Member Reviews
This was such an interesting book to read. I loved how quickly the author switched point of view from character to character- it kept me on my toes and in a way disarmed me from catching on to who may be the culprit of the crime. I actually didn’t guess the ending until everything was revealed, which really caught me off guard! The story was told in an intriguing way, and I enjoyed it!
(3.5 stars, rounded up to 4)
This gripping legal thriller offers a compelling exploration of complex characters and moral dilemmas. Set against the backdrop of New York City's high-stakes legal world, the novel introduces readers to James and Jessica Sommers, a power couple whose seemingly perfect marriage is rocked by scandal and betrayal. Mitzner excels at creating a tense atmosphere, drawing readers into the glamorous yet cutthroat world of corporate law. His writing style is clear and engaging, with well-paced prose that keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace.
The plot of "The Perfect Marriage" is filled with twists and turns, as James and Jessica navigate the fallout of a devastating accusation that threatens to destroy everything they've worked for. Mitzner skillfully weaves together multiple storylines, ratcheting up the intrigue and suspense with each new revelation. While the logic behind some character relationships may feel contrived at times, the overall enjoyment of the novel is undeniable, as readers are kept guessing until the very end. "The Perfect Marriage" is a riveting read that will leave fans of legal thrillers eagerly anticipating Mitzner's next installment.
This was a fast and easy read. The characters were decent enough but the book itself was great. It had a few twisty elements and kept your entertained.
It took me a while to get into this book. The beginning seemed to drag for me. I also found the different POVs to be confusing at times. I did like reading the different POVs, but I think it would have been better if the author broke it up differently.
However, once I got to the murder I enjoyed the book. I liked the police and courtroom aspects of the book.
This book was hard to get into at first because I did not enjoy the writing format. The way that the chapters changed point of views was very confusing. Once I got somewhat used to it, the second half picked up for me and I especially enjoyed the legal thriller aspects.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was a great easy to digest thriller. The writing style was pleasing with fantastic character development and a “keep you reading” story line. At 70% into the book I still had no idea whodunnit. This definitely kept me reading. This is my first novel to read by Mr Mitzner but definitely will not be my last. It was a great all engrossing escape novel and I recommend it highly.
Thank you @netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for a copy of this arc in exchange for my honest review.
This was my first time reading this author. This book was okay. The characters were a mixture of likable and unlikable characters. The plot was repetitious and I guessed the ending way before the clues dropped. The plot and ending of this book have been done so much that I got bored after a while. I expected more from the characters and more red herrings in this one but it never came. All in all. I gave this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️
James and Jessica are celebrating their second chance at happiness .... but not everyone is happy for them.
James' ex is bitter, vengeful, and threatening to ruin the relationship between James and Jessica.
Jessica's ex-husband is not happy, but he hangs in there, trying to be civil, because of their teenage son, which presents another problem as well.
And then there is the couple themselves .... are they really in love ... really happy with their new partner? When James starts working with a beautiful woman, Jessica begins to think maybe her marriage isn't that perfect after all.
This domestic thriller is filled with anger, betrayal, suspension, angst. guilt. I expected more character development, instead of a bunch of adults who all need some kind of therapy. It started out slow, but the pace did pick up. There were some interesting twists and turns, but none were totally unexpected.
Many thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this family drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
The Perfect Marriage is the title, but in my opinion, not the perfect story.
The book starts off about a perfect husband, an art dealer, who in order to help finance his step-son's health treatment decides to join his friend in a dodgy deal.
This started off quite good setting up numerous characters for nefarious means, however as the story progressed, some of these threads seemed to get finished off very abruptly with no real closure.
If you like a thriller that gets you thinking who's the "bad guy", then give it a go, I'm sure you will find it interesting. This time, it just wasn't for me unfortunately.
I was provided a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in return for my honest review.
I love Adam's books. They are always intense, quick reads with lots of twists. The Perfect Marriage was no exception!
I whipped through this one in a day and loved it.
There are quite a few characters, which was a little daunting to manage up front. I got into the pattern quickly though and it all fell into place.
This is a murder mystery with a lot of pieces intertwining including family dramas. For me, that made it all more interesting.
I really enjoyed this book and am thankful for the ARC
The Perfect Marriage is an easy to read thriller with lots of suspects to keep you guessing.
It took me a while at the beginning to get used to the writing as it jumps between multiple characters' POV, but once you are familiar with them it flows pretty well.
I also found that there was a lot of build up to the main event but then the aftermath was somewhat lack luster.
All the supporting characters were interesting in their own way - between the crazy ex-wife, the devoted ex-husband and shady art dealer, I didn't think it was a super obvious 'whodunnit'.
I enjoyed the legal drama at the end where we jump into a court case - at first I was like why is this such a big focus in the book? And then BAM. plot twist. It all makes sense now 😏
This is the first book of Adam Mitzner I have read and I would definitely pick up another!
This is the first book I read from this author and overall I’ve enjoyed it. I found the first half of the book a little too slow and there were too many characters to keep track of. Unfortunately and I didn't feel a connection with any of the . In my opinion the ending was also predictable and it left me wondering why. It was a good book, but not one of my favorites.
