Our Dream Home

by Jessica Huntley

I never win anything. Not competitions. Not arguments. Not affection from my own children.

Most days, I’m just getting through – dodging teenage sarcasm, scraping fishfingers off plates, wishing my husband would just notice me once in a while.

Then came the emails. Win a car! Win a holiday! Win a house!

Spam, obviously. I blocked them.

But then I heard the radio. A real dream-home giveaway.

And for one moment – stuck between roadworks and honking horns – I let myself want something.

I texted in.

And suddenly my whole life changed.

Now we’re living in a house bigger than my wildest dreams – and my darkest nightmares.

Because the threats started almost immediately. Someone congratulating me . . . by name.

Someone who knows about the mistake that ruined everything sixteen years ago.

They know the truth. They want something from me.

And if I don’t give it to them, my lucky break will become a death sentence.

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Domestic Thriller, Mystery Thriller

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2026

About the author

Jessica Huntley is an award-winning and best-selling psychological thriller author. She's an ex-British soldier and Personal Trainer and has been writing almost non-stop for the past four years.

She is both self-published and traditionally published with Inkubator Books and Joffe Books.

She writes books for thriller readers who like their stories dark and twisty with complex, yet memorable characters, who often suffer from relatable mental health disorders.

When she isn't writing, Jessica is either keeping fit, walking her dog or looking after her young son.

Sign up to her email list to receive news about her upcoming book releases, get a first look at covers and some thriller recommendations. Visit her website where you'll also be able to download a short story called "You Die ... I Die".

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting in parts, but it wasn’t a thriller that wowed me.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this one 4.5 ⭐️’s What an exciting ride that was!! Awesome storytelling from beginning to end! Well developed characters that pull you in and can relate to in one way or the other. An over the top plot twist you can almost see coming but very well crafted and satisfying.

This was like a Lifetime Network made for t.v. type jam that you didn’t know was going to be that good lol! Looking for a family drama type thriller that will hook you right in and take you on an exciting ride? Then stop right here! Very well done and thank you very much!!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ | Dream house or nightmare house? In this case, I think I’m gonna have to go with option 2! Fiona and her family thinks they are in for a nice welcome in their new dream house that Fiona just won in a contest. This is a classic example of if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

From the moment she accepted her winning. I was very suspicious of this supposed giveaway winning. But this story’s secrets and deception ran deeper than I could have ever imagined. Every single person in the story has a secret or 2 & readers just have to decide whose is worse. I definitely thought the story was heading in a different direction, and every time I thought everything was revealed here comes another one. Overall, a great read and my fourth by Jessica Huntley. I think this one just took the number one spot.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

couldn't put this down! quick and easy read ☺️

[Raluca · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books I've stumbled across in quite some time. I kept waiting for it to get better, but the second half made me cringe constantly. This book doesn't show, it just tells, and it reads as if it's written by an unemployed frustrated housewife with big fantasies, but no skills whatsoever.

At the end of the book she's given everything on a plate, despite her questionable morals, and she congratulates herself for "coming so far"? Oh, please.

This deserve minus stars if you ask me.

[Mona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beach read thriller.

[daniela weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

from the moment fiona
moves to her dream home
things were so oddly surreal
that the ending felt flat after
a lot of magic solutions. :x

[Sadie's Cosy Book Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be a very slow burn. There was never any shocking moments or jaw dropping parts. You just wanted to read on to find out all the things that had gone wrong.
I gave 3 stars as it was well written and it had short chapter which I love. It was also an easy read. The story line was great but feel as if it could have had more of a punch/twist
I don't think I would recommend this book unfortunately

[Hannah Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captivating but siiiiiilly

[Bo.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

After not having much luck with two of this author's other books, I went in not expecting too much but was pleasantly surprised to find I couldn't put it down. The story moves quickly and kept me turning the pages, the pacing was addictive, the chapters are short and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

Anything related to the picturesque and chocolate box aesthetic of the Cotswolds I find fascinating and a form of escapism, so that along with the home itself were a highlight for me. I enjoyed seeing the contrast between a dark mystery and secrets unfolding against the backdrop of such a quaint and cozy village.

I thought the twists were good and well placed, the ending was solid and overall, I'd recommend this for fans of mysteries or thrillers featuring small town dynamics, family drama and idyllic settings.

[Lori Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wished for something more and entered a contest for a new car, a trip, or a dream home? Yep, we all have at some point. Fiona is feeling under appreciated by her 2 children and husband. She's stuck in traffic on her way to work and a contest on the radio is announced for a dream house in the country. You have to know the singer of a song back in the 90's and Fiona knows the answer immediately. She decides to text in and enter the contest because she's got nothing better to do and she never wins anything. When the radio calls Fiona she is shocked that she has actually won the contest and now is the proud owner of a country home. She doesn't have to pay any bills on the house for one year and basic chores like cleaning and yard work are included. Wow, Fiona is thrilled and hopes her family will be.

