Cuckoo alert, if you love books based on one entering a family then this is for you
Beware this one is insidious, wicked, nasty and intends to get what she wants, by whichever way suits her….
Centering around a rich Beverley Hills family where money is no object and intelligence high it is therefore with some surprise this is such an easy thing for this person to achieve but well if you get past that then it’s a fine thriller with every element in to make you detest the main character and embrace the ride, which lets face it if we love these books we do, gladly 🤗🤗
There are quite a few red herrings and backfiring red herrings in the book and it keeps pace the whole way through, right up to the predictably good twisty end
The book has the word ‘highfalutin’ in which is a bonus too
It’s 100% on point for doing as it says it will, perfect for those of us who want it be that way
Avery good thriller debut indeed

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. An English girl living with a US family as an exchange student in Los Angeles. You just know there is going to be trouble. As the layers of secrets, lies, deciet and betrayals are exposed it becomes a gripping thriller . Each twist and turn makes for some great reading.

Not one for me. I tried four times to pick this up and continue it but ultimately it felt a bit cheesy so at 11% I’ve given up.

2.5 stars

A wealthy California family takes in a British foreign exchange student, Tanya. Entitled Tanya sucks up to the mom and dad, alienates her host brother and sister and hates the family dog. Chaos ensues.

I thought this book was very predictable. It alternated between the host mom and host sister for POV, with the exception of one chapter, which is the host dad. (And completely unnecessary for him to have a chapter). The book was ok, but I found myself rolling my eyes at the convenient tropes such as the drunk mom.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞-𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of this book. It is a cautious tale about bringing someone into your home without verifying who the person is. Tanya is an exchange student from the UK but who is she really and why has she come to this family? It's a story based on lies and the lies and twists keep you engrossed and invested in the story. It was a satisfying read and I would recommend it.

Thank you to Nelle Lamarr, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the arc of The Family Guest. Here is a spoiler free quick run down - The wealthy Merritt family decides that it is a good idea for a foreign exchange student. Two years ago they tragically lost their oldest daughter who reminds everyone of Tanya, the exchange student. The story is basically told from two POV's Paige (daughter) and Natalie (mother) From the very beginning you are going to catch a vibe and you will NOT like Tanya, She seems to push her way into the family that will grind your gears. Paige and Will will have your hearts and you will cheer them on. Yes, like other reviews there is a lot about the parenting style that will aggravate you... read on.... this is a page turner. You may think you know what is going to happen - nope. There is one of those epic twists that people around you will ask if you are going to make it. Highly recommend.

I really wanted to love this, what I found was it was just very okay. Not memorable, not terrible. It reminds me of every other thriller I’ve read (& I’ve read many), that I’ve checked off my Goodreads list but honestly have no memory of.

A story about a foreign exchange student how could it go wrong? The lives are completely changed when Tanya steps off the plane….
There was very few slow paced moments for me where I didn’t have questions and want to continue reading.
This is a must read with a twist I didn’t see coming up until the very end!
You don’t want to miss this book!

This story is bananas but also a fun read. The wealthy Merritt family takes in an exchange student from England, Tanya. She looks a lot like their daughter Anabel who died tragically in an accident two years ago. Natalie, the mother, is enchanted immediately by charming Tanya. But her other children are not so happy about Tanya’s arrival. Especially Paige, the bookish younger daughter, soon learns that Tanya has a mean and cruel side. And Paige is sure that she is not who she claims to be. While she and her little brother Will go into Sherlock-Holmes-mode, Natalie enjoys Tanya’s company and soon feels closer to her than her children. But her life is about to unravel because somebody has found out about her dark secrets.

The story is mostly told from Natalie’s and Paige’s POV. Paige and Will are the only characters that you can root for. Natalie is extremely self-centered and don’t get me started about her parenting (awful). Her husband Matt is hardly in the picture and what we learn about him does not show him in a sympathetic light. Tanya seems like a spoilt brat and gets more and more out of control. I just could not see why almost everybody was so enamored with her. Natalie and Matt favour her over their real children from day one. I rolled my eyes a lot while reading. There are a lot of twists and turns and most of the time I thought I knew where the story was heading. But it turned out I did not, not exactly at least. There were a few little surprises.

There is a lot going on in this book. Maybe a bit too much. But somehow it was fun and it kept me intrigued.

