Fast paced mystery. Iris and Gabriel seem like a happy couple. A beautiful home in the countryside, a successful daughter, and good friends. Things soon change when a tragic accident occurs and an unexpected house guest arrives. Although Iris is fine with the new pregnant house guest, things soon change. With many twists and turns, this novel is not to be missed.

The name B.A. Paris has become synonymous with creepy thriller books and The Guest does not disappoint. Set in the English countryside, the plot is mostly set in Iris and Gabriel's home. They return from a vacation to find their dear friend Laure living in their home. Although Laure has a house key, she is definitely an uninvited guest. Laure has fled her husband and their Paris apartment because she discovered that her husband fathered a child many years ago with another woman. Laure and her husband have no children and Laure doesn't know the identity of the child or the mother. The novel is filled with intriguing characters and many exciting twists and turns. As in any B.A. Paris novel the reader has no idea who to trust.

This was a 3.5 star read for me. I have to say that I like B.A. Paris's earlier work vs her current one. This was an easy read and provided entertainment, but I didn't feel like anything really happened until the very end. I didn't guess the twist so I'll give her that! This is the type of book that I would recommend to friends who read a lot and have a lot of time on their hands.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

This book is listed as a Psychological Thriller, but I have a hard time classifying it as such since those vibes weren’t really there for me until the last 10% of the book. To me it read more like a domestic drama with some slow burn suspense characteristics. Though I feel the character development was adequate, I didn’t really love or hate them; I just kind of felt indifferent. They were all pretty unreliable which was fun.

I’m sure the clues were there throughout (in hindsight I think they were) but I needed everything wrapped up nicely with a pretty little bow because I hadn’t figured it all out myself. I was given this gift (everything spelled out for me) in the epilogue, which was kind of weird, in my opinion. I flipped from the last page of the book to the epilogue and was like, “wait, what?”! I thought, “I’m not ready, I still don’t get what happened exactly”. I had a little bit of a jaw dropping moment there. It’s not very common for the author to use the epilogue to literally walk you through the logistics of it all. That’s a part of the book that sheds more light on the events or leaves you with a little cliffhanger maybe but not pages and pages explaining everything. Maybe others figured it out before then, but like I said, I didn’t. With that being said, I still enjoyed this book. I questioned EVERYONE and truly wanted to know what was going to happen next, even though at times it felt like not much was happening. I was still intrigued and wanted to know.

This is my second book by this author; the first, Behind Closed Doors, was just a little bit better for me, personally. I remember that one having some heart racing moments. I do like B.A. Paris and plan to read a couple of her other titles, which are conveniently located in my physical TBR pile.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

While The Guest is advertised as a psychological thriller, I think psychological mystery better describes this book by B.A.Paris. Gabriel is a doctor who is taking some forced time from his practice to emotionally recover from not being able to saving a young man from a fall in a nearby quarry. When the book opens, he and his wife, Iris, an interior designer are returning from vacation to their home in a village outside of London to find someone in their home. Laure has made herself at home. She has left, her husband, Pierre, in Paris where they live. These two couples have been friends and often take vacations together. She left Pierre to think as Pierre just found out he has a child.

I found the story to move SLOWLY! There are so many characters and sub plots to understand. I almost gave up a few times. However, I persisted and I am glad I did.
When I was probably at the 80-85% mark on my Kindle, The chapter heading read Epilogue. I wondered how an epilogue could be so long! After a couple of pages, the story came together and I could not turn the pages fast enough! Very clever B.A.Paris. I recommend reading this book with a lot of patience, It will be worth it! I will be thinking about this book for a long time. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

This book kept me guessing. I had so many predictions on what happened and I kept changing my prediction as the book went on. I never predicted the twist at the end!

Iris and Gabriel return home from a trip to find that there is someone in there home; it is only their friend Laure who is visiting from Paris, but where is her husband Pierre? Laure explains that she needs space from Pierre because he just told her that he has a child with another women, of course Iris and Gabriel allow her to stay as long as she needs. But how long is too long? Gabriel is going through things of his own and Iris is feeling neglected, adding Laure into the mix seems to be making this more stressful. A new couple moves into town and they all become fast friends; the new gardener they brought with them even begins helping Gabriel with their garden.

As things progress there are tangled webs, lies and murder. But when you think that everything has been settled and all is revealed you get hit with the twist at the end that you did not see coming. I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC!

I am usually a very big fan of BA’s books, but this one fell short for me. It kept me just engaged enough while reading to make it to the end, but it was very slow burning. The epilogue is where it got exciting and you connect all the dots, which were a surprise, but it didn’t want to make me go back and check and see if you could connect any in the book. It was well written and I liked the characters and you definitely don’t know what’s happening till the very end! Thank you St. Martins for this ARC!

This was an interesting read! It was sort of a slow start but I grew to love the little neighborhood and drama that seemed to evolve. I was trying to guess throughout what was happening and how the pieces fit together. I did predict what happened to one person, just not the who dun it. This had an interesting twist at the end but I'm not sure it provided the punch I was hoping for. This was a quick read and I wasn't bored as I was trying to figure out all the pieces but I'm not sure I enjoyed the ending enough. I think this would make for an interesting discussion because I want to hear what other people thought of the ending!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own. 3.5 rounded up.

This was an exciting who done it with lots of plot twists and turns. It was a very unexpected ending and I did not see that coming. I did not put it all together till the reveal. Well done. Great read.

Thank you to @netgalley for the chance to review this in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had read @baparisauthor before with Behind Closed Doors and I didn’t much care for it but when I saw this one I wanted to give her another shot. I liked this one a little bit more. The story was slow and steady and kept me entertained. Not so much that I didn’t want to put it down but enough that I needed to know more! The one thing I hated about this, that had me rate it down, I cannot say. It will spoil it.
Iris and Gabriel are going thru it. Gabriel found a boy near death and got to spend his final moment with him. It haunted him and was effected their marriage. Then, their friends separated and Laure came to stay with them and very much so, overstayed her welcome. The twists and turns and lies and deceit that follow are not fully revealed until the final chapter. It was something I did not see coming. Had I known before, I think I would have rated higher but that’s just my personal preference. I think I’ll be in the majority with not loving the ending. This is a solid 3 1/2 stars. I do recommend.

BOOK REVIEW: The Guest by B.A. Paris
2024 Publication Date: February 20

⭐️⭐️⭐️

T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2024

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW:
Captivating and intriguing with a Hitchcockian vibe... ✨😎✨

Pages: 308
Genre: Thriller Books
Sub-Genre: Domestic Thriller Books
T.I.M.E. Jalapeno Rating:️ Closed Door
Time Period: Contemporary
Location: Markham (Nottinghamshire) | England
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
Movie: Gone Girl ⭐️⭐️⭐️

PUBLISHER BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Bestselling author B. A. Paris captivated psychological thriller readers everywhere with Behind Closed Doors and The Prisoner. Now she invites you into another home full of heart-pounding secrets, in The Guest...

Some secrets never leave.

Iris and Gabriel have just arrived home from a make-or-break holiday. But a shock awaits them. One of their closest friends, Laure, is in their house. The atmosphere quickly becomes tense as she oversteps again and again: sleeping in their bed, wearing Iris' clothes, even rearranging the furniture.

Laure has walked out on her husband—and their good friend—Pierre, over his confession of an affair and a secret child. Iris and Gabriel want to be supportive of their friends, but as Laure's mood becomes increasingly unpredictable, her presence takes its toll.

Iris and Gabriel's only respite comes in the form of a couple new to town. But with them comes their gardener, who has a checkered past.

Soon, secrets from all their pasts will unravel, some more dangerous than they could have known.

BOOK QUOTE:
"Regret is such a waste of emotion. No matter how much we want to, we can't change the past... " — The Guest by B.A. Paris

--------------------

All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

What a wild ride this was! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, another twist was waiting around the corner. It was a bit of a slow burn, but the second half really picked up speed. I became more invested in the story and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The epilogue was mind-blowing, and I did not see those plot twists coming. This was my first B.A. Paris novel, and I will definitely be reading more.

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

The Guest is a fantastic slow burn psychological thriller, that keeps you guessing everything you think you know, right through the last explosive reveal.

While this, for me, wasn’t the strongest B.A. Paris book, it still delivers on a twisted mystery, messy characters keeping dark secrets, and a whodunnit feel as the story unfolds. I made a whole metric pile of incorrect guesses on the whole/what/where as things unraveled and never came close to being right, which i always enjoy as a reader.

This book did absolutely hit for me as very easy, relaxed reading entertainment that I could fly through pretty mindlessly, which is sometimes exactly what I want in a book - solid, straightforward entertainment, no strings attached.

