Author: B. A. Paris
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
US Pub Date: June 30, 2020
Format: ebook
Genre: Mystery/ Thrillers, Women’s Fiction
In two sentences:
A woman plans a huge birthday celebration for years, but when the day comes it’s perfect. Except for all the secrets between her and her husband.
My thoughts:
I’ve read Bring Me Back and The Breakdown and I look forward to her new releases each year. I loved both of these and have been meaning to pick up Behind Closed Doors. So my expectations were pretty high for The Dilemma as well. Unfortunately, this just didn’t live up to the hype I had created for myself.
When B. A. Paris is mentioned I automatically think thriller. This book was marketed as thriller, with a secondary women’s fiction focus. So I was thinking maybe it’d be a domestic thriller. It wasn’t. I wouldn’t even say this is a thriller to be honest. I think that was why I didn’t enjoy it as much as her others.
I have absolutely no problems with women’s fiction. I’m not very picky on genres, but if something is marketed a certain way and then is another that’s where the disappointment sets in. And I’m well aware this is partially because of author branding as well. So if you go into this, expect more women’s fiction.
Aside from that and once I had the new outlook I was half and half on whether I liked it or not. I’m not a huge fan on the lack of communication but also you can’t deny they had really good reasons for it and you know they’re going to have a confrontation about everything after the party from the beginning. Since I knew this was going to happen I kept playing out the ending in my head and the actual ending wasn’t that far off.
For some reason all of the characters seemed pretty cardboard at the beginning, which I’ve noticed happens quite often for me, so I don’t really know if it’s a me thing or a books thing. Once I go to know them more they started feeling a lot more real.
Overall, it was a disappointment but if I had known what I was getting into I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I’m still excited to read Behind Closed Doors and anything else she comes out with.
J. K. I'm Exploring! 
Sorry to hear this wasn’t really enjoyable for you. I have never read anything from this author personally s I don’t have much to say. It is hard when you go into a book expecting one thing and then end up with something else entirely. That is the biggest bummer when it comes to reading for me since I am such a mood reader.
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I also dislike when I expect one genre and get another. It happens to some books that are sold as romantic comedy but have no romance at all. As you said, I would happily read it was women’s fiction, but the unfulfilled expectation of romance is a killer. Hope you have better luck on your next one 😉
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Sorry to hear this book wasn’t what you expected. I hate when that happens since I’m a mood reader.
♥ Mae
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I liked that you described the plot in 2 sentences! I always try to keep my plot summaries short and sweet while Kevin likes to write A LOT!
That’s unfortunate that the book wasn’t what you were expecting. I really like thrillers so I would have been disappointed too. I haven’t read anything by this author.
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Sorry you didn’t like this one! Hope your next read is better!
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Sorry that this book disappointed you. It’s always a bit of a shock and confusing when you read a book expecting one genre and then get another! I hope your next read is better Jenna 🙂
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Sorry that this book disappointed you. It’s always a bit of a shock and confusing when you read a book expecting one genre and then get another! I hope your next read is better Jenna 🙂
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Thank you, the next one was! I just wish the marketing was better on a lot of books. I think this is like the 3rd or 4th this year like this.
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I just like to change it up a bit so that people can just scan over it!
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It does suck! After Behind Closed Doors I’ll have read all of hers. I feel like I love them in the moment but they aren’t super memorable.
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