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The House Mate
The perfect life? ...Or the perfect lie?
When Regi moves into her new houseshare, she's ready for a clean slate. A new home. A new routine. A new identity...
Desperate to escape the shadow of her past that follows her everywhere she goes, Regi finds the ideal distraction in the perfect lives of others on social media.
But as innocent scrolling turns into an unhealthy obsession, Regi will soon learn that seeking perfection comes at a price...
When Regi moves into her new houseshare, she's ready for a clean slate. A new home. A new routine. A new identity...
Desperate to escape the shadow of her past that follows her everywhere she goes, Regi finds the ideal distraction in the perfect lives of others on social media.
But as innocent scrolling turns into an unhealthy obsession, Regi will soon learn that seeking perfection comes at a price...
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2020
1062 people are currently reading
1124 people want to read
About the author
Nina Manning
30 books332 followersNina Manning began her career in the catering industry. She has worked as a private chef cooking for royalty and TV personalities.
She has a degree in Psychology and has three books published with Boldwood: The Daughter In Law, The Guilty Wife and The House Mate.
Her fourth Psychological thriller is published in Spring 2021.
Nina is a voracious reader of many genres, is the founding member of a long standing book club and the founder and co-host of a book podcast called Sniffing The Pages.
She is a mother to three young children so when she is not writing or reading she can usually be found scaling a soft play tower or romping in the woods with the family and her chocolate Labrador.
She has a degree in Psychology and has three books published with Boldwood: The Daughter In Law, The Guilty Wife and The House Mate.
Her fourth Psychological thriller is published in Spring 2021.
Nina is a voracious reader of many genres, is the founding member of a long standing book club and the founder and co-host of a book podcast called Sniffing The Pages.
She is a mother to three young children so when she is not writing or reading she can usually be found scaling a soft play tower or romping in the woods with the family and her chocolate Labrador.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews
October 13, 2020
I usually know what to say in a review, with this book I am struggling
There is no doubting it’s all there for a great psychological thriller, we meet Regi, a woman with OCD as she moves to a new life in a house share and becomes obsessed with an influencer on Instagram ( Mrs Clean ), there is an abusive past husband who starts to stalk her, she has flashbacks to her previous life where we find out she lost one baby and had one ‘sold’ by this awful husband, we see her slowly getting to grips with her OCD and starting to rebuild a life ( has to be said the OCD she experiences is told to the reader on almost every page and becomes tiresome but I guess that’s the point ) and she finds an ‘almost’ love interest and it’s all intriguing and then Regi decides to go stalking herself and goes on a mission to find the troll on Mrs Clean’s Insta page, and then you get to the final chapters and the ending and I have to say I was flummoxed by it, it goes into a parallel universe and makes zero sense at first, I had to read it 3 times before kinda understanding it, I took the liberty to check some other reviews and some reviewers say the same ( plus one had spoilers so that helped ) so feel a bit better about it but it is a very very difficult to ‘get’ ending that needed to be explained better ( imo )
Disappointing and as muddled as my review ha
2.5 Stars
5/10
November 26, 2020
The House Mate by Nina Manning is an interesting story.
The House Mate is a good concept; however, I couldn’t get into it. How it kept jumping between past and present was confusing to me and made it difficult to get invested in the story.
I enjoyed Regi’s interactions with her housemates and seeing how she reacted to certain situations.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Helen Keeley. Keeley did a good job narrating. However, since the story jumped back and forth between past and present, I think The House Mate would be more enjoyable as a physical book instead of an audiobook.
The ending was my favorite part of the book. Finding out what actually happened in the past really helped me understand the book better.
I recommend The House Mate to anyone that likes thrillers and can keep up with alternating time frames.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books UK Audio for The House Mate.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
The House Mate is a good concept; however, I couldn’t get into it. How it kept jumping between past and present was confusing to me and made it difficult to get invested in the story.
I enjoyed Regi’s interactions with her housemates and seeing how she reacted to certain situations.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Helen Keeley. Keeley did a good job narrating. However, since the story jumped back and forth between past and present, I think The House Mate would be more enjoyable as a physical book instead of an audiobook.
The ending was my favorite part of the book. Finding out what actually happened in the past really helped me understand the book better.
I recommend The House Mate to anyone that likes thrillers and can keep up with alternating time frames.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books UK Audio for The House Mate.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
September 29, 2020
I have not come across Nina Manning's work before but was intrigued by the book description so decided to read it. The more I read the more I enjoyed it but didn't quite live up to my hopes.
Regi suffers from OCD and wanting a fresh start moves in with new housemates. She is desperate to escape her past and as a distraction follows the perfect lives of others on social media. An innocent hobby soon turns into an unhealthy obsession putting Regi at risk.
An interesting read that didn't quite gel with me.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Boldwood Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Regi suffers from OCD and wanting a fresh start moves in with new housemates. She is desperate to escape her past and as a distraction follows the perfect lives of others on social media. An innocent hobby soon turns into an unhealthy obsession putting Regi at risk.
An interesting read that didn't quite gel with me.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Boldwood Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2020
yikes! Spending 8 1/2 hours in the mind of Reggie was quite interesting. she truly was the ultimate unreliable narrator. The story starts with 30 something Nina living with 3 20 somethings in a shared house. Reggie has a severe case of OCD, suffers from social anxiety and is seriously frightened buy things in her past. The story bounces back-and-forth between now and then. we see Reggie living in an abusive relationship when she is young. we see Reggie fretting about the safety of the child next-door, becoming obsessed with a cleaning lady on Instagram, and trying to get her life together in the present. there really was a lot going on in this book - tons of misdirection, Miss information, and misunderstanding. I had absolutely no idea where the story was going and I have to admit I was completely caught off guard by the ending. reggie was a sympathetic and intriguing character. however, I have no idea if I liked the girl or not? There was just something about her that was a little off-putting, kept me at arms distance. I thought the dynamics between her and her housemates were interesting, I often wondered how I would react if Reggie was my roommate? Helen Keeley narrated the audiobook and I have to say I love her accent. She did a really good job with all the voices in the story and definitely added to my overall enjoyment of the book. A unique twist on the thriller!
this book in emojis 🏡 🚪 🧹 🧽 📱 🧵
*** Big thank you to Boldwood for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
this book in emojis 🏡 🚪 🧹 🧽 📱 🧵
*** Big thank you to Boldwood for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
November 11, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in October 2020.
