The Dilemma

I kept reading, waiting for the story to pick up or chance pace. Nope. 

A 3.5 rounded up for how quickly I read it.

It is repetitive and could probably be skimmed without losing much; it was a light enjoyment. It was exciting due to its pace and the potentially scandalous secret; yet fluffy and frivolous, like a soap opera. The characters felt very slice of life authentic, with little use of suspension of disbelief.

Liv's ultra controlling father seemed a little far-fetched, maybe due to the extent of the blame it seems Liv's mom was using it, but it's worth it for the story line of their reconciliation.

I thought that the secondary characters were well done, likeable with the right level of depth. And the antagonist is unlikable in an easy, fun, and true way. True in that I related to, what I figure most people have at least one of, or someone similar, in their family or social circle.

I wish the book had had the name of the chapter, sometimes I forgot whose perspective it was, or would flip back to check the time of the book.

I was a little annoyed at the Adam's attitude of "but I would feel it if something had happened to her" as an excuse not to call the airline, but I also completely understand the cognitive dissonance, magical thinking, denial, etc. so it works as a plot tactic.

This one was a bit anticlimactic. I was waiting for there to be a twist, maybe that Marnie had made it home after all and climbed into the box where she suffocated or something along those lines. I don't regret reading it - this was purely for entertainment - but it's becoming apparent that BA Paris is good at twists and not much else. The tone of every character is identical. They're indistinguishable and if it weren't for the chapter titles I would have no idea who is meant to be speaking next.

What's more is that the dialogue is very theatrical and feels scripted, not natural. I can't imagine people speaking this way in reality.

Could Not Wait for This One

When I find out about B.A. Paris has a new book coming out, I get giddy. When I actually get the book on my kindle to actually sit down to read it, it's like my happy place for the few hours or days that it takes me to read it from start to finish.. I just have so much fun reading her books, and this one was no exception.This one took me about three days. I wouldn't say any of her books are perfect and I realize she is not everyone's cup of tea, but an amazing reading experience always counts for something and that's why I'm placing this in the 5 star category. When you can put your life on pause to enjoy a book then you know it's worth the high praise.

I 100% agree with other reviewers who said this book is a bit different than anything she has written before. I don't want to get into spoilers and I do think the less you know going in, the better it will be . If you can appreciate a slow burn of a story this might be the book for you because most of it takes place over the course of a day. I also think that if you love a thriller and are looking for something outside the box that this is the book for you. Livia got married and had her first child at a young age. Now that she is turning 40, she wants to finally do something special for herself, so she throws a big party to celebrate her birthday. This party has been in the works for a long time and she doesn't want anything to ruin the day, so she thinks it's best to just wait until after the party to share a secret with Adam, her husband. Adam has something rather important to tell Livia as well, but he knows how important the party is to her so he's going to have to decide when to change his wife's world forever . The story alternates between Livia and Adam on the day of the birthday party.

So who is most likely to enjoy this book? Well, if you have liked other books by the author, then give this one a chance but just go in knowing that it is different from her other novels. Anyone who enjoys a good thrill ride is bound to find this fun and unique. Also, I do not recommend reading the back cover the less you know the more you will enjoy this one in my honest opinion.

If you haven't read a B.A. Paris book before I recommend you start with the older ones and work your way here. I know that this book may not be everyone's cup of tea because people who read lots have a long list of favorites. This author just happens to be very high on my favorites list. I can't wait to see how outside the box or on par with her writing style the next one is because I forsure I am here to stay!.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Recensie van audioboek (via Storytel)
Oef, hoe dit boek recenseren? Ik heb me nog maar zelden zo gefrustreerd gevoeld bij het lezen/luisteren van een boek. Ik betrapte me er zelfs op regelmatig luidop te roepen, dingen in het genre van “Maar allé!” en “Komaan zeg!”

Het ganse boek draait enerzijds rond een volwassen vrouw dat al twintig jaar haar feestje voor haar 40ste verjaardag plant, om het gemis aan een mooi huwelijksfeest goed te maken, en haar reden waarom ze niet wil dat haar dochter het feestje bijwoont. Anderzijds volgen we de beweegredenen van haar man die ondanks een verwoestend stukje nieuws, beslist het feestje van zijn vrouw toch te laten doorgaan.

Maar vooral gaat het boek over een zogezegd perfect gelukkig huwelijk, waarbij die perfect gelukkige echtgenoten blijkbaar niet deftig met elkaar kunnen praten. Beiden ondernemen acties, houden dingen voor elkaar achter, voor de meest belachelijke redenen. Dit is het deel dat me enorm frustreerde en toch wou ik tegelijkertijd weten hoe het nu zat met die dochter en waarom die twee perfect gelukkige echtgenoten niet met elkaar praatten.

Dus ja, al bij al is dit boek tijdens het lezen wel meeslepend en onderhoudend. Tegelijkertijd was het ook verbijsterend frustrerend en ongeloofwaardig. Twee sterretjes voor de reis, maar niks meer door het onzinnige van het verhaal.

I came with somewhat high expectations for this book, after reading Behind Closed Doors last year. Unfortunately, I was worn out after this read.

The story takes place around Livia's 40th birthday party, which Liv has made into her life goal to celebrate since she didn't have her dream wedding (what?). I found her shallow and selfish, and oftentimes confusing. She had been keeping a secret from her friends and family for weeks, just so she could celebrate this party. Instead of celebrating their marriage in some way to make up for not having her dream wedding, she makes it all about her, to the point where her husband felt the need to wait until the end of her party to tell her something really important.

Adam, Liv's husband, aggravated me as well. His inability to communicate and his thought process just frustrated me. I found the constant back and forth stressful. The miscommunication throughout the book was just too much for me, and this dragged on for more than it should have.

I wish I could have enjoyed this more, but I hated both the characters and couldn't find any sympathy for them and what they went through.

A gripping page turner but, be warned, it will leave you in tears.