The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
books_by_the_bottle's review against another edition
5.0
Kelly’s life is turned upside down when, during the pandemic, her fiancé asks to call off their wedding. Devastated, the only bright spot in her life is the friendship she recently struck up with her former childhood friend Sabrina. When Sabrina and her husband Nathan offer Kelly their spare room in their remote mansion, she jumps at the opportunity to leave her life behind. At their home, Kelly finds herself attracted to both Sabrina and Nathan and their enchanting life. When one night ends in a threesome, the couple asks her to be their partner and she is excited by this new life. At least, until she finds out their last partner went missing - mere days before Kelly moved in. What has she really gotten herself into with these people?
I was not expecting this story at ALL! Lol locked room thrillers are my favorite and on the occasion that I do read romance, forced proximity is my favorite trope. This sort of threw all those things together for a unique read. I found Kelly to be way too trusting with people she hardly knew, yet I was wrapped up in the story wondering just what happened to the girl who lived there before her. Without giving spoilers, the story took a direction entirely different from what I was expecting, which I loved. I definitely did not predict the twists that happened and the fast pacing made this an easy read.
Thank you to Netgalley, Andrea Bartz and Ballantine Books for the ARC! “The Spare Room” releases June 20th! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
I was not expecting this story at ALL! Lol locked room thrillers are my favorite and on the occasion that I do read romance, forced proximity is my favorite trope. This sort of threw all those things together for a unique read. I found Kelly to be way too trusting with people she hardly knew, yet I was wrapped up in the story wondering just what happened to the girl who lived there before her. Without giving spoilers, the story took a direction entirely different from what I was expecting, which I loved. I definitely did not predict the twists that happened and the fast pacing made this an easy read.
Thank you to Netgalley, Andrea Bartz and Ballantine Books for the ARC! “The Spare Room” releases June 20th! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)
herthrillingreads's review
This book just was not for me. I did not like any of the characters or care about the story.
brooke_review's review against another edition
4.0
The COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 have become one of those iconic "where were you" conversation starters that everyone has a personal story for. However, I imagine most people's pandemic days were nothing like Kelly's, the main character of Andrea Bartz' new novel, The Spare Room.
Amidst the pandemic, Kelly's fiancé decides that maybe marriage with her is not what he wants, so he pumps the brakes on their relationship. Looking for an escape and distraction, Kelly reconnects with an old high school acquaintance, Sabrina, who is now the best-selling author of steamy NSFW romances. Kelly devours Sabrina's books, and when Sabrina and her husband invite Kelly to come stay at their place for awhile, Kelly does not hesitate to join them.
And this is where things get interesting. Inhabiting Sabrina and Nathan's spare room, Kelly soon finds herself seduced by this power couple, entangling herself in a "throuple" with the pair. As Kelly becomes more entrenched in her relationship with Sabrina and Nathan, she soon discovers clues left behind about the enigmatic woman who stood in Kelly's shoes not long before. When she uncovers that this woman (who uncannily looks like Kelly) disappeared under mysterious circumstances, Kelly begins to suspect she is sleeping with the enemy ...
The Spare Room caught me completely by surprise. Despite reading the book's synopsis, I did not expect it to be quite so steamy - I kept checking to make sure I hadn't somehow picked up a new adult novel! That being said, a significant portion of this book is focused on the characters' throuple and how they make it work during the pandemic. While it wasn't what I was expecting, I didn't mind it, albeit, I found Kelly to be entirely unbelievable as the third partner in this relationship. Her willingness to take part in these shenanigans comes completely out of left field and goes against her character, so I couldn't help but scoff at how she so readily agreed to be the third wheel in Sabrina and Nathan's marital bed.
That aside, The Spare Room kept me intrigued and even managed to surprise me a few times. The book moved quickly despite not a whole lot happening, and was an entertaining enough read. However, if you are looking for a suspense novel, this may not be it. While the book certainly has dark, atmospheric undertones, much of it focuses on the Kelly, Sabrina, and Nathan's unconventional relationship. It is not until the end of the book that the suspense really kicks in, although I must say, I really hated the reveal for its lack of ingenuity.
Amidst the pandemic, Kelly's fiancé decides that maybe marriage with her is not what he wants, so he pumps the brakes on their relationship. Looking for an escape and distraction, Kelly reconnects with an old high school acquaintance, Sabrina, who is now the best-selling author of steamy NSFW romances. Kelly devours Sabrina's books, and when Sabrina and her husband invite Kelly to come stay at their place for awhile, Kelly does not hesitate to join them.