"The House Mate" by Nina Manning was quite a disappointing read.
It's listed as a mistery/thriller, but in reality is neither.
The premise is really good: a flawed, damaged woman escaping from a traumatic past and looking for a fresh start in life gets caught up in a social media obsession and then realizes she's being stalked. It sounds like a pageturner... sadly, the actual book doesn't deliver on its promises.
First of all, the plot takes forever to get started: nothing at all happens in the first 20% of the novel, and even after that, the pace is molasses-slow.
The protagonist relates every tiny detail of her day to day life with no editing at all. You are only meant to put in a novel the interesting parts of what happens, not just about everything! I was left with the impression that most of the scenes were just fillers, and that the actual plot occupied a minimal part of the total. It feels like this book was never seen by an editor.
As for the characters, they're sorely monodimensional--all of them. You've got the "neurotic, damaged damsel in distress with a baggage", the "new boyfriend", the "nice house mate", the "not so nice house mate", the "youngest, silly house mate", the "cheating boyfriend"... Not a real person in sight, just cardboard caricatures.
Besides, the protagonist wallows in whining and self-pitying way too much to be relatable, which is probably why the narrator who read the audiobook used a doleful, mournful voice 90% of the time. Listening to such a tone for so long is about as pleasurable as listening to fingernails down a blackboard.
The alleged big reveal in the ending (which I'm not going to spoil for you) concerning the identity of lucybest65 - the Instagram troll that the protagonist had been stalking online and offline - is sorely obvious since the very beginning. When the protagonist says "The final piece of the puzzle fell into place" in one of the final chapters, I literally wanted to scream at her: AT LONG LAST!
As for the ending itself, I'm not even going to get into how weird and out of place it was. Don't get me started on all the differences between *misleading* the reader with false leads and ambiguous clues and just plain *cheating* the reader by flat out lying.
Without spoiling it for you, I can just say that the ending was the biggest disappointment of all: it didn't solve any of the open matters that the whole novel had focused on in painstaking detail for the previous 300 pages or so, it just threw in a bunch of totally new, unrelated matters and solved those instead, very hastily and unsatisfactorily, in just a few chapters. Basically, such an ending made the previous 8 hours of audiobook totally irrelevant and pointless.
To top it all off, this inexcusable ending took a story that had previously been pretty female-centred (female author, female protagonist, most of the supporting characters also females, stereotypical abusive male villain...) and suddenly slapped on it one of the most misoginistic deus ex machina I've ever read: the protagonist breaks the law for no good reason at all, puts herself in danger by acting with unjustifiable stupidity... and luckily gets saved by a man (and not just any man!).
The only thing worse than a deus ex machina ending is a misoginistic deus ex machina ending!
Even the compliments this champion of machismo pays to "his" woman are sexist: "All those years with a copper, I suppose it was worth something" he comments when trying to congratulate her for her investigative acumen.
Speaking of investigative acumen, the whole plot resolution relies on so many bad choices and behaviours that make no sense at all... Why would somebody send cryptic requests for help to perfect strangers on Instagram, hoping for their comments to be noticed among tens of thousands of other comments and for a persistent stalker to trace them back to your place and show up uninvited, instead of sending a proper request for help to... I don't know, the police, maybe? Social services? You have internet access, for goodness' sake: just use it in a less stupid way!
Also, in what parallel universe would a drug lord leave the door to his hideout unlocked?
And most of all, what kind of teenage son after being abandoned by his mother for years would just accept her without batting an eye when she suddenly decides to come back into his life - as a part-time mom, rather than a full-time one - and even happily share her with her new boyfriend on the very day of his birthday? This sixteen-year-old has no animosity at all, neither towards his runaway mother nor towards her out-of-the-blue boyfriend, a complete stranger to him. Very credible.
These characters are just too fake!
"The House Mate" by Nina Manning was quite a disappointing read.
It's listed as a mistery/thriller, but in reality is neither.
The premise is really good: a flawed, damaged woman escaping from a traumatic past and looking for a fresh start in life gets caught up in a social media obsession and then realizes she's being stalked. It sounds like a pageturner... sadly, the actual book doesn't deliver on its promises.
First of all, the plot takes forever to get started: nothing at all happens in the first 20% of the novel, and even after that, the pace is molasses-slow.
The protagonist relates every tiny detail of her day to day life with no editing at all. You are only meant to put in a novel the interesting parts of what happens, not just about everything! I was left with the impression that most of the scenes were just fillers, and that the actual plot occupied a minimal part of the total. It feels like this book was never seen by an editor.
As for the characters, they're sorely monodimensional--all of them. You've got the "neurotic, damaged damsel in distress with a baggage", the "new boyfriend", the "nice house mate", the "not so nice house mate", the "youngest, silly house mate", the "cheating boyfriend"... Not a real person in sight, just cardboard caricatures.
Besides, the protagonist wallows in whining and self-pitying way too much to be relatable, which is probably why the narrator who read the audiobook used a doleful, mournful voice 90% of the time. Listening to such a tone for so long is about as pleasurable as listening to fingernails down a blackboard.
The alleged big reveal in the ending (which I'm not going to spoil for you) concerning the identity of lucybest65 - the Instagram troll that the protagonist had been stalking online and offline - is sorely obvious since the very beginning. When the protagonist says "The final piece of the puzzle fell into place" in one of the final chapters, I literally wanted to scream at her: AT LONG LAST!
