I am already a huge fan of B.A. Paris and getting the chance to read this one was awesome! It’s definitely a fun read and I like the way the author truly places you inside the story—feeling like a prisoner yourself where you can’t set her book down! Amelie wakes up in a pitch black room and it’s absolutely terrifying to imagine. This story continues to twist and turn and keep you interested. Do yourself a favor and just read this. It’s hard to review B.A. Paris without spoilers so it leaves you with a shorter review just telling you to read it because you won’t be disappointed!

This was a really good thriller that kept me guessing. It was fast paced and did not lag at all. I really wanted a different outcome for Amelie's friends and a happier ending for her, but the ending was satisfying and gave readers hope for her. I thought the twists and turns were well done and thought out. The reveal was great and I was glad she got the answers she needed.

The Prisoner
Author, B.A. Paris

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my e- arc of Paris's latest psychological thriller! This is actually my first read by this author, but will not be my last!

My most favorite way to read a psychological thriller is between either a longer book or another genre that requires you to slow down a bit, and if it's short chapters and fast paced, even better! I love flying through thrillers because I have that problem of needing to know what exactly is going on, and by no means can I drag out a thriller- two days tops!

Anyway, The Prisoner is just that! Super fast paced, page- turning suspense with some predictable and yes, some unrealistic events, but I was totally invested in Amelie's story!

After a sad childhood that ended abruptly, Amelie finds herself needing to learn how to care for herself at quite a young age. Determined and resilient, she finds herself working as a housekeeper in a woman's home with whom she soon becomes fast and furious friends with, a sisterly bond even. Before long, she's wrapped up in Carolyn's world and married to a billionaire, New Hawthorne.

The Prisoner quickly painted the picture of Cinderella, but soon enough, Ned's true colors came shining through, and he is certainly no Prince Charming. Due to his questionable past, the two are kidnapped and held hostage, and Amelie is struggling to make sense of any of the most recent events. She questions everything and everyone, and is directed down a winding path filled with deception, lies, and secrets. What she uncovers however, is quite a surprise..

B.A. Paris is an auto buy author for me. This one was good but not my favorite. The beginning was great and intriguing, but the second half didn’t quite measure up.

BA Paris nailed this one as far as I’m concerned. Even though I found some things a bit too coincidental, the story kept my interest and I really never knew what would happen next.

Amelie, who was on her own at an early age, ends up meeting the right people at pivotal times in her life. She ends up with a job at a prestigious magazine and has a good group of friends.

When her boss, Ned, invites her on a business trip to Las Vegas, she ends up on a path she never imagined. Ned is in trouble and he uses Amelie to help divert attention away from his bad behavior.

Amelie begins to realize how toxic Ned is and makes plans to get away, but before that happens she and Ned are kidnapped. As Amelie contemplates her situation, readers find out the back story via another timeline.

This is certainly not your typical kidnapped couple and it does not have a typical ending. I was engaged in the story throughout and found it to be a very satisfying read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer my honest review and recommend this book to other readers.

I went back and forth between the audio and reading the ebook of this, and while it was a really quick read, with short chapters that I enjoyed, the story fell a little flat for me.⁣
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In the beginning, I was interested, Amelie, a woman who has lost her parents at a young age and has had to get by in life mostly on her own, marries a billionaire for her own motivations and his own motivations only to end up locked in a dark room, unsure why she’s there, who kidnapped her, and why she feels safer in that room than with the man she just married. ⁣
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I liked the premise of the story. I liked how Amelie was always trying to find a solution for her problems instead of trembling in fear in the dark; but the story was pretty predicable for me.⁣
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Didn’t love it; didn’t hate it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

While this book had an interesting premise, the “twist” fell kind of flat for me. I love thrillers that throw a curve ball and I felt like the ending of this book was pretty predictable and just kind of ended. That being said, I did enjoy the mystery of the first half and cheering Amelie on while she was trying to escape. Not my favorite B.A. Paris book, but I’ll definitely read her next one!

This one was a mind-twister. I felt like I honestly read 2 books in one, and it gave me “Gone Girl”-esque vibes. I love BA Paris as an author, but while this book was good, it was not one I’ll put at the top of my list of books to read by them. Worth a shot if you like the twisty, two stories in one, action paced thriller.

