Thank you, Macmillan Publisher's for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of "The Guest List" by B.A. Paris. This book is a gripping psychological thriller with an intricate plot, well-developed characters, and unexpected twists. It's a page-turner that leaves readers guessing until the very end. I, for one, was blindsided by the ending, and I love it when an author takes me by complete surprise. I haven't read many books by B.A. Paris, but I will certainly be looking out for her other books. This was published in February of 2024, and if you love a thriller that plays out like a real head game, put this in your to be read pile.

I preferred "The Therapist" and "The Prisoner" over "The Guest". It was a slow-burn book. I finished three other books before getting to the end of this one. The epilogue takes you through the story a second time explaining what happened.
I received this galley from NetGalley.

This was my first b.a. Paris book but it will definitely not be my last! Though I did feel like the book was a bit longer than it needed to be, some unnecessary bits could have been taken out and still got the desired effects of the book as a whole. It gave off none of this is true vibes by Lisa Jewells and made me love it all the more with the differences. Had me guess up until the end and the whole epilogue blew my mind. Overall I’d highly recommend to a friend and a book club, would be a great discussion book. Thanks for letting me read and review for my honest feedback! 4.5 stars from me!

If you’re looking for that thriller that you just can’t figure out, but love a good challenge, then you will love this book! The ending was a little different than anything I’d ever read before, but it really hits home that you can never really trust things to be the way they seem at first. The characters in this book were well developed over time. It felt like these people could have been my actual neighbors, and what was happening could actually be happening around me right now. That’s what made me keep going. I wanted to see what happened to them. What kept going on were things I actually see happen every day, but what made it so unforgettable? Unable to be put down? It was simply that I had to know what and why it all happened. I never saw the end coming. Ever. It was one of those books you feel you need to read all over again to see how you missed it. If you like those kind of books, like I do, then you will definitely enjoy this one!

I was given a copy of this book, from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and I was not encouraged or swayed, in any way, for a positive review, only an honest one.

When Iris and Gabriel return from a holiday to discover Laure, an old family acquaintance, has been covertly staying in their home following a spat with her husband, Pierre, you just know things are about to spiral out of control. What begins as a brief visit quickly morphs into an extended stay as marital strife rocks Laure's world. Meanwhile, Iris and Gabriel grapple with their own relationship issues, exacerbated by Gabriel's recent traumatic experience involving a tragic accident and a heavy burden of guilt and secrets.

As the narrative unfolds, layers of secrets and lies, both past and present, blur the lines between truth and deception, leaving you guessing until the very last page. This is a gripping tale that refuses to be abandoned unfinished! And that ending? Completely blindsided me!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy!

The first half of this book was a bit boring but the 2nd half made up for it. This definitely had me second guessing who was the culprit and the epilogue left me in shock.

Thank you netgally for this ARC.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Love this author and this book did not disappoint. What a bizarre and creepy situation to come home to a friend taking over your home. Plenty of domestic suspense and surprises.
Well written and easy to read. Another great job by this author.

2.5 stars.

Started off much stronger than it ended.

A couple returns home from vacation to find their friend has left her husband and moved into their house.

I was intrigued at the start of this book. I am drawn to books that revolve around intricate friendships and family relationships. The storyline is questionable from the beginning, leaving the reader wondering what they are missing. The mystery pulls the story forward as you try to figure out the missing pieces of the family and friendship dynamics.

I enjoyed how the story unfolded but I was frustrated a few times when new pieces of the story were revealed that contradicted what happened prior (wait, that’s not the way it actually happened, etc.). The narrative misleads the reader several times and instead of finding these reveals twisty, I found them annoying.

I feel this novel wasn’t the authors usual strong and engrossing writing. After the first 25%, I found myself rolling my eyes at the decisions, dialogue and inner thoughts of the characters quite often. This always takes away from my enjoyment as I need to be able to believe what is happening could be real. The unrealistic plot points were disappointing for me. The Epilogue was what made me round down my 2.5 star rating to 2 instead of up to 3.

Overall, this was not my favourite by this author. I’ve read all of her books and most have been great but a few have not worked out well for me including this one. I remain a fan and look forward to what she comes out with next!

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!

I am a huge fan of B. A. Paris but this one fell a bit flat for me. It kept me engaged while reading but even though there weren't too many characters, at times it felt like they were endless and hard to keep track of. Overall it was decent and a fun read.

For Iris and Gabriel life could not be much better; they have a charming home, successful careers, and a beautiful daughter named Beth. Things take a bit of a turn, however, when Gabriel finds a young man–Charlie–after a tragic accident at the local quarry. Not only is Gabriel with him during his final moments, he is also given a message by Charlie, a message that is weighing heavily on Gabriel. Iris is desperate to help her husband get past what happened at the quarry, but when an unexpected house guest arrives, their good friend Laure, Iris is left to pick up the pieces of two people’s lives. Seems Pierre, Laure’s husband, told her about a secret child, which is why Iris now finds her at her door. Of course she can stay as long as she wishes, but she soon overstays her welcome when she begins to imitate Iris, all the way down to her hair. Secrets have a nasty way of making their way to the surface, and can affect all involved, sometimes in life-altering ways.

I kind of struggled with this novel. I liked the basic premise of the story but I really found myself struggling with the characters. I honestly found them rather annoying and weak. Iris was way too nice and was unable to stick up for herself in any way; I often had the desire to yell at her and shake her if I could. Laure was just beyond self-involved; she is someone that I would not only never be friends with, but she is someone I would refuse to include in my life in any way. The pacing was a little too slow for my tastes as well. When things were happening, they were happening, but there were too many slow sections that took away from my enjoyment of the story.

