This was THE party that Livia and Adam had been planning forever. Livia's 40th birthday party. Everyone was invited. But Livia and Adam are both holding back because they both know something that would disrupt the party and don't want to ruin the party. But the truth has to come out...

A husband and wife with secrets. Livia and Adam are protecting their secret from each other. One believes his/her secret is damaging. The other knows his/her secret is heartbreaking. Both are keeping his/her secret from the other as it is the day of Livia’s 40th Birthday party. A party she has been waiting to have for a long, long, time. Both intend to tell the other his/her secret after the party. But how? How does one keep it together? Who does one keep on a happy face when his/her world has been devastated forever?

I found this to be a fast read, but will I remember it in six months' time? Most likely as the B.A. Paris book that I enjoyed the least. I found this to be a fast read but felt that it would have worked just as well as a novella. Plus, even though I get that one individual wanted to keep the secret until there was concrete proof but at the same time, I thought, seriously, this is something that should not have been kept secret. But as you can tell, these people are flawed. They both have their reasons for their secrets whether we agree with those reasons or not.

So how do they tell their secrets? How do the secrets come out? What happens next? How does life change for them? Do you agree with both keeping their secrets until after the party? What would you have done? I know how I would have handled things. How would you have handled them? Making the title of this book to be absolutely perfect.

I enjoyed the book, but it didn't wow me as much as her other books did. Her other books: The Breakdown and Behind Closed Doors wowed me more. The Dilemna, although a fast read, was also repetitive. It was, like her other books that I have read, well written. Even though this was not my favorite book by this author, I look forward to reading her future books.

I received a copy of this book from ST. Martins Press and NetGalley in return for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've read all of BA Paris' books and loved them. This wasn't her best. The book was very long and drawn out and completely unrealistic. It was labeled as a thriller but is more of a family drama.

I was really looking forward to reading B.A. Paris again. The "Dilemma" is the secrets that husbands and wives keep from each other and how they eat us up and break us apart. Livia and Adam both keep their secrets so as not to ruin the over-the-top 40th birthday party for Livia. A lot of the concerns and worry of both husband and wife could be believed but I just wanted it to end about two thirds of the way through, I was so tired of the self-pity, I actually had a hard time getting through that part of it. Luckily for me, I really enjoyed the secondary characters, their close friends and family.

The Dilemma had my heart racing from the start. This was not thriller as B.A. Paris’ novels before have been but a family drama. It was so well written and unfolded perfectly.

B.A Paris continues to be one of my favorite authors.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read , The Dilemma, in exchange for my honest review.

This was an excellent and very dramatic novel that I had a great time reading. The characters were well drawn, and the storyline flowed seamlessly. Would like to read more books by this author.

Another friend and I read this at the same time, and it was fun bouncing theories back and forth as the story progressed. Some of the plot twists were really heart-wrenching and a couple of the scenes had me crying too hard to read the words on the page. I was glued to the book, all the way to the end, and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish the last few chapters. Love this author!

I had high expectations of this book being a fan of B. A. Paris. The premise of the story is really simple: a dream birthday party for a lucky wife and a husband who's willing to do anything to see his wife happy, including keeping a devastating secret from her.

The majority of the story takes place within 24 hours and although I enjoyed the writing in this book, I felt the first half was quite slow to build and there was little suspense. As the book progressed I felt more connected with the characters however the "twist" and ending were disappointing. In fact there wasn't much of a twist at all. I would have liked to see an unexpected ending as well as a greater series of twists and turns throughout to keep me hooked.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. It is based around family relationships and how keeping secrets can affect them. The storyline was easy to relate to and I felt like I knew the characters personally. If you are looking for an easy read that will keep you guessing, then this book is for you. I look forward to the authors next book.

A complex, many-layered story that starts as a not-so-simple family celebration and ends up reading like a combination thriller, whodunnit. For her 40th birthday, Livia has long promised herself a real party with no frill ignored. Adam, her husband, is all in, in part to make up for the wedding they never had and his early years of neglect. The only person who will not attend is their daughter Marnie, who is abroad studying. What Livia doesn't know is Marnie is en route as a surprise which Adam arranged.
As layers unfold, told alternately by Adam and Livia, it becomes apparent that the event might not take place in the bubbly spirit of a celebration. Adam decides he cannot spoil her day and weaves a wobbly web of deceit.
The reader will ricochet from one emotion to another as the story unfolds and one secret after another is revealed, each in its gripping and at times horrifying detail. There are too many over-the-top tense moments to enumerate. This is storytelling at its best.

Life is not always what it seems and B.A. Paris is a master at creating intense stories that display that.

This book is a page turner. I read it in one sitting...as I did with all of her other books. But this one is different. Trust me! I wish I could give it 10 stars.

Oh this was one emotional ride. The Dilemma is heartbreaking, and not a traditional thriller, but definitely full of suspense!!

