When you know a secret; do you keep it to yourself for a time,, or do you reveal it immediately? This is the dilemma faced by Adam and Olivia Harman. Does anyone else know? Tension filled situations kept me reading until I finished this book!

B A Paris has created her fourth novel and it is a physiological thriller equal to her other suspense filled books.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the review copy!

I enjoyed this one overall, although it stretched on a little bit. The story is really about a marriage and parenthood, although Adam and Livia's relationship is never fully fleshed out. Overall there was too much focus on Livia planning and executing her birthday party--which seemed a bit too ridiculous considering she was turning 40 not 16. I found myself asking why she didn't just renew her vows, since the party was to make up for her wedding she never had. Overall, I just felt sad for her.

Adam's storyline was a little more varied and his character seemed more dynamic than Livia. I wish we had a more in-depth look at their relationship and how Livia's relationship with her parents impacted her marriage.

Overall an enjoyable read and would make for an interesting book club discussion. I think the characters will elicit strong feelings from readers.

This book just did not work for me. It should have been a short story but it was stretched into a book that lacked real substance.

The Dilemma covers a day in the life of Adam and Liv. Told by the view points of Adam and Liv. Each person holding on to a secret that can potentially destroy their lives.

If you are looking for the typical suspense that you usually get from B.A. Pairs you are looking in the wrong book. However, if you are looking for a page turner that will bring joy, laughter, and tears, look no further. This book is definitely all that and so much more. I was hooked from the first page and found it really hard to put it down.

I absolutely love all of B.A. Paris's books so I was excited to read this one. It was different from her other novels, less of a psychological thriller.

About a third of the way through the book, when we find out about the start of "The Dilemma", I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, thinking of the characters and the events that preceded in the novel. There are little things in everyday life that remind me of the book. Which is blowing my mind, it feels like it really happened.

This novel really makes you think. I even cried. What would you do in this situation? Since I really connected with the husband, Adam, I had a hard time considering if his decision was the wrong one. But maybe that's the point...you'll rethink what you know.

*Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC, for which I have given an honest and unbiased review*

I received a complementary advance reading copy from NetGalley. This has not affected my review and this is my honest opinion.

I have had mixed reactions when it comes to B.A. Paris books. I really enjoyed this one. It is told in two perspectives, Livia & her husband Adam. This technique made it easy to see that two people can interpret the same experience two different ways. I don't like to restate what the book is about because you can get that information from many places but basically, Livia has a secret that she doesn't want to tell her husband until her long-awaited 40th birthday party is over. The morning of the party, Adam, her husband finds out that something has possibly happened that will ruin her life. He doesn't want to ruin the party so he holds off on confirming the information and telling her the bad news. The book was fast-paced and I couldn't put it down. I wanted to see what happened. I did have a bit of trouble identifying with what was so special about this day. I can't imagine planning and dreaming about a party for 20 years. That was a little far-fetched to me. Overall I really enjoyed this read and would recommend it.

Thank you @netgalley and StMartin’s press for this arc! Where do I even start ? I loved this book and read it in one day !!!
I have always enjoyed B.A.Paris’s work and this was no exception!
It’s Livia’s 40th birthday party, one that she’s been planning for for the last 20 years!!! The only person who will be missing is her daughter Marnie.
Livia has been keeping a secret from her husband Adam, but will tell him once the party is over. Adam wants everything to be perfect until .... he learns something the afternoon of the afternoon of the party that will leave him facing unbearable decisions.
I loved how each chapter was a countdown to the party and then a countdown to when the party would end .
The reader is taken on an emotional roller coaster through the eyes of both Livia and Adam as they both struggle with the secret they are keeping from the other .
I don’t often cry when I read a book but this one has me in tears, Adam’s secret once it’s revealed had me weeping for him !!!!
The writing is amazing and the way that other people come into play and become an important part of the story is so well incorporated that you can’t help feel some sort of a connection to each one ! I absolutely loved this book 📖

While reading the first few chapters of this book I was texting me friends, "This book is so good! I can't put this book down! You have to read it!" Then as the book went on...and on...and on...the story just started to drag. The conflict of the plot, in which Adam and Livia each have a secret that they are keeping from the other, was not well-developed enough to substantiate an entire novel. Each knows a secret about their daughter, Marnie, but neither wants to tell the other until after Livia's lavish dream 40th birthday party. The story started out strong, but by the end I was just ready for it to be over, and for each of the characters to be over themselves.

This author always comes with rave reviews and as always she did not disappoint. The Dielmma takes place over the course of one day, and what a day it is. It is a fast paced ride as you are taken along by different POV from the characters, uncovering secrets that could and will rock the whole family. I read this in one sitting and it will be one of my top rated books for the month and possibly the year.

