An entertaining thriller that will have you hooked and trying to guess what would happen next. I would recommend this book. I look forward to more titles by this author.

This was a good, suspenseful read. I really enjoyed the cast of characters. This was my first book by Seraphine Nova Glass, but it will definitely not be my last. I have been recommending this book to our patrons, and they have really enjoyed it as well. Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book.

This was a fun popcorn thriller that I binged in almost one sitting! I loved the eclectic group of residents and it took me a long while to figure out what was going on. It had an oddly sentimental ending too, which I kind of loved.

The Vacancy in Room 10 is the latest from Seraphina Nova Glass, a Mystery/Thriller writer who has definitely become one of my auto buy authors over the past couple of years. It blew me away. Loved every second

"This Vacancy in Room 10" is told from the viewpoints of two very different women. Both ended up at The Sycamore apartment complex, the dead-end, run-down motel-turned-apartment complex on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico, because of tragic events in their life which they had no control.

We hear from the alternating POVs of Anna and Cass. Cass is the motel manager, dumped by a successful realtor boyfriend, Reid, who refused to marry her and then traded her in for a younger trophy named Kimmy. She happens to be very handy and has the very unpleasant and depressing job of fixing up the worn-down units for low wages. She lives rent-free. She knows almost everything going on in those apartments behind closed doors.

Anna was married to Henry, an artist with a unit at the Sycamores to use as a studio. She puts her house on the market and moves into his studio to get some answers after he kills himself following a disturbing phone call to her when he confesses to committing a terrible crime. Was he forced to take his life, or is something more sinister happening at the Sycamore Apartments? Neither makes sense or sounds plausible to her. Yes, he was depressed, but Anna knew deep down in her bones that something horrible was going on and didn't believe that her husband would take his own life, much less murder someone. She intends to get to the bottom of what happened to Henry at whatever cost.

Daily life at The Sycamores is no treat, but there are the "pool girls," the kids, the other oddball tenants, and one man with a hair-trigger temper. However, someone there knows what happened to Henry, and soon, Anna finds evidence that she has no idea what Henry has been doing in this place.

I found the pacing of this story so slow I was easily distracted, and my mind wandered. I could not get fully invested and absorbed in this story. The pace was slow; revelations, the climax, and the resolution took this down several notches. It was a female empowerment trope with many repugnant men all around. It didn't ring true, and I found it all wildly unplausable and hard to suspend my belief and buy into the plot. Also, the characters did not feel realistic or believable, and I didn't like any of them, what they did, or how it all ended. The only person I was rooting for was "Sinatra." He was a clever boy, and my heart ached for him.

I listened and paired my e-arc copy with the audio. Brittney Pressley voiced Cass, and Stacey Glemboski narrated Anna. It was my first time listening to Stacey Glemboski, and I found her voice flat and monotone. When she narrated the male voice, it wasn't distinct from Anna. It was my first read by Seraphina Nova Glass. Even though I didn't love this book, I will try another one from her.

I want to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When Anna Hartley’s husband, Henry, makes a suicidal call to her confessing to "killing someone" she can't believe what she's hearing. Unable to bear living in their family home she moves into The Sycamores, a rundown apartment complex where he maintained an art studio. While she tries to understand his time there, she also tries to understand what led him to take his life. I found it difficult to imagine the cast of characters actually living in the complex as it's describes yet bonding as they do. That aside, it's a good mystery.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

This book had me laughing and also questioning some of the characters decisions. In this book we are following Cass and Anna two women who end up in the Sycamore hotel that has been turned into apartments. Cass just ended a six year relationship after her boyfriend cheats on her with a younger women. Anna is a married woman whose husband was an art teacher who recently was let go from his job and had an art studio at the Sycamore and after he dies by suicide(actually murder) Anna decides to stay and find out what happened. Anna and Cass end up getting to know the people who live in Sycamore and befriend a lot of people. Cass gets invited to a gala that she used to go to every year before everyone shunned her after her breakup, she finds out that her ex Reid and his new girlfriend are engaged and expecting a baby and Cass goes off and makes a scene and shoves the younger women who falls to the ground and goes and gets her tools back that she gives to a younger boy that she takes under her wing. Anna finds out that Callum a man who knew her husband killed her husband Henry because he had an affair with Lily who was dying of cancer and Callum killed her with an overdose. I’m glad Anna and Cass got their happy endings and found a family they never knew they needed.

