A domestic suspense tale that keeps you reading at a breathtaking pace.

It is the day of Olivia's fortieth birthday party that she has been planning for years. Told in alternating voices between Olivia and her husband Adam, all is not as it seems. Olivia and Adam are keeping secrets from each other and as the day goes on, these secrets slowly get peeled back one layer at a time. Just when you think you know the answer, more information comes along to change things up.

This is not just a novel of secrets but about how we protect the ones we love from being hurt at all costs, even if we know it is wrong. This is about a family with hurts and misconceptions and love for one another despite the difficulties life throws at them. It grabs you from the beginning and keeps you going until the end.

B.A. Paris knows how to write books that immediately hook the reader! I can't wait to read all of The Dilemma books for B.A. Paris and utilize these books for a future book club read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. martin's Press, and the author for the ARC copy of The Dilemma in return for my honest review.

I have read all of B.A.Paris books. I was looking forward to reading The Dilemma but have to admit I was surprised at the different directions her writing style/subject matter was from her past books. I was expecting another thriller, but this story is more of a family/relationship drama.

This was an enjoyable read, but there is quite a bit of unnecessary repetition with the same events/subjects being repeated over and over again. The entire novel takes place in a 24 hour period of time, so I do not understand why the author felt the need to keep retelling certain details. Putting the aside, the retelling of details, I was compelled to keep turning the pages to find out what happens to all the characters.

The conclusion of the story was unpredictable and left me with reflecting on what my decision would be if I personally were faced with a similar dilemma.

I really enjoyed this book. BA Paris always has great reads so I was very happy to receive this! I got pretty frustrated with the mom & how selfish she was. Being a mom myself I could never imagine feeling the way she did towards her daughter. Other than that it was well written. I would read it again.

I unfortunately could not get into this book. I found it to be over written and I didn’t care about the characters at all. I’ve heard great things about this author so I will try some of Paris’ other books!

Wow! At this point, I’m 100% convinced that anything Paris writes is good. Such a captivating story.

To tell or not to tell? That is the dilemma upon which B.A. Paris’ latest work based.

The story relays what happens to a family in a slightly more than 24-hour period. It focuses on Livia’s 40th birthday party, a day that she has obsessed over and planned for during the previous 20 years. Her husband Adam, as well as her children Marnie and Josh, are involved in trying to make Livia’s birthday the happiest day of her life. However, secrets and lies are hidden amongst them, and dark clouds prevail over the birthday preparations and the party itself.

The plot is conveyed in alternate narratives from Livia and Adam and is told in a manner that allows for flashbacks and backstory, thus giving the reader insight into Livia and Adam’s thought processes and a full picture of how and why each views the present situation as he/she does Although the book definitely focuses on secrets and lies, it is also about friendships and families — and the lengths one might go to keep a loved one from hearing disturbing truths.

I found the book to be a fast-paced, gripping and emotional roller coaster of a read. Although this solid family drama is a real page-turner, it is very different from the other books I have read from this author, which tend to be more or less psychological thrillers.

I really like B.A. Paris books, but this one was not one of them. The story takes place over a one day period and drug on and on. Maybe next time. I did not find the characters very likeable. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. 2 Stars

WOW! This was a great read that i didn't stop reading until it was DONE!!! The tension alone kept me up half the night. Very good read!

Three stars for The Dilemma by B.A. Paris. I picked up this book hoping for a thriller, having read and really liked Behind Closed Doors by the same author. However, after reading this one, I can’t help but think about a something that another reviewer said: this is essentially a short story stretched out to a full length book that wouldn’t exist unless the couple just talked to each other.

It’s Livia’s 40th birthday, and she’s throwing a party in place of the wedding she never had. But when her husband, Adam, learns some potentially terrible news, he struggles with how to tell Livia. And, Livia is keeping her own secrets, which could change everything.

A lot of the time while reading this, I felt like I was seeing the same emotions written out over and over. And each chapter seemed like the characters had to once again walk through their decision making process, just so it was VERY CLEAR to the reader why they took each action. I kept reading because I just wanted them to get to the point.

This was an easy read that killed a day and a half in quarantine, but i wouldn’t pick it up again. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not what I expected! It was very unlike other B.A. Paris works - usually, they are more psychological thriller with some level of violence to them. This was more of a family drama, but it was still edge of your seat! I read the entire book in one day, and couldn't wait to get to the end. It is definitely not for the faint of heart!

What another great book from B.A. Paris! I’ve read previous books from this author and really enjoyed them. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was just as good as those. I enjoyed the story and the characters were very well written.

I want to preface this review by saying that I'm a big fan of B. A. Paris' previous works.  Behind Closed Doors and Bring Me Back were gripping thrillers from cover to cover (Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to check out The Breakdown yet).  But I think that categorizing this particular book as a "thriller" or "mystery" does it a great disservice. This is not a thriller.  The Dilemma is a suspenseful family drama. If you go into this book expecting twists and turns in the plot as you often see in mysteries, you're going to be very disappointed.  It is suspenseful, but it is not a thriller.

There are two twists in the novel, and the first is given away by the prologue. I've whined in the past about how every author these days seems to think that their novels have to have a prologue. The prologue in The Dilemma gave away the major plot development of the book, and really provided nothing of value to the story itself.

That said, this novel is incredibly suspenseful. It's clear that Livia's big birthday bash is not going to be the idyllic event that she's planned, and the stress that the main characters are enduring seems to ooze off the pages. I was sweating buckets while reading, genuinely worried about how it would all go down.  The Dilemma made me incredibly uncomfortable, yet I could not seem to put it down.

