Okay, yes, Livia, the main female character, has this twenty-years-long 'need' for a huge and specific party to make up for the wedding she never had and it's pretty ridiculous. But if you can't get past that for the sake of the story, you probably shouldn't bother with this one because the entire book takes place right before and during said party. Just let it be what it is.

Now to talk about it without giving everything away...

Livia and her spouse, Adam, both have a 'dilemma' involving their daughter Marnie. Information they do not know when or how to share with each other. I have to admit, as I talked through the scenarios with my husband the decisions seemed silly and simple, but when you're reading the book, the author does a great job of drawing you into the minds of the characters and feeling their struggle. At least with Adam's struggle. Livia's struggle didn't make sense to me in the context of marriage. But I could understand Adam's dilemma a little better- and though it seems simple to an outsider, the intensity of conflicting emotions can easily cause people to think and act irrationally.

I thought it was interesting that we don't really get to know Marnie much at all. I feel like most books like this would spend time having flashbacks to the character's past to build on her personality and help you know and feel connected to her considering she is at the heart of the story. But Paris didn't do that. I can't decide whether I would have preferred that or not: on the one hand, it would have broken up the book more instead of spending so much time in one 24 hour time period and maybe would have made the reader like Marnie more; on the other hand, it seemed evident that Paris was trying to write a book focused on communication in marriage and the relationship between the husband and wife before, through, and after their dilemmas.

I read this book in about 3 days- the writing is very compelling and gripping. I was drawn in and feeling the tension. I'm glad she didn't string you along too far without revealing more details or it would have gotten annoying. But I feel like it was just the right amount of drawing out and keeps you biting your nails trying to figure out which way Paris is going to swing it.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It's not going to change your marriage by any means, and you probably won't like one or more of the characters, but I think you will connect with the story and be engaged throughout the story. It's not a thriller but it's a compelling, tense, family drama and sometimes we need something that touches our emotions.

And bonus!- broaden your British English vocabulary:
- to 'revise' means to study (as in school)
- a 'marquee' is a large tent
- a 'jumper' is a sweater

I wanted to like this, and some of the writing was strong, but it just didn't hold my attention. I felt that the author was withholding too much from me as the reader in order to enjoy the book. I didn't finish it.

B.A. Paris, my Queen.

Although very different from her prior works, I still really enjoyed this. Smaller in scope, yet quite intricate as a character study.

Following husband and wife, Livia and Adam, this story takes place during the course of one day. The day of Livia's much anticipated 40th birthday party.

Adam and Livia were married very young and never had the chance to have the wedding of her dreams.

She has always looked on this party as an opportunity to celebrate not just her birthday, but also their relationship.

As the day arrives Livia is dragged down by a monumental secret she is keeping from her husband.

Unfortunately, she's not the only one with a secret. Adam has a life-changing secret as well that he is choosing to keep from her.

The narrative alternates between the two as they struggle with their decisions to keep such important facts secret from one another. It is very introspective in a lot of ways, but there is still quite a bit of suspense.

Over the course of the story, the reader learns the true nature of their respective secrets and what those secrets could mean for the family as a whole.

As I mentioned above, this novel seemed smaller in scope compared to her previous novels. By that I mean, all of the action takes place at their home during the course of one day.

Her previous novels certainly covered larger geographical areas, as well as longer spans of time, making the stories seem more complex.

However, I think after you complete this one, and you sit back and think about what you have read, the real intricacies begin to come to light.

I cried reading this. The characters go through so much, it really moved me.

Although I would classify this as more domestic drama than psychological thriller, which is what I would classify her earlier novels, I appreciated it very much.

Her writing style is just so compelling and never fails to keep me glued to the pages.

B.A. Paris has a fan in me for life. I will always pick up every single thing she has published.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. This was absolutely one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it did not disappoint.

B.A Paris is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. This is the second book I have read and the characters are rich and believable. This is a heartbreaking story no parent wants to face.

This book was a fast read, you just had to know how it was going to end! I almost skipped to the end to see how it turned out. A definite creative thriller by a great author

The Dilemma was about a woman named Olivia (Livia) who was excited to be having her 40th birthday party. She never had a wedding, because her parents didn't approve of her getting pregnant before marriage. Livia's parents were no longer a part of her life from that moment forward. Livia's daughter Marnie was studying abroad and wanted to come home and surprise her mom on her birthday. Livia's husband, Adam, made the arrangements for Marnie to go back. Just before Livia's birthday party started, Adam read on his phone that the flight his daughter was supposed to be on crashed. He wasn't sure that she was on the plane because Marnie told him she would miss the layover. So, Adam decides to go along with the party and not worry Livia until he k for sure what has happened to their daughter. Adam spends the next 14 hours trying to be polite at the party but is internally melting down because he can't get ahold of Marnie. Livie's party was a success, and once everyone leaves, Adam calls the airline to find out what happened to Marina. Livia and Adam face their new future and struggle genuinely. This book will make you cry, laugh, and feel empathy for these characters. The Dilemma is one of my favorite books by B.A. Paris.

