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?

Review:

Pensive, unsettling, and emotional!

The Dilemma is a poignant, intense, domestic drama that immerses you into the lives of the Harman family as they each grapple with weighty decisions, make potentially unforgivable choices, keep devastating secrets, and receive news that will shatter their lives forever.

The writing is gripping and unnerving. The characters are anxious, secretive, and troubled. And the plot told from two different perspectives uses an alternating, back-and-forth style to create tension and unease as it subtly unravels all the personalities, relationships, behaviours, and histories within it.

Overall, The Dilemma is, ultimately, a novel about life, love, loss, marriage, friendship, parenting, expectations, secrets, betrayal, fear, anguish, tragedy, and repercussions. It’s not the usual psychological thriller we’ve come to expect by Paris but is nevertheless an edgy, tight, emotionally compelling, thought-provoking tale.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.