debidutta1604's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
shae_bentley's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
carlys987's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The plot was fine, and I liked Bartz's commentary in this one more than I did in We Were Never Here. My main issue here was that I just thought the main character was so. Stupid! If my new partners were acting nearly as shady as the ones in this book were, I would've thrown myself *bodily* out of their home.
sbrot's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
nlindberg's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the idea of this book and the first 2/3ish kept me entertained. The ending was a let down and ruined how much I enjoyed the first part.
bookworm91's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dannycakez8808's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
I found this one to be intriguing! Our main character, Kelly, finds herself in the middle of the pandemic and breaking up with her fiancé. This leads her to reach out to an old high school acquaintance, Sabrina. Kelly soon finds herself in a thruple with Sabriba and her husband. She thinks everything is picture perfect until she finds out she isn't this couples' first girlfriend, and their most recent ex is considered to be a missing person. The story unfolds from there, and we have one heck of a who done it. The story was overall intriguing and kept me interested. However, parts of it were definitely predictable.
I found this one to be intriguing! Our main character, Kelly, finds herself in the middle of the pandemic and breaking up with her fiancé. This leads her to reach out to an old high school acquaintance, Sabrina. Kelly soon finds herself in a thruple with Sabriba and her husband. She thinks everything is picture perfect until she finds out she isn't this couples' first girlfriend, and their most recent ex is considered to be a missing person. The story unfolds from there, and we have one heck of a who done it. The story was overall intriguing and kept me interested. However, parts of it were definitely predictable.
gwendolyn_kensinger's review against another edition
4.0
Kelly's life has turned into a nightmare: She's friendless and jobless, and the pandemic lockdown has her trapped in a tiny apartment with a man who's just called off their wedding. Luckily for her she has rekindled an old friendship and she is invited to go and stay with her friend and her husband in lockdown.
This book was super entertaining! A bit over the top, sexy, twisty, and I was glued to the pages to find out what was gonna happen next. Isn’t that the best type of thriller? I’ve seen lots of mixed reviews on this book and I get it. It’s not going to be for everyone, but if you decide to not take the story too seriously you might be surprised. The Spare Room is a pandemic book. I know for some people this will be a negative, but the pandemic is mostly used as a backdrop to make the characters more isolated. Also open relationships and polyamory are a big part of the story, so if you’re not open minded then steer clear.
This book was super entertaining! A bit over the top, sexy, twisty, and I was glued to the pages to find out what was gonna happen next. Isn’t that the best type of thriller? I’ve seen lots of mixed reviews on this book and I get it. It’s not going to be for everyone, but if you decide to not take the story too seriously you might be surprised. The Spare Room is a pandemic book. I know for some people this will be a negative, but the pandemic is mostly used as a backdrop to make the characters more isolated. Also open relationships and polyamory are a big part of the story, so if you’re not open minded then steer clear.
nobookmark_noproblem's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and Andrea Bartz for a copy of this ARC!
The Spare Room, by Andrea Bartz, is a mystery/thriller that to me felt more like a domestic drama book. Kelly, the main character, is offered the opportunity to stay with a childhood friend Sabrina, and her husband, Nathan, after her engagement is ended and she has nowhere else to turn. Over time, she starts to fall for both Sabrina and Nathan as they open up their marriage for her. Things start to seem off to Kelly, who starts to uncover cracks in their relationship. Cut off from the rest of the world, Kelly must uncover the secrets of Nathan and Sabrina before it's too late.
While I was able to stay engaged with this story and plot, I found Kelly's character to be extremely frustrating. Overall, this was a slow burn for me and it felt unrealistic at times. I did, however, like how the author incorporated the pandemic and lockdown into this story!
This was my first book by the author and I still plan to read "We Were Never Here" because I have heard such amazing things about her writing.
My rating for this book is a 2.5
The Spare Room, by Andrea Bartz, is a mystery/thriller that to me felt more like a domestic drama book. Kelly, the main character, is offered the opportunity to stay with a childhood friend Sabrina, and her husband, Nathan, after her engagement is ended and she has nowhere else to turn. Over time, she starts to fall for both Sabrina and Nathan as they open up their marriage for her. Things start to seem off to Kelly, who starts to uncover cracks in their relationship. Cut off from the rest of the world, Kelly must uncover the secrets of Nathan and Sabrina before it's too late.
While I was able to stay engaged with this story and plot, I found Kelly's character to be extremely frustrating. Overall, this was a slow burn for me and it felt unrealistic at times. I did, however, like how the author incorporated the pandemic and lockdown into this story!
This was my first book by the author and I still plan to read "We Were Never Here" because I have heard such amazing things about her writing.
My rating for this book is a 2.5