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mg_in_md_'s review
4.0
I always look forward to the latest twisty thriller from this author and was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy prior to its early February 2023 release. In this offering, the reader is presented with a complex cat-and-mouse story, but is not quite sure which character is the cat and which is the mouse. The story centers around Alyssa Macallen who is going through a divorce with her rich and powerful soon-to-be-ex-husband. While trying to grapple with the upheaval in her life, Alyssa meets and immediately connects with Bree Lorrance, who is dealing with her own issues, including trying to ditch a controlling boyfriend. Acting on impulse, Alyssa invites Bree to stay with her and the two are quickly drawn into each other's lives. The story begins at a deliberate pace but comes to a roaring crescendo when surprising revelations occur. While there are many moving parts and twists and turns along the way, the ending will leave you breathless but satisfied. Just when you think you have this one figured out, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that you don't!
Many thanks to the author and Forge Books for the opportunity to read a NetGalley copy of this novel!
Many thanks to the author and Forge Books for the opportunity to read a NetGalley copy of this novel!
ireadandsip's review
3.0
3 1/2 stars. I just had a problem with the author starting to write about something and just stop. It was like multiple cliffhangers. Other than that, I liked the book.
marvelouspyt's review against another edition
4.0
Title: The House Guest
Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan
Format: Audiobook
Quick Take: Making a new friend, one who's running from a dangerous relationship of her own, Alyssa Macallan, at the mercy of her wealthy and powerful husband, offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house who in turn makes a tempting offer on how they can solve each others' problems.
Thoughts: Well, that was a ride. That ending was a bit confusing but once it came together...whoa. Glad I picked this one up!
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan
Format: Audiobook
Quick Take: Making a new friend, one who's running from a dangerous relationship of her own, Alyssa Macallan, at the mercy of her wealthy and powerful husband, offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house who in turn makes a tempting offer on how they can solve each others' problems.
Thoughts: Well, that was a ride. That ending was a bit confusing but once it came together...whoa. Glad I picked this one up!
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
jillmlong's review
2.0
I think I liked the cover and blurb more than the book. I had high expectations because of those two things and my expectations just weren't met. The story was alright just nothing great.
rmarcin's review
4.0
Hank Phillippi Ryan is one of the nicest people in publishing - and her thrillers are fun to read! I am amazed that such a nice person writes such diabolical stories. I am happy to be a Super Reader!!!
In the latest thriller, Alyssa Macallan is surprised when her wealthy husband, Bill, tells her he wants a break. Why? Weren't they deeply in love? Alyssa is heartbroken, and concerned, because she doesn't have wealth on her own. Her perfect life is now uprooted.
Enter a stranger, Bree, who Alyssa meets at a bar. Bree and Alyssa become friends, and Alyssa invites her to stay in the guest house while Bree avoids her ex. When Bree unexpectedly finds a lost connection and a man, Dez, enters their life, Alyssa starts wondering whether she was too trusting.
With references to old movies, Gaslight and Strangers on a Train, you question each relationship, each phone call, and each chance meeting. Who is a friend, and who is using who? Who is telling the truth, and why did Bill really leave Alyssa?
There are many twists to this story. I loved the references to the old movies/stories, but I wanted to shake Alyssa for being so trustworthy! I questioned some of her decisions, but in every book or movie - isn't that the norm -- as an onlooker you wonder -- why are they doing that???
Enjoyable!
In the latest thriller, Alyssa Macallan is surprised when her wealthy husband, Bill, tells her he wants a break. Why? Weren't they deeply in love? Alyssa is heartbroken, and concerned, because she doesn't have wealth on her own. Her perfect life is now uprooted.
Enter a stranger, Bree, who Alyssa meets at a bar. Bree and Alyssa become friends, and Alyssa invites her to stay in the guest house while Bree avoids her ex. When Bree unexpectedly finds a lost connection and a man, Dez, enters their life, Alyssa starts wondering whether she was too trusting.
With references to old movies, Gaslight and Strangers on a Train, you question each relationship, each phone call, and each chance meeting. Who is a friend, and who is using who? Who is telling the truth, and why did Bill really leave Alyssa?
There are many twists to this story. I loved the references to the old movies/stories, but I wanted to shake Alyssa for being so trustworthy! I questioned some of her decisions, but in every book or movie - isn't that the norm -- as an onlooker you wonder -- why are they doing that???
Enjoyable!
jilly_bean0706's review
2.0
"... Kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish." - Tamron Hall
"...fiendishly clever, rocket-paced thrill ride." - Lisa Unger
"An edge-of-your seat thriller! Will you see the end coming? I didn't." - Lisa Gardner
With reviews like those plastered on the back cover, what could go wrong right?
