Thank you to @NetGalley, @htpbooks and @htp_hive, @seraphinanovaglass and @thrillerbookloversthepulse for my #gifted copy to review!

Cheating spouses. Blackmail. Murder. Lies. Secrets. A TWIST that you did not see coming ... this had it all!

The Sycamores, a very run-down old hotel converted into apartments. A mix of tenants: creepy guy next door, nosy and needy old woman, girlfriends/wives/mothers that spend their days at the pool yelling at their kids, new comers, Cass and Anna.

Cass, cheated on and kicked out of her beautiful home and luxurious life has found herself at the Sycamores, running it. She maintains and manages the run down apartments all while blackmailing cheating scum.

Anna, new widow, finds herself at the Sycamores while she cleans out her husbands apartment/studio and waits out the sale of her house. Anna is trying to find answers. Her husband committed suicide or so she thought until the police reveal that's not what really happened. She is determined to uncover her husband's secrets and his murderer.

This book met my very high expectations! As a huge fan of the author, I have been anticipating this lovely thriller and she did not disappoint! NAIL BITING and so intense! I flew through the pages like they were air! An incredible thrilling read!

This was a fun one - talk about being hooked from the first page! I stayed up late to finish it because I didn’t want to wait any longer to find out what was going to happen. Cass and Anna were great MCs and it was fun to see them work through their problems. The two main plotlines connect well in the end and I enjoyed how I was wrong about who I thought the responsible party was.

Cass finds herself in the worst place she could have imagined. It is a far cry from the fabulous home she used to live in, that bears the mark of her skill as a Handy Ma'am. Her ex has replaced her with a newer and younger model, and Cass has nothing to her name. Working maintenance in exchange for a place to live, Cass meets all sorts of people, most of whom are hiding something.

I actually really enjoyed this book. I caught myself thinking about it during the day while I was doing other things in my life. I was so excited for the mystery to unravel and be solved. Cass is rough around the edges but we find out why that is and it makes her almost lovable.

The pool girls were my favourite. They made me giggle nearly every chapter and were just exactly what a raw fun group of friends are meant to be, chasing each others kids and making everything into a joke.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Vacancy in Room 10 is now available in your favourite bookseller or local library.

My review can be viewed at my blog: https://adustibookshelf.ca/2024/04/09/the-vacancy-in-room-10-seraphina-nova-glass/ and will be featured on my Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/a_dusti_bookshelf/ on April 10 2024

If you like thrillers then you’ve got to read this fun, fast paced, page turner! The characters are a lot of fun and keep you guessing as to who did what and wondering who can you trust. I loved the found family and friendships these characters developed by the end of the story! The story is told with dual POV’s in an entertaining, twisty, binge worthy way. Definitely a must read for all thriller lovers.

4.5 stars, rounded way up for "The Vacancy in Room 10" by new-to-me author, Seraphina Nova Glass! This is what I call a thriller - what a thrill ride, WOW!!! Highly recommend to all fans of the genre & I don't want to spoil anything for others, but it's incredibly twisty, and the seedy motel setting was perfection. The two alternating POV's were both well-written & also made it hard to trust either. This one should do really well once it's published! My sincere thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the complimentary DRC that blew my mind - my sincere pleasure to review it!!!

The beginning of this book I absolutely loved but the more I read the more I felt like this story is taking a turn I don’t like. By the ending of this book I felt distracted and not interested. It’s an easy read however the ending to me seemed ridiculous and far fetched.

Two different women's life's fall apart leading them to a hotel turned cheap apartment complex. Than their lives become intertwined with twist and turns of how they got there.

I could not stop reading this..

Unbelievable!!!! I can't get this one out of my mind! One of the Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of 2024!!! Definitely one of my Top books this year!!
What a dynamic, can't put down mystery!!! Do we really know the person we live with??
Anna receives a desperate call from her husband Henry apologizing that he killed someone, then she hears a bang and the line goes dead. When she thinks he dies of an apparent suicide, his body washes up on the shore with the detectives saying otherwise. She travels to his art studio he is renting in a run down motel made into apartments, The Sycamores. The broken individuals who live in this complex are memorable characters. Pool moms, screaming kids, drug dealers and Friday cookouts that make up some of the most "eclectic mix of residents" down on their luck, but make it work with the cards they've been dealt. The characters are well written and make up a fabulous mystery with little to go on and skeptic untrustworthy characters Anna finds it hard to get information about this man she thought she knew. When threatening notes arrive on her doorstep, she begins to look deeper into the squalor.
Then there is Cass trying to make the best of her world after her cheating ex has dumped her for a younger girl. She left behind her designer wear, gorgeous home and travel agendas to move into the only thing she could afford...the apartment 100 with a zero missing. She works as the motel manager fixing clogged drains and other disgusting necessities. She has conned a few bad men for money until one scam turns deadly...now she is hiding among the other tenants. One scene of her taking them to an invitation only high scale party with her friends that betrayed her will have you laughing, cringing and hiding. There are a lot of highlights that build up on the next to create a fantastic mystery with twists and shocking, powerful moments.
Thank you so much NetGalley, Edelweiss, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Graydon House for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you HTP Hive, Graydon House, HTP Book for my #gifted copy of The Vacancy In Room 10! #HiveInfluencer