Fiona, her husband George, and her 2 kids Heather and Liam are off to their new home. The kids aren't thrilled to be leaving their friends and their schools, but once they see the house they feel better. The house has 2 pools, a massive yard, a movie room, a game room with a huge tv and every video game console on the market, a huge kitchen with amazing applianced, and it's fully furnished! Fiona's luck has changed or has it? The threats began almost immediately after moving in. Who knows Fiona's darkest secrets? Will her secret come out and ruin her family? Will Fiona be able to protect her kids and keep everyone safe? What is the secret she's been keeping? Why do the neighbors seem overly friendly and familiar? Who are they? Our Dream Home is one of those books that when you pick it up you can't put it down! When you think you have everything figured out, you don't! I enjoyed Our Dream Home thoroughly and rate it 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advanced copy of Our Dream Home in exchange for a fair review. #OurDreamHome

[Caitlin Bunting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 4.5 ⭐️
What a fab, fast paced and thrilling book this was. I found myself wanting to keep reading as this book was so well written you just want to keep reading to find out what happens. I loved how it all tied together nicely at the end and how this left a satisfying feel to finish this book on.

[I’m reading · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was as predictable as it was boring

Husband and wife holding secrets.
She was pregnant when they met and didn’t tell him, allowing him to believe the child was his.

14 years later she wins a mansion.

Once they arrive at their new home, the meet the neighbors.

Surprise, surprise
The male neighbor his her one night stand and is the bio dad of her daughter.

Her husband has his own secrets.

He changed jobs and went to work for the one night stand and has been having an affair with the woman pretending to be the wife of the new neighbor.

Her husband sets the house on fire, attacks her in her sleep, and trapped her in the cellar.

He also kills the male neighbor.

The daughter finds her mother and saves her after once again being locked away.

The dad comes back, tries to kill the girl and take his son.

His son hits him over the head with a hammer, the wife finishes the job.

In the one night stands will (the neighbor), he leaves all his billions and 2 mansions to his first born child.

Which is the daughter.

[Sarah Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I found this an addictive and hard to put down book, there was just something stopping me from giving it 5 stars. The whole revenge plot was extremely outlandish and also the characters were not likeable at all. Fiona seemed to want everything handed to her on a plate without any work or trying whatsoever. I felt quite sorry for Boots the cat who kept being referred to as ‘that damn cat’. Winning the house was not unbelievable as we have that whole Omaze thing and the creepy events were well tied in but towards the end as the revenge plot came to light, it just didn’t work for me and the ending was quite frustrating

[Lizzie Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two big issues I’m noticing with the trashiest of the trashy thrillers I’ve been listening to because they’re free on audible:

1) What is with this uber-wealth wish fulfillment nonsense? All of the worst books in this genre feature just absurdly wealthy characters in absurdly opulent settings and it’s BORING. It’s not inherently boring to read about wealthy people in wealthy settings. The Great Gatsby is a classic. The Crocodile Bird is set on an expensive British estate. But these books are like, “Here’s a list of all the rooms in our house: game room, sauna, indoor pool, wine cellar (with LOTS of wine)” or “we flew our second of three private jets to the island” or “her hair clearly cost hundreds of dollars to maintain” (I don’t even know what it looks like!) or “my closet full of designer dresses.” I assume this happens because the authors are fantasizing about being wealthy (and in this case, taking over a vague tech empire and being perfect at it immediately), so I have a recommendation: open up a second document in which you describe your billionaire-style dream home and lifestyle; have some fun with that; don’t use those fantasies to clog up everything you write.

2) Evil husbands are way too over the top. I’m not criticizing the inclusion of an evil husband. I’m not even saying he can’t turn out to be a proper maniac (although this book lays out evil plans and convenient solutions the same way it describes the house), but you’ve gotta be a little subtler if you don’t want me to know he’s evil. This is not the first book I’ve listened to where the husband/boyfriend fully tells the MC that he thinks she’s making stuff up when the reader knows full well that he knows she isn’t. You know what happens when you have a husband accuse his wife of faking a home invasion, at least without establishing a history of similar lies on her part? You kill all the suspense. I know who the bad guy is immediately. If you’re going to have someone gaslight the main character in a way that confuses the reader about what really happened, you have to make the lie plausible. Want to accuse a character of saying something utterly inappropriate while drunk and have the reader be unsure about whether or not she said it? You need to have written the previous evening such that I believe she was drunk enough not just to forget what she said, but to say something absolutely antithetical to her whole character motivation in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, there should be hints that the dude isn’t right, but these aren’t hints. This is hitting me over the head with his obvious awfulness over and over and then expecting me to be surprised when he turns out to be (comically) evil.

