First I want to say a huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martain's Press for this opportunity! I really love B. A. Paris writing and when I saw this book was coming out I knew I had to read it! This book was just so incredible. It is a quick read! I read this book in just a few hours but wow did it really affect me. I felt like I really connected with Livia how she has issues with her parents and it helped with understanding why she felt she needed the kind of party she wanted.

Initially I was thrilled to get a book by B.A. Paris. The book started out pretty good. I felt the idea that someone would be so obsessed with a 40th birthday party, comparing it to a wedding just a bit ridiculous. The entire book centers around his 40th birthday party and the secrets that are being kept between husband and wife. At one point I really wanted to just read the last page to see what happen .
There was just way too much meaningless conversation, people running into bedrooms and slamming doors hiding in the bathrooms. Although I loved her other books this one was a bit of a disappointment. Needless to say I will continue to follow this author because to me she is a proven author, just not with this one. Thank you so much for my advance copy

I was looking forward to this one as I've thoroughly enjoyed the author's previous books. The majority of the plot is centred on Livia's 40th birthday plans and event. Livia is a somewhat unlikable mum with mysterious issues with her daughter Marnie. Livia then discovers a secret about Marnie. Should she tell? Husband Adam, is helping to arrange a surprise visit from Marnie studying in Hong Kong, when some tragic news reaches Adam. Should he withhold the information until after the party and allow his wife the party she always wanted?

This is a very readable story, though I found the characters a little two dimensional at times, I can't say I really felt invested in them. Having said that I sped through it wanting to know how it was all going to unfurl, so a thoroughly readable book.

I wish this book had been marketed differently. I went into it thinking I would be reading a thriller similar to the other books Paris had written, and instead it was really a family drama. I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn’t just waiting for the “thriller” part of the story to happen. That aside, it was a well written book, and I thought there was good character development throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot believe it, I just CANNOT believe it!

I am only giving B. A. Paris one star for this book?? I am so upset with myself, her, publishers. What happened?!

Skip past my drama,
Liv is turning 40 years old, she is so excited to have a huge marvelous party for it. She never did have a wedding because her parents turned her away for getting pregnant out of wedlock. Fast forward 20 some years, still no communication with her parents with two children. Everyone close to Livia is making this party extremely special for her, especially her husband. However, the day of the party, some unspeakable things happen and there are secrets hidden everywhere. Will they come unfolded?

BASICALLY
This book is of a husband and wife that really need to communicate no matter if it upsets the other one or not. Why would you hide something from your husband for six weeks that could have prevented the unspeakable? I hated this book. It was all ridiculous and so bleh. I say that with such a heavy heart because I love B. A. Paris books and was so looking forward to this one.

There was definitely tension in this book. I couldn't read fast enough to check whether the daughter is still alive or not. This book kept me at the edge of my seat

Just Wow! I had to remind myself to breathe through most of this book! I guess I would describe it as a tense read. I don't want to give any spoilers because I don't like having a brilliant book given away for me. I'll just say that I felt every emotion that the characters felt through the entire book. With every book this author has written I've come away feeling that each one was the best, and I loved the paragraph in the acknowledgements that shows her whimsical personality. If you read the book you'll see what I mean! Well done Ms. Park! Brilliant book!

Oh my gosh. This book destroyed me. Different from her other books, but fantastic, heart wrenching, and most definitely a page turner! It comes out this summer, June 2020, but if you can get your hands on an #arc like I did, make it your next read. Big thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the advance readers copy and keeping up late to finish this book! And thank you to #baparisauthor (who needs an instagram) for always keeping me turning pages... I cannot wait to see what she has coming next.

I was expecting this to be more of a mystery/thriller based on her previous books and was a little disappointed that it wasn’t. I did find it enjoyable and liked the premise. I didn’t really like the ending, found it a little too tidy with how it wrapped up.

This was a great book!! I was completely interested from start to finish. I'm a fan of B.A. Paris, I've read all of her books. This one was interesting, it seemed to have a bit of a different vibe than her other books that I've read. I loved the back and forth between Livia and Adam...and the true "Dilemma" of loving someone and how sometimes that involves keeping things from them. But also...sometimes it's kept from the one you love because of selfishness. Really good book!

Emotionally intense as two characters, Adam and Livia, keep secrets from each other that they both thought would tear apart their thoughts and feelings about their daughter. It is only when the true tragedy emerged that they realized what mattered the most as everything else can be worked through. I certainly shed tears over this book but appreciated the fortitude that the family had.

This was a great book! I couldn’t put it down, I had to find out what happened next! This was a definite veer off the typical BA Paris book but a domestic suspense which I really enjoyed. I couldn’t believe the premise of this book was basically set over a few days, I sort of wanted the climax to hurry up and then more of a “dilemma” I think I’m a bit disappointed by what it actually was but I liked the book overall.
Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy

If you had information that would devastate someone you deeply love, what would you do?

Would you share what you know or allow your loved one to enjoy life until they absolutely needed to know? This book explores this dilemma.

