A review by bakaburg
The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

1.0

This is one of the worst books I've ever read.

Suspending believability for the sake of telling a compelling story is something I don't really gravitate towards but I do respect is the nature of most popular works, so I tried reading this while keeping that in mind BUT The Perfect Marriage just doesn't make sense. Ever.

Throughout the entire book there is an overwhelming amount of unprofessionalism and unrealistic reactions to EVERY reveal. Adam is on trial for murdering his spouse and yet he allows his spouse, who is without a doubt going to be wounded by the fact he was cheating, to defend him? No one questions her as a witness or frames her as a suspect for the actual crime. The only people who question her work as his defender is Adam's mother - who is kind of comically the mother-in-law from hell; and her gay best work friend Matthew. By the way, you cannot miss the fact he's gay, it is referenced whenever he appears in this shitty book.

Nonsensical plot and drab characters aside...it's just not written well. Several times reading this I had to stop and pause because I couldn't believe any kind of editor touched this. The text is repetitive and boring, it's like watered down American Psycho for wine moms. Sarah always has her hair in a flyaway-free girlboss ponytail. She's hardbodied and dripping in sex appeal! She goes to work in lacy underwear! She wears pencil skirts with white blouses daily - check out her louboutins!

What Sarah also is, however, is an unreliable narrator. Which would be fine if it was done well, but instead she just straight up lies this entire time. Also she has fake conversations with herself about wondering whodunit?? Argues with her accomplice despite being behind closed doors??? Fucks a ghost???? The only reason someone wouldn't call it 100% is because half the book is from the perspective of a liar lol.

Jeneva Rose must be a master at selling herself, I kind of respect the fact she managed to get this not only published but also a movie deal out of it??? It's like How To Get Away With Murder if none of the characters had any depth to them and were all white. Minus the like, Black cop whose partner - and I quote - "goes Rodney King" on someone. Christ.

Anyway I read this for my sister and she knows I hate it and will not be letting her pick the next sister read book. My older sister won't even touch this book and I see why now