More like a 2.5 star for me but rounding up for review purposes. I'm not a huge fan of books with an abrupt start, where you immediately find yourself in the situation at hand with no backstory, and that is the case in The Prisoner. It starts with Amelie already being held captive in a dark basement, kidnapped alongside her wealthy husband, Ned Hawthorpe. She is being kept separate from him, but can hear him speaking with their captors through the walls. Through flashbacks, we learn that Amelie is very young, having been orphaned at age 17, and ran away to London to start a new life. She almost ended up on the streets, but fortunately met a woman named Carolyn in a restaurant, who offered her a job as her live-in housekeeper. Amelie and Carolyn become close, like sisters, and she also befriends Carolyn's glamorous girlfriends, Lina and Justine.Through them, she meets Ned at a business function, who offers her a job at his company, which Amelie accepts because Carolyn now has a boyfriend and wants to give them more privacy. During a supposed business trip to Las Vegas, Ned proposes a marriage of convenience to Amelie - he will pay her £100,000 for one month of marriage so she can go to college in exchange for getting him out of an arranged marriage his wealthy family wants. Amelie accepts, but soon realizes that Ned isn't the jovial boss he seems to be. Carolyn frantically calls up Amelie at the hotel and notifies her that right before they left, Ned sexually assaulted their friend Justine, who is now missing. When they return home, the other friend Lina confronts Need, which results in Amelie witnessing something terrible. They soon visit the home of a wealthy Lithuanian, Lukas, for a business meeting, but find out upon arrival that he knew Lina and was worried about her whereabouts. Ned implies his security guard was the last person to see her alive, and on the drive home they are ambushed and the security guard is shot dead. Amelie plans to kill Ned at night as her only means of escaping the situation, but they are kidnapped instead.

To me, the twist of who the captors were was obvious, especially given Amelie's feelings prior to marrying Ned. Her descent into Stockholm Syndrome was disturbing, especially after her release and her putting the final clues together. I hated that the ending made it seem like she was just going to forgive what happened because after losing everyone she loved, her captor was all she had left.

I love a mystery where I can't figure out what's going on and B.A. Paris always seems to accomplish that in her books! I'm claustrophobic so reading about being kept alone in a dark room practically had me gasping for air. The writing is excellent and there's never a dull moment in the story. I did guess a few things but certainly not everything.

This is a fast read because it's almost impossible to put down. Great thriller!!

This is my second B.A. Paris book, and I do enjoy her writing style.

This book was fast paced, tense, and the suspend continued to build until the end. I could tell how it was going to end for the most part but there were a few surpises.

The Prisoner is a psychological thriller that has murder, kidnapping, power, marriage, money, and more. The concept was interesting and had a lot of potential. I liked the kidnapping scenes the best. I believed the stress of the character.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the electronic copy.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and B.A. Paris for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Amelie is left with nothing when her father dies, she moves from France to London to work, save money, and eventually go to school to be a lawyer. She meets Carolyn and her life changes for the better. Through Carolyn she meets more amazing people and friends including Ned who is a wealthy magazine owner in the city. Ned cons her into going to Las Vegas with him and marrying him in exchange for money for school. Amelie agrees, but it does not go as plan. Amelie soon learns horrible things about Ned and eventually Ned and Amelie are taken hostage. The suspense and twists and turns will keep you guessing!

I am the first to tell you I am a huge B.A. Paris fan and have read all her work. I am constantly recommending her books to friends and family. This book fell a little short for me. Part 1 I loved, I couldn't put the book down, I wanted more, needed more, but Part 2 did not live up to Part 1 expectations.

The warped story of Amelia & Ned unfolded with so many twists and turns it's borderline dizzying in a fantastic way. Ned is a piece of work. I didn't like him and trust me you're not supposed to like him. Amelia's personality is relatable in some parts of the story while other parts I wanted to scream at her. 😆 But, in my opinion that helps the storyline unfold the way the author intended.

I finished the book in less than 2 days which attests to the awesomeness of the book. I needed to know how it would end! Up until the very end I didn't see any of it coming! The last few pages were pretty predictable. I loved the book and can't wait to add a copy to my shelf!!

All in all I'm so glad I read this book. You can get your hot little hands on it NOW!!

Review also posted to Goodreads & Amazon

I loved this book. The author is also one of my favorites. Looking forward to listening to the audiobook.
Full of twists and turns and great character development. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I could not wait to read this one as I have loved all I’ve read by B.A. Paris. This one was a quick read and I was very interested in Amelie’s backstory but otherwise it fell flat for me with a disappointing ending that left me wondering what I had just read. In the last third of the book I was waiting for more but it just didn’t deliver.

I had high expectations for this one, but unfortunately it didn’t live up to them.

After only being married a few weeks, Amelie and her billionaire husband are kidnapped. Amelie wakes up in a dark room with no idea of her whereabouts, but it isn’t long before she realizes that she feels more safe being held captive than when she is with her husband.

What I liked —
📖 very short chapters
💫 quick read
🔍 alternating timeline between past and present

What I didn’t like —
🔗 the ending
💰 some parts were far-fetched
✈️ the present chapters didn’t grab my attention as much as I wanted them to. I much preferred learning about Amelie’s past and what led to her being kidnapped

The first half of this book was really good, but then it kind of fizzled out. I did like Amelie's character. I thought she was pretty strong considering all that she went through. Ned was terrible! Trust me, you will not like him. I did find parts of the story predictable and parts of it were a little far fetched. The ending seemed too abrupt and left some things unanswered.

Overall, this was a fast read. I'm a fan of this author so will be waiting for her next book!

Thank you @Netgalley and @stmartinspress for the e-arc of this book!

