The Dilemma - B.A. Paris

Fiction

Rating: 7.5/10

On her fortieth birthday, Livia is excited to throw herself a once in a lifetime party to celebrate in style with friends and family. But secretly she is relieved that one family member won’t be able to make it, her daughter.  She has recently discovered a secret about her daughter that she needs to share with her husband, but surely it can wait until tomorrow.  Her husband, Adam, is keeping his own secret, holding onto the reveal for a better time.  And therein lies the dilemma.

While this novel is classified as a psychological thriller, I’m not sure I would categorize it as such.  There is certainly suspense as our two leads duck and weave around the truth, but at its core this is a powerful and beautiful story of family and relationships that packs an emotional punch.

The authors ability to create tension without a villain was refreshing and her characters are so vividly drawn the reader at times feels as if they are having an in-person conversation with them.

Footnote: I made a discovery in reading this book; the cure for a two-week chasm of not being able to read is to find a book that takes place in 24-hour time period.  The pace got my reading muscles warmed up and ready to return to my usual routine.