The House Guest is a fast-paced, heart-pounding thriller that left me on the edge my seat the entire listen! The narrator was fabulous which made the overall plot even better. You think you could trust those who call you family, but this book will have you second guessing everyone close to you that you trust. The DNA ancestry database aspect made it even more creepy because it was such a wide-spread trend for years. Being one who hopped on that trend with my family years ago, this book produced an uneasy feeling the entire time! If you love family based thrillers, you must read this! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC opportunity!

Juliet and Hugh are living a lovely life in a famous familial mansion that has passed from generation to generation…until one day when the ‘next in line’ shows up!! Now available from your favorite bookseller! Thanks to @netgalley and #alisonjames for giving me a copy to review! #audiobook

✨Book Review - The House Guest✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*I was provided this book free of charge by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

What the HECK!!!

The amount of twists and turns in this book! I CANNOT get over it! The book is divided into several parts, which I didn’t expect, so when part one ended and I was disappointed, when part two started and we got another perspective from Alexis and I nearly lost it! I am a huge sucker for books that are in the perspective of the bad guy (hello CJ Skuse anyone??), so getting Alexis’s perspective was great. She’s so scheming. She’s so deceptive. I love it.

*Spoilers ahead!*

And then getting Hugh’s perspective was an even better surprise. I loved finding out what was going on in his head and how much more of an active participant in the plot he was. Without his perspective, the story portrayed him as a passive character. But with his perspective, we find him to be just as scheming, if not more, than Alexis/ Summer! He’s SUCH a jerk and I feel so bad for Juliet but the toxicity of Hugh is beyond anything. I can’t even think of a way to describe his behavior. I think I got to the 35% completion point and suddenly could not stop reading. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone and checking out more books by Alison James!

The House Guest by Alison James, is a solid 4 star read for me. I thought the storyline was unique and I really enjoyed the four point of views. The different point of views really keep the reader engaged throughout the book. This book was an entertaining drama full of suspense that left you wanting to know more!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Alison James for an ARC of this audio publication!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. The plot centers around Hugh Mullen and his wife. They live in a stately old home that is owned by a family trust. They have no children together and the young woman who is the legitimate heir to the family fortune shows up at their door and insinuates herself into their lives. Soon Hubhis besotted and his wife is dismayed at the state of their household and their marriage.

What ensues after that reminds me of one domino after another tumbling down, and the consequences are a surprise, and not a good one! The narration was very well done and the writer is one I will continue to follow

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC. My review is voluntary.

This was a fun listen. It started out somewhat slow, but definitely picked up speed. It's told from 4 different POV during the same time frames, so you get what each of them is living and they're all different, so you really have no ieda where the story is going, who is good and who is bad. The story does become farfetched, but it is fiction after all and there are plenty of bad people doing bad stuff for fortune, so I can handle far fetchedness.

I think the narrator did a nice job. I normally listen at a 2x speed, I did have to start at 1.75 and once I was comfortable with the accent, I could boost it back to the 2x. I really wanted it boosted speed, because I'm impatient and needed to know where this story was going.

TW: Animal Abuse, infertility

Overall, wonderful read! It took a few chapters to fully grab my attention but once it did, I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook. Several characters keep you guessing how the book will end. I will definitely read this author again. In fact, I'm hoping for a sequel :)

I downloaded this audioARC to listen to while doing some admin, and it was OTT in just exactly the right way!

The main characters were all horrible; the plot was convoluted; the baddie was a real down-and-dirty self-entitled sh*t.

Absolute bliss if you like this kind of melodrama (and I do).

Narrowly missed the final coveted fifth star from me only because one plot point was just unbelievable - it’s too soon since I did death admin for a dearly departed family member for me not to notice the missing paperwork (boring but necessary).

However, did not really spoil the listening experience, and I recommend it to you all.

Three Word Review: murdering misogynist comeuppance!

