The Family Guest – ARC Book Review

Long blonde hair. Sparkling dark eyes. Perfect pearly-white teeth. I’ve never met her before but I know exactly who she is as I spot her through the crowds of the terminal. Because our new guest is the spitting image of the daughter we lost. And that’s exactly why I chose her.

From the moment our exchange student Tanya comes into our home, I feel like my daughter has come back to life. Tanya, with her long blonde hair and slender frame, looks so much like Anabel that sometimes I can almost pretend she didn’t die in that tragic accident.

Tanya really is the perfect guest – kind, polite, and always happy to help me in the kitchen. At last, a member of the family who compliments my beautiful house and enjoys my homemade dinners. And when she asks questions about my life, I feel I’ve finally found someone I can confide in.

My younger teenage daughter, Paige , isn’t so happy about our guest. She thinks it’s weird that Tanya looks like Anabel, and she hates it when she wears her sister’s old clothes. But then again Paige and Anabel always had a strained relationship… And I’m certain that having another teenage girl in the house will help heal our family.

But now Paige is insisting I check Tanya’s records. She’s become convinced Tanya isn’t who she says she is. But I learnt a long time ago that sometimes it’s best not ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to. And I definitely don’t want Paige pulling this thread… because I’m growing suspicious that our new guest Tanya might have a secret. But I’m certain it is nothing in comparison to mine…

The absolutely unputdownable, page-turning and twisty psychological thriller that will have you guessing until the very last page. Perfect for readers who love gripping suspense and fans of Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid , The Girl on the Train and Colleen Hoover’s Verity.

I didn’t expect much from this book but actually and surprisingly I enjoyed this thriller more than I have anticipated!

Tanya is a British exchange student who moves into live with the Merrit family for three months. Things didn’t start great between Paige Merrit and Tanya and even Paige’s own parents seem to favor towards Tanya more than towards their own daughter. Paige however suspect that Tanya isn’t who she really seem and together with her brother Will, she set about to find who Tanya really is and warn her parents about her.

The first part of the book is more like a teenage drama with both Tanya and Paige fighting with each other to the point when Tanya steals Paige’s boyfriend Lance from her. But the second part of the book is where the psychological thriller side starts when Tania’s true colors are revealed. The story is told mainly from Paige’s and Natalie’s POV. Natalie is Paige’s mother. Honestly, I found Natalie really annoying–the fact that she takes Tanya’s side and not her daughter’s side kind of made me angry a little bit. I do like the relationship between Paige and Will calling themselves as Sherlock and Watson. But other than Paige, Paige’s grandmother and Will, I found all the other characters including Natalie annoying.

The story was actually predictable–I knew what was going to happen next but it was fast-paced and a page turner. The ending was kind of a cliff-hanger. The writing was great as well and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. Overall, if you are looking for a thriller with a bit of teenage drama in it, then this book is one for you. Worth four stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.