Being a fan of B.A. Paris, I really wanted to like this book. I've enjoyed most of the author's previous books. But I didn't connect with this one. The concept is interesting. A husband throws his wife a huge party for her 40th birthday, but he gets some potentially devastating news on the day of the party. Does he tell his wife what's going on right away, or does he give her a few more hours of happiness before her world collapses? I love books that take place over a very short time period, like twenty-four hours. Those books typically move quickly and keep me engaged. But the husband and wife really frustrated me with their repeated bad choices, and the book left me feeling a little depressed. However, I've loved B.A. Paris's previous books, and I would definitely read more of her work in the future. This one just didn't work for me.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Dilemma ⭐️
Its Livias birthday and her husband Adam is trying to make it a magical 40th birthday for her but their daughter Marnie wont be able to make it. Livia wants to tell Adam shes happy Marnie wont be there but shes there daughter, she should lover her right? Want her to be there to celebrate?

But then an accident changes everything and suddenly that ping of irritation for having Marnie coming to celebrate is a ping of fear when she doesn’t show up.

I have to admit that this was not one of my favorite BA Paris novels And I have loved everything I read by Paris previously. This one had more story line last mystery. As we are following Livia and Adam before during and after the birthday party we are just getting conversations and it was good but I am used to more thriller and drama so that’s what I was expecting open till the end the end was fast paced and wonderful just like I want it.


Thank you to St Martins Press via netgalley for sending me a copy of The Dileema by BA Paris. Available on June 30, 2020
All opinions are my own.

The tension in this one was palpable and kept me racing through the pages. Paris lays out compelling reasons why both members of the married couple keep their secrets from each other, and the dramatic irony ratchets up the pressure and drags the reader along by the collar. Recommended for fans of AJ Finn and Sheri Lapena.

*1.5 stars*
I’m really struggling with what to say about this book. The Dilemma was a family drama with so many secrets and lies. Almost all of the book takes place on Livia’s 40th birthday; a party which she is treating like her own personal wedding reception, that she couldn’t have years before. But, both Livia, and her husband, Adam, are hiding secrets from each other.

The title of this book, dilemma, led me to believe these are small things you are hiding from your spouse, but no, these were serious, life changing things, that should have never been secrets and should have been handled right away. I was so angry mostly at Adam for keeping that secret but both characters were cowards. They finally reveal their secrets to each other the morning after the party, and yet a year later, things are normal as if nothing changed them at all. This story just made my blood boil. ughhhh

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Livia has been planning her 40th birthday party for the past twenty years. After being robbed of her dream wedding, it was the very least she deserved. The day has finally arrived and everything is coming together perfectly, except for the constant nagging of the secret she has been keeping from her husband, Adam. As it turns out, Adam is keeping a secret of his own and has no earthly idea how he is going to keep it to himself until after the party. They are grappling with the same dilemma: tell their spouse or let them enjoy the much anticipated party. After all, these secrets could tear their family and friends apart.

Wow. I feel like my heart just rode an elevator from my throat to the pit of my stomach on a loop. In the beginning I had no idea what direction this book was going in but as soon as I found out, I was choking with anxiety. The more I read, the more gut-wrenching it was.

Admittedly, I was terribly annoyed with Livia. I understand not sharing with anyone else, but Adam? She can keep something from her husband for several weeks, but open right up to her mother 20yrs after her parents disowned her? As for Adam, I have zero understanding how he suffered through that alone for an entire day. I see no scenario where I could have put on a brave face as he did, even while falling apart.

While this is a far cry from Paris' typical works, I was immediately drawn into it just the same. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and B.A. Paris for a free electronic ARC of The Dilemma in exchange for an honest review!

The Dilemma by B.A. Paris releases on June 30th, 2020.

I have to be honest, here, and say that I have a like-hate relationship with B.A. Paris’ books. I did enjoy her first novel, Behind Closed Doors, and while it was not my favourite, I did like it. Unfortunately, however, I have not been able to connect with her latest books, whatsoever. I feel like I’m alone in these feelings though, because there are SO many readers who have read and loved all of her books. So, please, take what I’m saying with a grain of salt because you might really enjoy these books and I am probably just in the minority with my feelings.

B.A. Paris’ latest novel, The Dilemma, takes place over the course of one full day and evening: Livia’s 40th birthday. Livia has been planning her 40th birthday party ever since she was denied the wedding and reception of her dreams, by her parents. Since then, she has been saving money from every pay check to put towards this lavish party. Both Livia and her husband, Adam, are determined to make sure that nothing goes amiss and that the party is absolutely perfect. To ensure that this happens, Livia and Adam decide to keep a major secret from each other, regarding their daughter, Marnie, until the party is over.

I really struggled to finish this book because it was hard for me to wrap my mind around the overall concept of this book. It is definitely not a thriller, and instead, way more of a twisted and confusing family drama, which threw me off from the get-go. I also found it difficult to connect with the characters, the plot, as well as with Paris’ writing. Livia and Adam are very unlikeable (and annoying) characters who are both extremely selfish and self-absorbed. Nothing about them, or their reasoning for keeping their secrets, sat well with me. I also found the overall story to be drawn out and repetitive, as you read the same dialogue and events described through both Livia and Adam in their respective alternating chapters. Overall, I’m really disappointed and I do not think I will read another book by this author.

Rating: 1.5 stars, rounded up.

Links to my review can be found on my bookstagram bio: www.instagram.com/rebekahdolmat
My full review can also be found on my blog: www.rebekahreads.ca/the-dilemma-by-b-a-paris/

It’s Livia’s 40th birthday, and her husband Adam is throwing her the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding they never had. Everyone she loves will be there, except her daughter Marnie, who’s studying abroad. But Livia is secretly glad Marnie won’t be there.

Livia has recently uncovered a secret about their daughter which, if revealed, will shake the foundation of their family to its core. She needs to tell Adam, but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together.

Adam, meanwhile, has his own surprise for Livia: he’s arranged for Marnie to secretly fly back for the party. But before Marnie arrives, Adam hears some terrible news. Now he too is faced with a dilemma: Does he share what he’s learned with his wife? Is hiding the truth the same as telling a lie? And how far are Adam and Livia willing to go to protect the ones they love—and give each other a last few hours of happiness?


My Thoughts: What a convoluted tale of secrets and good intentions that started out simply enough but then turned complex and wrong by the end. The Dilemma is all about the numerous conundrums in a marriage that can keep a couple off balance and turn their lives upside down.

When Livia and Adam each keep their secrets for their own reasons, perhaps to protect the other person, they are risking the delicate balance of their lives and their family.

The story is told alternately by Livia and Adam, and the intensity builds up as we draw closer to the final denouement and learn what price they will all have to pay for their moments of deception. An emotional read that kept me turning the pages. 4 stars.

***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley

Livia spends her entire adult life planning a party for her 40th birthday to make up for the wedding she never had. The party is the backdrop for a family drama with more than one person hiding life-changing secrets.

For me, this book was unrealistic and most of it read more like a soap opera than a suspenseful drama. For Livia to have focused so much time and energy on this one event, her 40th birthday party, does not seem like something a person would really do. Even the character thinks several times that it's a ridiculous thing to do. Then, there are the secrets - the husband's, in particular, that seem too important to keep from the spouse you claim to love more than anything.

It's difficult to review this without giving away spoilers, but overall it was unrealistic and it was like a sleazy soap opera that drags out a storyline for too long. The one big event seemed like it was supposed to make it a more serious story but it was bogged down by the drama until the end. This would have been better as a short story that focused more on the marriage and the big secret instead of including so many characters and other secrets that just added unnecessary drama.

Although I found parts of this book enjoyable, it felt so slow and longer than it needed to be. The book sums up the ups and down of an over 20 year marriage and the author does a great job portraying the complexities of marriage. The book gets repetitive towards the end unfortunately. Thanks for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down and I literally read it in one day. Livia has been saving and planning for her 40th birthday for a long time with her family. Adam has been working hard at getting their daughter, Marnie, home to surprise Livia but there seems to have been a delay with her flight. When Adam finds out about a plane crash leaving Cairo, he starts to panic that it's the one Marnie was one, but her previous one was delayed so she should have missed the connecting flight. But if she missed the connecting flight, why isn't she answering her phone or messages? Does Adam tell Livia what he's suspects, that his daughter may have been on that flight? Does Livia tell Adam about the affair going on?

This book was great, I have never been disappointed by B. A. Paris, however, this book I felt like carried on too long with Adam and Livia holding in their big secrets from each other. Overall, I think the book definitely showed some true feelings of the characters and I really enjoyed that you could almost feel how they felt just by reading about them. As annoyed as I may have been that it took Adam to tell Livia the truth, I can also understand why he waited so long to say something and it was impressive how long he was able to keep that to himself. I would definitely recommend this book.

The storyline of this book just didn’t ring true. Would a woman really plan a BIG 40 year birthday bash for 23 years because she didn’t have the wedding of her dreams? Would it really be such a focus in her life for so long? What about renewing her vows on her 25th wedding anniversary instead, having that wedding? Claire’s character seemed completely shallow. Would a husband go through said party when he had devastating news to share with his wife. News that would change their lives forever? Both Claire and Adam are holding something back from each other (Adam’s by far the worse of the two), both are waiting until after the party to share that news. Even when the party is over, they both hold off telling the other their news, making things even more devastating. Repetitive and unrealistic, this one was a hard pill to swallow.

This is a tough book to review without giving anything away, because there isn’t a whole lots else going on. There is one major event/“unknown” for most of the book. The fact that it remains unknown for most of the book is completely unrealistic and outside of how actual human beings would react. The rest of the book is the couple talking about other small dramas in their life and not telling their spouse about things. These events, along with all of the other side characters in the book, despite them seeming important , have no effect on the outcome of the book. I expected there to be a big surprise twist at the end. There was not. I don’t really understand the purpose of this story. On the plus side, it was an extremely quick read.

Most of The Dilemma by B.A. Parris is told in about a 24 hour time span, alternating between Livia’s and Adam’s point of view and including flashbacks to give more context. They are both keeping a secret hoping to keep the other from experiencing the complete ruin they know is to come. One is keeping it in order to give their spouse a few last hours of happiness, the other to realize a dream they’ve had for years. Some people may side with both of them and their decisions. While I think both of them should have said something right away, I’m completely siding with Adam. If you’ve read the book, I would love to hear if you thought either of them were doing the right thing.

Parris kept the suspense up and the exposing of new secrets like a pro. There was a bit in the middle with Adam and his thought process that I found very repetitive and wished more of it had been cut out during editing, mainly to keep the story flowing even faster. When I did finally find out the outcome, it wasn’t a surprise, but it was still moving. I was hoping it would go a different way and was looking forward to seeing if Parris could throw in another big twist.

A very interesting look at family and friend drama and the secrets people keep while trying to protect themselves even when they are saying they are completely doing it for someone else.

The main characters are Adam and Livia, a husband and wife who love each other and their adult children Josh and Marnie. Livia has planned for many years to have a grand celebration in honor of her 40th Birthday to compensate for another event that happened years before. This story unfolds through the views of Livia and Adam of circumstances that happen during the hours before, during, and after Livia’s Birthday party which involves family members and friends alike. Secrets that would devastate others will come out eventually and those will not be revealed to others to prevent a permanent rift in a friendship.

This book is slightly different from the others that B.A. Paris has written. It is not a psychological thriller or a mystery per se but a story beautiful written about a family, their decisions, and fallout from those.

READ the book... Find out what secrets everyone is keeping and whom they would destroy if known. Find out if WHAT (or is it a WHO?) THE DILEMMA is! How would YOU handle #TheDilemma if it were your family and friends?

I was excited to be approved by St Martin’s Press and NetGallery to read an eGallery of The Dilemma by B.A. Paris and provide my honest review. @StMartinsPress #NetGallery @BAParisAuthor #Sponsored.

Always excited to read a new book by B.A. Paris and The Dilemma does not disappoint! This is a very smoothly written family drama told from two points of view, husband and wife Livia and Adam. They live a good life with their two grown children. But there are secrets and a devastating occurrence which puts them under unimaginable stress. Clever, original and emotional - a real page turner!

I have been eagerly waiting for this book as I adore this author, BA Paris. There was no disappointment here. The story is told in chapters of the wife, Livia and her husband, Adam.. It's Livia's 40th birthday and she has forever been planning this big party, the biggest most wonderful party they have given. They have two twenty something children, Josh and Marnie. The story is filled with love, angst, choices, parenting, friends and family, it is not without dilemma. I love this book and the way the author builds and builds and your heart is pounding and pounding over decisions, expectations, the past and choices, a dilemma. I couldn't put it down! Thanks to #NetGalley#StMartinsPress#TheDilemma

I have been a B.A. Paris fan since the publication of her first book, Behind Closed Doors. Super excited every time a new book comes out, and with The Dilemma was not different.

B.A. Paris never disappoints. I still love her writing style, and how unique the characters and the stories are. The Dilemma is not as dark as Behind Closed Door for example, in my opinion, however, what remains the same for me is unforgettable characters and unexpected twists in the stories, which makes her books so different from all the others in the same genre. I would definitely recommend this for B.A. Paris fans and also if you are looking for a great thriller.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first B.A. Paris novel but it won't be my last! I greatly enjoyed this tense yet heartfelt story of the best and worst day a family can ever have. The POV changes per chapter between Adam and Livia, a husband and wife with two grown children and a big party to host on the day of the story. The plot takes place over this day with each chapter telling the reader the time which I thought was perfect for pacing the story since the biggest moments happen within the characters rather than with events outside of them.

Adam, Livia, and the whole cast of characters (who all add something to the story in their own ways) are real people. They make mistakes. Sometimes you adore them, sometimes you think they're terrible. They grow before your eyes. It's definitely one of the best character-driven stories I've read in ages.

I have absolutely no complaints about this book. It was an amazing read and I would recommend it to every reader as there's something (or someone) for everybody in this story.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher St. Martin's Press, and the author B.A. Paris for the opportunity to do so.

I read this entire book in one day simply because I HAD to get to the end. I had to finish it because once it started there was no stopping and leaving the story untold. It was heartbreaking once the truths started coming out and I just wanted it to end with every page.

This was my first time reading a B.A. Paris book and it will definitely not be my last. The description made The Dilemma sound like a thriller but it turned out to be a more of a domestic drama with a lot of thrilling elements. I read the book in two sittings only because I needed to get some sleep. I literally could not put it down. Having the story told in alternating chapters by the husband and wife was an excellent way to propel the story forward. I expected that there would be a third act twist but it was definitely not the twist I expected. Compulsively readable with characters that you connect with, I highly recommend The Dilemma.