Stay is one of those books for me where the synopsis tells you it will be an amazing book, the kind you really like reading and then disappoints you completely. The story about Caitlin coming back to England after a relationship went wrong, without money or much else, getting a lift from a nice looking family and even stays at their house for a night... ending up staying longer, but feeling something is wrong. Well it does sound intriguing! But seriously Caitlin's character is so bland, annoying, selfish and the story is weak. Too many revelations are showing up to make it believable. The book has just over sixty chapters and I dragged myself through the first forty. The last twenty chapters of the book were okay to good, but by then I had suffered. Without those twenty last chapters, this book would have become one of the few books I ever gave one star.

Caitlin, escaping from a betrayal, finds herself hitchhiking to get home and is picked up by a seemingly kind family. Caitlin agrees to their offer to stay at their remote house at the start of lockdown. Is this family as friendly as they first seem and who is she able to trust?

This is the first novel I’ve read by this author, therefore I didn’t really know what to expect. The plot is creepy and thoughtful; a lot has been invested in to making this believable. I have seen covid as a plot tool in a few books now but this manages to convey the pandemic realistically and not be too over the top. I found this actually added to the overall story.

Although this is definitely dark and twisty. It does take a while to get there. The pacing starts off quite slow and although it does build, I wasn’t able to stay fully gripped. The characters are well written but I found I couldn’t fully connect with them. Overall, this is definitely an interesting story, suiting those who enjoy a slow burn, sinister thriller. I would look out for more books by this author. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this early copy.

19 year old Caitlin is trying to hitch a ride home to Cornwall after falling out with her boyfriend in Italy. She catches a lift with an enthusiastic young family, who end up convincing her to stay to help tutor their daughters throughout the pandemic. Caitlin is in no rush to get home, so she accepts the offer. However, leaving may not be as easy as she believes.

I really enjoyed the plot. Without giving any spoilers, it was interesting to see where the story was leading. I felt that the story was well thought out and believable. I liked how the author made it relatable by using the covid 19 pandemic - you could really see this happening. However, I didn't have any real connection to any of the characters. Caitlin annoyed me at times, but it was lovely to watch her bond with the girls grow - she clearly cares about them.

I felt at times that the book dragged. It was really slow paced, and there was a lot of information that didn't contribute to the story. I just wasn't gripped by this book, and I had to force myself to finish.

This book is a tense, fast paced thriller. I literally could not put it down and read it in one sitting.
Without spoilers, it explores some very sensitive subjects and the complex way in which real people would react. The characters are imperfect and believable, making it very easy to get emotionally invested in the story.

We are following Caitlin's as she hitchhikers on the roadside back from Italy a summer holiday turned sore picked up by a seeming lovely family she grateful until this turn into longer than a night and she seems to be stuck.

Your Welcome to STAY .

This is a slow burn book which keeps you guessing
I enjoyed how the epidemic served as a backdrop for the story because it actually happened and cannot be ignored. There is a lot of discussion about how breaching lockdown regulations prevents certain courses of action, but it has always been permissible to do so in an actual emergency.

Even if she appears to be aware of it while she is acting foolishly, Caitlin's actions are occasionally dumb, but she is still just nineteen. Regardless, I enjoyed her character and the relationship she forges with the girls.



The numerous references to hands and folk tunes, as well as the throwaway lines referencing unknown future occurrences, became rather tiresome and seriously detracted from the plot.

It was a struggle to get to the conclusion because of the plodding plot and the unlikable characters, but it was worthwhile because of the fantastic ending.

Are you looking for a slow burn book that keeps you wanting to turn the pages? That's exactly what you will get with Jane Bailey's newest thriller Stay. From the minute Caitlin decided to hitchhike home from Italy, I knew I was in for a wild ride and it definitely didn't disappoint. There were twists and turns all the way to the end. This was my first book by Jane Bailey but it definitely won't be my last!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Orion Publishing for the advanced copy of this book for an unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this book and found the characters well defined and three dimensional. The background of the pandemic lockdown was a perfect setting for this creepingly sinister story. Obviously I was rooting for Caitlin and I think writing in the first person really worked well. I don’t want to give away too much of the story but I thought Mimi and Marcus were also brilliantly drawn and believable.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were well formed ,the story was great, and scary, and totally kept me guessing until the very end, I loved it.

