The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Pub date: February 7, 2023
Narrated by: Stephanie Willing
Duration: 10H 46M

I love a good domestic suspense and Ryan didn’t disappoint, as usual!

When Alyssa’s uber wealthy husband Bill tells her that their marriage just isn’t working and leaves that same day, she’s beyond shocked. Things were good or so she thought. Now, being shunned in the country club and a social pariah, she decides to have a drink in an out of the way place. It’s here she meets down on her luck Bree. Bree is currently being stalked by an ex and there’s just something about her that speaks to Alyssa’s soul so after a few drinks, on impulse, she invites Bree to stay in her guest house. As a friendship develops between the two women, the twists begin!

I’m going to avoid too much of the plot because spoilers but I want to say this is so damn twisty and I loved it! I liked both Alyssa and Bree and an additional character, Dez, but deciding whose intentions were pure was an absolute puzzle and I had so much fun untangling this twisty web!

Stephanie Willing narrates and does a spectacular job moving the chapters forward with her voice acting! Well done, Stephanie!

If you like a twisty binge-worthy plot, I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to @MacMillan.Audio for this gifted ALC!

Thank you to Hank Phillippi Ryan and NetGalley for this audio-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

Alyssa is recently separated from her husband Bill and goes to drown her sorrows in a hotel bar. She meets Bree a woman who is running away from a controlling ex staying in the hotel. After they start talking Alyssa invites Bree to stay in her guest house. The two women strike up a friendship and find themselves on a journey Alyssa never saw coming. When the FBI starts to investigate Bill and Alyssa she wonders who she can trust.

I'm giving this book a three star due to the fact I did not see the twists coming. I was very surprised and pleased with the ending. Unfortunately the journey to get to the twists caused me to question if I wanted to continue or DNF. Ultimately I forged ahead and kept going. I'm happy I did and while I enjoyed it this was not my favorite book of 2022 by any means. It just seemed middle of the road plot wise and kept repeating itself. I did not connect with any of the characters and the main one just frustrated me to no end. It's 2023 now can we please stop with the rich wife lets the husband control all the finances and when he leaves she's heartbroken and shocked? I just feel like I've read this story over and over again. The narrator of the audiobook was wonderful I really liked her voice.

Alyssa is in the middle of a divorce. She is married to a powerful man and she has been the dutiful wife at all his functions and lives an extravagant lifestyle. She had no clue her husband wanted out.

Feeling down she meets Bree at a bar. They become instant friends and she relates to Bree as she left an abusive relationship. She lets Bree live with her. Letting someone you barely know into your home might be a mistake!

The secrets these characters have and the abundance of twist in this novel kept me up late to find out what happened.

Thank you @netgalley, @macmillianaudio, @forgebooks and author @hankfillippiryan for this advanced book and audio due out February 7, 2023.

#MacmillianAudio, #forgebooks, #thehouseguest, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, #stamperlady50

Trying to drink away her pain in a bar Alyssa met Bree another single woman drowning her sorrows in alcohol. Both were lonely and sad. They forged a quick friendship bonding over financial issues and recent breakups.
Alyssa took Bree under her wing. She invited her live in the guest house so she didn’t have to live alone.
Alyssa’s ego was bruised when Bill insisted on divorce. Bill provided a stable financial lifestyle allowing Alyssa to organize and control there lifestyle. When he demanded a separation she was baffled. She knew he was toying with her emotions by moving stuff and flaunting his new found freedom. She didn’t understand why he was behaving irrational.
Meeting Bree helped Alyssa look after herself without Bill’s influence. Her life felt ruined by Bill’s betrayal leaving her world turned upside down. For reasons unknown Bill asked for a divorce setting off a crazy and wild set of circumstances for Alyssa. Her new found freedom was met with paranoia and fear as she unfurls the life of Bill.

The House Guest is a stand-alone thriller written by Hank Phillippi Ryan. This novel is about Alyssa a woman scorned by her husbands demand for separation after eight years of marriage. Now she’s alone in an opulent world created by Bill. After being Bill’s possession Alyssa navigates a new world on wobbly legs nervous to be in the home Bill chose for them to live in. She had a secure life with Bill giving up her dream career as a lawyer.

There was danger living alone. Alyssa was weary of being alone so she invited Bree to stay in the guest house. She invited a perfect stranger into her home.
Feeling sorry for themselves and alone Bree and Alyssa found friendship in each other after Bill left. These two woman are chasing answers to questions that are created about of imaginative minds.

Hank’s writing voice speaks a message of crazy activity. There’s an interesting set of circumstances culminated by the divorce of Bill and Alyssa. It’s a wild ride of strangers and unexpected visitors. Alyssa’s character is gullible navigating a new world without Bill. The story took an interesting turn with Alyssa becoming paranoid.

