This book was a little different than other books I’ve read by B.A. Paris but not in a bad way. The story makes you think what would you do if you Knew something that others needed to know, how would you present it. I love this author and look forward to future books. But though this book is different than what I was expecting it still was a really good story and it really made me think. You just never know what secrets everybody’s holding and when those secrets should be told. Though different than expected I enjoyed this book very much

The Dilemma, by B.A. Paris, is a nail biting account of multiple characters undergoing different dilemmas, all while planning for Livia’s 40th birthday party. The story alternates back and forth mostly between husband and wife Adam and Livia and their tortured dilemma of when and how to reveal what they know to each other, but there are also smaller dilemmas that sneak in throughout the sordid tale of the evening.

Livia never got the wedding she wanted, so she’s saved up for her 40th birthday and is having a celebration to beat all celebrations. However, her mood is dampened because she knows a secret of her daughter’s. When is the right time to share this secret with her husband? How will their friends and family react when they find out? This secret won’t stay hidden, and Livia wants to be strategic about its reveal to minimize the damage done to her close relationships. Meanwhile, her husband Adam has been working with her daughter to plan a surprise visit for the party. Turns out, Adam discovers a secret also. Although he desperately wants to tell his wife, he wants her to have the party of her dreams and is torn - when does he share this secret with her?

In typical B.A. Paris fashion, the story is laid out in such a way to racket up the tension. The alternating view points of husband and wife hour by hour as well as by chapter leave you on the edge of your seat as you wait for each reveal - just when you think you’re going to get the answer, there’s a new chapter with a different narrator. The reader can really feel the mental strain of each character as they ponder their next move in the game of life. Adam and Livia are both trying to look out for each other’s best interests while still maintaining the honesty that is important for a good marriage. And many, many little dilemmas sneak in throughout, contributing to the building of tension and propelling the reader through this delicious story.

Thank you to B.A. Paris, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. If you love suspense, grab this one right now!! The Dilemma comes to the US on June 30, so soon!! Enjoy :)

It was a well written story, the characters were well rounded and loveable but I wish I hadn't read it. It breaks your heart. Literally guts you; leaving you raw and crying. You don't ever want to imagine the pain that Adam and Livia are going through, and yet, you live it through them and because of that, you feel it so deeply as your throat aches and the tears spill out, thankful that your own children are alive and beside you but so torn with grief at how easily they can be taken away, without you even knowing it.

I read this in a few hours because it was the kind of book you couldn't put down. It was amazingly well written. But that doesn't mean it wasn't hard. Quite a few times, I had to stop and wipe away my tears so I could hold my own children and cry into their hair. This isn't a book for someone who has ever lost a child and it definitely isn't a book for someone who is still grieving the loss of anyone. There is no happy ending, really. Only the reality that so many have to live with and that I pray I only know through reading.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been the lucky recipient of an ARC of all of B.A. Paris' books, and again this one doesn't disappoint!

Livia's 40th birthday is approaching and she's getting the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding she never had. Her husband, family, friends will all be there...except her daughter Marnie, and Livia is secretly relieved. She has recently come across some not so pretty news about her daughter and doesn't want to have to reveal to anyone.

Unbeknownst to Livia, Adam her husband, has a secret of her own - he's been planning a secret trip home for Marnie to surprise Livia for her birthday!

There's a terrible tragedy in the days prior to the party, and Adam doesn't know if he should tell Livia...hence, "The Dilemma"

Fast paced, and un-put-downable, I gobbled this one up in less than 24 hrs!

To me, this was a family drama story, more than a thriller. A few things irked me, the 20 year plan for a party?! Would never do that! Not talking to my spouse about my child sleeping with a friend, wouldn’t do that! Not speaking to my spouse about a possibility of my child’s death?! Nope! I admit, I liked how it was written, switching between husband and wife chapters. I ended up reading the last 15 chapters in one sitting, I wanted to see the outcome. I love B. A. Paris, but this is definitely not a favorite. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC.

The Dilemma is a departure from B. A. Paris's earlier works, a foray into domestic/"women's" fiction and I really enjoyed it! The bulk of The Dilemma takes place on the day of a 40th birthday party, and what's a stake is what it means to be in a marriage, what it means to be a parent, and all that unfurls from it.

It's a fascinating read because the stakes aren't "oh, no, someone is trying to kill me!" but instead about how one moment, one act can shift the entire landscape of your life and that of everyone you love or know. While I obviously love a good thriller, I think that good non-comedic novels about "ordinary" families and how they cope with unexpected changes and tragedy are infinitely more terrifying in that, inevitably, you are going to see part of yourself or your life reflected back and--well, sometimes we can be more frightening than any villian on a page.

The Dilemma isn't perfect--the ending is far too fastly and neatly wrapped up, and both Lydia and Adam slide into gender cliches more often than I'd prefer, but overall The Dilemma is the kind of family drama that's often promised in other novels--a look at what makes a family, and how its construction can be both solid and ephemeral at the same time..