Livia is ready for her 40th Birthday. She's been planning this party for YEARS. Everyone is invited, she's got a new dress and a big secret. Holding it in for a few more hours won't hurt, right?

Her husband Adam is gearing up for the party too. He's got a big surprise planned for Livia, but it turns out the surprise is not at all what he expected. Should he let Livia know before the party? Or let her have her big night?

B.A. Paris has written a devastating story with The Dilemma. Told from alternating points of view, this story will grab you and not let you go until the very end.

Great book. Quick read. An easy 4 stars. Thank you @Netgalley and @StMartinsPress for an advanced copy of #TheDilemma.

I was honestly kind of blown away by this book. I think partly because it wasn’t at all what I was expecting, not the typical thriller we get from BA Paris.

I hesitate to say what this story was about, for fear of giving something away. And yet, to keep to the surface and say that it felt like the most intense episode of Three’s Company, where everyone is talking in circles about different things but they think they’re all talking about the same thing, doesn’t nearly do this book justice.

It was intense, it kept me on the edge of my seat, it was gutting, it was so well done. I read it nearly in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. I really can’t wait for others to read it as well.

I’m a big B A Paris fan. This book keeps you reading. I finished it in a day. Husband makes a tough decision. Wife has a tough family story. Life is not always what it seems.

I enjoyed both Bring Me Back and Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris, so I am grateful to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of her latest book, The Dilemma, in return for my honest review.

I read this one yesterday, and I keep thinking about it, which ought to be worth at least one star…and the suspense is good—add another star. A third one for the fact that the story made me question what my own decision would be if I were faced with a similar dilemma, and another one for the fact that the characters were drawn well enough that I had some feelings for them (not always positive ones, however). So it should be a solid four star review, yes?

I think possibly I was expecting more of a psychological thriller, based on the description, but I realize it is more of a domestic drama. Perhaps I just prefer the woman-in-danger genre more, so that is why I keep thinking maybe I hated this? Or was it that the whole idea of one’s life and thoughts revolving around THE PARTY just is so foreign to me???

Then I realized that I just kept wanting to yell at Livia…and occasionally her husband, Adam. They were married when she was a (pregnant) teenager, a quickie wedding that prevented her having the storybook wedding she and her mother had planned together. Plus, her parents basically disowned her for her sins and have not seen her or spoken to her since, despite living fairly nearby and Livia sending them cards, invitations, etc.

Josh and Marnie, Adam and Livia’s two now young adult children, have never met their maternal grandparents, but the family of four is have a good life, and seem happy…except Livia, who is turning forty. She has been planning her 40th birthday party for OVER TWENTY YEARS, which I found really annoying. She may be more of her mother’s daughter than she realizes: “I think everything my mother has done has been out of duty. I don’t think there’s ever been any real joy in her life.” It’s not clear how she knows this since she hasn’t been in touch with her for over two decades, but anyway, this apparently narcissistic, spoiled woman…no, wait, she did most of the parenting while Adam frequently disappeared for days at a time, so he isn’t so likeable either.

The story is told is alternating points of view on the day of THE PARTY. Adam has planned to surprise Livia by having Marnie fly home to the U.K. from Hong Kong for the event, but during the day he gets some horrible news and doesn’t want to ruin the biggest day of Livia’s life (with THE PARTY taking the place of the wedding she never had – gag—sorry). Meanwhile, we find out that Livia has been thinking she is relieved that Marnie won’t be there, at THE PARTY, because she has learned a secret about Marnie that will tear the family apart. See what I mean? Domestic drama!

Adam’s got a big dilemma – to share his news and ruin THE PARTY or not? Livia has a similar dilemma…and we can see the collision coming hour by hour throughout the day of…THE PARTY.

Well written, as I expected from this author. And the fact that I kept reading far into the night to find out WTH happened to these people indicates it was a good book. But wow did I want to yell at both the parents and found them so unlikeable that it kept me from really liking it as I had hoped I would. I am tempted to go with three stars, but since I counted up four stars’ worth of “stuff” about it, I’m going with four. And I will look for her next book and hope not to see Livia and Adam again!

This book is aptly titled, the family is on the horns of some challenging dilemmas. All the buildup, foreshadowing and references to the stuff we don't know yet is a bit irritating however once we do know what's up, it is a nail biter.
I often race through some of these mysteries to find out what happens without caring too much about how they happen. WIth this story, I did read the entire book to see if the payoff was worth the build up. I must say it does.

Holding big secrets that will materially and forever affect those around you is painful - in this care very very painful. The resolution is pretty appropriate and felt as those the ends were tied up.

As I sit here with tears streaming down my face reflecting on this book, I am thinking of what would I have done in Livia and Adam's shoes. Would I have been able to go through a party knowing the secret that I must tell my spouse when the party is done. I just don't know. Livia has been saving for twenty years for her fortieth birthday bash, but she has a secret. Her husband, Adam, wants her to have this day before he tells her his secret. Told in their alternating voices this book will grab you from the first page and not let go till the heart wrenching ending. You will know these characters on an intimate level. You will feel their happiness and sorrow. Should they have handled things how they did? I don't know. This book is incredibly well written and the tension mounts in each chapter. All I know is that this is a book worth reading.