4 solid stars - I liked this one, but I wasn't super blown away or anything by it like many reviewers. But it's a good, solid thriller & I loved the two (three?) very strong female MC's at it's center, the mystery itself was a little weak & I guessed a lot of it, but it was well-plotted & I would definitely read this author again.

4.5⭐️

Intricate, gripping and hilarious? This thriller had a twisty plot told in 2 diff POVs of two women who seemingly have no connection other than that they live at the same motel converted into an apartment complex. The plot comes together quite nicely in the end and the story was enjoyable from beginning to end. The side characters added quite a bit of humor despite the darker theme of the plot. This was my first Seraphina Nova Glass book and it will not be my last!

If you’re searching for a gripping, emotionally charged mystery, look no further than this enthralling novel. When Anna Hartley receives a shocking confession from her husband, Henry, she’s thrown into a whirlwind of disbelief and horror. The discovery of Henry’s body on the banks of the Rio Grande catapults Anna into a world of secrets she never knew existed.
From the very first page, The Vacancy In Room 10 hooks you with its compelling narrative and rich character development. Seraphin Nova Glass masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense as Anna delves into her husband’s hidden life, uncovering shocking revelations at every turn. The Sycamores, the decrepit motel-turned-art studio, is the perfect backdrop for this tale of deception, adding a haunting yet captivating atmosphere to the story.
Anna’s journey is both heart-wrenching and exhilarating. As she navigates the maze of rumors and lies from the eclectic residents of The Sycamores, you find yourself rooting for her every step of the way. The character of Cass, the enigmatic motel manager, adds an extra layer of tension and mystery, keeping you on edge as Anna’s quest for the truth unfolds.
The blend of psychological suspense with a deeply personal narrative creates a truly immersive reading experience. The author’s attention to detail and skillful plotting ensure that you’re kept guessing until the very end. With its intricate twists and unexpected turns, this novel is a testament to the power of storytelling.
In summary, this book is a must-read for fans of suspense and psychological thrillers. It’s a powerful exploration of trust, identity, and the lengths to which people will go to uncover the truth. Highly recommended for anyone looking to be captivated by a masterful and suspenseful tale.

For the past two years, I’ve significantly cut down on the number of thrillers I read because I felt completely burnt out on them. So when I find myself choosing to pick one up I make sure it’s a good one. And @seraphinanovaglass’s VACANCY IN ROOM 10 was a definite must read. (Swipe right for the synopsis!)

This story had strong female characters that I absolutely adored, despite their annoying choices at times. At various points, both Anna and Cass didn’t seem to know how to read the room and their stubborn persistence made even me impatient lol. However, it worked for the story and I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know what happened next.

The story took a turn that I didn’t see coming. And I was surprised to find myself laughing at some parts; some side characters were hilarious. Toward the end I did get a warm fuzzy feeling, another surprise for me. This type of found family felt very realistic to me and Cass as a person grew on me immensely.

If you love thrillers, found family stories, and strong female characters then I’d highly recommend this book! Be sure to put it on your TBRs!

Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions @graydonhousebooks for this e-arc!

This book was good but not spectacular. I figured out several of the big twists early-on but I did think that everything wrapped up nicely and I appreciate that there were no loose ends left hanging. Other than the title. The title really did not tie in to the content of the book at all in my opinion and I wish the book was named differently.

The Vacancy in Room 10 by Seraphina Nova Glass is a great popcorn thriller set around a derelict motel-turned-apartment complex called the Sycamores and the mystery surrounding some of the occupants that reside there. This was my first novel by Glass and I immediately put the rest of her books on my "want to read" list on Goodreads.

