This book is deliciously evil. Ivy is out to ruin Lola's life since she ruined hers. Her plan works well, but Ivy doesn't realize someone has outplayed her. The characters are vile, but the deceit is so cunning. The revenge is so calculating and precise. And yet Ivy still believes in some naive things and can't believe she was lied to. Sometimes it's a welcome change to read about villains and the depths of their deceptiveness.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded intriguing to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

WOW, what did I just read!

The Perfect Ruin is a fast-paced psychological thriller and so very entertaining! The twists and turns of this novel come fast and furious. I was not sure if I loved Ivy and hated Lola or vice versa. One minute I sympathised with Ivy and then the next I want to throw the book at her; I also felt this way with Lola.

Ivy is supposed to be the victim who wants revenge on the person (Lola) who has caused her so much pain and loss in her young life. Since this traumatic event Ivy has been seen as someone who cannot be trusted, she is known as a thief and a liar...but would these things have happened if Lola did not disrupt Ivy's life?

Lola is the Queen of all. Everyone wants to be around her and loves her. She appears to have the perfect life, alongside her handsome devoted husband.

Then there is also the supporting characters in this story that will make you also question which side is the right one. They reveal secrets and twists that leave you turning the pages to learn more.

I think this was an awesome read and I cant wait for another thriller from Shanora now!!

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Haunting, Page-turner, Tragic, Twisted, Unpredictable

This book definitely has some of the Gone girl’s and Verity’s qualities in it!

The main theme, as I sensed it, was revenge, mixed with bitterness, envy and the stereotype of emptiness of the wealthy. I missed some depth and diversity of the characters, as they were mostly angry/revenge driven, payback oriented and taking advantage of others.

For all of those, who like the utmost brutal payback moments (that “the b**** gets what she deserves”, excuse my language), this book could probably do the trick.

I don't always pick up a thriller but I can't miss Shanora's. This one kept my interest, definitely intriguing. There were a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I enjoyed it enough. It's not the greatest of the author's works, but it's still worth the read.

Shanora Williams writes an alluring narrative with a narcissistic cast of characters and a plot centered on revenge. She masterfully leads readers down a path of deceit, betrayal, and shocking secrets while at the same time twisting the very premise of the plot. Fantastic thrill ride! Loved it.

Thank you to #netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the ARC which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

#shanorawilliams #romanticsuspense #tbrstacks #bookrecommendations #bookish #igreads #bookstagram #bookblog #readreviewrepeat #ThePerfectRuin

Lola, a Miami socialite and charitable do-gooder, has it all; beauty, brains, the perfect life, and a rich husband but new employee Ivy comes with a past and bears a grudge, stopping at nothing to get closer to Lola’s life. This was an almost but a not quite for me. It had a mysterious quality, decent characters, and a modern insta-obsessed feel, however, I felt it took too long for the threads to come together about what the actual mystery was or even just the smallest hint at where it was leading so I could get invested. For the first 40 per cent, I felt like I was blindly reading as, while it was mildly entertaining, it was frustrating not having even the slightest hint at where it was going.

I devoured this book in one day! As a fan of phycological thrillers I was absolutely entranced by this book. The twists and turns in this book were a wild ride. My emotions and suspicions were all over the place. It was simply an amazing ride. I won't spoil the end but I do hope there is a sequel.. Well done Shanora!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was an amazing read that grabbed me from the moment that I started reading. It moves along at a really nice pace making for an enjoyable read. It has interesting and unique characters that you cannot help but fall in love with and a story that will keep you reading and turning pages till the end. This book needs to be on your TBR list, no doubt about it.

The Perfect Ruin had a lot of potential. There was a good revenge story in there and conflicting narrators. It missed a little in the execution. The beginning seemed extremely shallow and often Ivy's moves didn't make as much sense as I would have liked. Georgia's POV helped get the story going again. Had the book gone back and forth more often it would have kept my attention longer. The long and drawn out explanation at the end brought everything to a screeching halt. There was no flow and the entire thing had so many holes...There is no way the perpetrator should have gotten anywhere close to getting away with it.

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it. When I first started reading Ivy's story it felt like it had been done before, and that's why this story drug on and on for me. I also didn't like how desperate Ivy was for Lola's husband. Did she truly think she was THE ONE to get him to leave his wife?!

Thankfully things perked up when we get Georgia's side of the story. I thought it was funny that they were all scheming behind each other's back. Like I mentioned it felt like this plot has been done so many times before that it would be hard to make it original.

How far would you go for revenge?⁣ After Ivy’s therapist tells her she has the name of the person who killed her parents Ivy literally takes the name and runs out the door seeking her revenge. This kind of revenge story is not always my favorite. I enjoyed the first part of the book but as we get further in further into this revenge plot, it got a little too chaotic! The real kicker for me was the unlikable characters. Even so, this is a quick and entertaining story. If you like revenge thrillers with some steam, this is a book for you!