Not like the authors other books. I did not like this story at all. I kept expecting some sort of twist, but it never came. It just drug on and on.

Too much beyond the realm of reality that so many bad things were happening simultaneously on the day of a 40th birthday celebration. A father keeping a plane crash on which his daughter could be a casualty and instead of waiting for official notice, he would go fly off to Asia and try to find his daughter at the airport at which he doesn’t even know if she was there, keeping the crash a secret from his wife because he didn’t want to ruin her 40th birthday party, that a mother secretly did not want her daughter to come back home as it would ruin her peaceful existence, and lastly the situation with Roy that she festered with constantly. Just too much. Though I was interested to know in the end if Marnie was a surviver, I gave up the book at 61%. So disappointing as I have tremendously enjoyed other B,A. Paris books.

B.A. Paris is my old reliable easy to read thriller. I've even gone so far as to order her books from Amazon UK just to get my hands on them faster. I enjoyed this one more than her first two books, even though it's more drama and less thriller. It's a simple premise, but one birthday party is jammed packed full of husband & wife drama and secrets. The characters are a bit annoying and flawed, but still I couldn't stop reading. This is a perfect summer mind kill!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my first B.A. Paris advanced copy!

I binged this book in one day, and by the last 100 pages I knew I was not going to put this book down until I had some answers.
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When the forward of this book mentioned that this book was going to be a bit different from the author's previous books, I was wary but intrigued. One of the things I've loved about some of B.A. Paris's other books was the creepy, psychological thriller atmosphere that she's created that really keeps you on edge the whole time. While this book is pretty different, I enjoyed it just the same and am so happy to find that she can successfully keep me on the edge with a domestic thriller as well.
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This book is full of secrets. Secrets that swirl around and around the heads of each character until you think they are going to burst out. At first I was a bit put off by Livia's obsession with this 40th birthday party - that she had been planning it for 20 years seemed absolutely ridiculous to me. However, as we learn more about her, we not only learn her background, but also her slightly obsessive personality shine through. I also didn't particularly care for her husband Adam (especially when we learn more about his past), and while I found some of his choices VERY questionable, he definitely grew on me.
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This book did a really great job of showing how keeping a secret can eat you up from the inside and the more it swirls around in your head, the more it takes over your thoughts and actions, until you cannot focus on anything else. The book stakes place in one day and there was a bit of a repetitive nature to the story - we spend A LOT of time in the characters' heads as the think and analyze and go round and round in circles, and by the end you want to scream at them to JUST SPILL IT ALREADY. So year, the tension building is there!
Even though it is not the most face paced story and not a lot honestly happens with the plot, it was a very quick, bingeable read.

The advance for this book says: "Knowing the truth will destroy her. Keeping it secret will destroy him.” It should have also said: “Knowing the truth will destroy him. Keeping it secret will destroy her.” And there you have the dilemma. Adam and Livia were teenage parents, having married when she got pregnant with their son, Josh. Livia’s parents severed all relations with her and the big wedding she had dreamed of had never happened. So Livia had long ago decided that the party for her 40th birthday would make up for the diappointment of the past. Told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Adam and Livia, the day of the party has arrived, and all of their friends and family will be at the party with the exception of Marnie, their daughter, who is studying in Hong Kong. Livia has discovered a secret about her daughter, but she has not told Adam, deciding to wait until after the party. Adam has arranged for Marnie to surprise her mother by coming back to Windsor, England. But Adam is faced with a dilemma of his own - he hears some news but should he share it with Livia? Or wait until after the party? At times, I just wanted to scream at both main characters - please talk to one another, and they come so close, but there is always a reason that delays the inevitable. This is the first book I have read by Paris, and her reputation precedes her. Filled with tension and suspense, this book is well worth your time. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review the ARC of this novel.

The Dilemma is quite different from B.A. Paris's usual thrillers in that this isn't a thriller at all. Instead, readers should expect a slow-burn family drama with particular emphasis on women's fiction. Although it isn't as suspenseful as Paris's previous novels, The Dilemma is still a good story with solid writing and interesting characters. I would recommend this one to anyone considering dipping their toes into the suspense genre and seeking a light, easy read to connect to.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

This isn’t BA Paris’s typical book, it is more of a family drama. The whole book takes place in one day, and alternates between Adam and Livia, a couple who got married way too young and each have a secret. I wasn’t sure how I was liking it at first, but then I also couldn’t put it down and needed to know how everything played out. There was a twist I didn’t see coming, and I really did enjoy reading. I felt all the emotions between them, and while the whole book wouldn’t have been a story if they would have just communicated to each other in the beginning…..it was very realistic of a marriage.

Bottom Line: While this isn’t her typical physiological thriller, BA Paris writes a fantastic family drama!