James and Jessica Sommers, happily married for a year, are in a great place in their lives. It’s the second chance at happiness for both of them. They throw a party in honour of their anniversary.
Jessica’s ex-husband Wayne Fiske is a wreck. On the surface, the divorce has been an amicable one. In truth, he misses her terribly. Their teenage son, Owen, is a source of worry as his cancer, once in remission, has returned.
James’s ex-wife, Haley Sommers, is bitter, having lost her husband and her job at the same time. She now has nothing. She gatecrashes the party and abuses and threatens him.
Days after the party, James, an art dealer, is trying to find the perfect buyer for a set of sketches made by a master. Sketches that Reid Warwick has offered him a huge commission on. A sum of money that could help in Owen’s cancer treatment. In the midst of the negotiations, James is found dead in his office.
The police suspect Wayne, Haley, Reid and Jessica. But none of the suspects are willing to give a DNA sample. Gabriel Velasquez and Asra Jamal are both non-white immigrant police officers, assigned to manage the investigation.
This was a murder mystery written in a different style, more character driven than plot driven. It is more about plot events coalescing and characters contributing to the plot. And for that reason, it might seem a little slow. The sense of mystery doesn’t overwhelm us.
I liked the tongue-in-cheek style of the book, evident from the Prologue. But the book is a slow burner. After we receive the hint, in the Prologue, that a homicide is going to happen, the crime doesn’t happen until the 41 percent mark.
The investigation was somewhat humdrum, marred by the fact that there was zero chemistry between Gabriel and Asra on the work front. Nor was the chemistry any better between Gabriel and his wife, Ella, even though the author used many words to tell us that things were sizzling between them. Gabriel and Ella seem like outsiders, looking in.
I liked that the author didn’t put the word, of, after the word, off. It’s a peeve of mine, AND it’s incorrect English.
The description of the courtroom proceedings and the cancer treatment were both handled with precision and sensitivity.
In the end, it seemed like a morality tale. The strong authorial voice gives us the impression of an omniscient Creator looking down upon the antics of His creations. I didn’t feel as if I was reading a thriller or a mystery.
I felt sorry for both Wayne and Haley. On the other hand, I didn’t feel any sympathy for the selfish James and Jessica. Their marriage was perfect but the road that led to it was riddled with errors that should have weighed heavily on them.
A truly scary narrative. It speaks to heart of fear in every marriage that has survived a shock to its system. A seemingly perfect couple, who left spouses in the wake of their happiness, reaps what they have done to themselves and others. It speaks to the question of need at the expense of others needs. It was a hard novel to read at times. It brought to the surface questions many ignore in time for the sake of living a life predetermined . Is it the cost of being human that the sacrifice of a marriage is okay if only for a year.
The Perfect Marriage by Adam Mitzner was the first book I have read by this author, but it will not be my last. Great storyline that definitely kept me guessing until the end – and surprised me at that. #ThePerfectMarriage #NetGalley
Yeah so maybe it wasn't the perfect marriage. James has been murdered. He was about to do a deal to get the money for treatment for his stepson Owen, who has leukemia. He has a vengeful trope-y ex-wife and Jessica, who will do anything for Owen. Oh and there are others who didn't like him. It's a fast read with a good courtroom scene that transcends some of the Implausibility of the set up. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
I am not crazy about the writing style of the novel. So many characters are introduced within the first few chapters it's very hard to keep track. Also, it shifts from narrator multiple times in every chapter. It makes it hard to follow at times. Just when it started to build up they just throw who the killer was an afterthought. The premise was decent and kept me reading just the execution of it and how it was carried out wasn't my cup of tea. I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of The Perfect Marriage from Net Galley and the publisher in return for a review. Thanks to the publisher, author and Net Galley.
I wish that I could give a good review to The Perfect Marriage , but I I’d not like the book. In the first few pages , the author introduces the characters, Owen, James, Jessica and a few more I found it had to remember them or differentiate one from another. I often had to flip back to determine who they were. When one has to write notes on the players, the book is in trouble..
There is the perfect couple, Jamie and Jessica. Their exes, both of whom are resentful and jealous, their snarky son and some good friends and business associates, agather in their elegant NYC loft to celebrate the first anniversary. Watching the elite boozing, grazing and bitching is not entertainment to me. All disagreeable people who did not interest me in an story that did not interest me. I pass.
I've read several books by this author and have always enjoyed everything I've read, so I was looking forward to reading this book. I must say it didn't disappoint. This book was easy to read and fast paced and kept me wanting to read more. I highly recommend this book.
I've loved all of Adam Mitzner's books in the past. But, this one fell short of those expectations. It's a story of a couple celebrating their first anniversary, second marriage for both. She has a son who has cancer and they need to raise money for treatment. So, he becomes embroiled in selling some art of questionable provenance. Someone ends up dead, and the list of suspects is quite long. But, even so, I found it quite easy to predict the killer.
Previous books of Mitzner's had more of a focus on lawyers, and I think I enjoyed them more because they were so authentic. This book seems out of character for that reason. The characters were flat and stereotypical, and the plot was predictable with little depth.