This was my second book by B.A. Paris and it was another addictive one! I was sucked in from the very start and thought the prologue was great. I love a locked room scenario and found myself fascinated through those chapters which is a good sign in itself since she's literally just in a dark room. I also enjoyed the alternating timeline that jumped back and forth between Amelie being stuck in the room and her past that led up to the kidnapping. The writing was so vivid that through the entire book, I felt like I was watching the scenes play out in my head as if it were a movie.

I thought the first half of the book was much stronger than the second and found the ending to be a bit much - I liked that it wasn't rushed but Hunter's explanation of everything just felt so long winded and a bit confusing. I also didn't grow as attached to the characters as I would have wanted and thought they needed a little more depth - other than Ned who I HATED but I know that was the point. Overall I enjoyed this one.

In The Prisoner we are immediately set in a scene where Amelie, the protagonist, is kidnapped and we have to figure out the details of why and how in a dual time setting. It was exciting, riveting, and enthralling trying to figure out the mystery of her recent past and how she got into the state that she was in. After that, it just all fell apart for me. This is the second book of Paris that I have read, and I just don't know if I understand what all the hype is about. Personally, if the author has to take the last few pages of the book and have a character explain motives and logistics about how things were done, it isn't enjoyable for me. The story had SO much potential, and it just didn't deliver. As a reader, I felt like the first half of the book was completely separate from the last half, and it was disappointing to say the least. While it was a fast read and I did enjoy some parts, the end just really threw me for a loop.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. This review is my own opinions.

Well I will start out by saying that I am in no way, shape, or form encouraging anyone to not read this book. B.A. Paris has a wide range of reviews on all books, this one being no exception. For me, however, nothing has ever topped Behind Closed Doors and I just don't know why that's holding me back so much. This one just was not for me. It was a little too slow for my liking. It built and built... but the twists and turns were not as prevalent and it just... well, felt slow. The dual narrative usually works for me but in this book it sort of halted my engagement and flow. Just when I was getting into one situation it would go to the other. Like I said, this pattern usually works with me, but as I felt the story a little slower it made the "end of chapter hooks" not so meaty and cliffhanger-y. Will I read the next book from B.A. Paris? ABSOLUTELY! But I am a little disappointed this one just could not resonate with me.

This book was interesting to say the least. I enjoyed the beginning and the end a lot. The middle, which was the part that she was kidnapped just dragged on and on, with no end in sight. I actually considered putting the book down and not finishing it because of this.

The beginning set the book up well by introducing Amelie, an orphan who is looking to go to college, but doesn't have the money to. After meeting some friends, she encounters Ned Hawthorpe, a billionaire. They create an agreement that Amelie will fake marry Ned for a month and then split when it's over to help Ned avoid having to marry a woman he doesn't like. In return, Amelie will receive money to pay for her education at college. But things change quickly and Amelie realizes that Ned isn't who he seems. She eventually wakes up in a dark room with no knowledge of where she is and who kidnapped her. All she knows is that Ned is unfortunately being held hostage there as well.

I think the pacing of this book started and ended fine. The only issue I had was with the middle. I really liked Hunter in the beginning, but the end killed my liking for him. I never really got attached to the other characters in this book.

I have heard good things about B.A. Paris, but this book unfortunately wasn't it for me. I will probably try again with another read by her in the future.

BA PARISs last two books have been missed for me. I really wanted to like this one but fell so flat

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review

2,5 stars

I have read a couple of other books by B.A. Paris and I don't think that she is an author that I will continue reading. I find her books too predictable and just don't find myself enjoying them.

The story itself was a quick read that I flew through. I liked the dual timeline going through Amelie's teen years as an orphan and her present-day where she and her husband have been kidnapped and are being held by unknown people. I figured out what was going on early on which was probably why I didn't care for the story as much. The ending was super info dumpy. I just didn't like that the author felt they needed to explain the whole end like we couldn't figure it out.

I will first mention that I really enjoy B.A. Paris and the books she has written. The Prisoner, I don't know it just fell flat for me. I couldn't get into it and found the character development was off. :I just couldn't connect with this book.
I think if you are a Paris fan you should still add this to your list, but it wasn't my favorite.

BA Paris is the absolute monarch or all things thriller, and when I saw that she had a new book coming, I immediately clicked the preorder button (and then was thrilled to receive an eARC of the title!). My hands were shaking as I turned the pages of this book, because no one keeps you on the edge of your seat like BA Paris. The characters are complex, the plot leaves you on the edge of your seat, and the ending is mind blowing. I will definitely read anything BA Paris comes out with!

