Absolut nite book! I felt really entertained by it. Actually, I absorbed it in one sitting. The cover is also nice and fitting. I would totally recommend it!

Since her mother passed away in her childhood, Vanessa Adams has been searching for happiness, supported by her loving older sister, Georgie. When Vanessa meets Connor, she believes she's finally found what she's been longing for. The story explores their relationship and Vanessa's quest to find the perfect home, adopting various personas along the way.

The dual timelines, "Then" and "Now," can be initially confusing but eventually come together. The mix of a ghostly fantasy world with stark reality adds a unique contrast. I appreciated the children's book theme that Vanessa draws from, reflecting the importance of fiction in her life, especially after her mother’s death. The sisterly bond between Vanessa and Georgie is heartwarming, showcasing genuine love, unlike the chilling, manipulative relationship Vanessa has with Connor. The narrative builds tension effectively, with unsettling and dangerous events as Vanessa's world unravels. Her fear and panic are vividly portrayed, leading to a twisty and satisfying conclusion where characters receive their due.

Overall, this is a captivating read from Nuala Ellwood. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC.

I got very behind with my reading list, but I enjoyed this book recently and will post a review on Amazon.

I had this book on my Kindle for a while so thought I would give it a try. The premise seemed interesting and the story was easy to read and drew me in straight away.

Vanessa is an ambitious woman who works for a make up company. After a troubled childhood, she thinks she’s hit the jackpot when she meets handsome Connor. They have a whirlwind romance and she thinks her life couldn’t get any better, little does she know how wrong she is.

The story jumps between different timelines which I did find confusing to follow and it made the plot feel a bit haphazard.

I didn’t particularly warm to any of the characters, and I found Vanessa and Connor to be nauseating, constantly referring to each other as “baby” 🤮
I was a little suspicious of Jack’s character but the reason for his behaviour wasn’t really explained and it felt like a lazy red herring.

The story held my interest but the ending was unsatisfying and didn’t quite work for me, I think it was meant to be a big, unexpected, twist but it didn’t come off.

This was alright and fine as a holiday or quick read but I wouldn’t rush to recommend it.

I thought this was a really interesting premise, I was really getting into it and trying to guess what was going on, it definitely gave me Girl on the Train vibes but the ending came out of nowhere and didn’t feel like a satisfying twist and did t really make much sense.

I think the overall story was so good and the first half of the book had me hooked, the end it sadly ruined it for me.

A fast paced and entertaining book
The story is really intriguing as you are unsure whether the main character can be trusted
The ending was too strange for though

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Intriguing plot, that was hard to put down.
I loved the dual timeline & the bond between Georgie & Vanessa too.

Excited to see what Ellwood does next!

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

We all want a perfect life don't we? Nessa has had a somewhat upsetting childhood and meets her handsome prince and that's where things seem to spiral out of control. The story is told between the past and the present. Somebody dies, messages and parcels begin to arrive. Who is the murderer? Lots of twists and turns in this book. I loved it!

Vanessa wants to be someone else, and she can be with just a change of outfit. I loved the mystery of the title and the synopsis of the book.

Vanessa is at times an unreliable narrator, but that was more mysterious. It was fun going into people's houses and lives.

Thanks to Nuala Ellwood and Penguin for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars

Nuala Ellwood's The Perfect Life is a gripping psychological thriller that will have readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. The story follows Vanessa, a young woman who has always found solace in pretending to be someone else, especially when things in her life become difficult. But when she becomes entangled in the death of a wealthy man, Vanessa's world is turned upside down.

The plot of this novel is incredibly well-crafted, with plenty of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end. Ellwood expertly weaves together multiple storylines, each one adding to the tension and suspense. The character development is also top-notch, with Vanessa being a complex and flawed protagonist that readers will both sympathize with and be wary of.

One of the strongest elements of The Perfect Life is the exploration of the dark side of social media and how it can be used to manipulate and deceive others. Ellwood's portrayal of the online world is both nuanced and frighteningly accurate, making this book a cautionary tale for anyone who spends a significant amount of time on the internet.

Overall, The Perfect Life is a well-written and thrilling novel that will appeal to fans of the genre. It's a page-turner that is hard to put down, and readers will be left thinking about the story long after they've finished reading it.

Very late to read this but I really enjoyed this book. It had plenty going on right from the start and plenty of twists towards the end.

An absorbing psychological thriller written over dual timelines. I liked the relationship between the two sisters.. The denouement was well written and satisfactory.

One of those books you just have to read from cover to cover. Thoroughly addictive and boy what a twist!

I wasn't sure where this book was heading for a good while. The unreliable narrator trope is one of my favourites and this book delivered on that.

There are a lot of triggers in this books so it is worth checking trigger warnings before picking it up.

I loved most of our characters and although the reader can see what is happening in the relationship it was gripping to keep reading.

The twist at the end was unexpected and I really enjoyed the conclusion of the book.

I usually really enjoy Nualla Elwood’s books and this was no exception. I liked the way it was written in short chapters over two different timelines,
We learn that Vanessa has killed someone and she has had a messy break up with her boyfriend.
Then on the other hand, we meet Vanessa who lives with her best friend Lottie. She meets Connor through a work colleague and they begin to get closer.
The two stories eventually meet up with an explosive ending.
A great book.

A dual timeline and an unreliable narrator, what's not to love! Both of these do make the book a little bit harder to follow initially but I believe the payback from these are definitely worth it.
I've read a few of Nuala Ellwoods novel's now and they always deliver.
I really enjoyed seeing the bond between Vanessa and her sister, it was done very well and showed just how much they loved and supported each other.
Then there is the darker side of the book. The manipulation is done so well, all the little red flags as isolated incidents don't mean much but then when they're put together they start to build up and you can really feel the tension increase as Vanessa's panic and fear start to rise.
The ending was unpredictable, mainly because it was so far out there. Some aspects were obvious but as a whole it was definitely a surprise.

What a nice find. This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention. It was so well written and the characters were fantastic.

The storyline is told over 2 timelines of then and now and it became very confusing and disjointed at times. The story didn’t flow well as it went from one timeline to another along with some inner ramblings without warning. It just didn’t add up and felt like I was reading 2 different books in one. It was dragged out a little to much and never really gripped me. The characters were only ok but not really memorable. It didn’t quite hit the mark and didn’t really go anywhere.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for the opportunity to read #ThePerfectLiife