<b>4 Solid Stars</b>
Another winner from B.A. Paris!

Imagine coming home to find your friend staying in your bedroom and making herself a guest while she deals with relationship issues. On top of that, your husband has been distant since finding a local boy dying from a tragic accident.

This domestic drama kept me intrigued the whole way through, though some parts did lag just a bit. The characters were hard to like, and I found myself not really liking anyone!

The charm, for me, was that I kept bouncing between who I thought was behind everything (no one was safe from suspicion). Even when the book ended, THERE WAS MORE!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the audio Arc of this book!

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 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.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of The Guest by B.A. Paris.

When Iris and Gabriel come home from a tense vacation, they are surprised to see that their home has an unexpected occupant. Receiving distressing news about her husband, Laure has come for some emotional respite. But over time, Iris finds herself overwhelmed with the needs and length of stay of her guest. But Iris could never bargain for how much chaos Laure is really about to bring into her life.

Gosh this was messy. That's honestly my biggest takeaway of this story, it was messy, hard to believe, and hard to invest. I had a hard time really liking any of the characters, or buying their super unboundaried relationships. I struggled to pluck the important details from a super scattered plot, the whole thing just wasn't for me.

Thank you netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange of an honest review. I am a huge fan of B.A. Paris books. This one had you questioning and guessing as things progressed and you don’t learned the truth behind it until you reach the epilogue. You have Iris coming back from vacation with a houseguest already there, Gabe neglecting his wife because he is filled with guilt over an incident. Lorre who is distraught over her husband having a secret child.. Joesph who is a barely recovered alcoholic and Esme and Hugh who are expecting their first child. At some point I had no idea where this book was going but that didn’t matter because I was too invested in the characters but it all neatly tied together. 100% worth the read.

3.5 stars. Thank you St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for my free ARC of The Guest by B.A. Paris — available Feb 20!

Read this if you:
🏡 find the idea of a 6+ week houseguest horrifying
🧑‍🌾 have ever thought about a fling with a hot gardener
🧬 love of a bit of a "you ARE the father" puzzle

Iris and Gabriel return home from a trip to quite a surprise — their friend Laure has been staying in their home, and she plans to stay with them indefinitely. They feel too guilty to make her leave, since she's in a feud with her husband over his confessed infidelity. In fact, he claims to have fathered a child with the other woman, which is devastating to Laure, who always wanted kids of her own. But when the new neighbor's gardener gets involved, things start to quickly spiral out of control.

I can always count on B.A. Paris for a pull-you-in plot and a fast pace, and The Guest did not disappoint here. There are several turns in the story that held my interest and kept me engaged, which is exactly what i want from my thrillers! I will admit that the ending wasn't my favorite — a little too neat for my tastes, with everything sort of happening off the page and impossible to guess at for the reader. Feels a bit too easy? Anyway, I enjoyed the ride nonetheless and definitely recommend this as a binge-able thriller.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I've continuously loved B.A. Paris and while this isn't my favorite (sorry, Behind Closed Doors is my JAM), I definitely will say that The Guest packed a punch I was not prepared for.

Overall, the book I felt was very tame and character-driven...I kept thinking 'what? What is going on?' because nothing really made sense throughout. It did take me a while to connect with any of the characters but then I started to get more into the plot as it carried on.

Narration again was great, I was immersed in the storyline however there were a few times where I wasn't entirely sure who was talking female-wise. I do not know if this would've been solved reading the digital copy in terms of editing, but after another pass of that scene I was able to figure it out.

I would recommend this to anyone- especially the audio copy as I feel it'll be one that shocks a lot of people!

Thanks to NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this book was so obvious from the very beginning. I still was enjoying the ride, however, I was completely wrong! I surprisingly didn't see most of it coming! The narrator was phenomenal and really added a lot to the story, I really enjoyed all of the characters and the web that was formed. I have read other books by B.A. Paris and will continue in the future! Read/listen to this for an enjoyable and fun journey!

The Guest began slow and was hard to keep up with at first. After a while, I got the hang of each character and began to connect with the characters. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the characters and the story to life. The way the author tied everything together in the end and the narrator portrayed it made it all worth it. I would listen to more audiobooks from this narrator and recommend this book to anyone.

The queen of domestic suspense returns following The Prisoner with her latest smashing psychological thriller, THE GUEST. A guest arrives and never leaves, with a web of dark secrets in this chilling, mesmerizing, atmospheric, intense domestic suspense with unpredictable twists, connections, and MURDER.

