this is a 31/2 stars out of 5
What do you do if you head to the restroom in a gas station and when you come out the love of your life is gone . That is what happened to Finn . Layla and Finn are young and in love they can't get enough of each other . Until the day she goes missing and Finn is the only one that has seen her. But there is more to this story . After ten years later when Finn is engaged to Layla's sister Eileen . When a phone call puts Finn on the mission to find Layla after mysterious phone calls and emails start happening to the house . Will he figure out what is going on and who is sending them . Or will he be questioning his own mind .
The characters in this book were ok sometimes they came off as very immature. Finn kind of drove me crazy , he was a middle aged man but sometime he came off as very immature . Then there were times that he was overzealous . Layla's character was well we really didn't get to know about her , she was an intrigant part of the story even though we see her more in flashbacks and memories . Eileen is I think the best character in the book there is so much more to her then meets the eye . And you will see when you read the book what I mean .
This book started out really slow , it took a bit to get into the story line but once you do its a non stop roller coaster ride . The author really puts her characters through the ringer .There some parts of the book that I felt dragged and were slow and I wish the author had built more of an ending The ending fell flat and I was kind of confused on what was happening . Over all I did enjoy the story and the characters. There was a great twist that will have you going what. So if you want a good read that will have you on the edge of your seat check it out

Bring Me Back is one of our first Traveling Friends Group Reads and what a great read this was. Norma read this one a while back with our Traveling Sisters but Lindsay and I buried in a coulee with other reads didn’t find our way out to read this one with them. There were some different views from the Traveling Sisters. It worked out great because this one made for a fantastic group read and discussion with our friends. A few friends who already read this one including Norma joined us in a coulee at the end to discuss this one making this one a fun and entertaining discussion.

Bring Me Back caught our attention right away and we were drawn right away into a coulee together not wanting to leave till we finished this easy and fast-paced story. Soon we were tossing around our theories while questioning everything and everyone.

B.A. Paris does a great job here creating some unlikable and unreliable characters here giving us a lot to chat about when it comes to them. We questioned them, were intrigued by them and annoyed by them. A few of us including Lindsay were left very proud of themselves for figuring out some things here with the story. Of course, I was not one of them.

Overall, the Traveling Friends were left in the same coulee with only one friend in a one by herself and another not too far away. They weren’t alone for long as they joined us. As we lingered and discussed this far-fetched story that Norma described best as a ridiculously entertaining and fun read.

B.A. Paris does have some fans here among us and many of us loved her previous books or want to read the ones we haven’t. I highly recommend this one to all readers for a super fun easy fast read that might just leave you a bit surprised at just how Paris weaves her magic by pulling into a far-fetched story and making it work.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and B.A. Paris for my copy to read and review.

This is Traveling Friends GR Reading Group Review and it can be found posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley. Coulee references are symbolic to our reading experience

This is my first book by this author. I have seen her name around many times, and I just haven't really felt interested. Lately, though these types of books have been my reads. I really loved this book. It was so great. The story, the writing, the characters, the ending, the twists and turns, the suspense. It was all so well done. I really didn't find any fault with this read.

Ten years ago, Finn and Layla go on a vacation together. They are in love, they are the cutest couple. Everything is great until it's not. Layla ends up disappearing. Finn tries everything to find her with no luck. He doesn't know what happened that night and he lives with it every day.

Ellen is Layla's older sister. She comes into town sometime later and hooks up with Finn. They are now the happy couple and are engaged to get married. Everything again seems to be going great, until it doesn't.

There have been sightings of Layla around town. Messages from someone who knows she is alive. Maybe this is true. Maybe she is here to be a part of Finn's life again. Or maybe someone is really messing with him. Either way, he needs to find out and without Ellen finding out what he is up too. He needs the truth before he marries Ellen.


This book was really really good. I will try to express my feelings without giving anything away. This book is full of shock moments and I want to keep it that way for all those that want to read it. The suspense is crazy good, the mystery is crazy good. The storytelling is crazy good. It is just crazy good.

The best parts and the most anticipating parts for me were the mysteries; first... what really happened the night Layla disappeared. I feel like this is the mystery of the first half of the book. Second... the other half of the book is filled with the mystery if Layla is really alive and if so what does she want. The mysteries of this story is done really well and I just needed to know it all.

The story was told in dual timelines and from a couple of points of view. So the story was pieced together little by little letting the entire truth in. Of course, the last bit of the truth doesn't come out until the very end. It is done slowly but not too slowly. The pacing is really excellent and there was a lot of things happening that kept my interest in the story.

The characters were developed well. They were intriguing and interesting even though I didn't particularly like them. I didn't need to like them, I needed to understand them. They were flawed, very flawed. Some of the decisions made were just so wrong... but I understood them and like I said, they were interesting.

The ending was wowzers. I was just in awe. I loved how it ended and how it all came together. The story was told just amazingly well and the end was just perfect. Flawless really from beginning to end for me.



I was blown away and will be reading much more of this author!