And this is where things get interesting. Inhabiting Sabrina and Nathan's spare room, Kelly soon finds herself seduced by this power couple, entangling herself in a "throuple" with the pair. As Kelly becomes more entrenched in her relationship with Sabrina and Nathan, she soon discovers clues left behind about the enigmatic woman who stood in Kelly's shoes not long before. When she uncovers that this woman (who uncannily looks like Kelly) disappeared under mysterious circumstances, Kelly begins to suspect she is sleeping with the enemy ...
The Spare Room caught me completely by surprise. Despite reading the book's synopsis, I did not expect it to be quite so steamy - I kept checking to make sure I hadn't somehow picked up a new adult novel! That being said, a significant portion of this book is focused on the characters' throuple and how they make it work during the pandemic. While it wasn't what I was expecting, I didn't mind it, albeit, I found Kelly to be entirely unbelievable as the third partner in this relationship. Her willingness to take part in these shenanigans comes completely out of left field and goes against her character, so I couldn't help but scoff at how she so readily agreed to be the third wheel in Sabrina and Nathan's marital bed.
That aside, The Spare Room kept me intrigued and even managed to surprise me a few times. The book moved quickly despite not a whole lot happening, and was an entertaining enough read. However, if you are looking for a suspense novel, this may not be it. While the book certainly has dark, atmospheric undertones, much of it focuses on the Kelly, Sabrina, and Nathan's unconventional relationship. It is not until the end of the book that the suspense really kicks in, although I must say, I really hated the reveal for its lack of ingenuity.
lackof_shelf_control's review against another edition
5.0
ᴏɴᴇ ᴘᴏᴠ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡᴇʀ ʙᴀᴄᴋᴅʀᴏᴘ ᴀs ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇs ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴠɪᴅ ᴘᴀɴᴅᴇᴍɪᴄ (ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴏʀʀʏ ɪᴛ’s ɴᴏᴛ ᴀɴ ᴀɢɢʀᴇssɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜᴏᴜᴛ). ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪs ʙʟᴀᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴀs ᴡᴇ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴋᴇʟʟʏ’s ʟɪғᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ɪɴsᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴀɴxɪᴇᴛʏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡɪɴɢ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏғғ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜᴇʀ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ! ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ɪɴᴠᴏᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ. sᴇx ɪs ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪɴᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴡᴏʀʀɪᴇᴅ (ᴀs ɪ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ sᴍᴜᴛ) ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴛᴏᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴍᴏᴜɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ sᴍᴜᴛ!
ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀɪᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴄʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴡ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ’ᴛ ғɪᴛ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀʏ. ᴛᴡɪsᴛ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ sʜᴏᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴛᴡɪsᴛ! ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴅᴏɴᴇ! ɪᴛ’s ʀᴀʀᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀɴ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴀɴʏ sᴜʀᴘʀɪsɪɴɢ ᴛᴡɪsᴛs ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ sᴏ ғᴀʀ ғᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ.
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴍʏ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴀɴᴅʀᴇᴀ ʙᴀʀᴛᴢ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ғɪɴᴅ ᴀ sᴀᴛɪsғʏɪɴɢ ᴘᴀʏᴏғғ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴠᴇʀʜʏᴘᴇᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋs ᴏʀ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀs. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅʀᴇᴀ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘᴏɪɴᴛ! ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴍᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ! sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ.
📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @randomhouse @penguinrandomhouse ᴀɴᴅ @netgalley ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖
ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀɪᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴄʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴡ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ’ᴛ ғɪᴛ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀʏ. ᴛᴡɪsᴛ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ sʜᴏᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴛᴡɪsᴛ! ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴅᴏɴᴇ! ɪᴛ’s ʀᴀʀᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀɴ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴀɴʏ sᴜʀᴘʀɪsɪɴɢ ᴛᴡɪsᴛs ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ sᴏ ғᴀʀ ғᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ.
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴍʏ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴀɴᴅʀᴇᴀ ʙᴀʀᴛᴢ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ғɪɴᴅ ᴀ sᴀᴛɪsғʏɪɴɢ ᴘᴀʏᴏғғ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴠᴇʀʜʏᴘᴇᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋs ᴏʀ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀs. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅʀᴇᴀ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘᴏɪɴᴛ! ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴍᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ! sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ.
📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @randomhouse @penguinrandomhouse ᴀɴᴅ @netgalley ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖
karliecederquist's review against another edition
3.0
This book was…okay. Nothing really happened the first 50% of the book. The
bmlowry8's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
isobel_shobs's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
booklvrkat's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Did not see that ending coming!
julielb's review against another edition
1.0
This was a terrible book. Mostly about a main female character who was so weak and simpy that she grabbed on to a throuple relationship as if it was true love. Even when she finds photos of another woman with them who has bruises and looks unconscious, well, no, she's not troubled because there must be an explanation. Ugh, it was just so terribly written and the subject matter not at all interesting, even the silly twist at the end. One star, barely.