I really enjoyed this thriller/mystery by B.A. Paris. The characters were likeable. The story was not so predictable. I would definitely read more by this author.

This book was a dnf for me. I tried really hard to get into the story but it just wasn’t for me unfortunately.

This is an exciting suspense novel that is enjoyable to read. Not as riveting as some but still keeps you guessing until the end.

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris is an okay read with a suspenseful plot and some good twists. The writing keeps you hooked, but a few characters and their actions feel a bit flat. Some twists might be easy to guess if you read a lot of thrillers. It's not Paris' best, but it's still entertaining for mystery fans.

This was an enjoyable book overall, but I was not completely wowed until the ending. There is a lot of "talk" and scenes that didn't feel necessary. There were parts that were slow. I have enjoyed other books by this author more. Thanks NetGalley for the eArc.

Good audio. I enjoyed the story. The narrator kept the story moving and interesting. I'm glad I listened to the audio over reading the print.

WOW! I loved this book.

The book follows Iris and Gabriel as they navigate some challenging experiences. Gabriel is dealing with the death of a local teen and Iris is dealing with the slow down of her business. Both are trying to find their footing when their dear friend Laur arrives unexpectedly to stay with them, sharing that she has left her husband. Strange things start to occur with Laur's arrival but it must be a coincidence . . . right?

I've been in a reading slump recently and this one pulled me out. I love a book that keeps you guessing and this one did just that. I had no idea how it was going to end and when we got there I for sure didn't see it coming. Without giving too much away, I found myself rooting for the characters the author wanted to me to root for and side with, while being suspicious of the ones the author clearly wanted me to be leary of. I never thought it would end how it did.

The Guest is a domestic thriller where a married couple returns home from a vacation to escape a trauma they experienced to find a friend of theirs who has come to stay with them after some marital troubles of her own. Just like all house guests eventually do, she cramps their style. At the same time, they meet their new neighbors who have a slightly unconventional relationship and are looking for a friendship. The Guest is a twisting adventure of secrets. In the end, too much of the book moved too slowly for me. The story itself was interesting enough, but it seemed to take forever to get to that point. The narration was fine, with no major issues. The narrator's voice has a pleasant lilting quality that was lovely to listen to.

I struggled with this one…

The Guest is a slooooow burn domestic drama. We are lead to believe a guest of Iris and Gabriel, Laure, is annoyingly over staying her welcome, but I’m not entirely sure that’s what the story ends up being about.

There are so many storylines going on, I had a hard time deciphering what was pertinent to the ACTUAL story. This would end up in me being confused and frustrated and stepping away from the book days at a time. Never a good sign.

I did the audio, so thankfully this made the story go “faster”.

I don’t even know what that ending was. Out of left field for me, although I don’t think anyone will see it coming.

I was hesitant to read another B.A. Paris novel, but was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed Behind Closed Doors, but since then haven't loved what she came out with. This was back to the tone and style I loved.

The Guest
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: B.A. Paris

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 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 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.

My Thoughts: Paris is one of my favorite thriller authors and this latest novel is no exception. Paris’s ability to interweave twists throughout the story and even in the ending is masterful and few have this honor. Iris and Gabriel just return home from holiday when they find someone in their home, their dear friend Laure. The atmosphere is electric with tenseness when they find she has been sleeping in their bed, wearing her clothes, and even rearranging the house. Laure walked out on her husband, also their dear friend, Pierre, when she find out he had a secret affair with a woman that produced a child. Laure becomes unpredictable and her presence takes more than a toll on their already fractured relationship.

The story is narrated by Iris, in her POV. Our protagonist, Iris, is an unreliable narrator. Iris is dealing with her own set of challenges and then she gets this uninvited surprise guest that complicates the already fragile relationship between Iris and Gabriel. Even though Laure is a “friend,” she has become quite annoying and crossing the proverbial line that many friends do not cross. This unbalanced mystery leads to a dangerous cat and mouse game. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, were captivating, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, compelling, suspenseful, twisty, and engaging.

The story starts out as a slow burn, building up the characters and their backstory. The plot is delivered in twisty layers. Then the ending in itself has a plot twist that was unpredictable.

