A struggling couple returns to a Bed and Breakfast that they had visited in happier times.

There were a few weird and eerie moments in this story, but I had a bit of a hard time following the thread of the plot, it was at times surreal and dreamy.

There are themes of psychological horror, complex grief, unreliable narratives, and fungal weirdness.

Thank you to NetGalley, & the author for a copy.

After a memorable weekend at a charming bed and breakfast, Nolan returns a year later with his wife, Emma, hoping to rekindle their happiness and escape the grief that has settled over their marriage. What follows is a psychological exploration of love, loss, and the desperate lengths one might go to in order to hold on.

While Bed and Breakfast is categorized as horror, it leans more toward psychological suspense with unsettling, eerie moments rather than outright terror. The new owners of the bed and breakfast add an unsettling presence to the story, making for a creeping sense of unease. However, if you're expecting intense, visceral horror, this novella may leave you wanting more.

The pacing is quick, making it an easy read—I finished it in about an hour and a half. The themes of grief, obsession, and the inability to let go are handled well, and the contrast between Nolan and Emma’s past happiness and their current reality adds emotional weight to the narrative. While I was drawn in by the creepy cover and intrigued by the premise, I found myself wishing the story had delved deeper into its horror elements, especially when it came to the fungal horror aspect, which felt underutilized.

If you enjoy psychological horror with an emphasis on emotional depth rather than outright scares, Bed and Breakfast is worth picking up. It’s a tense, atmospheric read that lingers in your mind—but much like the abrupt ending, it may leave you wanting just a little more.

I enjoyed this book. It was dry at first and I thought I wasn’t going to get into it, but it surprised me and I was reading so fast to find out what happens. The end was not my favorite which is why I give it 4 stars. I recommend this book if you enjoy very suspenseful suspense.

So I really loved the idea of this story based on the premise but it was almost complete nonsense. I couldn't tell you exactly what I read because I was so confused and kept waiting for something to happen.

Disappointed by this as I feel that the story had potential. The first half I was into it and it was super creepy. The second half very quickly became a big muddle and I had no idea what was going on and it completely lost me.

2 stars because I did enjoy the first half but sadly this wasn’t for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I requested Bed & Breakfast for two reasons:
One - I run one - so I’m always curious to read representations on B&Bs.
Two - it promised a novella story - and I was in the mood for a fast read.

So:
One - It was set in a kind of B&B, albeit a closed one full of plants and weird dolls. If that’s your thing.
Two -It wasn’t a novella. There was nothing short about this story, and it wasn’t just because I couldn’t get into it.

It had initial promise, but just became really weird and confusing very quickly.
Ultimately as a result I lost any love I had for it, and really didn’t care what happened.
The ending was fitting for the rest of it - a flop.

Not the worst book I’ve ever read, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
All in all a damp squib of a book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the idea of this story. It felt like we were also part of Nolan's fever dream. It has an unsettling vibe throughout. I wish I could say I enjoyed it more than I did. In my opinion, it lacked in enough action or answers to what exactly was going on. I think I was as confused as Nolan, but maybe I missed something!

This book started off so well and then just nose dived into something confusing and nonsensical.
This just wasn't for me at all and could have used another round of editing as there are a lot of errors.

Kherbash has created a delightfully creepy gothic, fungal, grief, vacation horror novella.

Nolan surprises Emma with a weekend away at the bed and breakfast they visited before they became pregnant. Emma is severely depressed after a late term miscarriage and Nolan just wants to@go back to the way they used to be. They are (not!) dealing with their grief in completely opposite ways.

But the bed and breakfast is under new ownership, and Leah, the innkeeper has dark motives.

I love that Kherbash has Nolan begin to lose his way, question his perceptions, have nightmares, faint dead away, hide under a desk, not speak up. It is refreshing since this is usually how the female MC crumbles in a gothic story.

Nolan’s narration becomes loose and confused and it is tense and claustrophobic and very disconcerting.

Leah is a deeply creepy character, very well written, and her true self is never really clear which makes her even more scary.

The ending is abrupt. And I have mixed feelings. It was shocking, WHICH I LOVE. BUT I think I just needed a couple of more paragraphs.