I am not sure what bribe was given to the above individuals to not only endorse, but to leave those enticing reviews, but it should be criminal. In my opinion, this one missed the mark entirely and I would hardly categorize this read as a "thriller." I would easily chalk this story up as an ugly divorce with your typical players when a large sum of settlement money is involved- add in an attempted mediocre-at-best fraud scheme to pick the bones once things were said and done. The main character lacked any common sense whatsoever, and who would have guessed picking up a stranger at the bar and inviting them to reside in your guest house would have any harmful consequences? At one point, the cliffhanger left at the end of the chapter designed to tempt readers to keep reading onto the next was the "monster" of an ex, cancelling his soon-to-be ex-wife's country club membership and leaving her left to pay her own lunch bill. The horror!
Sarcasm aside, I honestly continued reading anticipating SOME sort of plot twist but was left underwhelmed and disappointed. I would not recommend this book especially considering how many other books are piling up, with fascinating stories to tell, dying to be read before the end of our lifetimes.
"...fiendishly clever, rocket-paced thrill ride." - Lisa Unger
"An edge-of-your seat thriller! Will you see the end coming? I didn't." - Lisa Gardner
With reviews like those plastered on the back cover, what could go wrong right?
I am not sure what bribe was given to the above individuals to not only endorse, but to leave those enticing reviews, but it should be criminal. In my opinion, this one missed the mark entirely and I would hardly categorize this read as a "thriller." I would easily chalk this story up as an ugly divorce with your typical players when a large sum of settlement money is involved- add in an attempted mediocre-at-best fraud scheme to pick the bones once things were said and done. The main character lacked any common sense whatsoever, and who would have guessed picking up a stranger at the bar and inviting them to reside in your guest house would have any harmful consequences? At one point, the cliffhanger left at the end of the chapter designed to tempt readers to keep reading onto the next was the "monster" of an ex, cancelling his soon-to-be ex-wife's country club membership and leaving her left to pay her own lunch bill. The horror!
Sarcasm aside, I honestly continued reading anticipating SOME sort of plot twist but was left underwhelmed and disappointed. I would not recommend this book especially considering how many other books are piling up, with fascinating stories to tell, dying to be read before the end of our lifetimes.
judithdcollins's review
5.0
Check out my fun #AuthorElevatorSeries Interview with Hank!
Rock-star bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan (a favorite, with more Emmy Awards than you can count) and the queen of cat-and-mouse thrillers returns following Her Perfect Life with her latest sizzler—THE HOUSE GUEST —where no one or nothing is as it appears.
Who is the cat, and who is the mouse? Who will wind up in the mouse trap? You will be guessing—until the final page —with twists so sharp you are liable to get whiplash!
Alyssa (Alice) Westland Macallan —is an almost-divorced thirty-five-year-old. She dropped out of law school and gave up her identity (even her name) when she married Bill (15 yrs older) eight years ago.
Bill, a big-time charity fundraiser, turns out to be keeping some of these funds for himself—naughty, naughty—She was Bill's possession.
He has decided to leave Alyssa, and she is left in the big house, setting traps to ensure he does not enter while she is away. Plus, she has the funny imaginary dog barking alarm and the hidden closet — She no longer trusts him even though they have an agreement. He is manipulative and charming.
She has no friends because Bill's friends are loyal to him, especially the Weston, MA, country club set. She never knows when her card will be declined—since Bill pulls all the strings. She is still determining if she will have any money.
Lonely, she goes to Vermilion, a local bar, and meets a thirtysomething woman, Bree Lorrance. She is staying in a hotel (a banker) and running from an abusive relationship and a horrible boss.
Alyssa acts impulsively and offers Bree to stay in her guest house. She does not know her, but they may become friends. She will keep her company.
Someone calls Bree's cell phone from an unknown number, and Alyssa encourages her to answer and see who it is. She also encourages her to follow up on a DNA/ancestry database her mom gave her. This leads her to Dez, an attorney who has been trying to track her down.
Then FBI agent Hattie Parker comes knocking at her door.—Most of Bill's fundraising(turns out) for charity went to lining his own pockets, and the FBI thinks Alyssa knows more about it. Can she trust the FBI agent? Is she being set up?
She and Bree become BFFs, but can she trust her?
Every story had a secret, and every storyteller had a motive.
Life with Bill had shown her the destructive side of affluence. It bred only the relentless desire for more of everything. And the constant terror loss. What will a wife do for her husband, even an ex-husband?
Alyssa turns to her old friend, Mickey, now an attorney, for help. Is she being set up by Bill, Dex, Parker, or Bree? Who was Collin Whishaw?
Dex and Bree become engrossed in all aspects of Alyssa's life. From unreliable narrators to back-and-forth twists, where your loyalties will change more than a ball in a tennis match. Then there is Bill.
