Thrillers are usually a hit or miss for me anyway. The book started off really slowly for me, but the pace *did* start to pick up during the middle. Immediately figured out the red herring characters, and didn't fully agree with some of the stuff Steph did, but apart from all that it was a pretty ok read overall.

I received this arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I imersed myself in this book and raced through it in no time.

We meet Steph who has seperated from her husband and who is now fighting to keep the house she loves, it appears that someone is trying to spook her to make her sell. As the story goes on we meet different characters who could have a motive but the real culprit is one that Steph would never have suspected.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Bookouture and #NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Wow. What a wonderful read.

Thank you for an advanced copy of this book!
Interesting story line, struggled at first with the main characters personality as I found her a bit wet and slightly annoying. She grew on me more as the book went on.
Interesting plot twist that I didn’t see coming. Overall a good interesting read.
Would like to read more from this author.

Oooh I loved this book, couldn’t wait to find time in my day to read it. What is going on with Steph? Who is trying to get her out of her home? I did feel at times that Steph was being to stubborn and wanted to slap her but at the same time I wanted to find out what was going on. I’ll definitely read more by Rona Halsall. I also want to thank her & Net Galley for letting me read this before publication. Believe me I don’t give good reviews just because I’ve been given an advanced copy.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

After 30 years of comfort and routine, Steph has lost everything in her life and has to start from scratch — with no job and no husband anymore, she begins to question everything again. And it doesn’t help that now she’s alone in her house, there are strange noises and things that go bump in the night…

I love a good thriller, and I’ve been so obsessed with them lately. So I’m super pleased to find another one that I really enjoyed! I honestly couldn’t put this book down and read chapter after chapter, telling myself, “Just one more. One more.”

And the plot twist? JEEZ. Amazing! This was my first Rona Halsall book, but it definitely won’t be my last.

The Guest Room by Rona Halsall

“After you read The Guest Room by Halsall, you might be scared to be home alone! A domestic thriller that checks all of the boxes. Cozy up and clear your calendar for this one!”-Books and Pens on Green Gables

About The Guest Room by Rona Halsall-Steph is trying to find out how to live on her own. She had gone from her parent’s home to where she lives, until recently, with her husband. But, after thirty years of marriage, Andy left her and wants a divorce. She’s still shocked and can’t understand why Andy wouldn’t believe her that she was not involved with her boss. Steph and Andy are both angry and are not communicating well. They had gotten through hard things in their marriage before, like long-term behavior issues with their son Max. And how he terrorized his younger sister, Bea. And, they survived Max leaving ten years ago and not knowing where he was.

Steph realizes she needs to earn more money now that she’s on her own, mainly to keep the house. A friend suggests a renter since she lives alone and has lots of space. This idea comforts Steph as she’s had a few odd things happen lately at her home. Having someone else there would be comforting. When the strange things continue and start to escalate, Steph wonders if Andy is behind it. But he points fingers at someone else. Is Steph too close to the situation to see what is happening?

The Guest Room is a great book! I read it in one enjoyable day! Highly recommended! I’ll look for more by Rona Halsall! I was given this book as an early release to read and review. Thank you!

After her breakup of her marriage and her children all grown up and flown the nest. Steph lives on her own in the family home. At first, she enjoyed the freedom doing things that she enjoyed. She also started a new job at a Homeless shelter helping others. Which reminds her, of her son Max that left home ten years ago and never been seen again.
When she returns home one day to sense that someone has been in the home. The house smells of cigarettes and others sinister things start to happen. She reports it to the Police but there is not much they can do. Even her daughter Bea offers her to come and stay at her home while her husband Mark is away on business. But Steph wants to stay in her own home, and she has to much work at the homeless shelter to even consider it.
While she is working at a Homeless shelter, she meets Noah and young lad a student that has fallen on hard times. The accommodation that usually offers at the shelter is full, so she decides to offer Noah to stay at her home. After all she has loads of room and he reminds her of Max. But when he moves in. More weird things start to happen. Even a lot of strangers turn up at the door and all the things going wrong, seem to be pointed at Noah. Could it be him?
Thanks once again, Bookouture for a copy of The Guest Room I have read most of Rona’s books and they never seem to disappoint. This one was a bit slow to start with became a compelling read which I really enjoyed and once again and ending I didn’t see coming. 4 stars from me.

This was an okay read for me.
I found the plot initially very intriguing and really liked the first few chapters, but I felt like the plot got steadily weaker afterward. The storyline was pretty predictable, there weren't really any twists that surprised me and I think some of those could have been more fleshed out and developed.
Steph was an okay character, but she was sometimes too naive and kind and some of the things she honestly could have seen coming, which didn't really add anything to the suspense. I also wasn't a great fan of the writing style, but that's just my personal preference.
The ending was okay again, I wish there had been some more action and suspense but it was a decent wrap up to the story.

