B. A. Paris is one of my fav authors so I was very pleased to receive this ARC, thanks Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.

This was a great book and I really enjoyed listening to the narrator. I finished this book in just nearly a day, I could not stop listening, a true “page turner”. Everybody has secrets they don’t want to share.

B.A. Paris does it again! I've read so many books by Paris and it's safe to say that this is one of my favorites. That epilogue... wowza! I'm still reeling!

Iris and Gabriel are an interesting pairing. They have been together for decades and it seems like not only has their relationship fizzled out, but the added stressors surrounding them have pushed them farther apart than together. When their long-time friend Lore unexpectedly decides to move in after marriage troubles of her own, the chasm between them seems to grow.

This novel packs death after death into the pages and I couldn't get a sense of if they were coincidences, if there was foul play, or if something totally separate was going on. There were twists I thought I was so smart for catching onto and then most of the surprises flew right over my head and left me breathless and giddy with excitement.

From shady characters, untimely deaths, unwanted houseguests, infidelity, secret lovers, and a love child this book has SO much going on! It all played so well together that it never felt too much and until the epilogue, I maybe didn't even catch on to how much was going on! Paris is an expert at her craft and I loved how everything came together, how she answered questions I didn't realize I was asking, and how she just left me so stunned and surprised.

I listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed it. The pacing and thrill is perfect for audio and the narrator, Emily Joyce, did a stellar job.

This is one I definitely recommend and thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you to MacMillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the copy.

4 Stars

This is my fourth book by B.A. Paris. I am definitely a fan of her writing style. It is character driven and this book in particular, had a lot of conversation included. Which was nice but it did make it slow down in several parts.

Iris and Gabriel come home from a getaway to find a good friend of theirs, Laure, living in their home uninvited. She just found out her husband, Pierre, has a child with another woman. They are taking space from each other and Pierre needs time to figure out what he wants.

Iris meets their new neighbors, Esme and Hugh, and they become prominent characters in the book as well. They all become friends, spend time together, share a gardener (Joseph) as their lives weave together.

Gabriel is carrying an uncomfortable secret, there are several deaths (are they murders??), and as the book went on I was so invested I could not put it down.

The epilogue was a shock!

Thank you B.A. Paris, NetGalley and @Macmillan.Audio for an advanced audio copy of this audiobook.

For more book reviews from Angie and Lauren, please follow us on IG: @BluejackBookGirls

Thank you Macmillan audio and NetGalley for the complimentary audiobook of The Guest by B.A.Paris. I really enjoyed the pace and plot of this psychological thriller.

Iris and Gabriel return from vacation and find an uninvited guest, their friend Loure staying in their house. This gust has extended her stay and the story revolves around the two couples and a truth that is being unraveled as the plot thickens and more characters are introduced.

I was completely hooked to the plot and gradually building suspense and kept doubting on each and every member. The ending was totally unexpected and mind blowing. I highly recommend to add this book to your TBR when it releases on February 20, 2024

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and B.A Paris for an advance copy of The Guest in exchange for an honest review. I was instantly drawn into this story as our main characters get home from vacation and realize someone’s in their home. Although this guest isn’t fully an intruder, we see one of their friends start to take advantage of Iris and Gabriel. Unfortunately, this is where the book started to slow down for me. I spent the middle 50% of the book invested but never truly needing to know what was going to happen. Thankfully, this narrator kept my attention so I was able to power through. I did enjoy the ending so that’s something I appreciate! This one will be out on February 20th! 3.5 stars.

I have read and enjoyed B.A. Paris previous books like Behind Closed Doors and The Therapist, which is why I was excited for The Guest. The blurb made this sound like a real thriller. However, the pacing of the book was too slow for this to be a thriller. It took a lot of patience on my end to keep reading/listening after the first few chapters because I just couldn’t get into the book. I normally enjoy domestic thrillers but this book was more of a domestic drama than a thriller. The characters are all unlikeable so there was nothing to root for or look forward to in the first twenty or chapters or so.
The entire mystery that was build up was revealed in the 2-3 pages epilogue. All the chapters leading up to this big reveal simply being the drama surrounding three families and a few other characters. I wished it was paced slightly better and that there were a few twists that came in earlier in the book. The final twist in the epilogue was interesting but it was not enough to make me like this book.
I give it 2.25 stars out of 5!
Thanks to Netgalley and McMillan audio for the audiobook arc of the book.

