Wow. I love B.A Paris and this book was no different. The writing is amazing and the story line is awesome! The epilogue? Yeah, it's the perfect ending. Nothing is as it seems.

This is now the second book from B.A. Paris I've read and I think it's safe to say that I just don't connect with her books.

I didn't find any of the characters likable, the pacing was slow to the point that I was able to put my kindle down and not think about it again until I knew I needed to force myself through it. That's never a good sign when reading a book but especially for a thriller.

Unfortunately this is a no for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and B.A. Paris for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting thriller read. The ending was surprising but not - I had an inkling but also couldn’t figure it all out until the super long epilogue. Iris and Gabriel come home and find their friend Laure there as she recently found her husband Pierre has a child. Iris befriends Esme and Hugh as new neighbors, and their friend / gardener. I wouldn’t rush to read it but if you want a quick mystery thriller read, I would recommend.

As a long time B.A. Paris fan, I have been anticipating The Guest since first hearing about it’s upcoming release. The Guest left me feeling a little flat. Between the three couples on whom the book is focused and the characters that surround them, it took some time to acclimate myself to who’s who. I enjoyed the theme of the long-term effects of secrets and lies, but the pacing suffered from Laure’s stay with Iris and Gabriel being drawn out longer than seemed necessary. Ultimately, it was the ending of the book that left me feeling flat. In my opinion, an epilogue shouldn’t have to explain to the reader what’s been going on during the whole book. Looking forward to Paris’s next offering!

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to like this. A domestic thriller with an unexpected guest, a death and lots of lies sounded so interesting but the execution fell really flat for me.

For a thriller the pacing is so slow and there are so many unnecessary scenes. We could’ve easily made this book 100 pages shorter and by doing so it would be faster paced and more engaging.

All the characters are easily disliked. Iris is a pushover and doesn’t want to speak up for herself ever. Gabriel is a liar, he is pushing himself away from his family, and it just feels like he is acting the whole time. Laure is just so sketchy and clingy. I was waiting to see how it all goes together but was really disappointed in the ending.

This was not for me.

This was a stellar story! It revolves around 3 couples that all seem to have something to hide. I hope I never have a house guest like Laure. She wears your clothes and over stays her welcome.

This book was the first I’ve read by the author and I was pleasantly surprised and have to say I really enjoyed reading it.

The book is based on three couples, Iris & Gabriel, Laure & Pierre with Esme and Hugh being introduced a little later in the book.

Gabriel, happens upon a young man who has had a tragic accident and hears his final words which leaves Gabriel with a burden he never wanted.
Iris wants nothing more than to help her husband deal with the trauma of finding this young man.
When they return from a short vacation Iris & Gabriel find an unexpected guest who has been staying in their home. Laure, a friend who needs time away from her husband whom she has just found out has a child with another woman.

Laure, soon becomes more than they want in a guest. She wears Iris’s clothes, following Iris and becoming needy and annoying asking many questions about the young man who Gabriel found.

Iris meets a new couple in the neighbourhood, Esme & Hugh allowing for her and Gabriel to escape Laure once in a while. But, how long does that last? Laure soon becomes entangled with this family and their gardener leading to many twists and turns.

Secrets and lies entangle every relationship leaving you wanting to stay up late to know what happens next. I thought I had things figured out only to realize that I was wrong taking several different directions along the way.

The characters all had a story of their own and getting to know them was great as well. Laure is the guest from hell and the one you wouldn’t want extending their stay but feeling sorry for her situation at first.

I really enjoyed reading The Guest and thank NetGalley and B. A. Paris for the opportunity to read and review it

Opening their front door, the couple are shocked to find a woman who appears to have made herself quite at home while Iris and Gabriel were away. Aren't we cozy! As it turns out, it’s their long-time friend Laure from France. Recently having left her husband, she was desperate and needed a warm, inviting home to hideaway. Sure, why not. What harm is there in opening up your home to a friend for a few days? I believe the quote goes, “no good deed goes un-punished.” Now weeks have turned into months and it seems Laure has no intention of moving on anytime soon. I didn't truly like any of the characters I'm not sure what it was but they all annoyed me. I feel like behind closed doors is just my favorite and this one just wasn't for me.

B.A. Paris never disappoints!!! One of her best ones yet! I was hooked!! Read this book in one day, could not put it down!

