This is a creepy novella which finds its pacing in the second half but holds your attention all the way through.

A husband and wife go to spend a weekend at a certain bed and breakfast which they fell in love with a year prior. They've been having a horrible year since that visit and they're drifting apart with a shared trauma. They hope to rekindle their relationship at this bed and breakfast.

But it's different now. The new owner is kinda creepy and weird although she seems nice and accommodating enough. Then a series of strange things occur and the couple find themselves stuck there, with the owner becoming more and more entangled with their lives.

The first half deals with the husband and wife and how they're each dealing with what's happened over the previous year. It's a good way to establish the characters and give readers a sense of the issues they're going through. But the second half is where the terror sets in as the owner begins to take over the wife, her obsession with mushrooms, some terrifying doll heads, and an overall sense of dread.

The ending is abrupt and ambiguous at best. It's one which can be interpreted in a number of ways and doesn't offer much in the way of answers. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. It leaves you thinking about it after you're done reading. Some people might be put off by it but I thought it left things with a mysterious flair.

I recommend this novella but it won't be for everyone.

A.M. Kherbash is back with a new creepy story and I am here for it!

In this thriller novella, a couple decides to spend a weekend at a bed and breakfast they previously visited and loved, in order to create new positive memories and move on from a traumatic event they recently experienced. But the new owner of the B&B is nosey and creepy and something definitely changed, it's the same place but it's so different now... and while Emma is appreciating this change of scenery, Nolan is creeped out and wants to leave... but he can't. Something is keeping them there.

From the very first page, I was immediately unsettled but intrigued, especially because the dynamic between Nolan and Emma and the reason for their drifting apart is not explained straight away. That helped building a tension that turned into a claustrophobic sadness and then into horror the more you go deep into the story. I was hooked until the very last line. The ending however was very abrupt and sudden and left me wanting for more. What happens next? I need to know!
Overall a fun read, with a lot of creepy doll heads and a witchy character that will make you think twice before stopping at a random B&B in the middle of nowhere.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

* I'd like to thank A.M. Kherbash and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#bedandbreakfast #NetGalley

Bed and Breakfast follows Nolan, who surprises his wife, Emma, with a staycation at the same cozy inn they visited the previous year. Hoping to mend their fractured relationship and rekindle happier times, he soon realizes something is off. The once-familiar place feels different—unsettling, altered in ways he can't quite explain. The presence of the inn’s odd owner, Leah, only adds to the growing sense of dread, turning what was meant to be a restorative getaway into something far more disturbing.

One of the book’s strongest aspects is its atmospheric writing. The author successfully builds tension, evoking an uneasy feeling without slowing the pace. The creeping horror is amplified by Nolan and Emma’s fragile emotional state, making them particularly vulnerable to the unsettling figure who seems to know more about them than she should. Nolan’s growing helplessness is palpable, lingering until the very last page.

The ending is abrupt and ambiguous, leaving much open to interpretation. Rather than providing clear answers, it lingers in the mind. While some readers might find it unsettling, I felt it added an extra layer of mystery that suited the story’s eerie tone.

I’d recommend going in blind for the best experience. I was initially drawn to the book by its creepy cover—though it didn’t entirely deliver on what I expected, it still satisfied my craving for a chilling, unsettling read. If you enjoy slow-burning horror with a heavy sense of dread, Bed and Breakfast is worth checking out.

Bed and Breakfast follows a couple returning to a once beloved Bed and Breakfast hoping for an escape from reality, but what they find there is beyond their worst imaginations.

On jumping into this story I was immediately unsettled and wondering what was to come. The author took no time in getting straight into the action which I adore in a story this short. The atmosphere was tense between the characters from the get go and stuck throughout, making this such a fast paced story that I couldn't bare to put down. This book incorporates horror elements I eat up every time, such as the constant sense of dread with no real explanation, nature elements and helplessness. I do feel like the story would have benefited from a less abrupt ending and a little more of a conclusion to make the pay off a little less lacklustre. That said, I had a really fun time with this story and recommend this to anyone looking for a quick scare.

The less you know the better with a novella like this but in case you need them, here are the standout themes that could be triggers:
Content Warnings (minor vague spoilers): lots of talk of babies, miscarriages and infertility (no graphic scenes of any), lots of food talk, descriptions of eating, vomit, physical assault (non sexual).

Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for the advanced review copy of this book.