I loved the first part of this book. Quick read - moved well. I liked the past/present timeline and how well they tied together.

I did feel the second part was rushed - I didn't get the answers I wanted and was left hanging.

Amelie has no one - then she finds a great group of friends only to have them taken away. She marries a wealthy man for only what she thinks he can give her - but he is not what he seems!

“The Prisoner” by B.A.Paris
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Release Date: 11/01
Genre: Thriller

This thriller is definitely a fast read. This is a dual timeline of past and present. The past starts about a month prior. I found the beginning kind of boring and wasn’t sure if I was going to get into the book. I kept reading and didn’t want to put it down. I had some good guesses along the way, but I wasn’t sure how she was going to tie it all together. While I’ve read some reviews and some people don’t seem to love the ending I kind of do.

Amelie father passed away leaving her 17 year old self homeless. She moved to England in hopes to start over. When she meets Carolyn her life takes a turn for the better. Then she meets Ned and her life gets turned upside down. They are kidnapped and she has no idea why. The events after the kidnapping have Amelie questioning everything.

The Prisoner is built on an intriguing premise. When an impoverished young woman agrees to marry a very wealthy man, both of them see it as the means to an end which has nothing whatsoever to do with love. However, after only being married for a few days, they are both abducted and held prisoner.

After losing her mother as a young child and her father from cancer when she was sixteen, Amelie Lamont moved to London to find work and save enough money to complete her education. However, after a summer job finished, she found herself unemployed and homeless until rescued by Carolyn Blakely who offered her a room in her house and a job as her housekeeper for as long as she wanted to stay. Gradually Amelie made a new life for herself, meeting Carolyn’s friends Justine and Lina who both worked for a magazine, Exclusives, which features interviews of the movers and shakers and celebrities of the day. Eventually Amelie also landed a job working at the magazine for the owner, Ned Hawthorpe, son of a billionaire philanthropist.

When Ned unexpectedly asks Amelie to accompany him to Los Vegas, where he had an interview lined up, she was excited to have been invited along. However, it turned out that Ned had a business proposition for her that should be mutually beneficial, which she found hard to turn down. Unfortunately, she had no idea of the man Ned Hawthorpe really was, but it wasn’t long until she found out. However, before figuring how to get out of their arrangement, they were abducted.

Written in short, sharp chapters, the novel starts strongly at a good pace and the mystery of the abduction is compelling reading. Kept in separate rooms in complete darkness, Amelie never sees the kidnappers, but is treated well by them. However, the pace then slows down as the kidnappers wait for Ned’s father to pay a ransom and despite the situation never became very suspenseful. Although young and naïve, Amelie has lived through tough times and is portrayed as a survivor, intelligent and willing to fight for her freedom. As one of the main characters, it would also have been good to know more about Ned, in particular why he became the man he is and yet managed to maintain his persona as a charming man and fly under everyone’s radar.

In the aftermath of the abduction there is a lot of explanation of the events that led up to it and what motivated the kidnappers, some of it requiring a suspension of belief. This really dragged out the ending and still managed to leave me with a lot of unanswered questions. Perhaps it would have worked better if more had been incorporated into the plot earlier so that so much additional information and explanation was not required. Although not destined to be amongst my favourite B.A. Paris’ novels, I really enjoyed the overall premise and Amelie’s story. 3.5 stars

Amelie lost her mother at birth and her father before she was out of her teens. Strong and shrewd she eked out a life in London determined to find a way to go to law school. Her touchstone is her friends...... Lina , Justine and Carolyn. When suave billionaire Ned Hawthorne offers her a job and offer of marriage in exchange for law school funding , naive and gullable Amelie folds. After two weeks of marriage she wakes up to a gunman in her bedroom and is held captive in a dark room in an unknown location. I have been a huge fan of B. A. Paris since her first book "Behind Closed Doors". She is an absolute master at creating diabolical husbands and extreme twisty narratives. Told with past and present timelines the character of Ned and preceding events that precipitated the kidnaping and consequences peel off like the layers of an onion. The story starts off with a bang and continues at a fast pace makng for a compelling read. The concluding chapters offer an explanation and exploration of the events which were enlightening but still left some dangling threads. Not my favorite of Paris's works but still an immersive read. Ameliie is a strong character determined to find answers to a situation that forever changed and damaged her.

