4.25ish stars

As with many other readers, I was totally captivated by Behind Closed Doors and have been, I think, searching for something else that gives me the same thrilling intrigue from this writer. However, I haven’t quite found that yet; although I’ve enjoyed some of her other books, they haven’t quite lived up to that high standard for me. That being said, I did like the twisty details of this book, and it worked way better for me than the author’s last one. I didn’t quite see the ending coming, which was great, and although the reveals/unrolling of the explanations felt a bit heavy-handed, it was largely still a satisfying conclusion. I’ll be looking forward to what comes next.

So much infidelity. My goodness. If that’s a trope you dislike, you’ll have a hard time with this one. Usually it bothers me more that it did in The Guest. Maybe it was the audio narration- man, did I rip through that! Very well done. And the twists just kept coming, so I didn’t have time to get too upset. B.A. Paris is always a good time for me and this one is no exception. 4.5 rounded down cause it maybe was just a tad too convenient and unbelievable, but overall a really excellent read!

Laure is the houseguest who will never leave. Doctor-husband Gabriel is mourning the loss of his father and eighteen year old Charlie, who dies in a freak accident right in front of his eyes. Iris seems to be the only stable and grounding force as tensions rise around them.

This story pleasantly surprised me with the perfect pacing of events, new characters added, and I had NO idea where it was going!

At 10% in, I was hooked and could not put this twisty psychological thriller down.

I gave this 4.25 stars. Well done Ms. Paris, I really enjoyed this one. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: February 20, 2024

The Guest by B.A. Paris centers around the main couple Iris and Gabriel, their very closest and oldest friends- Laure and Pierre, and their new neighbors Esme and Hugh. Told mostly through Iris's point of view with some of Gabriel sprinkled in, we have a very quintessential domestic drama. The story goes in many different directions and while it wasn't especially captivating, it piqued enough interest to keep me reading. A lot happened and nothing was too mind-blowing, until you get to the very end! Overall. a solid but forgettable thriller.

The Guest starts off slowly and introduces a number of characters and plot lines in the early chapters. At times it is a struggle to keep them all straight. This is the perfect example of a slow burn; seemingly nothing happens during the first 75% of the book and then the action picks up dramatically.

B.A. Paris wraps everything up in the epilogue with a number of “didn’t see that coming” revelations. The ending was quite satisfying, but it took a lot of effort to get there. Emily Joyce’s narration was outstanding and kept me listening through the slower parts of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC! I’ve been a huge fan of Paris’s book since I read Behind Closed Doors a couple of years ago.

I really enjoyed The Guest, but I will say it’s more of a slow burn than her other books. The narrator did a great job as well. I felt this book was very dialogue heavy and at times felt repetitive. I definitely didn’t see the last chapter coming and I liked how she tied everything together!

I would recommend this book to fans of domestic dramas.

2.5 stars

Since this is not my first B.A. Paris book, I came into this listen expecting a twisty, engaging plot and compelling characters. Unfortunately, I did not get either. I had a really hard time staying focused on what was happening because the characters were troubled but in ways that seemed repetitive instead of evolving. They grapple with serious stuff, but I found myself quickly thinking, "MOVE ON!" rather than empathizing or at least sympathizing with their plights. Though there is some twisting ultimately, it's not exciting enough for me to recommend reading/listening to the whole production just to get there.

I'll be back for more from this author, but it will be based on past reads and a desire for something more thrilling than this one was. Had I not accessed the audio version, I feel this may have ended up in the DNF or the FBS (finished by skimming) pile, unfortunately.

Now that was twisted!!! So many plot elements that all merged into an explosive ending!

Iris and Gabriel are empty nesters with their daughter Beth taking a gap year in Greece before she starts uni. Unexpectedly, one day, their good friend Laure shows up stating that her husband Pierre has confessed to fathering a child with another woman but won't say who. He and Laure are taking a break so he can decide what to do. Meanwhile, Gabriel is on leave from his work as a doctor. He is out for a walk when he comes across a young man who is near death after riding his bike off the ledge of a quarry. Just before he passes, he tells Gabriel something, which causes him to spiral. New to the neighbourhood are Esme and Hugh who are expecting their first child. Living in their carriage house is their attractive gardner, Joseph, who comes with a checkered past. As Iris befriends Esme, she starts to learn more about the couple and Joseph.

I will admit there were a lot of characters and plot elements introduced at the start, which made it initially confusing and difficult to know who was who. However, once I was able to sort it all out after a few chapters, the book was unputdownable! I was utterly gripped by the cryptic plot, unsure where it was going.

I would've given this book five stars except I guessed the reveal at about the 80 percent mark. So bummed! Nevertheless, it was a fantastic domestic suspense that I would absolutely recommend!

The audio performance was superb. A gracious thank you to @Netgalley, and @McMillanAudio for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a big fan of B.A. Paris since the The Therapist, going to back to read other titles. Having said that, The Guest was a huge disappointment. Sometimes an ending can't salvage the rest of the book. And this is one of those cases. And even if an ending could salvage a book? This was not that ending.

3.5 Star Review of "The Guest" by B.A. Paris


As a fan of B.A. Paris, I have thoroughly enjoyed her previous works, including "Behind Closed Doors," "The Breakdown," and "The Therapist," just to name a few. These books have captivated me with their intense plots and compelling characters.

When I was chosen by Netgalley to listen to the audiobook of "The Guest," I was excited, based on my love for Paris' previous works. However, while this book showcases Paris' talent for character development, the overall story didn't quite live up to the excitement and anticipation I had experienced with her previous novels.

"The Guest" took a bit longer to come together, and it wasn't until the last few chapters that the plot finally gained some momentum. Even then, it didn't quite reach the level of excitement I had hoped for.