Overall, one that can definitely hold its own on easy and twisted entertainment fun for domestic thriller lovers.

Many thanks to @stmartinspress for the copy!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads! Unfortunately, I have to say that this is my least favorite B.A. Paris book so far. It just seemed to have a much slower pace than I wanted in a thriller (it took me forever to get through it), and I’d say it was more of a family drama with a few twists. A couple of times it talked about past events without any context and then went back and explained the events, which I found to be a bit jarring. And the ending was very abrupt, with an epilogue designed to make everything make sense. I did enjoy all the unreliable narrators, and even though I suspected everyone, I didn’t figure out all the details.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read before pub day! THE GUEST is out now!

Oh my gosh! This book had so many twist and turns sometimes I didn't even know which road to take! It was so good, but then again pretty much all B.A. Paris books are. I'm definitely did not see the ending coming I don't want to ruin anything I love a review that doesn't tell you what's going to happen. But if you're looking for a book that keeps you Entertained and keeps you guessing this is it because literally everyone is a suspect.

I knew this one would be crazy when Iris and Gabriel come home to their friend Laure in their house. Not in “The Guest” room, but in their room, In their bed, and in their things. I thought that was quite strange. The beginning and middle seem to have so much going on with the different couples and added friends. I felt like I had whiplash for a minute; however, slightly after the mid-point things started to click for me and I needed to connect all the bodies! Along with that, all the dirty little secrets start to spill. I got the feeling that each and every character was flawed and unreliable! I kind of loved that! The finale was the icing on the cake. While it took a bit to get there, the ending and twists pulled it all together.

🎧I was gifted the audiobook for this one and while I read the e-book initially, when I received the audiobook I gave it a listen, too. I think the audiobook narration was a great addition to add to the story as well. Being a long time fan of B. A. Paris, she’s done it again.

Happy Pub Day!

The beginning of this new B.A. Paris is engrossing as Iris and Gabriel come home to Iris' best friend staying in their home uninvited. I found this intriguing enough to keep going to figure what why their "Guest" , Laure, was there and what she was hiding. The side stories were interesting and I wasn't sure how or if they would come together but was pleasantly surprised. I also did not see what we find out in the end coming. It was a decent thriller, but I think it was more of a drama and didn't quite grip me as her first two books. It was a solid three star read for me and I would recommend it to fans of B.A. Paris.

Mini Book Review📖
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Happy pub day, to one of my most anticipated reads this month! Thank you @macmillanusa and @netgalley for the advanced copy, this one is out today! BA Paris has always been an auto buy author for me, even pre bookstagram. However the last two books have just been underwhelming. This was a meh thriller with a fun twist but it also felt somehow too long ? Most of the action ended at 80% and then there was this odd attempt to shock the readers. For me, I had super high hopes for this one and found myself disappointing. I’m a big thriller reader so maybe it’s just me but this one was just sort of fine 🤷🏼‍♀️.
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QOTD- what was the last book you read that underwhelmed you? Or a book that you have high hopes for ?!
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#theguest #baparisauthor #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofig #booksofinsta #booklover #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #booknerd #bookworms #bookwormsunite #bookish

THE GUEST review

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

🏠Happy pub day to THE GUEST!! Having read all 7 of B.A. Paris’s novels, this one is solidly in the middle. Not my absolute favorite but still a good, bingeable read!!

🏠Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
Iris and Gabriel have a happy, quiet life as empty nesters living in the English suburbs. When their good friends Pierre and Laure are suffering a marital crisis, they open their home to Laure as they work through their issues. But Iris can’t shake the feeling that something about Laurie’s behavior is off and her story isn’t adding up. And when Gabriel tries to contact Pierre for his side of the story, there’s no response… What is actually going on with Pierre and Laure?? And can you truly ever know just what your friends are capable of??

🏠I truly had zero idea how this book would end. I like for thrillers/mystery books to have little crumbs pointing to the plot twist that I can look back on after finishing a book and think “wow I can’t believe I didn’t put all that together!!” This one had no clues as to how it would end at all. The plot twist seemed to come completely out of left field and I wasn’t really a fan? It took a while to get to the mystery/suspense part of the story and there were a looooot of characters to keep track of. I enjoyed this one overall and like the final ending. It makes you wonder if you can ever truly know what your friends/family are capable of. Overall I’d recommend this one if you want a family/domestic suspense!

🏠Thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for my advanced copies! THE GUEST is available today!