Amelie is taken, prisoner. The wife of a billionaire who has virtually imprisoned her in a marriage with no romance. She is fed regularly but kept in a dark room with no sense of time or when it is day or night. The story unfolds going backward in time as to why and how Amelie got there and who might be her savior and her enemy. The story is well told, and the characters are interesting in this tale of intrigue and danger. The ending left me, as the reader a little confused and it seemed uncertain even to the writer. I will leave it to you. It is a story worth reading and maybe we are all supposed to imagine our own conclusion to this interesting tale. Thanks to #netgalley#theprisoner for the opportunity to read and review this book..

A vicious kidnapping kicks off the novel, and the reader goes on a journey to figure out the who and why behind it all. Told in dual timelines, Amelie takes us through the events that led to the very moment of her kidnapping, and eventually, how will she survive it.

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I'm going to start this review by saying that I love B.A. Paris. In fact, Paris and Ware are the duo that turned me into a thriller fiend! However, the most recent title just was not a hit for me.

Paris is typically great at building suspense over the course of the novel, but in this case tips their hand far too early. You already have a pretty good sense of why this is all happening from the very beginning, and the who was not that hard to work out either. Pacing in general just seemed off for a Paris novel.

Then we get to the ending. Character motivations, while generally unreliable in order to make a story interesting, are definitely missing from the latter quarter of the book, and I was left with a maddening sense that while the premise started out promising, the author just didn't follow through.

<b>Read Completed 11/6/22 |</b> 2.5 stars
This was a really disappointing read from B.A. Paris and read like a debut novel that didn't have enough editing. The writing style was fine, moderately engaging, but the book had zero personality whatsoever. The characters were extremely flat and despite the effort to give them a backstory, they didn't feel like anything at all. Even with Amelie narrating the whole book, I still feel like I didn't know much about her aside from some rough outlines.

I was waiting for a major twist to make the book worth it and was going to leave it at three stars but I got to the end and it was just a big letdown. Nothing was developed enough for me to really care and I ended up being more disappointed than I already was. I was really surprised that was the ending, actually. There was too much to tell, tell, tell to readers from the time spent being a prisoner to the big reveal at the end. I didn't feel involved in the story at all and I'm really bummed at the potential here that never came to be.

This was a solid psychological thriller for me. I enjoyed B.A. Paris book Behind Closed Doors better but this one did live up to the hype for me. I would say I enjoyed the first half better then the second but all in all...it was a suspenseful enjoyable book!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the first 70%ish or so. But once she starts questioning and getting all those answers, the book lost some of it's magic punch to me. I would have rather it ended earlier or, I don't know, but not the whole questioning and finding out everything just like that.

Omg this book was wow! Love it!

Amelie lost everything she has when her father died so she went to London to start over where she meets many people who were kind to her. Threw these people she meets Ned and marries him with out knowing that it will ended up worse then before. Can she save herself before it’s too late!!

Love this author she has so many wild stories

BOOK REVIEW: The Prisoner by B.A. Paris
2022 Publication Date: November 1

⭐️⭐️⭐️️

T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2022 | Best Thriller Books

CONNECT WITH A BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
Keep asking questions... Of yourself... Of others... Of your circumstances...

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW:
The Prisoner by B.A. Paris is a gripping tale of one woman's journey to escape a nightmare marriage.

Suspenseful with twists, turns, and characters that will make you question everything you know.

Here are three reasons why "The Prisoner" could be a must-read in best thrillers for you:

1. The Plot is Unpredictable
From the very first page, "The Prisoner" will have you hooked. The story follows Amelie, a young woman who marries Jed Hawthorne, a wealthy businessman. Soon after the wedding, Amelie wakes up in a pitch-black room, not knowing where she is or why she's been taken. As she tries to piece together what has happened, she surprisingly realizes that her captors may be the only people she can trust. Quickly shifting this book within thriller novels into the crime fiction genre for crime novels as well.

2. The Characters are Compelling
From Amelie to Jed to Amelie's captors, everyone in this psychological thriller is fascinating in their own way. You will never quite know who to trust as each character seems to have a dark secret — and that sense of unease and suspense will keep you fully invested in this suspense novel from the beginning to the very last page.

3. The Writing is Engaging
B.A. Paris is an award-winning master of psychological thrillers and thriller novels... And The Prisoner is no exception. Paris knows how to build crime fiction tension and create an atmosphere of fear and dread on the page that blurs the lines of real life versus fiction, making for a truly engrossing reading experience.

