When Cath meets Robin she is impressed with his gentlemanly behaviour, his passion and his adoration of her. She cannot believe her luck because he is handsome, wealthy and has told her he will dedicate himself to look after her and make her happy. Cath has her own business and also lives in a beautiful, luxurious house. Robin moves in and Cath is blissed out. But when Sandy, Cath’s son arrives home telling her that his wife has cheated on him, Cath of course tells him he is welcome to stay. The only problem with that is that Robin and Sandy don’t get on well. When Robin proposes to Cath she is delighted, but Sandy is more practical and begs his mother to wait. After all, they are living together, why rush into marriage?
Dolly, Cath’s mother, helps out as much as she can. She cleans Cath’s house, but one day she feels unwell and a passer-by stops to help her. Rebecca and Dolly get on really well and Cath is pleased to delegate some small jobs to help Dolly and take care of her. She also realises that her mum cannot manage to clean for her, and Rebecca happily steps in. To be honest Rebecca is a godsend, helping out both Dolly and Cath. Dolly’s husband Graham is a waste of space and they have lost their home. He now lives with his mother again right by the seaside while Rebecca lives in her sister’s house with their two young children. However Debbie, Rebecca’s sister is heavily pregnant, so this is only a temporary arrangement. Soon Rebecca is homeless again and Sandy persuades Cath to let Rebecca and her children to move into the garden by the pool in an outhouse. It scrubs out well. Problem solved.
Nobody likes Robin except Cath of course. They are suspicious that he wants to get married so quickly. He is also absent a lot of the time, away in Spain on business. He is a property developer. He also visits his wife, harrying her for a divorce and to vacate the house, coming back with tales about how she wants to delay the divorce and house sale. Someone knows more than they are willing to say. Someone is out to get Robin, someone is out to get Cath. Someone is guarding a massive lifesaving set of secrets. All is not as it seems.
I really enjoyed reading this fast paced story. I thought the story board was ingenious even though it must have been very hard to manage, with all of the complexities in the story. Nevertheless it was evenly paced and I can honestly tell you I had no idea what was going to happen at all and at any time, because there were so many red herrings, blind alleyways and massive twists and turns. Kerry is a wonderful storyteller and her research for this novel was both meticulous and comprehensive. It gifted her story with gravitas and authenticity. I thought the characters in this story were relatable, eclectic and interesting. I love a story full of mystery, tension and especially when dictated by an unreliable narrator, misrepresenting information divulged to conceal the truth. I also liked the issues this novel explored, desperation, secrecy, loneliness, lies and dishonesty, loyalty and love.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Bookouture through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you so much for my copy. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. It’s an exciting, unmissable and rewarding read. This is my 4.5* review

Wow, this had some really unexpected twists and secrets woven into the story. The characters were fab, and found myself chomping at the bit at parts while wanting to knock sense into Cath in other bits. Another intensely emotional story cleverly written by Kerry Fisher. Also should point out that this doesn’t want to leave me, still thinking about it days after I finished it!

The Woman in My Home was a quick, if slightly predictable, read about two women who could not be more different. The characters were all relatable and had realistic troubles, but I am getting so sick of the gaslighting trope, especially when you can see it coming from a mile away! I sped through this book and there were a couple of minor twists I didn't see coming, but this was not my favorite by this author. It ultimately felt a little anticlimactic, but I did find myself rooting for Rebecca and Cath throughout the book. I look forward to reading whatever Kerry Fisher comes out with next! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have read a few of the authors other books and requested this when I saw it was available on Netgalley, I felt it dragged a bit at the start and was waiting for a twist in the story and suddenly there it was and from then on I kept reading until the end. It always amazes me how gullible people can be and I guess we all think that we’re a bit more clever and could see when we’re being deceived, this story proves just how simple it can be to be conned.

The Woman in My Home is a gripping read about family secrets and lies. There are few authors who can bring the past to life so compellingly... Brilliant writing and more importantly, riveting reading.

Cath has found love in Robin after a failed marriage and years of living on her own. Rebecca’s entire life was turned upside down by her husband’s lies and suddenly finds herself homeless with her two children. Robin, well… you’ll find out about Robin.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are all relatable and realistic in all of their emotions and troubles. The family dynamics are messy, honest and believable. This book is perfect for someone who wants a quick and easy mystery.

