This book is a real roller coaster of a thriller than makes you question it all!! It really packs a punch from the start and I fleece through it, I loved it!

I was given a free copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book will have you shaking your head and saying “what” aloud as you read! Very well written.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Jess Ryder for sending me this arc!

My jaw was left on the floor.

From the start, I was immersed in the story, flying through it, seeing the author set up for the plot. Seeing all these different moving components was exciting, but I still had no clue what would actually occur and how they would all fit together. Initially, I tried to guess what was happening, but in the end, I decided to go along for the ride because I could not figure out the truth. I didn’t even truly work out what had happened until the epilogue, and then my reaction was “What?…WHAT?!…OMG!!” with many dramatic gasps, of course, haha.

I loved how the author made us, as readers, sympathise with and like Jensen. I felt loss for the person we were made to believe Jensen was. Towards the end, Ryder still used that leftover connection and sympathy we had for Jensen to stir up even more doubt and confusion. In the end, I still felt a connection to all of the characters because they had a lot of depth and personality that made them feel real.

This book was fast-paced, attention-grabbing, and emotional. I finished this within one day because I was captivated by the story. You can really tell that every chapter was written deliberately, like there was no fluff or waffling. Every chapter had something important to convey to the reader to further the plot. I was getting almost a sinister feeling once I reached halfway through the book. It was unsettling and creepy but exhilarating, precisely what you want in a mystery/thriller.

I would most definitely recommend this to everyone!
“Should I read thi-“ Yes. Don’t even ask, just read it.

Review of ‘One of the Family’ by Jess Ryder due to be published on 30 October 2025 by Bookouture.

Liv’s family are excited to celebrate her graduation, and mum Rachel wastes no time in inviting her and boyfriend Jensen to live in the upstairs part of the family home, much to the annoyance of both husband Dom and daughter Meg.

When Rachel senses that something is not quite right about their relationship and that Liv seems unhappy, she suggests they have a weekend to themselves in the family home to reconnect. When Liv disappears following that weekend, suspicion is raised as Rachel tries to find out where her daughter is, fearing the worst.

A dark thriller, with haunting secrets and lies, intense characters and more than one character with a motive. I had an inkling what the outcome would be, which was well written. A fast paced storyline, that is a recommended read.

What a gripping thriller, the plot was so good I couldn’t put it down, definitely a must read, really looking forward to reading more by this author.

Love Jess Ryder books! It's brilliant. It is well written, with a good plot and the characters are credible with plenty of twists and turns
It’s I was blown away by all the secrets and twists that kept coming… The ending completely blew me away. I

Liv's boyfriend moves into her parents' house with her straight after graduation. He really makes himself at home, and Liv's Mom really loves him. He fits right in. But Liv's younger sister, Meg and her father do not like Jensen at all.

This is the first book I have read by Jess Ryder, and I loved it! It kept me in total suspense throughout.
I had suspicions, and in the end I was right. But the tension throughout the book just kept me riveted.

I definitely want to read more from this author.

What a thriller! When you think it’s going right, it veers left and just to play with ya, when you think it is going to go left, it does but also turns around. This story is full of twists and surprises, yet manages to find a way to come full circle.

I had never heard of this author but I looked them up and see they have many books available. After this hit, I will be looking into more of their work.

Thank you Bookouture, Jess Ryder and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rachel is determined to keep her daughters close. Liv and her boyfriend, Jensen, have graduated and want to live together, so she offers them the loft conversion. Jensen loves the idea, but Liv isn’t as keen. Her husband, Don, and her other daughter, Meg, aren’t happy about it either. As events unfold, Rachel finds herself unsure of what to do. It's a twisty and gripping read, and I absolutely love this author’s books.

One of the Family by Jess Ryder is a fast-paced, twisty thriller full of family drama and secrets. Liv moves back home after university with her boyfriend Jensen, but what should be a fresh start quickly turns tense. Between her controlling mother, a sister in trouble, and suspicions that not everyone is who they seem, Liv finds herself caught in a web of lies

Gripping, addictive, and packed with twists—I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Jess Ryder’s One of the Family is a taut, emotionally charged thriller that tiptoes into domestic spaces with unsettling intimacy. From the first page, we’re invited into a home that feels comfortingly familiar—until it doesn’t.

The premise is deceptively simple: a mother welcomes her daughter’s boyfriend into their home, embracing him as one of their own. But beneath the surface of this newfound closeness lies a slow-creeping dread. Ryder masterfully plays with the tension between familial warmth and psychological unease, crafting a narrative that feels both intimate and claustrophobic.

Jensen, the boyfriend, is a character who lingers—his charm is convincing, his grief palpable, and yet something never quite sits right. As the story unfolds, Ryder doesn’t rely on cheap twists; instead, she builds suspense through emotional nuance and the quiet erosion of trust. The disappearance of Liv, the daughter, is the tipping point, but the real horror lies in what follows—the unraveling of relationships, the manipulation of grief, and the terrifying lengths someone might go to remain “part of the family.”

