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nataliesboooks 's review for:
The Dilemma
by B.A. Paris
Release Date - June 30, 2020
I have read and enjoyed the author’s first three books and was eagerly anticipating this one. However, it just didn’t work for me and I ended up disliking it, unfortunately.
For one, this book relies heavily on what is probably my least favorite trope of all time - the Secret-Keeping Trope - where one or both of the characters know they should reveal something of Vital Importance to another character, but keeps the secret instead. In this novel, both Adam and Livia are keeping something from each other and spend the entire book justifying why they can’t/shouldn’t tell. I despise this trope. Not only is honesty the best policy, but keeping the secret always, always, ALWAYS blows up in their faces.
I also didn’t care for the characters. Livia is obsessed with having an elaborate, over the top 40th birthday party. She has been fixated on this and has been planning this party for 20 years, even choosing the house they bought because the garden would be the perfect place for her 40th birthday party. Who thinks like this, planning a birthday party 20 years in the future???? I certainly don’t, so I couldn’t relate to her at all. She wants a big blowout birthday party because their wedding was small which also made no sense to me. If that is the case, why didn’t they do a vow renewal ceremony instead? It was odd that she was consumed with this birthday party and basically couldn’t think of anything else.
I liked Adam more than Livia, but keeping his secret just because he didn’t want to spoil the party seemed ridiculous, especially when a life or death situation was involved.
I have this shelved on my mystery/thriller shelf, but it’s not really a mystery or a thriller. It’s more centered around family drama. It reminded me a lot of The Birthday Girl by Melissa de la Cruz which I read last year and also hated. I guess the “secrets revealed at a big shindig” plotline is not for me.
Overall this was a big disappointment. 1.5 stars
I have read and enjoyed the author’s first three books and was eagerly anticipating this one. However, it just didn’t work for me and I ended up disliking it, unfortunately.
For one, this book relies heavily on what is probably my least favorite trope of all time - the Secret-Keeping Trope - where one or both of the characters know they should reveal something of Vital Importance to another character, but keeps the secret instead. In this novel, both Adam and Livia are keeping something from each other and spend the entire book justifying why they can’t/shouldn’t tell. I despise this trope. Not only is honesty the best policy, but keeping the secret always, always, ALWAYS blows up in their faces.
I also didn’t care for the characters. Livia is obsessed with having an elaborate, over the top 40th birthday party. She has been fixated on this and has been planning this party for 20 years, even choosing the house they bought because the garden would be the perfect place for her 40th birthday party. Who thinks like this, planning a birthday party 20 years in the future???? I certainly don’t, so I couldn’t relate to her at all. She wants a big blowout birthday party because their wedding was small which also made no sense to me. If that is the case, why didn’t they do a vow renewal ceremony instead? It was odd that she was consumed with this birthday party and basically couldn’t think of anything else.
I liked Adam more than Livia, but keeping his secret just because he didn’t want to spoil the party seemed ridiculous, especially when a life or death situation was involved.
I have this shelved on my mystery/thriller shelf, but it’s not really a mystery or a thriller. It’s more centered around family drama. It reminded me a lot of The Birthday Girl by Melissa de la Cruz which I read last year and also hated. I guess the “secrets revealed at a big shindig” plotline is not for me.
Overall this was a big disappointment. 1.5 stars