This book was a great read! Well written, great plot, and even better the ending was full of unexpected twist.
The audio narration of this book was very good, it kept me invested in the story. I enjoyed the different voices from the dual perspectives of Natalie and Paige. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I was gripped to this thriller right from the start. It had an easy read quality to it, I burned through it quickly and it gave me a very late night where I couldn't put it down!

A story of a seemingly shady foreign exchange student who came to stay with a nice suburban American family. Things start to get strange and there's a few red herrings chucked in which keep you guessing.

There were a few things I was confused about, but that's kind of my whole life so I'm not surprised, I will have missed something here and there I'm sure. One of the storylines had a nice twist at the end which I didn't see coming, but again, I'm usually the last to know. Great easy read, enjoyed the narration, although Natalie's narrator's attempt at a nice English accent was shocking. Nevertheless, 5 stars.

What is The Family Guest About?
The Family Guest is by American Author and producer, Nelle L’amour, the debut novel under her pseudonym name, Nelle Lamarr. This is a multi-pov that follows the Merritt family, they live in the Los Angeles area and take on a British exchange student, but there is more to it than just it being from the kindness of their hearts (well, the mums heart, Natalie's). Tanya, the exchange student, was picked because she looked just like Anabel, the daughter that Natalie and Matt recently lost in an accident.

It gets even more complicated when tensions rise between Tanya and Paige, Matt and Natalie's other daughter. It seems that the two of them don’t get along. Paige had her suspicions that Tanya is not who she says she is and is hiding something big, and Tanya seems to have it out to ruin Paige’s life.

Everyone is hiding secrets, everyone has their suspicions and no-one is certain of what to do next. It soon becomes clear that some of them are not who they claim to be…
What is Bad About The Family Guest?
We will start with what I feel didn’t work or that I didn’t like. In some cases I found the characters continuity to be sloppy with one example being where Tanya clearly comes back from school, she and Natalie have a conversation, and Natalie is drinking wine and thinks to herself that even though they shared wine last night, she is not going to offer any to Tanya. Not on a school night. Then what was last night if not a school night Natalie? - Okay, maybe this one got me a wee bit more triggered than it should have but, come on Natalie, focus.

It felt very infuriating with how the Merritt family as a whole seemed to let Tanya get away with basically everything. Even when it was clear as to what she was doing. Natalie especially, just turned a blind eye or excused it all. Maybe this was intentional, maybe this was because Natalie was grieving the loss of Anabel, but either way, this was frustrating with how little Paige was to be believed, and how easy it was for Tanya to manipulate (especially Natalie) into doing whatever she wanted.

I listened to this, so maybe this is more of an audiobook problem than a physical one, but I found that following the timeline to be confusing and hard to follow at points, which did not help with some of the storylines. There was one in particular, where Natalie would constantly bring up the fact that she was hiding something from everyone, and if they knew, especially Matt, they would leave her. She would be part of the family no more, she would be single, she would be… (Yes, it goes on like this everytime Natalie has this brainwave). But the timeline became confusing when Natalie had one of these monologue thoughts after a certain revelation was revealed about her husband. Would she really be feeling the same way after this point?? And Natalie seemed to overly trust this teenaged girl whom she had only known for a couple of weeks, got wine drunk with and shared things with that she doesn’t even share with her actual daughter or husband…

Throughout, there were a lot of references to basketball, which in itself is not a negative, but what was, was the constant references to the late, great Kobe Bryant. The only reason I mention this, is because I found it very distracting from the story and completely unnecessary. Especially when Paige went into detail the breakdown she had. I appreciate the feelings the character could have had during this time, but personally I thought this was overkill and did set my teeth on edge. There are a lot of ways you can showcase the character's love of basketball (which the author did do on other occasions) but to try and add the passing of Kobe Byrant and his daughter felt too on the nose for me to sit comfortably with.

