I think BA Paris books are not for me. They read like cheap pulp novels of the 1950s and not in a good way. Super predictable and bland. Maybe good for people who are not readers and just want something for the beach.

Bring Me Back by B.A.Paris

June 2018
Fiction

I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an unbiased review.

The story is told from the perspective of Finn McQuaid and Layla, his girlfriend who goes missing in 2006 after a ski trip in Megeve. The couple begin to argue and escalates when they stop at a rest stop on their way home from Paris. What follows is a confusing situation which results in Layla’s disappearance and Finn being the center of the police investigation.

After Layla’s disappearance, police detective Tony Heddon arrests Finn for suspicion of the murder of Layla when she is never found. Eventually, Finn is able to move on and become a successful businessman. By chance, he meets and eventually falls in love with Ellen, who happens to be Layla’s sister. Brought together by the grief and confusion of Layla’s disappearance and presumed dead, they build a life together.

After the couple become engaged and start planning for their wedding, clues begin to emerge that Layla might still be alive. When a small Russian nesting doll appears their pleasant life gets turned upside down. Rumors and secrets emerge which are meant to provide suspense regarding what happened to Layla. Unfortunately, the plot becomes rather monotonous and slows while unfolding the events which transpired over the years.

Although the Russian nesting dolls provided significance to the sisters relationship, they become “overused” as a mysterious indicator that stirs up anxiety from the past. Likewise, the plot begins to lose suspense during the Russian doll “plateau” so that the ending becomes more obvious.

I had wanted to like the book more than I did but it lost me half way through when it seems the plot “stalls”. Overall, it is an enjoyable read but not for those who desire a deeply suspenseful psychological drama.

I’ve wanted to read a book by B.A. Paris for a while now, but I never got to it. When I received an e-ARC of Bring Me Back I was eager to read it.

Bring Me Back starts off with Finn McQuaid, who is telling about how he was on holiday in France with his girlfriend Layla. On their way back to Devon, they stopped the car at a picnic area in the middle of the night. Finn went to the bathroom and when he came back, Layla was no longer waiting for him in the car. She disappeared.

This was twelve years ago. Now Finn is living together with Ellen, his new girlfriend and Layla’s sister. When Finn askes Ellen to marry him, strange things start to happen. An ex-neighbour claims to have seen Layla. A long-lost Russian doll from Layla and Ellen’s childhood turns up at Finn and Ellen’s house. Finn starts receiving strange e-mails, asking him about the cottage where he used to live with Layla. Is Layla still alive? Who is sending all these messages? Who is messing with Finn and Ellen’s minds?

This novel is full of suspense and I finished it in just two days. I couldn’t put it down and I didn’t trust any of the characters. But.. I also didn’t like all of the characters. I think Finn was very naïve and self-centred. I couldn’t relate to him, although I really wanted to. This really is a plot-driven story, with little character-development.

The plot twist was very clever, although it felt a bit rushed. Some questions are left unanswered.

Although this isn’t the best thriller I’ve read this year, I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a fast-paced mystery.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

3 stars (release date June 19, 2018)

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Finn and Layla are a young couple on holiday in France. They stop at a rest stop and Layla disappears. Was she kidnapped? Was she murdered? Did she run away? No one knows and a body is never found. Twelve years later Finn is living in a small English town engaged to Layla's sister, Ellen. He begins receiving mysterious emails telling him that Layla is alive. He and Ellen also begin finding Layla's favorite Russian dolls around the house - a special secret that only Layla, Finn and Ellen know about. As Finn tries to hide Layla's possible return from Ellen, he becomes more and more frantic to determine if she is really alive, or if someone is just toying with him.

As with the author's last book, the story starts out strong and then slowly slips into a predictable mystery that has been done before. The book is told mainly from Finn's point of view - in the past and in the present - but is occasionally told from Layla's perspective. I figured out the twist fairly early in the book. While the book isn't that long, the middle and end seemed to really drag and I found myself skimming the last 1/3 of the book. Finn was supposed to be a really smart guy that makes millions in the financial world, but made strange decisions and wasn't too bright. Ellen was very one note and most of the time I forgot she was even in the story. Overall, the book was ok.

