Wow this one was good!! I was a bit on the fence about it in the beginning as I had a hard time keeping the characters straight but once I did I was hooked. It kept me guessing the entire time and I can say I definitely did not expect that ending! 5/5

3.5 ⭐ This book was enticing from the prolonged, but then I easily got overwhelmed by the amount of characters, 3 couples plus then the gardener, a dead teen, his mom, and a child of one of the couples. This story was also a slow-burn and got boring hearing of some of the day to day happenings the couples.
Overall the story was entertaining and much better than the Prisoner. The ending was great and really raised my rating by tying a perfect bow on it. I am a reader easily drawn in by B.A. Paris so glad this one was better. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this eARC!!

The Guest brings you deep into the thoughts, dreams, and fears of its main characters: a married couple named Iris and Gabriel, who have an unexpected guest, an old friend named Laure who is staying with them when her marriage runs into problems.

As the stay extends indefinitely, and they have little success reaching Laure’s husband who is also a close friend, relationships start to fray and seeds of doubt are planted. Other relationships between the new couple in the village and their mysterious live in gardener both alleviate and complicate some of the relationship stressors the trio is having.

I found myself very intrigued as I wondered when something disturbing would be revealed and what it would be. The story moves along nicely with an interesting but normal description of the lives of Gabriel, Iris and their inner circle over a couple months, when suddenly the floor drops out from under everyone with a major tragedy uncovered. From there everything unravels quickly culminating in a rock solid and unexpected final reveal that answers all the lingering questions.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and #NetGalley for the ARC of The Guest by B.A. Paris

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Guest by B.A. Paris is a quick paced murder mystery. When Iris and Gabriel come home from a much needed vacation following a tragic event, they find their good friend Laure in their home. Having been friends for over two decades, they feel compelled to help her through a rough patch. Little do they know that it will lead them down a path that will forever change the course of their lives. The story had just enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages and guessing. However, I was blown away by the epilogue! It definitely was not what I was expecting. Overall a great story that I would recommend to others.

What an ending! This book has a lot going on and ties up everything together perfectly by the end. I couldn’t predict how the story concluded, which I always appreciate!

Iris and Gabriel's marriage has become rocky as Gabriel suffers through the trauma of finding a hit-and-run victim. They return home from vacation to find their close friend Laure staying in their home. Laure has left her husband, their other close friend Pierre, after finding out a secret from his past. Laure refuses to return to Paris and face her husband and begins to wear out her welcome. There is also a third couple, Esme and Hugh, that have recently moved into the neighborhood.
This one was slow moving almost until the end and I found myself irritated with all of the characters for one reason or another. There wasn't a lot of action other than Laure being insufferable and a bad houseguest. If you can push through to the end there is a major twist that comes out of nowhere and makes the slow build worthwhile.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

UPDATED REVIEW!!

The Guest by B.A. Paris, pub date Feb 20, 2024, was a slow burn, filled with many characters, but wrapping up with a shocking epilogue. It took me a while to get into the story and keep all the characters straight, but once I did, it was an enjoyable read.

Laure, has welcomed herself into Iris and Gabriel’s home after finding out that her husband, Pierre, has a daughter by another woman. Laure is the most inconsiderate house guest ever… wearing Iris’s clothes, intruding on her runs, constantly whining about the situation with Pierre, but rebuffing any and all advice. She is pretty much an energy suck and I could not stand her. Then, Iris meets Esme, who has moved into a home down the street with her husband Hugh. They have employed Joseph as their gardener as a favor to Esme’s parents who want to help him out after he lost his job due to drunk driving. There’s also Beth, Iris and Gabriel’s college aged daughter, and Marcus, Hugh’s son from a previous marriage. Like I said, lots of characters. But that also means lots of secrets, drama and twists!

Although I found the pacing slow at times, I enjoyed this book. The epilogue saved it. I’ve read all but one of B.A. Paris’ books. By now, she is an auto-read author for me. While this one was not my favorite (Behind Closed Doors), it was still good. I’m giving it 3.5 stars…If only Goodreads would actually let me give a half star! I look forward to reading more from B.A. Paris in the future.

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC via NetGalley.

This one was slow going and didn't pick up until well past the middle. The author included a twist at the end but it felt a bit forced. Characters were unlikeable and I'm not sure if that was the author's intention.

