I raced through The Spare Room almost breathlessly. I've read and loved We Were Never Here and The Lost Night, so I shouldn't be surprised that Bartz can plot a thriller and keep me invested. The Spare Room is perhaps the wildest ride a book took me on in 2023 (and I read two thrillers by Rachel Hawkins!) About two-thirds of the way through, I was convinced it was so far off the rails it couldn't possibly end well. I was wrong. Bartz (again) nails a twisty thriller that had me asking "what is happening?!" through most of it. Looking at reviews, this book is polarizing. I'm in the love camp. I am also partial to novels set during COVID-19, but if you're not, avoid this one.

I've never considered fusing a poly romance with a thriller until this book, and I was very skeptical of how it would work. I was pleasantly surprised! I was also apprehensive going into this because I assumed with it being polyamorous lots of smut would come with it, but all the scenes were closed-door which I really appreciate as to not get in the way of the plot (also I'm not the biggest fan of smut personally). The main character is a bit insufferable because she's so naive it's sometimes ridiculous. This book was a "misdirect" mastermind constantly leading you down paths in the wrong direction. This books has multiple twist so hang on tight! I constantly found myself wanting to pick up and keep reading eager to know what was going to happen next and how everything was going to play out. And I am quite satisfied with the ending which is rare for me haha. 4.75 ⭐s! Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

I recently finished reading "The Spare Room." The book started out a bit slow, with a lot of psychological pulls going in different directions, dwelling on the complexities of relationships. Once the main character becomes the house guest of her two companions, the plot gets very racy and some of it was a bit gratuitous. The most interesting part of the book for me was the thriller and mystery parts. After a while, the main character's self-doubt became a turn off.

All in all, I gave The Spare Room three stars because it had some interesting twists to the plot.

The spare room is a book that should be listened rather than read. I liked the plot of the book, another pandemic setting. A woman dumped by her fiancé, and goes out to live in a spare room of a friend she just reconnects with. Romance gets thrown into the mix, and the main character realizes she isn’t the first to join the couple’s relationship. However, it was hard to physically read, but I did finish on audiobook. Grateful for the ARC, but would not read again

I was excited to read this book after hearing the premise, but I don't think it necessarily fit the typical domestic thriller mold and was more of a romance/erotic book than I was anticipating. The main character, Kelly, was not my favorite and definitely wasn't making the wisest choices throughout, so it was hard to get behind her as a protagonist. It definitely was an original story, I think the execution just fell flat and it was more just not a book for me.

👫🧍🏻‍♀️Book Review:
Title: The Spare Room
Author: Andrea Bartz
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/3.5 stars

I really did not expect this book to turn out the way that it did! A broken engagement, an acquaintance from school, a spare room, a poly married couple, a missing ex, creepy neighbors, a dead body.....wow. And that's not even all of it!

Kelly Doyle's engagement has pretty much just ended. In a moment of weakness and insecurity, Kelly does something to push her fiancé, Mike, away while scaring him at the same time. They decide that it might be best to take a break. Kelly reaches out to her old acquaintance/friend from school, Sabrina, and she graciously offers Kelly an invitation to stay at her and her husband's (Nathan) home. They have a spare room available!

Kelly ends up getting offered more than a room to stay in. This would be the moment I would run! But Kelly decides to try a different type of lifestyle from what she's used to and opens up a whole new set of problems. Especially when she finds out that their ex, Elizabeth, has recently gone missing. Lots of suspense and a crazy twist ending!

Published: June 20th, 2023

Thank you, @netgalley and @randomhouse, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a crazy story. I don't like the share spouse trope at all, and this was too weird for me. Honestly I tried and it didn't work out. This happens when we read all the time. I will still check out more from this author, but this was not for me.

Tha k you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

This book is characterized as a thriller. While there were some thriller aspects, more towards the end of the book, I would characterize this book more as a twisty, who loves who now romance (kind of) bedroom book. The twist at the end got me I'll admit and that raised the score on this book a little for me.

My trigger warning is that this book is set during the height of the pandemic and she leans in hard. I personally am not ready to go back there yet!

I recommend this book if you want something with light thriller vibes and don't mind some open door scenes.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

I liked the Spare Room better than Andrea Bartz's previous novel, and was kept very involved in the story the whole read! I did not have it figured out right away, and enjoyed seeing where things went. The twists kept me reading and guessing, and I loved finding out more about how far the characters would go to get what they wanted. It was a good thriller that kept me on my toes!

ᴏɴᴇ ᴘᴏᴠ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡᴇʀ ʙᴀᴄᴋᴅʀᴏᴘ ᴀs ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇs ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴠɪᴅ ᴘᴀɴᴅᴇᴍɪᴄ (ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴏʀʀʏ ɪᴛ’s ɴᴏᴛ ᴀɴ ᴀɢɢʀᴇssɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜᴏᴜᴛ). ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪs ʙʟᴀᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴀs ᴡᴇ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴋᴇʟʟʏ’s ʟɪғᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ɪɴsᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴀɴxɪᴇᴛʏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡɪɴɢ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏғғ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜᴇʀ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ! ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ɪɴᴠᴏᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ. sᴇx ɪs ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪɴᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴡᴏʀʀɪᴇᴅ (ᴀs ɪ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ sᴍᴜᴛ) ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴍᴏᴜɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ sᴍᴜᴛ!

ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀɪᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴄʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴡ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ’ᴛ ғɪᴛ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀʏ. ᴛᴡɪsᴛ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ sʜᴏᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴛᴡɪsᴛ! ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴅᴏɴᴇ! ɪᴛ’s ʀᴀʀᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀɴ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴀɴʏ sᴜʀᴘʀɪsɪɴɢ ᴛᴡɪsᴛs ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ sᴏ ғᴀʀ ғᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ.

ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴍʏ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴀɴᴅʀᴇᴀ ʙᴀʀᴛᴢ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ғɪɴᴅ ᴀ sᴀᴛɪsғʏɪɴɢ ᴘᴀʏᴏғғ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴠᴇʀʜʏᴘᴇᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋs ᴏʀ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀs. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅʀᴇᴀ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘᴏɪɴᴛ! ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴍᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ! sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ.

📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @randomhouse @penguinrandomhouse ᴀɴᴅ @netgalley ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖

The Spare Room by Andrea Bartz is a very spicy read! Although I did not agree with most of the choices the main character made, her bad decisions made for a very fun story! The beginning was a little slow for me, but about a quarter of the way in the plot picked up and I couldn’t read it fast enough. I enjoyed the twists and turns and red herrings the author threw in to the plot. If you’re easily offended by sex scenes, do not read this book. However, if you’re not, I highly recommend it! Do yourself a favor and check into the The Spare Room!

This one was a hard one for me to get into. The first half of the book I wondered when the mystery was going to happen so I kept reading. It was definitely a very sexy first half but I was wanting more mystery and thriller than romance. The last half was when it really took off so I’m glad I stuck through it. The mystery was good. I would definitely give this author another shot even though I struggled with this book.

Dang this book was sexy. While being fairly closed door, it definitely got me hot and bothered a couple times and I was totally there for it!

This book was so entertaining. It really surprised me and kept me guessing. I loved the dynamics among the characters, the fact that I couldn't quite trust anyone, the mystery surrounding EVERYTHING, and all the little clues I didn't think to look for.

If you're ready for a book about COVID and lockdown, this one is perfection. It touched upon so many issues we all faced early on and maybe already blocked from our memories. It was really well done and felt almost liked a locked room thriller with the COVID aspect.

There were times when the book felt a little drawn out and repetitive, but overall, I was completely hooked and definitely recommend.

Andrea Bartz has quickly become an auto read author for me and I can't wait to see what she puts out next!

The Spare Room is a racy thriller by Andrea Bartz. Released 20th June 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Ballantine imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a "beach read" with lots of scandalously racy scenes and an over-the-top plot. The author has a good grasp of description and setting, and there's a palpable tension throughout which is unsettling and impressive. The book falls a bit flat with stilted characterization and uneven dialogue. Many of the sex scenes felt tacked on gratuitously and the pacing in the first 50(ish)% was distinctly different than the latter parts. That being said, fans of Gone Girl and Pretty Things will find a lot to like here.

Definitely an adult read, much of it NSFW. Three stars due to the uneven pacing and weirdly convoluted denouement and epilogue.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

3 stars

pandemic setting, so reader beware

Accepting that our silly MC making the “don’t go into that room, goes into that room” type of decisions, this story moves quick! Easy to consume in just a few settings, this is a fun thriller to pick up. Didn’t love the ending too much but the pace and twists were enjoyable!

Calling off the wedding planning and leaving her fiancé to get some space at her old high school friend’s rich mansion, there’s much to learn and let go while living with this couple. Good mix of sexy, suspense, & misdirection!

I’m not exactly sure what didn’t work for me on this one but I had a hard time staying focused throughout. I think part of it had to do with this being set during Covid, I’m just not interested in reading about that in every story.
Overall, I just couldn’t connect with the story.

I initially didn't read this because the quarantine setting just wasn't something I was ready to read about for fun. I have really liked the thrills and twists of this author's other reads, so thought I'd go ahead and give this one a go. This was a far, far slower burn than her other books, and that wasn't so much for me as I was really in search of a solid, fast-page page turner. There were still some good twists that I didn't see with the characters, so there was that. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this June 2023 release.

While interesting, this book was certainly not at all what I expected! I don't read thrillers that have some spice all that often, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find that in this book. Steamy sex scenes are the perfect way to throw the reader off the scent of the murderer. I also enjoyed that the relationship was poly.

The plot was certainly unique and kept me guessing. I definitely recommend this one if you're stuck in a rut of similar thrillers and are looking for a change!

2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.

Although this was a very fast read for me, it was so frustrating!! This book was 80% spice and romance and just...regular book content, and only the last 20% actually had the thriller aspect! Like don't get me wrong, it was very juicy and fiery at times, but putting the thrilling and creepy energy in throughout would've been nice! I really wanted to enjoy this book, but also adding in the fact that it takes place during the pandemic...I just don't think I was ready to read a pandemic book yet. It needs to feel further away. Honestly, I feel like the author should dive deep into writing just a romance series or something! She'd be great!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!

Where to begin? There’s so much about this that I didn’t like. The main character Kelly is insufferable and beyond irritating. I honestly hated her and had a hard time reading about her. Her thoughts and actions were incongruous in that her character seemed completely inauthentic, which was frustrating for me as a reader. I did not care for the plot. The sex scenes were gratuitous and I wasn’t at all invested in the outcome. Finally, the ending felt contrived and did not make sense. I like Andrea Bartz, but this one fell flat.