The Prisoner by B.A. Paris
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars)

Start date: October 24, 2022
Finish date: October 27, 2022
Pub date: November 1, 2022

▫️alternating then/now timeline ⏰
▫️short chapters 📄
▫️ author of Behind Closed Doors and The Dilemma 📚

Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for a providing me with a copy of this e-ARC.

Well. I don’t really know what to say about this one! It starts by basically dropping you into the middle of the plot with no background information - for that reason, it took me about 25% to really get into this. Then it really starts to get interesting, revealing more information through the then/now narrative. My interest in this peaked at around the halfway mark, which was exciting and intriguing.

And then there was the ending. This wrapped up in the last 10% and just seemed really rushed to me. I don’t know how to explain it without spoilers but it was just kinda like “okay let’s just explain everything all at once to wrap it up”.

Overall, not a bad read, just wasn’t as gripping as I had hoped for it to be.

Amelie and her husband have been kidnapped. Why? By whom? And why is she as afraid of her husband and she is the kidnappers? Most of those questions are answered in the first part of the book. In the second, Amelie goes to find the answers to the rest of the questions and the ones raised by events after she was released. For the first half the writing and storyline were taut and I wondered what was going to happen. But in the second part it felt like the story knew what needed to happen but didn't know how. The result was a lot of fumbling around and then a couple chapters where all is explained. It felt like one of those over explanatory epilogues that seem to be flooding books recently and I didn't like the approach here any better. Those details should be revealed throughout the story. Isn't that the point of a thriller? Like a joke, if you have to explain it then you didn't tell it right to begin with. Needless to say, it is a good story but I was a bit disappointed in the presentation.

Amelie has had a rough go of things for a good portion of her life. She lost her parents when she was very young, then, stranded with no family, she landed on her feet with a live-in position with a woman who was recently widowed. Carolyn decides to take Amelie under her wing, helping her find her way to back to her feet, and eventually to a husband and happily ever after with Jed Hawthorne. She seems to have struck the lottery with this, but nothing is ever as it seems. Soon, the unthinkable happens and Jed and Amelie are kidnapped for a hefty ransom. Things will work out, though, in the end, right?

I really, really enjoyed this one! Straight off I want to compliment the writing style the most. I loved how mysterious it was, without completely withholding plot points. I really enjoyed the little revelations along the way that called back on various facts previously laid out within the storytelling. I really enjoyed how cinematic and immersive the writing felt. I loved that Amelie was a fighter. That there was very little to no "woe is me" moments. I liked it a lot that she was always trying to think ahead...though sometimes, admittedly, without thinking of the big picture. The only thing I could say that's negative, is I feel like I just wanted more from the ending. That said, it wasn't anything super disappointing that really changed how I felt about the overall story, just it felt a little lacking. This was my first novel by Ms. Paris and it certainly won't be my last.

4.5⭐️ wow, this book was fantastic! The story follows Amelie who is an orphan that moves to London. There she meets Carolyn who saves her from living on the streets by giving her a live in housekeeping job. Amelie’s life turns around as she develops friendships that become family.
Her life takes an even more glamorous turn when she married a billionaire!
Flash forward, she is kidnapped in the middle of the night. She has no idea by who or what’s going on, but she’s beginning to feel more safe with her captors than her husband….
This psychological thriller was super fast paced and hard to put down. The second part of the book did slow down a tiny bit for me, but features it’s own twists and turns! I definitely was not expecting the ending!

This is the fourth book I've read by B.A. Paris and I was hooked after the first chapter. Amelie is a survivor who has gone through a lot at the age of 17. She meets new friends and before she knows it, she's married to a man she met through mutual friends. How well does she really know her new husband? I loved the short chapters filled with suspense as the kidnapping takes place. Who is behind the kidnapping? And why? What will happen if the ransom isn't met? The storyline is entertaining and kept my interest throughout. If you enjoyed her other books, I think you will enjoy this one just as much. Overall, I found the book to be entertaining and was invested in it all the way to the end. Amelie was a character to root for which I did. The ending left me with a few questions, but maybe that was intentional.

