In this novel from Paris, we get a novel about a lost sister and couple brought together over their grief for the missing girl. My feelings for this novel went two different ways. On the one hand, I was continually intrigued and was unable to guess the ultimate twist. In my mind, that's the sign of a great thriller. However, I repeatedly found myself a bit bored throughout the novel and wondering when the action would pick up again. At the end though, I can't decide if the payoff was worth the work.

I feel like my mind is exploding each time I read one of B.A. Paris' books. Nothing is ever as it seems, and as hard as I try to guess the ending, I am always wrong.

Bring Me Back made me feel equally as crazy as the two main characters. It was so hard to comprehend what was happening, and to understand the characters actions. Not in a bad way, but in that murder/mystery/thriller way we are all looking for. The mind distortion (best way to put what I am meaning with no vulgarity) in Bring Me Back is unlike anything else. Paris has quickly become one of my favorite authors.

Oh goodness. I was interested, even though it was a slow process and had too many possibilities. The ending was ridiculous. (2.5/5)

While the writing was very engaging and I couldn’t put it down, the ending was what I would call “half-predictable,” which is to say that the general “gotcha” wasn’t a surprise, but the details of the ending weren’t really possible to predict (which I liked!)

That said, I enjoyed the overall story and the occasional red herring, which presented itself in revealing personality traits of the characters more than new people or objects.

Would still recommend for a vacation read, or a thriller-palate-cleanser between books!

This is a psychological thriller that had me hooked right from the beginning. The story is told from the POV of Finn, with a few chapters told by Layla and Ellen. Finn and Layla were in love over a decade ago, until Layla goes missing from a gas station parking lot, never to be seen or heard from again. Finn and Layla's sister, Ellen fall in love some years later and have just announced their wedding. Following the announcement, Finn and Ellen begin receiving Russian nesting dolls (the meaning of which connects Ellen and Layla from their childhood). The addition of those Russian nesting dolls added a bit of creepiness to the story as well. What really happened to Layla? Is she still alive? Who is placing those dolls in discriminate spots?

I could not stop reading this book. I loved the voice of Finn and when a chapter from Layla popped in, I enjoyed it as well. We also get a before and now perspective so we can see what was happening in Finn's and Layla's relationship. B.A. Paris delivers a very readable, unique and fun story here with unreliable characters. There was not a lot of suspense or thrill in this book, but it still had me wanting to find out what was going to happen next and I kept going even though I had other things to do. I did not figure out what was happening and was shocked by the ending. The epilogue tied everything up nicely and the last line was exactly what I was thinking after the reveal. With short chapters and an interesting plot, this book was a quick and easy read.

Ugh...this is a hard review to write. I wanted to love this book so much! The author's previous 2 books, Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown were 5 stars reads for me. I had really high expectations for this one and it just missed the mark completely in my opinion. It felt so unrealistic and far-fetched, and I never like that. I also did not care one bit for any of the characters. The whole doll thing was just so strange! I hate to say all this because I will not hesitate for a second to pick up the next book B.A. Paris writes, but this was just not her best work for my reading preferences.

* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

I'm a huge fan of B.A. Paris and love both her writing style and her plot lines, however, Bring Me Back didn't do it for me. Her previous titles were some of my favorites in the genre, but this one didn't grab me or excite me to keep reading. It felt a bit slow and monotonous for me. But that doesn't mean I won't give her another chance, I absolutely will.

Even though I absolutely loved the authors other books, this one did nothing for me. I could not get into the story, because frankly, I couldn’t care about the characters. I didn’t understand why Finn would date Layla’s sister and how she could be with a man who was basically a suspect in her sisters death. Either way, this was just not a very good story.

BA Paris packed a huge punch with the pages of this book and I loved every single minute! I love BA Paris’ writing and this book just reinforced my feelings regarding that! The characters had a complex situations and it made such a wonderful book to think through what could really have happened!

So disturbing, yet so brilliant.

It took me a lot of time to decide if it is a 4 or a 5 star book for me.

It is fast-paced, has easy writing style, great story and has the ability to keep you hooked. The perfect formula for a good book! Except for the end. The end was so unpredictable and shocking.

The story starts with a couple living happily together. Then things start to change for the worse when the topic of them getting married surfaced. Ellen wanted Finn to propose her which he did reluctantly. Soon after that, they both started receiving Russian dolls at different places. These Russian dolls are connected to an old memory of a girl (Layla) that the guy, Finn, used to date who was also the younger sister of Ellen with whom Finn is living now.

