felt like a plot hole that Jamie actually feared Fiona might hurt the baby and that kept him from speaking up. Fiona was DYING for a child and he should have known that he and Victoria could overpower her at any time and that she ultimately would never have killed Danny..

The Guest House kept me reading- I finished it in one day! I was compelled to find out what happened with this family and why. There were some moments of frustration with some choices made by the characters, but overall this kept my attention! This is a great read for someone looking for a suspenseful story. I would not recommend this for someone who has experienced/would be triggered by infant loss. I thought the beginning and ending of this one were particularly compelling!

The book has a slow weird start! The story begins with a couple going to a guest house a few weeks before their first child is due. This is not a practical situation. Once they get to the isolated place she goes into labor. There are issues with the delivery, the marriage starts falling apart, and there is danger. The plot develops and there is a very unexpected ending so it is worth the read. Not a read I would recommend to very many people.

First of all, thank you NetGalley and Poisened Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting with this book, but it sure isn’t what I just finished reading. Jamie and Victoria go off on a babymoon a few weeks before the birth of their first child. Of course things do not go as planned. The big twist threw me for a loop, as I did not see it coming at all. At times I noticed some repetition in things being mentioned again that I had just read a few pages before. Overall, I thought the book was good and it held my attention. The cover is gorgeous!

Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Character Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press Publishing for the opportunity to read this arc.

Wow! What a suspenseful story! You feel so sucked in and can't wait to find out what actually happened. I loved the dual timelines, it delivered the suspense needed to tell such a great thrilling story.

Highly recommend if your looking for a great thriller!

Probably one of the most ridiculous, unrealistic books I have ever read. The plot was absolutely unbelievable. I skimmed through this book, I probably could have read the first and last page and that would’ve been enough.

B O O K R E V I E W 🏠

The Guest House by Robin Morgan-Bentley

Jamie and Victoria are expecting their first baby.

With a few weeks to go, they head off for a final weekend break in a remote part of the North Pennines. The small and peaceful guesthouse is the ideal location to unwind together before becoming parents. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Barry and Fiona, the older couple who run the guesthouse. They cook them dinner and show them to their room before retreating to bed themselves.

The next morning, Jamie and Victoria wake to find the house deserted. Barry and Fiona are nowhere to be seen. All the doors are locked. Both their mobile phones and car keys have disappeared. Even though it’s a few weeks early, Victoria knows the contractions are starting.

The baby is coming, and there’s no way out.

——————————————————

This book was a rollercoaster! I read it in one day.
Without giving too much away, this book gives you an uneasy feeling with complex sinister characters.
The plot is new and refreshing, it was easy to dive into the story.
The dual timelines worked really well and sped up the suspense.
The execution of the twist was A* for sure, I did not see it coming.
I recommend this to my fellow thriller readers who want a quick read and engaging story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW miscarriage, infidelity, murder

(Thank you to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for my ARC of this book)

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review, I appreciate it!

I am a big fan of thrillers/mysteries and WOW, I was not expecting the multiple twists this story threw at me. When I first started the book, I wasn't sure how I was going to like the back and forth timeline of the main characters and I felt like the dialog was dragging at times but about 50% in, things took a turn and I was hooked right until the end.

Overall, this book felt fresh and an exciting new read to the thriller genre and can absolutely see this becoming a series. I'd recommend this book to anyone that loves a good thriller!

Couldn't finish this no matter how I tried. I struggled to even get to where I left off. It's way too depressing, I couldn't connect to the characters, both are so weak and unlikable and the plot is so farfetched. I read to entertain myself to gleam into the characters mind & be intrigued, inspired . Oh, but not this one. All it did is keep me in perpetual melancholic mood. There is only so much I can take, I finally gave up at 58% of the story. I felt so relieved as soon as I decided to shelve it and never look back.