The parents were annoying, and very self-centered, only thinking and wanting to deal with their own problems. Anything that had to do with their children seemed at times like it was too much effort. And sometimes, this included Will, yes Will. The sometimes forgotten, over-powered 12 year old brother and son of the Merritt family. Early on, he only seemed to only be involved when it was required to help the plot move along, so much so that I forgot that he was even there… And then during the second half he became overpowered, with his understanding of people and technology, and just scored the win and helped to save the day.
What’s so Good About The Family Guest?
Despite all of this, however, it was absolutely captivating. I was hooked to get to the end to learn about it all. It was a very fun read and was funny in places and had me audibly laughing out loud at times. I did actually look forward to going back into the story and uncovering more about all of them, just sometimes it was not for the better. While some of the story and twists were predictable, there were some parts of the story that just had me guessing throughout.

The relationship between Paige and Will was adorable, the way they would have each other's backs was awesome and I enjoyed reading about their detective work, truly embodying the characters of Sherlock and Watson that they were pretending to be.

It was fun to listen to the drama and the teenage angst. It made it almost fun to read about their drama, their dysfunctional relationships and just joining in on the eyerolls about some of these characters' decisions and motives.

I came for the intriguing premise, and stayed for the mystery, even in spite of the annoying characters.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this had a very interesting premise, it just felt poorly executed in places. Either through cheesy dialogue or terrible character motivations, it just lacked that punch to take it to a higher rating.

The mystery element was frustrating at points, and seemed to only be drip fed when the “side” story seemed to dry up. And even then it was done in quite an unsatisfying way. It force fed this thought from Natalie, that there is this secret that she can not tell anyone, no one, not a soul, or they would all leave her, they wouldn’t look at her the same way. (Repeat a few more times for some dramatic effect and you have in essence what the majority of the first 2/3rds of the book is…)

But it still is a fun and good read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading characters full of teenage angst and drama. With an added bonus of actually laughing out loud in places. This was a page turner, and I really looked forward to learning more about the story and what their secrets were, but unfortunately as a whole, it just had too many faults for me to rate higher than the 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early access in exchange for an honest review.

Tanya is an exchange student from the UK that is staying with a family in LA (Natalie, Matt, Paige, and Will). The family tragically lost the eldest daughter Anabel unexpectedly, and Tanya ironically looks a lot like her… Through this thriller, lies are told and secrets are attempted to be kept but eventually get revealed. The novel is told in dual points of view by the mother Natalie and the daughter Paige. Parts of the book were predictable while other parts were very unexpected. The ending answered a lot of questions I had which I appreciated! This audiobook was narrated by Cecily Bednar Schmidt and Lynn Norris and they both did an excellent job! Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, the author Nelle Lamarr for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook prior to the publishing date (September 21) in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was chilling. Tanya creeped me out and I knew there was something off about her from the beginning. I really liked the multiple perspectives and how everyone in the family seemed to have secrets. This book had me in its grip from the beginning.

I really liked the sound of this book and it started off well. Unfortunately I really struggled to relate to or even like the main characters. The way Tanya spoke and acted was so unbelievable but nobody ever questioned it. Found it very hard to have any sympathy for the parents. It also infuriated me the way they referred to Tanya as our exchange student constantly rather than her name! I did however read it quickly as I was keen to find out what happened and I did enjoy the end.

╰┈➤the moment i pressed play and heard the audio narration, i was instantly captivated. it was like being transported to another world, where every word was brought to life with such skill and passion. without a second thought, i knew i had to pick this audiobook.

the storyline, oh, it sounded absolutely tantalizing! i could practically feel the excitement bubbling within me as i imagined the thrilling twists and turns that awaited. little did i know, however, that this tale was not meant for me.

as the chapters unfolded, i found myself struggling to connect with the characters and their journeys. the plot, though intriguing, failed to resonate with my own personal tastes.

here's the thing- i understand that there are some out there who absolutely adore all the dramatic and extravagant things that come with the world of the rich. but let me tell you, sometimes it just makes me cringe and feel utterly exasperated. now, if that's your cup of tea, then hey, this might just be the perfect fit for you!

·͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙ ·͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙

╰┈➤oh, let me tell you, the parentsin this book were an absolute nightmare! i mean, seriously, they were like a never-ending source of irritation. it's clear that the author wanted to evoke these feelings, but oh boy, did they succeed! reading about these self-centred, unloving, and neglectful parents was like a rollercoaster of frustration. and to top it off, they were the main focus of the story! can you imagine? it's like being trapped in the shoes of the protagonist, forced to witness all the chaos caused by these terrible parents. let me tell you, it was far from an enjoyable experience.

╰┈➤ paige, at first glance, appeared to be an incredibly kind and gentle girl. however, as i delved deeper into the chapters, i was taken aback by the sudden emergence of her disturbingly dark and twisted thoughts. murder, death, and the suffering of the exchange student, tanya seemed to consume her mind, creating a stark contrast to her initial impression. it was disconcerting to read, as it felt out of place and didn't align with the overall tone of the story.

what troubled me even more was the fact that paige didn't seem to feel any remorse for these thoughts. instead, she persisted in her macabre musings, unbothered by the potential consequences. it was perplexing, especially considering that she had experienced the loss of her own sister. one would expect her to have a deeper understanding of death and its impact, even as a teenager.

although, in a narrative filled with characters that were difficult to connect with, paige and will (her brother) stand out as the only truly likable ones. their personalities and actions resonated with me, making it all the more disappointing to witness paige's unsettling transformation.

there was one thing that really irked me- tanya, the exchange student. i mean, seriously, who does she think she is? she waltzes into this household and starts running the show. if it were me, i wouldn't put up with half of her crap, especially when it comes to my beloved dog.

·͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙ ·͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙

FINAL THOUGHTS

╰┈➤i absolutely loved the thrill of unravelling tanya's mysterious plans and discovering the truth behind anabel's demise! however, i must admit, the epilogue was quite predictable, leaving me with no jaw-dropping surprises.

despite my occasional frustration, i found myself completely engrossed in the book. perhaps the author deliberately intended to keep me on edge? one thing's for sure, it had me flipping through the chapters at lightning speed!

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture Audio and Nelle Lamarr for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a 3 star read for me. An easy to listen to, fast paced thriller with a dual character perspective. However, it didn't completely do it for me.

First of all, the parents infuriated the hell out of me. Both Natalie, the Mum, and Matt, the Dad, favoured their new exchanged student, Tanya, over both their children. Natalie for me was the most unlikely character and she couldn't be more self-absorbed if she tried. She is completely taken in by Tanya because she is like the daughter she always wanted, whilst Paige is pushed to the side lines, dealing with everything Tanya throws her way.

Whenever I read a thriller, I always want to be shocked or not see the twists and turns coming, however for this story I felt like things were quite predictable or if I didn't predicate them I wasn't completely shocked by the events. Maybe this was because the writing felt like a more YA thriller to what I am used to.

I think the narrators for this audiobook did fantastic job and I really enjoyed listening to them.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this audiobook, in exchange for an honest review :)

Very interesting first book from Nelle Lamarr.
This dual person novel had me asking WHAT a few times. I enjoyed this book but wasn't a favorite this year.

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…

This ended up as a fast-paced story that got me hooked! Although in the beginning I felt like being trapped in a YA-girls-gone-crazy-story but just wait and see!
This is a true psychological—thriller. And I guess it's a sign of a good story when it features at least one character that annoys the reader like crazy!
I enjoyed the different POVs that made up the pacing of the story!
The narration by Cecily Bednar Schmidt and Lynn Norris was perfect for The Family Guest!
Thank you #NetGalley #Bookouture Audio for this audiobook!

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this advance copy in exchange for my review.

This one was unfortunately a miss for me.
It really read like a YA suspense, and I really dislike reading YA geared books.
I felt like it was lacking some complexity and the characters (Natalie included) felt very juvenile.
The narrator for Natalie was using some kind of transatlantic accent and that was also a huge miss for me.
I did very much enjoy the narrator for Paige.

3.75ish stars

This was another thriller that was good but not great. Some of the twists were easy enough to anticipate, and while that didn’t necessarily make them less enjoyable, they weren’t shocking or super unexpected. Even so, it was a fun little adventure.