I was first introduced to B.A. Paris when I read her novel Behind Closed Doors and devoured it within hours. I just finished reading her latest work, The Dilemma, this morning. It is being marketed as suspense and women's fiction, which is very accurate, but I can honestly say I was not emotionally prepared for this novel.

Despite the odds, Livia and her husband Adam have survived the trials life throws at young couples and seemingly have made it out the other side without too many scars to show for it. A teenage pregnancy out of wedlock stole the chance for Livia to have her dream wedding, so to make up for this, she has spent almost half her life saving for an extravagant 40th birthday party. The novel takes place mostly on the day of the party, alternating the narration between Livia and Adam every hour or so. We are immediately made aware that Livia feels some guilt over a secret she's keeping from Adam involving their daughter, Marnie. She loves her daughter, but is relieved that she won't be able to make it to her party because she wants to enjoy her night before the secret changes their entire lives.

Meanwhile, Adam and Marnie have a secret of their own. Marnie is in another country studying abroad and is planning on traveling home to surprise Livia during her birthday party. Unexpected complications arise and Adam is forced to decide whether or not to keep a monumental secret of his own. There's not really a correct answer to his particular dilemma, but he self-consciously analyzes all his options until he's sure he's doing the right thing. Wracked with guilt and fear for the future, Adam does his best to make it through the party which seems to last a lifetime. He knows nothing will be the same once it's all over and he no longer has the party as an excuse for keeping the awful truth from his wife.

I was actually surprised at how suspenseful this domestic drama turned out to be. For me, if there isn't a blade-wielding psychopath chasing someone down, it usually tends to drag on, but I could not stop reading. Paris did a great job at making the party c-r-a-w-l by at the pace of a tortoise on sedatives. It was frustrating at times how slowly the night was moving, but it seems obvious to me that the novel was written this way intentionally as a way of letting the reader feel the hell Adam was experiencing as each second slowly ticked by. The party itself serves as this larger-than-life character all on its own. On one hand, it celebrates the loyalty and resiliency this couple has demonstrated over the last few decades. But on the flip side, it is also this ominous bomb that is set to explode when its time is up, potentially shattering the lives of this family.

I didn't anticipate really feeling much for the two protagonists, so I was in disbelief when I realized I was crying while reading the final chapters in the novel. That just never happens for me. I think maybe three books have made me cry in my entire life and they almost all had to do with animals. Paris knows how to paint a picture of grief in such a way that will have readers revisiting past heartaches as if they happened yesterday. I feel emotionally raw after reading this book and I think there's something to be said about writing that can do that.

Ever since I read The Couple Next Door 2 years ago, I've been a huge B.A. Paris fan. I've read each of her other books as they've been released, quickly devouring both The Breakdown and Bring Me Back. So when I heard she had another book coming, I was thrilled. This page turner held my interest from the first page through the last - finishing it in just 4.5 hours.

The Dilemma had me feeling a range of emotions throughout the story, which takes place over the course of just one night in the life of married couple Livia and Adam.

It's the day of Livia's 40th birthday - a day she's been planning for 20 years. She and Adam married young, in a quick courthouse wedding after they found out she was pregnant at 17. Her parents disowned her and she never got the big wedding she'd dreamed of her whole life, so she planned a big, splashy 40th birthday party to make up for that loss.

Despite the odds of marrying and becoming parents so young, Adam is completely devoted to Livia and wants nothing more than for her to have the best time at her party.

Both Livia and Adam are keeping secrets from each other : Livia, a secret about a betrayal by their daughter, Marnie - a secret she's been keeping for several weeks. Adam, a surprise for Livia for her birthday - a visit from their daughter, who has been studying abroad in Hong Kong.

As Livia spends her morning being treated to a spa day by her best friends, Adam is preparing for her surprise and running some errands in town. That's when he gets the news that a plane has crashed - a plane that their daughter might be on.

Adam struggles with the dilemma of whether or not to tell Livia before or after her party that their daughter may have been on that plane - while Livia struggles with the dilemma of whether or not to tell him her secret before or after her party.

The events of the day/evening are told in chapters alternating between the POV of Livia and Adam, jumping between their secrets fluidly and holding your interest through the very end.

**I am so very grateful to St. Marten't Press and Net Galley for the ARC of this book. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review, and all opinions posted are my own.**

This is a different kind of novel than the traditional B.A Paris ones you may have read before. This was not your usual psychological thriller and more of an emotional domestic fiction. However, I must say that didn't negatively impact the experience for me. The plot was fast paced and fantastic , spread across the course of a single day. How could so many emotions, events and reveals occur in one day !
I found this book to be realistic and struck a nerve with me. I shed tears and felt it in my gut.
The end of the book was satisfactory for me and I felt that there was a resolution and emotional closure