The Welcome Party by Samantha Vérant is a domestic thriller set in a gated community with a busybody HOA president, a cheating psychopath husband, and two women determined to protect themselves from him.
The story is told from three points of view. The first is Amanda, whose husband, Scott is a serial cheater. Amanda wants a divorce, but Scott refuses and threatens her when she brings it up. The second point of view is Hilary, Scott’s coworker and new neighbour. Finally, the last point of view is the detective who is conducting the investigation into a human hand found on the nearby beach.
This was an okay read, although there were a few things that confused me. The main one was why Hilary targeted Scott in the first place. Was it just because he dumped her in college? I kept looking for an explanation for her behaviour towards him in particular.
While I enjoyed the multiple points of view, and appreciated that seeing through the eyes of the detective allowed us insight into the police investigation, I felt that point of view was a bit out of place and probably wasn’t necessary. I would much rather have seen from Scott’s point of view. Was he really as bad as he was made out to be or were Amanda and Hilary even more unreliable as narrators than they appeared?
Although The Welcome Party was not a stand out thriller, it was a quick, entertaining read, perfect for the beach this summer.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Welcome Party will be available on July 8 2026.
Life, Tea, and Everything 