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A review by brooke_review
The Spare Room by Andrea Bartz
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.