This book was approved for me to read by the publisher and netgalley.
Hunter the security guard was murdered three days before there taking her somewhere.
Her papa was dying of cancer and she was only 16 and taking care of her papa.
Amelia is being taken to a different room she has to tell someone that her and her husband ned are being held hostage.
They warn ned there waiting for ransom money so ned can eventually leave. They pretend like Amelia was shot to throw Ned off.
The abductor didn't want the money for Ned they wanted it for Lina.
The police ended up finding mer dead on the beach because of Amelia. They say he killed himself.
Amelia found out her father died her father left her a House and lots of money he really did care and wanted her happy.

Everything about this book was ridiculous. The main character had a series of dumb luck incidents at the start of the book that could never happen in real life (including being a destitute, orphaned teen one day to becoming BFFs with swanky gal pals the next). Then, the action of the book kicks in, and what happens then is even more improbable and convoluted. The resolution? Don’t even get me started. Major eye roll. I feel dumber for having read this book.

This book started off with a bang for me! It opens with Amelie and her husband being kidnapped, each held in different rooms. Amelie is held in a pitch black room, while her husband is in the basement just below her. The scene switches back and forth between the past, pre-kidnapping, and present, Amelie isolated in a dark room.

The first part of the book focuses on the kidnapping and the events that led up to it. While the author did an amazing job describing the room and the fear associated with being kidnapped, I felt it dragged on. The chapters were really short, and it read fairly fast, but I was ready for more information and less prisoner, so to speak.

When I finally reached the second half of the book, I thought yes!, finally out of the room. I was 100% on board with Amelie seeking out answers to why she was kidnapped and by who, but was unfortunately left disappointed as the story unfolded. I wanted a full thanksgiving dinner, detailed telling of the events that lead to the kidnapping, but was left with a soggy sandwich of a monologue.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

wow wow wow! what a rollercoaster but i'd expect nothing less than from the author. highly recommend! thank you netgalley & the publisher for the arc!

This is a good suspense. Lots of edge-of-your-seat moments. Nice short chapters to keep you turning pages.

Everything I expected from this author!

Being held captive in a dark room is terrifying. The author was able to portray Amelies fears and discomfort very well. Also, her experience with PTSD after the fact.

All in all a great read.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this book. What a crafty twisty story! With fascinating characters . This author keeps getter better and better - can’t wait for the next one

I have enjoyed books by B.A. Paris and this one was also enjoyable. The first half of the book I couldn’t put down and had to keep reading. The second half was slower to get through and the ending came all at once to wrap up the story. Overall a great thriller read, but would have like the ending a little less jam packed with information and kept the tone of the first half.
Amelie, the main character marries a man but then they are both held prisoner in total darkness. This tells the story from past and present point of view of Amelie into the events leading up to and as they unfold from their captures as prisoner. Recommend if you like thiller type books.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

The opening chapters started off at a really fast engaging pace. Amelie is kidnapped and held captive in a completely isolated dark room. I found these scenes to be done really well and I could imagine her terror in trying to acclimate herself without being able to see a thing. The first part of the book focuses on her current situation and then flips back to her past and gives us a feel for how she came to be in the predicament she is in. This felt a bit long in the sense it was over half the book, but it read really fast. The second half I wasn't too fond of, some aspects of it I thought were done really well but by the end I felt it was just more "telling" the reader what happened as opposed to having the reader fully engaged to try and figure it out, if that makes sense.

What really draws me in to a book is character development, which I think this book lacked in. Amelie's friends just all kind of blurred together and nothing stood out for them except for one was from France, one from Lithuania etc. Same with Amelie and Ned - just seemed very shallow in terms of development. Amelie in the past chapters came across really childlike - I know she was almost 20 but it read like she was way younger and it just king of bothered me. Finally, I liked the idea of the relationship between Ned and Amelie and think it was interesting but it seemed like it came out of left field too much, no warning whatsoever. I think if there had been more detail or backstory to that it would have felt a bit more realistic(as much as makes sense)

Overall this was certainly a quick, mindless read that kept me engaged but feel it was missing that depth to make me care about the final outcome.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh no. This was sadly a miss for me. I wanted to love it so bad but by around 30%, I knew it simply wouldn't work.