**I received a copy of The Dilema from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Livia has been dreaming of throwing a huge 40th birthday party for years to make up for the wedding she never had.
Her husband Adam to determined to make sure she gets it.
But will the secrets they are both keeping ruin the night? Or the rest of their lives?
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This was definitely not like B.A. Paris’s other books. I wouldn’t call it a thriller at all. Its definitely a family drama.
I was frustrated, annoyed,heartbroken, and happy reading this one.
This book is seriously a PSA on the importance of communication in a marriage.
I found myself so frustrated during this whole book because if these characters had communicated all their problems would have been solved. Though I can’t say I didn’t like it because I could not put it down.

Having read BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and THE BREAKDOWN by B.A. Paris I was anxious to read THE DILEMMA as the author is hit or miss with me.

The novel takes place in a 24 hour time period with alternating views of Adam and Livia. The story revolves around Livia's 40th birthday party. One of the reasons it was so difficult for me to invest in the characters of this novel was the ridiculousness of Livia planning her 40th birthday party for 20 plus years. This party was the MOST important thing in her life. Really difficult thing for me as a wife and mother to accept or believe.

Between my frustration with the obsession of Livia’s party and Adam’s reluctance to know when to draw the line along with misunderstanding after misunderstanding between Livia, Adam and everyone they know I am surprised I finished this book.

I finished because I just wanted to know where this story was going and where was missing, also misunderstood daughter Marnie.

This book could have been the same story in a few chapters at best, a short story perhaps. I found it repetitive and unrealistic. I enjoyed the relationships Adam and Livie had with their friends if not with each other and their children.

If you are a B.A. Paris fan give this book a read, she diverts from her usual genre of thriller and forays into character study. I prefer her thriller genre but am glad I read this book.

The Dilemma is a domestic drama that missed the mark for me. The premise of the book are the events that take place over 24 hours, but are strung out for an entire book. The pace was slow moving and underwhelming. The entire story line revolved around lack of communication between a husband and wife that frankly, fell flat for me.

Livia has dreamed of having a grand, 40th birthday party, to make up for the wedding she never had due to getting married at a courthouse while pregnant at a young age. The story revolved around this birthday party, which seemed ridiculous to me. What 40 year old woman is that obsessed with her own birthday party??!! I could not get over my annoyance for her character and how immature her and her husband, Adam were. Adam has important news that he should be sharing with his wife, but chooses to wait until her party is over as not to spoil her time. Who does this??!!

This entire book was an attempt at a character study that missed the mark. The characters were aggravating, the story line was materialistic and boring, and I kept waiting for SOMETHING to happen. Spoiler alert, nothing happens. If you are looking for a good domestic drama, there are much better ones out there.

I want to first start by saying I am a huge BA Paris fan and have loved all of the previous books. This one was not a favorite of mine. I feel the story dragged on longer than it should have and was fairly predictable. The story did take a turn once the "prediction" came true and did show the characters dealing with some deep emotions which I think made the reader feel those emotions as well. I loved the format of the book, where most of it took place in 2 days. I think that is a good format for a thriller. Regardless of this not being a favorite book, I could not put this book down and finished it in a few days. Predictable or not, it was still an enjoyable book.

This book...where do I begin. I believe it could’ve been more of a short story or shorter book than it actually is. I felt it was very dragged on. And the communication, or lack there of, between Livia and Adam is ridiculous. As to not give too much away about the book, I was let down by this one and have my fingers crossed that the next one will be better

Thank you to Netgalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.


How far would you go to protect your love ones from a devastating secret?


Wow, this book was absolutely beautiful. I wanted to read this one because I love her thrillers and I wanted to see her branch out to another genre, and she did it flawlessly.

This book starts in the present and then switches from Adam’s and Livia’s POVs in the past leading up to now. It was so interesting watching the same thing play out from two different perspectives- each knowing a secret they know will destroy the other if they find out. Seeing how these two are so beautifully human in how they act. Each harboring a deep dark secret about a loved one that will shatter their worlds, but not wanting to mention anything so the other can have one last normal day before everything changes.

Is a person bad for doing a bad thing but having the best intentions?

Livia has been planning her fortieth birthday bash ever since marrying in front of a justice of the peace without her parents in attendance. *I didn’t understand the logic behind Livia planning decades in advance for a fortieth birthday, but I suspended belief and just went with it.
On the day of Livia’s fortieth birthday party, her husband Adam learns devastating news that will change their lives forever. Adam is faced with a dilemma - does he ruin Livia’s birthday by telling her, or keep quiet and let her enjoy herself. Livia too has a secret she’s been keeping, although she’s managed to keep it hidden for weeks. This story alternates between both Livia and Adams perspectives, each own’s dilemmas. Their 19-year-old daughter Marnie is not attending the party as she’s currently in Hong Kong. I found Marnie’s storyline to be the most interesting of all the characters.
I’ve enjoyed and recommended B. A. Paris’s three other novels, she’s an automatic go-to-author for me. Although this novel didn’t quite hit the mark, I’m always excited to see what’s coming up next from her.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this ARC with me for an honest review.