oh this book got me so excited. you know when you have a really good book that you just get giddy excitement to read? well, yeh they are rarer than we think. but this book stole my time and i wasn't mad about that at all. and it really did excite me.
Jess Ryder knows how to write humans doing what they do in her books and somehow make it believable or at least believable for her book characters. and she knows how to make me thrilled in the mind and that for me is my best thrillers, those that take it to the mind.
from the very first page you are set on a pace you wont come back from. the twists are just for twists sake and all make sense. the tension builds. and you are led to just be suspicious. very suspicious. because is Jess clearly red herring us all? is she trying to double bluff? us readers think we might be clever than authors when we have read as many thrillers as i have. and im delighted when i dont have a clue!
this book takes us to Rachel. she a great mother and prides herself on being so. when her oldest daughter Liv comes home from uni she is joined by her boyfriend Jensen. and of course we all know what property markets are like nowadays so Liz offers them to share their space so they can save up. win win right, because to be honest Rachel has missed having children in the house. there,even at this point could've been a little smidgen of tension, but i was sure whether my paranoia was in overdrive lol.
all the characters in this book are important. every one of the family member adds to the story and also getting to know this family and the dynamics. its all adds to the nature of the book and they all have their role to play.
Jensen though was just not for me. he prickled my prickling sensors. but again i wasn't sure whether Jess was trying to make me suspicious of an easy target haha.
you will be almost falling over the pages faster than you can possibly read them because you want to read whats next before its even got chance to settle in your mind! you will just needed to know.
i didn't see certain things coming at all. and was left reeling with delight at how this panned out and just who was involved in what way.
i loved how when the daughter leaves i was like errrm Jensen mate why do you think you get to stay with your girlfriends family when she isn't even there herself! but then totally getting why Rachel might think she needed to actually wait to see what was going on with her daughter before kicking this young man out. but this again is just another thing Jess does. she knows how to write humans and their behaviour down to a tee.

Jess Ryder is one of my favourite authors and One of the Family did not disappoint. From the very first page, this book felt unique—full of suspense, clever twists, and turns that kept me hooked right up until the end. I loved everything about it.

Rachel is a devoted mother to two daughters. When her eldest, Liv, returns from university with her boyfriend Jensen, Rachel offers them the loft space in the family home to help them save money. Jensen is delighted, eager to belong, but Liv isn’t as keen—and that’s where the tension begins. What could possibly go wrong?

The character dynamics are brilliantly drawn. Rachel’s need to keep her family close, Meg’s struggles as the younger sister, Dom’s distance, and Jensen’s too-perfect presence all add to the unease. Jess Ryder keeps you second-guessing everyone’s motives, and just when you think you’ve worked it out, the plot veers in another direction.

This is a twisty, addictive, and utterly compelling read. I raced through it in a day and was left reeling by the ending. Jess Ryder has once again proven she’s a master of psychological suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Jess Ryder for the opportunity to read this brilliant book in exchange for my honest review.

Jess Ryder is one of my favourite authors and One of the Family did not disappoint. This book felt unique from the very start full of suspense, clever twists, and plenty of turns that kept me hooked right up until the end. I loved everything about it.

Rachel is a mother to two daughters. Her eldest, Liv, has just come back from university with her boyfriend Jenson. To help them save money, Rachel offers for them to move in. Jenson is thrilled, but Liv isn’t so keen and from there, the tension slowly builds. What could possibly go wrong?

The character dynamics are so well done. Jess Ryder keeps you second guessing everyone’s motives, and the plot unfolds in ways you don’t expect. This is a twisty, addictive read that I raced through.

I can’t wait to recommend this to everyone and I can’t wait to read more from this brilliant author. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this great book.

This book had me questioning everything and everyone. I was so anxious to see how everything would unfold. There are some surprises and twists I didn’t see coming! A very solid thriller that I’m glad I had the chance to read.

This book is an absolute masterclass in smoke and mirrors - for readers of quality psychological fiction it is an absolute MUST read.

Rachel is a mother of girls on the cusp of adulthood. She is utterly devoted to her girls, bordering on smothering them with love and daily contact.

When eldest daughter, Liv, finishes university and announces she plans to move to London with boyfriend Jenson, Rachel is quick to insist the couple move in with her. Liv, having had a taste of independence is reluctant to move back in with her parents, while Jenson positively embraces the possibility of being part of the family and earnestly accepts the offer. All goes well until Rachel and her husband have a weekend away to give the young couple space and return to find Liv has moved out. Proof of live is sporadic and questionable - the ensuing narrative leads us to serious question, what the heck is really going on - is Liv alive? Is Jenson really who he claims to be? So much drama and SO well told.

Un equivocally 5* from me. My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

This is a story that takes a familiar trope, but begins with a twist and continues as it has begun. It could have perhaps been edited for length, but the story is engaging throughout.