Finn started receiving emails from Layla in which she ask him to leave her sister to bring Layla back otherwise she would disappear forever. Now, he is torn between the two sisters and didn't know who to choose.

Who would he choose and who he would ask to leave? Also, there is a dark secret behind vanishing of Layla and Finn is afraid if someone finds it out.

The ending was mind-boggling nonetheless but not justified. I don't want to give spoilers so I will leave it to the readers to read the book and decide themselves.

Cover Art
The cover of the book is absolutely amazing. It is pleasing to look at and you will be intrigued to pick up the book and found yourself interested in reading the synopsis. But sadly it doesn't reflect the story.

Conclusion
If you are good at guessing the stories and are used to of your predictions turning out correct (as if there is no originality in the stories anymore) then this book is perfect for you. Put yourself to brainstorming and guess wildest endings and prepare yourself to be amazed because you will be wrong this time.

This was another great piece of work by B. A. Paris. The story is gripping from the get-go and never lets up! I love a book where as a reader you try to figure it out and it just doesn't come together for you or you are soooo close and then Boom- Didn't see that coming! The ending left you in shock- what a wonderfully written suspenseful masterpiece. I will continue to eat anything this author cooks up!

This book isn't what I normally read, but I loved how it hooked me from the beginning. Was the ending a bit out there? Yes, but what I loved was the build up. And I had no idea where the twists and turns were taking me. I think it would be a great beach read.

Bring Me Back by B. A. Paris is the kind of domestic thriller that keeps me coming back to find more of them. A vacationing couple stops at a service station. Finn goes to uses the restroom and when he returns to the car, Layla is gone. The police search turns up no trace of her. Ten years later, Finn is happily engaged to Layla's sister. They're planning a wedding, until someone spots Layla and Finn begins to receive emails and packages that make it seem that Layla is still alive.

This one kept me turning pages. I can't talk about much more than the cover copy without giving too much away, but I enjoyed the twists of the plot even though I can't even begin to convince myself that what happens at the end could ever happen in real life. It's just a book and it was a fun read.

I'm afraid I just couldn't get into this one. I enjoyed Behind Closed Doors, but the main character here didn't draw me in, though I thought the over all story premise was great. As I don't do public reviews unless they are a 4 or above, I will leave this only on NetGalley. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read/review.

3.5 stars

I quite enjoyed this, despite my frustration at the lead character and the, at times, meandering storyline. The beginning is very strong with a girlfriend who goes missing at a truck stop and picks the story up 12 years later. This premise of a missing person, who, 12 years later may still be alive, kept my interest and I enjoyed the twist at the end and the short chapters written in the voice of the main characters.

The middle I found slow, but, a good, easy, holiday read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to preview.

There will be spoilers here, so if you’re planning to read this one and haven’t, this is your warning to come back and read this review later.

This is my second attempt at a B.A. Paris book, and much like the first one, Behind Closed Doors, I just can’t recommend it. The description itself gave me a bit of pause – Finn’s girlfriend, Layla, disappeared ten years ago, and he was the main suspect. He’s been cleared because there wasn’t really any evidence against him, but no one ever figured out exactly what happened to Layla.

Now Finn is dating Layla’s sister, Ellen, and they just got engaged. Which…. how does that work exactly? We find out later that Ellen and Finn didn’t meet while Finn and Layla were dating, so the first time they meet, he’s under suspicion for Layla’s disappearance. This is how they meet? He’s under suspicion for possibly murdering her sister, and she decides to date him?

As soon as they get engaged, Ellen starts finding Russian nesting dolls all over the place, which she takes as a sign that Layla isn’t dead, she’s alive, and she’s back. (Layla collected Russian nesting dolls as a kid) Finn starts receiving MysteriousEmails™️ that make him even more sure that she’s alive, but maybe not, but maybe, which causes him to start rethinking his entire relationship with Ellen because he misses Layla so much. Or something.

One of the biggest disappointments of this book was the writing. Even though I didn’t enjoy Behind Closed Doors, I thought B.A. Paris was a good writer. The writing in Bring Me Back was much weaker. There was almost no showing, just telling, and the characters were flat and one-dimensional.

