B.A.Paris books never disappoint and this is no exception. In the beginning, the story revolves around Laure coming to stay with Gabriel and Iris after she's had a disagreement with her husband, Pierre. Iris and Gabriel have been friends with the couple for twenty years so they don't feel they can say no to Laure staying with them. Things get tense, though, as the weeks turn into months and Laure shows no sign of leaving.

Little signs start appearing that indicate something isn't right. Each of the characters seem to have secrets and it's unclear who is fault when people start dying.

It would be impossible to fully review this book without giving spoilers and I never want to do that. I'll just say that this is an immensely readable book that you can't put down. The ending is stunning!!!

I seem to always enjoy whatever this author writes. I haven't picked up a new release in a few years so my memories of B.A. Paris' books has been "fast-paced and twists that change EVERYTHING". The Guest did not disappoint! I was gripped and couldn't stop reading despite not really knowing what the characters names were. As someone who hardly ever tries to solve the mystery in books, I really enjoy how easy and fast-paced this author's books are. This book uses one of my favorite thriller tropes and it reminded me why I used to read so many thrillers. I will definitely need to go back and read the books that I've missed from this author!

The twist will have you shouting WHAT?!?

The Guest is a psychological drama centered around a couple struggling after a neighbor kid is found dead in a quarry by the husband. He is dealing with severe depression as he is holding back a secret that the kid shared as his dying last words. Trying to cope and find himself they take a holiday only to return and find their long time friend staying in their home. Unknown to them the couple is having issues. The husband has found out he has a child from an affair. A secret that has been kept for more than 20 years. The story is filled with missing people, murder, grief, a gardener who can't leave well enough alone and an epilogue that will have you saying you had it ALL WRONG.

For myself I really struggled to get in to this. It can be difficult keeping up with all of the storylines, the many characters, the twists and turns of each characters story. They're not written separately but intertwined and I struggled with that. Keeping with it though was worth it! The story as it evolves starts to show the material filling the cracks. I really admired, the main character, Gabriels redemption of finding the child dying and witnessing last words, how he found purpose in life again, started healing from the guilt and grief to begin healing. Coming clean with his wife really catapulted his journey to healing.

I won't spoil the ending only to say, I wish we had some of the clues along the way tucked in. While having them all in the epilogue is a great way to end the story, it may have helped me have a better understanding of all that was unfolding throughout the story. I also wish things had moved at a quicker pace. This story is a very very slow burn!

Overall I would try another B.A. Paris novel! I would love to see what the writing style is like in other stories. I enjoyed the overall character depth and development of their stories. I enjoyed the back stories & journeys they take as well.

This was my first book from author B.A. Paris.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martins Press for the ARC copy!

This was just okay. Not great not terrible. The pacing is really slow which really drags down a thriller. I also couldn’t see why every woman just loved Joseph. I did quite like the ending though!

3 stars.

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this domestic thriller. They're my favorite kind! I really enjoyed Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris, but I think I liked this one just as much! Plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested, there are also quite a few characters to keep track of - not enough to be overwhelming though.

It was easy to call a couple things that were going to happen in this book, but for the most part I had no idea where this was going which made it all the more enjoyable. I highly recommend this title on audio too, it was a great, quick listen. The narrator did a great job!

Thank you to BA Paris, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC/ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wasted my time on this so you don’t have to. What a disappointment the ending turned out to be. It felt like a colossal waste of time.

The Guest - B.A Paris
When Iris and Gabriel arrive home after vacation, one of their friends is there waiting, finding solace after a mishap with her husband.
Iris and Gabriel try to be supportive but soon agree that Laure has overstayed her welcome.
When Gabriel and Iris try to reach out to Pierre, hoping to help him and Iris reconnect, they find themselves more lost than ever as there seems to be no attempt at reconciliation with each other. In fact, Pierre seems almost impossible to reach.
As time goes by, it feels more and more impossible that Iris and Gabriel are going to get Laure out of their home. But the longer she stays, the longer Pierre ignores their attempts at reaching out, the more secrets come to light.
I don't think I've ever come across a B.A. Paris book that I haven't been a fan of. As always, it delivers twist after twist, keeping you invested as you read through the story. The book started off with a bang, however it did slow down a bit in the middle, but worth it as you hit the end. If you're looking for a thriller to keep you guess, give this one a shot! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!!

Paris tells a story about betrayal, lies and murder.

Sadly, this one didn't hit the mark for me. The story seems to take place in this tiny cul-de-sac setting in England, where there's apparently only one attractive man within a 20 mile radius and every woman is obsessed with him. :Insert eyeroll: After I met the 4th or was it the 6th woman who fell for Joseph, I mentally checked out of the book. Joseph just had to breathe and he was able to build a small harem of all the women in town. Why? No idea, Joseph was barely on page, he was just talked about by pretty much every female character.

To be completely honest, I felt as if this was a very surface level book. The only in-depth look we got of a character was in the Epilogue, and :sarcasm: shocking that was where the "Big twist" was. Yes, you heard me right, you had to get alllllll the way to the epilogue before anything of interest happens. Unfortunately by that time, I could have cared less. This book was not for me, but maybe it's for you! Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC.

Iris and Gabriel come home from a much-needed and lengthy trip to discover someone in their home...their friend, Laure. Laure has left her husband Pierre, and now Iris and Gabriel are stuck in the middle of their friends' turbulent relationship. They think they're getting a break from the increasingly overbearing Laure when she befriends a new mother in town, but not everything is as it seems.

This was a quick-paced domestic thriller that had a lot more dying than I was expecting! I don't want to spoil anything for future readers, but the intertwining of death, mysterious pasts, and how everyone is tangentially involved in one another's lives eventually comes together well in the end. Any books with lovers keeping secrets from one another is an easy way to draw me in, and this book has many secrets that are dying to come out.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of this e-ARC.

The Guess explores perspectives of Iris and Gabriel after returning from a holiday following a distressing event that have impacted Gabriel. Their plans for relaxation after they returned home are disrupted by the unexpected visit of their friend Laure, who is navigating her own marital challenges and left her husband. Laure welcomed herself to their home, their bed, wearing Iris’s clothes, and rearranging their things.

Despite my high expectations, I found myself unable to continue past the 48% mark. The narrative leaned more towards domestic drama rather than a thriller. The pacing felt sluggish and struggled connecting with these unlikeable characters. While it may appeal to those seeking a slower paced / cozy read, it didn't resonate with me at this time. I’ve made several attempts to continue reading, but I simply couldn’t push through. Perhaps I will revisit in the future when I’m looking for a more laid-back reading experience. I might give her other books a try.

I am a big fan of B.A. Paris and have really loved her books in the past. This book, however, was a bit underwhelming. It is readable but it didn’t really keep me on the edge of my seat. The storyline was a bit all over the place and a bit repetitive. It didn’t really get interesting until the very end when everything came together.

I cannot pass up a good B.A. Paris thriller and The Guest was no exception.

This was a fast and fun thrill ride of a book, perfect for a weekend with no plans or a day on the beach. Would definitely recommend.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love a BA Paris thriller. This one was no exception. The plot was quick moving and suspensful. Although, I normally figure out the twist I couldn not with this book! It kept me guessing until the end.

I'm normally a big fan of everything that B.A. Paris writes, but this one just didn't grab me in the way that her other books have in the past.

Iris & Gabriel were living a happy enough life- until Gabriel, a GP, found Charlie Ingram moments away from death at the bottom of the nearby quarry. Since then Gabriel has been distant. In an attempt to relax, the pair spend the weekend away from their home, only to find that close friend Laure has moved in to their home following a shocking revelation from her husband, Pierre.

What follows is the story of Laure and Pierre, Gabriel and Iris, and their new neighbors Hugh and Esme. Sadly this book failed to grab my attention. It was well written, as all of her books are, but I never really connected with the characters. Even the twist- which I will say I did not guess- didn't leave me open-mouthed with shock like I was expecting it to.

Even though this one wasn't for me, I will still be reading everything that she comes out with. This one was just a miss for me.

I typically enjoy novels by B.A. Paris, and the Guest is no exception. The book follows Iris and Gabriel when they return home from their holiday, they arrive to find their friend Laure is staying at their home. From there they find out the circumstances of her visit and she prolongs her stay. The tension in their marriage is compounded by their unexpected guest. Iris also makes friends with a new neighbor and she finds a welcome respite in her and her husband. Before long all lives become intermeshed and a murder happens. The story takes you in one direction and a shocking twist at the end will leave you wanting more. Highly recommend for fans of Paris and readers of mystery and suspense!

B.A. Paris is an author whose style is hard to beat! The book is centered around a con artist so it also has a fun factor. It is a psychological thriller in my opinion but also has some romance in it. You can not go wrong with this author or book!

When you see a book by Paris being offered on netgalley, you jump on that opportunity! I enjoyed this book so much. It was a binge-worthy thriller that can be read in one or two sittings. The twists and turns were out of this world - nothing surprising when it comes to this author!

Thank you SMP for the gifted copy.

BA Paris is one of those authors that is hit or miss for me. The Guest is pretty decent - it kept me wanting to know more, wanting to know what was going on, what happens to the characters. Until the ending. I think I actually rolled my eyes. *I will say that a lot of reviewers liked the ending a lot - so make your own decision*

Iris and Gabriel are getting home from a vacation and they find out that one of their close friends, Laure, has been crashing at their place without them knowing, because she found out her husband has fathered a child and wouldn't tell her who the mother is. She decides to stay longer, and very much overstays her welcome. Iris and Gabriel are too nice to make her leave, but they're going through their own issues and Laure is really getting in the way of them figuring things out.

Things happen and I wanted to know they whos, whys, etc. The characters are very unreliable and unlikeable, and I didn't trust anyone.

I think fans of domestic thrillers will enjoy this one - it's a quick and engaging read. Not my favorite by Paris, but not my least favorite either. I will definitely read her next book!

This book was so good, I was hooked from the start. The relationship between the characters, the mysteries presented throughout, the maze of connections, and above all, the TWIST! Holy twister, I didn't see all of that coming.

B. A. Paris's writing really drew me into the story. The characters seemed like people I knew, and I could not believe what was happening to them. It was exciting and frustrating because you just wanted to be able to tell the characters what was happening, kind of like when you are watching a horror movie! I wish there were more B.A. Paris books that I haven't already read!