Thank You to NetGalley for the eARC.

I was beyond thrilled to receive this free copy. I love B.A. Paris and read everything by her. The setting sounded picturesque and quaint set In London and the British countryside. The story sounded interesting a couple who seems to have it all. Good Friends from Paris. A daughter off in Greece working. Then a twist of fate, the husband finds a body and grapples to deal with the trauma. A close friend moves in with them as she suspects her husband is having an affair and a child with someone else and a gardener with a troubled past shows up. With secrets and fractured relationships, will everyone weather the storm and come out the other side?

It started out slow. There were so many characters to keep track of which made the story confusing. The ending was the best part. It was thrilling and suspenseful and I never guessed the ending. I don't think this was her best book, but will continue to read her.

Admittingly, this book took me a little bit to get into. There were a lot of characters to set into place but once I figured out the who’s who, I was hooked into this gripping story.

Let’s get into the characters, shall we?

Iris & Gabriel – They live in the quiet British countryside and are married with a grown daughter Beth. Beth is taking a gap year before university and exploring the world so they are currently empty nesters.

Laure & Pierre – They reside in Paris and are good friends with Iris & Gabriel. The two couples have travelled together and been in each others live for a long time. Gabriel considers Pierre his best friend.

Esme & Hugh – A new couple in the country near Iris & Gabriel. Iris & Esme become fast friends along with Hugh & Pierre.

Joseph – Joseph is a landscaper and currently staying with Esme & Hugh doing some gardening and maintenance around their new home. Joseph begins doing some work at Iris & Gabriel’s home as well.

Yes, see. A lot of characters to become familiar with.

In a nutshell, Gabriel came across a young boy who passed away in a tragic accident which has distressed him and there are secrets surrounding his death which are eating away at Gabriel. Laure has shown up at Iris & Gabriel’s home after a fight. She said Pierre confided in her he just found out he has a child, and their world is shaken. Iris can’t help but wonder what the relationship is between Esme and her gardener, Joseph. And throughout this all, no one can contact Pierre and Laure seems as if she is never going to leave Iris & Gabriel’s home.

There is a lot going on in this story, but it is easy to follow and become invested in. Everyone has a mystery around them and everyone has a secret. There is a lot to unravel, and I was absolutely blindsided by the ending. I did not see it coming at all. I am usually pretty good to pick up on things but this one got me good.

B.A. Paris is a brilliant author and I always enjoy reading their novels. This one, no exception. Huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Everyone else, mark your calendars. This one drops on February 20, 2024. Add it to your TBR list!

I have heard many positive reviews of books written by B. A. Paris in different book groups, but had never read one myself. When the opportunity came up to review an advanced readers copy, I jumped at the chance.
The Guest is more of a domestic drama mystery than it is a psychological thriller. It was a very slow build with a little too much day to day happenings and not enough “what the heck!” moments. It was a fun read, and I was sure I knew how it would end. Then, the Epilogue… My jaw hit the floor! I did NOT see that coming!
Since this was my first book by this author, I cannot compare to her previous titles, but will definitely be reading her other works soon.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Overall rating: 3.5⭐️

My first ever b a Paris book! I was blown away! Such a quick and good read! Definitely a 5 star read for me!

At first, I was so confused trying to keep track of these random characters! But then the story was unfolding and it was pretty crazy! The characters were relatable and the story was well paced with sprinklings of secrets to be later exposed throughout the story! Then toward the end I was a little disappointed and then BAM more twists and it was incredible! Another great one from B.A. Paris!

I was really wondering how all the pieces of this puzzle were going to come together. Well, slowly, annoyingly, but surely, they did. Honestly, I spent a lot of the beginning of the book saying iterations of the following to myself “this lady is annoying” “omg I don’t care about Pierre anymore” and “get your own life.” I still don’t quite understand why Laure’s character was made to be so needy and borderline unhinged (home girl got the same haircut and wore Iris’ clothes) nor do I understand why Iris didn’t just tell her to gtfo. However, once the pace picked up, I was invested and the tea was hot. I was living for the petty drama and then the twist?! I didn’t see that one coming. Overall, I enjoyed this one. Probably not a good idea to be friends with Iris. Would recommend this book to a friend.

WOW. WOW. WOW. This book was incredible!
Iris and Gabriel arrive home from vacation to find an unexpected guest in their home. Long time friend Laure is devastated when she finds out that her husband has a daughter that she didn’t know about. A new couple moves to town with a gardener and sketchy past who finds his way wrapped up in Iris and Gabe’s life. Pierre goes missing and is later found dead, Laure is accused of murder, turns up dead, and then there’s an explosive ending. Literally.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and B. A. Paris for an ARC of The Guest! I have loved all the previous books from B. A. Paris, but this one was a bit different. It missed the mark for me because it was a slow burn, but it made up a star at the end for the twist. I can appreciate a different style switch up, but coming in from other previous books it threw me off. The story is about Iris and Gabriel coming home from a holiday to find their friend Laure inside their home waiting for them with some shocking news. Laure has left her husband and needs a place to crash for a bit while she sorts out what is going on. Iris and Gabriel meet their new neighbors and hit it off well, but then they meet the neighbors new gardener and that stirs up everything that’s already brewing. All I can say is, hold on - the twist is worth it!

This really pains me but this book is not good. I’ve had this book on my radar for almost all of last year and was thrilled to receive an arc from Netgalley. I have previously only given BA Paris 4 and 5 stars - I’ve read three of her books prior to this. Unfortunately there was nothing to like about this and it honestly felt like someone else wrote it, not an author I’ve come to look forward to. So much that happens is just conversations about maybe doing things, having the same conversations with someone else, not really holding anyone accountable for anything and letting everything happen to everyone… I hate when a character is stuck in a situation and doesn’t do anything about it (personal peeve, not a book issue). Nothing happens and even the major thrills are a let down. I found the epilogue to be silly and I’m a little sad I didn’t just DNF. Really sorry to BA Paris because I think her other books are great. Thanks again Netgalley.

