I really enjoyed this book and all the sub stories that it contained. There were 3 main couples that are important to the story and the ways their lives intertwine set up the perfect mystery. I found myself needing to know more and more - not only about the characters themselves but about everything going on behind the scenes and who was really telling the truth. From betrayals, secrets and ever changing relationships, this one kept me turning the page until I devoured it all. Overall a great thriller for anyone who enjoys suspense!

When Iris and Gabriel arrived back home from holiday, they are shocked to find their friend Laure in their house.
Laure ends up staying with them for a while because of a situation happening with her husband. She overstays her welcome and gets on Iris's nerves.
Iris and Gabriel deal with Laure's presence in their home and life. They become annoyed with her. Thankfully they have new friends that they just met. They spend time with these friends to help them deal with Laure being with them. With these friends comes their gardener, who has a past.
Secrets from all of their pasts will come undone.
This book didn't intrigue me like I thought it would, which makes me sad in a way because I have other books by this author on my TBR list, The build up to the end took to long for me. The book felt like it dragged out. However, the ending of the book did take me by surprise and I did like the ending.
I'd rate this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

B.A Paris does it again! This book was a good slow burn thriller. A friend shows up uninvited, and in crisis, to stay at a friend's house, but she quickly overstays her welcome. I can honestly say I had no idea where this book was going but just enjoyed the entire ride it took me on to get there. This was a good one. I felt like I really knew the characters but didn't really know who to trust and I really enjoy that in a good thriller book. The twists kept me guessing and made me really want to fly through this book so that I could get all the answers. I was not disappointed.

Best friend couples with secrets. Insert a troubled gardener and a local tragedy. Multiple deaths but are they murders, accidents, or suicides? Loads of turmoil and guilt that are at times misplaced but sometimes not.

All in all, I did not find this as good as I hoped it to be. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel drawn to any of the many characters; I prefer less characters who have solid depth, purpose, and are more believeable. However, the story has good mystery and the loose ends are tied up fairly well at the end.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early e-book.

This will be up on the books of the year list! A great read from start to finish. I’d read the author before and was thrilled to get a sneak into this ARC! What excellent pacing and atmosphere. This domestic drama had me invested from start to end with captivating pacing and a skillful mystery!

Special thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

B.A. Paris is one of my favorite authors. I love her writing style and how everything comes together at the end. The Guest was a great addition to her lovely books! Although some might say it is a slow-paced book, and I must agree, it is a slow burn; it was intriguing that I found myself wanting to know more about what would happen next. The short chapters also kept me engaged, and throughout the book, it had that mystery element that draws you in.
Let’s talk about the ending; what a plot twist. It left me with an open mouth. All the loose ends were tightened up beautifully.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the ARC.

#baparis #NetGalley #stmartinspress #happilyaddictedtobooks #psychologicaldrama

This book left me wanting more. I didn't like any of the characters and the twists and turns were just ok. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

B.A. Paris does it again. I just love the way these books are written. They keep you guessing until the end (which is refreshing as I usually can figure it out!).

Iris and Gabriel's friend, Laure, shows up at their house with marital problems. She asks to stay for a while. They, of course, agree that it's fine. After a few weeks though, the situation gets interesting and they may be tired of their houseguest. New neighbors show up. Their daughter comes home from a year abroad. All their secrets are coming out of the woodwork and shake up their quiet neighborhood.

Definitely check this one out. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

The Guest is the newest novel written by B. A. Paris, a first-time author for me. With so many fantastic writers, it's nearly impossible to read all their books... but occasionally the stars align and NetGalley awards you a book. I've wanted to sample Paris's work, so this was the perfect opportunity. I enjoyed the writing style, character creation, and plot, but wow... this was definitely a weird situation. So many interesting moments where when you're in the thick of it, you may not realize what's happening, but for a reader watching from outside the center, without any knowledge from other characters' thoughts or actions, the danger signs were flashing. But that's what made it a super quick read too. With a major twist in the end, it's important to always recall who's telling the story, and whether the narrator is one of the main voices or just a random, omniscient voice who knows all but leaves things out. Savvy readers will figure out what's happening, but I recommend not trying to solve it. Just go with the story and see where it takes you.

Iris and Gabriel return from vacation to find an unexpected houseguest staying in their home. Their friend Laure from Paris has left her husband Pierre (Gabriel's best friend) because of his revelation that he has a child with another women. She definitely overstays her welcome and becomes the houseguest from hell.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. At first, I really enjoyed it because it was fast paced and there were cliffhangers at the end of each chapter that kept me reading. However, as I kept reading, more and more characters were introduced with their own storylines and it was hard to see how they all fit together. Additionally, I felt that there was a lot of dialogue which became monotonous. It was as if a lot of what happened was only revealed to the reader because it was discussed by the characters ad nauseum. Details were told but not shown. I especially felt this way with the super long epilogue. And, while it was nice to have closure and for everything to tie together nicely, there weren't a lot of hints that led up to the conclusion.