As for the ending itself, I'm not even going to get into how weird and out of place it was. Don't get me started on all the differences between *misleading* the reader with false leads and ambiguous clues and just plain *cheating* the reader by flat out lying.
Without spoiling it for you, I can just say that the ending was the biggest disappointment of all: it didn't solve any of the open matters that the whole novel had focused on in painstaking detail for the previous 300 pages or so, it just threw in a bunch of totally new, unrelated matters and solved those instead, very hastily and unsatisfactorily, in just a few chapters. Basically, such an ending made the previous 8 hours of audiobook totally irrelevant and pointless.
To top it all off, this inexcusable ending took a story that had previously been pretty female-centred (female author, female protagonist, most of the supporting characters also females, stereotypical abusive male villain...) and suddenly slapped on it one of the most misoginistic deus ex machina I've ever read: the protagonist breaks the law for no good reason at all, puts herself in danger by acting with unjustifiable stupidity... and luckily gets saved by a man (and not just any man!).
The only thing worse than a deus ex machina ending is a misoginistic deus ex machina ending!
Even the compliments this champion of machismo pays to "his" woman are sexist: "All those years with a copper, I suppose it was worth something" he comments when trying to congratulate her for her investigative acumen.
Speaking of investigative acumen, the whole plot resolution relies on so many bad choices and behaviours that make no sense at all... Why would somebody send cryptic requests for help to perfect strangers on Instagram, hoping for their comments to be noticed among tens of thousands of other comments and for a persistent stalker to trace them back to your place and show up uninvited, instead of sending a proper request for help to... I don't know, the police, maybe? Social services? You have internet access, for goodness' sake: just use it in a less stupid way!
Also, in what parallel universe would a drug lord leave the door to his hideout unlocked?
And most of all, what kind of teenage son after being abandoned by his mother for years would just accept her without batting an eye when she suddenly decides to come back into his life - as a part-time mom, rather than a full-time one - and even happily share her with her new boyfriend on the very day of his birthday? This sixteen-year-old has no animosity at all, neither towards his runaway mother nor towards her out-of-the-blue boyfriend, a complete stranger to him. Very credible.
These characters are just too fake!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2020
Desperate to escape the shadow of her past, Regi finds the ideal distraction in the perfect lives of others on social media. But innocent, scrolling turns into an unhealthy obession. Regi will soon learn that seeking perfection comes at a price .
Regi is in her thirties and has a severe case of OCD. She starts a course at a University in London and shares a house with three other women. Discovering the "Cleanstagrammers" Regi starts following a Mrs Clean. Regi's past is dark and she is constantly afraid of something and Mrs Clean seems to help her to cope. I found there to be a few confusing elements, especially towards the end. The characters were realistic. The chapters are written in the then and now format. Imdid feel sorry for Regi, i don't think i could cope with OCD.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #BoldworldBooks and the author #NinaManning for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Regi is in her thirties and has a severe case of OCD. She starts a course at a University in London and shares a house with three other women. Discovering the "Cleanstagrammers" Regi starts following a Mrs Clean. Regi's past is dark and she is constantly afraid of something and Mrs Clean seems to help her to cope. I found there to be a few confusing elements, especially towards the end. The characters were realistic. The chapters are written in the then and now format. Imdid feel sorry for Regi, i don't think i could cope with OCD.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #BoldworldBooks and the author #NinaManning for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2020
What did I just read? I just read a novel with chapters labelled “then” and “now” with several postscripts sprinkled after the “then” chapters from an Instagram Influencer, Mrs. Clean.
The book was a real page turner featuring Regi or Regina who was a real psychological mess – severely OCD, paranoid, guilt ridden and more – who seemed to be hiding from an abusive husband. I’m assuming that also involved here is the Stockholm Syndrome, but I’m not really sure about that because of the climax.
Following the ending, I was so confused about the plot and the finale, first I read ALL the reviews (which I never do) and then I simply re-read the entire book – thinking I had missed a critical element in the plot. And I have no more clarity about what happened than I did the first time. It would seem that Regi and the person we learn is hiding behind the Mrs. Clean moniker were interchanged in the plotting (both had sons called, “Baby Boy” and both were imprisoned by their mates and both were abused).
I have no idea what the real story is. Someone please tell me! I don’t know how to rate this. It was certainly “compelling” (to use the current buzzword), but I have no clue as to what really happened and who was who.
I’m thankful to NetGalley and the publisher, Boldwood Books, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book was a real page turner featuring Regi or Regina who was a real psychological mess – severely OCD, paranoid, guilt ridden and more – who seemed to be hiding from an abusive husband. I’m assuming that also involved here is the Stockholm Syndrome, but I’m not really sure about that because of the climax.
Following the ending, I was so confused about the plot and the finale, first I read ALL the reviews (which I never do) and then I simply re-read the entire book – thinking I had missed a critical element in the plot. And I have no more clarity about what happened than I did the first time. It would seem that Regi and the person we learn is hiding behind the Mrs. Clean moniker were interchanged in the plotting (both had sons called, “Baby Boy” and both were imprisoned by their mates and both were abused).
I have no idea what the real story is. Someone please tell me! I don’t know how to rate this. It was certainly “compelling” (to use the current buzzword), but I have no clue as to what really happened and who was who.
I’m thankful to NetGalley and the publisher, Boldwood Books, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2020
Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The House Mate
By: Nina Manning
REVIEW ☆☆☆
Well, The House Mate was....honestly, I don't know what it was. Confusing? Yes. Way out of left field? Yes. The main character is a woman with serious OCD issues, and for reasons unknown, she moves into a house with some other women to start her life anew. She becomes obsessed with an Instagram personality known as Mrs. Clean, because OCD.
The chapters are divided as Then, Now and Instagram posts. We get some information about the past trauma that led to all of this. Eventually, things progress, and she has an obsession/stalker situation with Mrs. Clean. This character behaves in such odd ways that are far from normal, and I didn't care for it much. The end is bizarre and unsettling and ????? I think a huge suspension of disbelief is necessary to read this book. It wasn't for me.