What I appreciated most was Ryder’s restraint. The prose is clean, the pacing deliberate, and the emotional beats land with quiet devastation. It’s a book that doesn’t scream—it whispers, and somehow that’s more haunting.

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell or Freida McFadden, this is a thriller that doesn’t just twist—it aches.

With thanks to Jess Ryder, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

this was a strong psychological thriller novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters were everything that I wanted in this and had that element that worked in this universe. It was a strong psychological element that I wanted and was engaged with the suspenseful atmosphere that I was hoping for. Jess Ryder wrote this well and was glad I got to read this.

If you’re considering reading this book this is your sign to do so! Oh wow, this book has everything you need from a thriller book. I gave it an easy 5 star rating.
Fast paced, gripping, mysterious… I loved it

One of the Family by Jess Ryder is a gripping, page-turning thriller. Liv has just graduated from university, and instead of starting her own life, she’s pulled back into the chaos of her family home. With her overbearing mother calling the shots, a boyfriend who’s all too comfortable living rent-free, a sister struggling with her own demons, and her parents constantly at odds, Liv finds herself navigating a household full of tension, secrets, and unexpected alliances. Add in mysterious threats lurking just beneath the surface, and it’s impossible not to be hooked.

What made this read even more compelling was how my suspicion of each character kept shifting. Just when I thought I had someone figured out, Ryder threw in a twist that made me question everything.

One small quibble – I would have found it easier if each chapter began with the POV character’s name. I worked it out quickly, but having that little detail would have made the story flow more smoothly.

Packed with family drama, suspense, and unexpected twists, One of the Family is a tense, character-driven thriller that shouldn’t be missed.

A gripping thriller from this talented author.
Some real shocking twists, great storyline which kept me reading late into the night.
An intense read with well written characters.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

🏠🔥 One Of The Family;

My Review! 🏠🔥





(Written by Jess Ryder)


Blurb;

My daughter’s boyfriend feels like one of the family. I couldn’t be happier to have him living with us. But now my daughter’s disappeared…



I never wanted to have an empty nest. So when my daughter Liv asks if she and her new boyfriend Jensen can move in, I’m thrilled.

Jensen is so helpful. He tells me how he loves being part of a close-knit family. He’s felt so alone since his parents died. And for me, his presence goes a little way towards replacing the son I lost.

Still, I can’t help but notice that Liv and Jensen are starting to argue. My daughter seems unhappy. Perhaps they just need some time alone together?

But when my husband and I return from our weekend away, Liv is missing. The relationship with Jensen appears to be over but he doesn’t want to leave. And then I discover exactly what he will do to stay in our family…



My Review;

'Wow!' - This book was such a great read! It drew me in from the very beginning, & with a fairly easy-to-read style & pace throughout, - it literally had me HOOKED; I read this in just ONE DAY‼️

The characters came across as authentic, & there were twists I didn't see coming. I liked how several of the chapters kept you hanging, too; on a cliff-edge, - which really propelled me to keep reading!

Based on a rating of 1-10, where 10 is the highest, I would give this book a rating of 9.

= A 'VERY' enjoyable read, - a book that I would purchase, & which I would DEFFO recommend‼️

(Deffo a 'MUST-READ')

👌😉

The first book I’ve read by this author and won’t be the last! Such a gripping thriller! I couldn’t put it down! Will definitely be reading others by this author! Fun, fast paced read!

Wow, what a rollercoaster! A thrilling and gripping read that keeps you turning the pages and guessing until the shocking conclusion. Lots of shocking twists and turns. Just brilliant!

Rachel & Dom unwittingly invite her daughter Liv and her boyfriend, Jensen, to live with them post graduation. Rachel is a typical helicopter mother who has a tendency to overwhelm her daughters. Jensen, an orphan, is delighted to be part of a warm happy family again. But a group of adults sharing a house comes with challenges and when Rachel & Dom go away for the weekend, Liv is missing when they return, though Jensen claims they had a fight and Liv just wants space. In the meantime Liv has been trying to find a job and meets Sofia, who offers her a house sitting job. Sounds ideal. But Rachel has become wary of Jensen, especially as her other daughter becomes a victim of terrible bullying and is convinced Jensen is involved. A brilliant twisty book, really well plotted and kept me engrossed. Finished in one sitting. Highly recommend. Thanks to the author & publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is a great thriller that I couldn’t put down. When Liv finishes university the last thing Liv wants to do is move back home with her overbearing mother but her boyfriend Jensen thinks the two of them moving in rent free is a great idea. As she struggles to find a job Jensen has no interest in moving out from his new family and as her sister starts to spiral and her mum and dad not seeing eye to eye a new friend could be the lifeline that she needs. I won’t say any more on this one as it will spoil it but it’s is a great read and not to be missed!