This is my first free book through Netgalley. This was a very easy read with many twist I did not see coming throughout. Will be watching for more from this author.

Wow! This is probably one of my favorite psychological thrillers so far! I was hooked for the entire book! In this book, the Merritt's were welcoming a foreign exchange student named Tanya..... At least that is the impression they were under. Natalie and Matt (the mother and father of the Merritt family) connect with Tanya. Paige (one of the daughters) she does not like Tanya at all and does not trust her. Will (their son) also does not like or trust her. Oh and their dog, he also is not a fan of Tanya either. Throughout the book we learn that Natalie, Matt, and Tanya all have some kind of secret(s). There are also many twists throughout it! I would totally recommend this book! I cannot wait to read more books written by Nelle Lamarr! Big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC of The Family Guest!

The Family Guest by Nelle Lamarr Told in the alternating POVs, the characters have many layers, secrets, issues, and more issues. Most of the characters are unlikeable, entitled, greedy and self serving. Tanya was an absolute horror. Paige, Will, and Bear are the shining lights in this dysfunctional family. A gripping, action pack mystery that was a quick and entertaining read. The ending chapter was an eye opener.

Thank you to Nelle Lamar, Bookouture. and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Pure unbelievable escapism. This was an easy read but one that I found difficult to put down. Told from two points of view, the story unravels and all questions are answered. Yes, it’s unbelievable and silly in places but it is an enjoyable and entertaining read. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the review copy.

The plot isn't new. However, the twists and turns the story took were at times eye popping with a couple of jaw drops. The Family Guest will keep you engaged and wanting to figure out what the hell is really going on! Introducing a foreign exchange student as a guest into an already established family shouldn't be too difficult. Unless of course both (the student as well as the family) have enough drama and skeletons to knock you sideways. It seemed like everybody had an axe to grind; also, there were a few red herrings thrown in. Put all that into one pot and you have a recipe for disaster. The author was, however, able to pull all the threads together, which resulted in a decent book. An easy read.

"The Family Guest" is an enjoyable mystery/suspense read. I liked the pot line of taking in an exchange student for curious motives and wanted to know how it would end. Recommended for fans of mystery/suspense writing. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

“The Family Guest” is a psychological thriller by Nelle LaMarr. In this book there are many layers and secrets. There’s the husband - who has issues and a secret. There’s the wife - who has issues, secrets, and more issues. There’s the daughter - dead. There’s the other daughter - who at first I didn’t like, but over time she grew on me. There’s the son - who is so absolutely adorable. There’s the exchange student - who has issues, secrets, and even more issues. Then there’s grandma - who I found amazingly cool and caring. Then there’s the dog - oh, great character too. Toss in some friends and acquaintances, and backstories - and there’s just a lot. Oh, add in unlikeable characters too (though I’ll admit to liking a few minor characters). I know others have reviewed the book saying they were surprised and didn’t see twists coming - I saw all but a minor twist. Maybe it’s because I’ve read a lot of thrillers that I start piecing things together, but nothing really surprised me - except for the fact that a red herring was dropped and then left to lay there (making me wonder if there was going to be a sequel, in fact). For a first book by Ms. LaMarr this wasn’t a bad book - it was engaging, it had twists, it had turns, it had excitement, there was a lot of action, and it was a quick read.

Tanya is an exchange student, she reminds Natalie so much of her eldest daughter.
But both Natalie and Tanya have dark secrets that they are hiding.
Paige and Will, Natalie's younger children aren't happy having this stranger in their home, and set out to prove that she isn't who she is.

This is a very engaging novel. But I think the subject is a common and overdone, if one reads as many psychological thrillers as I do.
I liked Paige and Will, it seemed as though they were the only two characters that had morals. Couldn't stand the rest of the entitled, greedy characters.

I did enjoy the book, don't get me wrong, but it is very similar to many others that I have read. I don't want to say too much, as I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone else, but there are extremely similar novels on the shelves, same plot, different characters. Even the ending wasn't a huge surprise for me. I expected it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a duo-perspective novel about an exchange student, Tanya from England, coming to stay at the home of Natalie, Matthew and their two children, Paige and Will. The writing is superb and the intrigue and suspense are excellent.

Natlie has recently lost her eldest child, Anabel, and Tanya is the spitting image of her. Natalie adores Tanya and cannot do enough for her. Daughter Paige cannot stand Tanya. She thinks something is very phony about her and her story of being an exchange student. The plot gets so thick you can cut it with a knife. This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time.

Without giving any spoilers, I will say I enjoyed this immensely. I was flipping through pages to see what happened next. The ending is fantastic. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it and highly recommend this book. I cannot wait for the author to come out with more psychological thrillers. Easily 5 stars from me.

