3.5 rounded up
Good characters. Fast paced and smooth transition between the timelines.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Amazing new psychological thriller! This book leads you on a winding, twisting road into the dangerous life of marrying the handsome billionaire Ned Hawthorne. The attention to details were written so well with the plot that I felt like I was experiencing the story through my own eyes. It was a very fast-paced story that’ll have you gripping your book until the very end. Highly recommend giving this a read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Publishing Group and B. A. Paris for this amazing ARC!

The Prisoner begins right in the middle of the action with the main character Amelie being kidnapped, and switches between the past and present to unfold the story. It was an easy, mostly fast-paced read that kept me enthralled. The ending was a little abrupt, but the story was overall entertaining. This was my second B.A. Paris book, but definitely won’t be my last.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

Imagine my surprise, when my 3 week old netgalley account got approved for an arc by an author I have read before!!! Therefore, I did the most logical thing I could and immediately started the book (bypassing the 5 library books I have in 🥴) and was hooked instantly!

((After staring at my phone for ten minutes, I've realized it's a lot easier writing a review on a book I do not enjoy. When it comes to a book I like, my brain just thinks "well that was good" and becomes a gloopy, incoherent mess... Hopefully, I can divulge my thoughts.))

While I did find some things to be predictable, I still enjoyed the book very much. The pacing was perfect! Thoroughly enjoyed the frequent switching from past to present. And We STAN a short chapter! 👏👏👏

Throughout the book, I did see similarities between The Prisoner and Behind Closed Doors, but it was not overwhelmingly so and didn't take away from the book or plot.

Overall, This book is a must read page-turner, and I can't wait for B. A. Paris' next novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. Amelie marries Ned and instead of being in newlywed bless, she is kidnapped and wondering if she will survive this ordeal. This book is divided into 2 Parts, I could not put down Part 1: The Kidnapping, not only did it cover her kidnapping but also her past and the events that lead up to the night where a bag is thrown over her head and pulled into darkness. I enjoyed how Part 1 alternated between her past and present. I was just so drawn into Part 1 and had high hopes for Part 2: The Reckoning. Well, sadly part 2 didn't have the same impact. I found my eyes skimming over paragraphs and I was still able to follow along. I still enjoyed the book and I would recommend it since it did have a few plot twists.

I love BA Paris and have read most of her novels, so I was giddy when I was approved to read the ARC of her latest book, The Prisoner. The Prisoner is told from the point of view of Amelie, an orphan in her early 20’s. The narrative switches between past and present, which acquaints the readers with Amelie’s history and perspective, so we understand how she came to be a kidnap victim who would rather die than be released with her husband. I enjoyed most of the book very much. I thought the alternating timelines were interesting and effective and there was a lot of intrigue and thrills to keep me interested. But near the end of the book, the writing fell flat to me. It became the opposite of the beginning- the author told us instead of showing us. The big wrap-up where we find out how all the crazy events tie together is told in one long narrative by one character. That just did not hold my interest at all, even though they explained things that I wondered about.

The worst thing a thriller can be is slow, and unfortunately, The Prisoner is extremely slow. The story is told in dual timelines though why it is is unclear, truthfully, if it had been simply told in chronological order it would have probably been better served. Instead, every time that the book returns to the present timeline, it is like the plot events are moving through jello. Nothing happens and almost every single thing that does is done because someone tells the heroine to, not because of any of her own strength or will.

Additionally, the twists in this are just completely and utterly unbelievable and convoluted. At every new reveal, it's hard not to roll your eyes at the sheer absurdity of them all. By the time the heroine turns out to (spoiler) have inherited money all along, it's hard not to throw your hands in the air and say "of course!" It doesn't help that basically every character feels like complete filler with three of the heroine's friends basically being interchangeable from each other.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley

Amelie has always been a survivor and has made it on her own. Soon, she's swept up into riches by Ned Hawthorne. One day she wakes up in a dark room. She's been taken! By who? and why?

I have mixed feelings. There was potential, but it fell flat. Some of the details are hard to believe. I liked one of the storylines, but I didn't think it was emphasized enough.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Amelie recently lost her father to cancer as a teenager. She is swept off her feet by Ned but things are not what they seem. When shecis kidnapped, she tries everything at her disposal to escape. This book was a page turner.

Another book that I have complex feelings for! Firstly I gave to admit this is not my favorite book of B. A. Paris! But it is still easy to read and captivating!
Here are my thoughts:
Pros:
Plot line:
Plot line is unique: a young woman married with a billionaire is kidnapped with her husband but being prisoner in a dark room is far better than her imprisonment of marriage!

Writing style and pacing:
Mystery builds slowly by going back and forth between timelines. Short chapters and past-present’s eventual colliding keep you excited. You want to know why people kidnapped Amelia and her despicable husband Ned and the reason behind their marriage!

Twists and story’s unfolding:
At the end: all the pieces of puzzle were positioned at the right places. The questions were mostly answer. Some of the answers were a little far fetched but they are still satisfying enough.

Likable heroine: Amelia, orphan, trying to survive in England to find her way, is naive, good hearted girl evolving into a bold, damaged, tough woman. The character development of Amelia is great and she’s easy to connect with.