We discover about halfway through the book that Layla is alive, of course she is. I watched way too much Days of Our Lives and All My Children growing up to believe that anyone is dead when the body is never found. Her reasons for disappearing were understandable, but the rest of her decisions are convoluted and make no sense. Why she decided to stay away for 12 years, why she’s decided to show back up now. I read those sections multiple times and I still don’t understand what made her show herself, especially to Finn, considering her reasons for leaving in the first place.

And the Big Twist was…. frankly, it was laughable. It requires a suspension of disbelief to a level that I’m simply not capable of. And it made characters who were already badly drawn to turn into caricatures.

Much like B.A. Paris’s first book, Behind Closed Doors, this book just doesn’t hold up under the smallest bit of scrutiny. I think the problem is this combination. B.A. Paris and I just don’t seem to be a good match.

Finn and Layla are on their way back from vacation when Layla disappears at a rest stop, never to be seen again. Finn struggles with not knowing what happened and knowing that he didn't tell the police the whole truth. As Finn moves on with his life 12 years later, he learns that Layla might still be alive.

This was such a quick read for me! There was a lot of suspense that kept me reading because I had to know what happened to Layla. But the twists started to get a little too weird for me about halfway through. Around that time, I didn't like any of the characters anymore and the suspense stalled. I loved the first half of this book, but the ending fell flat.

It has been more than ten years since the day that Layla disappeared from Finn's car at a service station while they were on vacation. Finn's life hasn't been the same. Not a day goes by that he doesn't think about her. And his role in Layla's disappearance. He didn't tell the police everything and he knows that he screwed up. Big time. But he has moved on, he is now engaged to Ellen, Layla's sister. They bonded over their grief and were lucky to find happiness with each other. But now they are on the verge of getting married and things are happening to make them think that Layla is back. An elderly neighbor saw her in their old neighborhood. And then the Russian nesting dolls show up. An "inside" story that only they would know about. Next Finn gets an email. Layla is back, but she has conditions. She wants Finn to get rid of her sister. Why comes next is a psychological mind game for which Finn is unprepared. Will he be able to welcome Layla back without blowing up the life he has built with Ellen?

Bring Me Back is a fast-paced psychological thriller. About one man and two sisters. From the beginning, Finn seems like a good guy. He was genuinely upset by Layla's disappearance and he kept their home untouched after Layla's disappearance. By his own admission, he lied to the police the day that Layla disappeared and he reveals why he lied bit by bit. Which made me trust him less. He also was desperate to keep Ellen from knowing about Layla's emails. I wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to protect Ellen, Layla, or himself. All three of them seemed a little unhinged to me and I don't think that I was very wrong. - CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS -- I had figured out the "twist" pretty early on - well mostly. I just wasn't sure of the details. The ending was a bit explosive as a lot of truths were revealed and dots were connected. I was satisfied with the author's conclusion, even if it seemed a bit farfetched.

Bottom Line - Even though I had guessed the big twist, I was still captivated by Bring Me Back. The story of Finn, Layla, and Ellen starts off slow and builds to a crescendo that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Details:
Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris
On Twitter
Pages: 304
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 6/19/2018
Buy it Here!

On the way back from a ski trip in France, Finn and Layla make a quick stop at a service station so Finn could use the rest room. However, once he returns to the car, Layla is nowhere to be found. After searching all around for her, he decides to go to the next service station so he can contact the police. At least this is the story he tells the police, but this is not the whole story.
Ten years later Finn is engaged to Ellen, Layla’s sister. There has been no news on what happened to Layla all those years ago, but Ellen has never suspected Finn was involved as many others have.
One day out of the blue a small Russian doll shows up at the house identical to the one that both Layla and Ellen used to have as children. There are only three people who know about the history of the Russian dolls, so is Layla alive or is there something more sinister going on?
Bring Me Back is my first B.A. Paris book, though I have a few others on my TBR, and I must confess that I was impressed. It is told through multiple perspectives, Layla and Finn, and multiple timelines, before and after Layla disappeared.
This was one twisty thrill ride where you really don’t know who to trust, who is telling the truth. While I did figure out the ending before I got there, I did find myself looking in several different directions along the way. Paris did a good job with misdirection in this one.
I would recommend this for those looking for a dark, twisted psychological thriller. I am looking to digging into the other Paris books sitting on my TBR shelf.

Did Not Finish; could not get into the story. I tried to get my head around but it stated slow and did not hold my interest.