B.A. Paris has done it again in her latest novel “Bring Me Back.” Finn McQuaid’s girlfriend disappeared several years ago under mysterious circumstances, and when Finn has finally created a new life with a woman life throws him a curve ball. Finn begins to get gifts that only his ex-girlfriend would understand the significance just as he has announced his plan to marry. The gifts are followed by emails that drive a wedge between him and his new love. Finn will not rest until he solves this mystery. I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Finn is happily engaged to Ellen and life appears to be good. But Finn has never healed nor will ever be able to get over his first love Layla, Ellen’s sister, who disappeared years before under suspicious circumstances. As their wedding day approaches, little Russian stacking dolls begin to appear outside the home, in the mail and in locations they visit. These dolls have a distinct connection to Layla, so it’s a very intriguing thing that most people aren’t aware of. Except of course Layla and Finn, and questioningly, Mary? Finn begins communicating with Layla thru texts and emails, and she’s obviously playing a game of cat and mouse. This game puts Finn directly in the light of suspect once more as Ellen’s life appears to be at stake next.
Full of unexpected turns, I found this book a bit hard to flow with, and the plot is stretched a little further than I was comfortable with believing. Without spoiling the book for others, I can say it’s a fun and quick read with an ending that you may struggle with.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for making it available.)

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC. I’ve had the privilege of receiving an ARC for all of B. A. Paris’s books from St. Martin’s Press.

Our journey begins with Finn and his girlfriend, Layla, returning from a trip to Paris where she disappears from the car while he’s using the restroom at a rest stop. He’s questioned by the police and eventually exonerated from having anything to do with her disappearance. Twelve years have gone by with no information on what happened to Layla. Finn has moved on and is now engaged to marry Layla’s sister Ellen. The couple begin to receive Russian dolls, which held significance to Ellen and Layla as children. Finn also begins to receive taunting emails that appear to be coming from Layla. Is Layla alive? If so why has it taken her twelve years to reappear and where has she been all this time?

There isn’t a lot of depth to the characters and we really aren’t given much detail to their backstori.es. In many respects, they’re also unlikeable. I believe B. A. Paris does well with creating a page turning read though. You just keep flipping the pages to see what will happen next and how it all will end.

I loved her first book, Behind Closed Doors, and liked her second book, The Breakdown, but it is never a good sign when one laughs at a thriller, and wants to throw the book across the room when the last page turns. The premise was promising. British male character, Finn, pulls into a roadside rest stop in France to use the bathroom. When he returns, his young girlfriend, Layla, has disappeared. Twelve years later, good ole Finn is engaged to Layla's sister, Ellen, has just completed a big lucrative financial deal, and Layla rears her mysterious head. Ellen and Finn hear find Russian nesting dolls everywhere (it's a 'thing' with Layla), Finn receives multiple emails, and Ellen believes she sees her. As this mystery unwinds, we go back to the past to see the beginning of their relationship and it throws in what perhaps the author perceives are intriguing red herrings, but really, they're just stinky dead fish (I mean, the hermit-like neighbors next door?? The childhood friend he beats terribly??). And seriously, the ending had me shrieking with laughter, with the complete implausibility of the entire 'mystery.' B.A. Paris is waaaaaay better than this.

The story is told by the main characters by chapter. Finn whose girlfriend, Layla, disappears 11 years ago is ready to marry her sister, Ellen. Finn begins to receive strange emails as well as the tiny Russian nest dolls. Can Layla still be alive and has she returned on the eve of their wedding.

As Finn tries to find the answers his relationship with Ellen becomes strained. If you are a careful reader you may discover the ending before you get there. Well written and suspenseful.

4.5 stars for this ridiculously fun, brilliant & entertaining book!

BRING ME BACK by B. A. PARIS had me racing through the pages and finishing this in just two sittings which I haven’t done in quite some time. I really upped my Kindle “time left in book” reading average with this book.

So here’s the thing about this book. It was an extremely enjoyable, entertaining, fun, and ridiculous psychological thriller novel that had me totally engrossed and interested right from the very first page. The psychological aspect to this novel I thought was extremely clever and well executed. I know that doesn’t sound right but that is the way I felt while reading this one. I wouldn’t say that this storyline was all that suspenseful or thrilling but I absolutely love the way that B. A. Paris tells a story though. There were definitely some questionable storytelling and one liners here that had me rolling my eyes a little bit but all in all nothing really irked me and I absolutely loved the Epilogue. Let’s just say the last line of this book I gave a little whoop and thought it was a good one and thank you B. A. Paris for that!!

B. A. PARIS delivers a very readable, unique and fun story here with unreliable characters that weaves back and forth in a then and now perspective with short chapters to make this an extremely quick and easy read.

So if you are looking for a compulsive read with the help of some Russian Stacking Dolls to solve this mystery then this book is for you! Would recommend!