The House Mate
By: Nina Manning
REVIEW ☆☆☆
Well, The House Mate was....honestly, I don't know what it was. Confusing? Yes. Way out of left field? Yes. The main character is a woman with serious OCD issues, and for reasons unknown, she moves into a house with some other women to start her life anew. She becomes obsessed with an Instagram personality known as Mrs. Clean, because OCD.
The chapters are divided as Then, Now and Instagram posts. We get some information about the past trauma that led to all of this. Eventually, things progress, and she has an obsession/stalker situation with Mrs. Clean. This character behaves in such odd ways that are far from normal, and I didn't care for it much. The end is bizarre and unsettling and ????? I think a huge suspension of disbelief is necessary to read this book. It wasn't for me.
December 17, 2020
2 - 2.5 *s. It was not being the book of my life but was entertaining enough, and the narrator helped a lot. She is really good. But the end... come on! I was like: really? I don't understand a thing! Then I got it... and... again, come on! Trying to fit too many twists and surprises at the end that weren't necessary to make a good book, IMHO. Dissapointed
September 27, 2020
This story follows Regi, a woman who suffers from OCD. She no longer cares about her appearance, has trouble having meaningful relationships with other people and is consumed with repetitive, compulsive behaviors. To deviate from her routine causes her tremendous anxiety. Then she discovers the instagram account for Mrs. Clean. Everything in Mrs. Clean's world seems so perfect, so pure. Regi becomes obsessed with her. But she'll soon learn that perfection comes at a steep price.
This story is wrongly labeled as a psychological thriller. It's more of a character study and a well done one! As someone who also suffers from OCD, I felt an attachment and empathy for Regi. Through the pages of this book, the reader is able to glimpse into the life of someone with OCD and anxiety. It is so well portrayed! The narration is told from Regi's perspective in Now and Then chapters with segments from Mrs. Clean's instagram scattered throughout. I didn't really think the instagram posts added much to the story and could've just been included in the Now chapters, but that's just me. As the story progresses, Regi's past starts to unfold which helps to explain her struggle with anxiety, trust and the need for order.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story is wrongly labeled as a psychological thriller. It's more of a character study and a well done one! As someone who also suffers from OCD, I felt an attachment and empathy for Regi. Through the pages of this book, the reader is able to glimpse into the life of someone with OCD and anxiety. It is so well portrayed! The narration is told from Regi's perspective in Now and Then chapters with segments from Mrs. Clean's instagram scattered throughout. I didn't really think the instagram posts added much to the story and could've just been included in the Now chapters, but that's just me. As the story progresses, Regi's past starts to unfold which helps to explain her struggle with anxiety, trust and the need for order.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2020
Well, I suppose it's a bit my fault here because I have already read a Nina Manning book before and absolutely detested it but forgot. Had I remember that I would never have requested this new one.
In any case I did, and now I have to honestly review it.
This is a mess. It's over the top in all senses and reads more like a telenovela than a thriller. It has some really laughable passages and characters. And to top it all, we have a supposed twist that is in reality nothing else than an author cheating on her readers by simply throwing random new info at the end and hoping it'll stick.
It doesn't. It just gets convoluted and frankly, ridiculous.
The narrator does a decent job with the terrible material she was given though.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook ARC of this novel.
In any case I did, and now I have to honestly review it.
This is a mess. It's over the top in all senses and reads more like a telenovela than a thriller. It has some really laughable passages and characters. And to top it all, we have a supposed twist that is in reality nothing else than an author cheating on her readers by simply throwing random new info at the end and hoping it'll stick.
It doesn't. It just gets convoluted and frankly, ridiculous.
The narrator does a decent job with the terrible material she was given though.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook ARC of this novel.
December 20, 2020
I had great hopes of loving this book as it dealt with realistic issues of OCD set in suspenseful tones.
Regi had OCD. She lived with 3 other young girls as their house mate. A cloud of dark past surrounded her which kept me curious in the entire book. There were 3 cores in the book. A now with Regi, a then, and an Instagram influencer by the name Mrs Clean.
The main character was quite detached, living with her own problems. I liked how the author infused her life with scenes which gave an air of danger. The past was filled with pain and it was wrenching. The influencer had her own set of trolls and Regi was obsessed with her posts and stories.
The story perhaps tried too hard to keep the suspense going. I got disinterested in the mid half as the scenes felt repetitive. Not liking any of the characters added to the disenchantment.
This story would be a difficult one to format for any author, getting it transformed from ideas to words was commendable. But the pieces of jigsaw puzzle didn’t fit well when the final reveal came to be. There was an uneven feel to the book at the end.
I listened/read the book and the narrator was good. Overall, an okay story.
Regi had OCD. She lived with 3 other young girls as their house mate. A cloud of dark past surrounded her which kept me curious in the entire book. There were 3 cores in the book. A now with Regi, a then, and an Instagram influencer by the name Mrs Clean.
The main character was quite detached, living with her own problems. I liked how the author infused her life with scenes which gave an air of danger. The past was filled with pain and it was wrenching. The influencer had her own set of trolls and Regi was obsessed with her posts and stories.
The story perhaps tried too hard to keep the suspense going. I got disinterested in the mid half as the scenes felt repetitive. Not liking any of the characters added to the disenchantment.
This story would be a difficult one to format for any author, getting it transformed from ideas to words was commendable. But the pieces of jigsaw puzzle didn’t fit well when the final reveal came to be. There was an uneven feel to the book at the end.
I listened/read the book and the narrator was good. Overall, an okay story.
May 1, 2022
I did not enjoy The Bridesmaid by this author but had higher hopes for this one, but it was not to be.
Regi has just moved in with her new house mate's, almost a decade older than them, she feels a little out of of touch. She suffers from OCD and has a troubled past and we know from the start the loss of a child is involved.
