The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review. (Not my picture. Publishing February 7, 2023.)

In her previous life, Alyssa (then Alice) was what you would call an underprivileged child, complete with pretty much an absentee mother. In her adult life, along comes Bill who captivated her, made her promises of having everything she ever wanted and all she had to do was marry him and the world would be hers. Of course, she jumped at the opportunity … all in the name of love, or at least she thought it was love. Fast forward about eight years and her world crumbled. Bill up and left her … high and dry. Feeling sorry for herself one evening, Alyssa finds herself drowning her sorrows at a bar, a place she would normally not be.

Enter a bedraggled-looking Bree. The typical bar conversation ensues. You know the one, how are you, bad day type of thing. Alyssa leaves, only to return a few days later thinking maybe she’d see Bree again. And guess what? In walks Bree. This time, though … more conversation, more of Bree’s story comes out, and Alyssa felt bad enough for Bree that she invites her to stay in her guest house.

Things take some twists and turns after that. Alyssa encourages Bree to look at the genealogy results, which then leads them on a path toward discovering Bree’s real family which leads them to Dez, which leads them to a trail of money, which leads them to discovering that Bill wasn’t the upstanding citizen he portrayed himself to be. Just when I thought I had Bree and Dez figured out - PLOT TWIST! Then, again, just when I had this tidbit figured out - PLOT TWIST!

Add this one to your 2023 TBR because … the plot twists will make your head swivel. Ms. Ryan does not disappoint with this one, it seems a simple story … it’s not.