Jane Bailey is a new author to me, and I really enjoyed this story about nineteen-year-old Caitlin, who, running away from her boyfriend and some painful betrayals, takes refuge, on the eve of the first lockdown, with a seemingly lovely family in rural Gloucestershire.

Marcus, Mimi and their two daughters seem nice, if a little odd from the outset, and Caitlin agrees to stay for a while to home-school the girls now the schools are closed. (Remember when it was going to be for three weeks?) But there's a lot going on under the surface in and around this house, and she's soon in deeper than she ever expected, unsure who she can trust.

Yes, it's a slow burn, but none the worse for that - and the final denouement is very tense.

I liked the pandemic being a backdrop for the plot - it happened, we can't ignore it. There's a fair bit of talk about not breaking lockdown rules and this being a hindrance to certain courses of action - but it was always permissible to do so in a genuine emergency. (Downing Street leaving do's don't count.)

Caitlin's actions are certainly foolish at times - she seems to know it herself, even while she's in the throes of doing them - but she's only nineteen. I don't know about you, but I was an idiot when I was nineteen. I liked her character regardless, and the bond she develops with the girls.

Jane Bailey writes very well, with some lovely turns of phrase, and I found this a really enjoyable read.

A fantastically written and very readable thriller full of tension and menace. The story is deeply engrossing and as the tension ramps up it's impossible to stop turning the pages.

A heartbroken Caitlin, fresh from a break-up in Italy is hitchhiking hoe and accepts the help of a glamourous and enigmatic family. At first friendly and wholesome, she soon starts to realise that all is not as it seems.

the writing is superb and the way the author develops the characters is skillful. A pacey and claustrophobic read, highly recommended.

After a betrayal from her boyfriend, Caitlin hurriedly leaves France before COVID lockdowns kick in. Hitchhiking on the side of the road she's picked up by Marcus and Mimi and their 2 daughters. And when they offer her a job tutoring the girls, with no hurry to go home, Caitlin accepts. But it soon becomes apparent to her that not everything or everyone in the house is as they seem, and she worries about the safety of her and the 2 sisters. But is she trapped because if lockdown or something more sinister
I enjoyed the storyline of this book and thought it was very clever to incorporate Covid restrictions to cover up what was happening in the story, I found Caitlin to be quite naive and easily pleased at the beginning, however her character did grow on me by the end of the novel and she showed more strength and was very protective of the girls
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for this advanced copy, I'm under no obligation to leave my review
3.5 rounded up to 4

Firstly never agree to stay with random people you have just met and know absolutely nothing about. It's bound to end in trouble. Which is exactly what happens to Caitlin who after running away to Italy she finds out that her father affair she falls out with her boyfriend and has nowhere else to go. So decides to head home. However she gets a lift with a random family, lockdown occurs and her life spirals down hill ending with a nightmare.

I have to say I didn't help.with this one. I wasn't a big fan of any of the characters. It was also incredibly slow.

Thank you Netgalley and Orion for this eCopy to review

Caitlin ran away to Italy for adventure but after learning about her father's affair she falls out with her boyfriend and heads home. Unable to face going back she decides so stay with the family who give her a lift, a last minute decision to stay with them during lock down ends in a nightmare.

All the references to hands and folksongs got quite annoying and really detracted from the story along with the throw away lines referring to mystery future events

I did not really warm to any of the characters and the plot is incredibly slow, it was a hard slog to reach the end but it was worth it as the ending is great

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for this ARC.

The concept of this book was intriguing, with a similar set-up to The Housemaid by Frieda Mcfadden (A lone woman lives in a house with an unusual family who seems to be hiding something). However, the characters felt a bit flat, and I didn't enjoy the way it was written. I found the pacing too slow to feel fully engaged, and I ended up DNF'ing it around 20%. That's not to say I wouldn't try it again in the future, and I would try another book by this author.