Publishing Date: June 19, 2018

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and B. A. Paris for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

This author came highly recommended to me. I love psychological thrillers and was eager to check out this book when I found it. Still, B. A. Paris was someone who I didn't know before reading this novel.

That said, I'm hooked. Her straight-forward writing style made it so easy to read. I became engaged at the very beginning and stayed engaged until the end. The twists kept me guessing and second guessing myself throughout, which is the sign of a great thriller in my opinion. There was no point when I thought I had it all figured out and the ending was not predictable. I loved this and cannot wait to read the other books she has published. I would definitely recommend to other lovers of psych-thrillers!

In part one, the story is told in two parts, “Now” and “Before,”. Both of them are significant to understand the story but I was most interested in the “Now” plot as it was always filled with drama and twists. The plot is the star of this show as our characters are a little dry. Ellen and Finn have very little detail. Layla has the most but it’s because every section pretty much revolves around her life. Finn was unreliable right from the start as well other other characters. Some of the other characters were a bit vague and I think the author sometimes left out important details and then just wrote details of important events that happened into a dialogue. That can be a bit annoying sometimes but it can also lead to a longer unnecessary book that a short dialogue can fix. I get it; but, it did feel a little incomplete in this particular book. I didn’t quite like Ellen because she seemed too complacent. Finn’s friends also were unlikable for me. Ruby was the most redeeming to me. A subplot between her and another character that I won’t mention in order to steer clear of spoilers also felt unfinished and unnecessary to the story.
I had a hard time putting this down when I picked it up. Thrillers always intrigue me and I actually like being surprised so I don’t often like having the story be solvable. This story seemed to me like I had solved it very quickly but I was wrong which is always pleasant. There is nothing I like better than being shocked and surprised when reading.
As I started onto part two, I started picking up on character traits from others that seem naive and innocent but surprisingly occur too often and are creepy. That is where I started to look more into characters more and I’m glad that I did because my hunch was correct.
As with most thrillers, I cannot say much more about the plot or story without giving it away but it is well worth a read. The title is very fitting in hindsight and I enjoy when titles have such a significance that you don’t know of until you’re reading. It’s a mystery within the mystery in this case.
I am in love with thrillers so I’m also beginning to think that I have too high expectations of things going in hence the 3 stars. It’s been a bit of time since I found something I loved and raved about. However, I did enjoy this read as I said already. It was a read that I did have a hard time putting down when I got the chance to pick it up and was shocking.

Sometimes a book starts off kind of slow, and you aren't so sure about it. Then it gets better as you go and you are glad you stuck with it. This book was the total opposite of that. I was intrigued by the premise and was sucked right in at the beginning. Then it started to lose me. The characters were annoying and I found myself not caring what happened to any of them. The plot became more implausible and ridiculous as it went on, finally ending in a plot twist that I had already figured out. Ugh.

Not as exciting to me as Behind Closed Doors, but Bring Me Back was still a great mystery and thriller. The story follows Finn through the reappearance and taunting clues from his ex-girlfriend and true love, Layla. Finn continues on the search to find her while juggling relationships with his fiancé (and Layla’s sister) Ellen, his business partner and best friend, Harry, and his confidant and barkeeper, Ruby. This novel has a bit more violence than expected, and while it was a good read, I definitely enjoyed Behind Closed Doors more.

I didn't like this book. I was intrigued by the premise of it, but I don't believe it was well executed, It felt like it was too much going for the shock factor ending, like Gone Girl (which I didn't like either). But the ending was so far out of left field that it was hard to get the shock of it over the confusion.

Paris has crafted a twisty thriller that grabs the reader with the opening scene of a young English couple stopping at a rest area in France where he goes to the bathroom only to return to an empty car - his girlfriend has disappeared forever. Twelve years later, Finn has gotten on with his life without Layla, even to the point of asking her sister Ellen to marry him. Then Ellen finds a Russian nesting doll, significant to only her and Layla. Has Layla returned, or is someone wickedly toying with Finn and Ellen? As the plot twists and turns, the uncertainty and suspense grow. Aside from a little too convenient confession near the end, Paris does a good job of keeping the plot threads together and dropping clues for the reader to decipher. Fans of suspense fiction will enjoy Paris' new novel. #BringMeBack #Netgalley

This was an excellent thriller from B.A. Paris. She delivers again!

Finn and Layla are a couple on vacation. They are driving through France and stop at a gas station to refuel. He goes in to pay and when he returns to his car Layla is gone without a trace or explanation.