That it as much as I can tell you, I actually still don't know what the real story was about. At first I though the OCD angle interesting, especially the reasons Regi ends up doing what she does, but then repeating it on almost every page was a bit much, ok, I get that she unlocks and locks 6 times every time, if it did not change, no need to remind me again a page later.
And the ending was just to confusing - dropping that right at the end detracted from the impact it would've had, had the story split half way though.
Not an author I will continue to follow.
Regi has just moved in with her new house mate's, almost a decade older than them, she feels a little out of of touch. She suffers from OCD and has a troubled past and we know from the start the loss of a child is involved.
That it as much as I can tell you, I actually still don't know what the real story was about. At first I though the OCD angle interesting, especially the reasons Regi ends up doing what she does, but then repeating it on almost every page was a bit much, ok, I get that she unlocks and locks 6 times every time, if it did not change, no need to remind me again a page later.
And the ending was just to confusing - dropping that right at the end detracted from the impact it would've had, had the story split half way though.
Not an author I will continue to follow.
September 27, 2020
I refuse to give anything away. I enjoyed this book a lot thinking I knew where this story was going and then I was stopped dead in my tracks, forced to sit back and not throw my book-Ha!. Well played Nina Manning! I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
November 29, 2020
The House Mate by Nina Manning is a great psychological read that ticked all of the boxes for me. An uneasy feeling made its presence early and did not release me until the unexpected denouement.
This story follows Regi, a woman who suffers from OCD, thus is consumed by repetitive, compulsive behaviours and deviating from her routine causes her tremendous anxiety. She has recently moved into a house she shares with three other women. The story is told in parts pertaining to different timescales - then and now - with additional posts from an Instagram influencer called Mrs. Clean.
The novel was well put together and and being something of a psychological thriller fan, I was extremely impressed. I was drawn right into this compulsive story of misperceptions. With a good, even pace I was glued to The House Mate whilst I tried to work out exactly where the tale was taking me. As it toyed with my preconceptions, I was blown away by the surprising ending.
This was an incredibly compelling read that I would not hesitate to recommend. I look forward to reading more from this fabulous author, Nina Manning.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my own request from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
This story follows Regi, a woman who suffers from OCD, thus is consumed by repetitive, compulsive behaviours and deviating from her routine causes her tremendous anxiety. She has recently moved into a house she shares with three other women. The story is told in parts pertaining to different timescales - then and now - with additional posts from an Instagram influencer called Mrs. Clean.
The novel was well put together and and being something of a psychological thriller fan, I was extremely impressed. I was drawn right into this compulsive story of misperceptions. With a good, even pace I was glued to The House Mate whilst I tried to work out exactly where the tale was taking me. As it toyed with my preconceptions, I was blown away by the surprising ending.
This was an incredibly compelling read that I would not hesitate to recommend. I look forward to reading more from this fabulous author, Nina Manning.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my own request from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
September 22, 2021
To the tune of Beethoven’s 5th: dumb dumb dumb DUMB… dumb dumb dumb DUUUMB!!!!!!
This book started off fairly well, with lots of details about the protagonist’s OCD and anxiety, and her relationships with her housemates. Unfortunately, then the book meanders for a long time through meaningless details of day to day life and pointless interchanges with housemates, meal prep, and endlessly locking and unlocking doors. Worst of all, the last few chapters rely on inane and absurd decisions by the protagonist, as well as a truly laughable/utterly unbelievable deus ex machina scenario. It’s just awful. The author isn’t just taking liberties— she’s fully lying to her readers.
I felt like this book had potential but just didn’t reach it. I went with two stars instead of the dreaded one-star review of doom because at least the characters were somewhat interesting. It was a close call, though, and this book is one where I don’t know how any person who actually read it could give an honest review higher than three stars. It’s not even just a subjective opinion. Objectively speaking, this book has extremely big problems, and I’m not sure I trust this author enough to give her any more of my time in the form of another chance.
This book started off fairly well, with lots of details about the protagonist’s OCD and anxiety, and her relationships with her housemates. Unfortunately, then the book meanders for a long time through meaningless details of day to day life and pointless interchanges with housemates, meal prep, and endlessly locking and unlocking doors. Worst of all, the last few chapters rely on inane and absurd decisions by the protagonist, as well as a truly laughable/utterly unbelievable deus ex machina scenario. It’s just awful. The author isn’t just taking liberties— she’s fully lying to her readers.
I felt like this book had potential but just didn’t reach it. I went with two stars instead of the dreaded one-star review of doom because at least the characters were somewhat interesting. It was a close call, though, and this book is one where I don’t know how any person who actually read it could give an honest review higher than three stars. It’s not even just a subjective opinion. Objectively speaking, this book has extremely big problems, and I’m not sure I trust this author enough to give her any more of my time in the form of another chance.
September 21, 2020
Regi has recently moved into a house she shares with 3 much younger women. Regi has OCD and has to regularly perform certain repetitive actions to get through the moment or day. How she developed OCD is not revealed to us right away. She has a secret about her past and vaguely refers to some terrible event and her involvement in it. The book has a claustrophobic feeling as the description says because most of the book is inside her head and about her anxious thoughts and ideas.
The book is divided into 3 parts with chapters labelled Now, Then, and posts from an Instagram influencer called Mrs. Clean. The parts where Regi felt awkward around her housemates was done well but there weren't really any clues to suggest where the story was going. There was A LOT of repetition, including the phrases 'shiny eyes' and 'dry mouth'. The Instagram posts were a nice touch but weren't a part of Regi's past. One would think the Then chapters would tell us something but they end up causing confusion. I don't know if it was intentional but being labelled Then and the story being told within them seems to suggest it.
The climax takes place when Regi's obsession with Mrs. Clean grows and she takes action. It leads to a positive outcome but no normal person would or should do what Regi does. I was left feeling tricked and unsatisfied. I'm also unsure what the message was.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the read.