Audiobook:
Stephanie Willing is the solo female narrator. The House Guest audiobook is an unabridged version. She’s a professional voice actor with a broadcast-quality home studio.
After reading ebooks for years and having the luxury of highlighting words and sentences I feel a disadvantage with audiobooks. I’m still fairly new to the world of listening to audiobooks. However, my transition was made easily by owning both the ebook and audiobook that way I could still highlight words while enjoying the performance of good voice actors. Trying to listen without the assistance of the ebook is difficult for me to stay connected. I need those words and the ability to highlight areas as reference. I know when it’s over I’m going to want to relisten so I can hear the story from a different perspective.

Alyssa Macallan is in the throes of a messy divorce from her wealthy and powerful husband, Bill Macallan. Scrutinized at every turn by the couple’s former friends, she believes her ex will stop at nothing to ruin her. In short, she has hardly a penny to her name and no shoulder to cry on as the picture-perfect life she once knew shatters into pieces. Luckily for her, she meets Bree Lorrance, a contemporary in dire straits, running from a dangerous man who is determined to hunt her down. The two become fast friends, and Alyssa takes a leap of faith and offers the stranger a temporary respite in her guest house. When the F.B.I. comes knocking on Alyssa’s door, the stakes become higher, causing her to turn to the only person willing to help—Bree. Two minds are better than one, especially those belonging to a couple of strong women dead set on outsmarting their adversaries no matter the cost.

The House Guest is a cat-and-mouse thriller with twists and turns in every chapter. Stephanie Willing delivers a praiseworthy performance as the narrator, absorbing the listener into the high-stakes drama with every shocking turn of events. A twisted tale of love and revenge, The House Guest is a compulsive and binge-worthy audiobook with the perfect combination of suspense and betrayal, leaving the reader guessing until the very last page.

Alyssa Macallan had it all. She met her husband and never looked back. She left her law degree unfinished and went on to live a fabulous life with him in the lap of luxury. Then suddenly he had an affair and wanted a divorce. So she was left alone in her huge house with no friends that weren't couple friends. So she goes to a hotel bar on a whim and meets Bree Lawrence.

Bree has her own problems and Alyssa quickly takes her under her wing, She brings Bree home with her and lets her move in the guest house. It feels good to have a friend.. But when the FBI come knocking on the fancy door - Alyssa learns that her soon to be ex-husband is wanted by the FBI for scamming people and she fears she is one of his targets.

I read this book while spending a week in December in NYC. I found that I keep wanting to get back to it to see what would happen next. There are some twists and turns - some predictable and some not so predictabl.e. Definitely a fun read.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy.

Alyssa Macallan is at her lowest point in years -- recently left by wealthy husband, Bill, who seems to have all of their friends on his side. Enter Bree Lorrance, struggling young woman on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend. Alyssa and Bree hit it off immediately and become fast enough friends that Alyssa offers Bree respite in her guest house. In the next few days, all hell breaks loose in Alyssa's life-- the FBI comes knocking and SOMEONE keeps showing up at her house when she isn't home. Can Alyssa and Bree solve both of their issues, or will Bill win again, just as he always does?

This one was just okay. The premise was great and I was super intrigued at first. However, this was a sloooowwww burn. SO much detail was given at the beginning and it felt excessive, leaving me confused at times. The ending was so twisty and unexpected, I would have liked more of that throughout the book. Overall, this was an interesting read by not one I would read again.

Enjoyed this on Audio, the Narroter brought the sory to life . Perfect play on
'how well do you really know someone"
'. Good storyline , kept me engaged , twist and turns , good suspense.

A distraught, wealthy woman has just separated from her husband, walks into a bar and strikes up a friendship with a fellow distraught woman. And the story begins.
I found the story entertaining but a bit too predicable. The characters were a little too one-dimensional for my liking.
I loved the narrator. Great job of interpreting the twist and turns of the book.

A thriller filled and then filled again with twists and turns that you don’t expect. It’s the tale of trust - trust in marriage and trust in friendship. The level of anxiety in this story slowly builds until the reader wonders what am I missing? It’s brilliant. My one critique is that there is a character or two that becomes a bit whiny at certain parts. Thanks to NetGalley for the early read.

My thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to review this audio.

Be careful who you bring home from a bar. That's what Alyssa McCallan finds out as she's drowning her sorrows in a bar, meets Bree Lorance who is escaping a stalker which leads Bree to invite her to live in her guest house. What follows are secrets and a lot of twists and cat and mouse tales. Nothing is what it seems. Like the narrator and recommendations.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Hank Phillippi Ryan for the advanced copy of The House Guest in exchange for my honest review.

I'll keep this brief and just say this book unfortunately was just not for me. I felt it was pretty obvious what was happening the whole book, and I had a hard time with the various friendships and conversations that occurred. Everything felt just a little forced.