The House Guest was a great thriller! Told in alternating points of view, you get to know four characters who all have reason to want to hold on to a house. Who is backstabbing who? Who would kill for possession of the house? Who is lying about who they are?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fast-paced and engaging novel, which I finished in just two days because I was hooked! Alison James’s writing style is smooth as glass, making it easy for me to glide right into the story.

The main characters, married couple Hugh and Juliet, live in a mansion that’s been in Hugh’s family for generations. Belinda is their dear friend who is at their house a lot. Alexis is Hugh’s third cousin who invites herself to stay with Hugh and Juliet for several weeks.

Alexis’s intrusion causes problems, and not just the normal problems of hosting a houseguest. There’s something sinister about her, and Juliet mistrusts her. With a slow building tension, everyone starts to turn on each other and things get truly dangerous.

Each of the four protagonists has chapters told from their POV, so we readers can see how much they all lied to each other. That shifting perspective made it really entertaining to read.

The setting in present day England was relatable, and I liked that the characters used What’s App and other social media. It felt realistic.

I’m looking forward to reading more by this author since I had fun reading The House Guest. My rating is 4.5 stars and I always round up.

Thank you very much Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for giving me the free audio download of this book for review consideration.

Great listen with lots of twists and turns just what I like from my audio books
I loved how the story was told from the perspectives of the four main characters all living the same plot but seeing things differently
Fast paced , plenty of twist just what I like in my books

I received this ARC from NetGalley and I loved it. It was easy to follow from different characters perspective but kept the flow of mystery throughout the book. Go ahead and add it to your TBR!

Hugh and Juliet Mullen welcome Alexis Lambert, a woman claiming to be a distant cousin into their idyllic home, Mullens End. However, it doesn't take long for them to regret this decision. When sinister events start occurring, Juliet wonders if Alexis is really who she says she is. And if not, what's her endgame?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me a copy of this audiobook to review!

4 stars

I really enjoyed this one! At first, I thought this a plot similar to books I've read before. However, it quickly became apparent this was not the case. The story evolved into this fast-paced story which had you on the edge of your seat.

The multiple POVs lead to twist after twist which meant you never knew who you could trust. These characters were very well developed with lots of complexity and the alternating POVs allowed for extra development when they became the main character in their own story.

My only irk is that when you really strip it down, it's not a very realistic story. Like honestly who would let a stranger stay in their home, even if they are long lost family? However, I don't think this took away from the story at all. I couldn't put it down and I was constantly craving more. The narrator (Jan Cramer) makes the story even more enjoyable with distinct voices which really helped shape the character's personalities.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is after a real page-turner with lots of action and suspense.

4.25 stars - I really enjoyed this domestic/psychological thriller by Alison James.

Juliet and Hugh live in a beautiful mansion that is passed down through his family. In order to keep this estate, Hugh has to have a child to pass it down to. If not, the estate could go to his distant cousin, Alexis.

Cue Alexis- despite never meeting her family, she shows up on Hugh’s doorstep and requests to stay for a short period of time at the estate. This causes all sort of issues to occur.

Told from the Viewpoints of Juliet, Hugh, Alexis, and a neighbor friend (Belinda).

Audiobook aspect-
The narrator had a great voice, but I don’t think they should have used her for every character. Having her voice the part of Hugh made it extremely difficult to remember a male was talking. She did not stick to a lower voice when speaking his part and it was confusing. It also made it nearly impossible to keep all of the viewpoints straight.

Overall, it was a great read, but I encourage the publisher to rethink using one narrator for all of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

James is a new author to me, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book. At first, it seemed like a straightforward, predictable, and rather slow-moving story. It was entertaining, though, so I kept listening. It was around the halfway point that things completely flipped around and the story became unpredictable and way more entertaining.

There were multiple POVs telling the same story, but it was never repetitive or boring, at any point. Since there were multiple deceptions involved, each perspective offered new information that was vital to understanding what was going on, and while it strained the limits of the readers willing suspension of disbelief at times, it was incredibly entertaining and enjoyable, and I was hooked. By the end, I loved where the story had gone and how James had wrapped everything up.