Ten years later, Finn is engaged to be married to Ellen who happens to be Layla's sister. They connected when they met years after Layla's disappearance. The wedding is set to happen but their lives get affected when a disturbing object appears at their home. What makes it disturbing is that is an object related to Ellen's long-gone sister Layla.

This was a fast-paced read for me, I kept turning the pages wanting to know more about the story. The novel is narrated in alternating points of view and was engaging, creepy, and intriguing.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and recommend it to readers of thrillers, mysteries and contemporaty fiction.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley

Twelve years ago, Finn and his girlfriend, Layla, were driving home from a vacation in France when they just happened to stop at a service station. Finn got out to use the bathroom, but when he got back, Layla was gone. She disappeared. The police weren’t able to find any trace of her—or her body. In present day, Finn starts to receive strange clues that Layla is not only alive, but that she’s come back. But is it really Layla who’s reaching out to him? Or is it someone else, someone who wants to hurt Finn because of his recent engagement to Layla’s sister?
In a word, this book is unputdownable. The chapters are incredibly short, which left me wanting to read just one more chapter before bed. The writing is less detailed than other thrillers, with a focus on plot over setting and language. This coupled with the fast pace makes it a book that you can gobble down in just a few hours. That said, the starkness of the writing did make parts a little cheesy. The abrupt ending to chapters made me want to keep reading, but I was conscious of the writing mechanism that BA Paris was using. While cliffhangers can keep a reader turning the pages, it can also get a little repetitive and obvious if used too often!
The plot of Bring me Back was a little predictable to me, but as with BA Paris’s books, I was there for the journey, not the destination. The author does an excellent job of building up the sense of unease and distrust in the reader. The main character, Finn, languishes in the uncertainty of not knowing whether Layla is back or if he’s being tormented by someone else, and I truly felt for all the characters in this book. This is a slow burn, like Behind Closed Doors. It’s a story that a lot of people will have a hard time shaking once they’re finished!
BA Paris builds up the characters and it’s a little repetitive in the beginning, if only because Finn is revealing how he thought of Layla in the past segments and how he thinks of her in present day, and there isn’t much variation or evolution in his love for her. While this is repetitive, it’s necessary to cement his love for her, which makes the rest of the events in the book much more plausible.
I did have a couple of issues with the twist at the end. Without revealing any spoilers, I will say that I figured out the twist early on, yet I noticed a lot of inconsistencies in the plot that didn’t quite fit with the “shock” ending. Almost so much to the point where I questioned whether or not I was right about the twist. Even with these minor plot holes, the book was compelling right up until the thrilling climax.
I recommend this book if you’re looking for a spooky one-night read, and I definitely recommend it if you’re a fan of BA Paris’s other books!

This story moved quickly, and the book was definitely a page-turner. Though this isn’t a genre I typically enjoy, I had read Ms. Paris’ previous book and liked it very much, so I was happy to give this one a shot. It was a bit dark, a bit weird, but certainly riveting. I fell for a couple red herrings along the way, and though I started to guess the answer to the mystery, the ending was still a surprise.

1.5 stars.

*

Bring Me Back is a slow paced Mystery novel with an intriguing beginning, but lacking in execution. The characters are mostly underdeveloped and flat, which contributes to how unsurprising and cheesy most twists are, making the narrative sounds a little too dramatic and cartoonish. It is a story that does keep you flipping pages, if only to see how this mess gets resolved.

B.A. Paris’ writing is easy to get into, despite the abrupt shifts from past to present as the author sets up the main arc. There is something compelling about the way she weaves the narrative, which works to keep readers’ attentions even through the slow pace and cheesy dialogue.

I am disappointed. This novel has such an interesting premise, but the execution messes it all up. The characters are pretty much all one-dimensional, which makes it really difficult to care about anything that is happening. Finn, as a narrator, is very hard to connect with, considering he’s a really unlikable person.

The mystery arc is predictable. The suspense is set up rather nicely at the beginning, but as you keep reading, you can guess pretty soon how all of this is going to end. There is no surprise, no shock, just your guesses being confirmed as the story progresses. It’s kind of a bummer and makes scenes that are supposed to be impacting fall totally flat.

The ending is also a bit of a mess. The way the final reveal is done is in a format that doesn’t really work for me. There’s no emotion to it and it is a bit rushed, so it’s all around a bummer for me as a reader. I do think the conclusion is fitting to the story, though, especially considering who and how Finn is as a person.

In the end, Bring Me Back doesn’t work for me. The slow pace hurts the story, the flat characters are difficult to connect with, the plot development is a bit of a mess, and the dialogue is super cheesy. New mystery fans might enjoy this, but it’s a disappointment for me.