First, let me begin by saying that I really enjoyed all of the author’s previous books. So needless to say, I was super excited when I was approved to read an ARC of her newest book, The Dilemma. I was expecting another fast paced thriller with lots of twists and turns and a surprise ending. That wasn’t the case.....

I’m struggling a little bit with how to review this one. I totally think that it was mislabeled in terms of genre. So if you are expecting a typical thriller, you will probably be pretty disappointed. Instead, I would label this as a general fiction/family drama novel. If you consider it that genre instead and pretend like you haven’t read the author’s previous books, you may like this one.

What I liked: This was a pretty clean read in terms of language. Typical thrillers tend to have a fair amount of foul language and I really can’t remember much (if any) foul language in the entire book. I also liked that the author made you think that you knew Livia’s secret, and then gradually showed you that you were wrong before revealing the actual secret. I was also wrong about why Livia was angry and distant with Max (who was her son’s best friend). So in that sense there were several plot lines that did have small surprises.

What I didn’t like: This is harder without giving away spoilers. I will say that I kept waiting and waiting for a surprise twist or for the ending to be wrong somehow. Neither thing happened. There was no surprise twist and the ending was really the ending and it was just downright devastating. At the same time, I feel like we didn’t get invested enough in each of the characters due to the fact that the entire story took place over three days. There was some backstory for sure, but not enough in my opinion. And I really don’t understand why the main character spent half of her life dreaming of an elaborate birthday party that ended up being a tent and a caterer and some music. It seemed so silly and also incredibly sad at the same time. I get that she was making up for the wedding she never had, but it seemed like EVERY decision she made from age 17-39 revolved around her 40th birthday party.

At the end, I was left questioning the author. What was the point of this book? Why did the things that happened happen? But if I reflect on the story overall and try to put a positive spin on it, I would say it’s a reminder of how short life can be, and how important communication is in any relationship. And also about how keeping secrets can lead to very negative consequences. So if this one makes you self reflect and possibly change the way you communicate with those you are closest to, than maybe it’s worth the read. It’s definitely a short read and pretty clean for a thriller. Just know that it won’t be anything like the previous novels by B.A. Paris.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free ARC of this book!

Let me start by saying that I am a fan of B.A. Paris, I have loved every book by her, this book to me seems different than the others. I still loved the book and read it within 2 days. The book moved along quickly, switching back and forth between perspectives and although there was a little intrigue this wasn't as suspensefull as her past books, which still worked well due to the speed the story moved at.

Livia has been planning her 40th birthday party for what feels like her whole life. This was her big day and time to shine. Her husband, Adam, is in on some surprises to make Livia's day extra special. However both have big secrets and are not sure how or when to reveal them.
The story alternates between Adam's voice and Livia's voice. The chapters cover a specific hour of the day. As I read, the suspense built for me and I had to finish the book before I went to bed so that I could see how the secrets were revealed and what happened next.

I really really liked B.A. Paris's first book, 'Behind Closed Doors'. It was a great thriller with lots of twists which had me hooked me from page 1.

After that her other books haven't really done the same trick.
This one also did not really work for me. I think the pitch of the novel is incorrect as this is not a thriller at all.
This should have been a novella. It does not have enough meat to be stretched out into a full fledged novel and that shows.
The one theme which the entire novel is based on is repeated over and over again. This was a family drama and not a thriller. And for me the basic theme and the actions derived from that did not work at all.

The characters seemed shallow and not well thought out and somehow their actions , thoughts and behaviour just did not seem to hold any weightage.

My rating is 2.5 which I'm bumping to 3.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an interesting one for me, and i still havent decided if I liked it. The way it opens, youre expecting a lot of twists and turns, and it ends up being a much more myopic family drama. The twists are just misunderstandings and miscommunications. The one tawdry part of the book isnt even that big of a deal. Furthermore, I had a hard time believing that someone would have put so much weight on a birthday party, which was really the foundation for the entire novel. It's ultimately missing a spark - it was was promising but came a little short for me.

A tragedy of a book. While the writing was excellent from the start, I just could not get past the tragic plot line of this book. The author is clearly talented, as character development was excellent. Raw emotion for the characters and the reader. Thank you for an advanced copy.

I put every other book on hold to race through this new thriller by one of my favorite authors in this genre. I read it over two days and my stomach was clenched and my heart pounded all the way through. Was it the normal type of thriller?. Not at all. Was it good? It was fabulous. Tense, tearful and tragic. A story of holding out for hope, just as I did while reading it. Misleading details, miscommunication,, disappointments, letdowns, deep love and pain. I felt it all as the story unfolded in one long excruciating day and night. It really felt I was reading it in real time. It felt real, I felt it. Now I’m exhausted. Thank you for a great read!

