It’s everything she’s ever wanted… house, the more time Jack is spending at work.
At least Lori is here to keep me company.
She has her own troubles yet she always listens to mine.
She’s helping to restore the house, uncovering its secrets one by one.
Like the children’s drawings under the wallpaper in the back bedroom.
The hidden papers underneath the floorboards in the turret room.
And the fact that Westhill House is a place women used to go to feel safe…
Lori seems to know a lot about Westhill House.
The question is, why?
A gripping, spine-chilling read brimming with secrets and lies. If you loved The Girl on the Train, The Wife Between Us or The Woman in the Window then this dark, twisting psychological thriller from Amazon chart bestseller Jess Ryder is guaranteed to have you gripped.
What readers are saying about The Dream House:
‘Wow, what an amazing thrilling, chilling book that sunk its claws into me from page one and didn’t let go until the very end… Ryder will be on my top list of authors… full of thrills, chills, hearts aches, and twist & turns! Will be highly recommending.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘…I think this may be one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long, long time. I was hooked! Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going something else would happened and I’d be asking more questions. The twists and turns were gripping and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Seriously get yourself a copy when this book hits shelves on June 21st, you won’t regret it!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Set aside everything that you have to do… This book will grip you from the very first pages and hold you tightly in its grasp right until the very last page and then it will have you staring into space and wondering what book you could possibly read next because no book would be able to top the one you have just finished. I loved it.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Unputdownable.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
Gripping… had me in its grasp from the very first page… I could not turn the pages quickly enough to discover the mysteries hidden inside Westhill House… This is a brilliantly executed novel that I would not hesitate to recommend.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Brilliant… I could not put this one down!!! Superb read!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘What an incredible thriller! Love this author and literally couldn’t tear myself away from this book. Will definitely be reading more.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Just brilliant, loved every page, every twist and turn and I was gripped from the very first chapter… I have no hesitation in recommending this addictive page turner.’ Netgalley Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Seriously good! Very intense, could not put it down. A perfect example of a book that you are obsessed with reading – cannot wait to find out what happens but do not want it to end. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Totally gripping book that I couldn’t put down… Kept me guessing until the end, a real page turner.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
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Jess Ryder is one of many authors I’d have never found if not for Kindle Unlimited. I feel in love with her first book and always purchase /borrow her new books the day they’re released. I’ve not been disappointed yet… The Dream House is a bit different from her other books, but still retains the suspense and the addicting page turning that all her books do. I’m very critical about books containing Domestic Violence… I spent my childhood watching my Father beat my Mother and even at 6 yrs old, felt guilty when my efforts to protect her were effective. I’ve never been abused myself but it shaped a large part of who I am so I take it almost personally when an author is irresponsible with the subject matter. This wasn’t the case here.. Jess Ryder not only writes it realistically and honestly but also with respect and compassion. I really liked Stella’s character though sometimes I wanted to tell her to grow a pair. I felt for Kay as well as for Abi. It’s all too true that DV was grossly overlooked by the law and considered a”private ” matter in the 70s,early 80s. But even amongst the sensitive subject matter.. He’s was also able to give us a gripping story that kept me turning the pages as fast as possible. Being such a voracious reader, I usually have a story figured out before the end but only a fraction of my guesses were correct. The past and present comes together perfectly in the end, giving the reader closure and also that unique kind of sadness readers get after finishing a good book. I highly recommend
Jess Ryder is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I love her style and the unique stories she creates. This book had me on the edge of my seat. I so badly wanted to figure this one out but I couldn’t. Well done!
This book by Jess Ryder is full of twists, surprises and plenty of anxiety. Stella and Jack move into a dream house. It needs a lot of renovation and soon chaos emerges. With the pounding upstairs, Jack and Stella are finding it difficult to maneuver around each other in many ways. To add to the strain, Lori, a victim of domestic violence appears at the door, bloody and crying.