Covering uncomfortable but sadly topical and very real themes this book shows the nasty side of some humans and how easily ( maybe a bit too easily? ) some people can be tricked and then are part of somethimg they coukd not imagine,will stay with you

Stay by Jane Bailey
Release Date August 17, 2023
Publisher Orion Publishing Group


Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Suspense: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5

Jane Bailey has written a psychological thriller that is guaranteed to keep you entertained and enthralled from the first to the last page. I had to keep reading to see what happened at the end. You won’t be disappointed.

Caitlin was supposed to have a great summer in Italy but all of the changed after she was betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend. She decides to hitchhike back home with little to nothing with her. A family pulls over to help her and since they look normal and Caitlin feels safe, she hops in their car. She stays the night at their house and really just wants to stay away from her family as long a possible. So when the family wants her to stay longer, she thinks nothing of it. That is until someone tells her she needs to get away. Things start really getting strange when she is asked to homeschool the children with no internet access and then the coupe de gras was when her phone went missing. Now she has no way to call for help if needed. She has also become very fond of the girls and decides to try to make an escape with them. But can she pull it off? What will happen to Caitlin if they catch her? The ending will bring everything together and will blow your mind. I love, love, love Bailey’s writing style and how she developed her characters. Flawed, yet bad ass.

5+++ stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

#Stay #NetGalley Review

I was captivated by the exquisite writing in this book. Caitlin's summer was supposed to be perfect, but she ends up betrayed by her best friend and boyfriend, leaving her heartbroken, penniless, and hitchhiking her way back home alone.

In her moment of despair, a friendly family stops to offer her assistance on the roadside. Grateful for their kindness, Caitlin accepts their invitation to stay the night at their secluded house. The prospect of avoiding a lonely journey home in the dark is comforting, especially since she's in no hurry to face a grave secret that could tear her family apart.

As the days pass, Caitlin becomes entangled in the mesmerizing charm of this seemingly idyllic couple. They encourage her to stay longer, with their children in need of a tutor, and the idea of prolonging her escape from home becomes tempting. However, a warning from an older member of the household starts to raise doubts. And when Caitlin realizes that this perfect family is hiding a sinister truth, her attempt to leave becomes far more challenging, especially as her phone goes missing.

Overall, this book provided an enjoyable reading experience. I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the Orion Publishing Group for providing me with an advance copy.

Stay is a story about a young girl who has recently discovered some devastating things about her boyfriend and father. She wants to stay far away from them and decides to stay with a seemingly nice couple who offer her a ride. They have kids and seem safe and happy and they even offer her a job. Things quickly take a turn for the worse when she realizes leaving won’t be an option.
I really liked the unique sound of this story. It wasn’t something I had read before. I wish the book focused more on the present and less on the girl’s personal problems. The storyline could have been a lot more interesting and gripping if it was focused more on the trapping and trying to escape and what living in the house was truly like. Overall an interesting read and I would check this author out again.

New author for me.
I found the story a bit slow to start with.
Caitlin found herself in a different living situation than being at home.
Marcus wasn't what she expected..resulting to sex trafficking.

After a painful break up with her boyfriend while they were touring Italy, Caitlin decides to travel home by herself. Events in this book are taking place at the outset of the pandemic, and upon arrival in the UK, with very little money in hand, Caitlin accepts the offer of an overnight stay with a couple named Marcus and Mimi, who have two young daughters.

As the lockdown begins the following day, she is unsure what to do. Reluctant to go home, Caitlin agrees to stay on with the family, and to homeschool their two children at their remote farm.

But not only does the set-up begin to seem strange to her due to the lack of internet access and other basic communications systems, Caitlin's phone also goes missing at this time.

As events unfold, it becomes increasingly clear to Caitlin that things are not as they seem with this family. But as the extent of the danger she is in begins to dawn, she is unsure how to get herself out of the situation that she has unwittingly got herself into.

And in the meantime, Caitlin has also become very fond of the two girls, so she does not want to leave without them. But how will she pull off the ambitious escape she yearns for?

This is an interesting and unusual story with a killer premise. Bailey delivers well on the storytelling, even though Caitlin is immature and not very likeable. Definitely a book worth reading.