This book is told from two POVs: Anna, whose husband recently took his own life after making a confusing confession to her on the phone, and Cass, the building manager of the Sycamores who has recently been dumped and then ostracized from her well-to-do friends and life.

While this was a quick read and a good thriller, the reader does need to throw reality out the window. I loved the discriptions of the Sycamores and I really enjoyed the cast of side characters that Anna met and interacted with after moving to the Sycamores to go through her husbands belongings and try to figure out what had really happened to him.

The story was a little over the top, but that's what made it a quick and fun read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book was a total miss for me. I think the cover is beautiful and captivating, but I did not enjoy the slow rolling plot as I have with other authors. I quickly lost interest and did not finish.

Finally picked this book up again. Still didn't know why. It was very slow. I think it has potential but it just wasn't for me.

I saw this book everywhere when it was released and I was so excited to read it. But I think it fell a little flat for me. It was definitely a slow burn and there were so many characters. Two POVs is what I usually enjoy but the storyline was a bit hard to follow. We have everything from domestic abuse and infidelity to a drug cartel and fake suicide. It was a wild ride. But I will say I love a found family trope so that was enjoyable and the ending was surprising for sure. I definitely didn’t see it coming. I would say this is a solid thriller.

An ok read. It wasn’t what I thought it would be.
I really couldn’t bring myself to like Cass and that sort of ruined the book for me.

I am now down to only one Seraphina Nova Glass book to read, and she has been an auto-buy author for me ever since I discovered her through Such a Good Wife in 2022. I felt like she got to the action pretty early on in The Vacancy in Room 10 whereas her other novels have been more of a slow burn. I'm definitely not complaining though, and I was immediately captured by Anna and Cass's stories. Cass has a very interesting secret that she is hiding, and it was very salacious but also a little sad. Actually, there were parts in this book that were very emotional and while I wasn't expecting it, I loved the depth that added.

I listened to the audiobook because I HAD to, and I loved it! Brittany Pressley voices Cass while Stacey Glemboski voices Anna and they were everything I could have hoped for and more. I already love Pressley and I ended up being super impressed with how well Glemboski fit Anna's character and the way her narration jived with the book as a whole. You can't go wrong with the audiobook, and it is a 10/10 recommend from me. I was also quite happy with the strong dose of female friendship and comradery in The Vacancy in Room 10, and it is refreshing to have a thriller where women are helping each other instead of tearing each other down. The twists and ending were perfection, and I loved every minute of this book.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. Absolutely love this cover. 5 stars for DNF as I cannot comment on the overall quality of this book.

Secrets and murder at the Sycamores

This psychological thriller is told from the viewpoints of two very different women, both basically at the dead-end run-down motel turned apartment complex because of events over which they had no control.

Cass is the motel manager, dumped by a rich boyfriend who refused to marry her and then took up with a much younger woman. She happens to be very handy and so has the very depressing job of fixing up the dilapidated units for low wages and the place she gets to live in. She knows almost everything going on in those apartments behind closed doors.

Anna was married to Henry, an artist who had a unit at the Sycamores to use as a studio. She comes to clear out the place he'd used and to get answers after he kills himself following a phone call to her when he confessed to some terrible crime.

Daily life at the Sycamores is no treat, but there are the pool women, the kids, the other odd tenants, and one very bad man. Someone there, however, knows what happened to Henry and soon Anna finds evidence that she had no idea what Henry had actually been doing in this place.

I was fully invested and really absorbed in this story until everything suddenly shifted and went off the rails. The revelations, the climax, and the resolution took this down several notches. Basically, this was a female empowerment trope with a bunch of bad men all around. It didn't ring true, and I found it all wildly unlikely. Also, the characters just did not feel believable, and I didn't like them, what they did, or how it all ended.

I listened to the audiobook with its two different narrators and preferred the voice of the woman who performed Cass to the one who did Anna. I always feel that listening while following along in the e-book ARC (provided by the publisher) gives me much more entertainment. I was just disappointed in the last third of the story.