The houseshare is a fast paced story which I read in one day.
The story revolves around Libby who has fled an abusive relationship.
A new start, a new dream flat what could go wrong!? If you think you've worked out what's going on , think again
Thank you to the author and Bookoture for my advance copy.

★★★ 3.5 stars

A new beginning...a new nightmare...

After leaving her controlling and abusive boyfriend, Libby is ready for a fresh start by fleeing in the night and renting a flat in Canal House near the centre of Birmingham that her sister Olly has found for her. It is affordable and she can easily walk to work. She soon meets her landlord and neighbours who are all friendly and welcoming. Even her cat Einstein is happy with the move and the landlord has bought some furniture, given she has arrived with nothing, to which she adds her own personal touches to make it more like a home.

But she has barely settled when the threatening texts from her ex, Gary, begin to arrive in a flurry going from demanding and abusive to remorseful and pleading. Libby is well versed in the familiar cycle and has no intention of backing down or returning to him and as per her sister's advice, she deletes every text as they arrive. He tries calling but she ignores him. And then she starts to feel as if someone is watching her, especially when she sees shadows of movement in the backyard and hears strange noises coming from the downstairs flat. And then things begin to go missing while others appear out of nowhere. And where has Einstein gotten to? Then when she learns that the girl who lived in the flat before her suddenly disappeared, she starts wondering just how safe is her new home...her fresh start.

The story initially opens twenty years previous with the heartbreaking scenes of someone being bullied and my heart just went out to them. The scene took me back to my own school days and reminded me just why I hated those times that were supposed to be the best years of my life. Kids can be so cruel. But more to the point, the teachers knew what was happening and did nothing.
As the story unfolds, the mystery of the murder of a teenage girl is entwined with the strange goings on that Libby faces in her new home. She confides in her landlord as to what happened back in the place where she grew up and he shows a level of compassion that she never knew with Gary, and she soon finds herself attracted to Tim. Even her fellow tenants, Michaela and Kirsty tease her about it. But Libby isn't ready for another relationship and is adamant that Tim is just a friend.

But poor Libby can't seem to catch a break. If it's not Gary with his incessant hot-and-cold texts, it's a client from work who has become abusive when he misses out on a work placement, believing Libby to have held out on him. He vows to make her pay.

So who is it that's stalking her? Gary, who won't accept that their relationship is over? Or Trevor, who feels she has wronged him?

And then Libby receives news so devastating it shakes the very foundations of her world. And she wonders...is she even safe anymore?

I was suspicious of just about everyone and their motives however the villain was fairly easy to figure out as they all but had a neon sign announcing their involvement throughout. But that never interferes with my enjoyment of a good thriller. There are always other aspects that I consider and if it holds my attention, it's generally a winner. But if it's slow or veers off somewhere, then my attention has wandered with it.

THE HOUSESHARE is a fairly entertaining read that I did enjoy, though not as much as some of the author's other offerings. For those who are fans of the Gina Harte series, don't expect this to be anything like those because it is entirely different as are all her standalone thrillers. It has a more claustrophobic feel to it and is incredibly tense at times but I do feel it is lacking something. What that is, I'm not sure. All I know is that it didn't quite have the bite or intensity and I came away feeling there had been something missing. It was a bit a slow burn initially but it still held my interest and I was quite enjoying things...until the end. And the end came about 15% before the actual end of the book. That is to say, there was the reveal and then the whole ending became dragged out a bit too long I felt. And that bogged down the whole story I think, because until I arrived at that point, I was enjoying it immensely.

However...there is one factor that totally blindsided me just before the end...and for that I give an extra half star because I never saw it coming. But then that kind of dwindled away that it ended up losing its shock value.

THE HOUSESHARE is an intriguing psychological thriller and perfect for newbie fans but those who frequent this genre might find it a bit lacklustre. I didn't hate it and it is a good read but not a great one.

This title was previously published as "To Let".

I would like to thank #CarlaKovach, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheHouseshare in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This is one of these books that is written in such a way that drags you in and at the start (hope it’s not just me!), you’re like ‘ooh don’t trust him’, ‘ooh, why are they doing that?’, ‘come on, why aren’t you questioning this?!’.

The protagonist has just left an abusive relationship and this sets up a perfect storm for the events that transpire.

Set up in the house is unusual and leads to a great psychological thriller.

The Houseshare
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 8/16/22
Author: Carla Kovach
Publisher: Bookouture
Pages: 291
Goodreads Rating: 3.88

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Bookouture and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Her perfect new start just became her biggest nightmare… Libby cannot believe she can afford such a beautiful space. Days later, Libby is woken by the sound of her neighbours arguing through the wall. As she listens to their angry words, she swears she hears her name mentioned. Why would they be talking about her? As the weeks pass, Libby can’t help but feel that someone is watching her and when she hears that the last girl who rented her apartment before her vanished without trace, she starts to double lock her door every night. Then she finds a handwritten message in her apartment telling her she’s in danger, and her new home no longer feels like the safe haven it once was. Did someone from Libby’s past follow her here? And just how safe is she behind closed doors?

My Thoughts: This is a rewrite of a previous novel, To Let, by the same author. The book opens with a creepy bang followed by a strong first half. While the second half was good, it was not as strong as the first half. It did have a surprising twist at the end that tied everything together, which I enjoyed. While the story was somewhat predictable, it was still a good read. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, and creatively written, I especially loved the tone set, made me feel like I was right there. I could relate to Libby, even if some of choices were not the best, she was highly likable. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, twisty, addictive, and kept me engaged from cover to cover. The characters were built by building their backstories, the plot had multifaceted twists, and the ending was brilliant. If you like Gone Girl, you will love this highly nail-biting psychological thriller that releases on Tuesday.

Firstly thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in return for an honest review.
This book starts off good with potential, a lonely child, who is relentlessly bullied at school, by being different or the odd one out. I felt there was a story behind this child and was eager to find out more.... jump forward twenty years and we meet Libby, a very stressed out, neurotic, young woman. She is in a way running from her ex Gary and has started this new life in a house share. I never could warm to Libby, she was just too uninteresting and dull. She has far too many men obsessed with her, loving her or hating her, it's not exactly realistic. So she begins to think that all these men are disguising themselves as the elusive Ian Linden who lives in the flat below her, a man whom she never sees, but hears smashing up furniture and stealing her cat!

It's obvious that some of the adults are involved in the storyline at the start, but there's no indication who or how or why. It's almost like you completely forget about it, it's never mentioned again really, so what's the point!
What irritated me the most, was Libby's ex Gary, he constantly called her & left threatening or pleading messages, she blocked him from her social media accounts and told him to stay away etc. So why didn't she just delete and block his number from her phone??????? The most stupid person in the universe would have figured that out, but no not Libby! Things like this exacerbated me about her.

As much as I didn't like Libby, I was still interested in the story and I did want to know who Ian Linden really was and what would become of Libby and Ricardo and Olly and Tim. So yes it was compelling in parts.
In the end Libby kept referring to the truth in the diary and those who knew, it being revealed one day etc. But we never got to find out what was in that diary or what the truth was about the kids in the past. So what was the point really in that storyline from twenty years ago!!!!

It was a good read, just not all the dots where joined up and some random dots where so random you had no idea where they began, what they where doing there or where they where going.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Houseshare’ written by Carla Kovach in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Libby is trying to escape from her controlling boyfriend Gary and finds a flat at Canal House which is everything she’s dreamed of and where she knows she can start a fresh life. She feels an instant connection with her landlord, Tim Simmons, who goes out of his way to be helpful. But it isn’t long before she thinks someone is getting into her flat in her absence and she’s positive she’s being watched – is it Gary who keeps pestering her, or Trevor who works for her recruitment agency and gets aggressive when he’s had a drink?

I’ve read all of the Gina Harte thrillers and thoroughly enjoyed them and I was looking forward to losing myself in ‘The Houseshare’, but when I read it was previously published as ‘To Let’ I should have realised that it was an earlier standalone novel so I wasn’t surprised when it didn’t come up to the standard I’ve come to expect from Carla Kovach. I got to half way when I realised I’d lost interest in the characters and couldn’t work up any sympathy for Libby. The story was well-written and had its interesting points but I thought it lost its way and dragged until I was glad when I eventually reached the end. This is my own personal opinion and I’m sure I’ll be in the minority so please read it and make up your own minds.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Holy smokes! I wanted to climb into this book and help Libby. This poor girl had stalkers on every corner! Libby moved into a new place while trying to escape a possessive, obsessed and abusive boyfriend, but he just would not go away. Then there is the guy from work who is enraged at her about his job situation. Then finally the weird phone calls, things disappearing from her apartment and the strange noises coming from the mysterious Mr. Bull's apartment below her own apartment. She also feels as if she is being watched. (Cue the creepy music!) These all add up to make a tense and electric psychological thriller that will play with your mind. The author does a great job of providing plenty of intrigue and mystery as you try to figure out the true culprit of all of her misery. The plot was spot on for drawing the reader fully into the book to the point where the world around you just faded away. I lived in this fictional town for a day or so while trying to fight to the end for Libby! The ending was jaw dropping and action packed. The character engagements were interesting and you felt you knew each one. Libby and Olly had a great relationship as sisters which made them likeable to me as a reader. If you enjoy an intriguing mystery, you will enjoy this one.

A standalone thriller from Carla Kovach author of the ‘Gina Harte’ series. I enjoyed this one but it didn’t quite do enough.

Libby moves to a new home but can’t quite believe her good fortune. A very attractive accommodation and a friendly landlord who is eager to please. It’s not long before Libby starts to experience a few problems and is woken by the sound of her neighbours arguing through the wall. She listens to the argument and feels sure she hears her name mentioned, but why would they be talking about her?