3.5 rounded up

Steph reflects on her grown-up children Bea and her son Max who she hasn’t seen for ten years and on her life with ex-husband Andy with whom she is now engaged in a fight to stay in the house that has been her sanctuary for the last thirty years. One evening she returns home from her work at a homeless shelter to find there are clear signs that there has been an intruder. Later, her house is broken into and a young man named Noah helps her to fix the damage. Noah has fallen on hard times and he’s really struggling and Steph impulsively offers him her guestroom. She hopes this will make her feel more secure in her much loved home but will it?

Initially the style of writing seems a bit ploddy but then something clicks into place, the writing become smoother the storyline starts to flow and I connect with it. I very much like the focus on the real plight of the homeless and Noah’s storyline is a very good one to follow. Steph is a very nice woman, she is extremely kind, she’s probably somewhat naive but that’s not necessary a criticism to see the best in people. Her husband Andy is very easy to dislike but examining their broken relationship and understanding more of their complex family dynamics is very interesting and immersive reading. The storyline in places is a bit predictable but that’s not to say I don’t enjoy it as it’s easy to read and I do race through it to get to the truth. The person behind Steph’s issues is not too difficult to figure out but seeing her suspicions flitting from one person to the next until she works it all out is entertaining.

Overall, it’s a novel that contains good twists and turns with constantly changing scenarios and with a good social focus.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bookouture for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Steph works with homeless people and has recently split up with her husband. Her son Max left to join the army and she hadn't seen him for 10 years, her daughter Bea absolutely dotes on her. But untoward things start happening in her home. She meets Noah who is homeless and reminds her of her son Max and offers him lodgings. But his behavstarts to become slightly suspicious and he isn't all he seems to be. Could he be the one behind it all? Eventually she's burned out of her home.
This book had me guessing the whole way through. I kept wanting to read more until I got to the twist. And what a twist it was!

I have read a couple of books of Rona Halsall before, and this book follows a similar style. Overall, it holds the suspense quite well and is fast moving, though there are a few plot limitations.

Steph’s life is at a crossroads, with her husband of 30 years Andy walking out of their marriage. Her son had left home nearly 10 years back and there has been no word from him since long. Her daughter is married to a wealthy man, and is her source of support. Steph is keen to continue in her home which has many memories for her, but it will be difficult as the divorce settlement terms are being discussed. There are a number of strange happenings in the house – noises in the top areas, the TV turning on suddenly, someone throwing a rock breaking the glass in the living room, and paint in the bathroom on the upper level. The motive seems to be to unnerve Steph, and she is puzzled on why & how this could be happening. While she makes calls to the police, she decides to take in a lodger so that she is not alone and this will also help her financially. The incidents continue after the lodger moves in too though.

The suspense holds quite well till about 75% of the book. The pace and build-up are good and is to the credit of the book. The plot is far fetched in many aspects around the characters’ behaviours though.

A good book to relax with.

My rating: 3.75 / 5.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Rona Halsall knows how to write a book that will grab you from page 1 and keep you engrossed until the very end. I LOVED all the twists and turns and thought I knew exactly how this was going to end but boy was I wrong! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this and review it ahead of publication.

The Guest Room
by Rona Halsall

O.M.G. This book blew my socks off. It was just brilliant! I love a book that slaps you into shock in the end. This was one I will remember. Not at all the usual same old same. I give Rona Halsall 10 stars.

Steph's husband Andy had recently walked out after over thirty years of marriage leaving her free to finally make her own decisions about her life. Steph worked for a charity who assisted the homeless and displaced make the first step on the ladder towards a life back in society. It was whilst she was at work that she was first introduced to a young homeless man called Noah, someone who bore a striking resemblance to Steph's beloved son Max. Steph was one of life's people pleasers, someone who, like me, is always willing to go out of their way to help others are much as they can. And as the story unfolded it gradually became apparent that there was people in her life,from Andy,their daughter Bea and Steph's friend at the charity Cara who appeared to be happy to manipulate her to their own advantage. Steph had always felt safe and secure in her home but lately she had been experiencing the unsettling feeling that someone was getting into her house whilst she was at work. She detected odours lingering in the air, her bedroom window would be open when she was certain that she had closed it before she had left the house. She was scared and decided, much to the horror of Andy and Bea that she would offer Noah the use of her guest room, Steph saw it as the solution to both of their problems, company for her and a place that Noah could call home even if it was only a temporary arrangement. But could she really trust Noah or had she voluntarily and unknowingly let her enemy move into her home? Who was behind the campaign against her and what where the shocking and relatable reasons behind their actions? What had happened to Max and why had he suddenly cut of all contact with his devoted mother?

