The Dilemma
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3.8 • 192 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A woman's birthday party takes a dark turn in a poignant, heart-stopping new novel from the reigning queen of suspense, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown, and Bring Me Back.
“A heartbreaking page-turner that will have you up at night reading just one more chapter.” —Catherine Steadman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water
“The phenomenal B. A. Paris has done it again! I devoured The Dilemma in one sitting—it grabbed me from the very first page and wouldn’t let go until I’d finished. Secrets, guilt, shame and heartbreak—this story has it all in spades.”—Sandie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Woman
Knowing the truth will destroy her. Keeping it secret will destroy him.
It’s Livia’s 40th birthday, and her husband Adam is throwing her the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding they never had. Everyone she loves will be there, except her daughter Marnie, who’s studying abroad. But Livia is secretly glad Marnie won’t be there.
Livia has recently uncovered a secret about their daughter which, if revealed, will shake the foundation of their family to its core. She needs to tell Adam, but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together.
Adam, meanwhile, has his own surprise for Livia: he’s arranged for Marnie to secretly fly back for the party. But before Marnie arrives, Adam hears some terrible news. Now he too is faced with a dilemma: Does he share what he's learned with his wife? Is hiding the truth the same as telling a lie? And how far are Adam and Livia willing to go to protect the ones they love—and give each other a last few hours of happiness?
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Is speaking your truth really all it’s cracked up to be—especially when it would break the heart of someone you love? That’s the problem Livia faces on her 40th birthday. She’s finally throwing the lavish party she’s always wanted, but she’s weighed down by a terrible secret. Little does she know, her devoted husband, Adam, is quietly shouldering a secret of his own. They both hope to spare the other the painful truth for just a little while longer, forcing us to contemplate their choices in brilliant, insightful detail. We were wowed by how tightly novelist B.A. Paris structured this marriage drama, which goes back and forth between each POV over 24 hours. Narrators Peter Noble and Beth Eyre make us feel that rising tension, as we wonder when and how Livia and Adam’s dueling charades will come crashing down. It’s a day in the life you wouldn’t wish on anyone, and a haunting listen you won’t be able to pull away from.
Customer Reviews
Social psychological thriller?
Is social psychological thriller a thing? Because that's what I would call this. I have read a lot of books and not read another one like it, a pretty wild ride, definitely kept my attention, and I got through it very quickly. Well done!
Boring
An absolute bore! And depressing! Two adults acting ridiculously stupid and immature for what felt like a 10,000 pages. The dialogue is repetitious and tedious.
Not Great
The book has a lot of fluff to get you to your destination and for the destination not be worth getting to makes it a forgettable read.