After both Ella and her mother endured years of father-inflicted emotional trauma, she receives the news of her father’s death and that she has inherited the family home. Whilst dredging up her sordid past by returning to a home riddled with sordid memories is the last thing she wants to do, financial constraints and vengeful motives prompt her to move back in with her new partner, Dan in tow in the hopes she can finally rid herself of the demons of her past.

But, of course, nothing was going to be that simple, and no sooner has the couple arrived at the house than strange, inexplicable things start happening, triggering strange reactions from Ella. Convinced there’s no such thing as ghosts, everything indicates that Dan must be behind these strange developments that are putting both Ella’s mental and physical health in jeopardy. But Dan refutes all of Ella’s accusations and swears blind that he only has Ella’s best interests at heart.

It would be remiss of me to reveal any more of the plot, as J.E. Rowney’s novel is a short and snappy affair, diving headlong into the developments at the family home and how everything that happened years earlier could very well be influencing how Ella is interpreting whatever is going on now that she’s back home. Add to this the fact that the place might actually be haunted, and a lead character who brings the protagonists of Sayaka Murata’s “Convenience Store Worker” and Ottessa Moshfegh’s “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” to mind, and you can get a fairly good idea of the kind of narrative to expect.

That being said, while the idea of a Moshfegh or Murata-style novel set in a haunted house novel might sound like a winning combination, it really could have been, but this reader felt that the characters’ backstories – especially when it came to Ella and whatever she endured as a child – could have been fleshed out so much more. As a result of the scant amount of backstory that Rowney is willing to disclose, everything sone becomes routinely predictable in terms of how we expect Ella to react each time something weird happens and it would have been far more compelling if Rowney had given us more insight into Ella’s childhood experiences and how they might have shaped her instinctual reactions in the present day. Nevertheless, Rowney has a keen eye when it comes to expressing her characters’ feelings on the page and we really do get pulled into Ella’s skin, and it is precisely for this reason that characters written by the likes of Murata and Moshfegh came to mind on numerous occasions throughout the novel.

In a similar fashion, it’s clear that Rowney wanted to address themes of gaslighting and its toxic effects on victims and the victim’s social circle but once again, it was something that was only really fleetingly covered. I would have loved to have seen Rowney provide much more of a meditation on the terrifying effects of gaslighting as it would have made for a much more poignant and engaging narrative and forged far more character empathy.

In spite of the complaints I had with the scarce background details and somewhat predictable plot devices, the final twist in the tale came as a complete surprise. And although it wasn’t the most inventive twist, it did serve to draw the story to a satisfying conclusion, bringing home the fact there is a light at the end of the tunnel for anyone who has endured gaslighting or similar psychological abuse that have left them feeling hopeless and unloved. It is possible to enjoy the little things in life once again, with the right help and the right people around you.

Gaslight gripped me from the start. Instinctively I wanted to know what had happened to Ella in the past that made her so reluctant to return to BitterSweet.

I really liked the narration style of the writing, as though Ella herself were sitting with me at points telling me her story.

It was a very gripping story and I found myself wanting to know exactly what was going on and suspecting the worse.

1.75/5 stars! So this book had one of the most unlikable main characters I have ever met. I liked the premise and the title is such a great dig at psychological manipulation, that I had high hopes for the book. The story is not long and it managed to rush and also drag. I would try another book by this author, but this book was a miss.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I had a hard time rating this book but decided on 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. The book is very short, probably around 200 pages although I couldn't find it set out anywhere. The story isn't bad but I feel like it could've either been expanded upon or a lot of the repetition taken out to make the plot tighter and tenser, because there were definitely some tense moments, and then promoted as a novella or novelette. I didn't see the twist coming so I was pleasantly surprised, but then the ending fell a bit flat in my opinion and I wasn't really happy with how it was left. Judging by all the 4 and 5 star reviews lots of people loved the book but I think anyone who reads a lot of psychological suspense will find it lacking. I'll still be watching for whatever J.E. Rowney writes in the future because hopefully she has another "Other People's Lives" in her!

My thanks to BooksGoSocial via Netgalley for the opporrunity to read an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: January 27, 2023

This book was good! It started a little slow, but did have a twist at the end. The twist left you on a cliffhanger wondering where the notes could be coming from.

This was a very quick and exciting little read. Finished in a little over an hour. I liked the premise and theme: Ella, traumatised by an abusive childhood relives those memories when she receives information that her father had passed. Without any other known living relatives, she inherits her the family's home in the country, "Bittersweet". Ella blames her father for the death of her mother; memories of their large isolated home with barred windows come flooding back. After living a "non-committal" life working as a temp in agencies and never seeking out serious relationships, she finds herself in a "situationship" with Dan, with whom she enjoys a casual companionship eating delivery pizzas and watching shows in her small, but expensive city apartment. When she tells Dan the news, he pushes for them to move in together to the house. They would save money by not having to pay rent, and he would contribute by helping with all the needed repairs and renovations. Ella reluctantly agrees and they move into Bittersweet. She immediately regrets this move once strange noises and strange occurrences start happening around the house. Knowing with the bars on the windows and the extremely secure locks on the doors, she can only point the finger at Dan. But Dan of course denies all of this. Is Ella going mad? Is it the house? Or is it Dan....

