The Woman in my Home by Kerry Fisher

Published: May 20, 2022
Bookouture
Pages: 319
Genre: Psychological Fiction
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Kerry Fisher is an internationally bestselling author of women's contemporary fiction, including The Woman I Was Before, The Silent Wife (USA Today bestseller), and Other People's Marriages, as well as a non-fiction memoir, Take My Hand. She was born in Peterborough, studied French and Italian at the University of Bath, and spent many years living in Spain, Italy, and France. After returning to England to work as a journalist, she eventually abandoned real-life stories for the secrets of fictional families. She now lives in Surrey with her husband, with an intermittent empty nest as her two young adult children come and go.

“The more indispensable I could make myself, the better.”

Rebecca is trying to process the fact that her husband squandered all of their money and caused them to lose their house. She winds up working as a carer and cleaner for a wealthy businesswoman. Cath thinks she has it all, a thriving business, which allows her to take care of her mother and son, and the love of her new man. Things could not be better. Until things go missing from her mother's house, and suddenly her quaint life is anything but.

The last half of this novel was better than the first half. I enjoyed the pacing and the build-up. I spent the first half of this novel disliking one of the main characters, which made reading her difficult.

The plot was well done, and I enjoyed how realistically things were portrayed. I liked Rebecca and the fact that she was trying to take care of her kids. She was a great character.

Cath was shallow and quite frustrating for me. I didn’t like reading about how to put out she felt when her mother or son needed help because she just wanted to sleep with her new boyfriend. Her character does come around and redeems herself, but for the bulk of the novel, she is not a likable character.

I enjoyed how this played out. The way the truth was revealed and the way pieces fell into place was very well done. I loved the idea of the cleaner being the one to really see what was happening, despite having her own issues happening.

The last half of this book was intense and made putting the book down impossible. I loved reading about the women coming together to get things done.

This was a good read. I enjoyed the suspense and the intensity and appreciated that there was a different aspect to the thriller genre being delivered.

Another wonderful read from Kerry Fisher. She is the queen of domestic dramas. This one touches a subject we all want to scream at the victims for their naivety but it is cleverly written to see how an clever person can be manipulated. Relatable characters and topics and familiar conversations that feel like I am with my family. A really great book.

I love all of Kerry Fisher's books. Her characters are so relatable and honest, and she writes with both emotion and humour--a wonderful combination! This novel goes between two women, one who cleans for the other, which creates an interesting power dynamic but also an unlikely friendship. While there are no huge surprises/twists with the ill-fated romance, there is a lovely development of relationships of all kinds--parental, romantic, friendship. Highly recommended!

The Woman in My Home
by Kerry Fisher
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

Robin is the new love in Cath life. He is also a player and with so much gaslighting and lies I could not see how Cath was so gullible. So many red flags, even her friends didn't trust him. It was a pretty good read.

What an amazing journey!
Rebecca's now to be ex husband made a huge business miscalculation and lost everything they owned. She's on her own now. Finding a place to live with her children is the first step. The second would be a job.
Cath's luck can't be better. Even being a single mother to Sandy, she managed to work and build a great company. Her financial situation is stable and secure. And she'd be going through the correct way to get lucky in the love area as well.
When the life of the two women intersect, everything seems to fall back in place for both of them. And there, the good part of the story begins.
I absolutely loved this book. The pace is fantastic. The characters are so well developed that the reader feels like being along them, totally immersed in the story. The end is a good one, it didn't disappointed one bit.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance of reading this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC

3 stars!

I would have given this a bigger rating if a little more excitement happened and if Robin got what he deserved.

I honestly wanted to shake Cath so much during this, I lost some momentum to read at times because Cath would think hmmmmm this isn’t right, he’s acting completely irrational and flies off the handle too quickly but then despite thinking this and seeing how many red flags are flying, she’d just push it all away and melt right back into him. But, obviously easier said than done when you love someone but damn Cath.

As I mentioned above I would have loved a bit more excitement as it did feel like it dragged on a little with nothing much pushing it or keeping me very engaged other than wanting to know if Robin would get caught out and everyone got their revenge but sadly the ending for him felt very flat and just like WELP IM GOING NOW and I wanted him to get completely ruined lol

Good story with an interesting plot that did hold my interest despite me wanting just a little bit more t9 happen.

Two totally different women in one home plus lies and gas lighting = the perfect recipe for an explosion. This was a decent read. I predicted the ending fairly early on. I also struggled getting into the book as it is so slow to begin. A quick thriller.