I find B.A. Paris' books very readable. I think the shorter chapters and quick pace of the narrative keeps me picking the book up.

I enjoyed this one more than the last few I have read by them. I found myself unable to guess the outcome and figure out the twists until close to the very end. I liked the way a piece of the story was revealed in the prologue.

I didn't feel particularly connected to the characters and maybe this is why the final twist was good but not great. I think it would have packed a bigger punch if I had been more invested.

That being said if you're a sucker for a big twist in the epilogue, definitely pick this one up!

I was hooked from the beginning! The character development was so strong that I felt a connection with each one. The interwoven dynamics made me question what I thought throughout the novel. Highly recommend!!

This was a very quick and easy read like all of BA Paris books have been for me. I had an easy time connecting with the characters and wanting to keep reading to find out what happened and what was going on. I didn’t have the knots in my stomach that all her books usually give me but it was enjoyable and I read it in three days. 3.5 stars for me

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

So this is my very first introduction to B.A. Paris and my first thriller novel as an adult. I have read a bit of true crime and a lot of psychological/mental health related books, but this was new! I adore psychological thriller type movies - they’re my favorite type of film and I love to solve as I go, so delving into this was super exciting!

I enjoyed the storyline, the setting, and the author highlighted details in a way that had me highlighting many a red herring as I went through. I had fun with the characters and enjoyed the introduction of Esme and Hugh, the down-the-street quirky neighbors with a magnetic appeal. One of the main characters even gave personal edges to the descriptions of others around her that were noted so well, like the exasperation and overbearing nature of another character mentioned - I felt annoyed for her!

The plot twists were twisty and I was genuinely surprised by some of them, which was awesome, because who doesn’t love an entertaining surprise in a story?

Things that could have pushed this to 5-stars for me:
- More likeable main characters; I like when I can feel the genuine betrayal of it all and a few more likeable moments could have sealed that deal here.
- The blindness of some of the characters; at some points they were astute, at others they were wearing rose colored glasses. The duality of lies and transparency, like a fogger mirror, was a present theme in the book, so the execution could be cleaned a bit to present this in a reflective manner
-A few more punchy transitions! Great set up and twists, but the transitions would be even more shocking with a few strong transitional paragraphs at the end of the chapters before the reveal.

Overall, this was a fun and quick read; a great introduction to thriller novels to dip my toe into! Cannot wait to dive in and read more - The Therapist from B.A. Paris sounds like a great next read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of ”The Guest” in exchange for my honest opinion. I always look forward to a new book by B. A. Paris. The book starts off with a prologue and then begins to tell the story 6 months in the past. I was a little confused at first since we do not meet some of the characters until later on. I did get caught up in the drama and secrets of all of the characters. Every time you think you have it figured out, there is a new twist. I am usually on top of my game, but didn’t see the final twist coming. I would have rated this higher if the events in the epilogue would have been dispersed throughout the book instead, but that is just my personal preference.

**4.5-stars**

B.A. Paris is back and she's bringing my favorite kind of suspenseful Domestic Drama with her.
I had so much fun reading The Guest. Frustrating in the best ways, I found it to be completely addictive and one heck of a gripping roller coaster ride.

In this story we meet Iris and Gabriel, a married couple living in the British countryside. They have a grown daughter who is currently working abroad in Greece, so all is fairly peaceful on the home-front. That is until the day a local boy suffered a terrible accident, falling into a nearby quarry. Gabriel was the one to find the boy's battered body and even though Gabriel's a skilled doctor, there was nothing he could do. The boy couldn't be saved, but Gabriel did get to be with him in his final moments, so he wasn't alone.

Gabriel hasn't been the same since that tragic day, and even though Iris is trying to help him cope, it's definitely put a strain on their relationship. As they are grappling with this, an unexpected house guest arrives. Their old friend, Laure, has shown up from Paris. She says that she and her husband, Pierre, have had a terrible fight and she needs a place to stay. Iris and Gabriel have been best friends with Laure and Pierre for many, many years, so they tell Laure that she is welcome and that she can stay for as long as she needs.

Laure moves herself in and makes herself as comfortable as possible, wearing Iris's clothes and shadowing her every move. As the days and even weeks pass, the couple begins to question Laure's story and her motives. What is she really doing there and when the heck is she going to leave?

