Release: June 29th 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: MIRA
Source: Harlequin
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, Kobo,
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“A compelling page turner one won’t want to put down.”—New York Journal of Books
Two women. Two families. Two lifetimes’ worth of secrets.
In the wake of her husband’s sudden death, Cassie Costas finds her relationship with her teenage stepdaughter unraveling. After their move to historic Tarpon Springs, Florida, Savannah hates her new town. And hates her school and most of all her stepmom, whom she blames for her father’s death. Cassie has enough to contend with as she searches for answers about the man she shared a life with, including why all their savings have disappeared.
Subsequently Savannah’s rebellion culminates in an act that leaves single mother Amber Blair and her sixteen-year-old son homeless. Cassie empathizes with the woman’s predicament and invites the strangers to move in. As their lives intertwine, Cassie realizes that Amber is hiding something. She’s evasive about her past, but the fear in her eyes tells a darker story. Cassie wonders what the woman living under her roof is running from and what will happen if it finally catches up to her.
About the Author:
Emilie Richards is the USA Today bestselling author of seventy plus novels in several different genres including romance, mystery and women’s fiction. Published in more than twenty one countries and sixteen languages, her most recent novel is The House Guests, release from Mira Books. Besides, She’s won the RITA from Romance Writers of America and multiple awards from RT Book Reviews, including one for career achievement. Ten of her books have been made into television movies in Germany.
Emilie finds relationships of all kinds intriguing and perplexing, and exploring that great diversity of possibilities is her passion. Having lived in nine states and briefly in Australia, she’s also determined to discover how the places we live help make us the people we are.
Right now Emilie divides her time between Sarasota, Florida and Chautauqua, New York, when she and her husband aren’t visiting their four children and grandchildren.
The House Guests Review:
When I started reading this book, I was in for a pleasant surprise. It’s not a traditional thriller where you immediately know what the plot is. Frankly, I would characterize this more as women’s fiction where the suspense thriller is secondary. Hence, I was not sure if I would enjoy reading it. However, I loved the way the author portrayed the characters and ended up liking it.
What stands out in the story is how the author writes the emotions of the characters. My favorite character in the story was Cassie and her complex relationship with Savannah. Savannah blames Cassie for the death of Savannah’s father, and it was interesting to der how they adjusted with each other. Similarly, Will constantly asks questions about his father while Amber tries to dodge them. The story gets interesting once Amber and Will move in as house guests. I also enjoyed how Amber bonds with Cassie. You already know that Cassie and Savannah are on shaky grounds, and you wait for their relationship to collapse. Moreover, it was interesting to see how Will got along with Savannah.
The author also writes the thriller nicely. I was intrigued to find out what Amber was running away from and why. Some memorable moments were when Cassie meets Fletcher to find answers or when she meets Nick or Ivy. None of the characters are likable because of their secrets, but I liked how the author told their story.
Overall, “The House Guests” will be a hit or miss because it is not the traditional thriller that you expect it to be. Nevertheless, I found the book interesting mainly because of how the author wrote it.