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I am a huge fan of this author and this book did not disappoint, however, it is extremely different from all of her other novels. It isn’t a thriller as previous novels. But it was just as good and heartbreaking.
Livia and Adam are a long married happy couple with two young adult children. They married quite young when Livia got pregnant and her parents disowned her. They had a small wedding and Livia felt something missing from this. She plans and she’s for a huge 40th birthday part for herself and invites her close circle of friends as well as many others. Her daughter is studying abroad in Hong Kong and at first they think she is not able to make it. Without any spoilers, I will say that both Livia and Adam are hiding huge secrets from each other. And waiting until the party ends to tell.
This book is written within a 24 hour time frame and from perspectives of the two main characters. I enjoyed the writing style and the format a great deal. Overall, I loved this book and will recommend it highly. Thanks again to NetGalley!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a free digital ARC of this book. I have loved all of the B.A. Paris novels I've read, but was a little hesitant to read this one. This book is not one of her usual suspense novels. I was afraid I would not get into the book. I was totally wrong. I never understood how some people can say that they read a book in one day, but I can now say I understand! I started reading this book on a day I was sick and couldn't do anything else. I couldn't put it down. Livia and Adam's lives were so real. It has its own version of suspense, but a real tear jerker as well.

😯 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!!! I have been fortunate to receive an advanced copy of every B.A. Paris novel. The Dilemma is my absolute favorite!! I was hooked from page 1 and tore through it in 2 days. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I'd find out I was so wrong. I don't know how to write a review without giving anything away, so i will just ask you to trust me and buy this book June 30,2020! Thank you netgalley and st martins press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A triumph once again. I loved it, and devoured it in one sitting, as always, totally compelling and human. I plan on telling everyone.....

highly entertaining easy breezy book all the characters are pretty self absorbed and the story does require a couple instances of suspension of disbelief A good choic3 for a lazy afternoon of zoning out

A book about family drama, old wounds, and how they have the family dealing with new wounds. The family is very real and easy to like. It also reinforces how important our friends are and how betray can cause unbelievable pain . It also shows us th epos of love and forgiveness.

I read this one in a blur and it is definitely a compulsive, page turner that fans of B.A. Paris will enjoy. Though The Dilemma is a departure from Paris' typical thriller it certainly does not disappoint. I would categorize this novel as a family drama/suspense. The majority of the novel spans about 24 hours and alternates back and forth between the perspectives of Livia and Adam who are celebrating Livia's 40th birthday with an epic party at their home. Both Livia and Adam have secrets that they spend the entire day mulling over to determine how they will break the news to one another. I can't go any further into what these secrets are as I'd like to keep my review spoiler free. Suffice it to say that this novel is compelling and raw in its portrayal of human emotions. Thank you to to St. Martin's Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

B.A. Paris is an excellent author, and this book is a good representative of that. Her novels immediately draw the reader in and encourage us to keep reading until the very end. Unfortunately, I felt that this book was incredibly repetitive and wished the storyline had advanced more quickly, but it was an overall good book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Solid 4 star from me. Was a great read and the ending was the best part. Had me on the verge of tears. Seemed to drag a little throughout the middle or would have been 5 stars. Love this author.


Thanks to the publisher and net galley for a release of this book.

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy of The Dilemma. Needless to say I was so anxious in anticipating this book because Behind Closed Doors was my favorite book in all of my book reading years (which are many). This book was so frustrating to me because I couldn’t put it down and I totally understood why they were doing what they were doing. Unbelievable writing once again. B.A. Paris has to be one of the Best writers. This book will not go away from my memory for a very long time.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Dilemma.

This isn't a standard thriller. It's more of a domestic drama.

Livia is celebrating her 40th birthday with a huge bash. Sadly, her daughter is studying abroad and won't be able to attend. Her husband, Adam, has a surprise for his wife, but when things take a terrible turn for the worse, he must decide on how to tell her.

At the same time, Livia is harboring dark secrets of her own that involve their daughter, but she is hesitant about ruining Adam's positive and happy image of his daughter, the true daddy's girl.

When their secrets collide, it may be the end of their marriage.

Unfortunately, The Dilemma failed to capture my interest because I kept waiting for the mystery to happen.

There isn't any.

It's your usual family drama with the standard cliches of adultering and illicit relationships.

There is repetitive monologuing on the part of Livia and Adam where readers are given insight into their monotonous, inner most thoughts of, "Does he know? Does she know? Should I tell her now? Should I tell him later?"

I didn't like or connect with any of the characters, least of all the daughter, who has no say or POV in the story. Her perspective would have been the most interesting to know.

If you enjoy decent writing and family drama, pick up The Dilemma.

Tell? Or don't tell? If I tell, when?
Livia has planned her 40th birthday party for 20 years. She didn't have a fancy wedding, so she started planning this party. The party is today, decorations are going up. Guests will arrive soon.
Problem: Livia has a secret from her husband. When should she tell him?
Another problem: her husband has a secret from Livia. When should he tell her?
The chapters alternate between the two.
Best book of the year! Thanks to Netgalley, B.A. Paris, and St. Martin's Press.

I read some of the other reviews and I am apparently in the distinct minority. I have read many of her previous novels and this one was a complete disappointment. For me, it was a soap opera filled with all the cliches you usually find - sex, deception, lies, abortion, mean spirited parents, and a plane crash to add additional drama. I found I could not empathize with the characters and they certainly lacked depth. The secrets everyone were keeping were lethal and hard to believe that a long married couple would not share them. This book failed to engage. I am a fan of her previous works, but this one fizzled.