The book is divided into 3 parts with chapters labelled Now, Then, and posts from an Instagram influencer called Mrs. Clean. The parts where Regi felt awkward around her housemates was done well but there weren't really any clues to suggest where the story was going. There was A LOT of repetition, including the phrases 'shiny eyes' and 'dry mouth'. The Instagram posts were a nice touch but weren't a part of Regi's past. One would think the Then chapters would tell us something but they end up causing confusion. I don't know if it was intentional but being labelled Then and the story being told within them seems to suggest it.
The climax takes place when Regi's obsession with Mrs. Clean grows and she takes action. It leads to a positive outcome but no normal person would or should do what Regi does. I was left feeling tricked and unsatisfied. I'm also unsure what the message was.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the read.
October 11, 2020
The House Mate is a psychological thriller that blew me away and caused me to rethink my perceptions of the entire story after the book came to an end.
What I Loved
I love that there are so many themes running through the plot. The most obvious of these themes is the overuse of social media and how people can’t distinguish between reality and the carefully filtered world of Instagram. The main character, Regi, is drawn into the world of #cleanstagram, and she quickly learns about trolls and tries to save her favorite Instagrammer from the mocking comments of one such person by locating that person and paying him/her a visit. Are you cringing yet? Well, you should be.
Along with the theme of the overuse of social media, there are more subtle related themes of perception versus reality and the ability to hide in plain sight while rewriting your own story. Regi changed her name as a reflection of wanting to change her story. The big mystery is why? What is she running from? There are many more themes I could identify, and I loved how each developed throughout the story. It provides lots to discuss long after I finished the book.
My favorite character is Sophia, one of Regi’s housemates. Genuine diagnosable OCD is a challenging disorder to live with as much for the person who has it as those who live with that person. It takes patience and understanding that are unusual to see in college-age young men and women. Still, in that sea of misunderstanding, Sophia, with her gentle ways and empathy, never wavered. She is an excellent reminder that mental health disorders are an illness, not a choice.
I especially love the ending of this story. I went along, keeping a pretty fast pace and glued to the book, though not understanding where the story was trying to go. And, then, the end happened, and I was blown away. I read so many psychological thrillers that surprises don’t happen as much as I’d like, but The House Mates not only surprised me with the ending, it made me realize that my whole perception of the story had been incorrect. I am in total awe of any novel that can blow my mind, and The House Mate not only blew my mind, but it shook it up and spat it back out.
To Read or Not to Read
If you are a psychological thriller-junkie like me, you won’t want to miss this shocking, fast-paced tale of misperceptions.
What I Loved
I love that there are so many themes running through the plot. The most obvious of these themes is the overuse of social media and how people can’t distinguish between reality and the carefully filtered world of Instagram. The main character, Regi, is drawn into the world of #cleanstagram, and she quickly learns about trolls and tries to save her favorite Instagrammer from the mocking comments of one such person by locating that person and paying him/her a visit. Are you cringing yet? Well, you should be.
Along with the theme of the overuse of social media, there are more subtle related themes of perception versus reality and the ability to hide in plain sight while rewriting your own story. Regi changed her name as a reflection of wanting to change her story. The big mystery is why? What is she running from? There are many more themes I could identify, and I loved how each developed throughout the story. It provides lots to discuss long after I finished the book.
My favorite character is Sophia, one of Regi’s housemates. Genuine diagnosable OCD is a challenging disorder to live with as much for the person who has it as those who live with that person. It takes patience and understanding that are unusual to see in college-age young men and women. Still, in that sea of misunderstanding, Sophia, with her gentle ways and empathy, never wavered. She is an excellent reminder that mental health disorders are an illness, not a choice.
I especially love the ending of this story. I went along, keeping a pretty fast pace and glued to the book, though not understanding where the story was trying to go. And, then, the end happened, and I was blown away. I read so many psychological thrillers that surprises don’t happen as much as I’d like, but The House Mates not only surprised me with the ending, it made me realize that my whole perception of the story had been incorrect. I am in total awe of any novel that can blow my mind, and The House Mate not only blew my mind, but it shook it up and spat it back out.
To Read or Not to Read
If you are a psychological thriller-junkie like me, you won’t want to miss this shocking, fast-paced tale of misperceptions.
October 22, 2020
Regina is 35 has moved to a new area. Fresh start, new her etc and has signed up to a textiles course.
She has OCD and anxiety as a result of a traumatic past and is sharing a house with 3 other twenty something girls also at uni.
She starts to focus her energy on a social media account and becomes obsessed with the cleaning guru.
She gets drawn in and as the story unfolds we find the true reason behind her anxieties and OCD and what she has been through.
This book had a fantastic twist at the end and it certainly had me gripped.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
She has OCD and anxiety as a result of a traumatic past and is sharing a house with 3 other twenty something girls also at uni.
She starts to focus her energy on a social media account and becomes obsessed with the cleaning guru.
She gets drawn in and as the story unfolds we find the true reason behind her anxieties and OCD and what she has been through.
This book had a fantastic twist at the end and it certainly had me gripped.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 18, 2021
The House Mate was an interesting listen/read.
So 2020 Mrs Hinch and Instagram sensation meets a physiological thriller come sliding doors.
I haven’t read Nina Manning before, I listened on Audio Narrated by Helen Kerley. I enjoyed her voice in the narrative past and present flicking back and forth. I might have been easier to read as a book but I actually got this audio.
I enjoyed Regi’s interaction with her new house mates and now set up life in London.
I found the OCD too OTT but I would recommend this to people that like thrillers and can keep up with the throwing back tenses. I get the taking up a new hobby and many will relate in this pandemic and everyone seems to have a separate cleaning/home page now trying to be noticed these days. I enjoyed that we had to keep reading to find out what we needed to know in her past so it all soon make sense. I must admit I didn’t register that the THEN wasn’t Regi and was actually NOW but the ending is explained and when you hear about how Regi got her new identity. When you find out how and her husbands job.
Made sense that Mrs Clean was the ‘past’ but was more actually like parallel living.
I think I would have enjoyed more as book but the audio was covered well. Thanks NetGalley and Bold Audio for the ARC.