What a wild ride, indeed! I expected nothing less from B.A. Paris :)
In the beginning, I found myself struggling a little to wrap my head around the characters and draw solid lines mapping the character connections. However, once Laure settled into the home and started to really irritate Iris and Gabriel, the pace picked up and I fell right into the excitement of putting together this intricate puzzle. Kudos to B.A. Paris in developing such a complex group of characters who are up to all kinds of no-good. I didn’t like any of these people, but as a reader, I couldn’t stop reading about them (haha).

The ending was a total surprise to me, even though I consider myself to be quite the mystery/thriller sleuth, so this was a total WIN. However, I can’t really say I actually “liked” the ending. The last chapter ended abruptly, but the majority of the explanation fell within the epilogue. I feel like it was too confusing at this point, so the author decided to create this explanation of how everything actually happened in the epilogue because she knew the readers would be super confused otherwise. With such an intricate plot, I could see where this was helpful, but I just didn’t prefer this approach.

The narrator for “The Guest” did a fantastic job with pacing and intonation throughout the reading. Even though there was only one voice for all of the characters, it was well executed .

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this audiobook early in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of B.A. Paris’s writing. When I started reading The Guest, my first opinion was that it’s a good read, but at times I really thought I had this book figured out within the first 50% of the book. All I have to say is if you hit a reading slump, power through it! It is so worth the epilogue. And I guess I should clarify, this book was not bad in any way, shape or form, it just proved to be a little slow at times. Otherwise the writing was good and the storyline, was great as well.

The narrator did a great job with the audio of The Guest

***Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio for and ARC copy in return for an honest review***

While I found The Guest to be slower paced than some of B.A. Paris's other books and had to push through listening through much of the first half, I'm glad I did. The character development was slow in the beginning, and the events of story seem disjointed. However, about halfway through, the pace of story picked up, and I was much more interested in learning how the characters and plot lines would come together. The epilogue in this book is everything - seriously makes the whole book worth reading or listening to. Emily Joyce did a fantastic job narrating and was a perfect choice for this story. While this isn't my favorite of Paris's books, it gets a solid 3.5 stars from me.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Goodness! Words cannot describe my feelings for this book.
First off the narrator was amazing!

In the beginning I thought it would be the same family drama and murder story we have all read a thousand times over. Then I couldn’t stop listening.

The epilogue was jaw dropping! To the point I listened to that portion twice with my mouth still open!

Having relished B.A. Paris's novels in the past, I eagerly secured an advanced audio copy of "The Guest." The allure of the drama, the enigmatic guest, and the concealed secrets gripped me throughout. There's always an underlying layer of the unknown, adding to the intrigue. Each character, be it an individual, couple, or family, harbors their own set of issues and peculiarities, compelling me to unravel their hidden narratives. Amidst struggling marital relationships, steadfast friendships, an attractive yet troubled yard assistant, forbidden attractions, and a series of remarkable and startling twists, the story unfolds, reaching a crescendo, particularly in its conclusion. If you savor a psychological thriller with a measured pace, laden with unexpected revelations, "The Guest" comes highly recommended. A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the audio version.

I give this book 3.5 stars. The everything that was happening was really interesting. I liked the twist in the end on who ended up being the killer. I just think it too long to get there.

Iris and Gabriel's tranquil life is upended when Gabriel witnesses a tragic death. To further complicate matters, Laure, one half of their pair of French friends, arrives for an unplanned visit. Unfortunately, Laure quickly outstays her welcome. But Laure's marriage is in trouble, as she's recently learned that her husband has an illegitimate child, so in an effort to be supportive, the couple allows her to stay. But when Laure begins an affair with the gardener, and bodies start piling up, things take a deadly turn.