This book had a lot of potential because the initial premise was interesting, but unfortunately it fell kind of flat for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and BA Paris for the ARC of this book which will be released for publication on February 20, 2024.

I'm a huge fan of BA Paris so I was very excited to get an ARC of her newest book, The Guest. For me, it started a little bit slower than I would have liked. I feel like the story line dragged forward while also throwing a bunch of characters into the mix (I kept getting them confused). Gabriel and Iris - Pierre and Laure and the new neighbors Esme and Hugh.

The pace stayed pretty steady for me - and then the bodies started dropping (literally). I, like Iris, thought I had the story figured out, but boy was I wrong. The twist definitely threw me for a loop - did NOT see that coming.

I feel like the story is easy to understand once you understand who is who.

I liked this and would recommend it for those who like BA Paris and thrillers!

I was into this right from the first chapter. Read in one sitting! I didn’t see the twist coming at all so was shook and had to sit in silence with my thoughts for a few minutes after 😅

5/5 stars! Highly recommend!

This is one of those slow burn stories with an unreliable narrator. Just when I thought I had figured it out there is another surprise. It takes place in a countryside village in England outside of London. The guest is good friend from Paris who is taking a break from her life.. Many characters are introduced and adds to the mystery.

4 🌟

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beware of sharp curves!

Wow, just when you think you have the culprit of all these deaths nailed down, B.A. Paris bamboozles you!

Love, pregnancy, death, deception, lies… this book has it all.

My only qualm with this book was that parts seemed a bit unrealistic, but life can be like that sometimes.

I hope that none of us ever have an Iris in our lives. What a frightening thought.

Holy mackerel! That is by far the best BA Paris book I’ve read. It left me feeling absolutely gobsmacked! Thrillers are often hit or miss for me in the twist department, but boy did this one hit the mark! I did NOT see any of this coming. This book took me totally by surprise and I loved every second of it! Well done!

Thank you to Net Galley for this e-book on exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. There were many twists along the way. I liked the characters and the way they all intertwined. Great book.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC copy and to ST Martin's press, and the author for this copy in exchange for a review.

B.A. Paris is a new to me author but so far I have enjoyed all I have read by her. This book was no different. It was a little slow, still enjoyable but didn't quite feel like I had to neglect all chores and call into work. You get what I mean?

Two couples are in this book both with a house guest. This makes it a little hard to follow but is necessary for the story. Alot of secrets are revealed and some twists are throughout the book, but the end twist nope didn't see it coming.

Overall this was still a good book that I recommend to read.

This is my new favorite B.A.Paris book and I really enjoyed the previous ones. This book allows us to explore the relationships between couples, old friends, and new friends.

The character development was incredible, yet there was always something that I didn’t realize that I didn’t know. At a few points, I found myself extremely frustrated with a characters actions only to learn the reasoning behind it several pages later.

I was on the edge of my seat as I read and was shocked by a turn of events quite often. This is not a book where you will likely figure out the plot early on and you will want to keep reading.

I completed this book in less than 24 hours. While that happens sometimes, my past few reads had not pulled me in like this.

Readers have a lot to be excited for with this book and book clubs should add it to their lists ASAP.

Iris and Gabriel have just arrived home from a make-or-break holiday. But a shock awaits them. One of their closest friends, Laure, is in their house. The atmosphere quickly becomes tense as she oversteps again and again: sleeping in their bed, wearing Iris’ clothes, even rearranging the furniture.

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 of their friends, but as Laure’s mood becomes increasingly unpredictable, her presence takes its toll.

Iris and Gabriel’s only respite comes in the form of a couple new to town. But with them comes their gardener, who has a checkered past.

Soon, secrets from all their pasts will unravel, some more dangerous than they could have known.



MY THOUGHTS:

As I began reading The Guest, I had an idea about how the story would unfold. An unexpected and even unwanted guest could derail a family.

But what I wouldn’t know or see coming was how the characters with their dark secrets would gradually come to reveal more to the story.

Iris, as our primary narrator, was the last one I suspected of any wrong- doing. I had doubts about Gabriel, of course, and Laure would come under my lens as she became more and more annoying. Soon Joseph would come under scrutiny.

What would ultimately happen to turn everything upside down? Who would be the most nefarious of the lot? A stunning reveal would come at the very end, earning five stars from this book.

***My ARC came from publisher at NetGalley

Another great read by B.A Paris! This one grabbed my attention right away. I felt connected to the characters and the quick chapters kept me turning the pages! And WOW that ending actually had me gasp out loud!