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!

February release of B.A. Paris, The Guest. True to her previous novels, I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I have to admit it took me some time to get into it but as the character development took shape, it became a page turner. Just when you think you see it coming, the ending throws you for a loop.

The Guest by B.A. Paris had me guessing throughout. The characters were intriguing and mysterious. This was one book where I had no idea which character to trust…I thought they all did something bad. This book kept me reading.

The narration by Emily Joyce helped with this. She was able to portray the characters in a way that defined them while intertwining them in a way that kept the listener guessing. Also the flow was good making the book go quickly. I love how audiobooks bring the story to life.

Overall this book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the mystery of it all as with other books by this author. The only reason I did not give 5 stars was the ending. It didn’t sit that well with me. Still, if you like a good thriller, give this one a listen.

Many thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and the author, for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook ALC for my honest review.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio the chance to listen to this ARC!

This book has a twisty plot with alternating character perspectives. It was easy to relate with the character’s emotions as they felt frustration, sadness and fear throughout the novel. Had the story ended without an epilogue, I might thrown my phone across the room.

I was caught by surprise by the twist revealed in the epilogue. It isn’t often that I’m unable to figure out at least part of what has happened. Poor Gabriel, I thought it was him most of the time!

Paris's writing is engaging, and she effectively creates an atmosphere of suspense and unease. The novel's exploration of themes such as trust, deception, and the nature of evil adds depth to the story and keeps readers invested. Overall, it was a 3.5 out of 5 star book to me.

B. A. Paris is a go to author for me. this one proved why. so many twists and turns and that OMG finale! Wow! Emily did a great job narrating.

This book definitely kept me on my toes, and kept me constantly guessing at not only who was the killer, but what was actually going on in the book. One part domestic thriller, one part murder mystery, this book has the perfect blend to keep you interested and engaged, and guessing. The twist at the end was perfected, and narrated with perfect nonchalance-- so much so you may miss it if not paying attention.

I find some books are hit or miss for me with this author, but this book was definitely a winner.

Thank you to the Author, narrator, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.

I love a twisty book. This is part domestic problems and then people just keep dying. Iris and Gabriel seem to have an idyllic life, but one thing happens then another. When an old friend comes to stay with them I see red flags everywhere.
It’s a great short book. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press Macmillan Audio for early copies.
Audio was well done, narrator does have an English accent but it was easy to listen to.
This book is available February 20,2024 and I highly recommend it

DNF, I used to enjoy most of BA Paris novels but unfortunately they have gone downhill for me. This novel had my attention at the beginning, like they all do. However, it got to the point where I had to ask “what is the synopsis of this book?” I didn’t know what the actual thrill was. The thrill started to pick up more than 50% through but it still made me question what is the whole book suppose to be about? We had nothing for the beginning then two random murders. It just made me feel like that could have happened sooner.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was an enjoyable read! I had somewhat guessed at the twist at the end but it was still pretty surprising. Somewhat hard to keep all the characters straight while listening but not terrible. The narrator did a good job.