I didn't expect much from this book but actually and surprisingly I enjoyed this thriller more than I have anticipated!

Tanya is a British exchange student who moves into live with the Merrit family for three months. Things didn't start great between Paige Merrit and Tanya and even Paige's own parents seem to favor towards Tanya more than towards their own daughter. Paige however suspect that Tanya isn't who she really seem and together with her brother Will, she set about to find who Tanya really is and warn her parents about her.

The first part of the book is more like a teenage drama with both Tanya and Paige fighting with each other to the point when Tanya steals Paige's boyfriend Lance from her. But the second part of the book is where the psychological thriller side starts when Tania's true colors are revealed. The story is told mainly from Paige's and Natalie's POV. Natalie is Paige's mother. Honestly, I found Natalie really annoying--the fact that she takes Tanya's side and not her daughter's side kind of made me angry a little bit. I do like the relationship between Paige and Will calling themselves as Sherlock and Watson. But other than Paige, Paige's grandmother and Will, I found all the other characters including Natalie annoying.

The story was actually predictable--I knew what was going to happen next but it was fast-paced and a page turner. The ending was kind of a cliff-hanger. The writing was great as well and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. Overall, if you are looking for a thriller with a bit of teenage drama in it, then this book is one for you. Worth four stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

What a whirlwind of a book! I really just love the story in the fast paced of the plot. Highly recommended read.

A captivating thriller and total page turner - you’ll want to get through this book in one sitting. The author uses dual POV’s to help you get in the characters head’s and feel exactly what they’re feeling.

Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing- but you never will!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Natalie's exchange student seems to be all she hoped for. Physically the image of her dead daughter but soon the cracks appear is she who she says she is? Natalie's two children hate her on sight and the loathing grows as they know her more but what is she hiding? Natalie too has a past that she is desperate to keep hidden. At first, I didn't like the character of Natalie but I grew to like her more towards the end. A compelling read

This thriller kept me wanting to scream at the characters the whole time! Do you really know anything about your houseguest? Can you sleep soundly? Be sure you know who you let in your home. Great book! Great read!

A page turner! I liked the different POV's and it was a quick read. Their "guest" made me so angry at times. Some of the characters were a little clueless at times. But I was still intrigued and enjoyed the twists! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

4⭐️

Big Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Nelle Lamarr for providing me with the opportunity to read this book!
Ooh, I love family drama and this book didn't disappoint!
I couldn't put this book down. Very well-written, short chapters and fast-paced. This is the first book I read that makes you "hate" the characters. My blood was boiling but that made the story that much more amazing.

And the plot twist - I wasn't prepared for it🤯

I would definitely recommend this book! Perfect for those who love a gripping suspense read.

Natalie is excited to meet her foreign exchange student and is surprised when the girl resembles her deceased daughter Annabelle she wouldn’t admit it but Annabel was her favorite and so it doesn’t take long for Tonya to become a favorite companion to Natalie and it doesn’t hurt that the girl seems to crave acceptance from her and her husband Matt, if only her daughter Paige and son Will would like Tanya as much as she does. It is a little off pudding that the girl makes herself more than at home soon after arriving. She even pours herself a little wine despite being underage but not to cause problems Natalie lets it go it seems Tonya doesn’t mind a little awkwardness nor does she mind a lot of it. Paige however dislikes Annabelle immediately page knows there is something up with Tonya but not quite white but when she starts coming on to her boyfriend Lance it’s more than Paige can take an although Paige and Will try and get her caught doing something extremely wrong Natalie still seems to be forgiving. She claims to be from the UK and says her father is hard to get a hold of and is always gone and leaves her home alone a lot and that is sad but it’s not true. Before it’s over Natalie will be wanting a divorce the dog will be poisoned and all of Natalie Secrets and Tanya’s will be out in the open. This is one twisty thriller and although in the beginning I almost stopped reading it because the foreign exchange student is a lot to take I am so glad I continued I thought this book was going to be predictable but OMG it’s totally not in a definite five star read. I want to thank Bookoucher a AnNet Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

If you love thrillers that make you say, “What the heck?” multiple times, this is one of them! I literally read this in one day because it was so bingeworthy, I had to know what happened!

