I am a huge fan of BA Paris but this one was disappointing. The last 30 pages were the most interesting. I don’t enjoy reading a book that’s 80% build up and 20% suspense.

The story is certainly set up to keep you a little curious and suspicious things start to happen slowly. But you get to a point where you say to yourself, what is this book even about? It was much too slow for me, and I would have preferred more suspense throughout. I could have put it down halfway through and never picked it back up.

It pains me to write this review, because, as I said I am a huge fan of BA Paris! But this wasn’t it for me.

Really great, fast paced read. Did not expect the twist at the end! I thoroughly enjoyed this one. While it was not the best book I read this year, I found it immediately engaging and was truly invested in the characters. I have enjoyed most of the other books I’ve read by B.A. Paris.

I am sad to say I found this book boring. I found myself reading it quickly, Not because it was suspenseful but because I was bored and needed to see what was going to make this book interesting. The main characters were dull, there was a lot of loss and grief that made it too depressing. I was surprised the big twists only really happened in the last 50 pages or so. I was looking for more.

B.A. Paris' new book is a real "jaw dropper" and one of the most suspenseful books I've read in the past few months. She casts the guilt on many people, however, the ending is explosive and you will not see it coming. GREAT book, thanks for the advanced copy!

I was really drawn to this story from the first few pages but it just fell a little flat for me. It did keep me entertained and I sped through it in 2 days. It just felt like the lead up was a bit long and the explanation for the twist was too tidy. Will definitely read more from this author!

I read this on NetGalley. At the onset I had trouble getting a grasp on the characters but it didn’t take long to fully grasp it. 44 pages in and ‘The Guest’ has been the guest for 10 days now. And I’m screaming, “People! Boundaries are a thing!” As the book progressed I really became entranced in the story. I questioned multiple characters. And then the twist at the end and I actually had a moment where I said holy crap, ok, I didn’t, but I’m keeping this G rated. So yeah that twist at the end was so well executed and I never expected it. A thriller that can make the person who did it not even be on my radar, success.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am a B.A. Paris superfan. I devoured the rest of the authors books in one sitting each. When I saw the approval, I squealed.

The story is based around a married couple with a slightly unwanted houseguest. I think the synopsis of the book doesn't do it justice because it took FOR EVERRRR to get drawn into the story. This won't be a book I read again...except for the last 5% because hold onto your hats folks, the ending is A bumpy ride. I would recommend the book to others but would be honest about how slow the story is. While it wasn't my favorite, I eagerly await the author's next release.

This domestic thriller focuses on a couple, Iris and Gabriel. Their couple friend, Laure and Pierre, is going through a tough situation so Laure stays with them until things are cleared up.
This book was easy for me to get into and the chapters were short enough that it was mostly bingeable.
After about half way and shocking things happen, it almost seemed like a whole different book. A few different things going on at once but you knew it would all come together in the end. Everything was explained and the huge twist was all summed up in one long epilogue which I didn’t enjoy as it came so out of left field.
I wanted to give this book a good chance to give a fair review but otherwise I would have not finished. It felt very dry and not much atmosphere. A few suspenseful lead ups which kept me going but fell flat.

I would first like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and B.A. Paris for the opportunity to read this Advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
When I saw that B.A. Paris came out with another book I had to request it. I love her work!
The book starts with a teaser into the future where a group is at the main character's house when an explosion happens -- then starts the story a couple of months earlier.

Iris and her husband Gabriel come home from vacation to find a family friend in their house uninvited. She states she found out her husband has an illegitimate child and wants to stay at their place for awhile while she figures things out. She ends up not wanting to leave and inserts herself into her lives.

Meanwhile, Gabriel is dealing with his own problems after finding a dying teenager at the bottom of a quarry after a bike accident who, despite being a doctor, he was unable to save.

Also, there's a shifty gardener with an alcohol problem thrown into the mix as well... and everyone has secrets.

I really enjoyed this book. I was intrigued from the first page and could hardly put it down. The twists and drama were great, nothing was over the top, and everything tied together nicely at the end.

Thank you to B.A. Paris and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The good: This twist was SPECTACULAR. The last 20% or so of this book, I couldn't put it down. Literally. I'm sure my husband wishes I had helped out more with the kids but I just couldn't tear myself away from it..

The not-so-good: It took a while to get there. I found the character development slightly lacking and it was slower to start in general. The prologue confused me, and I'm aware that they are supposed to be teasers and not give away anything, but I had to read it twice because I wasn't sure what I read the first time. It made sense when I got back to that part later on, but I had trouble following - even something small like providing a little more background on who was married to whom would have helped me understand it a little more.

Even with the not-so-good, I don't regret reading it or feel like I wasted my time. It was a pretty quick, enjoyable read.

I want to start by saying I will read all of B.A. Paris’ books, summary not needed. This was. Good, great epilogue, 3.75 stars.

The Guest kept me on my toes and questioning WHAT was going on? Several times I thought I had it figured out but didn’t.

The characters were a little boring, it seemed like there was a lot of getting to know them, what they like what they don’t and trivial conversations. Lauren, the guest was awful. I would not have been able to manage long with her in my home.

The epilogue….holy 🐮! That was intense.

