I STRUGGLED to get through this book! I just don’t think BA Paris books are for me. I read this as a buddy read with a bunch of lovely bookstagrammers and just could not keep up with the reading since there was nothing that got me hooked on this book. Full disclosure if it wasn’t for the buddy read I likely would have DNF this book. Not much more that I can say about this book, as it put me into a major reading slump.

****Many thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for my #gifted copy in turn for an honest review.

This story had me from the jump.

In a peaceful rural setting, Iris and Gabriel's quiet life is about to get wildly disrupted. Imagine their surprise when they return home to find someone's practically moved in during their absence. Talk about unexpected guests!

Enter Laure, a close friend from their days in France, fleeing a broken marriage in search of refuge. Sounds simple enough—offer your friend a spot to crash in a time of need, right? But what starts as a temporary arrangement quickly spirals out of control. Laure's brief stay stretches out indefinitely, and it's clear she's not keen on leaving any time soon.

Truthfully, none of the characters really won my affection—they all have quirks and flaws that border on exasperating. However, this book gripped me, compelling me to snatch it up whenever I had a moment to spare.

And for those who live for a good plot twist, this book delivers a stunner that will catch you off guard. Absolutely did not see that coming!

The two couples were close. They met each other very early on in both their relationship are Pierre lived in Paris but Pierre traveled often for work so he'd call upon Iris and Gabriel often on his travels. Soon they were the best of friends. Fast forward to current. Iris and Gabriel were coming home from a vacation and when they get home they find Laure in their bedroom but no Pierre. Laure soon explains that Pierre has a child with someone he just found out. He needs some time to think.
Gabriel is also going through something as well and has been distancing himself from Iris. He was riding his bike and saw one of his young boys from sports years later hurt and almost dead. He is struggling to move on from this.
Laure ends up staying awhile and both Gabriel and Iris are at their wits end. They want her out of their house. Finally Pierre and Iris plan a time to meet.
I enjoyed this novel but I didn't love. I think her other novels were much better. This one was confusing, too long and anticlimactic. Overall the plot was a good one. I joined the twists when they came. The prose was easy to read and the story unfolded well.

This book was pretty good. Not as sensational as the author's previous work. Different tone - think more domestic drama than the psychological suspense we are used to. The pacing was fine, the ending was satisfying. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

I love this author, B.A Paris never fails to keep me hooked in all of their books. I absolutely enjoyed this book and read it in a day.

Pleasantly surprised by this one after I loved the first two by the author and not so much the others. It was an excellent audio and a fun read.

Another excellent domestic suspense thriller from B.A. Paris.

When Iris and Gabriel come home from a vacation they hope heals their relationship, they are shocked to find their friend Laure in their house. She's recently left her husband and has sought refuge. Having a visitor gets old fast, and they make new friends in town... which should be a good thing, but a series of secrets from the past quickly unravel, leading to danger at every turn.

Can B.A. Paris do wrong? The Queen of psychological thrillers is back. This time with a story that slows to the top and lets it fall. Tad slow but builds steam. Another solid choice from this author.

Ooh, this was SO good! I absolutely loved the twists and turns of this story…and that ending!! Amazing! I loved the setting of the English village, and the way every thread of the plot ended up weaving together in such a surprising way!

I'm always a fan of B.A. Paris' writing. This book was very much a slow burn domestic suspense, and I was frustrated by how the epilogue was more engaging than any other part of the book. The twists and mysteries all paid off big time. It was a quick read, and I look forward to reading whatever B.A. Paris writes next. Thank you St Martins for the copy!

Unlikable characters, shocking plot twist, unhinged but still entertaining story. Not my favorite BA Paris book but it’s hard to top Behind Closed Doors.

I recently read "The Guest" written by B.A. Paris. I liked the flow of the story and the chapters went quick enough to really keep my interest and keep my attention. I was able to read this and finish it quite quickly as I was interested in the story. I thought I had the ending figured out but realized that I definitely did not. I found the ending to be a big twist. All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. Thank you NetGalley!