As a long time BA Paris fan, I was excited to get my hands on this audiobook. Her narrators are always impeccable, and this was no different! The audio performance was the best part. While twisty and entertaining overall, the story was a bit slower paced than her others. Thankfully it picked up in the last half, and the satisfying ending bumped my 3 star up to a low 4stars.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for my gifted ALC ❤️

I thought that this would be better than it was. I felt like it was unnecessarily long. I didn’t see the twist coming but I don’t feel like any of the characters were particularly likable and everyone seemed kind of awful.

I was so excited to finally read a B.A. Paris book, prepared to be on the edge of my seat as I dove into a book full of suspense, twists, and turns. But that’s not what I got. The Guest is a domestic drama with mystery, mixed in. It’s a super slow burn with a whopper of an ending that you’re either gonna love or hate. The epilogue is lengthy, but a must read. So, if you’re one who typically skips the epilogue, don’t skip this one.

The story involves 3 couples and a gardener, so there are a lot of characters. It mainly focuses on Gabriel & Iris, and their obnoxious guest, Laure. There was a lot of unnecessary dialogue and daily goings on mentioned, and that it made the story drag. While I was interested in how the story would end, I wasn’t interested or invested in any of the characters.

I listened to the audiobook, and Emily Joyce did a fantastic job narrating with so many characters. Her narration kept me engaged and interested throughout story.

If you like domestic dramas full of secrets and lies, or other works by Paris, this might be a good fit for you. It could be a good buddy read or book club read since it touches on a lot of subjects such as infidelity, grief, and alcoholism.

BA Paris knows surprises, that’s certain. Paris lays out an intriguing cast of characters I couldn’t wait to dig into and do my own detective work as I was instantly suspecting ALMOST everyone of burying secrets.

A friend helping her friend through relationship woes sounds pretty plain but Paris paints us some possibilities to comb through and makes room for bread crumbs along the way.

You will not be disappointed once you’re through!!

The Guest by BA Paris
Release Date: 2/20/24
Format: audio/ebook hybrid
Rating: ⭐️⭐️✨

BA Paris has always been a bit of a hit or miss author for me, but I’ve always found her books to be fun and quick regardless of if they’re a five star read for me. However, this book was unfortunately a struggle through and through for me.

I really had a hard time getting into the story. No one was likable and not much was happening other than people saying they were going to go a place and then maybe going to that place. There wasn’t much momentum in the plot and with insufferable characters, there wasn’t much to draw me in.

And then I got to the epilogue and decided this wasn’t just a slow read, it was an infuriating one. Whew.

If you’re going to read this one, I’d recommend picking it up in print/ebook format and forgoing the audiobook as I think that might have been part of my issue. The narrator did a fine job but wasn’t very engaging with a story I already struggled with.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Gabriel and Iris welcomes their friend Law into their home who is going through a rough patch in their marriage at the same time the husband of the couple Gabriel is going through his own trauma. The twist in this psychological thriller was shocking and I honestly didn't see it coming. Well done.

THE GUEST by B.A. Paris offers a slow-burning tale of secrets and tension. Centered around Iris and Gabriel's tumultuous home life, the arrival of their friend Laure adds further strain, while a new couple and their enigmatic gardener stir intrigue. Despite a gradual pace, the story builds towards a satisfying conclusion, with unexpected twists keeping the reader engaged. While Iris's passivity may frustrate, the portrayal of relationships feels authentic, and Gabriel's journey through grief adds depth. Though the narrative may lag at times, the final chapters deliver compelling action and revelations. Overall, THE GUEST offers a nuanced exploration of marriage, friendship, and the consequences of buried secrets, making for a satisfying read despite its slow pace.

What started as a slow burn mystery turns into a crazy fast paced novel around The 70% Mark. It was a chilling atmospheric read with several characters that at times was a little bit difficult to keep track of who is who on audio. I really enjoy Paris’s writing style and although this isn’t my favourite it was an enjoyable experience