This was a slower paced book, I feel, for BA Paris. There’s are plenty of secrets and lies though to keep you entertained. Just when you think you know what’s going on, nope, wrong! I loved that! BA Paris is 100% a “go-to” author for me so I will definitely be recommending this book to others!!

I wanted to like this book and thought I would. Unfortunately, I found it boring. I did not like or connect with the characters at all. I really disliked Laure the most and was appalled at how she overstayed her welcome. I’m sure others might enjoy this read- it just wasn’t for me.

Wow- this was a twist I didn’t see coming. Which I do always appreciate in a thriller book. While I liked the twist at the ending this wasn’t my favorite BA Paris book. One thing I do like about all BA Paris books are the short chapters and face pace timeline. I would give this one a 3.5 out of 5 I just wanted more during the book and not everything in the ending.

Thank you to B.A. Paris, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book, but honestly found it quite boring. I did not like the characters at all. Maybe because I couldn't connect with them. Laure was the most unlikeable one and definitely overstayed her welcome. I wanted to kick her out multiple times.

I felt like this book dragged, and a lot of it was overwritten. But I will say the ending saved this book for me.

Iris and her husband, Gabriel, return from a trip to be surprised to see their long-time friend, Laure has been staying in their home while they were away. Distraught, Laure shares that she has left her husband, Pierre, after revealing that he has a daughter with another woman.

Given that I’ve read some of B.A. Paris’s backlist work, I was so excited to be given the opportunity to read “The Guest” and share my thoughts.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the story and definitely did not like any of the characters. I felt like they were all immature and lacked any sort of communication between one another. There were too many names thrown in at once; too many dragged out scenes and missing pieces.

I can't imagine returning home from a vacation to an unexpected houseguest, even if it was a dear friend. B.A. Paris did a great job of creating an unsettling atmosphere and a cast of questionable characters.

For me, this book felt slow, mostly because I didn't really connect with the characters or care about the intrigue. It felt preposterous to have so many characters die without anyone connecting the dots. The ending/twist didn't feel shocking to me and just made me dislike/disconnect with the main characters more.

Thanks to NetGalley for early access in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars!
I read this along with the audiobook and it was such a fun read!
I just love the audiobook and this ebook so much and the narration was fantastic. The eerie vibes this book gave me and my attention span is short but reading and listening to the audiobook at the same time got me having fun! This really kept me guessing until the end and I definitely recommend this :) There are alot of twists and turns that keeps you engaged!

Oh boy, I really wanted to like this book. I’ve read quite a few of this authors other books so I was really excited when I was given a chance to read and review from NetGalley, but was sorely disappointed.
I can’t even say that I hated it, because I don’t feel that strongly about it. I was bored to tears the entire time. It was so slow, narrated by the most boring characters you could ever imagine. I held on to the end though, waiting for it to get better, and it really didn’t.
There was no build up to the “twist” ending. It was just a series of boring events that took place until the end where the author just told you everything.
I will definitely think twice before reading another from this author in the future.

The Guest is a thriller with lots of twists and turns. Gabriel and Iris return home and find their friend, Laure, staying at their house. And she becomes the guest that just doesn’t leave. She says her husband has told her that he has a child with another person. Gabriel and Iris try to get in touch with her husband, Pierre, but he never answers them. Then Esme and Hugh arrive in their town with a friend, Joseph, who they employ as a gardener. The twists and turns start then and you just don’t see them coming until everything is tied up at the end. Lots of surprises!

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m a longtime fan of B.A Paris and her thrillers, but this one is shooting high on my list of her books.

When I tell you the epilogue to this story had my jaw on the floor, I really mean it. After reading the last chapter I wondered how the story could be ending with so many unanswered questions. In the epilogue we get every answer we could have wanted and more, and it was sooo satisfying seeing it all wrapped up with a bow. I had some suspicions of who was behind all the drama throughout the story, but I was wrong because the ending was totally shocking.

Iris and her husband Gabriel are going through a bit of a rough patch after Gabriel goes through a traumatizing experience. One day out for a cycle ride Gabriel stumbled upon an 18 year old neighbor who has fatally fallen into the quarry. Gabriel witnesses his last moments alive and it really mentally affects him. And Iris is having trouble getting him to open up to her. When their friend Laure shows up at their house they’re delighted for the distraction it provides them. But soon they are swimming in the drama because Laure has delivered the news that her husband Pierre has secretly fathered a child after cheating on her with a one night stand.

Gabriel and Iris are soon completely entangled in the web of chaos between Laure and Pierre, when their new coming neighbors are also added into the mix. Esme and Hugh have just moved in down the other end of the village, along with their gardener Joesph.

Will Pierre and Laure be able to overcome this betrayal and save their marriage? Will Gabriel ever heal from the trauma of seeing a young man die? What drama will Esme, Hugh, and Joesph bring to this group of friends?

A deliciously woven tale of deceit, affairs, betrayal, murder, and so many secrets. Pick this book up if you’re looking for a quick and thrilling read!

B.A. Paris books are always face paced. I find that I can’t put them down once I start. I will say it did drag at some points. And I got slightly frustrated with the main character Iris and how “wishy-washy” and trusting she was with Laure. I was borderline disappointed that it was another clueless and naive woman getting taken advantage of. And then we get to the end of the book and it all made sense. HOLY MOLY!!! I DID NOT SEE THAT TWIST COMING AT ALL! I don’t wanna give it any spoilers, but this would’ve been a very different review if not for that ending.