The book focuses on Livia's 40th birthday and all the plans that she has for it, plans she has made for years and years. But she is keeping secrets and so is her husband Adam...the question is are the same secrets or is one worse than the other? Will their daughter Marnie be the end of the family as they know it? Both of them must make decisions on how to tell each other these secrets all in the midst of the party. What comes out will leave you rocked.

Make sure you grab this book and after this one, all the others they have written.

BA Paris delivers a novel which is not-quite a thriller: the fascination here is in the secrets characters keep from one another and from themselves. For those looking for an electrifying read in the vein of the author's previous novels, there will be disappointment, yet there is much to savor here in the author's deft examination of a marriage in crisis.

This book focuses on two point-of-view characters. They are a married couple, and each has a secret that he/she is keeping from the other. The story is told with the backdrop of the wife’s over-the-top 40th birthday party.

Throughout the book, more and more details are revealed about the wife’s secret. The husband’s secret is something he discovers on the day of the wedding.

By seeing the story from both points of view, you see how often the two are like ships passing in the night. Each is certain of the other’s moods or thoughts, and mostly, their interpretations are completely wrong. It’s frustrating and extremely repetitive. In my opinion, the book is improperly categorized as a thriller. It’s more a family drama. I felt like the book could have been way shorter- as I said, it was very repetitive, and the “mystery” was disappointing when it was revealed. It also didn’t really make sense the way the early POV chapters were written; the wife’s thoughts to herself obviously wouldn’t be as limited/vague as they were in those chapters. It didn't make sense and was obviously written that way to preserve the "mystery" throughout the majority of the book. The whole thing just kinda fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC.

This book consumed me. Livia has something to tell her husband AFTER her 40th birthday party which she has been planning for herself for forever! Her husband, Adam has something he has to tell and he has also chosen to wait until after the party. This is about as dramatic a storyline as you can get. Had a hard time putting this down.

First I want to say a huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martain's Press for this opportunity! I really love B. A. Paris writing and when I saw this book was coming out I knew I had to read it! This book was just so incredible. It is a quick read! I read this book in just a few hours but wow did it really affect me. I felt like I really connected with Livia how she has issues with her parents and it helped with understanding why she felt she needed the kind of party she wanted.

Initially I was thrilled to get a book by B.A. Paris. The book started out pretty good. I felt the idea that someone would be so obsessed with a 40th birthday party, comparing it to a wedding just a bit ridiculous. The entire book centers around his 40th birthday party and the secrets that are being kept between husband and wife. At one point I really wanted to just read the last page to see what happen .
There was just way too much meaningless conversation, people running into bedrooms and slamming doors hiding in the bathrooms. Although I loved her other books this one was a bit of a disappointment. Needless to say I will continue to follow this author because to me she is a proven author, just not with this one. Thank you so much for my advance copy

I wish this book had been marketed differently. I went into it thinking I would be reading a thriller similar to the other books Paris had written, and instead it was really a family drama. I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn’t just waiting for the “thriller” part of the story to happen. That aside, it was a well written book, and I thought there was good character development throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot believe it, I just CANNOT believe it!

I am only giving B. A. Paris one star for this book?? I am so upset with myself, her, publishers. What happened?!

Skip past my drama,
Liv is turning 40 years old, she is so excited to have a huge marvelous party for it. She never did have a wedding because her parents turned her away for getting pregnant out of wedlock. Fast forward 20 some years, still no communication with her parents with two children. Everyone close to Livia is making this party extremely special for her, especially her husband. However, the day of the party, some unspeakable things happen and there are secrets hidden everywhere. Will they come unfolded?

BASICALLY
This book is of a husband and wife that really need to communicate no matter if it upsets the other one or not. Why would you hide something from your husband for six weeks that could have prevented the unspeakable? I hated this book. It was all ridiculous and so bleh. I say that with such a heavy heart because I love B. A. Paris books and was so looking forward to this one.

There was definitely tension in this book. I couldn't read fast enough to check whether the daughter is still alive or not. This book kept me at the edge of my seat

Just Wow! I had to remind myself to breathe through most of this book! I guess I would describe it as a tense read. I don't want to give any spoilers because I don't like having a brilliant book given away for me. I'll just say that I felt every emotion that the characters felt through the entire book. With every book this author has written I've come away feeling that each one was the best, and I loved the paragraph in the acknowledgements that shows her whimsical personality. If you read the book you'll see what I mean! Well done Ms. Park! Brilliant book!

Oh my gosh. This book destroyed me. Different from her other books, but fantastic, heart wrenching, and most definitely a page turner! It comes out this summer, June 2020, but if you can get your hands on an #arc like I did, make it your next read. Big thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the advance readers copy and keeping up late to finish this book! And thank you to #baparisauthor (who needs an instagram) for always keeping me turning pages... I cannot wait to see what she has coming next.

I was expecting this to be more of a mystery/thriller based on her previous books and was a little disappointed that it wasn’t. I did find it enjoyable and liked the premise. I didn’t really like the ending, found it a little too tidy with how it wrapped up.