This book about a birthday party for 40 year old Livia was outstanding. Not having had a wedding it was her desire to have a large fortieth birthday party, a party she never had when married. Due to circumstances beyond the family's control the day at least for her husband, Adam, was difficult to get through. He cannot tell Livia what he just learned, that is his dilemma. Livia, in the meantime is holding fast to her own secret, and cannot t ell Adam, that is her dilemma. This book was amazing, it's not something you could put down (not even for a minute) and come back to at a later time. I've never read anything before by this author, and when I do if the next (or previous ones) are anything like this, I'll have to have several glasses of wine to get through the novel!!!! Outstanding. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book and have loved every book that B.A. Paris has written. This book was actually more psychological than thriller. I hurt so much for Adam as he had to hold the secret about his daughter and get through that party without sharing his grief. I actually felt stress for both parents the whole time and hoped that the daughter would walk into the party at any moment and prove Adam wrong. Then throw the affair in on top of it all... my nerves were shot. Great book that I highly recommend!

I was so excited to have been given an advanced copy of The Dilemma by B.A. Paris but it frustrates me that I just couldn’t get into it. B.A.Paris is a great author, her books keep readers on the edge of their seats, unfortunately for me, I felt this book was flat.

This book takes place throughout an entire day. It’s Livie’s 40th birthday, ever since she didn’t get to have a big wedding, she started putting money away for a big birthday bash. Everyone but her daughter Marnie will be at her party but Livie doesn’t mind, she didn’t want her there anyway. Livie is holding on to a huge secret, a secret she’s been keeping from her husband Adam and a few other people. She knows it’ll affect her party so she keeps it to herself.

Adam has a secret of his own too, he and Marnie made plans for a surprise visit but then something horrible happened. Adam is beside himself but knows the ppl secret he’s holding on to will not only ruin the party, but change their lives forever. Adam loves Livie so much that he doesn’t want to ruin her special day, but can he keep it to himself until the party is over?

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book, 1.5 stars.

I had to struggled with this boom. I tried my best but, really felt like this story fell short. I enjoy this author yet, had a hard time connecting and staying engaged.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I’ve read B.A. Paris’ other books, (Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown and Bring Me Back) so I had high hopes for this new book. The whole book is based on the dilemma of secrets between a husband and wife and there was a strong sense of suspense throughout but it seemed to drag on too long. The story was told in alternating chapters between Livia and Adam. I liked the main characters/narrators but there were several superfluous characters that just seemed unnecessary. It was an entertaining story and I kept waiting for the big A-HA moment but it never really happened. I would definitely read more by this author but this one fell short for me.

Although an avid reader, I am not that person who stays up late to keep reading. Until now! This was a compelling story with a heart-racing and heart-breaking incident. The author builds suspense while she made me FEEL fear, hope, and sadness. I was actually tearing up at points and felt my heart aching a bit. Of the couple, I found Adam to be a very empathetic character but didn't like Livia as much. I think this added to the suspense and dilemma. I will be hunting down other books by Paris and recommending to my friends!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Ohhhhh my!!! B.A. Paris has truly outdone herself with this read! The Dilemma had me glued to my kindle from start to finish! This moving novel combines the general fiction and women’s fiction genres superbly with some mystery/suspense flowing throughout the storyline! I have enjoyed all of B.A. Paris’s prior novels, but The Dilemma really pulled at my heartstrings and had me very emotionally invested! I read non-stop because I had to find out what exactly happens, but at the same time I was so darn nervous to find out what exactly happens! The Dilemma is a gripping 4.5 star novel that will have you thinking about these characters long after you finish the book!

B.A. Paris has done it again! I really love her books. They're so easy to read. Plots are interesting. I zip through them because I need to know what happened. I think I still like Behind Closed Doors the best, but this one would be second or third. This one is told in alternating points of view between the husband and wife, Adam and Livia. And the entire plot takes places over one evening. Misguided couple trying to keep each other happy. Don't do it. Just be honest with your spouse and let the chips fall where they may people! But then we wouldn't have any good books if that happened!

This was a book that I could not put down. The time frame of the book takes place in a 24 hour period. Livia and Adam are a happily married couple who both have a big secret that they are not sharing with each other until the time is “right”! Once the secrets are told, hearts are broken and lives spiral out of control.

I could not put this book down! Adam and Livia are keeping secrets from each other about daughter Marnie in an effort to protect each other. Unfortunately talking around the truth or telling half truths is very stressful to a marriage. Thankfully they find their way through their grief, although they are still keeping a secret from a friend, of course to protect her feelings.

In the meantime Adam and Livia have to grapple with the fact that, even though they thought they had raised Marnie to know right from wrong, she was still human and had made a horrible mistake. Yet, she was still their daughter and they still loved her. That is a good lesson for any parent.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
Liva's parents didn't give her a wedding so she saves her money for a big celebration on her 40 birthday.
Their daughter Marnie is studying abroad but hopes to make it home for the party as a surprise for mom.
And then a parent's worst nightmare happens.... and each has a secret they need to share with the other - but what will happen when it is shared?