Trust NO ONE! Who is being duped? Kickbacks. Illegal. Forfeiture. Inheritance. Extortion. Twenty-two million dollars.
THE HOUSE GUEST —is a fiendishly clever standalone thriller of psychological manipulation that explores the dark heart of marriage and friendship—Gaslight meets Thelma & Louise. A whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the final page from the rock star of cat-and-mouse suspense. You do not want to miss this one!
You do not know where Hank is taking you, but trust me, get on board—do not concern yourself with the destination, but enjoy the journey—it is one wild ride! All will become clear with the wicked satisfactory conclusion.
THE HOUSE GUEST is an insanely intense ultimate rollercoaster reading experience. From fun, Hitchcockian movie references (Gaslight, The Birds, Strangers on a Train, Rear Windows, and Thelma & Louise) to twists and jaw-dropping surprises. No one does clever, twisty, intelligent, diabolical cat-and-mouse thrillers better than HPR!!
Thank you to #ForgeBooks and #NetGalley for a gifted e-ARC and the beautiful promotional monogrammed House Guest Pashmina Shawl wrap! I love it.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins |#JDCMustReadBooks
#AuthorElevatorSeries Interview with Hank
Pub Date: Feb 7, 2023
My Rating: 5
Rock-star bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan (a favorite, with more Emmy Awards than you can count) and the queen of cat-and-mouse thrillers returns following Her Perfect Life with her latest sizzler—THE HOUSE GUEST —where no one or nothing is as it appears.
Who is the cat, and who is the mouse? Who will wind up in the mouse trap? You will be guessing—until the final page —with twists so sharp you are liable to get whiplash!
Alyssa (Alice) Westland Macallan —is an almost-divorced thirty-five-year-old. She dropped out of law school and gave up her identity (even her name) when she married Bill (15 yrs older) eight years ago.
Bill, a big-time charity fundraiser, turns out to be keeping some of these funds for himself—naughty, naughty—She was Bill's possession.
He has decided to leave Alyssa, and she is left in the big house, setting traps to ensure he does not enter while she is away. Plus, she has the funny imaginary dog barking alarm and the hidden closet — She no longer trusts him even though they have an agreement. He is manipulative and charming.
She has no friends because Bill's friends are loyal to him, especially the Weston, MA, country club set. She never knows when her card will be declined—since Bill pulls all the strings. She is still determining if she will have any money.
Lonely, she goes to Vermilion, a local bar, and meets a thirtysomething woman, Bree Lorrance. She is staying in a hotel (a banker) and running from an abusive relationship and a horrible boss.
Alyssa acts impulsively and offers Bree to stay in her guest house. She does not know her, but they may become friends. She will keep her company.
Someone calls Bree's cell phone from an unknown number, and Alyssa encourages her to answer and see who it is. She also encourages her to follow up on a DNA/ancestry database her mom gave her. This leads her to Dez, an attorney who has been trying to track her down.
Then FBI agent Hattie Parker comes knocking at her door.—Most of Bill's fundraising(turns out) for charity went to lining his own pockets, and the FBI thinks Alyssa knows more about it. Can she trust the FBI agent? Is she being set up?
She and Bree become BFFs, but can she trust her?
Every story had a secret, and every storyteller had a motive.
Life with Bill had shown her the destructive side of affluence. It bred only the relentless desire for more of everything. And the constant terror loss. What will a wife do for her husband, even an ex-husband?
Alyssa turns to her old friend, Mickey, now an attorney, for help. Is she being set up by Bill, Dex, Parker, or Bree? Who was Collin Whishaw?
Dex and Bree become engrossed in all aspects of Alyssa's life. From unreliable narrators to back-and-forth twists, where your loyalties will change more than a ball in a tennis match. Then there is Bill.
Trust NO ONE! Who is being duped? Kickbacks. Illegal. Forfeiture. Inheritance. Extortion. Twenty-two million dollars.
THE HOUSE GUEST —is a fiendishly clever standalone thriller of psychological manipulation that explores the dark heart of marriage and friendship—Gaslight meets Thelma & Louise. A whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the final page from the rock star of cat-and-mouse suspense. You do not want to miss this one!
You do not know where Hank is taking you, but trust me, get on board—do not concern yourself with the destination, but enjoy the journey—it is one wild ride! All will become clear with the wicked satisfactory conclusion.
THE HOUSE GUEST is an insanely intense ultimate rollercoaster reading experience. From fun, Hitchcockian movie references (Gaslight, The Birds, Strangers on a Train, Rear Windows, and Thelma & Louise) to twists and jaw-dropping surprises. No one does clever, twisty, intelligent, diabolical cat-and-mouse thrillers better than HPR!!