Wow, tell me about building up the drama...This book had me hanging on each word, waiting for some resolution. The story was like waiting on pins and needles. The ending was a little unsatisfying, like it was wrapped up quickly, but overall, the book was amazing. I read it in a single sitting because I just had to know what happened!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 stars

Alas, this is not my favourite B.A. Paris book. Having read the first three books by this author, I was expecting a twisty thriller...and The Dilemma was not that. I would say it fits more comfortably in the family saga/domestic fiction genre. I kept expecting there to be a huge twist...and there just wasn’t.

I’ve seen some other reviewers note that this was a short story stretched out to novel-length, and I have to agree. The story is drawn out and quite repetitive. And I still can’t really comprehend why Livia (not Olivia) wanted a big 40th party. Her rationalisation that it was a substitute for the big white wedding she never had falls short for me. Why not have a big party to celebrate the renewal of their marriage vows? It would have made more sense and would have been a better justification for Adam not telling Livia “the news” straight away. I’m not keen on the trope where characters decide not to communicate. It creates a superficial tension and the resulting drama doesn’t feel authentic.

All in all, a disappointing read. If I was recommending books to friends or customers I’d steer them towards Behind Closed Doors or The Breakdown rather than The Dilemma.

***I received a free copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Dilemma by B.A. Paris is an intriguing story about secrets. Olivia has been planning her 40th birthday party for over 20 years. When she found out she was pregnant and married her husband at very young age her parents disowned her. They refused to pay for a wedding. She decided that she would get a party and it would be for her 40th birthday. In the day of the party her husband has a big surprise which he has kept secret from her. Olivia has her own secrets and so does almost everyone. Should you keep a secret to make someone feel better?

This book is told by both Olivia and her husband, Adam. The story takes place over a very short period of time. It is a good example of spouses trying to protect each by keeping secrets. Olivia wants to protect Adam and Adam wants to protect Olivia. Will they tell their secrets? Will they forgive each other if they do tell?

I had trouble putting this book down. I wanted to know what they each knew and what they were going to do with that information. I loved this book. B.A. Paris did it again....another great book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Mystery/Thriller
Women's Fiction
Release Date June 30, 2020

Wow! Was this a fantastic book or what?!?! I really enjoyed this read and it went by really quickly! Just a fabulous family story and I do not generally enjoy family sagas! But, there was something about this cast of characters that I just really enjoyed! Please read this book when it comes out!!

This was not my favorite B.A. Paris book. As one other reviewer put it, it was a short story that was stretched out to make a full-length book. The main characters, Olivia and Adam, are a married couple in the midst of throwing a big 40th birthday bash for Olivia. This is apparently because Olivia got pregnant with their first child and they had to have a quickie wedding. She's been regretting it all these years and hence the big party. Which is kind of silly but whatever. However, both Olivia and Adam are hiding secrets concerning their daughter from each other - and are determined to keep the secrets until after the party. This is where the story starts to get a little redundant. Adam's secret is huge, and no person alive would keep this secret from their wife until after the party. The scenes of the party seem to stretch out forever and we are subject to various conversations that just serve to drag out the story on and on and on. I kept reading thinking it would get better and it just didn't. Not a winner for me. Thanks for NetGalley for an arc of this book.

This is quite different than what I was expecting to get when I saw this book on NetGalley, who sent a copy of this book to me in advance, I have thoroughly enjoyed everything B.A. Paris has written.

The Dilemma is fast-paced and keeps you hanging on to each and every word. It tugs at your heartstrings, especially at the end. I highly recommend this book and it is my favorite that B.A. Paris has written.

I know that I will be buying a hardcopy the moment it comes out.

I will most definitely recommend this book and I will most definitely read it again.

I loved this book. A perfect title for a family drama that was driven by secrets, yet compassion and love. It was heartbreaking to understand each character's desire to do the right thing and not hurt other loved ones but also to be forced to deal with the consequences of those decisions and actions. I cared about each character and completely understood their "dilemma" in trying to do the right thing while also being the best friend, parent, spouse and child. The family dynamics were situations that everyone can relate to and makes you think about what you would do if the same set of circumstances happened to you. Not only a good read, but one that stays with you and you're forced to think about your own decisions and the inevitable impact they have on those closest to you.