Rachel welcomes the opportunity to have her newly graduated daughter, and the daughter's boyfriend Jensen, move in with her family while they are on a job hunt. But nothing turns out as expected.

Her husband resents it, her troubled younger daughter reacts badly, and then her older daughter leaves home for a break from her relationship, leaving her boyfriend with her parents!

Without a protocol in place to deal with such a situation, is reluctant to throw Jensen out while they wait for her daughter to return. But what if there is more to this story than a row between young lovers and Jensen had something to do with her daughter's disappearance?

There is indeed more to this story but none of it is what you might expect. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to other thriller readers.

What would you do if your daughter and her boyfriend were looking for a place to live? Would you take them in and welcome your “son-in-law” into the family, or would you let them fend for themselves?

When Rachel is confronted with this situation, she doesn’t have to think twice. She’s thrilled that the young couple in love, Liv and Jensen, move in with them. At first, the atmosphere is great — but afterwards, it all seems to go downhill.

Rachel always wants to do the right thing and be there for everyone, but because of that she comes across as meddling and overprotective to her children and her husband. This pushes people away, and she isn’t believed when she voices her concerns. She had all my sympathy, because I found it sad that she kept running into walls. She’s also the one who actually takes action.

The same cannot be said about her husband Dom. He prefers to focus on other matters, and supporting his wife isn’t high on his list.

Liv accepts the offer but doesn’t want to stay in this situation forever. Jensen, however, feels completely at home and like part of the family.

And then there’s Meg. She wants so badly to be grown-up, but chooses the most immature way to prove it.

I really enjoyed this book. I kept betting on the wrong horse — or maybe not entirely. That probably doesn’t sound very clear, but when you read the book, it will make sense. ;) I also completely lost sight of one character, and that was definitely not smart of me.

In any case, my jaw dropped when all the explanations finally came out. The creativity in this story is sublime, and I never expected it to end this way. A huge feather in the cap of this author.

Everything worked perfectly for me, and I can only say: read and enjoy. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you.

A great read with a unique plot. This one was overall well written with solid characters and a great storyline. This played out in a fairly predictable way, but that did not detract from the read at all. This story was woven to keep you immersed and needing to find out how it ends. I did not love the mom character so it lost a star, but the rest was a great read

I’d like to give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

The positives:
1. The short chapters made it very easy to read.
2. Honestly, this book left me wonderfully confused. I thought I had guessed who did it, but the twists kept coming, and I loved every one of them.
3. The reveal about who was behind the bullying was shocking!
4. The epilogue was one of the best I’ve read—dark, twisted, and brilliant.

Why I took off one star:
1. There was a relationship cliché (can’t explain more without spoilers) that I didn’t enjoy.
2. Some chapters were confusing until you noticed whose perspective it was (Rachel’s or another character’s). Rachel’s chapters, written in first person, would have been much clearer if they had simply been labeled with her name.

Overall, it was a great read. Every chapter felt necessary, with no unnecessary filler. I’d definitely buy a physical copy.

This thriller crackles with intensity, drawing you into a world where every moment counts. The story unfolds with razor-sharp pacing, making it impossible to step away. Characters are layered and compelling, each hiding secrets that keep you guessing. The suspense builds steadily, exploding into unforgettable twists that shock and satisfy. It’s a gripping, adrenaline-fueled read that delivers on every promise of the genre.

This book is set in 2 parts and to be honest, the first part was quite predictable with Rachel inviting her graduate daughter and boyfriend to move back in to the family home and providing a space where they could have privacy. It's alluded to that her other daughter Meg is having issues with bullies again and that she does not react well when she is jealous. Meanwhile Rachel and her husband Dom seem to be drifting apart and he is spending more time away from home, especially as he doesn't agree with Jenson, the boyfriend moving in. Jenson has lost his own parents and is desperate to be part of a family, but things start to unravel between him and Liv.
It is in part 2 where the book became more interesting for me with lots of twists and revelations and the suspense is ramped up and the faster pace moves the plot along quickly. The characters become more layered and that helps the plot. The epilogue throws up more questions too, and makes you wonder about what you have read. Part 2 saved the book for me.

One of the Family by Jess Ryder

Rachel and her husband Dom are at their older daughter’s, Liv’s, graduation from Rutherford University. Rachel is so excited that Liv has now graduated she offers for Liv and her boyfriend, Jensen, to move in with them. After all Jensen has no family after both his parents died in a house fire. Meg, Rachel’s younger daughter, is not happy that Jensen is moving in, after all he is practically a stranger, but Rachel insists that it will be great and makes Jensen feel just like he is one of the family. Jensen even helps around the house, something no one in the family has done before.