So 2020 Mrs Hinch and Instagram sensation meets a physiological thriller come sliding doors.
I haven’t read Nina Manning before, I listened on Audio Narrated by Helen Kerley. I enjoyed her voice in the narrative past and present flicking back and forth. I might have been easier to read as a book but I actually got this audio.
I enjoyed Regi’s interaction with her new house mates and now set up life in London.
I found the OCD too OTT but I would recommend this to people that like thrillers and can keep up with the throwing back tenses. I get the taking up a new hobby and many will relate in this pandemic and everyone seems to have a separate cleaning/home page now trying to be noticed these days. I enjoyed that we had to keep reading to find out what we needed to know in her past so it all soon make sense. I must admit I didn’t register that the THEN wasn’t Regi and was actually NOW but the ending is explained and when you hear about how Regi got her new identity. When you find out how and her husbands job.
Made sense that Mrs Clean was the ‘past’ but was more actually like parallel living.
I think I would have enjoyed more as book but the audio was covered well. Thanks NetGalley and Bold Audio for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2020
*Heavy spoilers*
Ineffective bait and switch that was more baffling than satisfying. The final reveal of a human trafficking/drug ring under the guise of a cleaning instagram? What?? Why would these brutes think of this as a way to hide their real business? I mean maybe it's a real thing and I'm too sheltered, but it felt sooo left field and improbable. Like a twist just to twist. And what about that poor girl's comments would have made a rational person look for her? She was a garden variety troll. She had to count on someone with an unsafe obsession to... physically go looking for her? That was the plan? And for all that build up, it was all resolved so quickly. And what was the purpose of spending so much time getting to know the roommates for their stories to just kinda....be done with no real ceremony whatsoever? This book left me with the feeling I hate: Why did I just spend the hours reading this?
Ineffective bait and switch that was more baffling than satisfying. The final reveal of a human trafficking/drug ring under the guise of a cleaning instagram? What?? Why would these brutes think of this as a way to hide their real business? I mean maybe it's a real thing and I'm too sheltered, but it felt sooo left field and improbable. Like a twist just to twist. And what about that poor girl's comments would have made a rational person look for her? She was a garden variety troll. She had to count on someone with an unsafe obsession to... physically go looking for her? That was the plan? And for all that build up, it was all resolved so quickly. And what was the purpose of spending so much time getting to know the roommates for their stories to just kinda....be done with no real ceremony whatsoever? This book left me with the feeling I hate: Why did I just spend the hours reading this?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2020
This could have been a great book, but it went in a confusing direction. I also didn’t need the OCD behavior shoved down my throat every 10 seconds. I get that it is a real disorder, and I get that it is a big part of someone’s life, but it doesn’t have to be explained every other minute.
Overall, not a fan of this book, which was a real shame because I love the previous books by this author.
Overall, not a fan of this book, which was a real shame because I love the previous books by this author.
May 7, 2022
A well told story but I found it far fetched when it came to the twist. Still entertaining though and that's all I ask for.
October 25, 2020
This was going to be my book #1 for Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon but I was so curious about what it would be like that I finished the day before the event began.
The House Mate follows Regi, a mature University student in London, as she lives in a shared flat with 3 younger girls. Regi has OCD and we follow her journey with that which, in itself, is realistic from what I have heard about OCD.
The House Mate took me back to my University days as the only person in a house of able-bodied people and, although I don't have OCD, I could sympathise with Regi when she was confronted with the difficulties and misunderstandings that entailed.
Her life changes when her housemate shows her how to use Instagram and talks to her about cleanstagrammers, or instagrammers who love to showcase their clean homes on Instagram. Mrs Clean's account captures her interest. But will that interest be unhealthy?
There's a mystery next door that she discovers when she hears shouting.
She has a past involving a relationship that went wrong and children. Not to give too much away, but you'll have to read this to appreciate all the plot twists and turns.
This is my second novel by Nina Manning after Her Darkest Fear, and I was absorbed in it.
It did keep me guessing, but also had a relaxing pace that made it realistic for the most part, although some parts were predictable. That did not take away from my enjoyment of it.
I saw part of the ending coming in some ways, but in others I didn’t and it was twisty enough to keep me satisfied.
I did find that the last 9 or so chapters of the novel felt rushed in pace compared to the rest, but the plot hung together nicely throughout.
Thanks to Nina Manning, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
The House Mate follows Regi, a mature University student in London, as she lives in a shared flat with 3 younger girls. Regi has OCD and we follow her journey with that which, in itself, is realistic from what I have heard about OCD.
The House Mate took me back to my University days as the only person in a house of able-bodied people and, although I don't have OCD, I could sympathise with Regi when she was confronted with the difficulties and misunderstandings that entailed.
Her life changes when her housemate shows her how to use Instagram and talks to her about cleanstagrammers, or instagrammers who love to showcase their clean homes on Instagram. Mrs Clean's account captures her interest. But will that interest be unhealthy?
There's a mystery next door that she discovers when she hears shouting.
She has a past involving a relationship that went wrong and children. Not to give too much away, but you'll have to read this to appreciate all the plot twists and turns.
This is my second novel by Nina Manning after Her Darkest Fear, and I was absorbed in it.
It did keep me guessing, but also had a relaxing pace that made it realistic for the most part, although some parts were predictable. That did not take away from my enjoyment of it.
I saw part of the ending coming in some ways, but in others I didn’t and it was twisty enough to keep me satisfied.
I did find that the last 9 or so chapters of the novel felt rushed in pace compared to the rest, but the plot hung together nicely throughout.
Thanks to Nina Manning, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
October 21, 2020
Regi -Regina - is 35 years old and finds herself moving into a shared house starting her life with a clean slate. She has OCD and has her little behaviours that she must do in order to go about her daily life. Her housemates 'tolerate' her OCD and when Mini introduces her to the world of cleanstagrams on Instagram this gives Regi something to focus on and put her OCD to a use within the house. She begins to obsess over Mrs Clean's account and a troll who seems to just want to put the account owner down all the time, I found this pretty prevalent in terms of the top cleanstagramer that is currently taking Instagram by storm and it reminded me of her and her trolls on her account.