This book opens up with a young couple at a picnic area in the dark of night. The fellow goes to the restroom and upon his return he discovers that his girlfriend, Layla, is missing. In his recollections, we learn of his history of violence. We learn that Finn has not been totally forthcoming with the police and that he still holds some secrets. Because of these revelations there is doubt that Layla was kidnapped. Could Finn have killed her? Did she ran out of fear? All that is known for sure is that now, twelve years later, he is romantically involved with her sister. In fact they are engaged to be married. The tension of the story builds as little Russian dolls start appearing around their house, on their car, posted in the mail. Apparently these dolls hold sentimental value for the two sisters but very few people are aware their significance. Could Layla be alive? If so, where has she been all of these years? Why didn't she respond to all of the newspaper articles imploring for information about her whereabouts and why come back now? Finn wonders did she suffer from some sort of amnesia. Is she aware of who she is? Perhaps she is trying to send him some type of message. In the meantime, Finn is faced with another dilemma. Where does he stand in his relationship with Layla's sister, Ellen. He is forced to examine what his true feelings are and whether his present relationship is a result of a shared misery between him and Ellen as they both were the two people who loved Layla best. Does he truly love her for her or is he with Ellen because she reminds me of Layla? <b>Bring Me Back</b> was a quick fast paced read perfect for a day on the beach.

This book was a fantastic book to get me back on track for reading. It was a very quick read that engrossed me from the beginning. My love for B.A. Paris is strong. While I know many fellow book readers were not too big of a fan to this novel, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The novel goes between two different points of views. Finn’s and Layla’s.

The books starts out by giving us the background of Finn and Layla’s relationship and how it all began. The chapters juggle Finn’s point of view on Before and Now. After Layla goes missing and fast-forwarding 12 years Finn is not only dating her sister, Ellen, but is engaged to be married. When the announcement is made weird things start happening. Long lost items start showing up around Finn and Ellen’s home. E-mails from a stranger who seem to know too much come everyday and there are too many warning signs that Finn cannot see due to being emotionally attached to Ellen.

Towards the middle of the novel is where Layla’s point of view comes into character. She tells her side of the story and how she will fight to the death with her sister to win Finn back. There is a side to Ellen that Layla does not like. When they were younger Ellen would have done anything to protect Layla from the outrageous father but now Ellen is far more controlling. She doesn’t let Layla speak for herself like she did when they were younger.

As the novel comes to a close there is a side to Ellen that I seen coming. I just didn’t know how it would end. For both her and Layla.

This book was full of twists and full of surprises that I was intrigued to read about. I would suggest this read if you enjoy quick easy reads. These characters were easy to like and Paris’ writing was amazing as usual. Unfortunately though, I enjoyed her other two novels Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown much more!

With so many thrillers and psychological suspense novels being generated, it must be difficult for authors to devise a plot, storyline and dialogue that is fresh and appealing. B.A. Paris does an admirable job in the development of her latest novel. While it sometimes drags a little, Bring Me Back is still a good read.

Sometimes I struggled with my feelings about this book. The subject matter and plot were interesting and often I couldn’t put it down. There were times when the characters were annoying and fairly unlikable. Just when I’d become more than a bit exasperated with the characters or the pace of the story, an unexpected event would occur, bringing my attention back into focus. Because of this, I would give Bring Me Back 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

B.A. Paris , has successfully written a thriller full of mystery and suspense. Finn falls in love with Layla at first sight. But does he actually know her? Could he recognize her after over a decade? She was the love of his life until the day she went missing. One dark rainy night at a rest area., Layla was gone, the only thing left was the smallest doll of her childhood toy. Was Finn involved in her disappearance? Will he ever love again? Enter Ellen, Layla's sister. Here is where the story gets good. If you love twists and turns, you'll love this book.

I was so excited to read Bring Me Back. I loved B. A. Paris previous books. However, I found that Bring Me Back fell short in the thriller, can't put down arena. I was all in for the first few chapters. I really wanted to know what happened to Layla. The rest of the Story fell short of keeping me intrigued. I Know B.A.Paris has another great book in her. I am looking forward to reading It.

B.A. Paris set the bar high with her first book, Behind Closed Doors. It is still one of my favorite psychological thrillers. Her latest one is just as sinister, and it really dialed up the psychological elements. It was one of those stories that gets in your head and makes you think even after you put it down for the night (if you can!) She keeps you guessing until the very end.

I am surprised to see several negative reviews on this one. I agree that the characters aren't likable, especially the narrator, Finn. The core plot was good, though. Finn's fiancee, Layla, disappears while they are on vacation. Twelve years later, he's engaged again (to her sister!) and he starts to get messages from Layla. Then he starts finding these Russian nesting dolls in and around his house, their significance being something only he and Layla would know. Talk about creepy. It felt a little Hitchcockian the way it was told. If I had any criticism it would be the ending. I was hoping for something more dramatic, especially after messing with my head like it did.

Overall, I was thoroughly entertained and felt it was a smartly-written, mind-twisting, thriller!

