Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - One Perfect Couple

Ruth Ware is always a must-read author for me, but unfortunately I was not a huge fan of One Perfect Couple. The thriller element was strong in this one - a reality show set on a desert island, a storm rolls in, and then people start dying... Lots of elements here, right? Yup, but they aren't always what they seem.

The Good
Lyla was such an interesting character, and as expected, was the character I connected with the most since she's an academic. That being said, she's a bit naive and clueless which annoyed me. The book was written at a fast pace and in addition to the normal narrative, the inclusion of diary entries added a nice twist to the developing storyline. I really enjoyed that! I was able to correctly guess some of the motivations and twists, but others came out of nowhere which was fun to see.

The Bad
Some of what made this book flop for me was that there were so many characters. I had a hard time really caring about anyone until more people started dying. (That's weird, huh?) That being said, what really brought this book down from 4 stars to 3 stars (or maybe 3.5) for me was the ending. It was abrupt and seemed a bit of a cop out. Oh well.

I think this book will be enjoyed by many who are looking for an escapist thriller. Not the best book I've read this year, but not the worst either. Definitely a fun, readable book! I'll look forward to Ruth Ware's next book. :)

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

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nickel_books's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious fast-paced

4.0

Picture it: You're on an island with 8 strangers and your partner only to be cut off from the world when a storm strands you with limited supplies. Then surprise! There's a murderer among you! Will you survive? Well that's the task ahead of Lyla when she begrudgingly agrees to participate in a new tv show. A little Lord of The Flies, a little Agatha Christie, and a whole lot of Survivor. 'One Perfect Couple' is on the scary side of reality television.

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kimmberr's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

overall i liked it! It wasn’t as much a mystery as just a bunch of bad things happening to people stranded on a demolished remote island, but the pacing felt good and it was easy to follow with just one narrator. I will say, it didn’t have any high suspense moments… it felt mostly flat/level the whole way through, which made the ending feel a bit uneventful. But all in all a good, quick read.

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bookishmillennial's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

Thank you to Libro FM for the ALC.

I hadn't read a Ruth Ware book in a while, but when I see a book compared to Agatha Christie, I am pretty much sold, so I wanted to give this one a try, and I'm glad I did!

It was a fun premise (post-doctoral researcher Lyla agrees to film on a remote island with her actor boyfriend Nico for a reality tv show; there is a lot of tension built up amongst characters and couples especially, as we see the cracks in their relationships begin to shine through.... then bodies of the other contestants begin to drop!), and I didn't expect the twists or turns, so overall, I had a good time with this one. I didn't fully understand why the final girls decided on what they did in the end (I mean, I did, but I also had to suspend a bit of disbelief).

Ultimately, I appreciate a commentary on why most cishet men are ass, and I will make statements like this until they prove me wrong. I chose the bear, and every woman in this book would also choose the bear. The honeys who get it get it.

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cristinaaa's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No

4.5

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daniallreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I came for the reality show & boy was this a banger...

Thank you Simon and Schuster Audio for the early copy of this thriller. "One Perfect Couple" publishes on May 21, 2024.

Please please please friendos, check your trigger warnings with this one. This is a H E A V Y book.

Imogen Church can narrate my audiobooks forever. I was addicted to listening to this thriller and Church's performance was a big factor. She excellently depicted all the characters. The accents were well done. Seriously, she nailed the French woman's accent. The mystery was easy to follow without having a book to follow along with so the pacing was top notch. This is a book you'll want to check out if you're someone who loves fast-paced and addicting thrill rides.

I am bowing down to Ruth Ware. This thriller was done extremely well. Dare I say it's my favorite of the year?

I don't want to say too much but the overall messaging was put together expertly. I thought the way it was composed just really opens your eyes to specific things in society that don't typically get noticed. Ware really deep dives into the darkness that surrounds influencers, reality television and the friendly faces behind the screens. I will say don't go into this expecting mind melting twists but go into it with the mindset that this is a story that you will want to give a standing ovation for just having the truth out into the open.

Below is where I'll unleash the spoiling thoughts:

The entire book is about surviving abusive relationships. Ruth Ware really crushed this book. Yes, we have Zana who was the sole woman being abused outright but the isolation and the trapped sensation of being trapped on an island really feels like Ware was trying to show the reader what it was like trying to live in a relationship where your partner is abusing you. I appreciated that only the women came out alive from being stuck on the island giving the message that people who are stuck have the strength to get off that island safely and there are people who will support you on your way to surviving. It is very cool that she wrote this thriller that is based around a reality television dating and survival show but the clear message here is how terrifying being abused truly is and how easily it can go undetected on a daily basis.

Ugh, that's so vague but by the end I can guarantee it will make you want to fight for others to help them become survivors too.

🏝️ Love Island Meets Survivor
🚢 Reality Show
🎥 Dual Timeline
🏝️ Women in STEM
🚢 Island Vibes
🎥 Reminded Me of Fire Island
🏝️ The Strength of Women

Ps. I promise when the book comes out I'll be less vague and more detailed about my thoughts.

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bjacobsknits's review against another edition

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3.0

I really wanted to love this one, after reading the premise and the beginning, but it kind of fell flat for me. It had great promise, but maybe just the way it was marketed as a comparison to “And Then There Were None” led to my disappointment. The comparisons between the two were surface level, with the overarching character dynamics, conflict, and “twists” not relating to the referenced Christie story. I think overall the book was enjoyable and interesting, but I kept expecting more because of my own preconceptions.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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