Amelie has not had an easy life. Losing her mother as a young girl and then her father as a teenager leaving her alone in the world, she has had to fend for herself for years, so when a handsome billionaire makes her a business proposition that could fund her way through school, she finds it impossible to refuse. Now, married to Ned Hawthorne, Amelie begins to learn who the man she agreed to be tethered to for the next month truly is. When dangerous people come in the middle of the night kidnapping the newlyweds, Amelie can only hope she can outwit her captors and not only escape whoever is holding her prisoner but her husband as well. I was so excited to receive an advanced copy of "The Prisoner" as some of B.A. Paris' previous books I would consider stellar thriller reads and at the start of this book I thought for sure we were onto another hit. Then we hit mid-way and the entire plot crashed and burned to the point that I even questioned whether or not the same person wrote this. The entire second half could have been condensed and do not get me started on the ending. I thought for sure my ARC was missing a chapter as the ending could not have been...that. I would highly recommend checking out this author's earlier titles but as for "The Prisoner" it's a solid no from me.

Amelie moves to London after she has no family left. She wants to go to school to become a lawyer but has no money. She makes friends that really care for her. Things change and Amelie is alone again.
Not my favorite B.A. Paris book but still good.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and the publisher. St. Martin's Press.

Not what I expected but, I’m not sure that’s in a good way. Loved the twists and turns toward the end but, hated the ending.

I’m not the biggest fan of this author, I’ve only ever been able to get through one book and it was “behind closed doors”. I gave this book 4 stars but it isn’t something that I see myself buying my own copy of.

I just have come to know that BA Paris’s books are not for me. I have never really enjoyed any of them and am always disappointed. This was not any different.

This was a really suspenseful novel. In the end, it left me a bit wanting but I enjoyed the ride. I think the other works by this author are better.

The Prisoner by B.A. Paris
I really enjoy all of B.A. Paris' books and based on recent reviews, there are many who did not like The Prisoner. I was not one of those people as I really did enjoy it! Just like her previous books, I couldn't put this one down and read it in a day. Yes, the ending could have been better. But it still entertained me and that's what books are supposed to do. I loved the locked-in-the-dark-room aspect of the story! And trying to figure out who kidnapped Amelie and her rich husband. I'd recommend this to B.A. Paris fans and those who enjoy psychological thrillers.

I have always been a huge of B.A. Paris's books and her thrilling endings that always leave me wanting more. However, this book left me feeling disappointed in the end. The first half of the book, where she is kept prisoner, has a very anti-climatic ending and what I found to be a bit predictable. I did enjoy the creepy setting and that gave this section of the book a boost for me. After she escapes it was hard to keep me engaged in the book. There seemed to be a lot going on behind the scenes, but also nothing at the same time. Many characters were crossing paths and making plans, but we really don't get questions answered until the very end. I held on hoping for a typical B.A. Paris crazy ending, but it just didn't happen. 3 stars because there were parts I enjoyed but overall felt slow and boring to me.

The Prisoner starts off as an action packed joyride of a book. Amelie is recently married when both she and her husband are kidnapped in the middle of the night. Amelie struggles to make sense of her situation and keeps trying to devise plans to escape.

From there, the story begins to alternate between Amelie's past and present. In the past portion we learn that Amelie was orphaned as a young teenager and to avoid being placed into the foster care systems she runs away to London. There she meets an understanding lady, Carolyn, who offers her a position as her housekeeper which includes a place to live. The friendship between Carloyn and Amelie grows and through mutual friends she comes to meet Ned Hawthorne. In order to save himself from scandal Ned offers to pay Amelie to be his wife for a short term.

The past and present meet up and we learn more about why the pair have been kidnapped. There were portions of this book that were really well written and others felt rushed and forced.

I liked the regular suspense theme when it started as Amelie is kidnapped and blind folded. The start was interesting but the back story and not so great character developments made it less captivating. It felt good to read but it did not have any stand-out twists or plotlines that would make it memorable. Having enjoyed author's previous books, I started this one with high expectations but it did not turn out to be a great read!

I was hesitant going into this one due to several lack lustre reviews I’d seen but Paris is an incredibly popular author so I knew I still needed to give it a try! While I think I enjoyed this a lot more than others seemed to, it still wasn’t my favourite either.

I was incredibly compelled right from the start and I was so intrigued to see where this was going! The short chapters made for a quick and addictive read and I really enjoyed the alternating timelines of Amelie’s past and present and how the book was split up between Part One: The Kidnapping and Part Two: The Reckoning!

I think this one had a lot of promise but I was just hoping for a little more with the execution!

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Creepy, claustrophobic and kept me guessing. It had nice twists and turns and plenty places where you just wanted to yell "don't do it." I loved this book.