This was my first audiobook and man was it more spooky to hear the story than actually read it! B.A. Paris wrote another spine tingler for sure!!

"The Guest" by B.A. Paris is whatever the audio version of a page-turner is! Paris masterfully crafts a story that is both suspenseful and thought-provoking. And one where I actually enjoyed the characters. The tension builds steadily throughout the novel, leaving readers guessing until the very end. Paris's skillful writing draws readers into the world she has created, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. Overall, "The Guest" is a gripping read that will leave readers eagerly awaiting Paris's next masterpiece.

Ooh, this was SO good! I absolutely loved the twists and turns of this story…and that ending!! Amazing! I loved the setting of the English village, and the way every thread of the plot ended up weaving together in such a surprising way! And the narration is FANTASTIC!

This was a wild ride and I did not see some of those twists coming! I am not sure how I would deal with a friend that just let themselves into my house, used my stuff, and basically didn't leave for over a month! In addition to fucking up my business. I would definitely not have been nearly as calm and understanding as Iris! I also just knew that gardener was doing to turn out to be a bag of dicks...but Iris did what she needed to do to keep her daughter safe in the end!

While I wouldn’t call this one super twisty, it had SO many red herrings and kept me guessing until the very end! I listened to it on audio and thought the narration was fantastic. There were a few times I was a little confused about who was who, but that could have been a result of listening vs reading. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys British domestic suspense books!

This book read much more a drama than a thriller. Loads of unlikeable characters and conversations about their woes make this book feel longer than it needed to be. The guest is rather provocative and unnerving. The ending was by far the most enjoyable part of the book.

I struggled with the narrator's accent and had to slow the pace down.

The Guest was a bingeable mystery that had me wondering how all of these loose ends were going to come together. The narration was engaging and easy to listen to. I thought it really helped immerse me in the story.
When Iris and Gabriel return home from a trip to find their friend, Laure, in their house after leaving her husband, a lot of questions and tension arise. The Guest slowly peels back the layers of secrets and mystery surrounding all of the characters in a way that was having me wondering how it was all going to come together by the end. When I reached the epilogue, I was happy to see how everything came together but also felt a bit that the tone change to first person and all explanations to be a jarring change of pace from the rest of the story. Overall, I found this to be an interesting popcorn thriller that was entertaining.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

#TheGuest #BAParis #MacmillanAudio #EmilyJoyce

This twisted psychological thriller is both captivating and entertaining.

When Iris and Gabriel return home, they find their friend Laure seeking refuge after leaving her husband. Laure's increasingly strange behavior as she overstays her welcome raises suspicions. The narrative intensifies with the introduction of other characters like the gardener and a new couple in town, leading to a climactic showdown where all is revealed.

The well-crafted story and authentic narration enhance the experience.

I enjoyed this advanced listening copy and look forward to more novels by B.A. Paris.

B. A. Paris is an amazing author. The twists and turns in this thriller makes it quite the page turner. You will be hooked from the start.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

SYNOPSIS -- Iris and Gabriel are returning home from their hopefully-marriage-saving holiday when they notice someone unexpected has been in their house. There, they find Laure: a close friend struggling to get over a betrayal from her husband, Pierre. Iris and Gabriel agree to house and comfort Laure, but things quickly become overwhelming, as she talks incessantly about her prediction and thrusts herself into Iris and Gabriel's lives. While the pair attempts to make friends with a new couple and their mysterious gardener, Larue tries to remedy things with Pierre, and Gabriel works towards healing from a recent traumatic event, secrets are revealed one by one, leaving all of them reeling.

I originally rated this at closer to a 4-4.5, but have since knocked it down a few. I was hooked from the start with this one. I always love B.A. Paris' writing, and the short chapters make it sooo easy to get through quickly.

There were a lot of characters in this one, all pretty important, and I could see where that would make it hard to follow at times. This was a good one on audio, though I do wish that there were different narrators for the different perspectives. It was nice to hear from a few of the characters; I always love books with multiple points of view but, again, I think different narrators would have made more of an impact.

The epilogue definitely redeemed things for me. In hindsight, the rest of the book was fairly chaotic but also boring at times. The ending packed such a punch and left me wilding, which I think was why I rated this higher immediately after that. Now, looking back, I definitely liked this book but didn't quite love it. B.A. never disappoints, though, and I'll always go back for more.

Not my favorite BA Paris book. The ending fell very flat. Entire book was just a little blah. I did Read it fast to find out what was happening but over did not love.

Iris and Gabriel are a couple whose marriage is on the rocks. When they return from a vacation they hoped could fix things, they find a friend of theirs,Laure, in their home. By the looks of things, she’s been there a few days. She has been sleeping in their bed and wearing Iris’s clothes. Iris and Gabriel find out Laure has left her husband, Pierre. Laure tells them Pierre confessed he has a child from an affair. Laure said she needed somewhere to go while her and Pierre work things out. Things get tense and suspicious the longer Laure stays. Iris and Gabriel think there must be more to the story.

