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A review by filmscoreman108
The Spare Room by Andrea Bartz
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Steamy, Romantic Thriller, Pandemic-era
Plot synopsis: Kelly enters into a polyamorous relationship with an old high school friend and her husband after her marriage plans crumble, but this new relationship comes with dark secrets.
Thoughts: The first third was fun. There was Kelly dealing with her relationship issues while being seduced by the charm of her new hosts. The romantic tension was kind of exciting and I couldn't wait for their eventual hookup. The next third was spent building up tension and mystery, and this kept the pages turning for me. It seemed inevitable that things would go south for Kelly very soon. Then the last third opens with a game changing reveal that excited me even more. But after that, the story got a little too twist-heavy and convoluted. And the conclusion left a lot to be desired.
Characters: I wanted to root for Kelly, but in the end I nearly hated her. Sure, she's supposed to be naïve at the beginning, but she takes way too long to grow out of it. In the last few chapters of the book, I was honestly shocked with the state of mind she was in. And upon finishing, you realize how many warning signs she flat out ignored and it makes her seem like a selfish idiot. I also have a problem with the main couple, Sabrina and Nathan. They each have patches of darkness that show in key scenes that I feel are NEVER EXPLORED meaningfully. Major abuse is perpetrated by one of them, and it seems to never be explained, which annoyed me greatly.
Ending: Delivering one final twist, the book lost me. It was the unexpected choice, but I didn't but it. So yeah the ending kind of tanked this for me and made me like it less overall. Kelly is harder to root for as the book goes on, so no one is likeable (except for the cat).
Plot synopsis: Kelly enters into a polyamorous relationship with an old high school friend and her husband after her marriage plans crumble, but this new relationship comes with dark secrets.
Thoughts: The first third was fun. There was Kelly dealing with her relationship issues while being seduced by the charm of her new hosts. The romantic tension was kind of exciting and I couldn't wait for their eventual hookup. The next third was spent building up tension and mystery, and this kept the pages turning for me. It seemed inevitable that things would go south for Kelly very soon. Then the last third opens with a game changing reveal that excited me even more. But after that, the story got a little too twist-heavy and convoluted. And the conclusion left a lot to be desired.
Characters: I wanted to root for Kelly, but in the end I nearly hated her. Sure, she's supposed to be naïve at the beginning, but she takes way too long to grow out of it. In the last few chapters of the book, I was honestly shocked with the state of mind she was in. And upon finishing, you realize how many warning signs she flat out ignored and it makes her seem like a selfish idiot. I also have a problem with the main couple, Sabrina and Nathan. They each have patches of darkness that show in key scenes that I feel are NEVER EXPLORED meaningfully. Major abuse is perpetrated by one of them, and it seems to never be explained, which annoyed me greatly.
Ending: Delivering one final twist, the book lost me. It was the unexpected choice, but I didn't but it. So yeah the ending kind of tanked this for me and made me like it less overall. Kelly is harder to root for as the book goes on, so no one is likeable (except for the cat).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Toxic relationship