A Lot of People Live in This House

by Bailey Merlin

A Lot of People Live in This House follows Rachel as she arrives at the house on the hill alone as Job attends a meditation retreat in India for two weeks to unpack his own grief. She's greeted by housemates who smile, bring her cups of tea, and seem happy she's there. She hates it. Not long after, Job is trapped in India by a virus that's grounded just about every plane in the world. As she falls apart, her new housemates rally to find a way to get Job home. Everything Rachel thought she knew about living with others flies out the window and leaves only one remaining truth: Life can be a lot at once, but you don't have to do it alone.

Genres: Fiction

370 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2023

Reviews

[Sophia-Rose Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a warm hug.

[JB Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m going to be honest, I bought this book to support a fellow author when we did an event together last May. I put off reading it because it is a hybrid publish and I have had bad luck with non-traditionally published books in the past, but THIS BOOK. I was immediately drawn in by the language, the dialogue, the characters and the plot.

If you are human you will love this book. The characters are so well drawn and the subject matter is so fresh. If you want a summary you can read other reviews, what I want to tell you is don’t make the same mistake I made. Bailey Merlin wrote a masterful debut that has all the feels. Read it. READ IT NOW!

[ABG · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book… I felt ALL the things, fell in love with its characters, and was completely immersed in its comforting against the odds setting. I will be recommending this for the rest of my life probably, and I say that completely unironically.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

This novel is everything I could want, and I think many things I needed, in one beautifully written package. It’s set during the ‘first’ part of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it brought me back to that time - not completely stressfully, as this novel is about a found family who share live together, but it brought me back to the pain and uncertainty of that time in a way that was cathartic, and I think more people need to read this for simply that reason alone. We’re all eager to forget that time and I can’t blame us for it, but it’s also important, this novel. It holds your hand and says, what you felt was real. It was understandable. The good and the bad, it all happened, and however you adapted and made it through - I’m glad that you’re here.

The found family, the core of this novel, were also… so incredibly heartwarming. Living together with strangers in a pandemic sounds like a nightmare but, through Google calendars and patience and love and Chopped!Nights and bagels, they made it work. The characters all had different genders and sexualities and the main character had to sort of learn how to normalise these identities in her own head, which was great to see - she didn’t have it all put-together, but she tried and was generally respectful, which is what matters. It’s nice to see a story with a diverse cast and a fairly ‘normal’ mc, she has to learn a lot, too, and just as it’s important to write stories for us, it’s important to have stories that show how people live with us and love us - because we need that, too, in stories and in the real world.

Rachel dealt with her trauma in a way that I thought was both realistic and resonant, and when she got to know her housemates better and realised that not everyone’s lives were as perfect as she thought… that struck a chord with me, too. I’ve often envied people whom I think have better circumstances than I, especially people where an aspect of their lives is normal and for me that aspect is not. And she was the same. And it was comforting to see that, see her grow past it and all of them help each other with what they were dealing with. It felt more authentic and impactful to have the found family come together slowly and not quite smoothly - it makes their eventual relationships so much more profound.

Look up the content/trigger warnings for this before you pick it up, but I’d highly recommend it. Brimming with heart, feeling, love, and loss, this is a story of people who grit their teeth and white-knuckle their way to a happy ever after, and get there - together.

[Sarah Cimarusti · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much respect for life and death in A Lot of People Live in This House. The pandemic was a painful time for many, and this story touches on the longing for loved ones who were countries away or isolated elsewhere due to restrictions.

How do you go through one of the most recent challenging global experiences without the person you love most in this world? You lean into the kindness of your community.

I think what I was most impressed about when reading this book was the attention to the journey. It took its time to play out. Transitions were smooth and natural. And there was careful consideration for each character. Every character was interesting and fleshed out, and I rarely found myself bored. Big fan of Wren and the different identities they try on. Would love to see them in another story.

This is a smaller detail, but I enjoy how this writer talks about food. There’s an entire chapter where the household has a cook off in the kitchen, and it’s an absolute blast.

Another favorite scene is the birth scene. I will not spoil it for you, but it’s worth the wait. Epic and beautiful.

My one criticism is pretty preferential, so I won’t dwell on it, but I would have liked to see more chaos. There’s so many people living in the same house during an unprecedented time, you’d think you’d have some brawls. Or maybe that’s just too much reality TV.

Everyone works together to solve problems in this story. It has softness, sadness, and a whole lot of heart. It will hold your ragged parts. A Lot of People Live in This House redefines family and makes you believe in other people again.

