Bang! From the very first pages I already knew who I was rooting for and who I did not trust at all and disliked deeply.

I have to say kudos for the narrators. They make the annoying people even more annoying and the ones I loved more loveable by the intonations of their voices. At first I did not know whether an audio book was something I would like or be able to comprehend totally. After all English is not my mother tongue and even though I have read numerous English books, there still is a difference between reading yourself or being able to understand everything that is being said. But I fell in love with audio books. A book becomes a play and it's so different. I feels like the characters are living and breathing human beings.

I loved the way the author used the points of view of Paige and her mom Nathalie to build the story around. I loved the banter between Paige and her younger brother Will. And of course, you just have to hug Bear, the lovely big family dog. :)

The story swept me up from page one and took me for a ride and I adored every minute of it. The book was a roller coaster of emotions: laughter, love, hate, regret, guild, lies and then there was that particular part of the book that brought tears to my eyes, made them stream down my cheeks a bit later with me shrieking NOOO, having me sighing with relief a bit later...

Great book. 5 stars

Thank you

On one hand this novel is an easy read (or listen, in my case) and passed away the commute. The storyline was good and some interesting twists near the end. The narrator fitted the story well also. However the book did feel like it was written by a teenager. The writing was very flowery and overly dramatic, the characters were quite immature and naive, and the plotlines were incredulous or not very well drawn out. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Really enjoyed this Audio book I had a long driving days so listened to this in a couple of days
Some good twists and turns and a really good plot that keeps you guessing
The only thing that I didn't like was the narrators " English" Accent as it sounded more Australian at times

Tanya is an exchange student. She has come to live with a family in Los Angeles. Natalie and Matt are the parents. Will and Paige are the children that Tanya will be living with
Something is not right with Tanya. She doesn't seem like the average teenage. She is definitely hiding something. Natalie seems like she is hiding something as well from her family.
Having an exchange student just may tear their lives apart

I really couldn’t keep up with this book and its many characters. Characters with no depth and not likeable at all. The backstory was also lacking.

Wow! The couple are both fucked up and their two remaining kids are the only sane part of this family! This was a wild ride and man is Tanya fucked up! I love how the book ended on a cliffhanger making you think she wasn't done inflicting her revenge on that family! There were some twists that I didn't see coming and I love that! This was my 1st book by Nelle Lamar but I can't wait to read another!

#TheFamilyGuest
#NetGalley

A chilling and twisty read, that had me hooked until the very last word!
I found this seriously mind bending! From all the different perspectives throwing you this way and that. To the isolation and danger of the final setting I found this utterly terrifying! The idea of someone infiltrating your home and life is terrifying!
The narration was excellent, I found it really flowed and I found it easy to follow and listen to.
I'll look out for more by this author!

The foreign exchange student. The family that sweeps things under the rug. The lies that force everyone to see the truth.

I didn't love this book, I didn't hate this book. I disliked 80% of the characters, but I felt that way because they seemed real in a way. We all know those compulsive liars, parents who don't pay attention to their children until they do something that isn't up to their standards, etc. My problem wasn't the characters that I didn't like(except Will, we love Will 'round here), it was the plot itself. The story was predictable without anything to really keep my attention. I kept waiting for twists and turns that would make me want to keep going, but this story left a lot to be desired, unfortunately. This felt like a YA book that was TRYING to be an adult novel. I felt like everyone was filled with teenage angst(adults included), the drama made me wanna gag, and (overall) I just didn't feel like this was a captivating story. Great idea for a story, I just didn't feel like this was completely fleshed out.

The Family Guest tells the story of Tanya, a foreign exchange student, who come from England to spend a year with an American family who are struggling to come to terms with the death of their eldest daughter. Tanya slots right in and soon becomes 'the favourite daughter' to the disgust of Paige. But the family has its own problems and, as the cracks begin to show, it becomes clear that Tanya may not be the person she seems to be.

I enjoyed this audiobook and found it quick and easy to get into. The narrators were great and did an excellent job with the different voices and accents, this always helps me massively with characterisation.

The story itself was good, although a little predictable. There were twists and turns throughout the book, but most I had figured out long before we got there. That said, I did enjoy it and found it to be a good, easy listen.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

This book would have been better and more believable if Natalie had been a better mother. To take your guest's side over your own other two children from the onset had me shaking my head at the unbelievable-ness of it all. From there, the storyline went downhill for me and seemed repetitive from many other thrillers I've read. The audio narration was good, it was just a shame about the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher and author of this book for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review. The Family Guest, written by Nelle Lamarr, tells the story of story of the Merritt family, who have agreed to host a foreign exchange student. Chapters are told from different points of view of the family members, and you learn about the family history and secrets, things that they are trying to hide. But it seems they might not be the only ones as the children of the family become suspicious of their guest. I would recommend this book to any thriller fans, as well as fans of Freida McFadden.

Listened to the audio version of this book, and both narrators did an absolutely amazing job! Loved the distinction between the characters, even when they were narrating for another character in the book.