Big thank you to NetGalley and especially St. Martin’s Press for inviting me to read BA Paris’ newest book, The Guest.

Very enjoyable and fun to read. The premise was intriguing and I liked how the seemingly different storylines linked up. I was honestly surprised at the final twist!

This book was interesting. I am a big fan of B.A. Paris but I am not totally sure about this one. It was a good book, do not get me wrong. The writing is great and the pages turn very quick. I just felt that the story did not feel finished, there were not any crazy twists and the ending was predictable. My biggest qualm was the epilogue, it was entirely too long (like 30 pages) and I wish the stuff you found out in in that chapter was delivered earlier on. I felt as if the "big bang" was thrown in at the end and nothing really happened in the meat of the story. I just have very fond memories of "Behind Closed Doors" and I remember how that book made me rethink everything in my relationship. I was hoping to get that similar feeling. This book will be great for those who love domestic thrillers and unreliable narrators. I still recommend this book once it releases it was just not my favorite book from this author.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I'm a huge fan of BA Paris, and have been awaiting this release. It was a pretty short book, so a pretty quick read.
I had a little bit of difficulty getting into it at first, and there were multiple twists and I was trying to keep up how everything would be relevant.
Two couples have an ongoing arrangement of sharing homes with the other when they are away. One couple returns to find their friend Loure is still there, and she has had a spat with her spouse and doesn't plan on leaving anytime soon. The couple, Gabriel and Iris, are stuck, not wishing to make her feel unwelcome. Gabriel is caught up with his own mental health, as he recently witnessed the death of a local boy. He takes a leave of absence from his job to recover. Iris befriends a new neighbor who is expecting her first child. All of their lives are quickly intertwined, but there's a lot of coincidence and farfetched activity in addition to some threads that are laid out, but not followed, leaving me to wonder why they'd be mentioned at all. I would have given it more stars, but there's a bit of deception (unreliable narrator) which is not my favorite resolution, in addition to an epilogue that ties up all the stories by pretty much explaining to the reader what happened, rather than letting it play out in the story, almost like the author ran out of time, and had to button it up.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The epilogue was amazing, but I’m not sure if it was more me just ready for answers or if it was that big of a blow out.

The story itself felt slow moving at times, and the dialogue between characters seemed maybe a little choppy? I’m not sure how to describe it, but, sometimes the flow of the story was interrupted. I think it adds into the story being slow moving, where we get a lot of the characters day to day movements added in and overall just made the reveal take longer.

The story revolves around Iris and Gabriel, who return home from vacation to a long time friend Laurie staying in their home. Laurie and her husband are on a break after finding out her husband has a secret child. Meanwhile, Iris and Gabriel are dealing with a tragedy of their own, and to top it all off - Iris has made friends with the new neighbors, who brought a friend Joseph along with them to the neighborhood. There’s a few mysteries entwined the story, and the characters weave together inside these mysteries, but also there are unlikable characters and plot lines that just don’t add a punch.

Overall, I’d rate this book 3.5 stars. It was good, but I wouldn’t revisit. An easy, light read for someone that enjoys mysteries and doesn’t want a big shock.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really struggled to push through this one. I found Laure incredibly annoying. It took be a longggg while to feel connected with the characters, I think this is because almost NOTHING happens in the book until 60% of the way through. I was just in general, kind of bored. I did appreciate some of the twist, but overall, I found that portion predictable as well.

It's your typical, run of the mill, domestic drama. Reliable, but not riveting.

First I'd like to thank NetGalley for lending The Guest to me. I am a big fan of B.A. Paris and have read Behind Closed Doors, The Therapist and Bring Me Back. I really enjoyed this book and did not see the plot twist at the end.

A twisty psychological thriller that will hold you in suspense from the beginning.
When Laure, a family friend, comes to stay with Iris and her husband then extended stay begins to add more turmoil to their marriage. Secrets and lies from the past and present will draw you in keeping you on the edge of your seat. The ending alone is such a shock for that alone you need to read this asap.

This book is incredibly slow. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but not much happens for the first 50 to 60%. Even with some twists at the end, I found myself dissatisfied. It was well written, and even though many dramatic things happen, the way it is told makes it seem rather doll. I also did not like most of the characters.

This was a slow burn but once it picked up, it did not disappoint. If you're a fan of her other works then you should enjoy this one. When I first started reading this book, I will admit that I did have trouble keeping up with all the different names/characters. There aren’t that many characters, but there are three main couples that are dealt with. Two of the couples, Iris & Gabriel, and Laure & Pierre are our two main couples of focus. Then we have the new neighbors who moved into the village, Esme & Hugh (okay- got it?). Once I had everybody situated, this book was smooth sailing…

This story starts off with Laure being an uninvited houseguest at Iris and Gabriel’s home. Laure and her husband Pierre are taking some time away from each other, and Laure is very distraught and needy. What should have only been a three week stay turns into much longer (Umm- that’s when I would have put my foot down and told her to go, but whatever).

Also, during Laure’s stay with Iris and Gabriel, we find that Gabriel is going through some personal crisis of his own. There have been some deaths in his family and in the community, and he has had to take some time off to grieve.

This was a good book. An interesting concept. Friendships, secrets and lies.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this book, which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own.
Publication date: February 20, 2024.