As tension mounts, more people get drawn into the twisted drama; the new couple in town, their handsome gardener and even Iris and Gabriel's daughter. As mentioned above, I really enjoyed this one and found the narrative to be compulsively readable. From the Prologue, Paris had absolutely hooked me. She definitely has a gift for drawing the Reader in.

From the initial set-up, with Laure arriving at the house, you can just tell it is going to get freaking wild. There's a vibe under the surface of constant tension and intrigue. No matter how crazy things get though, I always find Paris's main characters to be relatable. I never have a problem putting myself in their shoes and imagining what I would do in any given situation. This one had me biting my nails with tension, yelling at Laure, yelling at Iris. I would have done some major clean-out of my house, that's for sure.

I really got sucked into all of the interpersonal drama in this story, but also loved the mystery running throughout. It was hard to tell who you could trust and some of the connections were also shady. There were some real strong reveals and I was happy with the way it ultimately concluded. This did feel more reminiscent to some of Paris's earlier works as well, which were a little stronger for me than her more recent releases.

I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a taut, twisted Domestic Drama, particularly if you have enjoyed B.A. Paris's earlier stories. I would also recommend reading this one with a friend, or Book Club. I actually Buddy Read it and thought it was exciting to discuss it with someone else as we discovered the twists and turns together.

Overall, I thought this was such a great read. I'm so happy Paris continues to write these types of stories. As long as she is writing them, I'll be reading them.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. The Guest is releasing on February 20, 2024, and IMO, this one should not be missed!!

A slow burn psychological thriller. The beginning is very slow but then it eventually picks up. For me, the most pacing was too slow.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars ⭐️

Gabriel witnesses the murder of a local teen boy, which sends him into a tailspin of trauma and grief that his wife, Iris, feels helpless in supporting him out of. Upon returning from a vacation to try to get their marriage back on track, they are greeted by an unexpected house guest. Laure, a good friend of theirs, says she needs time away after finding out her husband has a daughter with another woman. Laure begins to overstay her welcome, just as a new couple and their gardener (Esme and Hugh, with Joseph) move into the neighborhood. As their paths all cross, it leads to even more secrets, confusion and tragedy.

While I was immediately hooked, this book ended up feeling more domestic drama than thriller. I also found some of the characters (ex. Laure and Gabriel) to be kind of annoying. Lastly, I loved the epilogue and how it tied everything together BUT it didn’t have the shock value I was expecting.

B. A. Paris is a must read author for me so I still enjoyed this book, the quick chapters and the alternating timelines. Thanks NetGalley and St. Marten’s Press!

I picked up this book yesterday planning on reading just a few chapters and ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. I thought this was a great read with a great twist that I didn’t see coming.

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris is a gripping and strangely addicting psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of relationships and hidden secrets.

Set in the British countryside, this captivating read follows Iris and Gabriel as they navigate an unsettling series of events, including the arrival of an unexpected house guest and the revelation of long-buried secrets. With its suspenseful narrative and compelling character dynamics, "The Guest" is a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Get ready for an unexpected twist that will leave you guessing until the very end! Once I got to 40% of the book, I couldn't put it down and spend the afternoon binging it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me receive an ARC!

Another suspenseful domestic drama story from B.A. Paris. It was difficult to really like or feel invested in any of the main characters in this book, but the story had so many twists and turns that it just compelled me to keep reading - and just as I thought I had it all figured out - the ending proved me quite wrong! Highly entertaining.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Iris and Gabriel arrive home from vacation to their home in England to discover their friend Laure has come to stay with them. Laure and Pierre, who reside in Paris, have been best friends with Iris and Gabriel for several decades. They are shocked to learn that Laure is having some troubles with Pierre but let her stay for a while to give her time to think. At the same time, a new couple, Esme and Hugh, have moved in down the road from them with their friend Joseph. It becomes very clear from the multiple viewpoints in the story that these people will all become connected in the story, but how?

This one was a little slower-paced than I’ve come to expect from B.A. Paris. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the twists throughout. However, I got a little tired of hearing the same discussions and worries about everyday life over and over again. I also got very tired of Laure constantly going on about Pierre and very much overstaying her welcome. Nevertheless, I was invested in the story and wanted to see how it all ended. The epilogue tied everything together for me in a shocking way. I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a slow-burn thriller! I give it 3.5/5 stars.