Lol! What a twisted ride. I’ve never read a thriller that the conclusion literally had me laughing out loud did until this one. The majority of the story was a bit laid back for a B.A. Paris read….super twisted but not much of a chilling thriller. Until. The. End. Wow! Talk about a plot twist! Enjoyed this immensely!

B.A. Paris has been on my list of authors to read for a while so when I had the opportunity to read this advanced copy, I jumped at it.

Overall, I found this to be a decent read. It started off intriguing but was slower paced than I generally read and didn’t have a lot of thriller or suspenseful elements The vast majority of the book centers on the relationship drama between Iris and Gabriel, as well as the other characters. I pretty much figured out who did what fairly early on and was frankly not sure if that was done on purpose. I actually wondered if Paris was trying to distract the reader from the mystery by plodding along through their daily lives.

Still I was invested in the outcome and wanted to see how everything got wrapped up. Yet, the conclusion is handled a bit oddly. This is hard to properly explain without spoilers but I felt like we trundled along through 67 chapters and then Paris just decided they were done and - voila! - gave us the recap.

Though I was a little up in the air about this book, it was well-written and, as I said, intriguing. I just wish the pace was a little faster and the conclusion less abrupt. Still, I mostly enjoyed reading it and I’ll pick up another B.A. Paris book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Marten’s Press for the ARC.

Let me start by saying that I love B.A. Paris. She wrote one of my all-time favorite books. I think she's brilliant and has the best way of crafting her novels. With all that said, I did find myself a little disappointed in this one. I loved the way it started and I enjoyed the way it ended. But I was not captivated or interested in the "in-between". I found it to be a bit boring and the only reason I continued to read was because I knew I'd find an exciting twist at the end (which I did!) and because I adore the author and her other works. But it just fell a little short for me. I wasn't in love with any of the characters and it seemed like it was the same conversation/situation repeated over and over again until the final scene. Granted, Paris may have done this on purpose in order to mirror how the main characters felt as they were experiencing the same conversations/situations over and over again. But as I said, I grew a little bored and found myself wanting to skim to get to the impending plot twist. I also found one storyline to be a little bit neglected. (Again, it's possible Paris did this on purpose - perhaps to create reader subjectivity or to set up for a sequel.). This book wasn't a bad book by any means. I think I just have this author so high up on a pedestal that I was just hoping for and expecting a little bit more. It wasn't a story that I found enthralling but I could definitely see others enjoying it. If you take anything from this review, take my advice to read some of Paris' other works. Or go ahead and read this one! It certainly isn't a waste of time and you'll find yourself enjoying elements of it.

Thank you so much to the author and to netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. I was thrilled to receive this arc.

To be honest, I thought that the first fifty percent of the book was just rehashing the same old stuff. When Gabriel and Iris return home from a vacation, taken after Gabriel finds a dying boy in a rock quarry, they find an old friend has invited herself to stay with them due to marital problems. Over and over again it is discussed how secrets Pieere is refusing to share is destroying Laure's marriage. Eventually, we start on the 2nd half of the book and things start to develop and get more interesting. Then along comes the twist, and it is intersting to see how all the clues piece together. I really did not expect the book to end that way. All in all, this is my least favorite book that this author has written. Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a sneak peek.

Iris has her world turned upside down when she returns from a holiday with her husband Gabriel only to find their friend Laure in their house when they get home. Staying with them while separated from her husband, Pierre, Laure's unplanned arrival begins a string of events that cause much chaos in Iris and Gabriel’s world.

While The Guest did grab my attention and make me race to finish this book because I wondered what was going on, I didn’t quite like the way the story played out. The story itself was fine, and of course there was a twist, which I love, but the reveal was very awkward in my opinion. Without giving away any spoilers, it seemed like a lot of explanation was required at the end of the story itself that didn’t fit into the rest of the book and made it seem like it was shoved in at the end. I enjoyed the telling of the story, but the reveal felt forced, unfortunately.

I had been having trouble getting into any of my books, but the first page just drew me in. I really enjoyed this book. I do feel like it took so many turns, but in the end, I still really enjoyed it. I love reading this author and can't wait for more!

I could not put this book down! I really loved that the author took the time necessary to fully develop each character to make you believe that you know them and believe you know how it ends. I 100% did not see the ending coming AT ALL. I thought I knew exactly where it was going, and then BOOM, no I didnt.

Iris and Gabriel come home from vacation to find their good friend Iris having let herself into their house (she does have a key). She is distraught that her husband Pierre might have had an extramarital affair that resulted in a child. And the chaos ensues from there!

Laure's character definitely was annoying me from the very beginning, she was very off putting in that she didnt mind infringing on Iris and Gabriel's home life. The entire time I was reading I kept thinking...is she ever going to leave their home? Definitely took advantage of their hospitality! I also for some reason didnt fully trust Esme in her explanation of her relationship with Joseph, I wish the story had dove deeper into that side of the story but that would be my only complaint about this entire story.

I loved the writing style of this book, this is my first by this author and I am SO glad I read it. It is an easy 5 stars for me!

I am a huge fan of B.A. Paris and I was beyond excited to get an arc of this book. The book started out to be a very, very very very slow burn with lots of character development. It took me a bit to get into it, but once I got to 30% in I was hooked, there was no going back. I couldn't put it down, I had to order pizza for the family for dinner. B.A. is a master of twist and turns. The ending was everything! This was a fantastic book and I'd recommend it to anyone.