Well, that took a completely unexpected turn! I can always count on B. A. Paris to throw in a twist I didn’t see coming and this one was a doozy. THE GUEST kept me engaged from the beginning, and there were enough clues that made me wonder, and every time I thought I was on the right track, something else would happen.
Iris and Gabriel are empty nesters that come home from a trip that Iris hoped would help Gabriel work through the traumas he’d had recently and get their marriage back on track. Unfortunately, they return home early to find they have a house guest that has made herself comfortable in their bed and Iris’s clothes. Laure is half of their best friend couple who fled her marriage to Pierre when he confessed to having a daughter he just found out about. In her devastation, Laure turns to the friends, planning to stay until they can work things out. At the same time, a new couple has moved to town with a friend who is a live-in gardener, and all their lives become intertwined. Everyone has secrets and puzzle everything out will keep you turning the pages. Laure does continue to overstep and overstay her welcome, I would sent her home well before the three weeks she planned.
Once you start this one, you will want to keep reading until the shocking end.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Well this one was quite the ride! The Guest kept me on my toes and was full of twists and turns! There was major whodunnit vibes and loads of drama. The ending completely rocked me, THAT EPILOGUE! WOW! BA Paris does it again!

This was a wild ride and I did not see some of those twists coming! I am not sure how I would deal with a friend that just let themselves into my house, used my stuff, and basically didn't leave for over a month! In addition to fucking up my business. I would definitely not have been nearly as calm and understanding as Iris! I also just knew that gardener was doing to turn out to be a bag of dicks...but Iris did what she needed to do to keep her daughter safe in the end!

3.5 stars

B.A. Paris’ domestic suspense novels are like a comforting, familiar sweater you can reach for when craving an easy yet thrilling read. She weaves suspenseful stories that are effortless to delve into, providing entertainment without demanding too much from the reader. I prefer to listen to her books, finding that even when my mind wanders, I don't miss much, making it easy to stay engaged with the story. It's almost like having a suspenseful soundtrack accompanying my daily activities, ensuring I never miss a beat, even when my mind takes a detour.

The guest trope might have you thinking you've heard it all before, but Paris doesn't stop there. She throws in unexpected twists adding a fresh spin to the trope. The pacing has some ups and downs, much like a witch's broomstick ride with a few twists and turns, to make the ride thrilling.

The characters may not be the most likable bunch and lack depth in their motivation and actions. However, their web of secrets and lies was engaging enough to draw me into the narrative.

That final twist is unexpected in so many ways and I don't think anyone will see that coming. But to be honest I am not sure it was all that rewarding after all the suspense but I was entertained.

This one is hard for me to review because I did enjoy the mystery and all the different ways the story unfolded, but it was very much a domestic story, and I am very much bored with that type of story. I would recommend it to people who do enjoy domestic dramas but if you're not a big fan of that type of story, just know this book is very much exploring a marital relationship and the issues they have.

This book started out really great. I enjoyed the premise and was curious to find out more about what the mystery and plot was going to be. However, most of this book was very focused on unlikable characters, their daily lives and thoughts, and inability to communicate effectively with one another. I like a slow burn, but this was too slow. The plot never really thickened, and by the time I got to the absolutely ridiculous epilogue I was pretty annoyed that I had spent time reading this just to learn that nothing you knew was actually true. Felt like a lazy way to end a boring book to try and give it some interest. I did enjoy the writing and the quick chapters, and the town/house was very well developed so you got a nice sense of atmosphere.

The Guest was a bingeable mystery that had me wondering how all of these loose ends were going to come together.
When Iris and Gabriel return home from a trip to find their friend, Laure, in their house after leaving her husband, a lot of questions and tension arise. The Guest slowly peels back the layers of secrets and mystery surrounding all of the characters in a way that was having me wondering how it was all going to come together by the end. When I reached the epilogue, I was happy to see how everything came together but also felt a bit that the tone change to first person and all explanations to be a jarring change of pace from the rest of the story. Overall, I found this to be entertaining and kept you on your toes until the very end.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. I didn’t care about the characters and the ending wasn’t good.