Finally, I loved the beautifully written use of multiple timelines that brought Amelie's past and present circumstances to a climax in the story.

Perfect for readers who are thriller fans and love to approach reading a psychological thriller from multiple perspectives... With information dripped masterfully into the story from chapter to chapter.

Although I did find a few plot points were left hanging and the overall conclusion left me with a lot of questions, I know this is a trademark B.A. Paris element. And, that element keeps me a B.A. Paris biggest fan. As it never fails to connect me with the main character's experience who is also left with a future filled with questions, and a potentially unknown path forward... But with a hint of hope that she will be able to navigate it...✨😎✨

Pages: 300
Genre: Thriller
Sub-Genre: Psychological Thriller
Time Period: Present Day
Location: London (England)

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Stay Awake by Megan Goldin ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Movie: Drive

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Amelie has lost both of her parents (her mother as a young girl and just recently her father) and is struggling to make a new life in London.

She starts to build a network of close female friends who helps her find a job where they are working as well. There she meets Jed Hawthorne, her new boss, and the two get married in a "faux marriage" to solve the challenges each of them is facing individually.

But soon after their wedding, things turn dark quickly behind closed doors. Amelie wakes up in a pitch-black room, not knowing where she is or why she has been taken captive.

As she begins to piece together what has happened, she realizes that her captors might not be who they seem... and that her husband Jed has been hiding some deadly secrets of his own the entire time including a terrible crime.

If you are a fan of the best thrillers Gone Girl or The Silent Patient, check out my T.I.M.E. Book Review above for three reasons why The Prisoner might be a must-read thriller for you.

BOOK QUOTE:
"Maybe... " — The Prisoner by B.A. Paris

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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Suspenseful, edge of your seat story about a woman who marries a man who is seriously dangerous. After a difficult upbringing Amelie is finally feeling good about her life. She has friends, a job she likes, and a new man who makes her a promise she can’t resist. She has always been resourceful, but when she finds herself in a dark room with no idea how to get out she is facing her worst nightmare. Extremely fast paced and addictive.

B.A. Paris never disappoints. This is a well paced psychological thriller with great characters and unexpected twists. Just when i thought I had figured it out, I was thrown another curve which is exactly what I want from a thriller. Highly recommended along with all of her other books.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of The Prisoner ebook from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a ride! I have read several novels by this author and I think this is my favourite! Loved the short chapters and the past/present POV. There was enough twists in the plot to keep you guessing but not overwhelming. All of the pieces fit perfectly together by the time the story wraps up. I really enjoyed this one!

Amelie finds herself alone after her fathers unexpected death. She heads to London to try and find a job and save money for school. She is fortunate to meet and befriend Carolyn who takes her in, introduces her to her friends and helps her secure a job at the firm she’s at.

Amelie meets the young owner of the firm at a staff party and eventually receives an offer she can’t refuse and will ultimately help her pay for and get through the schooling she has long dreamed of doing. But the deal is not quite what it appears to be and Amelie is in over her head.

The first part of the story is told through Amelie’s POV in a past/present perspective. Through a scammed marriage, lost friendships and a violent kidnapping, Amelie must figure out what is happening and who she can trust.

I’m not sure how I feel about the ending for this one. I think it could have been tied up a bit better than it was. Otherwise, this was a fantastic book and gets a solid four star rating from me.

#NetGalley #BAParis #theprisoner

This was a thriller that kept me interested, but I think the “whys” behind the story were very confusing. From the beginning, you want to know why the protagonist is a prisoner, but there are so many complications as to the backstory. A solid thriller, but not one of my faves.

I still haven’t found a BA Paris title that rivals Behind Closed Doors, I keep hoping for that level of suspense and creativity again but this one was a far cry.

First of all, I thought there was too much narration of the actual imprisonment/ kidnapping. I found myself skimming these segments to get to the next chapters.

I liked the past/ present duality and the concept itself, but I found the entire premise suspect of Amelie’s “marriage” to Ned, and even worse, the ending. The ending was SUCH a letdown. It seemed to tie up way too neatly with such little excitement. All the details in ONE conversation? Way too simple!

This had potential but I felt like it didn’t live up to it!