B.A. Paris is a master at writing the mystery/thriller genre. Once again she sets up a plot where there are so many twists that its hard to keep your eye on just who is the "bad person" and what are the motives behind the drama?? Amelie Lamont is an innocent young girl who flees to London after her father's death in order to stay out of a foster home. As luck would have it - she runs into a young woman who is also at loose ends, and the two of them form a friendship that gives Amelie the security she needs. A wrong and quick decision into a "marriage of convenience" begins Amelie's trip into the land of crazy things happening!! Abduction, murder, money -- all tumble together as she is forced to tell cover-lies in order to escape danger and save her own life. But the topsy-turvy life she spins into doesn't end there as she finds herself looking for answers to the biggest questions "why & who"? After all the drama of the story building and unwinding - I was a bit disappointed in the sudden ending leaving a big unanswered question. However - can definitely recommend the book to others! Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #ThePrisoner #NetGalley

I really wanted to like it. I have been a fan of this authors novels for a long time but this one just didn't do it for me. I was invested in the beginning, the short chapters made it an easy read but could not save the story. The characters lacked depth and I couldn't bring myself to care about any of them. The story in itself is full of plot holes and was frankly, unbelievable, and then it ends with a Scooby Doo style 'here's what happened and why' monologue. Thank you to NetGalley for my eARC of this book. I will continue to try this author in the future despite not loving this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Four solid stars for The Prisoner by B.A. Paris
The Prisoner is a psychological thriller, dual timeline, and quick read/short chapters
Amelie is a survivor. She lost her mother at a young age. In her later teens her father is taken from her too. Amelie is a wonderful, nurturing, and loving daughter aiding in her dads final days. Upon his death, she is all alone in the world. She leaves town before the authorities put her in foster/home. She stumbles upon a friendship and job. This friendship blooms into four girls friendship. Each woman brings something positive to the relationships to make a full circle.
Amelie is “negotiated” into a 4 week marriage to billionaire Ned Hawthorne. Within hours of the Vegas wedding she learns her husband assaulted one of her closest friends. No-one has seen or heard from her friend for days. Thus starts the suspense….
Leaving the states back to London, Amelie soon finds her hubby is controlling. She feels like a prisoner in her own home. He took away her cellphone, laptop, and all communication to the outside world. She is gated in the grounds were they live in their mansion. He only takes her out under his firm grip to talk to the reporters about their secret dating and marriage.
One night she and husband are taken from their beds. A ransom is held. Kidnapped and confused she somehow feels safer then in the mansion.
Four stars because ending felt rushed. A lot of information came quickly to bring it all together. Also felt unfinished but perhaps a sequel ….🤷🏻‍♀️
Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for ARC in exchange for my review.

Another BA Paris book that sucks you in, but it fell a bit flat for me.

The short chapters about the kidnapping kept me reading, trying to figure out what was going on.

And the chapter surrounding Amelie's quest for who kept her prisoner were good. I just felt it took too long to find out who was behind it all.

Worth a read....yes. At the top of my stack...no.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel hooked me right away. Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The novel is told with a dual timeline that is really well done and the easiest to follow dual timeline I have ever read. Paris does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing until the end when she is ready to wrap things up. Who did it? Why did they do it? And what’s the real story? A really excellent enjoyable read.

The Prisoner
By B. A. Paris
Release date 11/01/2022

Book Blurb: 📒
Amelie has always been a survivor, from losing her parents as a child in Paris to making it on her own in London. As she builds a life for herself, she is swept up into a glamorous lifestyle where she marries the handsome billionaire Ned Hawthorne. 
But then, 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 think with her husband, Ned?

My Review:💂🏼💂🏼💂🏼
Amelie (pronounced aa·muh·lee) has had a hard life. But she’s not jaded or angry at anyone for it. Instead, she’s putting one foot forward and trying to better herself after losing her parents very young. A chance encounter with a stranger one night while homeless changes her life. For the better. She has friends and money and working on that tuition to go to school.
And Ned, a wealthy man, proposes a dream scenario to her, marry him for a few weeks, she’ll get the money for school, and they’ll have it annulled. Easy peasy, right?
NOPE, next thing you know - she’s kidnapped, living in a room in the dark, and trying to cope with it.
The first half goes from past to present; it builds the story up
The 2nd half was insane.
Just wow. Loved it
I read BA Paris’s first book, Behind Closed Doors, years ago, along with my entire office.
We all devoured it and couldn’t stop talking about it.
I think this one is right there with it.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ S̤̈T̤̈Ä̤R̤̈S̤̈


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B.A Paris is the Queen of the psychological thriller! She once again ratchets up the suspense in this book. If you like reading a book from alternating points of view of time than this will be an enjoyable book. This book was entertaining and I eagerly flipped through the pages to the exhilarating finish!

Thank you to NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I like the premise of this story and while it was good, I personally wish it would've been better for me.

I enjoyed the dual timelines of the present and the past allowing us to understand what happened to the day that Amelie and Ned get kidnapped. Although I wish there was more background on Ned on why he is the way he is...also I was disappointed on how quickly Amelie agreed to marry Ned. While I understand her circumstances it felt rushed and just weird to me from Neds part.