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟎
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐚 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

Trust me when I say you are going to want to get your hands on this book ASAP! This one is SO good! This was my first book by Seraphina Nova Glass but guarantee it will not be my last! This book was epic! It was so perfectly paced and just so good!

I found the people at the Sycamores to be so amazing and I could not get enough of them. I found myself just loving so much about this book and could not read it fast enough! There were SO MANY TWISTS! SO MANY! I did not see any of them coming. I also LOVED the alternating POVs between Cass and Anna. This is such a bingeworthy book and it is going to be one of my favorite thrillers of the year. It is a must read!

🔑The Sycamores
🔑Dual POV
🔑Blackmail
🔑So Many Twists!
🔑Amazing Characters!
🔑Bingeworthy

Posted on Instagram - Currently Reading- March 21, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
Posted on Goodreads on April 7, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- April 9, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 9, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Wow, this action packed thriller has everything. Suicide, murder, affairs, drugs, crazy characters, everything you need for a gripping thriller. The story is told from two points of view. The handy ma’am of the motel turned apartments and the widow of one of the residents. I had a lot of theories throughout of what was going on but most were wrong. The ending comes together so nicely and shockingly at the same time. Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced copy!
*it was stated at one point crystal had 3 kids under 5 but then later in the book her kids are older, I believe 6 and 7. Given this is an arc, I’m sure that’ll be fixed in the final copy but it was something that stuck out to me.

The Vacancy in Room 10 didn’t wow me nor keep my attention, I was easily distracted from reading. It was a slow read and impractical. However, I did finish it because I was waiting for the OMG moment. The story line is told by two women at the Sycamore apartment complex. The Sycamore was a hotel and converted into low rent apartments.
Cass was cast out by her “friends” when her live in boyfriend finds a much younger girlfriend. Not only does she have to start over with a blind sided broken heart but a castaway from all ties linked to him. Cass relies on her tools of the trade “handy ma’am” and becomes a live in rent free manager at the apartments. She has lowered her standards and uses blackmailing as an income. She seems to know and see a lot going on at the complex, hence giving her insight.
Anna’s husband rented a unit that he used as his art studio. Anna moves into his unit after the dreadful call she received from him. He said someone died because of him and he couldn’t handle the emotional trauma and guilt. His body is found and presumed suicide. However, the investigation looks more like homicide.
The storyline with the ladies at the pool and their kids swimming was real. Cartel played a part in the storyline and just became to far fetched and unrealistic.
Maybe I had higher standards because of the reviews and most anticipated book. . . To many absurd situations.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House

I always love a good thriller and this book delivered! Thrillers are harder for me to enjoy when I feel it's been repetitive but this was not.

THE VACANCY IN ROOM 10 by Seraphina Nova Glass proves, once again, that this is an author to be following.

After a cryptic call from her husband, confessing to murder and his body being found in the river, Anna Hartley is forced to sell her home and moves into Henry’s art studio, trying figure out what happened with him. As she dives into the unemployed teacher’s possessions, she begins to learn of rumors and wonders about some of his writing.

Along the way, we meet a strange mix of tenants at the Sycamore apartments. From the pool ladies, who seem to know everything going on to Cass Abbott, a recently separated socialite who is now the manager of the building, to young ‘Frankie’. who is just looking for a place to belong, and Callum, recent widower who seems to be everywhere and nowhere. Oh, and did I mention the dead body?

As Anna learns more about her husband, we learn more about the others in the complex. This is one crazy living situation, but oh so enjoyable. Some places had me cringing and others were laugh out loud funny. Nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t wanna live there.

