Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

I found this novella in the horror section and was initially intrigued by the cover and the blurb.

I’ve never read anything by this author. If I’m being honest after reading this, I’m unlikely to read anything else.
The first couple of chapters were promising and then fell flat. This took me days to read and had a soporific effect on me.

The characters were boring and had no growth whatsoever. The story itself tried far too hard to be surreal and needless to say, failed.
The grammatical errors and typos were so vast, that I’m praying to the book gods it receives another pass from the editor(s).

The ending was wonderful. I wish I foresaw this book for what it was and followed in his stead; but alas…

What happens when love isn't enough to hold a relationship together? When a couple's desires and dreams diverge, can their bond survive the strain? This poignant and unsettling novella explores the fragile state of a relationship, as an eccentric B&B proprietor senses their vulnerabilities and begins to exert a mysterious influence. Her true nature is ambiguous, leaving the reader wondering if she's a mere busybody, a witch, or something far more sinister. To avoid spoilers, it's best to dive in blind. This heartfelt and spooky tale will leave you questioning everything, with an ending that will haunt you long after you finish reading. 4.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC

This one was just okay. I loved the beginning and thought it had a lot of potential but sadly fell flat as the story went on.

I was initially intrigued by the cover art and premise, haven't read anything by this author before. The first few pages were promising but I just couldn't finish the story (I tried to move forward for three days).

I felt like this could have been a strong short story. The novella length here feels padded, the dialogue is very flat, and I couldn't relate to any of the characters. This could have used another pass from content/copy editors.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, for the opportunity to review this title.

Great read. Couldn't put it down. Thank you for letting me read this.advance reader copy. Five stars.

Ooof, I keep finding myself reading these books about horrible tragic things happening to new mothers and babies while I’m nine months pregnant. Hopefully that’s just a coincidence.

Emma and Nolan, a grieving couple, return to the romantic bed and breakfast that kicked off their conception journey in hopes of rekindling some romance and sanity. Upon arriving, they are met with an unfriendly owner and an instance that the B&B is closed… but quickly changes her mind after discovering they are returning customers.

Leah, the B&B owner, is peculiar indeed and rather imposing on Emma and Nolan’s privacy, especially after learning of their loss. It doesn’t take Nolan long to realize that Leah intends on keeping them their longer than originally planned and has picked up on her means of ostracizing him from his wife and her best interests — luring Emma into the idea of resurrecting their long and gone daughter… oof.

This one was slow at first but wickedly horrific by the end. I am so thankful to A.M. Kherbash and Netgalley for the early access before pub day (August 1, 2025

~thanks to the author and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read and review this book~

Super creepy. Not what I was expecting this book to turn out to be but I really enjoyed it. When you’re reading it at midnight, it’s definitely spooky. I loved the ending

This was a really heartfelt story about a couple trying to erase the last years of their lives to become happy again. The main chapters are likeable and you do hope for a happy ending until certain things are uncovered. I really enjoyed this read. It was different but good. Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this

A struggling couple returns to a Bed and Breakfast that they had visited in happier times.

There were a few weird and eerie moments in this story, but I had a bit of a hard time following the thread of the plot, it was at times surreal and dreamy.

There are themes of psychological horror, complex grief, unreliable narratives, and fungal weirdness.

Thank you to NetGalley, & the author for a copy.

After a memorable weekend at a charming bed and breakfast, Nolan returns a year later with his wife, Emma, hoping to rekindle their happiness and escape the grief that has settled over their marriage. What follows is a psychological exploration of love, loss, and the desperate lengths one might go to in order to hold on.

While Bed and Breakfast is categorized as horror, it leans more toward psychological suspense with unsettling, eerie moments rather than outright terror. The new owners of the bed and breakfast add an unsettling presence to the story, making for a creeping sense of unease. However, if you're expecting intense, visceral horror, this novella may leave you wanting more.

The pacing is quick, making it an easy read—I finished it in about an hour and a half. The themes of grief, obsession, and the inability to let go are handled well, and the contrast between Nolan and Emma’s past happiness and their current reality adds emotional weight to the narrative. While I was drawn in by the creepy cover and intrigued by the premise, I found myself wishing the story had delved deeper into its horror elements, especially when it came to the fungal horror aspect, which felt underutilized.

