I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Guest Room’ written by Rona Halsall in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Steph is trying to live independently following the break-up of her marriage to Andy but someone’s getting into her house when she’s at work and even when she’s asleep at night. Andy wants to sell the house and for Steph to give him his share of the proceeds she needs additional money so she invites Noah, a young man who’s fallen on hard times, to stay in her daughter’s Bea’s attic room hoping she’ll feel more secure if there’s another person nearby, and he’ll be company too. But it soon becomes clear that someone’s determined to scare her away, but who?

Whenever I pick up a novel by Rona Halsall I know I’m going to be in for a rollercoaster of a ride and ‘The Guest Room’ is no exception. It’s an action-packed psychological thriller with a scary plot and convincing characters that’s kept me gripped from page one reading late into the night until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. There are major surprises in store, chilling and suspenseful happenings, dramatic twists and turns, and when the conclusion is finally reached it comes as a shock, leaving me open-mouthed with surprise. This is an exciting thriller that’s easy to read and impossible to put down and I can definitely recommend it.

The Guest Book is a domestic psychological thriller about a woman on her own after her husband leaves.

Steph is living alone after husband Andy left having suspected her of having an affair. Her daughter, Bea, is married to a wealthy man. Her son joined the service and has not been heard from since. Steph starts to make small changes but can't agree to sell the home she has lived in when the children were small. Steph returns home and notices cigarette smoke in the house. She checks the house and also notices that one of the beds looks like someone has been in it, and then in the attic window is left open and water has gotten in. Strange things keep happening that are unexplained.

Steph starts to suspect that people are trying to get her out of her home. Working at a homeless shelter she invites Noah to stay at her place until he can sort himself out. Shortly after the house catches on fire.

This story was kind of obvious and not one of my favorites. I could care less about the characters, none were likeable. I was not surprised by the ending but glad it was over.

4.5 stars. I have never read anything by this author before but throughly enjoyed this book and will be looking out for more by her in the future. This book was so full of twists and turns with a few red herrings it certainly kept me guessing. Kept me hooked from start to finish and I would definitely recommend this.

Steph finds herself living alone in the family home after splitting from her husband. She takes in a lodger but when strange and scary things begin to happen, who is to blame?
My first read by this author, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I was thrilled to find that this was a fast paced, exciting and tense thriller. I really liked the style of writing. Told from Steph’s perspective, you are limited to her thoughts, but aware that all is not well, even when she tries to convince herself otherwise.
It feels very sinister in places, there are so many possibilities of who the culprit is you really do get a sense that she is constantly in danger and under threat.
Without giving anything away, I really liked all the different twists and turns. The sudden change in perspective of characters, really amps up the tension and you feel a real impatience in the characters actions for the pieces to fall into place and for them to act.
It was a great read, addressing important issues such as homelessness. A fantastically tense and current read!

I’ve read and enjoyed four previous books by Rona Halsall but this one was very disappointing.

After 30 years of marriage Steph is living alone in the marital home after husband Andy left having suspected her of having an affair. Her children are grown. Son Max left at 18 and hasn’t been heard of since and daughter Bea has married a wealthy man and lives reasonably close. Steph has never really lived alone and is feeling a little out of sorts. Then a series of incidents occur: and open window upstairs which leads to rain coming in and the carpet being ruined, then a brick through the front window and so on.

Steph suspects any number of people of trying to get her out of her home which Andy wants to sell but she digs her heels in. She is enjoying her new found freedom. Steph works at a homeless shelter and meets a young man, Noah who reminds her of her son Max. Long story short, she invites Noah to stay at her place until he can sort himself out. He is ever so grateful. But the hits keep coming. Until the biggie - one night she wakes up smelling smoke and next thing Noah is carrying her out of her blazing house.

I really didn’t enjoy this book. To put it bluntly, it was boring. None of the characters were that well developed, the plot was thin and the culprit was pretty obvious pretty early on. Steph as a character seemed like a bunch of contradictions and also very weak. Actually none of the characters were particularly likeable but my main issue was that it was awfully predictable. Thankfully, it was also a quick read. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

3.5 stars

Steph is living on her own since her husband left her after a long marriage. Her children have moved out as well so she has plenty of time to ponder about her life.
But mor and more strange things happen around her house. Sometimes she even feels like not being on her own.
As she doesn't want to be alone all of the time, she rents out to Noah, a young man. By the way, she also can use the money to keep her house. So all her problems seem to be solved. Or not? Not at all.
I have to confess that I had troubles to connect with Steph. I can not point my finger on it but all in all this is a solid thriller!