This tells the stoey of a fanily who take on an exchangecatudent 2 years after the death of their daughter This is a slow burner told mainly from the point of view of Natalie the moither paige the daughter and Tanya the exchange student.
The naratirs do a hood job of keepibg the cgaracters and the story going and infecting emotion into the voices.
The story itself is predictable in places. I did gueese the twist and reveal fairly early on but found this an enjoyable quick listen. I would liked to have heard from the male characters more. Its a good solid thriller about what and who is the exchange student really and whtmy is ahe behaving tge way dhe did. I loved tge pov format and the couple of red herrings. Paige was my favourite character alrhough her history wasnt touch on aa much as the ithers this was due to the narure of the story.
Thank yiu netgallery publisger author and narratirs for a golid solid 4 star listen. Is there mire to cone?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ALC. I really liked the narrators and dual POVS. The story and plot line is pretty obvious but I still enjoyed.

Do you really know who you are inviting into your house? A family hosts a British exchange student who has a striking similarity to their daughter, who died tragically. She seems so perfect, but the cracks quickly show themselves. Is this Diplomat's daughter really who she says she is?

I was hooked immediately, and the twists and turns did not disappoint. The narrator was fantastic in the audio version. Her tone and inflection, spot on. I prefer to listen to my audiobooks on 1.25x, and it was still crisp!

Thank you, Nelle Lamarr, Bookouture, and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. I thought this book had a really simple storyline that I personally was bored with. I listened to the whole book just thinking and hoping that something would shock me enough to enjoy it more. I predicted the ending for the most part,

I’m torn on how to review without being mean. I did check the author bio with the idea that if The Family Guest was a debut novel, I could indeed be most kind and encourage the author to keep going. This one is apparently penned by a successful romance author, using a pseudonym for a new style domestic thriller book.

Romance isn’t my thing, and writing domestic novels may not be this author’s thing.

Midway through the audiobook I went to Netgalley to check genre because this did not read like an adult thriller. It felt 120% like a YA book. The predictability, the painfully awkward dialogue, the whole tone screamed young. For example, the “mystery” is being solved by teen siblings. It reminded me of Scooby Doo and The Mystery Machine. I regret I had the audio because I kept saying to myself - include that phrase in the review. And that one……and I recall none now because it’s all forgettable.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Theo two narrators did a wonderful job on this book! They made it very easy to listen to and I really enjoyed the range for their characters! The story is about a family that gets a British exchange student for the year while having two other children in their house and trying to come to grips with losing their oldest daughter two years earlier. There are parts that were fairly predictable to me and others that completely blew me out of the water! I really liked the way it came to a conclusion and wrapped up nicely. If you like psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, check this book out!

WOW! I did not see the ending coming. A completely wicked tale following a foreign exchange student and the Merritt family. There are so many twists and turns. Paige and Will were my favorite characters! They are Sherlock to each other Holmes. I could not get enough of this book!

Woah this was an interesting book with more twists than I expected. A mother allows a girl from England to come and live with her family for year, as a way to help her heal from her oldest daughters death. Everyone is told she is the daughter of an English diplomat wanting to spend her last year of High School in the states. The son and daughter immediately take a disliking to her and begin to think she isn't who she says she is. As the exchange student gets nastier, changes how she talk, strange things start happening and her story changes they start investigating and my oh my what they find. In the mean time the Mother is in love with her and calls her , her daughter. She loves spending time with her, like she used to with her with the daughter that passed away and ends up neglecting time with her other children. The exchange student worms her way into everything like school life, spending time with the mother, spending time with the father as well as all special events and holidays that they all expected she would go home to share with her own family. Other than the son and daughter, the grandmother thinks something is fishy but can't prove it. As the story unfolds you see that the mom and dad have secrets of their own that they are trying to hold on to. This story takes so many unexpected turns and surprises pop up. The best part is that as secrets are revealed ,more pop up and you are kept guessing until the very end. The narrators were fantastic and I didn't want the book to end.