I enjoyed this quick read and feel like it could have been even further developed. I particularly liked the unexpected ending. 3.5 stars that I will round up to 4 as I really enjoyed the uncertain atmosphere throughout. Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this read in exchange for my honest review.

"Gaslight" J.E. Rowney is a psychological thriller. It is mostly written in the first person. Our heroine talks about her life. We can read what she thinks and feels at any moment. There's not much dialogue, but that didn't bother me. Our heroine is Ella. When she was 18, she ran away from home. She hoped never to go back there. A few years later, she made a life for herself. She works, lives and has a boyfriend, Dan. She gets sad news. Her father died and she inherited the house from him. What should she do now? At that point, I wondered why she ran away from home. What happened? I wasn't happy when I found out the truth. At the insistence of her boyfriend, she accepted this house. What she finds there is pure madness. She didn't know if she could trust herself. I was worried about her. The author did a great job of capturing our emotions. The ending is a real bomb. This is what I didn't expect. I created my ending to this story in my head. A plus for the author. The whole story is a real gem. If you like psychological thrillers, you can't miss "Gas Light". At times I was terrified, just like the main character. I liked her. Congratulations to the author of this work.

I recommend this unique book, mommy_and_books.

Ps.
I recommend reading it at night. You will get interesting effects and even greater emotions.

What happened at Bittersweet Acres?

My rating 10/10

Full Disclosure: I could not finish this book. However, it was not due to the writing or the pacing or the story in general.

I got about a third of the way into the book before I had to put it down, because it just triggered me in the worst way. It lives up to its title. If you, like me, have had experience in a toxic relationship this might be hard for you to read as well. The more I kept reading, the more I had flashbacks to my own real life experiences. I could not handle it. I’m now very happily married and do not have to go through self doubt and thinking I’m crazy like past relationships. I just couldn’t stop my mind from going back there while reading this story.

That being said…

He says he’s trying to protect her.

Ella left home and didn’t look back. She knew the day would come that she would hear of her father’s passing, but it still hits her hard. Not his death. Her inheritance. Bittersweet Acres, her childhood home, is passed down to her.

She’s ready to sell with no interest in going back. Dan, her boyfriend of not-long-enough-to-have-opinions-on-this-sort-of-thing, convinces her to keep it. Not just keep but move in…with him.

Pad, pad, pad.

He says its nothing.

I’m mad. THAT ending?!!

The story follows Ella and Dan. Ella’s father has just passed away leaving her to move back into her childhood home (where abuse and trauma took place). Ella then starts hearing noises late at night and finding strange notes.

My thoughts: for the most part this wasn’t a bad book. I live horror and thrillers so following a main character who finds herself hearing footsteps at night and finding creepy notes left for her appealed to me. The author portrayed gaslighting almost perfectly with Dan making Ella think she is crazy. It made me feel confused at what was really happening! Do we trust Dan and is Ella really struggling with her mental health and it’s all in her head as she’s being led to believe, or is Ella a trustworthy narrator and there’s something more going on?

This book would have been maybe a 3.5/4 starts for me but I’m angry. Dan and Ella have been together about 6 months and she let him push her back into returning to a home where herself and her mum suffered years of physical and mental abuse and trauma. Get rid of him! The ending was just no. This could have been so much more, Rowney could have done anything and THAT was the ending. There were a few plot holes and questions left answered that meant things didn’t add up or make sense in the end.

I want to try more from this author as I’ve been hearing good things about other books but this wasn’t for me and I’m disappointed as I wanted to love it.

I’ve read a few of J E Rowney’s books and enjoyed them so glad to have been accepted to read and review Gas light.

It was a super easy, fast paced read. I read in two sittings. The language is really easy to follow and it’s a nice quick book.

It kept my attention, kept me hooked, had a nice thriller element to it and played on my emotions. I was definitely routing for El and I certainly formed a dislike for Dan. And even after the ending, I’m still suspicious.

Overall a thrilling, light read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A great quick read, I just didn't really like the characters. Dan was obviously using Ella, was kind of weaselly, and didn't seem to truly care about Ella at all. And Ella was a huge pushover! A lot of the backstory was never explained, and a lot of things just weren't realistic. I did love how much Ella loved and missed her mother though, you could tell that even after 10 years she was still grieving. :'(

My Rating Style: 2⭐️⭐️ unfortunately it didn’t rock my world and was lacklustre!! 😔

Who can you trust when you feel like you can’t trust yourself?