So the Merritt family has taken on a foreign exchange student, Tonya, but how much of her story can they really believe? Younger sister Paige, and her little brother will do some serious investigative work and turns out Tonya is definitely not who she says she is—-But can they stop her before she does serious damage to their family?

So it’s kind of a new thing for me to love a book so much where most of the characters are very unlikable! But this book had me thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it, there were twists that I did not see coming, of course, some that I did, but was very surprised at how much I enjoyed listening to this book! Definitely would recommend, don’t want to give away any spoilers, though!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Tanya is the daughter of a British dignitary and an exchange student who is staying with the Merritt family. Ok, so maybe I'm too cynical, but I had a heck of a time stomaching the way Tanya behaved around these people and the fact that most of them couldn't see right through her. I felt like the book was a bit drawn out and rather predictable, but the ending was good. Overall, it was entertaining, but not as good as I had hoped. The narrators did pretty good job bringing these characters to life. A huge thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Nelle Lamarr for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a thriller following British exchange student Tanya who stays with the Merritt family. Tanya looks like their recently deceased daughter Annabel, but all is not like it seems.

Tanya is a very twisted, calculated character, acting like she belongs with this family. Tanya's character really angered me, I found myself shouting back at her 😂 Paige is a young girl who has been dealt some difficult cards, with the help of her young brother Will she starts seeing Tanya for who she really is.

The way the family treated Tanya at the start really annoyed me, I found this book slow paced however the ending was great.

The Family Guest
Long blonde hair. Sparkling dark eyes. Perfect pearly-white teeth. I’ve never met her before but I know exactly who she is as I spot her through the crowds of the terminal. Because our new guest is the spitting image of the daughter we lost. And that’s exactly why I chose her.

From the moment our exchange student Tanya comes into our home, I feel like my daughter has come back to life. Tanya, with her long blonde hair and slender frame, looks so much like Anabel that sometimes I can almost pretend she didn’t die in that tragic accident.

Tanya really is the perfect guest – kind, polite, and always happy to help me in the kitchen. At last, a member of the family who compliments my beautiful house and enjoys my homemade dinners. And when she asks questions about my life, I feel I’ve finally found someone I can confide in.

My younger teenage daughter, Paige , isn’t so happy about our guest. She thinks it’s weird that Tanya looks like Anabel, and she hates it when she wears her sister’s old clothes. But then again Paige and Anabel always had a strained relationship… And I’m certain that having another teenage girl in the house will help heal our family.

But now Paige is insisting I check Tanya’s records. She’s become convinced Tanya isn’t who she says she is. But I learnt a long time ago that sometimes it’s best not ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to. And I definitely don’t want Paige pulling this thread… because I’m growing suspicious that our new guest Tanya might have a secret. But I’m certain it is nothing in comparison to mine…

I could not stop. Definitely a lot of twist and turns. I gave it a strong 5 star review.

A few years after the death of one of their daughters, the Merritt family decides to take in an exchange student, Tanya, who has some devious secrets. There was a lot of teenage drama at the beginning of the book and I was engrossed with the crazy antics Tanya got away with. She seemed sweet and innocent in the beginning and then she revealed her true self. I felt myself feeling bad for the kids in the family, Paige and Will, as Tanya took over their house and lives.

The characters were very well written and I loved the story being told in two perspectives. The narrators did a great job distinguishing the many voices and I was engaged in the book right from the start. this book has some twists and turns that I did NOT see coming and I couldn't stop listening as the story unfolded. I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends.

This is the first book I've read by Nelle Lamarr and I will definitely be reading more!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'The Family Guest' by Nelle Lamarr.



Read and reviewed via NetGalley Shelf and NetGalley for Elisabeth Carpenter, Bookouture publishers, Bookouture Audio and Bookouture anonymous.



Publication date 21st September 2023.


This is the first book I have read by this author but I'm definitely looking forward to reading more!!


This novel consists of a prologue, 64 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

'The Family Guest' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Nelle discusses mental health, infidelity and cruelty to animals.


This book is very well written and narrated and had me hook, line and sinker from beginning to end. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that the hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.

A fantastic and fast paced psychological family drama that warns you to be careful who you trust. The storyline is one that is unique to me which is always a bonus as I've read so many psychological thrillers it is getting harder and harder to find a unique storyline. Nelle's fantastic writing skills and Lynn and Cecily's excellent narrative skills ensures your heart races and your on the edge of your seat while being completely immersed in this page turner. It is absolutely rammed full of twists, toxic relationships, family, lies, red herrings, tension, drama, secrets and bombshells. The multiple narrative allows the reader to see what is going on from both Natalie (the mother) and Paige (the daughter) perspectives as well as seeing how they are feeling at different stages throughout the book. It is a captivating book that once I started listening to it I just couldn't stop and I was playing it through my earphones while doing jobs in the house, in the car when out and even through Alexa until I had devoured it in several hours!! There were several twists throughout the book and a massive one at the end which there was no way I would have ever seen coming!!! Another HUGE congratulations Nelle for that jaw dropping moment!! Again, it is getting harder and harder to shock me after reading so many thrillers that it is getting harder to surprise me but you managed to blow my mind!! I am looking forward to seeing what Nelle comes up with next!