I will still not hesitate to read anything by this author in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Tor/Forge, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Hank Phillippi Ryan and wonderfully narrated by Stephanie Willing - 5 twisty stars!

Alyssa Macallan is feeling depressed - her wealthy husband has left her and she fears that he is plotting against her in the divorce proceedings. She stops in at a random hotel bar for a drink where she meets Bree, also in fear of a man; in this case, an abusive ex-boyfriend. The two commiserate and Alyssa invites Bree to stay in her guest house. Alyssa finally feels less alone and has someone to confide in. Then the FBI show up at the door and everything changes.

This is the ultimate cat-and-mouse thriller - my head was spinning with all the twists and trying to decide who was trustworthy and who wasn't. While reading and listening to this book, I did plenty of eye rolling, questioning Alyssa's behavior; however, it was a fast-paced, well-written book that checked all the boxes for me for pure entertainment. Don't miss this one!

The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan focuses on Alyssa Macallen a women who is having a very difficulty time accepting the blunt separation from her billionaire husband. With the separation she has been positioned to loose her previous lifestyle including the couple’s mutual friends, assets and finances . While sulking in her pity she decides to step into a hotel bar, shortly after she notices Bree a woman she believes to be meek and possibly in need of help . They start up a conversation and Bree confides in Alyssa that she is running away from a terrifying past . Alyssa being the the typical female character written in many thriller novels is void of any skepticism , and of course invites this perfect stranger back to her house.

The story is very entertaining at times. As a thriller enthusiast/ connoisseur I can easily predict twist however I think the average reader will absolutely enjoy the many twist and turns towards the end of the story.

My grievance with the book is mostly due to how the protagonist Alyssa is portrayed . Alyssa’s characters is written in a manner that exudes naivety, and the choices she makes throughout the story are incredibly absurd . Throughout the story her decision were nonsensical , so much so that it was an annoyance to continue listening to the story during these parts .

I was very much pleased with the narration of the book . Stephanie Willing did a fantastic job, she was able change her voice distinctly different between with Alyssa and Brie, which is always much appreciated. I will be seeking more books narrated by her.

📖 Book 2.5 ⭐️
🎧Narration 4.0 ⭐️
💫 Overall 3.0 ⭐️

Many thanks to Tor/Forge Books, Macmillan
Audio, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and NetGalley for the gifted copy of this ARC in form of an audiobook provided to me in return for an honest review.

Oh this was somehow super heartwarming and wholesome while also involving crimes. It was amazing!
I didn't expect a single twist in this book. Well I did expect two things but even when they were revealed I was like "whaaaa?" because of the way it all unfolds. It was lovely and I had the best day listening to it.

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Mystery
Received an ARC copy from Netgalley

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook of this novel. The chapters are short, the narrator was pleasant to listen to, and entertained throughout the novel. I liked how some chapters had mysterious and left open ended so it left you wanting for more as a reader/listener. Everyone is a suspect and kept you guessing the whole time.

I did guess the outcome and who’d done it almost 25% into the book- only because I read a ton of mystery books. Also, the book had a good amount of characters so it didn’t leave me confused.

Nothing really stuck out to me in regards to the uniqueness of the book. Felt like a very common mystery who’d done it type of novel. Still entertaining and an easy listen while driving around town.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read/review this novel.

Full of twists and turns! Money is missing, a husband is missing and no one knows what’s going on…except maybe the FBI. But never mind all that, why not spend some time relaxing with a new friend you met at a bar and moved out not your guesthouse. You’ll never guess who is using who!

2 stars ( rounded up)

This is the end of the road for me and Hank P Ryan.
I found this book to be absolutely terrible and painful to read. Alyssa's thoughts and second thoughts and doubts, all these are taking entire chapters. Not to mention that she is not the brightest thing under the sun and she constantly swings back and forth between loving and hating her husband that appears to have left her. She forms a deep friendship in a matter of minutes with a girl, that even a four year old would suspect she's lying and hiding something.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan.Audio for allowing me to read this book!

3.75 stars

There was a lot happening in this book. I often didn’t know quite what was going on or who could be trusted; also, while I didn’t figure out exactly what their role was, it was pretty clear to me that both of the friend characters were definitely hiding something major and were, for one reason or another, manipulating the protagonist. All in all, the story was a twisty mess of chaos and intriguing events that, for the most part, I enjoyed.

This was the first read by Hank Phillippi Ryan and overall I enjoyed the book. It was a very slow build but once it started moving I wanted to find out more. There were so many lies, deceit, gas lighting and manipulation that ultimately lead to a decent plot. I could not get over how naïve Alyssa was inviting a perfect stranger into her house and having blind trust in that person. That naivety carried on through the book and it thought it was a little unrealistic. Nothing is as it seems and the ending was nice.

I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator, Stephanie Willing did a good job!

***** Many thanks to Tor/Forge Books, Macmillan Audio, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and NetGalley for the gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.