A lot of build-up to what each of the characters was hiding helped make this a great book for me. Yes, a lot of drama could have been eliminated by communication but this was a fiction book. Accepting it as such makes this a fantastic, page-turning read.

Loved this! B.A Paris does it again! This unputdownable novel will have you in tears. Well done AGAIN B.A Paris well done.

What's more juicy than a domestic thriller? The ultimate thriller - where everyday miscommunication destroys an entire family. Thank you St. Martin's Press for this advance reader's copy of The Dilemma. B.A. Paris came along with the rest of the "Gone Girl" authors, but she's pulled ahead with her novels that bring suspense and play with my emotions.

The characters in The Dilemma are well developed even though you only meet them for one day. Livia has been dreaming of her 40th birthday party for years, making up for the grandiose wedding she never had. She's been keeping a terrible secret from her husband, but little does she know, he has one too. Both Adam and Livia are being slowly consumed and destroyed by the secrets they carry but they're trying to protect their family. I liked that these characters are essentially good people rather than the typical "evil spouse" trope. It's a fast paced read and I couldn't put it down!

Not the typical novel you can expect from this author but a good quick read.
It’s very much a book about family and secrets. Everyone’s got both which is why this book should appeal to a wide variety of people.
Seeing the inner workings inside two peoples thoughts is always fascinating.
Extra points for the lack of bad language which is always nice.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I had a hard time rating this book and coming up with how to review it. Had I not read and of BA Paris other books I would have found this one creatively unique and while it was not filled with action or suspense it did capture my attention and held it till the last page. So I recommend this with caution, do not expect a thrilling page turner like “Behind Closed Doors”. This book is glimpse into the inner workings of a close knit family and one traumatic event that will change their lives, while simultaneously showing us family turmoil and drama unrelated to the devastating event. This book is so creatively written I can’t even guess if one of these characters was meant to be a protagonist and one an antagonist and each character has both qualities about them. Regardless this was very well written with richly woven characters and a heartbreaking scenario playing out over the course of the story.

I started B.A. Paris‘s new novel The Dilemma with the expectation that it was going to be, a thriller, similar to her other novels. I was happily wrong. Please don’t misunderstand me, I adore all of B.A. Paris’ previous novels. But I also truly enjoy the subgenre of literary suspense. This book is a wonderful mix of family drama and intrigue. It begins slowly, but builds beautifully. The Dilemma felt like a character study at times. I was fascinated and often in disbelief at each character and the choices they made. I empathized with each of their dilemmas, yet I also wanted to shake them half of the time. As the story unfolded, I realized I was also faced with my own dilemma. B.A. Paris had built the storyline in such a way that I did not want any of the “dilemmas” to end unhappily. That said, I am also a realist, and I abhor book endings that wrap up too tidily. With this in mind, I almost winced with every page turned knowing that I was getting even closer to the resolution. Regardless of my hesitation, I flew through this novel in two sittings. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. From the very beginning, I was immediately hooked. Stayed up all night to finish it and am glad I did!

When I picked up this book, I was expecting it to be a domestic thriller along the lines of B.A. Paris's previous suspense novels. But what I got was something completely different than I anticipated. While this book is definitely suspenseful, it's not a traditional mystery. There is no murder or crime plot, per se, although there is plenty of scandal and a dead body involved. Once I realized this was not going to be a typical thriller with husbands, wives, et al trying to destroy each other, I was able to relax into the story about a fairly typical family on the verge of falling apart because of secrets they have been keeping from each other.

The majority of the book centers around the events of Livia's 40th birthday party. She has been dreaming of this party for years because she never got to have the wedding party that she wanted, and this celebration is meant to compensate for what she missed out on all those years ago. Now entering middle-age, Livia has two grown children. Her daughter Marnie is living overseas, and Livia's husband, Adam, is going to fly her to London to surprise Livia for her birthday. But Livia doesn't really want Marnie there because she has a secret about Marnie and knows it will lead to problems if her daughter attends the party. Everything falls apart from there.

I enjoyed this book, even if it wasn't what I expected. I appreciate a writer taking a different approach to building suspense. The premise was grounded in believable family dynamics. Ever since Gillian Flynn published her breakthrough novel, Gone Girl, everyone has been trying to mimic her style, with varying degrees of success. The domestic thriller has become almost a cliche in the past ten years, and this book tries to break the mold. I am already looking forward to Paris's next book.

I loved this book! thank you to net galley and st martins for the advanced copy. I loved Behind Closed Doors by this author so I had high expectations for this one. It kept me on the edge of my seat which I love! It wasn’t a huge mystery full of twists by any means, but a family drama unraveling with death, affairs, etc. I recommend this if you like books like Little Fires Everywhere or The another in Law. 5 stars!