Cons:
Broken heroine:
Things happened to Amelia were too tough. I actually felt too sorry for the girl. Even the ones have good intentions about her didn’t come to her help.

Character development:
Instead of Amelia, there were so many characters lacking of depth and development. I can differentiate Amelia’s three friends by their occupation but they have no extra characteristic attributes.

Ned, Amelia’s husband is real villain without a back story. Why is the reason he turned into a monster. But it’s obvious there’s nothing charming about him so I still have questions why Amelia married him at the first place. She’s kind, lack of life experience but the her abrupt decision made her extra naive and make us question of character’s credibility.

Overall: I found pacing fast and the twists smart enough to read this book in one sitting! Amelia’s naiveness and wrong decisions can be justified by her young age and having nobody to depend on.

The positive attributes of the book absolutely surpassed the negative ones so I decided to round up 3.5 stars to 4 claustrophobic, dark, twisty, thought provoking stars!

I still think I expected more from the author but this is still solid, action packed, smart, well written work. Especially I recommend it to thriller lovers and the author’s dedicated fans like me!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Another great thriller by Paris.
Amelie has been pretty good at figuring things out for herself since her father died and left
her an orphan when she was just a teenager. Niw she seems to gave struck it rich when she enters into an arranged marriage with billionaire scion Ned Hawthorne that will give her enough money to go to college.
But then she wakes up in a darkened room, kidnapped and being held for ransom, along with her husband and stuck having to hope her father-in-law is willing to pay for her return.
The chills start as the story moves on and she tries to fight her captors and plan an escape when her husband's father refuses to pay a ransom for either of them.
Paris hits it out of the park once again.

This may be my favorite book by this author! This fast paced, page turner was so good, with it’s twists and turns! I had trouble putting it down as I need answers to the many mysteries this novels had. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity.

Amelie. Orphan. Unemployed. Homeless. Through a series of fortuitous events, Amelie finds employment, a group of friends and a very wealthy husband, Ned Hawthorpe.
A hood. Tape. A grip on my shoulders. A push forward down the stairs. Scuffling feet. A whine. "This is not what I thought it was."
B.A. Paris has another winning psychological thriller. Told in the first person narrative, chapters alternate between present and past, giving the history of Amelie, her life and her relationships. The Prisoner had me hooked from the first chapter; devouring this novel in one sitting and enjoying each and every chapter. Suspenseful. Interesting, but not always likeable, characters. Some unexpected turns in the plot line. What else could you ask for in a thriller? 5-star read.

Great premise, but disappointing execution. It’s a quick read and I enjoyed it enough to finish it and to confirm my guesses on the ending.

Does it get any better than a brand new B. A. Paris book?!?!?! What a fantastic psychological thriller from one of the best!!

B A Paris is a favorite author of mine, I have read all of her books. This one was disappointing. There were too many unbelievable details that made the plot far fetched. The premise was clever but I felt it ultimately failed for me. The villain was responsible for too much criminal behavior to be undetected. The murders of all her close friends only made the plot less credible. Many of the characters were inserted at the end to tie the ends together and it was too convenient. It was not a mystery except for the reason for the kidnapping. It evolved at a quick pace, but there is not much else to recommend. I was disappointed..

This book grabbed me right from the start and I admit I left a party early so I could go back to my hotel room and finish it.

The plot is a young newlywed woman and her husband are kidnapped and held separately. The story alternates between the past and present. You learn that her marriage is not an average one and her wealthy husband is a pretty bad guy. There are some great twists. I guessed one, which is the perfect amount to surprise me without making me feel too stupid. It is not graphically violent or sexual, so shouldn’t offend all but the most sensitive readers.

This was one of the best books I have read this year. I am texting so e friends right away to make sure they don’t miss this one. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed Behind Closed Doors but his other books didnt live up to the that book until....

The Prisoner is full of suspense and is filled with alot of twists. I was a bit claustrophobic while reading as i felt i was a prisoner alongside Amalie. Thats how good the writing is.

the end of the story left me unsatisfied. Alot was not answered.

B.A.Paris has another bestseller on his hands.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC and allowing me to provide my own review.

All thoughts and opinions are my own and aren't influenced by anyone else

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Without giving it away…

Amelie finds herself homeless after the passing of her father until she meets a good group of friends, who then introduce her to their douchey billionaire boss.

After a proposition which leads her into an arrangement with said boss, she learns things about him that are quite sketchy.

Then they are kidnapped. Amelie is trapped in a pitch black room for weeks with failed attempts of escape… until she is set free…

Part two is the aftermath of the kidnapping and Amelie’s search to find the truth.

I highly enjoyed this thriller. It had me on the edge of my seat, had unpredictable twists, and the ending resolved all my questions. I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Another great book with twists and surprises by BA Paris. I read this in one day, as I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next with Amelie and her kidnappers. Is she suffering from Stockholm syndrome, or are they actually being kinder to her than her husband ever has been? After her release, she still feels imprisoned until she finds out the truth about why it all happened. Will she get the closure she so desperately needs? And what about the money? Will she get the money she was promised by her husband?