I really really want to love this book. I DID love this book. It’s gripping, tense and fresh, and unlike the predictable tale the cover hints at. I didn’t want to put it down. A story of love, loss and betrayal. Family and secrets, a mini-break from hell*.

(I liked the inclusion of lifetime disability of one of the main characters of the book, which is fairly unusual).

For me what let it down is the last 20%. It would have ended much better in my opinion without the protracted ending, and the last little twist at the final page just made me roll my eyes.

But. Ultimately I do recommend this book, and the last section didn’t ruin it, it just meant I’ve not rated it as highly as I really wanted to.

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


*I don’t write a synopsis in my reviews as the publisher does this better than I could!
**It may have possible triggers including infidelity and post natal depression.

The Guest House by Robin Morgan-Bentley depicts a nightmare scenario for pregnant women and new parents. Jamie and Victoria are expecting their first baby, and book a weekend away in a guest house in the remote North Pennines to relax before the baby is born. However, when they arrive, they realise that they can't leave. The couple who run the guest house have imprisoned them there, and, as Victoria goes into labour, threaten to take their baby from them as soon as it arrives in the world. The book jumps between this horrific past and Jamie and Victoria's present-day existence, where they are trying to get on with their lives - without a baby. But what really happened in the guest house, and are there more secrets to unfold?

This was very much a book of two halves for me. The first half felt like a rather typical and unbelievable thriller. I didn't find the situation very credible, and I wasn't especially captivated by the unfolding events at the guest house as I had a sense of what was going to happen. However, when the narrative caught up with itself and became fully focused on the present day, the tension really racketed up and the book became much less predictable. I really liked the developing characterisation of Jamie and Victoria, and although the very final twist, as is usual in thrillers, really wasn't necessary, the twists up to that point worked well. Although this was an uneven read for me, I'd look out for more from Morgan-Bentley. Three and a half stars.

I'll post this review on my blog and Goodreads nearer to the publication date.

In my head now, I will forever think of Morgan Bentley as the man with the killer twist.
The story itself, despite being sinister and strange, but pretty straight forward.
So I was more than pleasantly surprised when it took turns I didn't imagine at all.
Sped through it in two sittings, and now off to recommend it to all my fellow reading friends.
Fab stuff.

A relaxing weekend away before the birth of your baby, what could ruin that?
Perhaps waking up with your contractions starting and finding the house locked up, and your phones,keys and home owners missing.

Tense right?
I loved this book, and even with that opening, by chapter 2 it was already taking me in a different direction that I’d expected, keeping me on my toes and gradually feeding me more and more.

The writing here was really well done and it was clear throughout the book that a lot of research had been made to ensure accuracy of certain things. If this was a movie it would be an ‘edge of your seat’ situation for most of it and I felt tense an uneasy at multiple points.

There was definitely times when I felt some of the supporting cast were a bit superfluous, but I appreciate that world building has a hard balance to get perfect.

I would absolutely recommend adding this to your pre order list right away.

The guest house tells the story of young couple Jamie and Victoria, who find themselves in a terrifying situation, locked in a guest house, in a remote location and in the throws of the super intense labour of their first, highly fought for baby.

I won’t say what happens next as I dont want to spoil it for any readers but OH MY what a story!! I found this story truly unique, making it highly memorable amongst the many thrillers I read. The tension is created beautifully with some writing wizardry!! The plot (much like the midwife) really delivers!

This is a great book! A rare 5 starts from me says it all!!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

The shocks a s twist and turns just kept coming with this book. It was really engaging and really gripping. I throughly enjoyed it and couldn't put it down.

The Guest House

4* for sheer entertainment value!

Jamie and Victoria arrive at a remote guest house in the North Pennines. Victoria is heavily pregnant and yes, of course, the worst happens and she goes into labour. Even worse, it appears they're locked in at the guest house with their phones and car keys gone. Where are Barry and Fiona the owners??? The story is told in alternating points of view, principally by Jamie and Victoria which works well with their stress and pain vividly depicted.

This novel takes a deep dive into the weird and strange almost from the start. You feel the couple's panic and desperation but that's just the tip of a very strange iceberg, if an iceberg can be strange??!! You are brimming with questions from the start as a huge sense of fear overhangs the couple. There are some sections that are very tense and we are also treated to some lively and entertaining scenes. There are some where I'd just love to behave as Victoria did, if I dared!! You tell it how it is Victoria! It makes me smile.

There are some good cliff hangers regularly interspersed throughout and one or two lead to a sharp intake of breathe with revelations that just keep on coming. It does indeed stray into bonkers land but as it's highly entertaining making you read on in amazement, then for me thats a win! Sometimes this is exactly what I'm in the mood for!

Yes, certain characters take what can only be describes as irrational decisions but it certainly makes for delicious reading! There's a good final twist - I like that!
PS Victoria's mother - so glad she's hers and not mine!

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

I enjoyed this book; it follows Jamie and Victoria (and baby Danny/Harrison) and their Ill-fated pre-baby getaway at a remote Cumbrian guest house - what could possibly go wrong?

The book is well written, and had a compelling narrative and is overall engaging - moments earlier on felt too over described and caught up in minute details and it took me a few chapters to get stuck in. Despite this I quickly was hooked on Jamie and Victoria’s story and what exactly did happen at the guest house; some of the characters were truly deplorable. Most plot twists were relatively left field and left me guessing, which is always a good thing with a thriller.

I would highly recommend it to and for fans of general thriller novels; thank you to NetGalley and publisher Orion for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A bit of a slow starter for me but once I had got into the book it kept me involved in the plot, it was a definite page turner and a chilling read with good characters.

I can certainly recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and OrionPublishing for giving me the opportunity.

Underlying Vein Of Menace…
With just a short time to go before the birth of their baby, Jamie and Victoria decide to enjoy a short break in the Pennines. A remote but, seemingly peaceful, guesthouse seems perfection and the couple running it, Barry and Fiona, are welcoming. The next morning, however, things are not quite as serene. A chilling, tense and tautly plotted read with a underlying vein of menace throughout, twist and turns aplenty, and a credibly drawn cast.

I requested this book because I was intrigued by the blurb, but the story took me off in a totally different direction. Tense, very readable with a great double whammy of a twist, this is a page turning read.

From start to finish this book goes at a hares pace and I couldn’t read it fast enough. Really wasn’t expecting it to be such a page turner.
Thank you Netgalley & RM-B for the advanced copy of this book.

A gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Really enjoyed it! Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

I really enjoyed this book, it was gripping right from the start, with good writing, compelling narrative, well developed characters and an immersive storyline. I couldn't put this book, it was tiwsty and unpredictable and i was on the edge of my seat right until the final page.

#TheGuestHouse #NetGalley
Terrific suspense thriller.
Jamie and Victoria are expecting their first baby. With a few weeks to go, they head off for a final weekend break in a remote part of the North Pennines. The small and peaceful guesthouse is the ideal location to unwind together before becoming parents. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Barry and Fiona, the older couple who run the guesthouse. They cook them dinner and show them to their room before retreating to bed themselves. The next morning, Jamie and Victoria wake to find the house deserted. Barry and Fiona are nowhere to be seen
What happened next? Read this mind blowing novel from the author of The Wreckage to find out.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me an advance copy.