Also, 14 year old boys do not go to jail for killing their fugitive murderer fathers in self defense, with a witness (also, isn’t the whole house covered in cameras?). There was no need to creepily cover up his death at the end.

[Lex Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Jessica Huntley!

She really is great at these concepts. You always see/hear about these Omaze prize draws, and it’s cool to have this scenario as the plot for a book.

Some questionable characters (in a good way!) and big twists made this a quick and enjoyable read.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ Easy listen, suspenseful thriller novel. It didn’t really wow me, but at the same time it was still twisty. However I did think that it was quite far fetched, like why and how it was all orchestrated like come on now that’s ridiculous behaviour. The ending within the last couple minutes felt really rushed and that there needed to be a conclusion fast but I don’t think that it was the best one. Also HATED the idea that they alluded at the end that Heather and Ryan were getting close and cosy even after finding out they are half siblings like SORRY?

[Cin (cinsnextchapter) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read a Jessica Huntley novel yet that I didn’t totally love. Our Dream Home kept me on the edge of my seat and was a one-sitting read. The fast pace and high tension made this twisty thriller impossible for me to put down!

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Our Dream Home
Author: Jessica Huntley
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Publication Date: February 25, 2026

"Our Dream Home" is a quick, easy read full of twists and turns. On a whim, the main character, Fiona, enters a contest to win a mansion. Imagine her surprise when she actually wins. She packs up her family and they move to their new, beautiful home.

This is a prime example of "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is..."

I love it when UK authors include a glossary for UK terms. It definitely makes reading a little bit easier.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

[Heather Chesna]

Wow! It took me places I never expected. I think I will pass on winning my dream home. This was a really great book, so different. I loved the ending. Highly recommend!

[Hilary Cockshaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobook. This got sillier and sillier. At the start, oo interesting I wonder how this will play out. By the end, two people having a secret conversation alone in a room are found out by a teenage boy's drone which goes undetected. Yep ok.

[Jade Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the copy.

The premise of this book instantly hooked me. A woman wins a multi-million-pound dream home in the Cotswolds — honestly, who hasn’t seen those competitions and let their mind wander? I know I have. Jessica Huntley takes that familiar fantasy and flips it on its head, giving it a dark, unsettling thriller twist… because of course a dream like that can’t come without a price.

Our main character is refreshingly honest about where her life is at. She doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that things are in shambles — her relationships are strained, she feels overlooked and unappreciated by her family, and she’s carrying the weight of choices that have shaped her into who she is now. That rawness makes her feel very real, and it’s easy to sense just how much she’s hoping this house will be a fresh start.

But there’s a dark secret lurking beneath the surface, and moving into this beautiful home quickly begins to feel like a terrible mistake. Tension simmers throughout as cracks start to appear, and the fragile version of family life she has begins to threaten total implosion.

This is very much a slow-burn thriller, but one that keeps you reading like you’re watching a horror film through your fingers — you know something dreadful is coming, you just don’t know when or how. That creeping sense of unease is done so well.

And when the twists come? They’re fantastic. The pace ramps up dramatically towards the end and I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Everything tightens, the stakes soar, and the payoff is well worth the wait.

A tense, imaginative take on a dream-come-true scenario with a dark heart at its core — and a reminder that sometimes the most beautiful houses hide the ugliest secrets 🖤📚

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winning a million pound prize in a prize draw completely changes Fiona and her family's lives...but is that necessarily a good thing? Only time will tell.
Secrets and events of the past catch up with the present, like watching a car-crash in slow motion, while the feelings aroused in the reader are fascinatingly aweful.

Our Dream Home is unputdownable, as you'll find out. Grab it today and you'll be up all night to finish it in one sitting - I know I did!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sam Steffy (bookswithsamiam) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had an amazing start. A complete page turner that made you want to keep reading and grasping at the pages to know more as fast as you could. However, the last 5 chapters or so made this book completely sink. I feel like this ending could have been done in so many different ways to make this book a 5 star read, but nonetheless I was left feeling very disappointed with this ending. & the beginning…..Where the heck did that tie back in… someone explain that one to me please and thank you!

[HReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging enough that it kept my attention (and I love the premise, who wouldn’t?) but I found it a little fantastical overall.

[Tina A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for a dream home nightmare!

Our Dream Home, by Jessica Huntley, follows Fiona who’s dismissed like a ghost by her husband, Roger, and their two teenagers—Heather and Liam. Fiona places all of her faith and hope that things will take a turn for the better when she wins a luxurious dream house in the Cotswolds. Roger is excited, but the kids aren’t too keen to be instantly uprooted from their home and friends. But once they see the trappings of their new lifestyle, their reluctance fades away. As for Fiona, the baggage she brings along contains a long held secret that she has no intention of ever unpacking.

Their overly flirtatious new neighbor, Glory, invites all of them over to meet her husband, Victor, and their son, Ryan, who is close in age to Heather. And suddenly the plot descends into a deep, dark, downward spiral.

Can the neighbors be trusted? Will relationships be mended? Will all the emotional baggage be laid out on the bed once and for all?

Our Dream Home cranks the knob on gaslighting, dupes with deceit, reeks with revenge and executes an ending that leaves you staring at the wall, completely satisfied! I was even caught off guard during some unexpected tender moments that had me dabbing away at tears! Just another one of Huntley’s fast page-turning psychological thrillers that has all the best parts for a movie!

***I received an advance reader copy from the author via Booksprout. All opinions are my own.***

[Chapters_with_VDKeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy release day to a book that proves not every white picket fence is built to keep danger out… sometimes it’s built to keep it in. 🖤

A regular, worn-out mom wins a multi-million-pound mansion in the Cotswolds — rolling hills, honey-stone walls, old-money vibes. She’s juggling moody teens, a distant husband, and a life that feels beige… and suddenly she’s living large. Except the nightmare moves in too.

Day one, the neighbor slinks over with red wine and eyeballs the husband like he’s the last slice of pecan pie at the church potluck. Then comes the message: Congrats on the house… we know what you did sixteen years ago. Oh. OH.

The tension in this book hums like a busted screen door in July. Huntley’s writing is sharp and propulsive — short chapters, little breadcrumb reveals, and just enough doubt about the narrator to keep you deliciously uneasy. The “mistake” from sixteen years ago unravels in juicy, controlled layers, and when the twists hit? I gasped like I’d just seen my ex thriving. 😩

4.5 stars because I wanted one thread to simmer a tad longer — but honey, this was addictive. Glossy domestic suspense with teeth.

Thanks to Joffe Books for this advance copy via #NetGalley for my honest, voluntary review. #OurDreamHome #JessicaHuntley #JoffeBooks #DomesticThriller

[Chasity Trimble · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those reads where the tension comes more from the secrets between people than from big dramatic moments.

Our Dream Home really leans into the idea that a fresh start doesn’t always mean leaving the past behind. As the story follows a couple settling into their new house and trying to build a new life, you quickly realize there’s a lot being left unsaid between them and within the neighborhood itself. I liked how the story focused on the cracks in their relationship and how those quiet fractures slowly widened as more truths came out.

Jessica Huntley’s writing kept me engaged, especially with how she let the unease build gradually. It wasn’t fast-paced the whole time, but it created that constant feeling that something was waiting just beneath the surface. I did find some parts slower than I wanted and somewhat predictable but I was still invested enough to see how everything would unravel.

Overall, a solid domestic thriller that focuses more on secrets, trust, and the darker side of starting over.
3.75/5

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

Jessica does it again!

This time we follow Fiona who is a housewife and keeps getting 'Win a Dream House' spam emails which of course, she gmignores because who wouldn't!

Driving to work one day, she hears a radio station doing the same competition, sees it as a sign and figures... why not? It's a radio station!

After winning and moving... Fiona's life begins to unravel.

I liked Fiona as a character, though she had made some questionable choices over the years! I did feel for her though as for the most part, she went unseen by her family which was sad so the events that unfold at their new home sadder because Fiona has no idea.

The idea of a Dream Home is incredibly clever because everyone would love to be that lucky!

I just love Jessica's way of writing, you think you have the story sussed and WHAM, she throws you in a totally different direction.

There is so much to discuss but all things I want to talk about are spoilers!

If you love thrillers and being on a rollercoaster ride then Jessica's new book is for you!

[Sam’s Book Space · Rating 5 out of 5]

My third book by this author, and this is hands down my favourite to date!

The story was split into 3 parts and had a great writing style. It had short chapters, and kept me gripped! The story starts with a mother who wins a radio competition for a luxurious new home, but her life soon turns upside down! I knew there was something not quite right and that it was too good to be true, but I had no idea where the story was heading!

There were so many secrets and revelations that left me shocked - I genuinely never saw any of them coming! One of the twists towards the end felt like an emotional gut-punch, and added a deeper layer to the story. It was heartbreaking 🥺

I enjoyed the satisfying, emotionally charged conclusion, and it left me wanting more from the story!

I can’t recommend this one enough, another fantastic read from this author and an easy 5 stars!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Out 25th February.