For me, the only drawback is the lack of a big shocking revelation. The outcomes were a bit expected. However, I love how Kerry Fisher ended the book with that last chapter. Perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The woman in my home

The prologue immediately has my attention. It’s a very apt description of most large family dynamics that has me both agreeing with the narrator and highly intrigued to find out where this is going.

In the first couple chapters the writing is flowing very well, with the word choice and narration really painting a picture nicely. Reading from the two different views makes me so curious as to which of the narrators was the one “speaking” in the prologue.

The small details the author adds in to really paint the scene is pulling me into the story and making me want to read on, the characters “voices” as they narrate their own chapters isn’t getting convoluted or annoying either, the author is doing a good job of making the switch between the two seamless to keep the story moving nicely.

Connecting well with both characters and so far seeing no red flags except those from robin the new boyfriend of our older main character, makes me even more intrigued to see where this goes and if it turns out to be one of the main characters as the protagonist or if it’s someone not yet introduced.

All the obvious red flags with robin made me start to wonder if somehow it was all centred around him but either way, I enjoyed that I couldn’t immediately tell what was going to happen. The author is writing the interactions between cath and robin quite well, showing how easily someone can influence the truth or feelings in a relationship, that as a reader I want to shout hey this is a red flag but I also want to find out more about what will happen.

At around page 300 I started feeling like it was dragging on a little bit, I wanted something to start happening. Right when I was starting to get bored, that’s when things picked up with Rebecca accusing robin of what he clearly is which is a con man that the red flags have built him up to be.

It’s beginning to feel predictable and like I know exactly what the ending will be, so I’m really hoping for some surprising plot twists since there is still so much book left. At this point after Rebecca has shown her hand there is just about half of the book left.

It didn’t go quite as I expected it to, with Rebecca running to Amy and then both of them going to cath, it felt very anticlimactic when she threw out robin. I was hoping for something more to happen.

All in all I enjoyed the book, the writing was great but I was definitely disappointed with how anticlimactic it all felt.

I always enjoy this author’s books and this one is no exception.

Cath has fallen in love with Robin. He’s everything she wants: successful, good looking, charming, fun and head over heels in love with her. But as they move quickly towards marriage, Cath begins to wonder just how well does she really know him?

Good, suspenseful, well written story which keeps you guessing until the end.

I loved this book, it kept me hooked all the way through and also kept me guessing at every corner..

Kerry Fisher's books are always a treat, with believable characters and situations. The Woman in my Home looks like a psychological thriller but it's not that, although there are certainly secrets to be unmasked.

Cath, a successful, highly competent businesswoman in her 50s, is bowled over by the new man in her life, the handsome, charming property developer Robin. Meanwhile, Rebecca's life is crumbling around her ears, suddenly becoming a homeless single mother after her husband lost just about everything they owned.

Their paths cross when Rebecca befriends Cath's elderly mother Dolly, and it seems the two women can perhaps help each other out. But not everyone is necessarily as they seem.

Rebecca's struggles are very relatable (if you've seen the TV series Maid - which I recommend - it's a bit reminiscent of that). I really felt for her and the situation she found herself in.

It's very well written - every time I thought something predictable was about to happen (usually involving Robin), it never did. If I have any criticism to make it's perhaps that I'd have preferred more of a showdown at the end and a more obvious comeuppance for one character. That would have been satisfying.

A great read. Many thanks to the publishers for providing an advance copy - I really enjoyed it.

Rebecca and her two kids are staying with her sister Deb after Rebecca’s husband Graham lost their home to some get-rich-quick schemes he was involved in leaving them homeless.
Graham has since gone to live in Shoreham-by-Sea with his parents.

After dropping off her kids at school, Rebecca goes into town, walking into shops and offices and asking about vacancies.

Later, she wanders into Hetherington Close, a street lined with luxury houses where she meets an elderly woman named Dolly. They get talking and Dolly tells Rebecca about her daughter Cath who runs a recruitment agency.

Rebecca offers to help Dolly do some gardening work for a small sum and Dolly agrees.

Cath on the other hand is seeing a man named Robin and plans to move in with him much to the dismay of her thirty-two-year-old son, Sandy.

Six weeks late Robin moves in with Cath. She tries to cast aside any niggle that their relationship might not work. So far things are going great.

At least there were until Sandy calls Cath to tell her he’s splitting with his wife and would like to move in with Cath until things he sorts himself out. Incidentally, Robin is going through his divorce proceedings and plans to buy a place once his house has been sold.

Following a slight accident where she ends up twisting her ankle, Dolly ends up in her daughter’s house where Cath and Rebecca meet for the first time.

