I previously read Behind Closed Doors and loved it. So getting the chance to review an ARC by the same author is exciting.

I took me a little while to get into, I felt there was a ton of dialog and the day to day life was kind of boring. But the epilogue was FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC! It brought everything together and all the questions I had at the end were instantly answered.

Good book if you push through till the end. I will recommend for sure!

A loving couple named Iris and Gabriel are one day surprised by an unexpected visitor. Laure learns of her husband Pierre's infidelity and chooses to move in with the happy couple. The two couples have been together for a long time, but when Laure chooses to stay with Iris and Gabriel, the situation completely changes. Iris is displeased with her actions and wants things to return to as they were before she moved in.

One of my favorite mystery thriller tropes is the unexpected or uninvited guest who turns up. It seemed to me that the main focus of this story would be that trope. It was, at the absolute least, the first fifty %, but the second half of it takes a different turn after that. Ironically, the tale picked up more intrigue and accelerated after the trope was removed, even though the section I was most looking forward to because of it was the slowest!

Things really take off and get crazy in the second part of the novel. If you persevere through the first half of the novel without giving up, you'll be rewarded with some tremendous action. This is also where the thriller component of the story really shines. Although I don't think the characters are especially well-developed, I do believe that the plot is more significant in a novel like this. If you enjoy the author's writing style. You’ll enjoy this book.

This was slow for me, I had a hard time wanting to finish this. I’ve loved this authors work before, so I’ll continue to read her other books!

This is my new B.A. Paris favorite. This was such a treat and a delight. I have really enjoyed all of her backlist, Behind Closed Doors being my favorite but with The Guest, I got those old B.A. Paris vibes and I loved it.

This was a well-developed, easy-to-follow story, with a very brilliant and unexpected twist at the end. I honestly was not expecting that. I also liked how one of the MCs is so evil and the other one very annoying but I didn't dislike them or hate them.

I can't wait for B.A. Paris's next book to come out. She will forever be one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the Advanced Free Copy, in exchange for an honest review.

This was pretty slow paced. I did find that it did keep my interest for the most part but I was also bored too. This wasn’t my favorite.

Wow! This book was so good! It is the type of thriller I can not get enough of, full of twists I didn't see coming. Plus the writing drew me immediately into the story and I did not want to put it down.

Iris and Gabriel have gone on holiday to try to reconnect after Gabriel discovered a young neighbor that had an accident and was the recipient of his last words. Gabriel has been struggling and distant since that day. They come home from holiday a day early to discover their friend Laure. She has left her husband Pierre and is living in their house and wearing Iris' clothes. She left Pierre after discovering he has a child with another woman. As they adjust to the unexpected guest they befriend a couple, Esme and Hugh, that has just moved to the village and hire the family friend staying with them, Joseph, to help in the garden. Why is Gabriel struggling so with the final message? How long will the guest stay? What other secrets are they hiding?

A house guest that just won't leave...aka my worst nightmare.

I have been a longtime fan of B.A. Paris and her work and I was so excited to receive an ARC of The Guest. This domestic drama seriously had me sucked into the drama of these people and their lives.

Iris and Gabriel's friend Laure has just separated from her husband Pierre and has come to stay with them. She certainly is overstaying her welcome. There are other characters, new neighbors down the road Esme and Hugh and Joseph, a friend who of course is a little shady. There were times that I was frustrated by the characters and their day to day actions that parts of the book felt slow to me when I really just wanted to find out how all these characters were connected to each other. But there was just the right amount of intrigue that I needed to know!

The ending is wrapped up nicely, and I do prefer an ambiguous ending HOWEVER if you like things wrapped neatly in a bow, this would be perfect for you! I was surprised and it almost made me want to go back and reread parts of the book.

All in all, I'm landing at 4 stars for this one! If you are looking for a slow burn domestic thriller check this one out!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for my ARC. The Guest is out 2/20!

I love this author and this book did not disappoint! It was such a quick read and kept my interest. Just when I thought I could predict the ending, another twist popped up! If you like thrillers, I highly recommend this one.

This is the fourth novel I've read by B.A. Paris and my least favorite thus far. I had higher hopes for this one after reading the synopsis, but was let down overall.

In this novel, husband and wife Gabriel and Iris are on vacation. When they return home, they find that their friend Laure has taken up residence in their house because she's discovered her husband Pierre has a child with another woman. Laure has completely taken over, wearing Iris' clothes, sleeping in their bed, the whole 9 yards. After Iris and Gabriel arrive back home, Laure continues to do so. Creepy, right?

Gabriel has his own internal conflict. He's found the body of a boy who fell into the quarry behind their home. The boy was the same age as their daughter so they know the family. He is struggling with the loss overall and a few more things you find out later on.

There are many side characters in the novel that feel a bit unnecessary at times. Most of the characters are unlikeable as well which made the novel difficult to finish. I didn't find myself reaching for this one. If you're a Paris fan, you will likely be let down by this one. 3.5 stars overall.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Iris and Gabriel return home from a holiday abroad to find that they have a houseguest. Laure has made herself at home, having left her husband, Pierre, because he discovered that he has a child. Laure quickly makes herself quite the nuisance and Iris and Gabriel find respite in a new couple that has moved into the neighborhood. However, Esme & Hugh have brought along a gardener/landscaper/family friend named Joseph who has troubles of his own. The tension is a slow-build and the twist is so worth it! You won't see it coming. :)

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*

B.A. Paris weaves a gripping tale in her latest novel, delving into the lives of Gabriel and Iris, a couple grappling with personal tragedies. Gabriel's recent losses—his beloved dog and father—coupled with a haunting encounter with a dying teenager, have left him shattered. Meanwhile, Iris finds herself drawn into the turmoil of their friend Laure, who seeks solace after discovering her husband's infidelity and secret child.

As the narrative unfolds, the introduction of a new couple, Esme and Hugh, along with their enigmatic gardener Joseph, adds layers of mystery to the story. Paris masterfully crafts a tense atmosphere, leaving readers eager to uncover the secrets lurking beneath the surface.

However, just when you think you have the story figured out, Paris delivers a jaw-dropping twist in the epilogue. Without giving too much away, let's just say that everything you thought you knew is turned on its head, as the full truth is revealed, reshaping the entire narrative in a surprising and satisfying way. It's a testament to Paris's skill as a storyteller to seamlessly tie everything together in a twist that leaves readers reeling.

Thank you, B.A. Paris, for another thrilling ride through the depths of suspense and mystery.

I'll start by saying I am a huge B.A. Paris fan. I have read all her books, and getting an ARC of The Guest was truly an honor! As usual, this book did not disappoint!! Perfect domestic thriller centering around a couple who return home from holiday to find one of their friends in their house. Confusion and tension sets in and there's a "single white female" vibe to Laure who seems to want to morph into Iris. Turns out, Iris's husband had an affair and has a child from his mistress! Too much drama for the main characters, Iris and Gabriel, so they then befriend a new couple who just moved to town. However, they have a strange third weird gardener who has some weirdness. Eventually, all their connects are revealed and what a twist! Thank you to @Netgalley for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

It has been a while since i've read a B.A. Paris book. I have been a fan of her writing for years and have enjoyed most if not all of her books. 

This book was classic Paris; slow burn, flawed characters, and an ending that hits you right in the face. 

The beginning of this story seems innocent enough, Iris and Gabriel's friend shows up at their home after a big fight with her husband. Laure has found out that he has fathered a child outside of their marriage and she is devastated. Iris tries to be there for Laure, but she is starting to wear out her welcome...

I loved the slow build of this story- all is not what it seems!

If you are an audiobook lover, this was a fantastic way to read this book!

This is definitely a must read if you've been a fan of Paris's writing in the past. 

4 stars. This is out in the world next week 2/20

The Guest by B.A. Paris is listed as a mystery/ thriller, I'd classify it as a domestic drama, emphasis on drama. Married couple Gabriel and Iris return home from vacation to find their friend Laure at their home. Laure claims her husband has a child with another woman, and she just needed to get away. In support of their friend, Gabriel and Iris offer Laure to stay with them while she figures out the future of her marriage. But as the days go by, things get odd, and secrets are revealed.. albeit slowly. I usually love B.A. Paris novels, but this one has much slower pace, and I wish there was more action to keep my interest. The ending was satisfying, though, and worth the wait. I was ready to give 2 stars for being an okay read, but the ending adds a star. A good read, fun for those that like a slower burn and buildup.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy.

Publication date: February 20, 2024

The Guest by B.A. Paris is a physiological mystery/thriller with family drama woven in. While this wasn’t my favourite by this author, I did enjoy it and the wrap up with a twist at the end.

Gabriel and Iris come home from holiday to find one of their dear friends Laure staying at their house. Laure and her husband Pierre are having marital issues and it seems Pierre has stepped out of the marriage and fathered a daughter but won’t say much more about that.

Laure is devastated and decides she’s not going back home. As the days turn into weeks and then months Laure is definitely overstaying her welcome.

As Gabriel and Iris struggle with how to help Laure and Pierre, there are other dramas that weave through the story. Gabriel is struggling with guilt over finding a teen who has a dying message for his mother and there are new neighbours at the end of the village that also have a guest with a troubling past that seems to be connected to everything.

This was slower paced in the sense that you don’t put everything quite together until towards the end chapters. This is definitely a slow burn plot but I did enjoy it and loved the wrap up twist at the end. This is a 3.75 star for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #BAParis #theguest

Overall, this was a decent book with moments of interest though overall it was slow pacing for me. The ending twist was enjoyable so I really appreciated that! Thank you for this ARC!

Boy, oh boy, do I love B.A. Paris books! They are an autobuy/read for me everytime. The Guest is definitely up there on some of my faves from the author!

Iris and Gabe seem like the perfect couple! Their adult daughter is in Greece from a gap year, Iris and Gabe take awesome vacations quite frequently, they have a gorgeous home, and they have two amazing friends from Paris. Their friends from Paris, Pierre, and Laure are two of their favorite traveling companions. They also love to host each other on trips or even swap homes on ocassion. So when Laure shows up out of the blue, they think nothing of it at first. But she adds an extra later of tension to Iris and Gabe who are already struggling on a traumatic event that happened to Gabe. But Laure doesn't seem to be in any hurry to leave aftr claiming she left Pierre because of a secret child he had. Things get rockier and more tense as Laure starts to weave her way into their lives more and more. Iris finds some form of relief in befriending the new couple who moved to their town. Things get even more chaotic as time passes. Iris is determined to save her marriage. Question is will she able to?

What I enjoyed:
- ah, what a twisty book! Going in, I had a few ideas of what was going to happen. But I was completely wrong. L
- There were SO many layers, characters and all kinds of craziness to this story. I felt like I was peeling back a never ending onion trying to figure out what was happening.
- The writing was well done and the book was fast paced
- The ending had me shocked! I did not see that one coming at all!

This was definitely a fun, and fast paced thriller! I do love the author's other books and this one was better than their last one! I enjoyed how quickly I was able to devour it. 4 stars out of 5. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Yeah… this book was not for me. It was a thriller.. yet I was VERY bored throughout the entirety of this book.

I was not invested in any characters or their plot lines or what was happening next. There wasn’t a single character that didn’t annoy the heck out of me. The epilogue was good.. but wasn’t good enough to make up for the rest of the book.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martins Press & Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this ARC.

In this domestic thriller we follow Iris and Gabriel, a seemingly perfect couple who have everything until Gabriel gets involved in a tragic event that affects him greatly. While Iris tries to be there for her husband, Iris’ friend Laure comes to stay with them unannounced after she has gone through a traumatic event. It seems this couple can’t get away from tragedy and drama. You follow them trying to deal with their current issues while also getting entwined with other problems. With fractured relationships and secrets piling up around them, can Iris and Gabriel’s marriage survive?

I liked this book, I thought the beginning was a little bit slow, but it really picked up at the 50% mark. There was a lot going on and I was eager to see what was going to happen next. Most of the characters in this story are flawed and I had a feeling many of them could not be trusted. I don’t usually like domestic thrillers, but I liked this one. I would read more from B.A.Paris.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

This one just wasn't for me. It was a very quick read - & I found myself wondering when something was gonna happen. Things did happen, but the twist/reveal didn't come until the epilogue, & unfortunately it was pretty farfetched & was lackluster. Really bummed, as I loved "Behind Closed Doors" by this author, but I won't be recommending this one.