From the Bookshelf of Read With Me…

Bring Me Back

B.A. Paris

Start date: July 1, 2018

Finish date: July 31, 2018

Discussion: JULY 2018

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 3 topics — 48 comments total

JULY 2018

Post-Discussion: Bring Me Back
By Stephanie · 25 posts · 147 views

last updated Sep 05, 2018 04:05PM

Check In: Bring Me Back
By Stephanie · 18 posts · 52 views

last updated Aug 21, 2018 01:53PM

showing 1 of 1 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jul 04, 2018 Lucy Banks rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I received a copy of this book on Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping, pacy story - but with a completely unbelievable central premise.

I really wanted to love this book. It started off with a cracking set-up - a man lying about the exact nature of his partner's disappearance, and then the gradual revealing of what actually happened and why. Throughout, it was told in a very deft, pacy style (which kept me reading on), but I had so many issues with the plot twist that it ruined I received a copy of this book on Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping, pacy story - but with a completely unbelievable central premise.

I really wanted to love this book. It started off with a cracking set-up - a man lying about the exact nature of his partner's disappearance, and then the gradual revealing of what actually happened and why. Throughout, it was told in a very deft, pacy style (which kept me reading on), but I had so many issues with the plot twist that it ruined it a bit for me.

Finn is a giant of a man with a good heart, but a bit of a dodgy past. He meets Layla, a gorgeous red-head from Scotland, and falls head over heels in love with her. However, one bad decision from her turns their entire relationship on its head, and sends him on a path of despair and depression as he tries to find her again.

He ends up shacking up with her sister, Ellen (slightly weird, I know) and all is going well until the Russian dolls start arriving. Turns out they've got special significance for Ellen, and it means that Layla must be around somewhere, playing games with them both.

So far, so gripping, right? Well, this is about when things get a bit silly. We're fed a few red herrings throughout the story (i.e. it might be Ruby the spurned barmaid or Harry, the friend that Finn randomly beat up one day), but none of them are very convincing. Instead, we discover that Ellen actually IS Layla, only somehow, miraculously, she's managed to look totally different by just shedding a few pounds, dying her hair and having her freckles lasered off.

I mean... really?!

It was such a shame, as it was a good read otherwise - but for me, when I find myself shaking my head with disbelief over an improbable plot-twist, it's never a good sign. However, if you like your thrillers to be VERY over the top, then this may be a good option for you. Just to say as well, this would not stop me from reading the author's other stuff, as she can clearly write a gripping yarn. I'd just be hopeful for a less crazy plot next time. ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2018 Jennifer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-bnb-reading-challenge

3.5/5 stars

Bring Me Back is a suspense thriller. The book is set in the UK and divided into three parts.

I am a bit torn about how to rate this book. I really loved the first half of this book. It was intriguing and I did not want to put the book down. I had a bunch of theories, but unfortunately I ended up being unhappy with what the author chose to do in the second half.

Finn and Layla were a couple. She disappears. Part 1 of the book has both Before and Now sections. So we get to see Finn in th ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2018 Stephanie is currently reading it

Shelves: group-reads, mystery-thriller, netgalley

Thank You, NetGalley 😘!!

...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 04, 2018 Andrea Gunnarsdóttir rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I hate this book. I really loved Behind Closed Doors. It was sick and creepy and juicy and evil. The writing was taut and riveting, and the book left me feeling like I'd been put through the wringer, in the best possible way. The Breakdown was less good, but it was still very good and the plot blew me away. Therefor, I was expecting Bring Me Back to be nothing but great, but I found just awful. It started out pretty well, part one was very good and had me on the edge. Then the book became very c I hate this book. I really loved Behind Closed Doors. It was sick and creepy and juicy and evil. The writing was taut and riveting, and the book left me feeling like I'd been put through the wringer, in the best possible way. The Breakdown was less good, but it was still very good and the plot blew me away. Therefor, I was expecting Bring Me Back to be nothing but great, but I found just awful. It started out pretty well, part one was very good and had me on the edge. Then the book became very cheesy, the characters were not likeable at all and I don't even know where to begin with the ending. It's not that the ending was bad - it's that the ending was so bad, it made me want to push my fingers up my nose and into my brain and swirl them around. When I began to realize what the ending was gonna be, I thought I was being Punk'd. I kept waiting for waiting for a "Haha, no, I'm just messing with you - here's the real ending." paragraph. I have never been so disappointed by an ending, it's hands down the worst ending ever. The ending was so cheesy and unrealistic, I just wanted to shout "Really?!"

The story alternates between the past, in which Finn (the narrator) and his girlfriend Layla take a holiday in France and she disappears; the present, in which we find ourselves ten years later with Finn about to marry Layla's sister Ellen; and first person accounts from Layla, where she mostly talks like a cheesy Bond villain. She exchanges emails with Finn, which quickly become redundant and boring. Any normal person in Finn's shoes would simply write to her "Show me that you're real and then I'll dump Ellen to be with you, because you're the one I really love." rather than play around with one liners and try to read something into stupid clues and question everyone in their lives. And the entire time I found it odd that it never seemed to occur to Finn that Ellen might be in on this whole thing. I found it hard to root for any of the characters, as Finn was very possessive and abusive, Layla sounded like a cheesy Bond villain and Ellen was very dull. Was I supposed to root for Finn and Ellen or Finn and Layla or was I supposed to be afraid of Layla? The Russian doll thing was also very far fetched. It just seems very unlikely that Layla would be carrying around a tiny Russian doll all her life and make such a big deal about a doll and that Finn would be able to solve clues based on something his girlfriend said about the doll over a decade ago. "If you really loved me, you would have figured that Rudolph Hill means a Russian doll on a hill" - like, really? At that point I was getting pretty pissed off. How this whole thing played out was just so, so unrealistic, disappointing, lame and stupid. I wish I could give this book minus stars, as I absolutely hate it. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 22, 2018 Shawnda M. rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I don’t like to write negative reviews, but I do like to be honest about how I felt about a book so here goes one.

I’m sorry but what a disappointment this book was. Unfortunately this was my first experience with this author’s work so I’m torn on whether I should try one of her other books or not. This story was so slow and so convoluted. The “twist” or ending of the book was unbelievable, and just made me go “huh are you serious?” I found it very hard to be invested in or care about any of the ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2018 Allison rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: suspense

I loved B.A. Paris' first two novels (The Breakdown and Behind Closed Doors) so I picked this up. As with the others, I could not put it down, and finished it in about 3 days. While it was enjoyable to read, the ending left something to be desired. Not to give too much away, but if the ending of Shutter Island made you more annoyed than surprised, then I don't recommend this book to you. It just felt a little too convenient. ...more

Like · see review

Jul 19, 2018 Hollie Law rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Like · see review

Jun 18, 2018 Janita rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wow!!!!! This book was very very good, and the ending is just Wow! I can't say too much or else it will be a spoiler, but this is a very good thriller/mystery book. I love all the books I have read by B.A. Paris, and I have now read them all. They are exceptional and they grip you right from the start.....This one is no exception.....I did have to read the last 25 pages over though because I wanted to find out what happened that I think I was reading too fast, and so I went back over those last ...more

Like · see review