I gave this domestic thriller a 3 start rating. Overall, it was a good read. This story, in my opinion was slow. It had several story lines going that I felt it didn’t necessarily need. I will say the twist at the end was something I honestly didn’t see coming.

I listened to the audiobook of this story and really enjoyed the narrator Emily Joyce. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to an early recording of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

The Guest is a twisty multi-couple drama! Thanks to NetGalley, I got to read an advanced copy of The Guest by B.A. Paris. She also wrote Behind Closed Doors and The Therapist.
The Guest features Iris and Gabriel. Their marriage is on the rocks, and they just got back from a vacation together to try to bring them closer together. When they get home, their friend Laure has let herself in and has been staying at their house after leaving her husband, Pierre. The two couples met on their honeymoons and have been close friends ever since. But, something more is going on with Laure than meets the eye and Gabriel is really struggling to move past a tragedy. Everyone has something to lose and secrets to keep and until they come out - no one is who they each think they are.
Enter another couple who has just moved into the neighborhood. They seem to be just what Iris and Gabriel need - but when they hire a gardener that has a checkered past, things start to unravel.
This book has a few characters that are flat throughout, but the book as a whole was really fun to read and discover. I enjoyed taking the bumpy ride alongside Iris and Gabriel and think that if you want a quick twisty read, you will enjoy this one.

I received a free ARC from MetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This plot moved a little slow but when it finally picked up speed, it was so good. There was an amazing twist I didn’t see coming. The characters were well developed. A good read!

The narrator was good at emoting and giving different voices to the characters.

Such a twisty thriller!! Started out with a slow build but quickly I became hooked! Really enjoyed the questionable, untrustworthy characters— they added to the suspense! Thank you to B A Paris and NetGalley!

As usual, this B.A. Paris book packs a punch.

Gabriel and Iris have been married for years but are suffering through a difficult patch. They don't talk to one another and both of them seem to be keeping secrets from one another. Their partnership is on the line. It seems that when Gabriel was with a young man in their community as he died from an accident, he never recovered from the impact. He's been changed ever since and can't move forward and whenever Iris tries to reach out to him, he refuses to open up to her. It doesn't help any when their good friend, Laure shows up to stay with them because her own marriage is on the rocks.

The book adds in new neighbors, Esme and Hugh as well. Gabriel and Iris easily befriend them and spend some time with them. Esme and Hugh have a friend staying on site to help them with some gardening - - Joseph. He also ends up helping Gabriel. Joseph seems full of secrets himself.

Even though there were a few points where this move felt like it drug some, I enjoyed it overall. It was clever and unique.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I also listened to the audiobook and found it to be quite well done. The narration was spot on and kept me hooked. It was a lovely performance of the material. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of The Guest by B.A. Paris; narrated by Emily Joyce.
The Guest is a mystery that unravels the consequences of a seemingly innocent houseguest. When a good friend arrives unannounced, the lives of the hosts are turned upside down, spiraling into a nightmarish ordeal as the guest overstays her welcome, revealing dark secrets and triggering a series of unexpected events. With each expertly plotted twist, the tension mounts. The author crafts a riveting narrative that delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and the darkness lurking beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary lives, delivering a satisfying conclusion that will linger in readers' minds long after they've turned the final page.

There are lots of secrets going on here - which I expect in a B.A. Paris book. It's difficult to say much about what did and didn't work for me personally, because as fans of psychological thrillers will recognize, it's far too easy to inadvertently reveal too much about the plot and characters. And no doubt what didn't work for me is someone else's ideal read. I'll just say that it might well have been a 3- or 3.5-star read for me, but the excellent narration by Emily Joyce bumped it up to 4 stars. All in all I liked this book - didn't love it, but I liked it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I am usually a big fan of B.A. Paris. I ALWAYS want to read and devour any book this author puts out. This one fell a little flat for me. I got confused by all the characters and who exactly they were. Maybe I was too distracted by life to fully focus. I don't know. I felt like the overall story line was a great plot. The execution was a little lacking. The ending was a bit much for me to wrap my head around logically. I think the author was going for a big shock and awe but it felt....odd. It definitely kept me entertained and I will keep reading this author in the future, but this one was a meh for me.

In the tranquil countryside where Iris and Gabriel reside, the serenity of their lives is abruptly disrupted when they return home to find that Laure is seeking solace after separating from her husband, Laure's stay was supposed to be a three week stay but quickly extended casting a shadow over the couple's tranquility. Complicating matters, Gabriel grapples with personal crises marked by family and community losses. Laure's presence becomes an enduring fixture, challenging the boundaries of hospitality and friendship.

This book was my first book by B.A. Paris. I went into this book with high hopes as I have seen and heard many good things. However, I found that the beginning of this book was difficult to get into and the number of characters was challenging to follow. I found that many of the characters were unlikeable. Therefore supporting my three star rating. However, with that being said, as the story progressed, I found myself shocked at some of the events that unfolded and was not prepared for the ending. will definitely be giving another chance to B.A Paris and look forward to reading and listening to more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book!