This book ended up being a very pleasant surprise! When I first started reading this book, I will admit that I did have trouble keeping up with all the different names/characters. There aren’t that many characters, but there are three main couples that are dealt with. It was hard to keep track at first, but once I got it, I was invested! Very suspenseful and I stayed up reading because I needed to know the ending!

This poor couple has a guest that just won’t leave. However, it made me wonder… why are they willing to put up with it? They were well over it 25% in yet they continue to allow it. I guess we wouldn’t have had this book without TheGuest, which is my whole point. The numerous amounts of twists were too much and unrealistic.
Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press, B.A. Paris, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.

The Guest
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: B.A. Paris

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Some secrets never leave.

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 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: Paris is one of my favorite thriller authors and this latest novel is no exception. Paris’s ability to interweave twists throughout the story and even in the ending is masterful and few have this honor. Iris and Gabriel just return home from holiday when they find someone in their home, their dear friend Laure. The atmosphere is electric with tenseness when they find she has been sleeping in their bed, wearing her clothes, and even rearranging the house. Laure walked out on her husband, also their dear friend, Pierre, when she find out he had a secret affair with a woman that produced a child. Laure becomes unpredictable and her presence takes more than a toll on their already fractured relationship.

The story is narrated by Iris, in her POV. Our protagonist, Iris, is an unreliable narrator. Iris is dealing with her own set of challenges and then she gets this uninvited surprise guest that complicates the already fragile relationship between Iris and Gabriel. Even though Laure is a “friend,” she has become quite annoying and crossing the proverbial line that many friends do not cross. This unbalanced mystery leads to a dangerous cat and mouse game. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, were captivating, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, compelling, suspenseful, twisty, and engaging.

The story starts out as a slow burn, building up the characters and their backstory. The plot is delivered in twisty layers. Then the ending in itself has a plot twist that was unpredictable.

This was gripping, compelling, electric, tense psychological thriller that captured my attention page by page, and I just had to know how it ended. I had the pleasure of having the digital and audio ARC. I leaned on preferring the audio, just because I can get through those faster. The only con would be I would like to have experienced more of Laure and Pierre’s issues, or maybe that is the point. I would recommend this to other readers, go pick up or borrow from your library today!

“The Guest”, by B.A Paris is a gripping domestic thriller where tension crackles through every page as secrets swirl and alliances shift. The main characters, Iris, Gabriel, Laure, and Joseph guard their dark truths with ferocity, willing to go to any lengths to keep them buried, even murder. You will find yourself irresistibly drawn to the intricately crafted characters. Each one is so finely drawn that you will form an unexpected bond with them. Their stories are woven with such depth that it's impossible not to become enamored with their individual tales.

With cunning twists and pulse-pounding suspense, prepare for a riveting journey filled with shocking revelations and unexpected betrayals. Be ready to have your assumptions challenged and your intellect tested. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the author has created a story takes a sharp turn, leaving you questioning every twist and turn. Truth and lies blur together in a mesmerizing dance that will keep you guessing until the very end. Dive headfirst into this enthralling journey and prepare to resurface only when you've reached the final page.

This is my first time reading B.A. Paris and look forward to reading other books by this author!

I'm very grateful to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and B.A Paris for the Advanced Reader Copy!

B. A. Paris is amazing! The Guest is my favorite yet. This book also made me second guess having people stay in my home!!

Anything written by B.A. Paris is going to be amazing. This book sucks you in and you won't want to stop reading or listening!

This one just wasn’t for me. I usually love her writing, but I couldn’t get into it to save my life. It was just a little too slow.

This was the first book I have read by B.A. Paris. This book really surprised me. I went into this blind and OMG was I taken on one heck of a ride! This book will have you thinking one thing and wondering another. There were a few slower moments but I feel like that's just a thriller book. I felt like the characters were well written. There were only a few characters which made it easy to follow along. The epilogue of this story also made my head spin as I did not see any of that coming!! I was blown AWAY!!! I would definitely recommend this book. I can't wait to read more from B.A. Paris.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Very engaging! I had a hard time keeping up with the characters but the ending was perfect! BA Paris is back!

I really loved the prologue of this book that foreshadowed the events that occurred at the end - without it, this probably would've been a DNF for me.

The "mystery/thriller" part of this novel didn't really start until about halfway through the book and there was a lot of hinting that something might happen.

The twist at the end was a fun add, and I loved that the epilogue was long enough to explain it.

I struggled to make it through this one simply due to the overly involved friend trope. It was obvious the entire time that Laure was hiding something and that something was off about the situation she described with her husband. The ending did shock me but didn’t impact my overall rating.

DNF @40%. This book was terrible and I couldn’t even finish it. I normally love books by B.A. Paris but I just couldn’t get into this one. It is so slow and I didn’t find it very interesting.

BA Paris has been one of my favorite writers since I read her debut novel, Behind Closed Doors. I’ve enjoyed her books and The Guest was no exception.

I loved the short chapters as it made me feel like I was reading much faster than I do. I wouldn’t call this a thriller even though it does have some thriller aspects. To me, it was more a character study, which I love. But I will say I never saw the ending coming. Maybe a bit unbelievable, but it kept me turning the pages.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this one! It has a great twist and kept me on the edge on my seat. Just like this authors priors it was dark and engrossing.

An engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed! I adore B. A. Paris and this latest book is one of the best! Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections. Thank you!!

This book had me guessing lots. Suspecting I was seeing the twist, to reveal another. My favourite read.

I did find it to be a bit drawn out at points so not a solid 5 ⭐️ for me.

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris is an electrifying rollercoaster of suspense that will leave you breathless until the very last page. From the moment Iris and Gabriel return home to find their friend Laure taking refuge in their house, the tension is palpable and the stakes are high.

Paris expertly weaves together a complex web of relationships, secrets, and betrayals that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Laure's unexpected presence sets off a chain reaction of events that force Iris and Gabriel to confront uncomfortable truths about their own lives and those of the people closest to them.

What makes "The Guest" truly captivating is the way Paris delves into the depths of human nature, exploring themes of loyalty, forgiveness, and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love. As the layers of deception are peeled back, the characters are forced to confront the consequences of their actions, leading to shocking revelations that will leave readers reeling.

With its gripping plot twists and expertly drawn characters, "The Guest" is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. Paris proves once again why she is a master of the gene, delivering a pulse-pounding story that will keep you guessing until the very end.

I ended up listening to the audiobook, and it was wonderful. I think it helped keep all of the characters straight for me due to their different accents. I was definitely entertained throughout this story and was kept guessing until the very end!

This was a fun and entertaining read. I wasn't a huge fan of any of the characters, which was probably the author's intent. I found them irritating. Yet, it was hard to step away from this one. I couldn't tell where this story was going, but I was pleasantly surprised. There is a big twist that was completely unexpected. Over the top? Slightly, but it was still good and unpredictable! And that epilogue?! EPIC!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I ate this shit up. Wow talk about toxic characters. This book ended up being a wild ride and I loved how fast the pacing was for the reader.