While I did start predicting why and who was involved pretty early on it didn't completely ruin the story for me but kept me intrigued and then it was all over...I was expecting more I guess? The ending was a rush and overload of information on the reader, but a lot of it was predicted like I mentioned. The ending was a bit underwhelming...I wish there was more of Amelie and Hunter after. It just felt unfinished.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. I will posting my review on my instagram account soon @talkgoodbookstome

While I loved Behind Closed Doors, The Prisoner did not live up. The past parts were more interesting that the present. It felt like two different author wrote this, where one wrote the present and the other the past. The present chapters felt clunky and confusing. I felt I could skim this book and not miss any vital details. I did like that this was quick to read with short chapters though.

Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the advance copy of #theprisoner for review. The opinions are my own.

3.5 stars, rounded up - I've been meaning to read a book by this author for ages and ages, so I'm glad I got this one to nudge me into reading the others that are actually on my shelf! If this is indicative of her style, I'm definitely in for more!

The story starts with the death of Amelie's dad and her move to London. After a rough start she makes a few female friends, has a place to live, and gets a job. On a business trip with her very wealthy boss to Las Vegas, he suggests a business proposal which entails them getting married for a short time - and he suggests it in such a way that they both would benefit.

Ameilie agrees and her life spirals out of control afterwards. She and her wealthy husband are kidnapped and held prisoner. Plots and secrets and trouble ensue. I thought the build up was strong and even agreeing to the business / wedding proposal sort of made sense. The kidnapping and prisoner section had some plot issues, but I was still engaged. The ending though. Everything aligned all too perfectly and it was a bit too tidy for me. Kind of a rushed Hollywood ending. The book would make a good beach or weekend read for a thrill ride but nothing too deep or complex.

An absolute 5 star must read!

One of the best books I've read so far this year! It grabbed me from the first page until the final page and I was still wanting more! I didn't want it to end.

The chapters go back and forth with Amelie's life in the past before she was taken and the present while she's being held captive. She has no idea who or why this is happening to her.

B.A. Paris definitely knows how to build suspense in her new page turning thriller!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the opportunity to read an E-ARC of "The Prisoner" before the publication date of 11/1/2022.

What did I just read!

The Prisoner starts out with a kidnapping. Amelie and Ned are held in separate dark rooms at an unknown locations. The story is told in past and present times. We learn about Amelie's life before she met Ned and how they ended up being kidnapped. I enjoyed the characters even though I didn't always like them.

I can't say much without giving too much away. Let's just say not your average kidnapping story.

B.A. Paris does it again.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

3 stars

Very average. Didn't connect with the characters and lost interest a few times throughout the book. Loved how everything wrapped up in the end but didn't enjoy the overall story.

When Amelie Lavoy is orphaned at 17, she moves to London to find work to save for school. She soon finds herself destitute, but a chance encounter leads her to a job as a live in housekeeper to a lovely woman who folds her into her life. Amelie develops friendships that turn into family even after her job ends and she takes new position working as an assistant to the wealthy Ned Hawthorne. When he takes her on a last minute business trip and proposes the idea of mutually beneficial marriage, Amelie agrees thinking she can last 30 days to earn the money for school. But she doesn’t know Ned’s true character and when she finds out it is too late. She lives in terror in his house, so much so that when the pair are kidnapped and she is held prisoner in a dark room it feels like a reprieve from Ned’s threatening presence. In the dark, Amelie has nothing but time to wonder who has kidnapped them, what so they want and what will she do about Ned if they are released…


I am a fan of B.A. Paris’ book Behind Closed Doors. While I found it challenging to read due to the nature of the story, it was captivating. I jumped at a chance to read an early release of the newest book and enjoyed it.

The premise intrigued me and while the pace of this was slow at first, it still read relatively fast and I tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The second half of the book delivers many of the answers I had been looking for, though I did feel there were so loose ends at the conclusion of the novel. Some aspects are definitely far fetched, but I’m willing to suspend disbelief to some degree when it comes to thrillers. Overall, it was an entertaining story that I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Prisoner is a captivating thriller about a young woman kidnapped and isolated with her dangerous husband. Following the death of her beloved father, Amelie moves to London at 17 to try to make it on her own. Thanks to a chance encounter with Caroline, she has a friend, a job, and a safe home. Flash forward to a few years later and she's fully enveloped by Caroline's friends and has another new job working for billionaire Ned Hawthorne at his magazine, Her friends try to warn her of Ned's manipulative behavior, but he isolates her on a so-called work trip to Las Vegas. She returns from Vegas with no phone, no computer, no way of accessing her beloved friends, and married to Ned. Their marriage is meant to be a business arrangement, but it becomes obvious that it's much more than that when he refuses to let her leave their home. The story alternates between the past and the present - the present in which Amelie is held prisoner in an entirely dark room with only a mattress and a small bathroom. She doesn't know who her captors are, but she knows she may be safer with them than she is with her husband, isolated one floor beneath her.