I have read novels by this author before and have always enjoyed them immensely. She has a way of dropping clues that you don’t realize until it all comes together at the end. I could feel the sun beat down as I played cards by the pool and felt the cool tang as the lemonade hit my tongue. Oh, and. did I mention the dead body?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

There is so much love for this thriller but it missed the mark for me personally! It wasnt but just not the best I've read.
I felt the storyline wasnt very stable. There was a lot going on that didnt completely tie like I wanted it to. The storyline is set at a trashy apartment complex that Cass takes over managing. Theres an abusive drug dealer with potential cartel ties, low income families, someone that commits suicide and a spouse that wants to know why this happened, some murder. Theres just a lot going on. I feel like there could have been more of a focus on one or two "dramas" but the book just kept throwing more drama at you as you read.
Quick read! And its ok. Not the worst and not the best. Just ok.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest reviews.

Anna’s husband calls her and confesses to something terrible before committing suicide. Anna heads to the motel he was staying in to investigate his death. Cass recently went through a terrible break up and she moved into the motel to get back on her feet.

I kept reading wondering how these two women are connected. I could definitely empathize with Cass and her situation.

I liked the overall story. It’s good for people that enjoy a slow burn. All the twists take place in the last 10%. I was surprised by the ending.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book.

You need to read this book!!!! This was my read by Seraphina Nova Glass & it surpassed any expectations. I could have had. Fast paced, full of twists & turns- I could not put this one down! I especially loved the great character development & alternating dual POVs. A great bingeworthy read for 2024- I read this one in a day! I am looking forward to more books by this author!

Thank you NetGalley ,Harlequin Trade Publishing, & Graydon House for the ARC copy of this book.

✨ FIVE ⭐️ Book Review! ✨

If you don’t have The Vacancy in Room 10 by @seraphinanovaglass on your tbr list or haven’t preordered it, go do it immediately! I had the lucky opportunity to read the arc on @netgalley this weekend, but it publishes in just a few days. This book knocked my socks off! It was so incredibly bingeable and twisty! If you want a book that you can’t put down, stop looking, because this is it. I loved the characters, the twists and turns, the found family, and absolutely everything about it! Chef’s kiss! 🫶🏻

#netgalley #arcreview #bookreview #bookrecommendation #harlequintradepublishing #aprilbook #crimethriller #fivestarbookreview #topnotchbook #newreleasebook #seraphinanovaglass

THE VACANCY IN ROOM 10 is Schitt's Creek on steroids! It's a thriller with heart, highly entertaining with wit, grit, mystery, suspense, action, and a rollicking fun cast of well-developed characters you will come to care for. A TOP thriller of 2024!

This is my first book by the talented author Seraphina Nova Glass, and I cannot wait to read more. THE VACANCY IS ROOM 10 is prime for the big or small screen—with everything you want in a thriller and checks ALL THE boxes. A masterful work of domestic suspense.

Set on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico, told from two women's POVs: Anna and Cass. Both desire more out of life; however, they may have a real family and friends before them, but they have not realized it yet.

THE SYCAMORES APARTMENT is the focus of this exceptional thriller and the center of all the action, a character in itself. Formerly, an old motel with three strips of two-story buildings in a T-shape and a dumpy pool in the middle. There is no A/C unless the tenant chooses to buy one or someone left a half-working one in the unit. Across the street, you have a dive bar and a gentleman's club. There is a liquor store, an Arby's, a strip mall, a diner, a Chinese buffet, etc.

The Sycamores is a home for people and misfits with nowhere else to go down on their luck. It is cheap and has a long list of maintenance problems, from stained ceilings to rats, leaky toilets, and shady characters.

CASS: Unfortunately, Cass has landed a job here as the caretaker.

When her rich realtor boyfriend, Reid, kicked her to the curb for a younger replacement, Kimmy model, and her beautiful home, she was stuck with no degree, no money, and only a set of skills to land her this job. She wanted marriage, stability, and children. He did not share her feelings. He was all about ego. His photo was plastered on the sides of buses.

With Cass' maintenance job comes a small dumpy apartment (Room 10) next to the boiler room that has seen better days and a small stipend. This is where broken people live. Everyone seems to be filling a void or mourning a profound loss.

Her dad taught her handyman skills, and she followed him everywhere until her mom died and her dad turned into an alcoholic. When she married Reid, they were supposed to be a team buying old houses; she could remodel them, and he would flip them. But his ego would not allow her to be a handyman. She quit to keep the house for him, and then he had all the control. After the split, he kept the friends and everything else.