This review contains SPOILERS
I have had a hit or miss experience with B.A. Paris in the past. I really enjoyed Behind Closed Doors but really didn't like The Breakdown. This newest mystery/psychological thriller falls somewhere in the middle.
I am also unsure how I feel about the newer trope/trick of lying/unreliable narrator. Being an unreliable narrator (in the traditional sense) is different from having a close 3rd person perspective and deliberately leaving things out. I was all in on this book from the beginning. The short chapters and small bread crumbs of clues left by each character kept me turning pages. I read the entire thing in a day.
The story is told from the close 3rd person perspectives of Iris and her husband Gabriel in alternating chapters. Both characters are keeping secrets from each other and from the readers. I was interested in the secrets and how they were all going to fit together. Unfortunately, when the secrets were revealed they were a bit lackluster - or maybe the characters reactions to these secrets seemed a bit over the top. Just when I thought the plot was getting a bit repetitive and slow, Paris would throw in another twist or reveal which made me continue to turn the pages. Towards the end, however, some of the major plot points were revealed through flashback. The chapters jump in time past some pretty major events and just show the aftermath. I'm not sure why the author chose to do this instead of keeping us in the moment. This happened several times.
I also enjoyed the duality of the title. There are two houseguests in the story - Laure staying with Iris and Gabriel and Joseph staying with Esme and Hugh. This made me continue to wonder which guest the title refers to.
Although I needed to suspend my disbelief a little bit, I did enjoy how all the characters and plot points fit together at the end.
And then there was the epilogue. Sigh. The epilogue is in 1st person from the actual murderers point of view. It literally retells the entire story but with the "real" story instead of the details I just spent hours and over 300 pages reading... I'm not sure how I feel about this. Most of the clues were there, I'm just wondering if there would be a better way to reveal the ending than retelling the entire story again.
Overall, this was a quick, fast, page-turning read. Fans of Paris' other works will like it. The characters are well-developed and the writing was good. Worth a pick-up if you like this genre.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris is an intense psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. With its skillful blend of suspense and mystery, Paris weaves a captivating narrative that explores the dark secrets hidden within seemingly ordinary lives. The author's masterful storytelling and clever plot twists contribute to a gripping reading experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.

3.5 stars - I did not really know what to expect going into this book. For a majority of the book, we spend time learning about Iris and Gabriel's marriage. The actual plot starts to thicken around 60%, when people start going missing. Although the pacing was slow to start, things did pick up in the end and I did not expect the ending. I enjoyed my time reading this book and I appreciate the Advance Reader Copy (ARC) from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author.

I'll admit, at the start, I had a bit of trouble keeping up with all the different names and characters—there are three main couples in the mix. However, once the story got rolling, it became ridiculously addictive. I couldn't put it down.

The pace is fast, and the writing is top-notch. There's a lot happening, and I was so engrossed that I completely missed the plot twist. Needless to say, I'm excited to read more from B.A. Paris.

Big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. "The Guest" is currently expected to publish on February 20th, 2024.

Really struggled to get into this book. I felt irritated at the characters much of the time and didn’t feel some of the secrets were worth having. Fell a bit flat overall

So good! I loved that it kept my attention from the beginning. I didn’t see the end coming and it really kept me guessing the whole way through! It was well written and easy to follow for the most part.
I did find it a little hard to keep track of who’s who, but once I had that straight it was much better. Overall I would definitely recommend this book.

Did not see that ending coming! Love it when that happens. I think I’ve read every single book by this author and have enjoyed every one. The houseguest/friend that won’t leave. The breakdown of her marriage over a child outside the marriage, the mystery of the child and the mistress remains unknown. The main character going through her own struggles as she tries to support then tolerate, her distraught friend while her husband, also struggling with witnessing a recent tragedy. There’s a lot going on which creates the perfect level of distraction to keep the ending unclear.

I really, really enjoyed this twisty domestic thriller! The story follows a couple, Iris and Gabriel, who are surprised by the sudden arrival of their friend, Laure, who is distraught over marital problems with her husband, Pierre. We also have some new characters enter the story, Esme, Hugh, and their gardener Joseph, who move in down the street. All of these characters' lives quickly become intertwined and the domestic drama unfolds. The pacing of this book was so quick, and the chapters were short and easily digestible. There were a lot of mini plot lines along the way, which got a little bit confusing trying to keep up on what the main point of the story was, but the way everything came together in the end was so well done! This is a book I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a domestic thriller and wants a book they can read in one sitting! Highly recommend!

Loved the suspense throughout this entire story! I could not turn the pages fast enough! I have read all of this authors work and she has yet to disappoint! A must read!

This was a fun one that I really enjoyed! I felt like there were a lot of characters to keep up on, but once I got into it I was hooked! The suspense was so good from the very start, and I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you so much to the author and the publisher for this ARC!

I am a huge B.A. Paris fan, so I was thrilled to read her new book early. This book is going to take you on a wild ride, so buckle up! You never know where the book is going to take you & I definitely couldn’t predict the ending.

Great read!