I really enjoyed this twisty thriller. The story started out slowly as I got to know the characters and gradually began to realize that all was not as it appeared to be in this tightly bonded group. How far would you go to keep a secret if revealing that secret would shatter not only your life but everyone you love as well? The epilogue left me breathless and parts of it literally gave me chills. This was definitely one twisted, shocking ride! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.

Wow! I’ve been impressed with BA Paris’ work before, but this one made me gasp aloud. Iris and Gabriel’s perfect life has been shaken by a traumatic event that shuts Gabriel inside his own grief. Despite Iris’ best efforts, Gabriel remains unreachable until their closest couple friends, Pierre and Laure, hit a huge bump in their marriage. Laure comes to stay with them, and Iris and Gabriel are reconnected by their exasperation with Laure’s constant need for soothing. A new couple moving in down the road is the perfect distraction for the claustrophobia of their everyday life. But something is not quite right with their gardener….

BA Paris loves to set up a series of seemingly disparate connections amidst a tight community. While I’ve loved this in some books, in others, it’s been the reason for a lower rating. This time, Paris strikes an amazing balance that leaves the reader guessing what is chance, what is tragedy, and what is murder. This novel moves quickly and the final twist was shocking, satisfying, and chilling. BA Paris is now on my must read list!

In this book it's all summer weather from oppressive heat to sudden storms … maybe something to read while looking forward to summer …
The Guest by BA Paris - domestic suspense that I devoured in just a day - out this past Tuesday !
When Iris and Gabriel arrive back home from they took to recover from traumatic stress they discover that one of their closest friends, Laure, is in their house. Not exactly what they needed to slowly ease into a new normal. Even worse Laure plans to stay but what can you do, she is their friend after all. The atmosphere quickly becomes strained as Laure oversteps again and again and clinging to Iris every waking moment.
Laure has walked out on her husband-and their good friend Pierre, over his confession of an affair and a secret child. Iris and Gabriel want to be supportive, Laure's presence takes its toll and as days stretch to weeks to basically just staying ...
There's also a new couple in the village and their live-in friend/gardner who seems to be a little rough around the edges.
Long held secrets start to spill out ...
This is a story of secrets and lies and their power to bind us but also to break through when least expected.
The book was twisty down to the ending and epilogue - a captivating read !
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my eARC.

This is a book that I definitely devoured, and I didn't bother to pick up any other books I was still reading at the time. The story of a family with secrets, friends, and a sprinkling of death on top. Nothing is as it seems and what seems to be obvious is only the tip of the iceberg. What an addictive and chaotic read.

The beginning of this story sucked me in! I had a few issues, but overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Things I loved about this book:

- The storyline - This was filled with lots of suspense and mystery, which kept me hooked
- Twists - I didn’t see the twists coming, which kept the book fun

Things I struggled with:
- The pacing - at times, this story dragged, but at others, it felt fast-paced
- The characters - With the exception of Iris, most of the characters are unlikable, and I didn’t feel a strong connection to them
- The ending - this was a bit too unbelievable and over the top for my liking

I might have rated this book higher if the story had been shorter and a bit less fluffy.

I’d recommend this to those who enjoy domestic dramas or love Paris's work.

B.A. Paris does it again! A couple comes home from holiday to find a house guest they weren't expecting. As the story unfolds there are twists and turns in every direction and the final moments in the book will have your head spinning. Did not see that coming at all!!!

I was a little overwhelmed in the beginning of this book because there are so many characters but I stuck with it and I'm so glad I did. I would say to anyone having an issues with characters...I would do the audio book. It really helps and brings the story to life.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Loved this one! The big reveal was a fun surprise and there were a few other surprises toward the end that I didn't see coming. Pacing was awesome and loved that there were lots of shorter chapters! Her writing is just phenomenal!

Man, BA Paris has unfortunately been mostly a miss for me as far as reading goes. I want to love her stuff so badly as I know multiple people who really enjoy her stuff and I just can't get into her writing. I do tend to love character driven stuff more, and this book is 100% plot driven. For me, that leaves me having a difficult time connecting to any of the characters. That also leads to having a harder time following the story line, caring for the characters or what is happening, and keeping everything straight in my mind. I think this style of writing just tends to keep me somewhat disengaged so I have a harder time. The storyline is busy and does have a lot of stuff going on, but to me it was just okay. I finished this a couple months ago, and truly I cannot remember what happens.

So to me, this book was just okay and one that won't stick with me. HOWEVER, I know many people who love this author, so don't let my review discourage you if you're interested!

Review to be posted on goodreads and instagram shortly!

This book was good and entertaining but it took a while to get to a twist at all. You kind of knew most of it at the beginning. I thing expected better after behind closed by the same author.

I was introduced to B.A. Paris through the book Behind Closed Doors like many people, so I was excited to get my hands on her newest book. This book really kept my attention throughout the whole thing. I didn't feel that this book was as suspenseful as the above mentioned, but it still gave me just enough to want to keep reading. I was wondering when the twist was going to happen, and I was not disappointed. Until i got to the Epilogue, I did not in any way see the way the book was heading. Overall, I would definitely recommend this to my thriller loving friends and friends who are looking into dipping their toes into thriller fiction. I feel like it's a great introductory thriller.