I squeal with delight seeing a new novel by B. A. Paris. Every book is unique and guaranteed to keep you engrossed from the first page to the last with her winning signature style. I have read all her books, and each one is 5 STARS.

Iris and Gabriel Pelly arrive home from a holiday vacation to find one of their closest friends, Laure, in their home.

They met Laure and her husband Pierre (on their honeymoon) many years ago on their first anniversary holiday in the Bahamas twenty years earlier.

They have been friends since and often vacation together. Years ago, they exchanged keys to their homes when traveling.

Iris and Gabriel have a daughter, Beth (19), who is away in Greece, volunteering at a dog shelter for the summer before she goes to Bristol in the fall. Laura is Beth's godmother.

It appears that Laura and Pierre are having marriage problems as they agreed not to have children, but now he is a father (from an affair). She left to get away, and the couple had not had a sit down to discuss.

Iris and Gabriel feel caught in the middle, and Gabriel tries to reach out to Pierre with no success. Pierre struggles with depression after the tragic death of his father when he was eleven.

Gabriel has not been himself after the death of Charlie Ingram, a student that Gabriel found on a bike path in the nearby quarry as he was dying. Being a doctor, he was unable to save him.

He offered his last dying words to Gabriel, which has haunted him since. They were words to his mother but were not positive, and he has put off meeting with the mother. Gabriel had not been running since.

Gabriel is taking time off from work (a doctor) due to the trauma and has decided to restore the walled garden, a project he promised to work on when they moved to the house fifteen years earlier. He also lost his father four months previously. He wants to finish the project before Beth comes home for a visit.

As time passes, Laura interjects herself into their lives, even going as far as wearing Iris' clothes, sleeping in their bed, and rearranging the furniture and kitchen. She does not seem to be in a hurry to leave.

In the meantime, Iris meets their new enigmatic neighbors, Esme and her husband, Hugh. Esme is much younger than her husband (by twenty years) and pregnant. They also have a gardener, Joseph, with a dangerous past of alcoholism (and sexy, dark good looks). Hugh has an older son, Marcus, in London.

Gabriel and Iris become quick friends with the neighbors, and Laura also puts herself in the middle of the new friendship and their gardener.

Joseph also helps Gabriel with the garden, and something seems off about him.

Strange things occur. Laura is still there and makes no effort to leave their house. She is also acting strange. Then Pierre goes missing.

Numerous things are at play, such as mysterious trips, relationships between these three couples and the gardener, and the connection between Charlie and his mom. And how does Beth connect with these scenarios?

The guilty SECRETS are piling up as the past collides with the present in this gripping, masterfully crafted domestic suspense where nothing or no one is as they appear with a cast of unreliable narrators. From a web of lies, secrets, deception, betrayal, and MURDER. Who is the murderer?

How far will they go to protect their family? TRUST NO ONE.

THE GUEST is psychologically rich , multi-layered, and plot-driven with an ongoing mounting of suffocating, a sense of dread lurking ahead as you anxiously await how all the chilling events will come together.

Paris fans will delight in this intriguing, enigmatic murder mystery of domestic suspense, as well as fans of authors Mary Kubica, Robyn Harding, and Kimberly Belle.

I was glued to THE GUEST and frantically flipping the pages into the wee hours of the morning to try and solve this well-crafted mystery. You cannot even imagine how all the puzzle pieces fit together. All is unveiled in the Epilogue, which is explosive.

I also had the privilege of listening to the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Emily Joyce, who brought the story alive for an engaging listening experience!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital reviewer copy in advance and an audio listening copy for my honest feedback.

Stay tuned for my upcoming #AuthorElevatorSeries QA Interview with B.A. Paris, where we go behind the book and this mega-talented author on pub day, Feb 20, 2024! #SMPInfluencers

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Feb 20, 2024
Feb 2024 Must-Read Books
Feb 2024 #AuthorElevatorSeries QA

My B.A. Paris Reviews: All 5 Stars and Top Books list yearly.
2016: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
2017: THE BREAKDOWN
2018: BRING ME BACK
2019: THE DILEMMA
2021: THE THERAPIST
2022: THE PRISONER

B.A. Paris INTERVIEWS:
THE THERAPIST
THE DILEMMA

B.A. Paris is an expert on giving the best surprises and twists in books. This book was no exception. I had so many guesses along the way and none of them were right! It was a quick read that kept me guessing until the end.

Trust the process, because B.A. Paris has done it again. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed reading The Breakdown.
I have to admit that I was a little disappointed at first with the dialog and characters that were being introduced, but The Guest’s slow start is meticulously planned and with a purpose. The character development and story will grab you and keep you guessing until the end. I highly recommend reading The Guest.

