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

Really enjoyed listening to this suspenseful mystery. The narrator kept me engaged loved her accents and different voices. This mystery kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was a twist I didn't see coming. Very good characters and loved the English setting. Some of the dialogue got a bit repetitive, but not enough to get in the way of the taut plot.

When Laure suddenly shows up asking to stay, Iris and Gabriel have no choice but to say yes. Laure’s husband Pierre confesses he has a daughter by another woman and they both need time apart to reevaluate

After a month, Iris and Gabriel are over it and wish Laure would leave but husband Pierre doesn’t seem to want to even talk

This book deals with a lot of domestic situations: depression, grief, loneliness, and although there are some curious incidents and deaths, it didn’t feel like a thriller at all

The pace was steady, the story very much focused on a tired marriage but there was a lot of the every day minutia that kinda bored me

Their neighbors also have a houseguest and his hotness and alcoholic tendencies should have/ could have created some real fireworks but it all just plodded along

The writing flows well and it was an easy read. But honestly, I found it a bit dull - there were very few thrills and it felt more of a domestic drama than a thriller or even suspense

The final chapter reveals everything - it’s a complete shocker 💥 I loved how everything came together but only wished the actual story hadn’t been quite so bland

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

I listened to the audio version of the book, which was enhanced by the quality of the narration. Had I read it in more traditional format, I think I would have stopped midway through. My high hopes for this book, based on B.A. Paris’ previous works, were dashed pretty early on. The story unfolds very slowly and Gabriel and Iris’ tolerance for Laure’s much too long stay, her intrusion into their lives, her treatment of them and their possessions, is irrational. I like a good twisty story with a solution I don’t suss out. I certainly didn’t see the ending coming, but that’s because the clues provided really were too obscure to piece it out. I found the change in voice at the end jarring. Despite these criticisms, I found the quality of Paris’s writing and the basic plot good enough to give The Guest 3 stars.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Joyce really nailed the narration on this book! All the characters voices were fantastic and I didn’t feel like it needed any additional narrators. The story is complex and really deals with family, friends, loss, love, and anxiety. I really enjoyed how all the characters were so multidimensional and the small glimpses given into their pasts together. I would highly recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers with highly unreliable narrators!

This is a domestic thriller and I want to thank NetGalley for letting me listen to the audiobook. I will probably try another book by this author but this one didn't impress me. I feel like there are rules when you have a mystery such as giving the readers enough information to feel like we should have caught some of what happened. In this story, the characters were kind of hard to tell apart and the plot didn't follow what I felt like we were given. The narrator did a pretty good job except for what I thought was an odd accent. Still, it was an interesting set of events so I will probably try again.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. B. A. Paris is one of my go-to thriller authors. The Guest was a slow burn that I felt was dragged out, But the twist made it al worth it. I never saw it coming and would have never guessed it.

I listened to The Guest as an audiobook.

The book involves the intersection of the lives of two couples - Iris and Gabrielle who live in the English countryside, and Laure and Pierre who are longtime friends who live in Paris.

Gabrielle is struggling after several emotional events have left him in a state of despair. Amongst them, he found a teen-aged boy who had been in an accident, and stayed with him waiting for help as the boy died. He listened to the boy's dying words, and they have left him unsure of what to share with the boy's mother. Gabrielle has taken time off work to recover, and Iris is doing her best to help him get over his depression. They take a small holiday in the hopes of lifting Gabrielle's spirits.

On returning home, they find that Laure has moved into their house - needing somewhere to stay for a few weeks as Laure and Pierre try and sort out their marriage. Pierre has revealed that he had fathered a child with another woman, and Laure is reeling from that admission. Weeks turn into months, as Laure is obsessed with thought of who the other woman is, and why Pierre cheated.

I struggled a little at the beginning of the book with the various characters involved. Especially with this being an audibook, it wasn't very clear to me which couple was which initially - especially when you throw in another couple who recently moved into the village. . The characters weren't very likable - especially Laure, who took huge liberties with her friend's home and possessions. I lost count of the number of times I had hoped that Iris and Gabrielle would tell Laure to go back home! There wasn't much mystery in the beginning, just a couples drama plot.

However, once the book got going, the mystery was revealed, and the pace picked up a little. Laure was still a very annoying character to me, but I enjoyed trying to figure out where the plot was taking us.

The ending brought on a huge twist, and I did not see it coming at all. That helped give me a satisfied feeling as the book completed.

I think the narrator did a good job with the pace of the book, and the characters, once we got through the initial section of the book. Once the characters became distinct in my head, the rest of the book went well.

Not necessarily my favorite of B.A. Paris's books, but I still enjoyed listening to the book, and I enjoyed the ending.

This was reviewed on goodreads at:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65213277-the-guest

3.5 stars for me. This was one of b a Paris’s better books. Fast paced and kept me interested. I did find that the ending was rather abrupt and would have liked if the twist was revealed by someone else. But overall worth your time.

▶️ Format: Book & Audiobook ◀️
⭐️ Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️

I really enjoyed this one! The beginning felt only a tad confusing as they introduce an array of characters, but I caught on quickly. There were also times the book felt mundane and repetitive, describing day-to-day life of the characters. But overall, it was an exciting / emotional plot with a good amount of twists. THE 👏🏼 EPILOGUE 👏🏼 THOUGH👏🏼 OMG… I will admit, I did NOT see that coming. After reading many thrillers and understanding a lot of tropes, this twist surprisingly got me. I recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and B.A. Paris for an ARC of this book!

I had a really hard time getting into this one. It was good but, it wasn’t my favorite book that this author has written.

I personally felt like this book was very slow and nothing really happened until the end.

Overall, I’m thankful I was given the opportunity by NetGalley to listen to this one but, unfortunately it wasn’t my favorite.

I think having the audiobook for this made me end up being a little blindsided by the twist--which isn't a bad thing. I got absorbed into this very easily and didn't have any theories about what may have happened. Although what DID happen is definitely not where my head was. Not knowing how many pages I had left and how close to the end I was OR being aware that I was on the last chapter put me in a false security that there was still plenty of time left to figure out what the heck was going on.

And then I hit that hour-long prologue and realized I knew absolutely nothing. It all made sense, even if I didn't see it coming, which is what I like! Definitely recommending this to anyone looking for a quick thriller.