The book starts out with a WTH (what the heck) moment and then builds from there. The story is about Natalie Merritt and her family, who welcome a foreign exchange into their home. Her daughter, Paige, is not a fan of the idea because she feels her mom is trying to replace her deceased older sister. Tanya (foreign exchange student) is tall, blonde and beautiful, filling the void in Natalie’s heart. But as the story goes on, Tanya’s background seems to have too many holes, making Paige suspect she’s not who she says she is, and her parents either oblivious or choosing to look the other way.

There are holes here and there in the storyline and some parts didn’t seem necessary, but the book had you wanting to know what happened in the end (which was just WOAH).

The author did a great job of using the dual POVs to show how different minds think and had you wondering what Natalie’s big secret was.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Nelle Lamar for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Certainly, here's the revised review with the spoiler warning added for the fourth and fifth paragraphs:

"The Family Guest" by Nelle Lamaar is an enjoyable book, though it doesn't offer anything entirely new in its genre. I'd rate it as a solid 3.5 stars, but there are some significant issues holding it back from a higher rating.

The story centers around the Merritt family – Matt, Nat (Natalie), and their kids Paige and Will – living in upscale Los Angeles. Their children attend a school with a staggering annual fee of $45,000. The story begins two years after they tragically lost their eldest daughter, Anabel. They welcome Tanya, a British exchange student, into their home for her senior year. Suspicion arises early as Tanya's behavior is peculiar – her accent changes, she starts using American slang, and she becomes oddly comfortable in the Merritt household.

The narrative alternates between the perspectives of Natalie and Paige, giving a well-rounded view of their family dynamics. Paige stands out as a unique character, quite different from her late sister Anabel. This contrast highlights Tanya's presence in their lives. Natalie seems to be trying to fill the gap left by Anabel's absence by bonding with Tanya.

[Spoiler Warning] However, the biggest problem lies in the many plot holes and unanswered questions. For example, we never learn how Tanya managed to get into the exchange program, given her background and escape from a mental institution. Some subplots, like the one involving Alexa and the father with the baby, feel unnecessary and underdeveloped. Tanya's effortless access to powerful medication without background checks raises credibility issues.

[Spoiler Warning] Natalie's sudden belief that her husband might harm her based solely on Tanya's words strains credibility, considering her existing suspicions about Tanya. Tanya's enrollment in the prestigious school without submitting transcripts also raises questions.

[Spoiler Warning] Additionally, it's worth noting how strange it was that Natalie had Tanya stay in Anabel's bedroom, which still had all of her clothes and toys, even though they had a spare bedroom available. This decision adds another layer of intrigue to the story.

Lastly, Paige's sudden shift from a sweet girl to someone harboring murderous thoughts feels forced and lacks proper development.

In summary, "The Family Guest" offers an engaging read with a strong character in Paige and an intriguing premise. However, its predictability, numerous plot holes, and the peculiar choice of Tanya's room diminish its overall quality. I'd recommend it to fans of domestic thrillers with the caveat that it might leave you with unanswered questions and a sense of untapped potential.

This is my first psychological thriller novel, and as a novice in the genre, i was caught off-guard when the truth unfold. Man.... I have my own sets of hypothesis but the author really knows how to play with us, aigooo!

So, what i like about the story:

1. Premises of the characters

Although some of the characters are quite cliches, it contributes to the plot build up and I'm glad that there's wise characters to carry this story on. I certainly like the grandma, she's so on point with her instinct, kudos to grandma!

P/s: you can skip the make out scenes if you aren't comfortable with it. There's quite a few scenes of that kind.

2. I honestly likes how the author ended the story, how it is not rushed and properly written. And again, i did not expect that turn of event, you got me there!

3. I think this novel might leave us pondering on the characters' action and rationale behind it, you cant help thinking it's right, but that's not the way, and you might also think it's totally wrong, but how can it be like that?

4. Dual Pov - love it when we can analyse things from two perspectives!

As of pace of the novel, i cant describe it since im reading it via e-copy and i found it quite slow. Since im not really fond of e-copy. Also, i think the plot arent that slow if we purchase the physical copy, will look forward on buying the physical copy, and reread it, you know, finding the easter eggs again now that i know the ending. Hehe.

And oh, greatest thanks to Netgalley for approving my request to review this book for free, Im glad i got to read it, looking forward for the physical copy soon!