This was absolutely mind blowing!!! Its rare to find a writer who can write such believable, deep characters and have a plot with such unexpected twists and turns in it. This book reels you in and doesn't let up until it spits you back out at the end, leaving you dazed and confused about what just happened. I loved the fact that just when you thought you had a handle on what was happening, everything suddenly changes and you find out you actually had no idea what was happening kr what was going to come next. An utter roller coaster of a story. It's one of those book that makes you forget you've got dinner In the oven and keeps you up all night

What The Straw Sipping Coconuts! 😳😯😳🤯🤯

I've read a good few books by Fisher and adored them to pieces! When I got the chance to read this ARC I was over the moon & once again she hasn't let me down! At times I loved, cared for and absolutely got frustrated with each character and may have wanted to bop a few on their noses! She always know how to provoke emotions out of me with her books & excellent shocks and unveils along the way!
Cath is a single mother with a grown son, Sandy, and an empire business she started from scratch. Now fifty-seven, she's embarked on a journey she didn't think she needed or desired - a relationship with a man, Robin. He seems perfect and everything she could hope for and wanted. While her mother & son seem weary of Robin believing he's too slick, too charming and what about his job? Does Cath really know this guy she's turning head over heels for? And what about Rebecca, the new live-in housekeeper with woes of her own, now privy to Cath's life, what could possibly go wrong?
You NEED to read this far too underrated author and this book is an excellent start if you haven't yet! Another absolute slam dunk (if I was into basketball analogies!) What a sensation of craziness and lacks for nothing in the suspense. You need Fisher on your bookshelf! Deliciously twisted & yummy like forbidden chocolate.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for this DARC.
Release Date: May 20, 2022

I give this 4.5 / 5 Bouquets! 💐

Cath is a successful businesswoman who has spent years raising her son as a single mom and caring for her aging mom. She’s thrilled to finally find love with a handsome and charismatic man like Robin. But there’s trouble in paradise – everyone is suspicious of Robin. Cath’s friends, her family, and her live-in housekeeper Rebecca are all skeptical that Robin is a little too perfect and worry that he’s got an ulterior motive. Cath has given everything to everyone else for so long, why can’t they just be happy for her?

This novel took a little bit to get going, but once it picked up, I was totally immersed. Kerry Fisher is so talented at creating complex characters and crafting a family drama that tugs at your heartstrings. There are definitely some great twists and turns, but the emotional aspect of these characters and their relationships is where Fisher really shines. This book explores themes of manipulation, desperation, dishonesty, complex family dynamics with adult children, as well as being the adult child of an elderly parent, and most of all, what people will do for love.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.

No one and I mean NO ONE in this book is as they seem!!! No one can be trusted!! This latest book by Kerry Fisher takes the term psychological thriller to a whole new meaning! Holy cow!!! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

What I love about Kerry Fisher’s books are the friendships that are formed between some of her characters, some of which are most unlikely, and I felt this in this book between Cath and Rebecca as this story develops.
I remember reading an article in a magazine or somewhere about something very similar to this storyline and going on to read this book has given me a fuller picture of how this can effect so many peoples lives.
The only negative I have about this book is that it took me a while to get a feel for it as I didn’t get the feel of a bond with the characters which is really unusual for me when reading one of Kerry’s books.
I therefore rate this book 4 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A real treat of a read, I demolished it in an afternoon. The characters are beautifully drawn and the plot is snappy and well developed. An emotional, thoughtful and believable drawing of manipulation and emotional family dynamics. Lots of twists to keep the plot flowing and the reader engaged - I loved it.

Thank you sooooo much NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy of The Woman in My Home, I LOVED it!!!! I didn’t like the tittle soooo much because it was much more than that, But what a book, I never wanted it to end. Rebecca is a character you just want the Best for her. Just so so so good. Enjoy this book and get everything done that you need to do because you will not want to put it down.

Cath meets Robin and has asked him to move in with her. Not everyone is trusting of Robin, especially not Cath's son Sandy. In moves Rebecca and her two kids in the out house.
The story is from the POV of Cath and Rebecca. Emotional and suspenseful. The beginning was a bit of a drag but then it picked up pace.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC

Author Kerry Fisher is a master marionette puppeteer! She’d have to be in order to manoeuvre and orchestrate such a complex and delicate plot. Just as a marionettist knows when to time the exact flick of the wrist to produce the right movement, so does Fisher when it comes to tension and secrets. With an unreliable narrator and so much mystery to sidestep, it really takes skill to be able to pull off a surprise!