A brutal tragedy ended Ivy Hill’s happy family and childhood. Now in her twenties and severely troubled, she barely has a life—or much to live for. Until the day she discovers the name of the woman who destroyed her world: Lola Maxwell—the mega-wealthy socialite with a heart, Miami’s beloved “first lady” of charity. Accomplished, gorgeous, and oh-so-caring, Lola has the best of everything—and doesn’t deserve any of it. So it’s only right that Ivy take it all away. Little by little, Ivy infiltrates Lola’s elite circle, becomes her new best friend—and plays Lola’s envious acquaintances and hangers-on against her. But seducing Lola’s handsome, devoted surgeon husband turns into a passionate dream Ivy suddenly can’t control. And soon, an insidious someone will twist Ivy’s revenge into a nightmare of deception, secrets, and betrayal that Ivy may not wake up from.

Well wasn't this just a twisty little gem?!

The Perfect Ruin was an enjoyable and quick read. It's a thriller written from a few viewpoints. You primarily get your information from the main character, Ivy. However, there are some other insights thrown in periodically in order to give the reader additional tidbits that help in developing the storyline.

The story seems to be following a basic pattern for the most part and then a twist is thrown in at the perfect time. I suspected things might be going a little too "smoothly" so it was perfect timing for the "perfect ruin." Let's just say all isn't necessarily as it seems in this novel. There are definitely some surprises tucked away.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This was a new to me author.
This book conflicted me, as the premise was good, and it was well written. But I struggled to connect with the characters and the book felt long winded/drawn out. Which is a shame as it really did hold a lot of promise, and thrillers are my go to.
In saying all of this I did enjoy the end/plot twist, I just wish we knew what happened after that final bit.

3 stars
The Perfect Ruin
A Riveting New Psychological Thriller
by Shanora Williams

Well written and truly twisty. This book is going to appeal to all who love to read suspenseful thrillers.

Ivy lost her family young. In an accident. She has wanted to know who took them away from her for a long time. Her mind wants the information so she can make the person pay.

Lola is a woman who seems to have everything. Money, a mansion, a rich, handsome husband. She also has her house manager, Georgia, who lives in and takes care of them.

This book! Shanora Williams wrote, at the end of the book, that it was hard to write. There is so much happening, and so many twists and turns, that I completely understand why it would be difficult. I absolutely loved this book! It’s well written, thought provoking, and just an excellent read.

What I want to know is…. Will there be a second book? Cause it’s wide open for more at the end.

This book had an interesting premise but I don't think it worked for me. There were a lot of words describing stuff but it wasn't happening or the thrill factor wasn't as good as it could have been. There were no likeable characters for me and it felt like that was the point of the book - not to like anyone or anything.

Ivy is now age 25 and has been seeing her therapist, Dr. Marriott Harold since she was 14. Ivy has been diagnosed with PTSD and perhaps bipolar disorder. Something occurred when she was young that destroyed her family and she wants to know exactly what happened and who is responsible for ruining her life.

Today, Marriott has given her the name of the person responsible, but hopes that Ivy will choose to not read the name and will find a way to put her hatred behind her. Supposedly, this person says that what happened was an accident. She reads the name: Lola Maxwell.

Ivy immediately goes home and checks this woman out online. She learns that she is a beautiful woman, married to a wealthy surgeon, and heads a charity for low income pregnant woman. This charity allows a group of these women to have a week of pampering at a camp. Ivy vows to infiltrate Lola’s life hoping to get her revenge.

Greed, money, hatred, revenge, opulence. So many words to describe what readers will see in this book. I was captivated by the well-written characters in this book. This is the first book by this author that I have read and it most certainly will not be the last. She has created a story that will captivate readers and not let them go until the very last word. Don’t miss this book. Wow!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A tale of revenge turns twisted and insane as Ivy's plot gets away from her. After she was orphaned as a young child she has had a sad and painful life as a ward of the state. In intense therapy for her multiple issues she finally discovers the name of the person responsible and it sets of a chain reaction she never saw coming. It's intense, a little crazy, action pact and definitely tragic. A great story if you like plots and more plots, revenge and a little action with you thrillers!

I found this an intresting read. Ivy had clearly had a tramatic event many years previously and spent all those years with a Psychologist trying to put the past behind her. However, Ivy has never been told who was responsible for that event and it's something she has been chasing all these years. You don't find out until a lot later in the book what this event was but really it's not hard to guess it. When Ivy finally finds out who was responsible for events that fateful night, she leaves no stone unturned to find this person and plan their downfall.

Lola is a wealthy socialite, she managed to "buy off" the police officer all those years ago after that night that she caused the accident that killed Ivy's parents. Now she heads up a charity which helps pregnant women. Given who Lola is and how wealthy she is, its weird that she trusts Ivy so quickly and easily and its not long before Ivy has planted herself firmly into her life. From there you watch Ivy plot her revenge which includes stealing Lola's husband.

The twist in the tale is the one thing that Ivy never thinks of. She is not the only one looking for revenge. The real question is who will ultimately win this war of revenge? For me the ending was very fast and I felt cut off short of where I needed it to go. however still worth a read.