This was gripping, compelling, electric, tense psychological thriller that captured my attention page by page, and I just had to know how it ended. I had the pleasure of having the digital and audio ARC. I leaned on preferring the audio, just because I can get through those faster. The narrator, Emily Joyce, was outstanding. Did a compelling job with voice variation through character distinction. She had amazing pitch and flow, easy to listen to on 2x. The only con would be I would like to have experienced more of Laure and Pierre’s issues, or maybe that is the point. I would recommend this to other readers, go pick up or borrow from your library today!

What a book. At first, I was not sure what to think, but the more I listened, the more I wanted to slap both female main characters. I could not believe some of the insanity on the pages. Laure was something else. I mean, who else walks into someone's home, even if you are friends, and help yourself to items within that house? I understand needing some things, but good heavens, this leech was on a whole different plane.

Interesting and immersive. Get ready for a roller coaster of emotions!

This was a perfect example of an audiobook making the story. The narrator was perfect for this book!

After a mixed bag of experiences with the author's previous works, I approached this audiobook with cautious optimism. But let me tell you, it didn't disappoint. From the moment Iris and Gabriel return home from their vacation to find their friend Laure unexpectedly camped out in their house, the story had me completely hooked. The tension ratchets up with each passing chapter as Laure's presence becomes increasingly intrusive and her behavior more erratic. Paris masterfully crafts an atmosphere of unease, leaving readers constantly on edge, wondering what will happen next.

What sets "The Guest" apart is its skillful blend of suspense and mystery. Just when you think you've got things figured out, Paris throws in a curveball that leaves you reeling. And it's not just Laure's secrets that come to light – as the story unfolds, Iris and Gabriel find themselves confronting their own pasts, each revelation more shocking than the last. It's a rollercoaster of emotions that had me eagerly turning the pages (or, in this case, hitting play on my audiobook app) to uncover the truth.

But beyond the plot twists and turns, what really drew me in were the characters. Despite their flaws and shortcomings, they felt real and relatable, grappling with the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal. I found myself rooting for them, even as I questioned their decisions and motivations. Great read!

Iris and Gabriel have been married for 20 years. They have a grown daughter who is enjoying her gap year. Things are great until Gabriel experiences a traumatic event that he has a hard time sharing details of with anyone and it begins to eat at him. To add to the stress, their best friends Laure and Pierre are having issues and Laure shows up to stay with them while they sort through their mess. Enter Esme and Hugh, new neighbors with a hot gardener and you have the perfect storm for some drama as secrets start to emerge and destroy.

I was on the verge of really being disappointed with one of BA Paris’ books, but then near the end there came total redemption. Things all came together to make perfect sense and I had no clue how that would be possible. Well done!

A bit much to keep track of with all the interacting storylines but overall a quick and interesting read and cool to see how all the storylines came together

There’s a death, another death, and then, for a change of pace, another death! So, that’s pretty exciting lol. Next, we have a narrator or two that you just can not trust to save your life. Some is clearly lying, but who?!
I’ve not had a bad experience yet with Paris, and this book didn’t disappoint. I was so sure that I had the murderer absolutely nailed down, and then….. yet another death!! An unreliable narrator is my favourite style of mystery/thriller, because you have to stay as far away from trust as possible. There’s always a comment or two that makes you stop and go “Now you wait just a minute, I think I’m on to something!” And Paris nails it throughout the entire book. An entire audiobook made up of trust issue, who wouldn’t love that?!
5 stars, zero idea of who the killer was until the last possible second, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

B.A. Paris is always a great read with twists you don't see coming. The narrator was great and was easy to listen to. A strong 4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of The Guest by B.A. Paris in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars

The Guest by B.A. Paris - My Goodreads review reads as - That b*tch killed errrrryyyybooodddyyyy. Dang.

This audiobook is narrated by Emily Joyce

•Thank you to @macmillan.audio & @stmartinspress

This was the first book I have listened to by B.A. Paris. Emily Joyce did a wonderful job narrating this story. This book really surprised me. I went into this blind and OMG was I taken on one heck of a ride! This book will have you thinking one thing and wondering another. There were a few slower moments but I feel like that's just a thriller book. I felt like the characters were well written. There were only a few characters which made it easy to follow along. The epilogue of this story also made my head spin as I did not see any of that coming!! I was blown AWAY!!! I would definitely recommend this audiobook. I can't wait to read more from B.A. Paris.


Thank You NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this ARC for my honest opinion.