When Liv goes to a job interview and meets Sofia. Sofia is great, friendly, rich, generous and the best part of all she has her own apartment and wants Liv to housesit for her when she goes overseas but on one condition; no boyfriend, just Liv. So, when Liv and Jensen have a big fight Liv leaves and goes straight to Sofia’s apartment and cuts all contact with her whole family. Soon after Don confesses to Rachel, he has been having an affair and he is leaving. Then Meg also leaves and goes to stay with her aunt, Rachel’s sister Karina.

But not everything is as it seems. Jensen is definitely hiding something about his background and why is Sofia’s bedroom off limits to Liv, is it that she wants privacy or is she hiding something.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.

Liv and her boyfriend Jensen have graduated from University, Liv's mum Rachel offers them the top floor of the house she shares with husband Dom and younger daughter Meg. Dom and Meg are not ecstatic about this arrangement, after a troubling year, Meg just wants her big sister to herself and Dom feels they should stand on their own 2 feet. Jensen is the ideal boyfriend and housemate, he's tidy, helps out around the house and is grateful for his "new" family having lost his parents in a house fire. But cracks soon show and on return from a weekend away Liv is missing and not returning calls or messages. Rachel is frantic but no-one seems bothered especially when a message comes from Liv saying she needs time alone. Somethings not adding up and Rachel is determined to discover what, but at what price?
This was a gripping, suspenseful read. The tension mounts as the story progresses. The plot and storyline is well developed leading to a pulsating conclusion. My favourite Jess Ryder novel by far.

This is my third book by Jess Ryder and another fantastic read which was full of twists and turns and plenty of suspense.

Liv and her boyfriend Jenson move in to Liv’s family home after graduating while whey look for jobs. What starts off as a great idea by her mother Rachel soon starts to sour as things begin to fall apart within the family unit.

The book was fast paced and I was totally gripped from the first page. The characters were well written and I truly didn’t know who to trust right up until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jess Ryder and Bookouture for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

wow! this book is a 'must read'!. The book was suspenseful from the beginning. The characters were well formed and you really got to know them. The main character Rachel, has two daughters Meg and Liv who have problems of their own. Liv's needy boyfriend Jensen, causes havoc on a family and really sends the story into a whirlwind. Though, the family has many hidden issues that come out in the book. Rachel deals with so many complexities throughout the book. The ending was a real shocker. I really wanted to jump to the end of the book to see who was going to survive this fantastic psychological thriller. I highly recommend it!

I have to say that Jess Ryder is becoming one of my favourite authors and this book demonstrates why. Rachel and her husband Don love their two daughters Meg and Liv and Rachel especially does not want her girls move from the family home. So, when Liv and her boyfriend Jensen who have both graduated from college are looking for somewhere to live together Rachel comes up with the idea of offering them their loft conversion. Don and younger sister Meg is not as keen as Rachel on the idea as he feels that they have not known Jensen for very long. Liv herself is not sure this is the right thing to do but it all proceeds.

The book draws you in and moves along at swift pace and from the beginning you have the idea that this may all go sideways. Jensen seems overly keen to please and from the beginning and there is an immediate vibe that things are leading up to an ominous outcome. Plenty of tension and suspense that builds as the book progresses, and this is another book you find yourself saying just one more chapter.

A very exciting and thrilling read that I am sure many readers will enjoy. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.

Title: One of the Family
Author: Jess Ryder
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: October 30, 2025

Rachel is an overbearing mother, to her daughters Meg and Liv, who dreads the time when her home becomes an "empty nest." Once they graduate from Uni, Liv and her boyfriend Jensen move back in to her family home while they search for employment. Meg, who is still in high school, has been enduring abuse and bullying from kids at school.

While reading this book, I experienced many emotions. Annoyed at Meg, disgusted with Dom, frustrated with Rachel, and confusion regarding Jensen. I see some of myself in Rachel, so I began to question some of my interactions with my own grown daughters! The end of the book left me confused. I still am unsure who actually tried to burn the house down.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

I enjoyed reading this book. The start was a little slow for me with everything seeming to be fairly predictable. However, part way through this changed and it became much more gripping.

One of the Family by Jess Ryder is everything you would expect from this brilliant author, and so much more.

Rachel is thrilled when her daughter Liv introduces her to a new boyfriend, Jensen. After graduation, the pair find themselves with neither jobs nor a place to live, and Rachel is more than happy to offer them a room in the family home. But there is something about Jensen that doesn't sit quite right with her husband, Dom and younger daughter, Meg. Has Rachel made a grave error in judgement, and unwittingly placed her entire family in harm's way?

This one hooked me from the start, and is a roller coaster of tension and titillating suspense. Add this to your TBR, you are in for a treat. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

Liv brings her boyfriend Jensen home to meet the family. He seems perfect. Then, when they decide to move in together with Liv's mom, strange things begin to unfold. True colors begin to be shown. This book is thrilling, gripping from the very beginning, and leaves you shocked at the end. Just when you think you have it all figured out....BAM! Think again.

I can't wait to read more from this author!!

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc!