Liam and Wren have accomplished the near-impossible: buying their first home. The house isn’t in the safest neighbourhood, is in desperate need of repairs, and is the result of the previous owner defaulting on their mortgage, but at least they finally won the bidding war. With a limited budget, it was all they could afford, and with endless plans to transform it into the home of their dreams, they’ve never been happier.
Until the previous owner, Monica, turns up at their door.
Monica begs them not to renovate, under the guise of the home holding years of important memories for her family. Liam and Wren initially brush off her strange request, but when she begins showing up almost daily, she pushes their boundaries beyond limits, destroying the dream they’ve worked so hard to accomplish. Strange, unsettling discoveries in the house only add to their unease, and Monica’s timing is too much of a coincidence. Has she come to take back what’s hers?
It’s obvious the house harbours a dark secret, one that Monica will do anything to hide. But the consequences of untangling the web of lies could be deadly.
Brianna North is the author of several novels including the social-media-themed thriller A Familiar Betrayal and the emotional contemporary tale Where the Sun Won't Shine. She is a graduate of the public relations program at Cambrian College and currently works as a full-time marketing manager, specializing in copywriting and social media marketing. When she’s not working on her next novel, you can find her reading, checking new countries off her bucket list, or playing with her cat Cooper.
📖 “No Place Like Home” by Brianna North ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.25/5
I was thrilled to be included on Brianna North’s ARC team and get early access to “No Place Like Home.” This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
This is the kind of thriller that makes me ignore my to-do list and just keep flipping pages.
Liam and Wren have just bought their first house, and it is not exactly the dream home they had in mind. It needs a lot of work. And the neighborhood? Not exactly giving “forever home” vibes. But houses are expensive, and sometimes you take what you can get.
Then Monica shows up, lurking around the house a bit too often, peering in like she’s got unfinished business. When Wren and Liam confront her, she claims to be the former owner and makes it clear she is not thrilled about their remodeling plans for what she still calls “her” house.
Hold on, Ma’am. The paperwork says otherwise.
Things go full-on creepy when Wren finds Monica actually hiding inside the house. No way. I’d be dialing 911 so fast. Instead, they go for cameras. Clearly, they’re braver than I am.
And just when you think it can’t get weirder, they start finding random creepy stuff hidden. This fixer-upper comes with way more than ugly carpet and weird wallpaper.
Then there are chapters from a mother dealing with her unruly son. These sections are a total curveball, and I struggled to connect the dots. The mother’s battle with her defiant, even frightening, child and her unsupportive husband was unsettling and heartbreaking.
When the strange items started appearing in the house, I couldn’t stop reading. I was desperate to find out every twist and secret hidden in those walls. And believe me, there were a lot!
Now I am desperate to know if a sequel is on the horizon, because I am absolutely ready for round two.
We start by meeting Wren and Liam, new homeowners who have finally found their future home and are eager to move in and begin the renovation process. But then a stranger tells them to leave her house alone, starts to behave strangely, and even threatens them. They soon find out that she was the previous owner of the house. When women in the neighbourhood go missing and it seems to be connected to the stranger and the house Wren and Liam moved into, it becomes clear that something happened in the past that is linked to what is happening now.
This was my first book by the author, and after reading it, I'm interested in exploring more of her work. There were quite a few twists (some more, some less obvious) that kept me eager to discover what had really happened. It was a relatively short read, and I finished it in one sitting. It felt fast-paced to me, and the dual perspective - what is happening in the present and a woman’s story from the past - slowly tying everything together, captured my attention from the very first page. I was keen to uncover the truth, and once everything started to make sense, I couldn’t wait for the final pieces of the puzzle to come together.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Great book by a new author for me. I love to support Canadian authors. This story is very intriguing and the woman stalking the new homeowners is so unreasonable. Yeah I understand that memories can be attached to a place (believe me, I’ve actually knocked on my childhood homes door asking to see inside - so maybe I am a little crazy too), but asking new owners not to renovate is weird and frankly quite suspicious. I actually really enjoyed this story though because it feels relevant… buying a new house and wondering about the history of the place and previous owners… and the possible mysteries surrounding the house… all super intriguing. Also, I may just want to buy a house with a mystery attached lol. I read this book in one sitting. 4.5⭐️
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of the ARC. These opinions are my own and were no way influenced. Good luck on publication day!
Secrets, lies, betrayal... can you trust the ones closest to you?
What a ride! I was hooked from the very beginning. This story did not go where I thought it was going at all. I love when a book has me constantly thinking and guessing, and this one definitely did that! I loved the flow and writing style, which had me wanting to read chapter after chapter without stopping. I resonated a lot with the MFC, and I truly loved the relationship between her and the MMC. The twists and action were amazing! This book completely threw me for a loop, and I never would have guessed where things were heading.
If you love mysteries, unexpected twists, and books that keep you guessing until the very end, then this one is for you. Every chapter left me eager to turn the page and find out what happened next.
Wow. Absolutely gripping and creepy! The author has such a unique way of delivering the story from the main character's perspective that it literally feels like I'm having a conversation with my bestie and getting all the juicy details of the craziness going on in her life. From moments of laughter to many moments of suspense, Brianna North definitely delivered! I could not put this book down and sacrificed sleep just to get through it quicker! I loved this book and cannot wait to purchase a hard copy on the official release date of June 27th.
If you haven't heard about Brianna North, I strongly encourage you to read her work! I first fell in love with her writing with The Nomads and was so grateful to be an ARC Reader again with No Place Like Home. Follow her on social, you won't regret it!
This is my first Arc book. ( a book that was sent to before it was published) I loved reading this book. The story had me guessing the whole time and the twists in the plot where unpredictable and intriguing. This story will have you immersed if you love psychological thrillers. I found the characters where relatable and intriguing to read. The story is mostly told in the main female Wren's point of view. As a reader, I felt i was living these situations with her. That added to the suspense of the story. If you are sensitive to triggers in books, please read the triggers warnings before reading. I highly recommend this book to any one that loves a good relatable psychological thriller. This book would be a great read for someone that just bought a new home and want a book with the same story theme or enjoys a book that takes you on a psychological roller-coaster.
I had the opportunity to read an ARC of No Place Like Home by Brianna North, and it was such a quick, engaging read!
From the very beginning, the story kept me hooked with twist after twist.
The book also shines a light on an important issue that is unfortunately far too common in today’s society. Watching the main couple navigate the challenges, heartbreak, and unexpected turns along the way made their journey feel emotional and authentic. Their road to a happy ending was anything but easy, which made it all the more rewarding to see their growth and resilience throughout the story.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced read with plenty of suspense, emotional depth, and a romance worth rooting for, No Place Like Home is definitely one to add to your TBR.
wren and liam are finally moving...after so many devastating nos they finally get a yes but 14 Waverly drive comes with a whole lot of work and love that will need to be done to it. But what they don't know is the house won't be the worst part of it all. Monica starts showing up often...the previous owner at first it is a little annoying then it progresses to straight up terrifying. That mixed the weird things wren and liam keep finding around the house and the missing girls in the neighborhood this house is turning into a nightmare. When Wren finds a couple of letters under the floorboards the whole thing takes a sinister turn and now they realize they are working with very dangerous people. Who is Monica? And what was she doing in this house?
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was very well written and had me hooked right from the beginning. It had me guessing all the way through. I really enjoyed the MFC as she is definitely relatable. You never really know who you can trust and what’s going on around you. Lots of important topics (with possible content warning for some readers) but definitely important issues that are discussed. I do recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller. You wont want to put it down.
This is the first book I have read by Brianna North. I enjoy discovering local authors from Ontario. This story sucked me in right away. It was definitely a page turner and easy to read. The protaganists and location were relatable and appealing. It was fun trying to figure out who the villains were. There was so much suspense that had me gripping the edge of my seat. Certainly had my heartbeat racing at times! It's a great book to read over a summer weekend! Good luck, Brianna! Thank you for sending me an ARC to read.
I originally reached for this book, because the author was Canadian. Always love supporting fellow Canadians. However, this book is one of my favourites I have read this year! Poor Wren and Liam buy their first house, and are struck with disaster after disaster. I was floored when everything started coming together, and couldn't put it down until I got to the end. If you love a book full of secrets and lies, this is a must-read.
No Place Like Home turns the dream of homeownership into a suspense-filled nightmare. Packed with tension, unsettling twists, and an atmosphere that keeps you on edge, this addictive thriller proves that some houses come with far more than a mortgage.
I received a ARC copy of "No Place Like home" This book kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last page. I love the characters and the story line. Liam and Wren have a new home and are finally able to start a new life together. Keep you friend close and your enemies closer