The first half of this story was excellent. It's told in alternating chapters of past and present. We learn of Amelie's past while also experiencing what's she's going through being locked in the dark room. The way B.A. Paris describes Amelie's experiences with her kidnappers and being locked in the room is hair raising. The second half of the story was flat and predictable to me. It went from a thriller story to a mystery story with Amelie searching for answers. Then all of a sudden the answers are given and the story is over. The ending felt very rushed. There was so much great storytelling in the beginning and it just didn't follow through to the end. This starts as a great read then just fizzles, but still worth a read.

🚨UNPOPULAR OPINION ALERT🚨

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge fan of B.A. Paris. With that said, I did not love this one.

Things were rolling along in the first part of the book, and I was invested. The short chapters of past and present timelines kept things flowing nicely, but in the end could not redeem the story for this reader.

Here’s why I say this:

The plot was very incohesive, full of holes, and frankly required suspension of belief to an excessive degree. To a point, it was simply not believable.

The character development was tenuous at best with a main character that was impossibly naïve. I found it difficult to care about any of them.

The second half was extremely slow, and I found myself skimming a good part of it. The last chapter infuriated me to the point that I wanted to throw the book across the room. The ending was as abrupt as slamming into a brick wall. I closed the book feeling very unsettled to say the least.

While B.A. Paris has written some phenomenal psychological thrillers, this one was definitely not for me. With that said, I will be eagerly awaiting her next title because I do tend to enjoy her work on the whole.

My thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book before its publication date.

I enjoyed this one by B.A.Paris. Specifically liked the short, quick fast-paced chapters. Also liked the alternating past / present chapters in the first half. The character of Amelie was strong and fearless. I could have learned more about her friends characters. Ned was unlikeable from the start. The plot was suspenseful. I never thought I could figure out the twists until they were revealed. I felt like the ending was abrupt. When I got to the end of the e-book, I was confused that there wasn’t more. Overall, 4 stars.

Amelie has a rough past. She has lost everyone she loves and decides to commit herself to Ned. After some weird occurrences on a trip together they are snatched and being held captive. She is trapped in a dark room trying to figure out who took her and why this is happening.

This was a less than par book for me and I love B.A Paris. The story felt drawn out and the end was not really exciting.

I did enjoy the back and forth of past and present with Amelie but overall was looking for more out of this one.

I am a tad on the disappointed side after reading this one.

The short and sweet of it.....
While trying to put her life back together Amelie marries billionaire, Ned Hawthorne after a bizarre arrangement between the two. Nights after their marriage Ned and Amelie are kidnapped, locked in separate rooms. Ameile is kept in the dark (literally) for 14 days. The second half of the book we watch as Amelie tries to put recover and move on, all along needing answers of who her captors were.

I feel as if this was written in a whirlwind. The first half bounced between past and present and there was a lot going on. Introduction of characters, brief mentions of others all the while being transported back to the dark room Amelie now resides. The second half slowed down and ended so abruptly I was left with a ton of questions. None I will list here, as I do not want to give any spoilers away.

There wasn't a whole lot of character development, which I think is where a lot of my questions stem from. I have read The Therapist and Behind Closed Doors, both from Paris and thought they were phenomenal psychological thrillers. I'm not sure what happened here.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and B.A. Paris for my E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book. This was my second BA Paris novel. I also read the author’s debut, Behind Closed Doors. This book actually reminded me a bit of Behind Closed Doors, but it wasn’t nearly as good, or as shocking.

Amelie and her rich husband Jed are kidnapped and the entire first 20% of this book details the captivity - it’s so repetitive. We get it, the room was dark, the window was boarded up. Once we get more into the plot, the twists are quite strange and hard to follow. I wasn’t a fan of this one..

I thoroughly enjoyed the novel! I haven’t read a single POV novel in quite awhile and I forgot how much I enjoy it. You become so much more invested in them when it is all from their sole perspective. The two timelines moved smoothly throughout. I felt anxious at times wondering how things would play out. I thought the resolution was going in a completely different direction than it did and I was pleasantly surprised with the ending! I have read The Therapist from B.A. Paris and I loved that one! Hard to compare the two because they are entirely different. However, I will say that I enjoy the fluidity of her writing. I am not usually someone that flies through a book in a day or two and I couldn’t put this one down. Definitely recommend and can’t wait to read more of her work.

Thank you so much @netgalley and @stmartinspress for my e-arc!