This one kept me turning the pages but it was also quite depressing. I would definitely recommend this one to lovers of psychological thrillers, but the ending really bummed me out.

In Bring Me Back, Paris continues to explore relationships, facades, and the complications of secrets and lies.

The love of Finn's life, Layla, disappeared at a roadside stop a decade ago. Now Finn is marrying Layla's sister, Ellen, an event that seems to have brought Layla--or someone pretending to be her--back into their lives. But there are things both Finn and Ellen have been keeping secret for a long time, and whoever is sending them messages is determined to bring everything into the light.

While this was a gripping suspenseful read, I didn't love it in the same way I loved Behind Closed Doors. The ending was definitely a surprise with a huge twist, but when I thought about it, it didn't really make a lot of sense.

wow wow wow!! Could not put this book down!! Awesome!!!! Fast read!!!!! B.A. Paris does it once again!!! She had me on the edge of my seat the whole time trying to figure out how this book was going to end!!! Way to go!!! Highly recommended!!!

I liked this book, it help my interest and kept wanting more to find out about where the dolls were coming from!

Bring Me Back is a fast paced thriller that will leave you on the edge of seat until the last page.

Finn and Layla went on a vacation and she disappeared. The only ones who know what happened that night is Layla and Finn. Finn didn’t tell the whole truth of what happened that night and as we read we get glimpses of what truly occurred between those two.

Flash forward and Finn is going to marry Layla’s sister Emma. All of a sudden he starts finding these little Russian dolls everywhere. Then more messages start appearing and he doesn’t know who is messing with him.

This story had me hooked pretty much throughout the book. I figured out the major plot about 3/4 into the book but that didn’t stop me from liking it. I did hate how it ended. I still had questions and it felt like it was rushed. Overall, though, this is a great suspense book that you won’t be disappointed to read.

I made a big mistake when I started this book in that I didn't allow enough time to read it in one sitting!! From the start - I was confused, I was intrigued, I was concerned but mostly I was hooked!! The book about a missing person who "reappears" twelve years later was filled with clues and hints but so well done that I was constantly changing my mind about what was really happening!

I really enjoyed the fast pace of the book. Not all of the characters were likable - in fact - some were quite annoying but I think that was part of the appeal to me as well!

Totally recommend the book for anyone that wants to be immersed in the journey from the very first page!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of Bring me Back by B.A. Paris.

Finn and Layla are young and in love when Layla mysteriously goes missing on their way back from a dreamy vacation. She leaves no trace and after the police goes as far as arresting Finn on suspicion of her disappearance, she is left as a cold case.

Flash forward twelve years, and now Finn is engaged to marry Layla's sister Ellen. She is a softer spoken, more agreeable version of Layla, and even though there is the strong connection to Layla between them, they are still very much in love. But their romance is quickly interrupted when clues and emails start appearing that signify Layla's reappearance into their lives. Is someone playing a cruel hoax, or is it far more sinister than that?

I'm not sure about this one. The whole thing was quite a stretch for me, especially the ending. I could never really get behind shacking up with your possibly murdered ex-wife's sister in the first place, so none of it really fell into place for me after that fact. The ending did genuinely surprise me, but still, meh.

A mystery that I didn't solve until close to the end of the book! I like that a lot. So many times I get about half way through a book or a movie and have figured out the twist/mystery half way through and find it a struggle to finish, but not in this case.

The author did a great job of keeping me on my toes and really drawing me in to the story from beginning to end.
I hadn't read her anything she'd written before, but I'm definitely going to do so now!

I really like B.A. Paris and especially Behind Closed Doors. Bring Me Back, however, was just okay. The "twist" didn't pack that much of a punch and I didn't care for any of the characters. It was an easy read, but forgettable.

Ok. I figured out the story and I wanted to stop reading but I wanted to see it was going to end up. What a real stretch of your imagination. Not my favorite style of thriller. I really enjoyed B.A Paris first book, Behind Closed Doors. This book was a disappointment.

The book begins in 2006, twelve years before. Finn McQuaid is being interviewed because his girlfriend, Layla has disappeared. They had stopped at a rest area, deserted except for one car. Layla was sleeping, so Finn went in to use the restroom. When he returned Layla was gone. He is giving his statement to the police. After he finishes telling his story, he informs us, the readers, that it was the truth, but not the whole truth.

Fast forward to now. Finn receives a call from Tony Heddon, the detective who worked on Layla’s case. He has news that an old neighbor of Layla and Finn’s has reported that he saw Layla alive!

Not knowing what to do with this information Finn heads home to Ellen. Ellen is Layla’s sister and Finn and her are now a couple and plan on getting married. While Finn is resting with the idea of whether or not to tell Ellen, Ellen has her own news. She found a small Russian nesting doll. A doll that she thought Layla took from her. She is certain that Layla is alive.

With that starts a story of twists and turns, some believable, some not so much. A good story, characters were a bit weak.

I received an ARC of Bring Me Back.