Isn’t that a great way to finish reading a novella, though? When the reader says, I WANT MORE!

Are you sure this wasn't written in the 90s? I got a hit of nostalgia reading this, plus the fact the main characters are a couple in their thirties but dealing with adult stuff while most thiry-year-olds I know still behave like they're fresh out of high school. What happened to adulthood? Anyhow, loved the book. It was a quick read but I loved the writing so much I might see what else the author wrote and pick that up.

I love Rosemary's Baby and The Yellow Paper, so naturally I ate this up. Some typos, but I was told this happens with early ARCs so I didn't mind. The ending caught me off-guard. I know some people will hate it, but I loved it. Poor Nolan!

This is a peculiar psychological thriller in which I had absolutely no idea what was going on and was confused the entire book. In fact, I still am not sure what I’ve just read, I feel quite indifferent to this novella - throughout the book I found myself wondering what was going on. The whole book was creepy and a little odd, I guess that was the point! I’d have liked to give a 3 star but I thought the ending fell short.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this ARC in return for an honest review.

Umm what? First of all, I know it’s just an arc but there were sooo many typos and grammatical errors I found it distracting. The story did capture my attention right away but the ending was stupid, and so was the leading up to it. It just jumped into whatever that was, without much explanation. Not a fan. The cover is super cool but that’s about it.

I wanted to love this book!

The premise was there, but the story itself fell flat. I did not like the writing style of this book at all. It did not flow well.

Maybe I missed something but the plot was a bit confusing as well.

This book was not for me.

This novella follows a couple that is dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic event. The husband, attempting to help his wife move forward, decides to book a room in the B&B they stayed at previously. Here they encounter the owner of the B&B, and she brings upon an unsettling series of events.

It was creepy, but I wouldn't say there were a lot of horrific moments. I am also a huge fan of fungal horror but this didn't go too far with the concept. Overall, I was left expecting more by the end.

You would like this if you like your horror to be more psychological.

What happens when a loving couple develop diverging interests to the extent where they want different things from life? Can their relationship survive being pulled in two different directions? The couple in question are in a fragile state and the eccentric proprietor of the bed and breakfast seems to sense that and decides to prey on their vulnerabilities. I’m still not sure what to make of her, whether she’s simply a nosy busybody or a witch or a nightmarish form of succubus. There are hints of this early on, to say nothing of what’s implied to have happened in the last few chapters. As you can see it’s hard not to say much with spoiling anything, and for this one it’s best to go in blind. It’s a heartfelt, spooky novella with an ending that will leave you wondering what just happened. 4.5 rounded up.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for this ARC.

Bed and Breakfast is a spooky little novella that has enough creeps to keep you interested…until it doesn’t. Nolan and Emma return to a bed and breakfast where they had once had a lovely, romantic weekend only to find it slightly different and slightly worse for the wear. Over the weekend, many eerie things happen and Nolan begins to distrust the owner, Leah, as she insinuates herself more and more into their lives. While there were plenty of definitive creepy moments in this book, they were not really enough to qualify as a “horror” novel, in my opinion. The last third of the book became repetitive and, sadly, predictable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me an ARC in return for my honest opinion.

It's about this couple who stays at this B&B for a vacation. However, this bed and breakfast establishment has been taken over by a new management and this new owner has something up her sleeve.
The novella, while short, immediately established the couples backstory and reason why they are having this staycation at the B & B. The author is really good at describing the creepy and unsettling atmosphere of the place and situation, it feels like I can visualize the unfolding storyline on my mind. The pacing is great especially at the second act.

I was not really a fan of this one. It took awhile to grab my attention and then it just turned into a crazy mushroom filled fever dream.

3.5 stars.

Husband and wife Nolan and Emma revisit a B&B after spending a lovely weekend there nearly a year before. Since then the couple has experienced a miscarriage and Emma has not responded well; their marriage is now suffering and Nolan hopes that the time away in a place with good memories will help Emma.

When they arrive Nolan finds that the place is under new management and they cannot stay. However proprietor Leah agrees to let them see their old room and is very kind, especially to Emma. At first.

Interesting novella that is very creepy throughout. I liked the ending.