The House Guest

I have heard a lot of good things about Hank Phillippi Ryan's books, and surprisingly, this is the first book I've read by the author. The House Guest is labelled a 'diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller' in its blurb, so I was ready for a twisty read.

But it wasn't twisty cat and mouse read for me. It was much more of a slow-paced domestic drama with secrets, lies and manipulation that requires readers to suspend disbelief due to a character's naïve decisions and the unbelievably quick bond between two strangers. Alyssa and Bree meet in a bar, bond over the problems in their lives and by the end of the night Alyssa has invited Bree to live with her. They become instant BFFs and readers are left to wonder who is manipulating whom.

I enjoyed trying to guess the identity of the manipulator, but I struggled with the very slow build of the story, Alyssa's repetitive dialogue and her mercurial feelings towards her spouse. I also felt frustrated that readers are told about the bond between the main characters instead of being shown how their relationship could have believably evolved. But if readers are patient, the story picks up around the 80% mark when things fall into place and readers are hit with a decent twist. 

This is a lighter, escapist kind of read that has received rave reviews from other advanced readers. The House Guest didn't quite make it into the suspense genre for me and I'm left feeling disappointed that I found it to be a convoluted story whose focus was more on an implausible friendship than building tension. 

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Macmillan Tor/Forge Books for my advanced digital copy which was provided via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 2.5 stars

Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan

Genre: Domestic Drama, Suspense (?)

Type and Source: eBook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Macmillan Tor/Forge Books

First Published: February 7, 2023

Book Description from GoodReads: The House Guest is another diabolical cat-and-mouse thriller from Hank Phillippi Ryan—but which character is the cat, and which character is the mouse?

After every divorce, one spouse gets all the friends. What does the other one get? If they’re smart, they get the benefits. Alyssa Macallan is terrified when she’s dumped by her wealthy and powerful husband. With a devastating divorce looming, she begins to suspect her toxic and manipulative soon-to-be-ex is scheming to ruin her—leaving her alone and penniless. And when the FBI shows up at her door, Alyssa knows she really needs a friend.

And then she gets one. A seductive new friend, one who’s running from a dangerous relationship of her own. Alyssa offers Bree Lorrance the safety of her guest house, and the two become confidantes. Then Bree makes a heart-stoppingly tempting offer. Maybe Alyssa and Bree can solve each others’ problems.

But no one is what they seem. And the fates and fortunes of these two women twist and turn until the shocking truth emerges: You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you deserve.