If you enjoy psychological horror with an emphasis on emotional depth rather than outright scares, Bed and Breakfast is worth picking up. It’s a tense, atmospheric read that lingers in your mind—but much like the abrupt ending, it may leave you wanting just a little more.

I enjoyed this book. It was dry at first and I thought I wasn’t going to get into it, but it surprised me and I was reading so fast to find out what happens. The end was not my favorite which is why I give it 4 stars. I recommend this book if you enjoy very suspenseful suspense.

So I really loved the idea of this story based on the premise but it was almost complete nonsense. I couldn't tell you exactly what I read because I was so confused and kept waiting for something to happen.

Disappointed by this as I feel that the story had potential. The first half I was into it and it was super creepy. The second half very quickly became a big muddle and I had no idea what was going on and it completely lost me.

2 stars because I did enjoy the first half but sadly this wasn’t for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I requested Bed & Breakfast for two reasons:
One - I run one - so I’m always curious to read representations on B&Bs.
Two - it promised a novella story - and I was in the mood for a fast read.

So:
One - It was set in a kind of B&B, albeit a closed one full of plants and weird dolls. If that’s your thing.
Two -It wasn’t a novella. There was nothing short about this story, and it wasn’t just because I couldn’t get into it.

It had initial promise, but just became really weird and confusing very quickly.
Ultimately as a result I lost any love I had for it, and really didn’t care what happened.
The ending was fitting for the rest of it - a flop.

Not the worst book I’ve ever read, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
All in all a damp squib of a book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the idea of this story. It felt like we were also part of Nolan's fever dream. It has an unsettling vibe throughout. I wish I could say I enjoyed it more than I did. In my opinion, it lacked in enough action or answers to what exactly was going on. I think I was as confused as Nolan, but maybe I missed something!

This book started off so well and then just nose dived into something confusing and nonsensical.
This just wasn't for me at all and could have used another round of editing as there are a lot of errors.

Kherbash has created a delightfully creepy gothic, fungal, grief, vacation horror novella.

Nolan surprises Emma with a weekend away at the bed and breakfast they visited before they became pregnant. Emma is severely depressed after a late term miscarriage and Nolan just wants to@go back to the way they used to be. They are (not!) dealing with their grief in completely opposite ways.

But the bed and breakfast is under new ownership, and Leah, the innkeeper has dark motives.

I love that Kherbash has Nolan begin to lose his way, question his perceptions, have nightmares, faint dead away, hide under a desk, not speak up. It is refreshing since this is usually how the female MC crumbles in a gothic story.

Nolan’s narration becomes loose and confused and it is tense and claustrophobic and very disconcerting.

Leah is a deeply creepy character, very well written, and her true self is never really clear which makes her even more scary.

The ending is abrupt. And I have mixed feelings. It was shocking, WHICH I LOVE. BUT I think I just needed a couple of more paragraphs.

Isn’t that a great way to finish reading a novella, though? When the reader says, I WANT MORE!

Are you sure this wasn't written in the 90s? I got a hit of nostalgia reading this, plus the fact the main characters are a couple in their thirties but dealing with adult stuff while most thiry-year-olds I know still behave like they're fresh out of high school. What happened to adulthood? Anyhow, loved the book. It was a quick read but I loved the writing so much I might see what else the author wrote and pick that up.

I love Rosemary's Baby and The Yellow Paper, so naturally I ate this up. Some typos, but I was told this happens with early ARCs so I didn't mind. The ending caught me off-guard. I know some people will hate it, but I loved it. Poor Nolan!

This is a peculiar psychological thriller in which I had absolutely no idea what was going on and was confused the entire book. In fact, I still am not sure what I’ve just read, I feel quite indifferent to this novella - throughout the book I found myself wondering what was going on. The whole book was creepy and a little odd, I guess that was the point! I’d have liked to give a 3 star but I thought the ending fell short.