Bring Me Back

Enjoyable book with lots of suspense and an interesting storyline

I loved listening to this audio book, done in two days.

Saw the end coming to soon. But beautifully read
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Very nice story, i liked the short chapters keeps you interested, but it’s kinda repetitive, and lacks little spice but the story is very beautiful

This is a quirky story but has a gripping storyline. The characters were likeable and realistic. Not the ending I would have hoped but I enjoyed it and would recommend

Interesting plot. Very clever. I'm a bit dubious as to whether or not it would actually have worked. Without saying to much, it's slightly far-fetched in terms of real life. But i enjoyed it in fiction.

Enjoyed this book very much.
The narrating was excellent. Definitely recommend

Good, but I was hoping for more of a twist.

Great book didn't see the ending coming. Kept me listening.

I devoured this book in one evening. I love psychological thrillers like this, ones that are entertaining, fast-paced, and keep you on edge the whole time.

So, Finn’s girlfriend Layla disappears one night on their way home from a ski trip. Was she kidnapped? Murdered? After a massive search that turns up nothing, Finn has no choice but to move on with his life. Fast-forward 12 years, and Finn is now engaged to Ellen, Layla’s sister. All is well until odd little trinkets from Layla’s past start showing up at Finn & Ellen’s house. What could it mean?

BRING ME BACK was a lot of fun to read. I think to fully enjoy it, you need to suspend disbelief to some extent, though the author did a great job making the implausible seem plausible. There were a couple of fantastic twists in this book. One reminded me of another thriller I loved, but then – BAM! – the author twists it again for another shocking surprise. This was a unique and addictive thriller that I’d highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a free ARC of this book.

Bring Me Back by B.A.Paris

June 2018
Fiction

I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an unbiased review.

The story is told from the perspective of Finn McQuaid and Layla, his girlfriend who goes missing in 2006 after a ski trip in Megeve. The couple begin to argue and escalates when they stop at a rest stop on their way home from Paris. What follows is a confusing situation which results in Layla’s disappearance and Finn being the center of the police investigation.

After Layla’s disappearance, police detective Tony Heddon arrests Finn for suspicion of the murder of Layla when she is never found. Eventually, Finn is able to move on and become a successful businessman. By chance, he meets and eventually falls in love with Ellen, who happens to be Layla’s sister. Brought together by the grief and confusion of Layla’s disappearance and presumed dead, they build a life together.

After the couple become engaged and start planning for their wedding, clues begin to emerge that Layla might still be alive. When a small Russian nesting doll appears their pleasant life gets turned upside down. Rumors and secrets emerge which are meant to provide suspense regarding what happened to Layla. Unfortunately, the plot becomes rather monotonous and slows while unfolding the events which transpired over the years.

Although the Russian nesting dolls provided significance to the sisters relationship, they become “overused” as a mysterious indicator that stirs up anxiety from the past. Likewise, the plot begins to lose suspense during the Russian doll “plateau” so that the ending becomes more obvious.

I had wanted to like the book more than I did but it lost me half way through when it seems the plot “stalls”. Overall, it is an enjoyable read but not for those who desire a deeply suspenseful psychological drama.

I enjoyed The Breakdown and Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris so I already knew that this would be a good read for me as soon as I saw her name on it.
I love being right!
Finn was head over heels for Layla from the minute she wandered, lost and lonely into his life and interrupted his plans. He was devastated when she disappeared.
Time may forge ahead but do we ever really escape the past? Finn had a secret all those years ago that caused him to lie to the police when Layla went missing in order to avoid being a suspect.
B.A. Paris has a knack for turning domestic bliss into a suspenseful roller coaster ride. I was over halfway finished before I suspected the real twist, and even then the ending was a bit of a surprise.


I received an advance copy for review.

Welp, I didn't see that coming.

This book has a surprising ending but it will lose you some. I believe parts of it go on a little too long and over to many times. But I enjoyed it.Espescially the ending.

Wow!!!
What a book!! Every chapter is full of twists and turns and just when you think you have it all figured out--- another twist just to prove you wrong!
This is the first book I have read of hers but after reading this one I went straight onto Amazon and ordered both of her other books :-)
That is how good this book really is!
Now I just need to patiently on the postman! :-)
Absolute MUST read for 2018, just make sure you have a whole day free as its impossible to put down once started!

It has a very interesting mystery; the idea of managing two personalities more or less consciously sounds quite good.

But there are details that don't fit at all. Is Finn also crazy? Were they twins?

WEIRD. (Translated from Spanish)

I definitely did not see the ending coming! When I thought I had figured out the ending, BA Paris did what she does best and went a completely unexpected route than anticipated! Only reason I gave this book a 4 star rating instead of 5, was because once I found out the truth I found it to be a little unbelievable despite all the rest of the story being very believable. 9/10 would recommend this book to thriller and suspense lovers!

So I guess I’m with the unpopular vote on this one. I don’t think it stood out anymore or any less than her other two books. It’s about what I expect from Ms. Paris. I still think her books are a little bit better than the average suspense/thriller.

I liked it. Pretty good twist! I was left wanting at the ending though.

This is the third novel by B.A. Paris. She's one of those authors that I don't even have to read the blurb because I already know it's going to be good no matter what. The first two were really good, but this one is really, really good! My advice is to start this book when you have a few hours to spare because you won't want to put it down! A young British couple are on their way back home after a vacation. Finn leaves the car for a few minutes and when he returns Layla is gone, never to be seen again. That was over a decade ago now. Finn is happy, he's getting married. But then his relationship starts to go awry because of a little Russian Nesting Doll. This book started off good. I was taking my time getting to know Finn before, during and after his relationship with Layla. But there was one part early on that made me think "oh my God" and I couldn't stand not knowing what happened to her. It's like B.A Paris is a race car driver and she threw me in there with her and sped to the finish line. I couldn't read fast enough. I loved the ending. The whole book was intense.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC.