Phew. This book was good!

While I absolutely called one thing, I just knew it. I didn’t expect the who. And overall the story line was paced well. The character driven details were wonderful and I think the audio version was very well done!

Some secrets never leave.

Iris and Gabriel seem to have it all: a beautiful home in the British countryside, a daughter happily working in Greece, and good friends Laure and Pierre from Paris, who they often vacation with. But when a young man has a tragic accident in a nearby quarry, Gabriel is the one to find him and hear his final words, leaving Gabriel with a guilty burden.

A slow burn that took me a bit to get into. There are a lot of characters and everyone has their own drama (maybe too many characters, too much drama?). After a few weeks of Laure staying with Iris and Gabriel even I had had enough of her! Then things start to get mysterious and the story speeds up when Laure finally makes the trip back home to try to patch things up with Pierre. A dark twist at the end that left me surprised!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a fantastic listen. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I have no critique for this book, it was well paced, character development was enticing and kept your interest the entire way. This has plenty plots and twists to keep you guessing with a satisfactory ending. B.A. Paris knows just how much information to give you to satisfy you in the moment but keep you guessing for more.

Whoa, this one is something all right. I’m still thinking about the epilogue when FINALLY everything came together. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller or even a slow burn, The Guest is not it!

Iris and Gabriel have a steadfast marriage that is recently experiencing a bit of turmoil. Gabriel is coming to terms with witnessing a young boys final moments after a tragic accident and being the only one to hear his final words. He is unable to share these feelings with his wife and it is straining their relationship. Now enter one of their oldest friends Laure.

Laure and Pierre are going through it. Pierre just admitted to Laure that he fathered a child at some point during their long marriage and now wants a relationship with them. Laure feels betrayed as she gave up the prospect of having children for Pierre. In a fit of anger she leaves Pierre and surprises Iris and Gabriel with an extended stay at their house.

Up to this point the plot was interesting in a “spill the tea” kind of way. However, literally nothing but this back and forth drama and the introduction of three more characters occur before chapter 20. At that point things get a tiny bit more interesting and suddenly deaths begin to occur. I found myself at the last chapter thinking…who killed who and will we find out????

The epilogue is literally one character’s monologue on how they committed all the murders and why. I will give high marks for the surprise, but this felt incredibly lazy of the author to write all the twists this way.

Overall, the story held my interest and I did enjoy the finale. The audio production was well done and is probably the reason I made it through chapters 1-20.

WOW--B. A. Paris does it again! This one starts off fairly simple, just some odd things happening and then the plot slowly starts to get more thrilling/suspenseful. By the last third of this book things were getting SERIOUS. Truths started spilling out like crazy. I was 100% shocked at the ending when everything came to light, I highly recommend!

The Guest will be released February 20, 2024!!

Special Thanks to NetGalley && MacMillan Audio for the arc audio copy of this book!

B.A. Paris is a must-read author for me! This book was great! For me, it was a good “palate cleansing” domestic suspense that I needed to start in 2024. I need to get back into my thriller, mystery, and suspense vibe! This was a good start. Though it wasn’t as dark as other favorites by the author, I still enjoyed it. The book was well-paced, the characters were well developed and stood out as individuals for me (I had no problem differentiating each character). Something about dual points of view that really enhances a story for me. I enjoyed it.
There were times when I felt like I didn’t know what was going on, and when I thought I did I super was wrong. I love that about her writing. The unexpected twists and turns that challenge your personal assumptions, it’s wild! I remember feeling this way when I read other books like Behind Closed Doors and The Dilemma. I was so taken by how attached I felt while reading those books and how I literally felt like I was on a rollercoaster reading them. I felt that during this book as well. These experiences make B.A. Paris a dependable and repeat author for me. I recommend this book! 4 stars!

Just like all BA Paris novels I’ve read I didn’t see the twist coming! I was lulled into thinking I had it all figured out just to have the carpet ripped out from me! Incredible! A must read for thriller fans!

B.A. Paris is back on her game with The Guest.
This book pulled me in, and did not let go until the epilogue.
The characters in this book had me all over the place. One minute
I liked them, the next I was not so sure.
Most of the time I glance over the epilogue, I would highly recommend reading it all the way thru.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

I think this was my least favorite of Paris' books. It just felt like it was leading to a big reveal and when it happened in the prologue I was very underwhelmed. It just felt like it should have been more and it let me down.