The last thing Ella wants to do is return to her childhood home, even after hearing of her estranged father’s death. She doesn’t need to be reminded of her childhood trauma and all the things shes been burying since she left Bittersweet Acres.

However, that is exactly what she does, motivated by revenge and determination and coercion from her partner Dan, Ella finds herself on the doorstep of Bittersweet Acres and it is anything but Bittersweet.

Strange things begin to happen to Ella and she becomes afraid for her mind… or her life!!!

I wanted to love this - I loved Other People’s Lives, so much and J.E. Rowney is super nice so I am really disappointed to be giving this one low stars. I am only reviewing the book though and not the author - personally I think the author is lovely.

Well as my two stars suggests I wasn’t able to get into this one properly. I found the premise intriguing but the execution was flat. Personally… if I am honest and I always am… I hated Ella. I thought she was a complete idiot and extremely childish.

I get it she suffered childhood trauma, but come on returning to the scene of the crime?? Really!!! I think that Ella herself throughout the book tells the reader how preposterous and stupid her actions are along the way HOWEVER that doesn’t make them ok. It doesn’t make it better if you are aware of your stupidity - it quite literally just makes you more of an idiot and I had very little sympathy for her.

I don’t want to go into any spoilers because I think there will be people that will love this one… I unfortunately wasn’t one of those people but it definitely was promising. I think that it was a bit clumsy and there were a few plot holes that just didn’t add up for me. This is one of those times where I think less definitely wasn’t more. The page count I believe was under 200 and I usually love that a nice short sharp, quick paced novel to sink my teeth into. I think that the short page count did this one a disservice.

The reader isn’t able to get to know anyone properly, we aren’t able to explore the backstory of anyone in any depth and I was just left wondering all the time. It felt rushed and like I said clumsy. What did unfortunately happen though was the story was really repetitive which is one of my least favourite ways for a MC to get their point across. There was suspense but it was glossed over and there was a little action but it fell flat.

Without going in to spoilers there isn’t much more I can say, I will come back to this author again because after Other People’s Lives I think there is something waiting to burst out and be amazing… just a swing and a miss for me this time.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial, NetGalley and J.E. Rowney for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick read, the story itself was ok.. in my opinion nothing much happened. I thought it would be full of suspense with twists and turns but I was rather disappointed with the outcome. I’ll still be keeping my eye out for more by this author as I enjoyed previous books.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

This book was too short! It is a really compelling story which leaves you wondering who to believe but, most of all, it leaves you wanting to know more. There is a lot to the main character and I could happily have read more about her. Perhaps there is more to come from this talented author?

Not for me I'm afraid. Why would she move in with someone she hardly knew.. Ending was weird, God job it was short. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

Wow! this was a good book. I was on the fence about whether or not to read it. The last book I read by J.E. sounded good but fell flat for me. This was great! It was shorter which i think is good when you want to hold the reader's attention. Good suspense! Although I didn't think the ending would be quite what it was it kept me guessing!

According to other reviewers I seem to be in the minority with regards to Gaslight, which is a shame as I’ve enjoyed other books by J. E. Rowney , Gaslight is definitely not a jolly read and there are a few moments which piqued my interest but on the whole I found the storyline plodded along and I didn’t find any of the characters that likeable and unfortunately the ending seemed like a cop out to me. So sadly not one of my favourites.

I'm not sure what I make of this one. It's a fast read (finished in under 2 hours) and definitely read like a thriller. I was racing through pages, my mind spinning, watching our main character completely spiral downward. Gaslighting is a truly a toxic behavior. I constantly ping-ponged between believing she was being played to believing she was going crazy (is it okay to say that these days??) The things I didn't like were the constant foreshadowing every few chapters announcing things like...this was the beginning of the end; or I wish I would have seen it coming; or I never knew how bad it was going to get. To me that's unnecessary and is akin to your friend who is watching a movie with you they've already seen and keeps saying "watch this next part". Like, I'm here, I'm planning on watching it...geesh! I also thought what it turned out to be in the end was a bit of a let down after all the tense build up. All in all though, it did what a thriller is supposed to do and kept me tensely flipping through pages.

Great book that I stayed up late to finish. Ella is a young woman with a troubled past. Her new boyfriend Dan knows about it and is ok with it. When her dad suddenly dies and she is left the house that she grew up in she has misgivings about moving in it. Having money issues with rent she has no choice so they move in together.
When she hears things during the night and messages are left for her to find she soon regrets it.
Very enjoyable book to read.

Gaslight
Who can you trust when you can't trust yourself?
by J.E. Rowney
Bittersweet Acres, well the book just seemed to end so oddly. It was a fast read but seems to make no real sense to draw me in. The ending just was that? No gaslighting, and the reason.Sorry, for me it was a 3.