Book Review: Here To Stay by Mark Edwards

Title: Here To Stay
Author: Mark Edwards
Pages:  370 pages
Published: September 1st 2019 by Thomas & Mercer
Source: NetGalley

GoodReads Description: "A beautiful home. A loving wife. And in-laws to die for.

Gemma Robinson comes into Elliot’s life like a whirlwind, and they marry and settle into his home. When she asks him if her parents can come to stay for a couple of weeks, he is keen to oblige – he just doesn’t quite know what he’s signing up for.

The Robinsons arrive with Gemma’s sister, Chloe, a mysterious young woman who refuses to speak or leave her room. Elliot starts to suspect that the Robinsons are hiding a dark secret. And then there are the scars on his wife’s body that she won’t talk about . . .

As Elliot’s in-laws become more comfortable in his home, encroaching on all aspects of his life, it becomes clear that they have no intention of moving out. To protect Gemma, and their marriage, Elliot delves into the Robinsons’ past. But is he prepared for the truth?"

MY REVIEW:
Well, they say you don't just marry your spouse, you marry their whole family... Boy, did that turn out poorly for Elliott Foster!

Elliott Foster has the perfect life. The perfect job: teaching science to school districts in need, and making the big bucks doing it. He has the perfect house: a large Victorian he has painstakingly restored. All he needs is someone to share it with... Cue Gemma Robinson.

Apparently Elliott's biological clock is ticking because he and Gemma are quickly caught up in a whirlwind romance that results in their marriage shortly after. Or perhaps everything else he touched had turned to gold so he thought his marriage would follow suit? Or perhaps he was just lonely and (slightly) desperate? He really was a likeable character. But clearly, Elliott forgot about the aforementioned caution about in-laws. Soon after their marriage, Gemma's parents come to stay... and stay...

Poor Elliott. It is amazing the degree to which these people destroy his life. It was one of those things where you're in a game you can't win because your opponent doesn't play by the rules of common decency. Similar in vein to Louise Clandish's books. Which I also loved. Anyways, it made for a great quick read. Elliott was a great character (I pictured him as Neil Patrick Harris for some reason...). I felt infinitely sorry for him and I felt infinite disgust and dismay at his situation. I loved the ending, which I maybe should have seen coming, but I found it very satisfying!

4 holy-schmoly-these-people-are-nuts stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!