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It started a little slow for me, but the last few chapters had me crying every couple of sentences, and the story is one I will not forget soon.

This is the story of Rachel and Job, two people who found themselves shortly after they'd been orphaned, and found solace in each other, making it easy for both to fall completely in love. A few years later they get pregnant, only to discover their baby girl will not make it to her due date alive. This is enough to devastate both of them, but Job even more. This triggers in Rachel a desire to travel the world to show Job that life is still worth living. After a year abroad, they decider to move back to the US, and they find a communal home in Boston that they think will fit their temporary needs, while Job finished up his mediation course in India. Bear in mind this is February 2020, just before the global pandemic hit. I won't spoil much more, but this the story about found family that has impacted me profoundly, in a way no other found family stories ever had. The way Rachel's anxiety takes over her, and the importance of allowing yourself to be loved and to be vulnerable is something the author tackled incredibly well.

I will be reading any book by Bailey Merlin from now on.

[Walter Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does so many things well. There is a very large cast of characters, but all of them are individual, rounded, and have a role in the story. Rachel's anxiety is handled so carefully. At first, we just accept it as part of her without digging for details, but the sources of her distress do come out at the right times to enrich the story. The use of apps and technology is spot on, and I've seen so many novels that can't get that right. Thinking back, I have clear images of most of the rooms in the house, even though the there wasn't much obvious description. We saw the rooms as Rachel experienced them. And this is the first book I've read that really captures those early months of the COVID pandemic. I was checking news articles and government sites daily to see if choir practice was still on or whether I should cancel Scout meetings, then boom!, a shelter in place order at noon, pack your office and don't come back. Taking safety measures even though not enough was known about the virus, limiting trips to the grocery, all of that came back while reading this.

[Elizabeth Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel offers an excellent depiction of anxiety, both individual in the main character Rachel, and collective in exploring dynamics at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, the process of working through grief and loss are well explored, both in Rachel and in Wren, a non-binary character. Wren stands out as one of the most fleshed-out characters aside from Rachel, though other cast members that live in the house are also unique in their own ways.

If I had one criticism, it’s that the novel is a little too positive in discussing the living situation of 8+ people sharing the same space. There are never any major issues within the house, and the issues that do arise are handled quickly. Similarly, Rachel comes across as overly negative many times in the book because no one else in the house seems to struggle.

Overall, though, the threads of a welcoming, supportive community and hopeful outlook made for a pleasant read.

[Jeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this novel made me feel like I found a new friend group. I cared about each and every person in Merlin's novel. The novel centers on a large group of individuals living together during the beginnings of the Covid 19 pandemic and touches on so many additional issues not related to the pandemic - grief, mental illness, family relationships. The complexities of living with others and of found family was the focus and it was hard to not feel like you were one of the roommates. Every character was complex and well-rounded and relationships between people was largely the focus, all viewed from the newcomer to the house - Rachel, who is on her own personal journey of growth. For someone who loves a character development focused novel, this book felt like a warm hug. I am looking forward to reading any of Merlin's future novels!

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brought all the feels. The book opens with Rachel moving into an intentional living community which might as well be a foreign country with its customs, culture, and citizens. It's a lot for Rachel to handle on her own while dealing with heaps of emotional baggage. Rachel is navigating change, anxiety, and grief, all while her partner, Job is on the other side of the world. These emotional challenges are written with care and understanding, but Merlin doesn't shy away from devastating her readers. A line that stuck with me is "Nothing hurts as exquisitely as this." This book had me tearing up before offering the balm of found family and hope. A Lot of People Live in This House left me, a cynical loner, wistful and wondering what it would be like to live with a community turned family. This was a heartwarming and beautiful read.

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sooooo good! I don’t think I could connect with Rachel’s response to her grief and trauma fully, but that’s just because we are different people. Sometimes her responses annoyed me, and other times I fully resonated with her. But I really enjoyed her connecting more with her housemates and living outside her comfort zone and letting other people take care of her. Intentional community living is my dream life, which is why I picked up this book. There’s something about the “it takes a village” lifestyle that warms my heart so much more than the idea of a traditional single-family lifestyle. Why wouldn’t I want to be surrounded by my favorite people all the time? Sharing food and laughs and hard times.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will be a book I come back to over the years. Still processing a bit, but the relationships between the characters, the development of trust, the growth exhibited both personally and relationally is just something special. This was a beautiful blend of heartfelt prose and hilarity, a striking balance that gives readers an opportunity to find pieces of this story that mirror their own experiences. Is it weird to read a story set in a heartbreaking, challenging, terrifying time of recent present? Absolutely - especially since that time is still not truly over. But I think this will be a story that stands the test of time without receding into irrelevance because of it's time period.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, empathetic, important novel

This book is a time capsule. It is one of those rare beautiful occasions that revels in being so incredibly specific that it somehow has universal relevance. It felt like the timing of reading this book, for me personally, could not have been more appropriate. Somehow, I think that would feel true no matter when I happened to read it. Merlin's voice conveys her characters as perfectly realized humans. I truly believe that anyone with a vested interest in humanity- which should be all of us- will find this book enlightening, deeply moving, funny, and I even think helpful.