I really don’t want to say too much in fear of spoiling something, but here are some of my takeaways:

The Good:
* SUPER short chapters (I’m talking 2-3 pages) that kept the pace lightening quick.
* I was captivated throughout the story while trying to figure out what was going to happen and who was behind it all. It got a tiny bit repetitive, but not enough to really bother me.
* Past & Present timeline so you can try and piece together the information was done really well!

The Not So Good:
* I was a left with a question or two at the end 😒
* There are two parts, and the second half of part 2 slowed down the story a bit which frustrated me since it was towards the end and the big reveal.
* It ended abruptly. I turned the last page and thought, “that’s it?!”

I can’t say that I was shocked by anything, but a surprise happened here and there. It was a solid read that I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a fast paced, intriguing story.

“Amelie wakes up in a pitch-black room, not knowing where she is. Why has she been taken? Who are her mysterious captors? And why does she soon feel safer here, imprisoned, than she had begun to feel with her husband Ned?”

This book was a bit of a head-scratcher. As in: Did I like this book? I think I liked it. Maybe? Most of it? I think?

The first bit was really interesting. I thought the lead up to her being alone in London (the world, really) and her friendship with the three women was well fleshed out. I think someone offering a job to a girl who’d basically stalked her was a little odd, but, I can suspend disbelief enough to get past that.

The abduction part, and the two timelines, I really enjoyed. Finding out How The Got Here was a wild ride doled out in bite sized pieces. I thought the descriptions of her inner thoughts, and her interactions with her captors, was compelling.

The story broke down a bit, for me, after that. First off, I honestly thought the book was done at one point, only to have another 1/4 of the book left. That 25% was far-fetched, even for me. The thought of Amelie pulling a Liam Neeson, except ENTIRELY WITHOUT a “very particular set of skills” was absurd, and the “Is it Romance or is it Stockholm Syndrome?” question made my eye twitch.

The book was decent. I just wish more of the good stuff was at the end, so I could have finished on a higher note.

6.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and MacMillan Audio for this captivating ARC.

Another great read from B.A. Paris!
Amelia lost her parents as a child and made it on her own for years. She understands what it means to be a survivor. When she wakes up in a pitch black room, she knows it has something to do with her husband.
A gripping novel that constantly leaves questions to be answered. High recommended!

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review

This is a quick moving book by the popular BA Paris! The story is told in two parts and two timelines. Amelie at 16 years old was the caregiver to her father. He as the only family she had, and his passing caused a lot of difficulty for her at a young age. She found work in London with her friend, Carolyn. Another chance meeting with her and next thing you know she is introduced to wealthy Ned Hawthrope. Flash to today and she is a kidnapped woman, But is it what it seems to be???? Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this gem.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the copy of this ARC.

The first half of this book was incredible! It started off with a bang, held my attention, and was honestly just a really gripping thriller with a kidnapping, an array of shady characters, and a girl with a broken past. However, elements of this book started getting a little more outlandish as the book went on. I did still want to see how it all ended up and was hopeful the thrilling elements of the first half would pick back up, but was definitely let down by the second half.

I was enthralled immediately with this story. Enjoyed the ride of moving from the present to the past and back again. Slowly revealing what was happening. Was surprised at the ending.

B.A Paris is one of my favorite authors. She is top three, not top five, top three!

She just has a way with telling a story that just keeps your butt in the chair and turning pages as fast as you can to find out what the heck is going on.

If you have never read B. A Paris, you need to start. She will hook you from the very first paragraph.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

4.5/5 stars

The Prisoner is a psychological thriller. It is my sixth book by this author.

This book is divided into two parts and is mostly set in the UK. And it has a past/present storyline in part one.

The narrator is Amelie (1st person POV). In the past we see how Amelie survived in London. And in the present we see a kidnapping. I think that this back and forth in time added so much to the story.

I really enjoyed this book. The title is perfection and really captured the essence of the story. I was very interested in the kidnapping storyline. And I was anxious to find out everything. Part 2 of the book was really good and I found this part of the story to be riveting. The only part that I'm not 100% sold on is the end. The reveals were good. But when I started the last chapter I was honestly wondering how everything could possibly tie up in only a few pages. I think that maybe I would have liked to see more with these characters. But overall I really liked this thriller.

I wanted to like this one - Behind Closed Doors is one of my favorite domestic thrillers and one I highly recommend. Amelie was a good MC - strong, feisty and independent but too naive. I wanted her to succeed. I had no idea where this was headed and I was so into it for the first half but ultimately it fell flat. The ending was extremely lackluster and at the end of the day seemed like it wasn’t a fully formed plot.