3 5. It was good. I liked the weird format. Towards the end I couldn't put it down... but once I figured it out I was a bit disappointed. The author DID help the disappointment with the ending... maybe made it seem more believable.

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris is a tension-filled page-turner.

Twelve years earlier, Finn McQuaid's girlfriend, Layla Gray, disappeared from a rest area while they were returning to England from a holiday in France.  Although initially a suspect in the perplexing case, he was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing.  Finn has moved on from the tragic loss but he is shaken when Detective (and friend) Tony Heddon calls with to tell him that Layla has been spotted by a former neighbor.  Unsure of what to think of this unexpected revelation, more perplexing news awaits Finn at home. His fiancée who is also Layla's sister, has discovered something that significantly points to the fact that Layla is alive. Not long after these two stunning events, Finn begins receiving emails that increasingly become more ominous over time.  Despite the menacing undertones of the emails and alarming deliveries, Finn's hopes are raised that Layla is, in fact, alive but what impact will this shocking realization have on his future with Ellen?

In a clever role reversal, Finn is cast as the proverbial character who is haplessly targeted by an unknown person. He is, at first, uncertain that the sighting and the deliveries have any link to Layla and he is off balance as he tries to make sense of what is happening. The first email he receives throws him into turmoil and he never really regains his balance as alternately veers wildly between believing Layla is alive and his certainty that someone else is behind the emails and vaguely sinister deliveries.

Caught in an endless circle of "is she or isn't she", Finn waits on tenterhooks after he is given a deadline from his mysterious correspondent.  Losing sleep and desperate for the truth, he is wildly erratic as he tries to parse the truth about who is behind what is happening and more importantly, what this person hopes to gain. His relationship with Ellen begins to falter as he becomes obsessed with the possibility of Layla's return and Finn is absolutely stunned when the situation takes a dangerous turn.

Bring Me Back is a clever mystery but it is a little repetitive which makes the pacing a bit slow.  The storyline is intriguing and features  a variety red herrings and misdirects. B.A. Paris ends the novel with a humdinger of a plot twist that incredulous readers will find extremely difficult to believe.  Despite requiring a suspension of disbelief to completely enjoy the "big reveal", this somewhat implausible mystery is an engaging read.

Another novelist to pass the time. The beginning isn't bad, and even part of the development can be entertaining, but the resolution ruins everything. If you have nothing else to do...?‍♀️ (Translated from Spanish)

It's truly a great book, from the beginning it captivates you, it's very easy and quick to read, and what a great ending! If you like suspense books, you have to read this one. (Translated from Spanish)

I have been wanting to read a book by B.A. Paris for awhile but never got around to it until now.

Finn and Layla are living a story book romance until one fateful night Layla mysteriously disappears. Years later, Finn becomes engaged to Layla's sister, Ellen. Everything seems perfect until strange things start happening. Finn and Ellen start finding Russian dolls around their home and other places Finn used to go with Layla. Ellen and a neighbor spot someone who suspiciously looks like Layla. Then Finn receives an impossible email that sets in place a chain of events that will change their lives forever.
As other reviewers have noted, the story is predictable. Regardless, I really enjoyed my first foray into her fiction. Though the story is predictable, her strength lies in her writing for the telling of this story. The way she develops the plot line through the first person experiences of the three people involved slowly builds the suspense. I honestly don't mind if I am able to guess where a book is going if the writing is good. The writing is amazing in this book. I ended staying up late to finish it. I am definitely glad I picked this one up to read. This may be my first book by this author but it won't be my last.

Quite weak. (Translated from Spanish)

Very good, twisty psychological thriller, with a nice dash of red herrings thrown in.
The story unfolds in chapters alternating in "before" and "now" time periods separated by a 12-year gap. The narration also switches between two main characters.
I guessed the resolution to the mystery about 3/4 of the way through, but still a fun ride.

So obvious!!!! While I didn’t know exactly what happened, I had a very good sense of what was going on very early in the book. Luckily, this book moved very quickly, so I was able to read it in just a few hours.
Finn and Layla go on vacation, and Layla disappears. Finn is held for questioning, but is released. Years later, Finn is set to marry Ellen, Layla’s sister. However, things begin to happen to make Finn believe that Layla has returned.
#BringMeBack #BAParis

I was a little disappointed that I figured out the twist early, and I couldn't stand the characters (I don't think we are supposed to, though), but this was certainly a quick, entertaining read. Read for my mark-up postal book club.

Bring Me Back is the 3rd novel by the talented B.A. Paris, but is my first read of hers.

The story alternates between two different time : 12 years ago and (mostly) present day; and is told from two points of view : Finn and Layla.

Layla went missing 12 years ago while vacationing in Paris with Finn. The body is not found, and hence Finn has moved on with his life and dated Ellen – Layla’s sister – for about 18 months and they are planning to get married. Right at this timing, there is someone claiming that he saw Layla! And then there are Russian dolls everywhere suggesting the presence of Layla! And the Layla’s emails to Finn!!

So, is Layla alive? Is someone pretending to be her? What is going on? The story has a strong page-turning beginning, a slow-paced middle, and ends with a well-manipulated twist.

Overall it is a well-written psychological thriller and I am interested in reading B.A. Paris’s other novels. I would recommend Bring Me Back to any fans of suspense mystery and dark secrets. It is due out this June 19th 2018.