The whole family somehow manages to get along without any incident.

One day Robin comes back with some bad news: first, he tells Cath that his ex-wife won’t move out of their house until Christmas so buying a house of his own is out of the question.

Second, Robin claims the Spanish authorities (where he works as a developer) have decided to place a tax on new developments from September, which means they might seize their machinery if Robin’s company doesn’t pay.
He then suggests breaking up with Cath until he’s been able to resolve his issues.

Cath sensing she might lose him if she didn’t help him somewhat seeing how distressed he is offers to give him a loan which he can pay back when he’s sold the rest of the apartments. Mind you they’ve been dating for all of four months.
Out of the blue, Robin proposes to Cath and she says yes.
Then Dolly’s jewelry goes missing from her house. Dolly and Cath suspect Rebecca of pawning off Dolly’s jewelry seeing as she’s been strapped for cash. But Rebecca insists she didn’t take Dolly’s ring and bracelet.

Out of guilt, and seeing as Rebecca can’t come up with the rent to get a place of her own with her kids, Cath offers to put her up in her home (though upon the persuasion of Sandy)

A few months before their wedding, Cath starts noticing some changes in Robin. For instance, he starts becoming generous with her money, splurging here and there.

Then more evidence comes to light that suggests that Robin isn’t who he appears to be.

Interest in storyline told from the POV of Rebecca and Cath. The plot was engaging, the characters flawed and believable. Definitely recommend.

Thank you to Kerry Fisher, NetGalley and Bookoture for the ARC of this book.

#NetGalley #TheWomanInMyHome

This book explores the questions of what we are willing to overlook for love and companionship, and who we trust the most. For fans of the series Dirty John and Maid, Kerry Fisher's writing is full of heart and compassion for her characters. Great domestic drama. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book wasn't what I expected, I was expecting a classic thriller with murder and intrigue. Although I didn't get that I still really liked what I did get. This book is well written with a gri[pping and heart-wrenching storyline and well developed characters that were believeable and relatable - some more than others. I really enjoyed reading it and could possibly be one of the best books I have read this year so far.

From the cover of “The Woman in My Home” by Kerry Fisher, I thought this was going to be a murder mystery - no, it’s not - though I kept waiting for one to occur. Anyway, this is a domestic thriller (I guess) focusing on two women - Cath (who seems to have it all) and Rebecca (who is currently struggling). Cath’s fiancé, Robin, seems like the catch of all catches - but is he really (as it’s a thriller, probably not!). I felt at times that Cath needed access to a clue-by-four, but, as the saying goes, love is blind at times. I did see a few twists coming, but that didn’t damper my enjoyment of the book. I did find, at times, the pacing to be a bit slow and didn’t really feel like the last chapter of the book was necessary (though I’m sure others will disagree). I did like reading Ms. Fisher’s Author’s Note regarding how she came up with the idea for the main story - and how she wanted to tack other ideas onto the main story. As a whole, I think the story worked and I’m glad that I read it.

Love is blind. I think this is a saying everybody knows. When you are in love, you only see someone’s good side and even if there are some things that you like less, you still are trying to find excuses. Or worse maybe, you believe their excuses because they seem to genuine. You fall for it each and every time, but that should not stop you from falling in love. There really are some true gems out there. The problem often is to find them. 😊

Cath is on cloud nine. She has found such a gem. He his handsome, successful, loves her to bits. Her friends and family are not exactly on her side, but she decides to follow her heart. She deserves some happiness, doesn’t she?

Thank God she has found Rebecca. Consumed by her love life and her busy job, Cath needs someone she can trust to take care of her home and her mother. She should really thank her lucky stars for sending her two gems, doesn’t she?

Has love blocked her common sense too or does she see what others don’t? Is she on the way to her happy ever after or will she end up alone again?

I enjoyed this story a lot. When you meet some of the characters you immediately connect with them. Others not so. But when do you really know someone? When do you realize they are genuine or when do you start seeing through them? Sometimes you need a little help. 5 stars

Thank you

I've been reading nothing but murder mystery lately that with this book I kept waiting for someone to kill someone?!! Lol but this book wasn't about that, I thought it was for some reason! But you know what?! I'm so glad I read this book anyway! This storyline was so very interesting! It had heartache and heartbreak and I'm sure things like what happened in this book happen daily!! Such a sad thing to think of but this book was really good! I definitely recommend reading this book! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!