Exploring secrets, relationships and loneliness, Fisher takes us on a blindfolded ride through one lady’s quest for companionship and trust. I was held captive by Fisher’s exploration of manipulative behaviour and the complex dynamics of the step-parent/step-child relationship. Cath’s naivety and her son’s overprotective doubting worked for this story, but I wanted to take her and talk some sense into her! The family dynamics and messy, tangled situations will hold your interest and the niggling feeling that something’s up with Cath’s new boyfriend, Robin, will keep you turning pages. The housekeeper’s point of view absolutely makes this book! I finished and made a promise to myself not to sweep anything under the carpet in desperation to keep a friendship or maintain trust. I also vowed to give more weight to my gut feelings as they’ve been a lifesaver in the past.

Somewhat predictable with a believable plot and intriguing, flawed characters, this domestic drama will evoke an emotional response and have you gasping in frustration at the characters’ actions! I’d read another one of this new-to-me author’s books.

I was gifted this advance copy by Kerry Fisher, Bookouture, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Will paced and had some really unexpected twists and secrets woven into the story, the characters was life life and could be seen as people that you could meet in real life, and the more that I read the more I felt sorry for Rebecca , and the opposite could be said about Robin , I just couldn't find myself trusting him or even liking him one bit, plus there was times that I just didn't like the main character but then she would do something that won me over for a while and then she would be back on my dislike list. But that's what I loved about this book it give you the sense that you could trust everyone , but in the reality you didn't know who you could trust until the very end .

Immersive Suspense…
Cath is enchanted by the new man in her life - Robin. It seems that he is equally as enamoured, much to Cath’s delight. The people in her life are not quite as keen, particularly live in housekeeper Rebecca. But, Cath is no naïve young girl, she’s a woman of the world who can make her own decisions and judgements with a clear focus. Isn’t she? Immersive suspense where nothing and no one are quite as they seem, a credible and well drawn cast of characters and a tangled narrative with twists and turns aplenty.

Nice cover on the book. Very interesting read. The book is well written and flowed well. Lots of twists and turns to keep you interested. Just when you think I know what’s going to happen next it suprises you. Very enjoyable

When Cath meets Robin she is impressed with his gentlemanly behaviour, his passion and his adoration of her. She cannot believe her luck because he is handsome, wealthy and has told her he will dedicate himself to look after her and make her happy. Cath has her own business and also lives in a beautiful, luxurious house. Robin moves in and Cath is blissed out. But when Sandy, Cath’s son arrives home telling her that his wife has cheated on him, Cath of course tells him he is welcome to stay. The only problem with that is that Robin and Sandy don’t get on well. When Robin proposes to Cath she is delighted, but Sandy is more practical and begs his mother to wait. After all, they are living together, why rush into marriage?
Dolly, Cath’s mother, helps out as much as she can. She cleans Cath’s house, but one day she feels unwell and a passer-by stops to help her. Rebecca and Dolly get on really well and Cath is pleased to delegate some small jobs to help Dolly and take care of her. She also realises that her mum cannot manage to clean for her, and Rebecca happily steps in. To be honest Rebecca is a godsend, helping out both Dolly and Cath. Dolly’s husband Graham is a waste of space and they have lost their home. He now lives with his mother again right by the seaside while Rebecca lives in her sister’s house with their two young children. However Debbie, Rebecca’s sister is heavily pregnant, so this is only a temporary arrangement. Soon Rebecca is homeless again and Sandy persuades Cath to let Rebecca and her children to move into the garden by the pool in an outhouse. It scrubs out well. Problem solved.
Nobody likes Robin except Cath of course. They are suspicious that he wants to get married so quickly. He is also absent a lot of the time, away in Spain on business. He is a property developer. He also visits his wife, harrying her for a divorce and to vacate the house, coming back with tales about how she wants to delay the divorce and house sale. Someone knows more than they are willing to say. Someone is out to get Robin, someone is out to get Cath. Someone is guarding a massive lifesaving set of secrets. All is not as it seems.
I really enjoyed reading this fast paced story. I thought the story board was ingenious even though it must have been very hard to manage, with all of the complexities in the story. Nevertheless it was evenly paced and I can honestly tell you I had no idea what was going to happen at all and at any time, because there were so many red herrings, blind alleyways and massive twists and turns. Kerry is a wonderful storyteller and her research for this novel was both meticulous and comprehensive. It gifted her story with gravitas and authenticity. I thought the characters in this story were relatable, eclectic and interesting. I love a story full of mystery, tension and especially when dictated by an unreliable narrator, misrepresenting information divulged to conceal the truth. I also liked the issues this novel explored, desperation, secrecy, loneliness, lies and dishonesty, loyalty and love.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Bookouture through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you so much for my copy. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. It’s an exciting, unmissable and rewarding read. This is my 4.5* review