My family just finished hosting a foreign exchange student and so the premise for The Family Guest was very intriguing to me. The book was fast paced and full of tons of family drama. I thought I had things figured out, but I was totally wrong! The twists were very satisfying and the epilogue made my jaw drop.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you're a fan of Don't Let Her Stay or The Perfect Child, you'll enjoy this. 🤯
I stayed up way past my bedtime and had to finish this in the Starbucks parking lot this morning because I could not put it down until it was over.
Tanya is in my top 5 most hated children list now...
Something about an evil child just makes me want to dig into it. 😅
I loved Will and Paige! Their determination to uncover hidden truths just made me root for them harder.
Loved this and can't wait for more from this author.
Pub Date: 9/23
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow this is a stonker of a ride! A well executed story which grips you and makes you question everything and everyone! I really loved it!

The Merritt's welcome a foreign exchange student, Tanya, into their home. Natalie (Mrs. Merritt) immediately connects with Tanya. Not only does she look like her deceased daughter, Anabel, but she even acts like her. Natalie has struggled to come to terms with Anabel's death. Tanya slides effortlessly into her prior daughter's role.

The Merritt's have two other children - the feisty teenage Paige, and the tech savvy pre-teen, Will. Paige and Tanya instantly have a troubled relationship. Paige hates that Tanya reminds her of Anabel. As time goes on, Paige is convinced Tanya isn't really who she says she is. Who is Tanya? And what does she want?

I was instantly hooked. What an exciting and captivating ride! The book is told from two perspectives, Natalie's and Paige's. The back and forth worked really well with this plot line. I really liked the characters. Lamarr did an excellent job with character development. I found myself really caring about the characters and rooting for them!

The book was full of twists and turns. The final twist was clever and shocking. I cannot wait to read more by this author!

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started this book I was unsure if it was for me, and oh my goodness that soon changed, I literally couldn't put my kindle down, The Family Quest was such an amazing read.

I received an arc of The Family Guest through NetGalley and I am so glad I did! This was a new author for me and I was not disappointed. I read this along with others on a weekend reading marathon and this was by far the standout for me. I won't post any spoilers but will say Tanya was the worst and you know it's a good story if a book can make you hate a character that much. 5 star read!

"The Family Guest" proved to be an utterly riveting read. From the gripping prologue that immediately seized my attention, I found myself completely engrossed, unable to part ways with the book from start to finish.

The author skillfully wove together a captivating plot adorned with unforeseen twists and turns. Despite my best efforts to formulate theories and identify potential suspects among the array of enigmatic characters, the ending blindsided me – a true testament to the narrative's ability to keep me on my toes.

One of the highlights of the book was undoubtedly the author's adeptness in character development. The individuals in the story were brought to life with depth and authenticity, making their interactions resonate on a genuine level.

The narrative unfolds through multiple points of view, a storytelling approach I've grown to relish, particularly in the Thriller genre. This technique elevates the suspense, creating an immersive experience that is hard to resist.

Without a doubt, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who revels in the intricate world of twisty domestic thrillers. My sincere gratitude extends to Nelle Lamarr, NetGalley, and Bookouture for affording me the privilege of diving into this gripping tale through an advance copy. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!#TheFamilyGuest #NetGalley

This is a must read! I was hooked from the first chapter. The short, fast paced chapters had me flying through it. I had to keep reading, wanting to know what Tanya, the family guest/exchange student, could possibly do next to cause yet more havoc in the Merritt family’s household. The twists kept coming on all fronts. This was a one day, couldn’t put down read for me. I really liked it!
I look forward to reading other titles by Nelle Lamarr.
Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture and Nelle Lamarr for the opportunity to read and thoroughly enjoy this ARC.

The Family Guest by Nelle Lamarr is a twisty, diabolical tale that will have you gripped until the very end.

When the Merritt family decides to open their home to a foreign exchange student, they get much more than they bargained for in Tanya, a Brit who bears an uncanny resemblance to the daughter and sister that the family has lost. Moving into the departed Anabel's room and immediately taking possession of her belongings, Tanya sets off early alarm bells with the two other children, Paige and Will. But for mother Natalie, who is still grieving her daughter, Tanya is a blessing, and seems to fill the void left by Anabel, that of favoured child. Tanya's escalating behaviour sends up one red flag after another, but will the family suss her out in enough time to hold their fragile lives together?

Told from the alternating perspectives of Natalie and Paige, this one will keep you glued to the pages as a trainwreck of family dysfunction plays itself out. I look forward to reading much more from this author. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

The Family Guest by Nelle Lamarr is a psychological suspense thriller. This is the first thriller book by this author. The story is told from various points of view. I really liked Paige and Will. They were well-written and relatable. The false clues kept me guessing, and there was good tension and suspense throughout the story.

Oh my goodness, the story was so freaky and scary. I knew that something wasn't quite right with the Anabel death story. I did guess the plot of who Tanya could be and how she related to the storyline.

Overall, a satisfying psychological thriller. I would recommend this book and would read more by this author.

#TheFamilyGuest #NetGalley @bookouture

I love a book with a good twist and this one delivered straight through to the end. Tanya was a character I love to hate. I enjoyed how it was told from alternating perspectives of the mom/daughter (and even one from the father). Definitely will be reading more from this author!