Thank you to #ForgeBooks and #NetGalley for a gifted e-ARC and the beautiful promotional monogrammed House Guest Pashmina Shawl wrap! I love it.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins |#JDCMustReadBooks
#AuthorElevatorSeries Interview with Hank
Pub Date: Feb 7, 2023
My Rating: 5
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
3.0
While I found the first 75% of this book almost painfully slow, the last 25% really picked up and it was great to see a rich man behaving badly get his at the hands at his poorly treated wife. Good on audio and definitely recommended for fans of domestic suspense stories. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
emily_loves_2_read's review against another edition
5.0
The House Guest
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook and Audiobook
Date Published: 2/7/23
Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan
Publisher: Macmillan
Narrator: Stephanie Willing
GR: 3.83
HAPPY PUB DAY!! I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
My Thoughts: The House Guest is a disturbing cat and mouse game thriller from Ryan. Alyssa is a newly separated wife, from a very powerful, wealthy man. Charles, the soon-to-be ex, gives a new meaning to gaslighting. She meets this timid young woman, Bree, in a bar, and truly wants to help her. They form an instant bond. The plot seems simple, however the simple plot is delivered into many complex subplots that really up the level of a thriller. I do not want to give too much away as to not spoil for other readers.
The story is narrated by Alyssa. Alyssa appears as an unreliable narrator, but is far from this. Bree appears to be a timid young lady hiding from her abusive ex. The characters were developed well, fleshed out, had depth, were mysterious, and brilliantly created. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, twisted, dark, intriguing, brilliant, and engaging. This story had me guessing to the bitter end. There are few thrillers that keep me guessing until the end, so when a book stumps me, to me that is a very well written book!
The narrator does such a fantastic job with the voice variations and the description details are so well done, it immerses you into story. For the last few thrillers I have read, only a few have really gripped me, this being one of the top ones. This was gripping, diabolical, dark, and kept me on the edge of the page. The last quarter delivers a punch and the ending was twist upon twist and brilliantly carved out. I devoured within a few days. I HIGHLY recommend picking this one up today. I know that I will be adding Ryan’s backlist to my TBR.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook and Audiobook
Date Published: 2/7/23
Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan
Publisher: Macmillan
Narrator: Stephanie Willing
GR: 3.83
HAPPY PUB DAY!! I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
My Thoughts: The House Guest is a disturbing cat and mouse game thriller from Ryan. Alyssa is a newly separated wife, from a very powerful, wealthy man. Charles, the soon-to-be ex, gives a new meaning to gaslighting. She meets this timid young woman, Bree, in a bar, and truly wants to help her. They form an instant bond. The plot seems simple, however the simple plot is delivered into many complex subplots that really up the level of a thriller. I do not want to give too much away as to not spoil for other readers.
The story is narrated by Alyssa. Alyssa appears as an unreliable narrator, but is far from this. Bree appears to be a timid young lady hiding from her abusive ex. The characters were developed well, fleshed out, had depth, were mysterious, and brilliantly created. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, twisted, dark, intriguing, brilliant, and engaging. This story had me guessing to the bitter end. There are few thrillers that keep me guessing until the end, so when a book stumps me, to me that is a very well written book!
The narrator does such a fantastic job with the voice variations and the description details are so well done, it immerses you into story. For the last few thrillers I have read, only a few have really gripped me, this being one of the top ones. This was gripping, diabolical, dark, and kept me on the edge of the page. The last quarter delivers a punch and the ending was twist upon twist and brilliantly carved out. I devoured within a few days. I HIGHLY recommend picking this one up today. I know that I will be adding Ryan’s backlist to my TBR.
bpelle0207's review
1.0
Ok, ok, ok….so you’re telling me your filthy rich husband says he is leaving you and you decide to a)roll over and let it happen while whining about the lavish life you’re about to lose b)not go to his work or any place you know him to be (or even call…?) and just whine and repeat “I don’t know where he is!” for an entire book.
The rest of the book is you allowing not one but two complete strangers to come into your home to take over like two teenagers eating all your food, drinking all your booze, leaving and or neglecting their jobs but feel redeemed by asking “are you ok?” every other sentence, buying you take out (no WE INSIST), offering to kill your husband (and this doesn’t bother you more because…?), and giving you fodder to wonder if they might be banging behind your back.
WHAT WAS THIS BOOK!!??
The rest of the book is you allowing not one but two complete strangers to come into your home to take over like two teenagers eating all your food, drinking all your booze, leaving and or neglecting their jobs but feel redeemed by asking “are you ok?” every other sentence, buying you take out (no WE INSIST), offering to kill your husband (and this doesn’t bother you more because…?), and giving you fodder to wonder if they might be banging behind your back.
WHAT WAS THIS BOOK!!??