I am a huge fan of BA Paris but I must say this one let me down. At first I was captivated and was enjoying the dual timelines but then all of a sudden someone hit the brakes and everything stopped….including the plot. The ending was abrupt and ruined everything. Will always read her books but won’t recommend this one

This book was good but not as good as this author's previous books. There were a few too many times when I just didn't believe what was happening. The ending was also not as satisfying as it could have been. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Paris is the pen name of a successful British author of psychological thrillers, best know for "Behind Closed Doors". This new release is another in that genre and features the character of Amelie, a young woman who is trying to make a go of it after her father dies, leaving her alone and without funds. It is told in alternating chapters of past and present. In the past we follow as she tries to build a new life for herself. In the present she has been kidnapped and is being held in the dark and we learn that she is desperate not to be released back to her husband. While the plot is admittedly somewhat convoluted, it is a fun read and a good recommendation for fans of the genre.

Another over the top, drama filled book from BA Paris. This one had short alternating chapters between past and present until they collided. I had lots of ideas about what was happening, but none were correct. It was a twisted, convoluted story, but it held my attention. The ending was the weakest part, but I still enjoyed the read!

📖My Thoughts📖

I’m a little unsure about this one. I think the premise is a good one, but something just fell short for me. I’m not entirely sure I even got all of the characters and what they were doing right in my head. Maybe it was the jumping back and forth or just how the storyline played out in general that just threw me off. I really tried so hard to get into the story but it just missed the mark for me. I also felt like it didn’t have many twists, so that was a little disappointing, and I figured out the main twist fairly early in the story.
Thank you Netgalley, B.A. Paris and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for e-ARC of the book.

The Prisoner is a story told alternating between two timelines. In the present we begin the story with Amelie a prisoner, and a wife. In the past she was an orphan who began her life in London. The duel stories lead her journey as as poor and shy girl and meets the contemporary Amelie to create a thrilling novel that keeps you on your toes.

B.A. Paris is one of my favorite authors and once again she did not disappoint. She skillfully builds a suspenseful plot that lures me into reading her stories in a single sitting.

This is the first book I've read by this author, and without a doubt, I will definitely read more. The suspense starts on the first page and the tension carries throughout the entire novel. It has that edge-of-your-seat quality thriller readers love. I also loved Amelie as a character. She felt so real, I couldn't help but empathize as the author put her through the ringer. No spoilers here, but you need to read this book.

B.A. Paris is a master of suspense! I couldn't put down this title and I couldn't figure it all out until the end. If you enjoy this author, don't miss this one!

Review coming soon on my blog...

The Pages of this Intricately Woven Story Will Hold You Captive

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


SUMMARY
Past: Amelie’s father is dying of alcoholism and cancer; she is taking care of him all by herself. She is 16 and in Paris with no help. She does all the shopping, cooking, and cleaning for her father; there are no other relatives that can help. When he died, she had no choice but to leave the house and make her way on her own. She goes to London and eventually meets Carolyn, who generously offers her a job as a live-in housekeeper and cook. It's a great opportunity, and she meets Carolyn’s friends who all work at the same magazine. Eventually, she also goes to work at the magazine for Ned Hawthorne, a billionaire who takes a particular interest in the women at the magazine. Now he has his sights set on Amelia. He asks her to accompany him on a business trip to Las Vegas.

Present: Amelie is startled awake in the dark of night. Her head is covered with a black hood, and her wrists are bound behind her. She is escorted from the mansion and stuffed in the footwell in the back seat of a car. Ned is placed in the trunk. She is terrified but tries to stay calm and breathe. Now she is in a dark room and doesn't know who has kidnapped her or what they want.

REVIEW
THE PRISONER is a dramatic and riveting psychological thriller. The pages of this Intricately woven story will hold you captive. The pacing is fast, and the viewpoint of the story is unique. The vivid descriptions and dialog rapport keep your head in the book.

Amelie is a delightful character who carries the story well. She is strong and smart, yet at times is naive and vulnerable. Her bad decisions somehow make her come alive on the page. Amelia is contrasted by the story’s villain, her billionaire husband Ned Hawthorne, who is so unlikable he gives all billionaires a bad name!


My favorite part of the book is Amelie’s input into the post-nuptial agreement. You have to read it to believe it. Amusing.

B. A. Paris once again surprised me with how much I like her books. I both read and listened to THE PRISONER. I particularly loved the experience of hearing the text. The narrator, Georgia McGuire, was flawless in her performance. Her voice, tone, and pacing were delightful. Her performance sounds effortless and a perfect match for the book.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Mcmillan Audio/St Martins Press
Published November 1, 2022
Narrated Georgia McGuire
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

THE PRISONER review

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🪟As a huuuuuge BA Paris fan, I was so excited to read her latest release. Unfortunately this one just wasn’t my favorite. I was super invested in part one of the story, but by part two I just wanted to book to end. 😂 I really liked the premise of this book, but I felt like the back half of the story was completely unbelievable.

🪟Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
Amelie agrees to marry billionaire Jed, even though she knows very little about his past. But when she is kidnapped and kept in a pitch black room with no memory of how she got there, she realizes maybe she should have looked more into Jed’s past. But why does she feel safer as a kidnapped prisoner than she did as Jed’s bride? And, does she actually want to be saved and return to her previous life?

🪟I never particularly cared about any of the characters. I found their actions to be so random and unrealistic? At times I wanted to reach into the book and beg them to have some common sense. 😂 However, I didn’t guess how this one would end, which is always a bonus for me with thrillers. Overall, if you’re a seasoned thriller reader I’d probably skip this one. If you’re new to thrillers and don’t want a book that’s too scary, this might be the book for you. While this one was a miss for me, I definitely plan to read whatever BA Paris writes next!

🪟Thanks @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my ARC of this one!