This is one that I can't finish, I got almost halfway through, and while the story is okay, the narrator's voice is making it nearly unbearable. In my opinion, she sounds too old to be voicing the characters. The first POV is a woman of 40, but the narrator sounds at least 50. Then when she is doing a voice for another main character, who is significantly younger, and is supposed to speak in an annoying manner, the narrator's voice becomes almost unbearable and grating and I can't stand to listen to it any longer. They really should have chosen someone younger to do this book. I may or may not finish this story, it's on Kindle Unlimited so I might skim just to get the gist and finish, but it's really unremarkable and slow at this point. Plus, the interactions between characters and their demeanors entirely are frustrating, which is a reason why I have had to stop reading domestic thrillers for awhile.

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The House Guest' by Alison James.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Alison James, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 1st November 2023.

This is the sixth book I have read by this author. I have previously read Alison's 'Her Sister's Child' , The Exile (with James Patterson), 'The New Couple', 'The Woman In Carriage Three' and 'The Guilty Wife' which I highly recommend.

This novel consists of a prologue, 39 chapters and an epilogue and is spread over 6 parts. 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!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS FAST PACED PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER!!!

WOW!!! If you are looking for a psychological thriller filled with twists then this is the book for you. It starts of as a slow burn and then builds up into a fast paced, intriguing, page turning psychological thriller that will have you hooked. I just could not put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting!! It is absolutely ram packed with secrets, lies, romance, deceit, twists and so much more. A HUGE WELL done to Alice on the plot which is absolutely unique as well as intriguing. I was able to picture everything perfectly thanks to Alice's vivid descriptions and evocative writing skills and she created the scenery perfectly. The fact this book is written from so many perspectives gives us a huge insight into what is going on but still doesn't give too much away to guess what is going on and what the truth is, which I was not expecting at all so a HUGE well done to Alison!! Alison's fantastic story telling ensures you are really sucked into the storyline from the start to the very end and I cannot wait to get stuck into more books written by this amazing author!!

Clear your schedules and get ready for a rollercoaster ride of drama, secrets and twists!!

The characters were well realistic, well defined and jumped out of the pages. Alison's descriptions really brought them to life. One of the things that shocked me the most is that I actually really didn't like the majority of them!!! Now when this normally happens I just cannot get into the book but Alison has managed to cram a fantastic book full of unlikeable characters while ensuring the reader still loves the storyline!!! It is very rare for me to find a book like that so yet again I have to say a huge well done to Alison!! There are typical stereotypes from airheads to country toffs and Alison's evocative descriptions bring each of them to life. I can't say much at all without ruining it for others but there was a great mix and every single one of them had a unique if unlikeable personality. Regardless of how I felt about them they were perfect characters for this fantastic page turner!!!

Well done Alison on another successful psychological thriller and here's to many more 🍷🍹 🥃!!

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and first chapter of Alison''s 'The Man She Married' which promises to be just as addictive as this book and is one I'm definitely looking forward to reading myself!!

Overall a unique psychological thriller that will have you up until 2am finishing it!!!



315 pages

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £8.99 in paperback (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my audio copy of The House Guest. This drama stretched my imagination to the limits, the characters were, without exception unrelateable and unpleasant. I don't know if it was the 'voices' the narrator gave them, or the words the author assigned them, but I had to keep reminding myself that the were all in their twenties rather than fifties or sixties. Despite these points I was still interested to see how the whole thing would pan out, if only to ensure they all got their just desserts. The author is very good at putting in even the finer of details so it all played out well in my head.
I have enjoyed the narraor in an earlier book by Alison James but I found the intonation/inflection she used for the first part of Juliet's story very irritating but curiously, in a subsequent passage this was toned down. She is one of the few narrator's who do a believable male voice and speaks clearly and fluently for all the nuanced changes of character so one is always aware of who is speaking.

Boring and unprobable. I could not get interested in the story and did not like any of the characters. The narrator was easy to understand.

This was *so* good! The amount of twists and turns will give you whiplash. I loved it and cannot wait to check out more from this author