There was times as her story unfolded that Steph took the reader back into the past and gave us a insight into the dynamics within the household. It was a story of more than one form of bullying but as with all of this talented author's cleverly written thrillers not everything is as it appears to be. You might believe you know the true story but you should be prepared to be proved woefully wrong.

OMG, You always know that you are starting on one hell of a emotional roller coaster ride whenever you start reading one of Rona Halsall's incredible thrillers and The Guest Room is no exception. I honestly think that she had excelled her own very high standards of writing with this latest addictive read that once I started,I couldn't put down and simply had to read in one sitting. There was a number of suspects who could have been Steph's antagonist and once the truth was finally revealed it was both shocking and relatable to many people who have experienced the same situation and feelings. I loved this fast paced, captivating thriller and would happily give it more than five stars if I could. Very very highly recommended and definitely one of my favourite reads of this year.

#TheGuestRoom #NetGalley
An ok read.
I'm a fan of this author that's why I picked up this book but this was predictable and went along with my inner thoughts. Here's a little about the story.
Steph is a kind woman who's dealing with the problems of her life, her children, Max and Bea are grown up and went and she's dealing with divorce from her husband, Andy. Strange things start to happen with her. A window she was sure she closed is open, signs of an intruder. Taking someone's advice, she rented her room to Noah, a person who's looking for a place to live. She thought she was doing a great thing until those strange things started to happen again. Who's doing all this? Is it Noah or someone else? Why are they doing this and what do they want from her? Read this book to find out.
It was predictable. It's not like her other books which were unpredictable. But ya the final twist was new to me but honestly I wasn't surprised. On the contrary, I was thinking what I was reading.
What I Like? :-
1 The premise, which is intriguing.
2 Characters of Steph and Noah which are good.
3 Narration, which is simple.
What I Don't Like?:-
1 Sometimes I felt like I don't want to know what's going on in the life of Steph. She was too kind. Didn't she?
2 Some chapters were so-so.
Overall, it's a one time read and anyone can read it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advanced copy of this psychological thriller

Rona Halsall really is the master of gripping thrillers. This was a riveting read. Steph’s marriage has fallen apart after thirty years and she is struggling to keep it together. When strange things start happening at home where she now lives alone, Steph wonders if someone is trying to drive her out of her home. Her daughter, Bea, thinks she is imagining things but the situation escalates and soon kind-hearted, trusting Steph doesn’t feel safe in her own home and starts doubting everyone around her, from her soon to be ex-husband, the colleagues in the homeless shelter she works for, to the lodger, Noah from the homeless shelter, who she has just taken in. A fast-paced gripping story with credible characters and lots of twists and turns. It held me right until the end.

“The Guest Room” written by Rona Halsall is an enjoyable, fast paced thriller. Steph’s marriage comes to a sudden end after 30 years and she finds herself living alone. She begins hearing things, break-ins occur, and other suspicious events happen. Steph feels very unsafe and starts suspecting those around her, even the ones closest to her. I will admit, I had the suspect figured out pretty early on, but there were still so many layers to work through! Many surprises and twists! Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC!

Steph now lives alone after splitting with her husband and is glad to have some independence, but when things start happening round the house like noises, open windows and strange smells, she suspects that someone is coming into her house. When she meets a young homeless man through her work, she impulsively decides to let him stay with her, hoping that she will feel safe again with someone else in the house. Steph's ex-husband and daughter Bea aren't pleased with her new lodger, but she is happy just to feel more secure. But then strange things start happening again... will Steph ever feel safe again or could she be in danger...?

Another brilliant thriller from Rona Halsall. The plot is exciting and tense and we are kept guessing who is entering Steph's house until the shocking ending. With great twists and turns and an interesting set of characters (and suspects!), this is a fantastic book that you should definitely read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

Strange things are occurring around Steph’s house. Her husband has walked out on her after 30 years of marriage, and her kids have grown and left home. Now alone for the first time, Steph can’t help but feel like an intruder is messing with her, even spending time in her house. Separate and curious incidents soon blend into a frightening pattern. Steph takes a closer look at those in her life who may wish her harm. She was recently pushed down an escalator and broke her ankle.

Desperate for company, and to save her beloved house from her impending divorce, Steph invites a homeless man to lodge with her. A risky and possibly stupid move considering the “incidents” only seem to increase after Noah moves in. Someone is determined to push Steph out of her house. Will she be able to stop the intruder before it’s too late?

The Guest Room is a proper thriller with Halsall pointing the accusatory finger to those closest to Steph. But who would want to harm such a kind-hearted woman? The guilty party will send chills up your spine. Get ready for is real treat.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.