Libby senses that someone is watching her and her imagination is fuelled by the knowledge that the last girl who rented her apartment vanished without trace. Later she finds a handwritten message in her apartment telling her she’s in danger and suddenly her dream accommodation is less attractive and safe.

My biggest problem with this novel was that the story almost followed the exact path I expected. I still enjoyed the read but needed better twists and turns.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in ex

Carla a Kovach is one of my favourite authors - but unless it’s Gina Harte - I just can’t quite get on board.
Slow and a bit dull at times - I just didn’t love it! Worth a read but not a patch on her series!

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this gripping and very disturbing book

libby moves into her new flat, a house split into flats with communal areas for anytime everyone wants to get together and at first its a godsend to libby as its everything she needs as she is escaping an abusive relationship

but as the days pass there are a few unsettling things happening....could her ex be stalking her as well as the harrassment she receives off him daily by phone

work also isnt exactly going well with the amount of abuse she has to take from her clients, could one of them be stalking her

its a powerful novel that hits several nerves and raises the blood pressure a few times and at times i had to walk away from it to calm down....its well written one of the best to date concerning this topic...

now to find a different genre to read to relax from this one

The book started off with a background story that will keep the reader guessing for a while. At first, I thought that I was hooked. As I read, I just couldn't get as "into" the characters and plot enough to call this a favorite or a serious page turner. It was not a bad read, but I wish it had a bit more punch. I figured out the antagonist earlier than he was revealed, and perhaps that is why I was not "wowed."

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Houseshare was too slow for me to really find it a tense or thrilling read unfortunately. There was no real surprises or revelations that makes the book stand out from other similar storyline. I did like the book being split into different perspectives, especially the previous tenant's father as it really helped you get a better feel of the characters. There's a few red suspect throughout but to me, it was obvious where the book was leading to. This isn't a bad read but i feel the author has just managed to miss out on making it a real nail biter.

Opening the door to her new home, Libby can't believe she can afford such a beautiful place. As her new landlord follows her into the bright, open living room. watching her every move, she feels so lucky she spotted the ad online. "Your'e just the the teennant I've been lookong for," the landlord tells her. Days later, Libby is woken by the sound of her neighbours arguing through the wall. As she listens to their angry words, she swears she hears her name being mentioned. Why would they be talking about her?

Fleeing from her boyfriend Gary, Libby takes her cat and moves into a flat she found online. Each chapter is told from a different characters perspective. The pace is slow to begin with and I was nearly quarter wat through before anything took place. Then strange things start happening in her flat, things go missing, she gets abusive phone calls and someone is threatening her at work. I figured out who the culprit was quite early in the book. It's a bit predictable.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #CarlaKovach for my ARC of #TheHouseShare in exchange for an honest review.

This is a gripping psychological thriller.
We follow Libby as she moves into her new flat after fleeing from her boyfriend, Gary.
Libby and her cat Einstein soon settle in but then some strange things start to happen.
I won’t give too much else away as I don’t want to spoil it but this one will definitely have you racing through the pages.
I did guess who was behind all the things that were happening but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book.
I do admit to being worried about Einstein several times though!
This is a great read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This story keeps you on your toes!
The Houseshare by Carla Kovach is about a women named Libby that moves in to a house share. As time goes on Libby notices things are not quite right in her apartment. But who is doing these things? This story takes you on a ride making guesses on who could be the one.
This story was was well written and made you want to go to the next chapter just to see how it will turn out. It leaves you wondering how well do we really know the others around us.

I've enjoyed other books by this other...but ultimately this really wasn't for me. The first half of the book was really meandering and rambling, and ultimately pretty repetitive. I also found the character development to be really inconsistent at best, which meant there was a lot of telling and not showing. 

I think this had too much going on, one of the side plots that came up halfway through was not needed. There were mentions of characters with no backstory, and those characters never came up again, and their reason for being mentioned in the first place didn't feel necessary. 

I just didn't find the writing to be very good, and I unfortunately can't recommend this one.

This author is very talented. From the beginning I could sense something was off. There was a veil of mystery and unspoken tension on the surface as the story started. The storytelling style is fantastic and I was hooked to the story from the very beginning to the end. I really liked it!

A story that starts out with Libby and starting over in a new building to escape her ex. She thinks this is the perfect way to start over… until strange things start happening. Her cat disappearing for periods of time, things getting moved around, the weird messages/calls and the strange neighbor no body knows.

This book provided a detailed description of all events happening that it feels like you are right there with the characters. Well written and great storyline. Cliffhanger of an ending.

This was such a great psychological suspense thriller. It’s one of these books that I just wanted to keep reading when I came to the end of every chapter as I was so eager to find out more and how everything was all going to end up. I did have my suspicions quite early on about who the culprit was and I was indeed proved right but it certainly in no way took away from my enjoyment of this book. A brilliant fast paced thriller with very well portrayed characters and I loved it.