She has tried to find other work with no luck, so she has turned to blackmailing married men who are cheating as a side hustle until she gets in over her head. They deserved it.

ANNA, a journalist between jobs, is married to Henry, a school teacher (who lost his job). He is also an artist, and Cal (a fellow teacher) at his school recommended The Sycamores, a cheap place to rent for his art studio, to get back to painting. He loved painting the grunge, homeless, and tenants at the motel apartments. He was always a happy man, and everyone loved him at the apartment complex. He sold his paintings and was doing well with his art, but suddenly, he seemed sad and withdrawn.

Then Anna receives a desperate call from Henry (age 36) one night, saying he killed someone. When she tries to find him, she is notified he committed suicide and was found in shallow water on a bank of the Rio Grande south of Santa Fe. Authorities ruled it as a suicide. However, was it suicide or murder? Who did he kill, and why was he so sad?

Did he have another life at the apartments she knew nothing about?

Grieving, Anna knows the cops are not doing anything, so she decides to move into Henry's old studio apartment and conducts some investigating of her own. She wants answers. The more she digs, the more shocking secrets she uncovers about Henry. She finds a journal, and he speaks of painting a woman, someone he loves. Who is the woman, and where are the hundred paintings?

Callum (Cal) still lives at The Sycamores. When he and his wife lost everything due to her extensive medical bills, they moved into the complex. Lily, the wife, later died of cancer. This is the first place she starts since he was a teacher at the school with Henry.

CAST OF CHARACTERS: This is where the fun, murder, and mayhem begin at The Sycamores with a colorful cast of characters!

There, we meet all the tenants—a diverse group. The POOL GALS (Jackie, Crystal, Rosa) spend time at the pool with their children, swimming, eating, smoking, drinking booze, playing cards, and gossiping about all the tenants. Rosa is the quiet one with the abusive husband. Each Friday, there is a BBQ by the pool with potluck and grilling, lots of booze, music, and games, and all the tenants are invited.

Between Cass's escapades, the horrific maintenance issues, and all the secrets of the tenants, there is a murder. How will Cass, Anna, and the crew become partners in crime?

Along the way, there is a charity ball when Cass's new friends at the motel/apartment collide with Reid, his latest squeeze, and her pretentious old friends, which lands her in jail (hilarious!). In the meantime, Mary's grandson (tenant) Frank Sinatra (little boy) is engrossed with Cass and her tools, and she becomes his mentor (priceless). Then there is the body, to be hidden, and Anna is getting close to finding the identity of Henry's mystery woman and his killer.

BOOM! What a book—truly BLOWN AWAY! If I had known this book was this good, I would have read it the minute I received it! I loved every minute of The cast at THE SYCAMORES. I could not put it down. I finished at 5 am, and it was worth it. Be prepared to burn the midnight oil and set aside the time. The unexpected twists will have your jaw-dropping.

SMASHING! The author has outdone herself and dazzles! THE VACANCY IN ROOM 10 is wild, crazy, fun, suspenseful, full of action, and fast-paced. The characters are stellar and come alive on the page. You have the good, the crazy, and the evil.

At its heart, it is heartwarming and endearing. The two main characters learn some wise life lessons, gain insights, and the true meaning of family that is not always blood-related. I loved the satisfying ending. WELL DONE! I want to visit.

Get this gem on your TBR list now! I cannot wait to listen to the audiobook narrated by my favorite, Brittany Pressley and Stacey Glemboski. This is an auto-buy for the home library. 5 Stars ++

Fans of Schitt's Creek and Freida McFadden's Do Not Disturb will devour. Sequel, PLEASE! There are many more adventures here.

Thanks to Graydon House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read (and devour) an advanced copy for an honest opinion.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My rating; 5 Stars ++
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Pub Date: April 8, 2024
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Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House for an ARC of this book on exchange for my honest review.

I read this book all in one day and really enjoyed it! The story is told from dual POVs and is very gossipy, as everyone has secrets that they’re keeping from others. Rating this one 4 stars because I liked the reading experience, but did guess one of the larger twists in this book. I was very satisfied with the way this book ended, and found myself routing for the “underdog” character. I recommend giving this one a read but please check any relevant trigger warnings before doing so!

The Vacancy in Room 10 was a bit of a slog for me. It felt really long (and not in a good way!) and effortful to work through. I looooved the authors last book, and highly recommend that one, but sadly can’t say the same for this one.

*thank you to the publishers and netgalley, who provided a free copy in exchange for my honest review