[Nicky Hallam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read about the pandemic. I'm sure there'll be plenty over the next few years. What the book does really well is capture the anxiety but also the sense of community from the early lockdowns.
Rachel has returned to the US to live in a shared house while her husband remains in India. Its only supposed to be for a few weeks but then covid hits.
Feeling her way through trauma into her new living situation is hard for Rachel. At first I thought her housemates were a bit unreal but as the book went on I could really imagine the house.

[Kelliann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so lovely and unexpected. I've never known anyone that lived in a community like the one described so beautifully in this novel. I love the writing and really enjoyed all of the characters. As someone married to a health care worker, I really appreciate the real and honest depiction of the early days of the pandemic. While we would all like to forget it, I think stories like this are important. I can't wait to read more from Bailey.

[R M · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story of resiliency and how people can become family if we let them. Following Rachel and Job’s relationship during the worst situation of Covid is both heartbreaking and engaging. I love the interactions with all the quirky characters. It made me laugh out loud and choke back tears. I am definitely getting the physical copy!!!

[Jenna Deaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of people live in this house is a story of humans supporting each other told in the most delightful way possible. The found family vibes in this book made me think about my own experiences in communal living and brought back wonderful memories

*potential trigger warning for mentions of the pandemic .

[Steven McClelland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put “A Lot of People Live in this House” down. Bailey Merlin has created a world where you can see each decoration, feel each room, and experience life in a communal city home. By telling a story from the early days of the COVID pandemic, this book is an excellent examination of how quarantine changed our collective culture forever. A fantastic read that I would highly recommend.

[Kaley Symalla · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10 This was a very random read I picked up and I’m glad I did. It’s about a group of people that live in a communal household during the start of the pandemic. Each character is unique in their own way and it’s creates this really beautiful sense of found family and belonging. Very cute and easy read!

[Caro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book warmed my heart, showed me how grief is handled in different ways, it also showed me about just being there for people. At first I was getting frustrated with the protagonists actions and attitude, but soon enough I understood everything. Strangers can and do become family in a heartbeat and this book clearly shows us all what community is 💓

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was like reading a literary version of The Family Stone meets the pandemic.

It was rich, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and it was quite the page turner for just being about a house filled with people living through the pandemic.

I loved it.

[Ryan O'Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent debut novel. Keeps popping back into my head long after I finished reading. Pacing of character development is uncommon and superb. It’s exactly as long as it needs to be but you don’t want it to end because it’s so interesting and nice to live in the world the book creates.

[Laith Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great novel. Intimate look into communal living & communal support during some of the scariest moments at the start of the COVID pandemic.

The characters were interesting and believable. The emotional moments were powerful and tear-jerking. I recommend this read!

[Eren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like how going to my group IOP program felt. It was so warm, and heartbreaking, and poignant. It never shied away from tough subjects and feelings. I was crying by the end in cathartic tears.

[Jessica Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story about the power of friendship in difficult times. Getting to know all of the characters was such a heartwarming experience. I would highly highly recommend this book!

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5 stars. A heartwarming story that takes place during the beginning of the Covid pandemic. It's a story of loss, hope, growing as a person and finding family in those around us. There are a lot of characters but each is so unique and so well developed that they all really come alive.

[Beth Innis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, fun writing, creative story! Highly recommend!

[M]

A sweet and heartfelt novel about opening yourself up to receive the rest of the world when you just want to burrow further inside yourside.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book but I’m not entirely sure why.
The characters are so well developed and the dialogue flowed easily. You just kind of melt into the story.

[Mercedes Schultz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my type of book too much fake drama!!!!

[Cassandra Medcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't cried so hard while reading a book in a LONG time. OMG. It was like Dumbledore dying all over again, except it was adult and real and helped me process a lot of the grief from the pandemic that I'd totally just brushed under the rug.
You will cry when you read this book. And laugh. And crave a community like the one Rachel has ❤️