This book got me out of my slump, it was enjoyable and intriguing. It wasn't perfect but it was enjoyable. There were some parts I found fell a little flat, and minor pacing issues, but overall very good!

Friends, Fools, Fixation, and Frenzy.

B.A. Paris creates a cluster of events surrounding relationships and half-kiltered actions. The Guest is a panoramic view of the games that people play. If you drop kick people into certain scenarios and situations, they will claw and scratch their way out. Survival may take no prisoners.

The Prologue introduces us to a group of individuals seated together as friends enjoying the aftermath of a baby's christening. All seem relaxed and enjoying each other's company.......until something occurs in the background that will change their lives completely that day. Keep them in mind. They are all crucial players.

Iris and Gabriel pull into their driveway after a long road trip. They've been visiting the Scottish Isles and are so grateful to be back home. Gabriel notices that there is not an abundance of mail on the other side of the shoot. He cautiously enters with Iris.

And there at the top of the stairs is their friend, Laure dressed in Iris' pajamas. She explains that she has left her husband, Pierre. Pierre is wrapped up in a scandal of having a child by another woman. Laure knew nothing about it. Pierre is Gabriel's best friend. A sticky situation since this couple is held in high regard by both Iris and Gabriel.

In the middle of it all, they support Laure and do everything possible to make her comfortable. Gabriel tries to contact Pierre and gets no response. Days turn into weeks and Laure is still a house guest wearing Iris' clothes and stepping into Iris' and Gabriel's routines and social life. She's even injected herself into a budding friendship with new neighbors, Esme and Hugh. Laure continues to weep and begins to grate on their nerves.

Add to this a side story of Gabriel being traumatized by finding a teenage boy who had fallen from a cliff. His last words to Gabriel will haunt him. You'll find out why.

The Guest is still a good read at 3 Stars. B.A. Paris is a go-to author for me time and time again. I just found this one to be a very slow burner with the emphasis on slow. Paris has us locked into daily repetitions and Laure's sob sister persona. We also grow weary of Gabriel who leans heavily on his emotional distress. He's a physician and should be able to deal with trauma professionally.

At the core is the elephant in the room: None, absolutely none of these characters are likeable. None. That's an excess load to balance while keeping the scenes moving. The triumph comes late in the Epilogue in which all the cards are laid out. It's in the aftermath with no lead-up or impactful exchange of dialogue. We're told. Twisty? Yes. But so late in the game. Regardless, I'm standing with arms wide open for the next one. B.A. Paris never totally strikes out.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to B.A. Paris for the opportunity.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one started out slow for me and I had some trouble following all the characters. The book felt a bit crowded with people. Once it started moving though, the story had a very surprising twist! Not my favorite from BA Paris but still a solid book. 3.5 🌟 from me!

This started off quite good and I was hooked almost immediately but there was just...too much going on. The twist was quite good though, if not a little overdone.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

While the story started to become repetitive at about 75% in, once I got to the Epilogue, the whole story just took off, and I couldn't stop reading! Great ending!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Guest, the upcoming release by B.A.Paris. Iris and Gabriel return from vacation to find that their friend Laure has come to stay with them unexpectedly... and she does not intend to leave until things with her husband Pierre are resolved. Pierre recently admitted that he fathered a child during their marriage. Laure is devastated and Iris and Gabriel are shocked. Pierre becomes increasingly difficult to reach, and Gabriel continues to struggle with having been the person who discovered a teenager at the bottom of the quarry moments before his death in addition to his inability to help resolve the issues between Laure and Pierre. When Iris and Gabriel befriend a local couple and their mysterious, troubled landscaper agrees to help Gabriel restore their garden, tragedy and heartache befall the families at an alarming rate.

Let me start off by saying B.A. Paris can writing page turning thrillers and I will always read the author's newest book. I usually devour them in one sitting because the characters interest me and the plot is wild.

The Guest didn't have that page turning hype that I'm used to. I think it's because the mystery didn't feel like a mystery or a crazy one at that. Not to mention most of the characters drove me up the wall with their decisions. I still enjoyed reading it and definitely wanted to know what happened in the end, but it didn't hook me like the author's books usually do.

The description of the book lets you know the details but until you read it, you really don't know how many secrets there are! This book starts and ends with a bang. It does drag and become repetitive in the middle. There are several characters and plot points that are all tied up nicely at the end. The reason for my three star rating is the epilogue. Really can't say more without spoiling it, but I think if the elements described in the epilogue had actually happened/described during the story, I would have rated it higher. Still recommend reading.

3/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and B.A. Paris for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Domestic drama with some interesting twists and turns along the way, but it fell a bit flat for me. The last chapter (epilogue) was the best one of the book, for sure. The pacing through the rest of the book was rather slow and tough for me.

I’ve read books by this author and wouldn’t hesitate to read another one, but this book wasn’t my favorite and not one I’d pick up again. Worth reading once for the twists at the end.

The Guest by B.A. Paris was an amazing read. The story is full of secrets, murder, and interesting characters. The narrative basically goes back and forth between Iris and Gabriel, and they each have plenty of secrets. I did not see the twist coming. Laure, an old friend of the couple, comes to stay for a while when she has issues with her husband Pierre. Of course she overstays her welcome, but there is so much going on in the story other than this one issue, it simply pulls you in. You will be mesmerized by this novel. Highly recommend.

This story starts out with Iris and Gabriel arriving home from vacation to find themselves with an uninvited houseguest Laure. Laure is taking some time away from her husband Pierre and asks to stay a few weeks. As the weeks increase, Laure becomes increasingly needy and clingy.
Meanwhile Iris and Gabriels’ relationship is also feeling a strain due to a secret Gabriel is keeping from Iris.
We meet some new neighbours that have recently moved in and the only real purpose seems to be as an introduction to another character.

I’m a big fan of B.A. Paris books, but I was annoyed with how needy Laure was and that Iris wasn’t able to stand up to her at all. Her character for 99% of the book was so weak and timid.

The epilogue was a total twist that I most definitely did not see coming

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for the advanced ebook for my honest review

3.5 ⭐️

I had a hard time enjoying this book. From the start, it confused me because it felt like I missed crucial information. Then they book just drug on about Laure and Pierre without really any drama until the very end of the book. The characters didn’t feel very well thought out. I had a hard time wanting to continue reading this book.

I was excited to get into this one since I have enjoyed several of the author's other novels. Unfortunately, The Guest did not hold my interest. The first several chapters seemed to drag and does not pick up until about halfway through. I think those who like their thrillers with more buildup would enjoy this book. However, I would easily pick up another B.A. Paris book as I have enjoyed others. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

I very much enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the story kept me engaged throughout. I would recommend this book to others. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

B.A Paris does it again. The Queen of domestic thrillers. I never tire of her writing, her character and world building. It is the netflix binge read equivalent of books, and sometimes that is exactly what you need.

Thank you so much to the publishers and netgalley for the e-arc.

An unreliable narrator reflects on the events leading up to his friends murder on a private Greek island Easter holiday trip gone wrong. This book was okay. Many of the characters were unlikable and overall I think it was trying to hard and failed.

I have really struggled to read this book. It is slow moving, and it is in 3rd person POV which I'm personally not a huge fan of. I really was hoping to enjoy this book, but it was predictable. It is well written, but the story was not one of my favorites.

I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

Iris and Gabriel appear to live a charmed life, nestled in the idyllic British countryside with a daughter contentedly working in Greece and their dear friends, Laure and Pierre from Paris, often joining them for vacations. However, their tranquility shatters when Gabriel stumbles upon a tragic accident in a nearby quarry, becoming the unwitting witness to the young man's final words, leaving him burdened by guilt.

As Gabriel grapples with the trauma, their world takes an unexpected turn as Laure, dealing with her husband's revelation of fathering a child with another woman, moves in with Iris and Gabriel. They offer her solace, but Laure's presence becomes increasingly unsettling. She starts imitating Iris, donning her clothes, shadowing her every move, and obsessively questioning her about the recent death of the young man.

Amidst this fraught atmosphere, the arrival of a new couple expecting their first child seems to offer a breath of fresh air. However, their gardener brings with him a shadowy past.

With their relationships fractured and secrets piling up, the question becomes whether Iris and Gabriel's marriage can withstand the weight of the unsettling circumstances surrounding them.

As an avid fan of B. A. Paris, I came into this book with certain expectations, knowing the author's signature style. While this story may have felt a tad slower in pace compared to some of her other works, it more than made up for it with its rich character development and depth of storytelling.

In this particular book, you embark on a six-month journey alongside Iris and Gabriel, and you genuinely feel the weight of their trials and tribulations during this period. It's as though you're right there with them, navigating the complexities of their lives. There's an abundance of intricacies woven into the narrative, keeping you thoroughly engaged throughout the tale. B. A. Paris has a way of delving into the human psyche, and this book is no exception.

If you're a fan of her previous works, you'll appreciate the psychological depth and character-driven narrative of this story, even if the pacing might be a bit different from what you're used to. It's a book that pulls you into the lives of its characters, making their journey, struggles, and secrets feel all the more real.

3.75/5⭐️ (rounded to 4⭐️)

Oh my. After the first few chapters started a bit slowly, The Guest by [author:B. A. Paris|34016403] ramped up, and I found myself turning the pages as quickly as I could to keep up with the tension, intrigue and suspense tucked into this domestic drama. Paris introduces us to three couples in various stages of their marriages, and each with their own challenges, secrets, and betrayals. Although I had a bit of a hard time keeping up with the plethora of characters, their personal development and relationships, and the many plotlines, I found myself sucked into the storyline, attempting to keep up with the twists and turns (and perhaps a red herring or two?) as the novel unfolded, right up to the last page (gulp).

If you like a book to keep you guessing until the very end, The Guest should be on your TBR list. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say that the disappointment I feel with every BA Paris book it’s greater each time she comes out with a new release. I don’t know what happened to this author since her first few books, which I loved. This book was just all over the place. I got confused with all the characters, and really did not connect with any of them. The storyline is completely unbelievable, which is usual with most thrillers, but this was just completely off-the-wall.