Lori stays much longer than either expected and twists begin to abound. By the end of the book, the reader will forget how many red herrings they fell for. The characters are rich and the storyline compelling.
Jess Ryder does a really good job incorporating the stigma of domestic violence within the story. She shows why some women fail to report, the societal stigma that exists (especially in previous decades) and the inability of restraining orders to truly prevent abusers from gaining access to their victim.
This is a satisfying fiction book which intertwines the issue of domestic violence with a thriller. I highly recommend it. While Stella might be written incredibly naive, she is necessary for the story to become reality.
I received an ARC from Bookouture through NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.
/ 5
The Dream House (formally The Guest) by Jess Ryder is a compelling and heartbreaking look at domestic abuse.
What it’s about: Stella finds Westhill House and decides that after a rehab, it will be the perfect place to build a future with her boyfriend Jack. But one day, not far into the rehab, a stranger shows up in the middle of the night claiming to be a victim of domestic abuse and hiding from her husband. The thing is, Westhill House used to be a refuge for battered women, and the stranger, Lori, was told she could go there day or night and be taken in no questions asked. Stella’s parents were foster carers, so she is determined to help Lori by letting her stay, even if that means tension with Jack. But as everyone’s demons start to rise to the surface, Stella begins to wonder if Westhill House is really her perfect home. . .
The Dream House is definitely a character driven novel that places most of its attention on the stories of Stella and a woman named Kay. The stories are told in dual timelines and was something that I really loved. I really enjoy when stories switch between past and present, and it really worked for this book. I fell hard for the female characters and ended up loathing most of the male characters.
As I said right away, this is a book that focuses on domestic abuse so there are bound to be triggers. But I loved the way Ryder took this serious topic and really brought it to light without being incredibly descriptive. It was enough to break my heart, but not too much that I was unable to read the book.
I’m not sure I really love the title change for this novel, but both are still fitting. There were a couple of twists to The Dream House that I didn’t see coming at all and they really surprised me. There were also spots that made me burst out in laughter which brought some much-needed lightness to the story.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Bathroom Sink by Miranda Lambert
Final Thought: While I don’t think this book was particularly fast paced, it was definitely gripping and one that I read pretty quickly (anything under 5 hours for me is pretty quick). This was also the second domestic abuse novel that I read in a row so the fact that I liked this book so much has got to mean something. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t like The Dream House as much as Dear Wife, but I ended up loving Ryder’s writing style, and she can really tell a story. I highly recommend The Dream House to fans of compelling fiction that aren’t afraid of the abuse theme.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
There are psych thrillers that are “unputdownable,” and then there are ones that keep giving you one-two jabs of “holy heck what just happened?!?” The Dream House is the perfect combination of the two. I read it in two sittings (only due to a prior commitment – otherwise I would have read straight through). It is masterfully crafted with a plot that is both brutally realistic and hauntingly beautiful. It should probably be mentioned that the subject matter (domestic violence) might be triggering to some readers; descriptions can be rather frank. But the author deals with it in an honest and true-to-life way. Visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews for more thoughts on this excellent book. Thank you to Bookouture (via NetGalley) for a complimentary pre-release digital ARC of this book (formerly titled The Guest).
Stella and her boyfriend Jack moved into a big dilapidated 3-story home that had been used as a safe house for women and children of domestic violence years ago. Stella’s parents had died and left her a lot of money so they were in the process of remodeling the home. The story is told in the then and now format with Stella being the now and Kay, a victim of DV, who lived in the home with her daughter years ago after leaving her violent husband, as the then. There are a lot of very interesting characters in this story and a lot of twists and turns that made this a very fast moving and very suspenseful read. I really loved this page-turner and I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves an exciting story. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this fascinating ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Gripping thriller set on the Kent coast in an old refuge for women. As Stella struggles to rehab the old manse, her relationship shows cracks and a stranger arrives in need of help. No one is who they seem to be and then the mystery unfolds. Original and well paced.