Thank you so much to @netgalley and @baparisauthor for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First off...WOW. What a ride! I loved how your attention is grabbed from the very first sentence. What's unique about this story is that it immediately starts in the thick of the action, creating suspense from the get-go. I loved the alternating timelines and how the growth of Amelie was presented amidst the sections detailing her kidnapping. I also feel that the author did a great job writing about the aftereffects of trauma and how PTSD is such a powerful thing to have to endure.

I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. To me, it felt very abrupt and didn't give me a sense that the story was "complete". Even a few more pages tying up loose ends would have been better. There was such a giant build-up to that final confrontation, and the conclusion to me just fell flat. BUT, I still loved the story and would definitely recommend it.

I love thrillers with a strong female lead, and Amelie seemed to be a perfect fit for this. She might be young (late teens), but she doesn’t drink, she is smart, and knows how to make the best of her situation. She leaves Paris at 17 after her father dies and has to venture out in her own. She finds herself in London on the edge of homelessness when she meets an older woman (in her 30s) Carolyn who takes her in. Amelie can’t believe her luck, after meeting a group of women through Carolyn who feel like family. But soon she finds herself married to a horrible, abusive billionaire named Ned. This part of Amelie’s story is told as “past” and comes crashing into her “present” where she and Ned have been kidnapped.

The biggest problem with The Prisoners is that it is more sad than anything else. Sure, there are twists and shocking revelations; but my heart broke for Amelie and the book read like an unrelenting tragedy to me. I have loved some of B.A. Paris’ other works, but this one was a bit too much for me. I also found it quite confusing with too many characters who we didn’t learn enough about; people came and went, and I found myself having to remind myself who they were. The Prisoner was a bit of a letdown for me, but it was a page turner. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amelie is orphaned at 17 after her father dies and moves to London where she befriends Carolyn, Lina, and Justine. She soon gets a job working at a magazine owned by billionaire Ned Hawthorpe. The two get married (a "business" deal) and that's when everything changes.
This is a fast-paced book with short chapters, which I like. It is broken up into two parts: The Kidnap and The Reckoning. Part one was great - engaging, suspenseful, and exciting. Part two is where it all falls apart, especially the ending, which has one character reciting to Amelie what *really* happened. That part was a huge turn-off as I don't like it when the characters just tell what happened.
Also, the ending/kidnapping explanation was not believable at all.
It's too bad because I did enjoy the first part of the book.

This one started out with the main character literally getting kidnapped, not wasting any time with the action. Oh, I love B.A. Paris and her writing. I feel so nervous (in the best way) reading her books. I read this one in a day, couldn't put it down. I will recommend this to everyone!

I absolutely love reading B A Paris books was super excited to get this ARC. In typical fashion, I stated reading this and was immediately was hooked. The book itself is broken up into 2 sections (part 1 and part 2). Part 1 was so riveting, I couldn’t put it down. Unfortunately, part 2 was not as good and I am very sad to say, that I had to force myself to finish it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC for an honest review.

I was thrilled to get an advanced copy of the latest B. A. Paris book. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a favorite for me. I’ll admit that it was a quick read and kept me turning the pages, but it ultimately fell flat for me. One of the biggest negatives for me is when a thriller has one character explain everything to another character, thus wrapping up the twists. The twists, once revealed, also stretched believability. I’m all for not seeing something coming, but it still needs to be realistic.

I never turn down an opportunity to review a B.A. Paris book because she is an amazing author. I was never a huge fan of thrillers but Paris has a way of pulling you in. Her latest book, The Prisoner, is being released in November 2022 and I am so sorry that you have to wait for it.

This is the story of Amelie, a young woman living with her dying grandfather. She's a woman alone in the world with absolutely no one to depend on when he's gone. What's a not-quite-an-adult woman to do? Move to London, of course. Amelie leaves the world that she's known behind to live hand to mouth in London as a waitress saving to get her own place to live instead of being homeless. It's in a café where her life takes a turn for the positive and she meets Carolyn.

Carolyn takes Amelie in, gives her a job, and introduces Amelie to her friends. Eventually, Amelie meets a man, who is not what he seems, and he makes her a prisoner in her own home. But this is only the beginning of the story because just when you think that you finally have some resolution of Amelie's story, another one comes.

The Prisoner is a fabulous tale to twists and turns leaving on the edge of your seat until the very end. And even then, you never truly know the whole story.

Very engaging thriller that kept my attention throughout. The ending was surprising. I read a lot of thrillers and this was unlike the ones I’ve read. I usually don’t care for ones set outside of the US, but this was awesome!

3.5/5 Stars

Amelie is orphaned in her teens and the book begins with a little background into a series of fortunate events and acquaintances after she moves to London from Paris. She’s intelligent but still very young and naïve when her boss proposes, and she agrees to wed while they are in Las Vegas for business. Her new husband turns out to be a very scary guy with some equally scary enemies. The story is told in alternating short chapters of past and present. The first part of the book details the kidnapping of Amelie and Ned, her husband. The second part deals with the aftermath.