The choice of using the chapter headings THEN and NOW gives you a look into her life and that fact that she is hiding from someone in her past, that is until you reach the end chapters and are met with a twist that I never saw coming!
I loved this book it was a very gripping and compelling read but come the end I had no idea what I had just read! I actually had to re-read the last two chapters. Kudos to Manning for creating and writing the book in the way she did, she certainly threw me off kilter on those last few chapters! The choice of using the chapter headings THEN and NOW gives you a look into her life and that fact that she is hiding from someone in her past, that is until you reach the end chapters and are met with a twist that I never saw coming!
The choice of using the chapter headings THEN and NOW gives you a look into her life and that fact that she is hiding from someone in her past, that is until you reach the end chapters and are met with a twist that I never saw coming!
I loved this book it was a very gripping and compelling read but come the end I had no idea what I had just read! I actually had to re-read the last two chapters. Kudos to Manning for creating and writing the book in the way she did, she certainly threw me off kilter on those last few chapters! The choice of using the chapter headings THEN and NOW gives you a look into her life and that fact that she is hiding from someone in her past, that is until you reach the end chapters and are met with a twist that I never saw coming!
Want to read
September 26, 2020I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley.
September 25, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review. The House Mate is a domestic drama which takes place just outside of London. The novel is told in alternating chapters labeled then and now, which are interspersed with instagram posts. The "now "chapters focus on a 36 year old woman going by the name of Regi who is starting over as the titular house mate of three college age women. It is clear early on that Regi has suffered severe trauma and is now exhibiting OCD tendencies. I found these chapters to be poignant and well written. I grew to care for Regi and I was actively rooting for her to find peace and happiness.
Unfortunately, the "then" chapters, which most readers would logically assume deal with Regi's past trauma, turn out to be a red herring and actually pertain to another woman altogether. While the author may have intended this to be a shocking reveal, it was a huge disappointment for me. The last quarter of the book was simply outlandish and confusing, leaving me with more questions than answers. This is a shame because the author created a great character in Regi, and I wish that the book had focused exclusively on her.
Overall, I would say that this book has great potential but did not live up to my expectations.
Unfortunately, the "then" chapters, which most readers would logically assume deal with Regi's past trauma, turn out to be a red herring and actually pertain to another woman altogether. While the author may have intended this to be a shocking reveal, it was a huge disappointment for me. The last quarter of the book was simply outlandish and confusing, leaving me with more questions than answers. This is a shame because the author created a great character in Regi, and I wish that the book had focused exclusively on her.
Overall, I would say that this book has great potential but did not live up to my expectations.
November 8, 2020
First off... I'm a massive Nina Manning fan and hate the fact that this didn't do it for me 😣
One word I could use to describe this book is confusing!
I'm not 100% sure how to rate this one so here goes... I found this book quite 'out there'.
I was really excited to recieve this book, I love a psychological thriller bit somehow this one fell short.
The main character has a major OCD for cleanliness (which was brilliantly researched and executed)and becomes obsessed with a celebrity on Instagram and their cleaning tips/advice (think Mrs Hinch). She basically turns into a stalker.
Basically a slow burner that seemed to take for it to actually get anywhere in a personal sense.
In all honesty I didn't particularly like it. Its confusing, bizarre and weirdly unsettling. I think the fact I'm left with more questions than answers has just rattled me a bit!
2.5*
Thanks to netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.
One word I could use to describe this book is confusing!
I'm not 100% sure how to rate this one so here goes... I found this book quite 'out there'.
I was really excited to recieve this book, I love a psychological thriller bit somehow this one fell short.
The main character has a major OCD for cleanliness (which was brilliantly researched and executed)and becomes obsessed with a celebrity on Instagram and their cleaning tips/advice (think Mrs Hinch). She basically turns into a stalker.
Basically a slow burner that seemed to take for it to actually get anywhere in a personal sense.
In all honesty I didn't particularly like it. Its confusing, bizarre and weirdly unsettling. I think the fact I'm left with more questions than answers has just rattled me a bit!
2.5*
Thanks to netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.
November 16, 2020
This was a very strange book. It took me a long time to get into it. The highlights were the beautiful well executed portrayals of OCD and PTSD. They were very well written and convincing.
On the downside , I found the plot really confusing. I am still not sure what happened in Reggie's past. I thought the narration was good initially, however I don't know if the narration added to my confusion.
I think the key word here is "confusion". The superficial plot points, like the Instagram posts and the housemates, where all very obvious. I didn't feel that there were any great plot twists, unless the abused woman was not Reggie, but the lady trapped in the flat- but there was nothing to highlight that as a conclusion, except that we learn Reggie had a different life other than the one we thought she had.
Sorry - not for me- I just didn't get it at all.
On the downside , I found the plot really confusing. I am still not sure what happened in Reggie's past. I thought the narration was good initially, however I don't know if the narration added to my confusion.
I think the key word here is "confusion". The superficial plot points, like the Instagram posts and the housemates, where all very obvious. I didn't feel that there were any great plot twists, unless the abused woman was not Reggie, but the lady trapped in the flat- but there was nothing to highlight that as a conclusion, except that we learn Reggie had a different life other than the one we thought she had.
Sorry - not for me- I just didn't get it at all.
January 20, 2021
Not a fan of this story. The majority of the story, about the housemates, I found fairly boring. Nothing really happened. No atmosphere, no suspense, no intrigue. Just repetition and boring characters, some of whom didn't really serve much purpose. I also found the way in which it (was supposed) to tie the story together was lacking , there was no cohesion. The first 80% of the book could have been about anything. The attempt at misdirection with the "then" chapters I felt was clunky and when the ending is revealed, I didn't find it clever, just messy and confusing.
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