I want to express my gratitude to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The narration was spot on, and because of that, I still found some enjoyment in the listening experience.

Overall, while "The Guest" may not have matched the intensity of my favorite B.A. Paris novels, it still showcases her talent for character development. Fans of the author may find some enjoyment in this book, but it may not be as gripping as her previous works.

I know BA Paris has written loads of novels, but this was my first of hers, and it was so well done. Iris and Gabriel welcome their friend Laure to stay with them for a few weeks as she puts her life back together after discovering her husband has a child he never told her about. But Laure overstays her welcome and things become strained between Laure and her hosts. I really enjoyed this one. The plot was unique; the pacing was perfect; and the twist was amazing. My favorite kind of twist is one that floors me, and yet, I realize, after the fact, that it should have been entirely obvious. The final twist in this novel did just that for me. I listened to this one and loved consuming The Guest in that format.

Paternity testing of the child in question was performed secretly using a hair snagged from the child's clothing. A single hair can be used to confirm paternity, but needs to contain the follicle at the tip, which should have enough high quality DNA to validate paternity.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the early opportunity to listen to and review this book.

Thank you so much to the author and the publisher for this ARC!

I am a huge B.A. Paris fan, so I was thrilled to read her new book early. This book is going to take you on a wild ride, so buckle up! You never know where the book is going to take you & I definitely couldn’t predict the ending.

Also, great job to the narrator portraying this story. You did an amazing job!

Great read!

I loved this book as a read and even more on audio. I loved the story and the narrator did a great job. The twist was great and unexpected. I can’t wait to recommend this one when it releases.

This was ok - longer than necessary and to have it all wrapped up neatly in the epilogue was unsatisfying. The characters were unlikable

B.A. Paris's new releases are always an immediate read for me (and for good reason!) This one was deliciously wicked and shocking. I loved getting to know all of the characters and thought the dynamics between them were expertly laid out. I was so intrigued by each of them and what their inner motives were. I was completely shocked by the reveals at the end. I think those reveals really wrapped up the book perfectly. This was really well plotted and executed. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The first 1/3 of the book began very slow, with a lot of characters. This made it hard to follow at first. Once getting the hang of who each of the characters were, it went into great detail on each of the main characters making you feel truly connected with each of them. This I feel like was important by the end. At the beginning when I was reading I felt like it wasn’t needed.

The last part of the book kept hitting you from one BOOM to the next BOOM to the following. Most of it being predictable until it wasn’t.

Even with the beginning of the book being slow, the ending truly made this book. I just wish we didn’t have to wait as long!

Wife - Mother - Murderer

The Guest by B.A. Paris was an interesting listen. There were a lot of characters and at first, it was hard to keep track of who was who in the first chapter. After the first chapter, the book went back in time, and it was easier to figure out each character.

The book was interesting enough to keep me listening and wanting to find out what happened, but once I found out, I felt like the book spiraled a bit. I was not a fan of end result, but it was a surprise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the advanced listen of The Guest in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Guest by B.A Paris
My rating:
3/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️

When Iris and Gabrielle return to their home after a trip, they realize someone has been in their house. To their relief and confusion, it is their friend Laure, who has been staying there while they were gone because she was having issues with her husband Pierre. The couples had said that they could stay at each others places if they ever needed to while the others were away.

Honestly, this book was not my favorite and that’s a bummer because this was my first book from the author. I had heard great things about some of her books, so I will be reading a couple more even though this missed the mark for me.

I didn’t really relate to any of the main characters and nothing in this book actually happened for the first half of this book besides Laure being there and overstaying her welcome.

The second half of the book did pick up, but I still have questions even after a hefty epilogue. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with the twisty ending, but it was too cookie cutter for me to find realistic. There was so little happening during the actual book and the epilogue went out with a bang it was just too much going on at once for it to be satisfying.

I was able to read this and also listen at the same time as I was approved for the audiobook version in edition to the kindle version. I really enjoyed the narrator and felt she did a great job! Overall this one was not my favorite but still entertaining and I definitely wanted to see how everything played out.

Thank you netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Macmillan audio for the ARCS! This will be available in late February of 2024!

Almost gave 2 stars but the epilogue finally pieced it all together so I’ll bump it up to 2.5.

Having loved Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown, I was so excited to receive this (audio) book as an arc from the publisher that I jumped right in to listening.

From the beginning, I had a hard time piecing together the characters and their relationships. The storyline jumped around with a lack of flow with previous occurring events. This left me constantly questioning what was happening. I honestly listened to the last half at 1.5x to get through.

Like others have said, it was the epilogue that made the whole thing make sense. I did not enjoy having no idea what was happening until the last few pages.

Unfortunately, I would not recommend this one.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc.

As a devoted listener of audiobooks, I must commend the author's writing style, which translated seamlessly into the audio format, keeping me thoroughly engaged throughout. However, the themes explored in this particular book, especially those involving secrets and children, didn't quite align with my personal preferences. The emotional impact of these elements, conveyed through the narrator's voice, left me with a somewhat melancholic feeling.

The auditory experience, nevertheless, was far from dull. The narrator skillfully brought the story to life, infusing each character with depth and emotion. The plot, while not resonating with my own sensibilities, unfolded in a compelling manner, making it evident that the author's storytelling prowess extends to the realm of audiobooks.

While the specific themes didn't capture my full attention, I can appreciate the potential appeal for other listeners who may not be as sensitive to these elements. The audio rendition added an extra layer of complexity to the narrative, making it a compelling experience for those who can connect with the themes explored.

In summary, my personal taste may not align perfectly with the thematic choices in this audiobook, but the overall listening experience was far from mundane. The skillful narration and engaging storytelling have the potential to resonate strongly with a diverse audience, even if it didn't quite strike the chord I was anticipating.