This book did have me turning pages, mostly to find out if I was correct about who the kidnappers were. I felt there was some redundancy during the first part. I wish the author had used those pages to delve deeper into the characters. The ending wrapped it up, I just felt unsatisfied. All in all, it was a good read, just not a great read as I’ve come to expect from B.A. Paris.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I feel that The Prisoner was not as strong as Paris's last book, The Therapist. But it kept me hooked. I liked the concept though I was a little confused with the timeline at the beginning. I feel that the wife should've been made clearer earlier and there still would've been enough mystery surrounding the kidnapping.

B.A. Paris’s latest is yet another terrific thriller. Amelie is a kidnapping victim. She’s imprisoned in pitch black darkness and somewhere else nearby is her billionaire husband, Ned, who has also been kidnapped, but who really doesn’t care if they chop her up and send the pieces to his own billionaire father who is refusing to pay ransom. And just prior to this catastrophe, Amelie was being kept prisoner (although in a gilded cage) by Ned. How the heck did Amelie, sweet, young, orphaned, trying to get into law school and stay solvent and not homeless, land in this situation?

The book is divided into two parts: The Kidnap and The Reckoning. Part One ends as Amelie is released, but to what circumstances? Part Two is a sort of satisfying wrap-up of the consequences that led Amelie to her precarious position, although I admit that I felt it ended too abruptly — there still were a few loose ends. Nevertheless, it was an engrossing thriller with a central character, Amelie, that you can care about and root for. 4 stars!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO B.A. Paris does not assign a color to most character’s eyes (unusual for most authors], except for Ned’s gray eyes (just as rare as green in real life).
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Amelie does judge a house by the state of its garden (if the house is abandoned, of course everything’s in tangles and brambles).

Another hit from the author. Filled with much mystery. And enough suspense to keep the reader interested and turning pages. This is a book which I would recommend to all who like a good mystery.

Fast paced and compelling, but also a touch ridiculous. The really troubling thing for me was that our heroine, who presents as slightly naive but with sophisticated manners and polish, is a child. Literally (at least part of the time). I kept wondering why anyone was taking her seriously.

Being a huge B.A Paris fan, I was prepared for the one-sitting read this would be. And yes, it was - I devoured this in one sitting but it still unsatisfactorily hungry for the usual depth of her stories. I will give kudos that this was a clever tale, one with pops of twists that I didn't count on - *hint hint* doubling of the pound a day, I will be using that...

What it did lack for me was depth - she introduced a lot to the table with a circle of friends with interesting backgrounds, a glimpse of unresolved feelings with her Dad, and a glimmer of a love interest....but nothing really flushed out properly. Plus the villain was so....mediocre that I couldn't really believe he'd done the things she said he did. He seemed impulsive rather than smart and I think it lost me there.

Not my favorite from her work but still a read worthy tale.

B.A. Paris books are perfect for thriller lovers. This was a one sitting read for me. I didn’t really read the blurb when I requested I just know I enjoy her books. From the Bert first page O was hooked. Definitely a twisted tale. A marriage in Vegas, money, murders and kidnapping

The Prisoner
B.A Paris
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When you start this book you will not want to put it down… very interesting from beginning to end…. The things you have to do for money no love just money, and then get more than what you actually thought! I really enjoyed this book great read! Don’t pass on this!

Thank you to Netgalley, B.A. Paris and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

I had no idea what this book was about before I jumped right in. I thought it would be something completely different. I was pleasantly surprised by the plot and I enjoyed this book very much. It kept me guessing throughout, even though I had a few ideas of who was behind certain events. I never put everything together and couldn't wait to get to the end to see all the loose ends tied up.

I have loved every book by B A Paris but I think this is the best so far! Amelie has lost her father to cancer and moves to London to create a life for herself. She meets Carolyn who offers her a job as a sort of housekeeper/assistant. She is introduced to a great lifestyle. She meets Ned the head of Exclusives who is extremely wealthy. Amelie agrees to marry him in exchange for money to see her through school. They are to be married for a month, then divorce. But, yhey are both kidnapped and Amelie finds herself a prisoner in a dark room and only a mattress. She knows Ned is evil but she does not know why she is kidnapped. I thought it was gripping!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This. Book! I dare anyone to read the first paragraph and not have to immediately finish it. It just sucks you in. This is the first book I’ve read from this author but it certainly won’t be the last! Amelie’s ordeal is amazing and believable.

Amelie decides to leave Paris after her father dies from cancer. She has no family or anyone else to help her and decides to make it on her own in London. In London, she meets a nice woman Carolyn who takes her in and gives her a job. She quickly becomes swept up into this new life and meets Ned Hawthorpe, the son of a billionaire and owner of Exclusives. Ned comes up with a plan for Amelie to marry him in Las Vegas and in exchange, he will give her money so she can attend law school. Well, they plan to stay married for a month and then walk away. Before that happens, they are both kidnapped and Amelie learns more terrible things about Ned and tries to find out who her abductors are and how to escape them.

This was told in alternating chapters of past and present. I really enjoyed both parts. The chapters are also short which kept the story flowing nicely. There is a Part Two in this book called “The Reckoning” and that talks about Amelie and what happens after her kidnapping. I really loved this book. I did like Part One somewhat better than Part Two. There are some surprises, but I will say I hoped for a different ending. Either way, I am a huge fan of B.A. Paris and I was thrilled to have the chance to read her latest novel. If you have enjoyed her other novels you will likely enjoy this one as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.