The depth of the characters is definitely the strength of this novel.  They are so detailed, with such rich backgrounds, that it feels like they could leap off the page.  I felt like I understood Livia and her motivations more than I understand my own mother (Sorry, Mom!).

BA Paris has such a phenomenal writing style that she could write about going to the bathroom and I’d hang on to her every word.  I would have liked to have known that this isn't a true thriller when I started reading, since it would have completely changed my expectations.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy a suspenseful family drama filled with secrets, lies, and uncomfortable birthday parties.

* Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc to review! *

This family drama had me reading late into the night and then picking the book up again early the next morning because I was so absorbed in the story. Livia is celebrating her fortieth birthday and her husband Adam wants it to be perfect for her. The book is told in the points of view of Livia and Adam and the divisions of the book are times, hours leading up to the party, during the party and after the party. Livia wants the party to be the dream of her lifetime; she thinks she deserves it because she never got a big wedding since her parents disowned her when she got pregnant as a teen. Adam wants to fulfill her dream because he thinks he has lived selfishly, pursuing his happiness on his motorcycle and with his friends rather than devoting time to Livia and their family. The two children, Josh and Marnie, are young adults who are leading their own lives and beginning to make independent choices. The dilemma is that both Adam and Livia have secrets and both of their secrets involve Marnie. Since the secrets will devastate their partner, both decide not to share until Livia has her big day. Therein lies all of the drama! Adam is dying to hide his secret, feigning a migraine when others notice that he is not joining in the festivities as he should. Livia is torn about sharing her secret since it will devastate Adam and destroy friendships that he has had for years. The themes of this book include communication in marriage, friendship, honesty vs. deceit, parenting and loss. I found that it was written brilliantly, capturing me from the beginning to the end! This novel was filled with drama and suspense. I do think that there were details added that weren’t necessary to the story, but I devoured every detail and really wanted to do nothing but read this book. The main characters, with all of their strengths and weaknesses, were well-developed so I felt like I got to know Adam and Livia well. There were many minor characters because it was a huge party and each guest played a part in their lives together. Josh was likable whereas Marnie, Adam’s favorite, came across as spoiled and entitled. I really enjoyed this book but I would not categorize it as a thriller like the author’s previous books. This was definitely a hard to put down family drama and one that is perfect for book clubs and a future movie!

Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This book is like the first fall of a roller coaster. It's slow to build and then the bottom falls out! Adam and Livia married very young. Livia is turning 40 and is having a party to put all others to shame. She has been planning this party for over twenty years to make up for the wedding she didn't get. Adam is 100% committed to making sure it's perfect. Their daughter, Marnie, is the only person that can't make it. Is that a good thing? This book is based on secrets. Livia is keeping a secret, Adam is keeping a secret. When do they tell? Will it ruin everything?

After reading B. A. Paris' other books, I was expecting a thriller, but this is a family drama that just keeps on giving. I couldn't stop reading until all the secrets had been revealed. Get your emotions in check for this one.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this e-Arc. Will read more from this author in the future. See star rating for my review.

I have a real "Dilemma" about writing the review for this book! It was an enjoyable read, but quite different from B.A. Paris' other novels. Though, I wouldn't place this one in the "thriller" category.

The Dilemma is an agonizing story about a tragic event that unfolds over the course of 24 hours. It is told from the perspective of a husband and wife who each have reasons to not share some information with each other that changes the course of their lives. As a reader, you get pulled along this agonizing story - not in a bad way! You become desperate to know what's happening! I was fiendishly reading this book to find out what was really happening and how it would all turn out. Though, honestly, I was hoping for a twist to change the trajectory of the story to something a little happier!

Highly recommend this as a great beach read for the upcoming summer!

Thank you to B.A. Paris, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book! This review was also published on Goodreads.

Thank you #StMartinsPress & #netalley for the ARC of this book. I have read all of B.A. Paris's books. Some I have liked and some I have not liked. I really enjoyed this book. The author has a way of keeping your interest and you just keep turning those pages. I found every character in this book was in a dilemma. Not one of them knew when to share the secret they were harboring because they didn't want to hurt or ruin the day of a loved one. This is a story of family, friendships, selfishness, love, and deceit.. It is also a very moving story about how, with the love and help of family and friends you can get through a horrible tragedy. This should be on everyone's TBR list.

*Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* The Dilemma has a claustrophobic feel about it, which only serves to build the tension in the novel A great deal of the action takes place at Livia's 40th birthday party - a much anticipated event that has been years in the making. It should be a night of celebration, but something is not right. Because Livia has a secret. But so does her husband Adam. And so does their daughter Marnie. As the book is tightly plotted with a number of different twists and turns, I am hesitant to give away much more about the plot, for fear of spoilers. This was definitely one of those books where you feel slightly anxious reading it, wanting to know what will happen and wanting characters to make different decisions. Definitely an enjoyable read.

4 stars. This was a great quick read with short chapters that I love. I found it different than B.A. Paris’s other novels. The whole book took place basically over one day with not too many thrills. It was a little dragged out & repetitive at times. However, still hard to put down! Not as uplifting as I would have liked during quarantine but overall decent book that I’d recommend!

Synopsis:
Livia is throwing herself a lavish 40th birthday party to make up for her wedding that never occurred because she had a baby out of wedlock and her parents disowned her. On the day of the party, there are 2 dilemmas: 1) Livia is holding a secret about her daughter than could break her friend group apart, which she feels that’s all she has. She plans on telling her husband, Adam, once the party ends. 2) Adam potentially knowing catastrophic news that will devastate the family. He is doing what he feels is best for his family and holding out until morning to share this news.


**I requested and received a digital ARC copy of this book from #NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review**