It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture


This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Lynn Norris and Cecily Bednar Schmidt who both did a great job bringing this story to life. I would listen to it in the car and while walking at any opportunity and Lynn and Cecily did a fantastic job on both male and female characters voices along with accents!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Nelle but also to listening to more books narrated by Lynn and Cecily!

The characters were all realistic and Nelle's evocative writing skills and Lynn and Cecily's fantastic narration brought each of them to life leaving you feel that you are standing next to each of them as they are telling you their stories. They each had their own unique personalities that I enjoyed getting to know as the story was being told. However, the majority of the characters are most definitely unlikeable!!! This normally puts me off books, when I despise them, but again Nelle surprises me by putting these horrid characters in books yet I was still hooked!!! Natalie and Matt are absolutely horrific people let alone parents!!! Talk about self obsessed, disgraceful and down right horrid!!! I could not stand them along with Tanya we who was an absolute brat from beginning to end!!! Lance, Paige's boyfriend was another absolute plick who was another despicable character. The only characters I liked and felt sorry for were Paige, Will and Bear who were the daughter, son and their dog who I absolutely loved and was brought to tears to by one event!!! These three were the victims of this book but were also strong, likeable and realistic characters that I would happily read more about. Will, especially was such a sweet boy and an amazing younger brother to Paige. Paige gets bonus points for being vegan!!! Go Paige!!! I am a huge animal lover so seeing animals/pets playing such big characters in books are always a huge bonus and Bear was adorable and heroic!! The other character I really liked and wanted to mention is Paige and Will's Grandmother and Matt's mother Marjorie who made me laugh with her attitude and wicked humour!! This is a book filled with lies, twists and one where you have no idea which characters are telling the truth or who are hiding secrets. regardless of whether you love or hate the characters they all work together perfectly to create a tension packed psychological drama that will keep you hooked throughout!


Congratulations Nelle on an absolutely gripping true page turner! I am looking forward to reading more of your books!!


Overall a captivating and tension packed intriguing psychological thriller!!!



374 pages. 9 hours 57 minutes via Audible.


This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited, £9.99 in paperback, £16 for the Audiobook and £7.99 for the Audiobook with Audible (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

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This book was certainly one that gripped me based on its description. I am a big fan of mystery and unanswered questions. I did think it was a little bit on the nose for me and I didn't feel very much suspense, which I had been hoping for.

I think the narrator was very good although had quite an iffy accent that did bother me a little (but I was able to forgive it in the end).

I think some of the twists and turns in the book were unexpected and clever, but some felt very predictable. I also think the whole book did not need to take as long as it did, and I think some of the things that happened were a bit over-the-top. It felt like everything was trying to be squeezed in to this one story.

This review may seem quite negative but I did still score the book 3.5 stars on StoryGraph. That's because if I look at it from a 'young adult fiction' perspective I think it's a very decent book and certainly one I would enjoy reading. I thought it was mostly let down by it's attempt to be more than it was or needed. As they say, sometimes less is more.

Mildly entertaining audiobook.

It did seem super long and feel like it could have potentially been two books in one. It did all come together in the end.

The characters were ok. It did seem almost YA in some parts and nothing was really a twist. It was all pretty much expected.

The narrators were the best part of the book. They were entertaining and actually had range and emotions in their voices.

All in all, it was a decent book.

Victim, accident, murder, cover-up, witnesses, deception, infidelity, truth!
Natalie and Matt have had the devastating loss of their teenage daughter, Anabel. The worst part is that it was witnessed by both children, Paige and Will.
Natalie does not cope well with the loss, her cheating husband does not help and Paige is slipping away into a world of her own.
It wasn't until a British Exchange student, Tanya is suddenly introduced to the family that things begin to change. She looks so much like Anabel. Anabel is dead! Who is this? Why is she here?
Tanya begins to manipulate her way into the family right from the start and angles a web of menace. Will anyone else have to die?
Narrators Cecily Bednar Schmitdt and Lynn Norris did a wonderful job creating a gentle flow with fluctuating tonality, emotion, quick character depiction, and all at an easy-to-understand rate. Very enjoyable!
The author, Nelle Lemarr has created a world of question, curiosity, detailed setting, and character development but most excitingly, she created a puzzle to be twisted and turned, pieces of information to be manipulated and coerced into a scenario that would make sense just to be “slapped” with a wicked turnabout at the end. Something that catches you completely off guard. I was unable to close the book; dying to know the next bit of information or find the solution.
I highly recommend this book to all mystery/thriller lovers in addition to General Adult Fiction. Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Nelle Lamarr for providing a digital copy for me to listen to and review.
All opinions are my own.
J. K. stewart