Amelie wakes up in a pitch dark room and has no idea who kidnapped her and why. The book is told in two timelines, one before the abduction and one in the present. I really thought I would enjoy it as I thought Behind Closed Doors was fun but I honestly was bored throughout most of The Prisoner and found myself skimming nonstop.

I found the characters to be one dimensional and the plot a bit too shaky for my taste. However what bothered me most was how unnatural some of the conversations were. I just felt weird reading them knowing damn well that no one talks like that.

Overall, I would personally not recommend this one.

I want to start off by saying that this is the first book I've read by B.A. Paris, but I was really excited to read this book because the synopsis sounded interesting and I really love a good thriller. Sadly, this just fell flat for me. There was really no character development. The plot was unbelievable and bordered on ridiculous at times. I was just very disappointed overall. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader copy.

3.5 ⭐️. I didn’t really know where the story was going, but I thought it was pretty good overall. I got bored at time, but it was a good book to pass time. Such a quick read too!

I really enjoyed The Breakdown and was looking forward to read another book by B.A. Paris. Unfortunately it was a miss for me. Too many parts in this long story were totally unbelievable.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I loved B.A. Paris prior book 'The Dilemma', but this was a solid pass for me. Amelie goes through with a hasty marriage for financial reasons, not really knowing her husband. Turns out, he's not a great guy. The book starts out with her being kidnapped, blindfolded, and trying to understand what happened. There's plenty of backstory as to her circumstances, but this could have used more character development. Why did she feel a hasty marriage was the only way out of her current situation? Why was she scared of her husband? Then the reveal of the kidnapper was a bit predictable. It's long in parts and goes back and forth between the present and the future state (after the kidnapping. Just not my favorite of hers.

This book was a slow starter for me, a lot of chapters dedicated to setting up Amelie's adjustment to the room she is being held in by her kidnappers. It did appreciably pick up once her relationship with magazine editor and billionaire Ned comes into focus. However, once you move into the second part of the book when Amelie is freed, the narrative falls apart. Amelie googles Stockholm syndrome just to let the reader know this is what is happening. ***Spoiler*** Even though people have died left and right, some clearly not by the central baddie of part one (Ned), Amelie decides to go on a mission to uncover what has happened to her. It ends with a character giving a lengthy monologue on how it all went down, most of which doesn't entirely make sense. Amelie's confused feelings from her previous attraction to said character and newfound knowledge that he kept her prisoner seem to indicate her continued attraction to him. Especially given the final line of the book. Kind of gross. Not a fan of how the book ended nor having to have a character explain exactly what happened, which always feels lazy. Regardless, I did enjoy this book mostly so I would still recommend.

Heart stopping. Fast paced. Good vs evil. Hybrid of this authors other hits. Couldn’t stop reading

This was an absolute edge of your seat page turner! Paris never disappoints. I was on the edge of my seat trying to solve this mystery. Will be recommending to everyone I know!

Told in two parts and two timelines, this moves rather quickly and quite intense! Amelie at sixteen years old was the caregiver to her ailing father in Paris. The only family she had, life was tough after his passing. She found employment in London and a friend through Carolyn, a stranger she followed home. Another chance meeting and Amelie is introduced to wealthy socialite Ned Hawthrope. Present day, Amelie is kidnapped! But it all isn’t as it seems! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a gifted copy.

I will never everrrrr turn down an opportunity to review a B.A. Paris book!
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick easy read that kept me very interested. It was suspenseful and had my attention right from the beginning.

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martins Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

First she was a prisoner in a marriage of convenience, then a prisoner after a kidnapping. Magnificent novel dealing with a character's introspection into her life. Keeps the reader frantically turning pages to find what happens next. B.A. Paris has written a superb thriller that will delight readers.

BA Paris grabs your attention on the first page and doesn't release you from their grasp until the very end. Where at the end you're gasping for air, asking that's the end?! For a quick paced thriller, the ending comes on strongly. Another great addition to their engaging books!