Thank #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the ARC

Author, Rona Halsall, tapped into one of my greatest fears with this book. I watch an unhealthy amount of horror and not much truly terrifies me except the thought of a home intrusion. This book sent shivers down my spine.

Steph, was the perfect character in which to explore these themes. Newly independent, a need to prove herself and then, eek! I’m not saying too much as I don’t want to ruin any surprises.

‘The Guest Room’ is a twisty read and I had so many suspicions and fully felt the weight of Steph’s confusion. One character I found captivating was Noah. I enjoyed how his story spilled out and in many respects, this story isn’t a black and white one. Joe or Joanne average is a little more grey and this book explores human imperfections and fragility with skill.

I loved the dedication and the cover is an absolute cracker. If you crave bags of mystery and an immediate sense of danger, then read The Guest Room!

Steph is a newly separated woman on her own for the first time in her life trying to figure out her independence. As the novel continues strange things start to happen at Stephs family home in which her husband wants to sell. She refuses to leave and she believes someone is trying to scare her out. As time goes on she brings in a lodger but could he be the one who is scaring her?

The Guest Room centers around Steph and her family. Steph's husband of 30 years has recently left her and wants to sell the house as part of the divorce agreement. Steph does not want to sell the place she has called home for so many years. She is just starting to adjust to life on her own when strange things start happening in the house. Steph thinks someone has been in her house, but others around her think it's all in her head.
The characters:
Steph: wife and mother of two.
Andy: the husband who left
Bea: the daughter looking out for Steph
Max: the son who left 10 years ago and never returned
Noah: a homeless man Steph met at work

I will say I did guess the twist early on, but that did not stop me from wanting to know how it was all going to play out. I have read another book by this author and enjoyed it. I will read more from her.

Many thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the arc.

After 30 years of marriage and two kids, Steph and Andy split up over a miscommunication. Andy has moved out and Steph is left alone in the big house that she loves. But strange things begin happening - Steph falls and injures her ankle, a window is left open in her attic .... Are these incidents related or just poor timing? If they are related, who could be doing this to her?

Throughout much of the book, I found myself shouting at Steph about the stupid things that she was doing, but was totally blown away by the ending. Quite a good story; however, I wish that more authors would build their stories around strong, smart, capable woman and not rely on the easy route of a woman who needs to be saved. While Steph ending up being a strong lady, she spent too much of the story blustering about not needing anyone and then "forgetting" to check open windows, etc. I was frustrated with her for most of the book.

The Guest Room is a psychological thriller written by Rona Halsall that follows Steph, a middle-aged lady with grown children, who is going through the early stages of divorce and tries to adjust to the unexpected life of being single.

Steph’s home hasn’t seemed like a safe haven since her husband fled after thirty years of marriage. Bea, her daughter, feels her mother is hallucinating. But Steph is aware that the nighttime noises, the open window she forgot to close, and the strange cigarette stench in the kitchen do not feel right.

Steph returns home from work one evening to discover that there has been an evident intrusion. There have been a lot of weird occurrences in the house, including sounds in the upper rooms, the TV turning on unexpectedly, and someone throwing a rock and smashing the glass in the living room. The intention appears to be to frighten Steph, and she is perplexed as to how this is possible. Later, her house is broken into, and a young man called Noah (whom she meets at the shelter) assists her in repairing the damage.

Noah has fallen on hard times and is actually struggling, so Steph lends him her guestroom intuitively. She is hoping that this would make her feel more at peace in her own house.

This thriller was a short read with credible and appealing characters that I thoroughly loved. I liked how Steph was ready to speak up to her husband and others, and how she was shown as a capable working woman. I didn’t see the climax coming! If you enjoy thrillers, realistic protagonists, this is the book for you!

Ever since Steph's husband walked out after a thirty year marriage, home hasn't felt like a safe haven. Her daughter Bea thinks she's imagining things. But Steph knows the noises in the night, the open window she left closed, the strange smell in the kitchen - none of it seems right. Then her house is broken into, and a young man named Noah helps her fix the front window. He's fallen on hard times and Steph impulsively offers him a place to stay. At least if he's there, she won't be home alone.

This is one of those books where I think you're better off going into blind. After Steph's marriage breakup, she takes in a lodger from the homeless shelter where she works. The pace is slow to begin with but it's not long before it picks up. Steph makes some silly choices and my list of suspects kept growing. The characters are well rounded and believable. My only criticism is that I thought the ending was a bit rushed.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #RonaHasall for my ARC of #TheGuesRoom in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The Guest Room!
When Steph’s husband has walked out on her after thirty years of marriage, she is living alone for the first time in her own life. Odd, increasingly scary incidents begin to happen, as Steph wonders who could be behind it all.

Steph and all of the characters were well-written and the plot was excellent. Ms. Hall’s writing is very similar to Sally Hepworth’s, so if you enjoy her writing you will undoubtedly love this.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Steph’s husband has left her and she is trying to get her life back together when strange things start to happen in her home. She is convinced that someone is out to frighten her or to do her harm.
Steph works with homeless people and she takes in a young man as a lodger until he finds a permanent home. Her husband and daughter are extremely unhappy about this and tell Steph that she has to tell him to leave.
Lots of suspects in this story to choose from but I guessed the guilty party quite early on.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a brilliant book, very well written with good characters and I enjoyed every page which certainly kept me on the edge of my seat.

I have nothing negative to say about this book and can thoroughly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this book.

A digital copy of this book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Steph is newly single and fighting with her soon to be ex husband. In order to make some extra money, she decides to take in a renter for her spare bedroom. Events develop to make Steph realize she isn't safe on her own.

I feel like this took a little too long to get into. Setting up the background reveals that Steph's son, Max, left 10 years ago and hasn't been heard from since. She seems too focused on Max but can't seem to figure out a way to find him. The part that bothered me is that the problem between Max and the family isn't addressed as to what the cause was until the end.

I figured out who was behind the problems and pretty much everything that was done. This was predictable fore me, and I usually don't say that.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Guest Room.

Steph has strange things happening in her house. Smells of smoke, body shaped creases in the bedcovers. Her husband has left her, and she needs to make ends meet. So she gets herself a lodger. Then things get even stranger… is her new lodger causing more trouble for her, or is somebody else out to make her pay for her past?

I enjoyed this, it was pretty fast paced, but I had guessed the outcome before the twist came. An enjoyable read and a solid 4 stars.

Steph, recently separated from Andy, is trying to find out how to live on her own. Ever since Andy has walked out of their thirty-year marriage, home hasn’t felt like a safe haven. Her daughter, Bea, thinks she’s imagining things. But Steph knows that the noises in the night, the open windows she knows she left closed, the strange smell in the kitchen – none of it feels right.

Steph realizes she needs to earn more money now that she’s on her own, mainly to keep the house, which Andy is adamant on selling. Suggestions of taking in a lodger, by a friend, gets Steph thinking. The idea, of having someone else in the house, comforts Steph as she’s had a few odd things happen lately at her home, wherein she doesn’t feel safe.

In steps Noah, who reminds her of her estranged son, Max. Noah is homeless, but seems to come from a decent family. Will offering the extra room in the attic to Noah, solve both their problems? Having someone else living in the house would be comforting. So she decides to take the plunge, much to the dismay of both Andy and Bea, who are convinced she has made the wrong decision by taking in a homeless person, whose past they know nothing about. Before long Noah is living in Bea’s old bedroom, paying rent, and getting his life back on track.

However, when the strange things continue and start to escalate, and it becomes clear that there’s someone out there that will stop at nothing to make her ever feel safe again; Steph questions everything and everyone around her. She also wonders if Andy is behind it. Is Steph too close to the situation to see what is happening? Was she wrong in letting Noah into her house and life? Should she have taken up Bea’s offers of living with her and her husband, Mark, instead, till things settled down?

Told in first person, from the point of view of Steph, this was a good read.
The characters are well-etched out. At times, you wish you could drill some sense into Steph. The pace remained slow throughout, but the twist at the ending redeemed the slow pace of the book.

3.5/5 for me (rounded upto 4).

This was a decent read, though I never really connected with the protagonist. The story centers on Steph, whose husband leaves her after a 30 year marriage. Creepy things start happening around the house, so she takes in a lodger to have some company, but MORE creepy things happen and she wonders if she is trusting the wrong people. It was very clear to me from early on who the culprit was, but the story was still fast-paced and I enjoyed how it all played out.

The author did a great job conveying the scariness of the things that were happening and I really felt Steph's fear. However, Steph came off as very naïve and unwilling to stick up for herself and I often felt like I was reading about an elderly person instead of someone in their early 50s. She also makes a decision late in the book that seems so incredibly out of character that I had to go back and read it again to make sure I understood what was happening. I wasn't particularly excited about any of the other characters either, to be honest, but perhaps that was the author's plan in providing some red herrings.

Overall, it was an interesting read but the lack of connection with Steph and the realization of who the "bad guy" was early on didn't make it super memorable for me. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This was a roller coaster of emotions. Crazy highs and creepy lows. A great unraveling of the plot. Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book