Livia has been planning her 40th birthday party for a long time. It is going to be a huge celebration. Their family and friends will be there. Adam, Livia's husband gets horrible news on the morning of the party. He needs to make a decision about whether to share what he knows or let Livia enjoy her long-awaited party. While Livia also has a secret she is wrestling with but has decided not to tell her husband.

The story is told from the alternating points of view of husband and wife Adam and Livia.

As the story unfolds, the past, present, and reasons for keeping secrets are revealed, keeping me wanting to know more about the characters and what happens when the secrets are ultimately shared.

A unique plot that had me on the edge of my seat. I could not put this book down. The characters could have been my family, friends, or neighbors. The book is family drama at its best.

When a book holds my interest, I generally read it within one to two days. Sometimes I stay up until the wee hours of the morning as I cannot put the book down. The Dilemma falls into this category. I could not put it down! It is the first novel I read by the author and it will not be my last.

The story happens over the course of a day and what an interested plot. This novel tells the story of a marriage couple, Livia and Adam, their daughter Marnie, son Josh, and a close-knit family and friends. The secret kept my Livia to protect Adam and her best friend. Adam keeping life changing information from Livia as he struggled through the day to ensure that she enjoy her 40th birthday party, a party she planned and looked forward to for a long time.

This is a gripping tale of secrets, disappointment and tragedy, but most important it shows the healing power of love and the importance of friend and faamily. Although I can understand Livia keeping the secret from Adam, I find it unrealistic that Adam would not disclose his fears to Olivia or try to confirm until the end of the party.

I strongly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me an advanced readers copy.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
This story, told chapter by chapter in alternating viewpoints, takes place over the course of one day. Livia has been planning her 40th birthday party for over 20 years and her husband Adam is determined to let her have her special night no matter what He's even flying their daughter in from Hong Kong as a special surprise.
Adam and Livia are both keeping secrets from each other. My issue with this book is that the secrets should never have been kept. Especially by a couple that have been married for decades!! So while the premise itself bothered me, I was still completely caught up in this story. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough wanting to see how everything was resolved. I read the whole book in less than a day, so I would have to say I enjoyed it There and a half stars, rounding up to four

Love the writing style of BA Paris. Just smooth as silk. This was a domestic drama that was carefully woven around one family and their very close knit circle of friends and in-laws. Mysterious all the way to the end. This hit on family trust issues. So many kept secrets but mainly out of love for others.

Wonderful book by B.A. Paris. This was definitely a page turner, told in alternate POV.
Livia has been waiting her whole life to celebrate her 40th, after she was disowned by her parents, ultimately not having a wedding. Livia also doesn’t want her daughter Marnie attending as well due to unsettling news that was discover.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I might be one of the few who did not enjoy Behind Closed Doors, but this book sounded good so I requested it. I'm so glad I did. As soon as I started it I was hooked! I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say there was underlying tension throughout the whole book so I couldn't stop reading.

This was a boring short story that was stretched out into a full-length snooze of a book. I basically had a hate-read it. Relationship. The entire read takes place over the course of just one evening.
Told from alternating Points of view between Adam and Livia. A misguided couple so desperate to please each other yet completely confused on how to accomplish it. Olivia didn’t have a fabulous wedding. She’s longed and planned for her 40th birthday. She’s saved and invested all her years focused on it.. The way she obsesses over the party is utterly ridiculous. I skimmed a lot of this book, and did not miss a thing. The dilemma? Each knows a secret that they are keeping from the other. Adam’s secret is serious and to think he could continue with the party despite his suspicions is ridiculous, so his wife can have her party. I did finish the book thinking there just might be a payoff at the end. This is a family drama, not a thriller, and a boring one at that.

Livia and Adam fell in love and were high school sweethearts. She got pregnant, and since her family was very religious, they wouldn’t have anything else to do with her. She lived her life completely without her parents in the picture. Livia and Adam went to City Hall to get married and were accompanied by Adam’s parents. Livia and Adam has shaky marriage in the beginning. He hardly had anything to do with his little son, Josh. Adam seemed to blame Josh for his not being able to go to engineering school. The feeling followed him all his life. Then along their daughter, Marnie. Adam was much closer to Marnie than Josh. As life went along, Livia had fantasized about having a 40th birthday party. She had been saving for it for many years. Marnie was in Asia with her class, and wanted to come back home her mother’s birthday party. She and Adam planned her surprise arrival. There was only one other person who knew about this and it was Marnie’s best friend. The party was a hit, and everything was perfect. Adam had just spoken to her the day before and Marnie was on target to arrive at her mother’s party. However, Marnie hadn’t arrived. Where is Marnie? Has Adam heard from their daughter? Will Livia and Marnie find their daughter? There are too many secrets going on in this family. What are the secrets? The hook caught me immediately, and it kept me reading. The plot was a good one. The character development was really well thought out. The reader could relate and feel all the emotions that the characters were experiencing. I did read the book, but this was definitely a different type of book from this author. I’m not so sure that I really did like it as well as the other books she has written before.