I love B.A. Paris and "Behind Closed Doors" was the book that set off my love of thrillers, so I was beyond thrilled when I got accepted for an ARC of her latest, "The Guest". Unfortunately, I didn't love it as I did her previous works. I definitely still enjoyed it and read it over the course of a long weekend, but it was a slow burn and I didn't really feel "into" the story until the 2nd half of the book. I will say, I was guessing until the very end which is a mark of a good thriller for me, but the character development was very long, drawn out and there were so many characters that even the proof had some errors in the epilogue. Overall, I'd still recommend to others who are fans of thrillers/B.A. Paris, as it was a quick read that left me guessing, but it was a slower burn than her usual.

Thank you St. Martins Press for the advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of The Guest. As usual B.A. Paris has written an intriguing thriller that keeps the reader wondering what is happening until the very end. I highly recommend this book to fans of this author.

First of all, thank you for the ARC! So for me, this book started off on the slower side. By the time I was about 30% in I was completely hooked. The twists in this left my jaw hanging open. The characters really get you invested in the story, making the twists all the more powerful.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press NetGalley and for this digital ARC copy.
I was very excited to read this book as I have read all of the author’s previous books and have always found them enjoyable. While this was not my favorite by her, it was a quick, dark, and twisty read. The story follows a couple, Gabriel and Iris, and the fallout when their friend Laure seeks solace and sanctuary in their home after her husband Pierre reveals to her that he has a child that resulted from an affair earlier in their marriage.
I can say that this book is definitely a slow burn and it took me a while to get in to it. The second half of the book flew by much more quickly and I can say I was guessing until the end.

I will absolutely read this book again once released!

The Guest
By: B. A. Paris

4 stars

Gabriel and Iris live a charmed life. A good marriage, a smart daughter they adore, and friends to vacation with. A tragedy and an unexpected house guest lead this couple on a crazy journey that will change them both forever.

I really enjoyed this story. It was written in a very gripping way. It had a very awesome thrill factor with twists and turns around every corner. The danger that was present was almost palpable from the pages. I feel that the epilogue held ALOT of information that answered the questions that I had. It also was a shock and not what I was expecting at all. It was a great end to a psychological thriller full of twists and turns in the form of lies, secrets, and betrayals.

Stormi Ellis

This book is definitely a slow burn. It’s not fast paced but the character development is fantastic! And I never expected the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my digital ARC copy.

This is my first read by B.A. Paris. I've heard a lot of good things so I was excited to see for myself. I was not disappointed. At first, I thought I would be and couldn't understand the hype about her other books. But then... oh my, now I understand the why! I can honestly say I did not see that coming.

While reading it, I thought well this is okay but I thought her books were full of suspense and jaw dropping moments. This seemed to just be a story about friendship and moving on from grief and loss. Which it kind of is, but ohhhh the secrets!! Lots of secrets! I want everyone to read this, all of it and I want to tell all of you, do not give up, just wait for it because it will come! Read every word of it because I guarantee you it has an ending you will not see coming. I'm going to go now, I need to pick my jaw up off the floor and go look for my next read by this author.

Thank you for the opportunity for the ARC of this book! Paris does it again with another twisty thriller. I thought I had it figured out… but with every turn of a page something darker happened. Marriage, love, gardens. Which has higher walls and more vines and thorns?

Iris and Gabrielle’s friend turns up at their flat with startling news. Can they help her in her time of despair? Gabrielle is dealing with his own dark shadows and Iris is holding everyone together. A story of friendship, marriage, secrets, lovers, with twists and turns I didn’t see coming.

#netgalley #vinesoflies #gardenofsecrets

I have read all of BA Paris’s books. She is a good writer and her stories are almost always quick reads to me. This one was a fairly middle of the road read for me. It wasn’t my favorite of hers, but I did enjoy seeing everything come together. It did have an interesting twist at the end that I wasn’t necessarily expecting. It’s probably worth reading if you enjoy reading mysteries, especially character driven stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advance copy on exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of B.A. Paris’ works, but I found this book was hard to get in to. The characters were unlikeable, and there were so many characters involved that I found it hard to follow.

The plot was slow and it didn’t really capture my attention, I’m sad to say that this one wasn’t for me, but others may find it more enjoyable!

This was an interesting story following the life of Iris and Gabriel, and sudden guest and long time friend, Laure. The longer Laure stays, the more tense the household becomes. Secrets from the past lure in the background of their lives.

Quickly after Laure comes into their lives, so do their neighbors Esme and Hugh, and their gardener, Joseph. While the days turn to weeks for Iris and her guest Laure, Gabriel struggles with haunting memories in his past.

While the book prologue was captivating, I had a hard time staying interested again until around the 50% point. I would say this is a slow burn at first but does pick up. I was fearful several of my questions would go unanswered, but the end was tied up nicely. I felt the "twists" throughout the book were somewhat predictable and a little undewhelming, but the ending was surprising to me.

This was a good read if you like a slow burn thriller, but if you are expecting mind-blowing, page turning twists, you may not love this book.

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

Expected publish date February 20th, 2024

This is the classic tale of a houseguest who overstays their welcome - with a few added twists, of course! After a long trip, Iris and Gabriel return home to find their friend Laure has been living there. Laure found out that her husband, Pierre, had a child with another woman, and she left him, but had no place else to go.

For the first few days, the couple puts up with Laure moping around their house, eating their food, wearing Iris’s clothes, and generally being an annoying guest. As the arrangement turns into weeks, they are desperate to get her back to her husband. Laure needs to confront Pierre and decide her next steps, but that becomes difficult when nobody can reach Pierre.

This was a relatively generic, but still quite entertaining, mystery/thriller. There is a back story of a boy who died in front of Gabriel, and he is struggling with hearing the child’s final words. The book was probably a 3.5 star book for me most of the way through, then we got to the ending. The epilogue completely came out of nowhere and blew my mind! I had no idea that was coming, and that rounds this book up to four stars.

(Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, B.A. Paris, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on February 20, 2024.)