Ok, I LOVE B.A Paris, and I really did like this book, but I don't think it's a mystery, or a thriller. More of a family drama, in the same vein of Elin Hilderbrand. It's a page turner, and a dramatic build up, just not in the same way as her other novels. I think other readers might be disappointed, but I still really liked it.
Olivia has been planning her 40th birthday party for over 20 years. Ever since she found out she was pregnant as a teenager, and disowned by her parents. Olivia had to settle for a courthouse wedding that did not live up to her dreams. So, she knew that by the time she was 40, she would get what she always wanted. An amazing party just for her. And it hasn't been easy, she and her husband Adam had it very difficult raising small children, just barely getting by, but they did it. And now they are empty nesters, Marnie studying abroad, and Josh getting ready to leave for an internship in New York, she feels like she really deserves it.
Olivia has a secret. A big one. She has to tell her husband, but doesn't want to ruin the party she has worked her entire life for.
Her husband Adam, also has a secret. He's secretly flying in his daughter to surprise Olivia, and is trying to keep it under wraps.
The Dilemma is told in Adam and Olivia's alternating voices, as both of their secrets begin to unravel.
Again, not a thriller, but a good book that is impossible to put down.

I'll be honest, I almost DNF'd this one. It just wasn't doing it for me. I gave it a bit longer and holy hell it turned around 160! Unlikable characters, selfish even, but that only made for a better book. This was way more than just -a 'Dilemma'. Secrets and twists all over! Fan-freaken-tastic! I liked it so much I even ordered a hardcopy from the U.K. (It's not available in the U.S until June). Thank you so much for this ARC!

Told through the perspective of different family members over the course of one day in their lives you can see inside their minds as they grapple with the dilemma of sharing information they have learned that the others do not yet know about. Engaging and equally stressful, the story is a quick and enjoyable read that will leave you thinking about the different shades of grey that come with different decisions we all must make .

Since Livia had a courthouse wedding, she had planned to make her 40th birthday a big event. 100 people were going to be at her birthday party! (Yet, not her estranged parents).

Unfortunately for Livia, her daughter, Marnie, was stuck in Hong Kong and would not be able to attend. Marnie is 19. Livia's other child, Josh (22) and her husband of over 20 years, Adam,
would be there.

Secrecy is supreme in this story. As more and more secrets are revealed prior to the party, the family dynamics become more clear. Peeling off the veneer is difficult for all of Livia's family - especially for Adam...

A MUST READ! The suspense builds and hangs in the balance - don't miss this book!

Many Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an amazing read!!!

Wow what a heartbreaking story and so beautifully told. It's a story that will stay with me for a long time. It's also a story that reminds you that you must make the best of every moment of every day and not wait or think oh I will do this next week or next month.
What will we do to spare our loved ones pain? How will we react if we know something that will break them? Nobody can answer this for certain if they haven't been in this situation.

Although I figured out quite early what will happen it was still an amazing book to read and one I will definitely recommend to everyone. It is very different from her previous book "Bring me Back" but it shows us what a wonderful author and storyteller B. A Paris is.

Thank you to Netgally and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. The tension, at times, was almost too overwhelming! I was desperate to know what happened to Marnie, and how people would react.

The character development throughout was strong. I had a clear understanding of each character's motivations. Also, I love books that take place during a short period of time. This story presents how life can change in the blink of an eye, but also highlights how conflicts and attachments are built slowly over time.

Thanks to B.A. Paris, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. I really enjoyed it.

2 1/2 stars

This book was just ok for me. I dislike novels written in the first person / present tense, so unfortunately, that affected me negatively right from the start.

This was a story of 24 hours in the lives of 2 main protagonists, Liv and Adam, told from their different points of view in alternating chapters. Most everything about Liv revolved around one big secret that was alluded to CONSTANTLY for 100 pages. Sigh… I am not the biggest fan of foreshadowing, but I really dislike it when it is done to excess.

Adam had his own secret, and his angst about it went on and on (and on and on and on) ad nauseam for most of the book. We are teased about it for most of the story - is she or isn't she? - and when we finally get the answer, the ending is then rushed right through.

Sorry, but I thought the book was pretty repetitious, with quite a bit of manufactured drama. I didn’t think “the dilemma” was much of one either.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley.