I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
I really enjoyed this story. It kept me guessing the whole time. Three girl friends who are recovering from breakups decide to go on a weekend getaway that ends up with a missing person, a murder, a new romance (possibly) and all kinds of questions. A really engaging, fast paced read!

After supporting each other through some very tough times, these three women decide they need to take a break from their problems. Told in the pov of two of the three friends, the story unwinds in layers. Their every move seems haunted by the decisions of their past. When the car breaks down and they must spend their time waiting, their luck definitely seems to have deserted them. When one of the friends disappears, the story quickly moves into the WTH is going on stage. Konen built the story into a perfect storm that these women must fight their way through....or not.

Wow, this was a fun, twisty read. I liked having the multiple pov narration, and knew something was up with Diana early on, since her point of view wasn't included in the story. I didn't see the ending coming, especially not the last little surprise at the very end. I was happy that it seems as though Margaret was going to get her happy ending and that Elizabeth and Sam were on track to heal. Been recommending this book for awhile now, and can't wait to read what the author will write next.

The Perfect Escape is one of the first books I read for my 2024 Netgalley challenge (a challenge where I am attempting to reduce the number of unread ARCS to 10).

While I was on a plane back home last week, I saw this on my Kindle app and thought, "What the heck!" And wow. I am so mad at myself I did not read this one earlier.

The Characters
The novel is told from the perspective of two women: Sam and Margaret. Both of these women have their flaws and kept their fair share of secrets, but what I loved about this story was that the flaws--and secrets--seemed realistic. My biggest pet peeve in thrillers is when the character is hiding something absolutely ridiculous from the reader, but in this case, the way the information was revealed made sense.

The characters were greatly developed. Anytime they did something, I thought to myself, "Yeah, they would totally do that!" Leah Konen did a wonderful job at making the two women realistic, which in turn made the whole story more enjoyable.

The Plot
While the characters and writing are important, the plot is what really makes or breaks a thriller. I have to admit, I was not expecting a lot out of the plot, because I really did not think the book could go further than what seemed obvious. While one of the twists is very obvious, there were aspects of the twist that I did not expect.

The author did a phenominal job of leaning into the reader's expectations before revealing the whole thing. The twists made sense to me, which is not very common in thrillers lately (I'm looking at you Riley Sager). 

Did I mention I read this book in one sitting? Seriously. I could not put it down!

Overall Thoughts
Overall, I am really glad I finally picked this one up. I don't know what I waited so long (two years!), but I regret not reading this one sooner.

Leah Konen is now a thriller author I will be on the look out for in the future. I saw that she comes out with a new book next month, and I have already requested my library purchases a copy!

The Perfect Escape vividly captures the complexities of a girls' weekend gone awry, adding an intimate layer of familiarity to the thriller's intense narrative. As the tangled web of the plot unfolds, I was drawn deeper into the bonds of the friendship these three had and the tumultuous events that threaten to tear them apart. This was a rollercoaster of plot twists and suspenseful turns. With its fast-paced narrative and intriguing multiple suspects, the story keeps you on the edge of your seat. The exploration of the broken friendship, coupled with the characters' flawed choices in the midst of alcohol-fueled tension, adds a layer of relatable depth. Told from the perspectives of two of the women, the novel's engaging storytelling and unputdownable nature make it a compelling read, perfect for immersing oneself in a world of mystery and intrigue.

LOVED this book and the creepy vibes it gave me throughout the whole story. Girls weekend gone wrong and I'm here for all of it. Read this one in less than 24 hours. It was exciting and addictive and kept my attention so well.

The Perfect Escape was a pretty enjoyable book for me. It was fast paced with lots of twists throughout. Many were a bit unbelievable but it was entertaining as a whole. This is my first book by Leah Konen and I will definitely look for more to read from her.

Great thriller - I really enjoyed this one. There were a LOT of people involved in this one, but it was easy to read and had a lot of action. Gave me some serious Cabin in the Woods vibes.

I really enjoyed this read. It was excellent for thriller lovers, and gave wonderful twists and turns throughout!

I am a thriller lover, and this book wasn't my favorite. I don't feel we got to know the characters quite enough before drama set in, and there was very little suspense in the build up. The red herrings revolved around nearly every person from the main characters' past lives appearing in a random rural town, which felt unrealistic and out of left field. I do appreciate a few of the twists that I didn't see coming, but overall this just felt like a mish-mash of thriller tropes with very little pay-off in the end.

A great, compulsive read with lots of surprising twists. It left me hanging until the end, which always makes for a great book!

Twisty Thriller that will keep you guessing!!

***A girls' weekend to die for.

New friends Sam, Margaret, and Diana are thrilled to be getting out of the city for a girls’ weekend - they’ve bonded over their messy divorces, and every mile on the odometer feels like another step towards putting their exes in the past. But when car trouble halfway into their trip strands them in the most unlikely of mountain towns, they come face-to-face with the hurts and betrayals they were so desperate to leave behind.

When Diana doesn't return home after a night out, Sam and Margaret's search for her reveals just how little they know about their friend. As eerie coincidences and secrets begin to pile up, and an ex-boyfriend arrives in the tiny town, the women realize that their detour may not have been a mistake...and that someone wants to guarantee that they never make it out.***

I absolutely loved this book right from the start you are invested in the Characters, but also suspicious of everyone! it's a twisty-turny thriller of who dun it!
Leah's writing style is easy to get lost in! every time I thought I knew what was happening I was proved wrong. I will definitely be reading more books by this author in the future!

am takes her wedding rings off, looks at that inscription one more time, and sticks the rings in her pocket. She is ready to forget that Harry left her. She is ready for a girls' weekend with buddies Margaret and Sam. How well does she really know these travel buddies? How well do they know her? Before the three even reach their destination of Sarasota Springs, the trip will go horribly awry. I give Leah Konen high points for creativity. Our narrators deliver one surprise after another. It is hard to know WHO to trust. Will this trio of travelers unravel the mystery of what happens on the first night of their trip? Too many margaritas and secrets definitely make things more complicated. This is a thriller that keeps you up at night turning pages to see what happens next. And there is a cute dog named Rosie, too. = )

Thank you to GP Putnam and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF, this one wasn’t for me! I absolutely love the cover of the book though! I have read a lot of other reviews about this book and completely agree!

Read this in one sitting! I love a girl weekend gone wrong and this one has all of the perfect elements- fast paced, lots of character twists and kept me engaged the entire time!! Loved this one.

The Perfect Escape is THE popcorn thriller of the year! Fast-paced with plenty of twists that are guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows new friends Sam, Margaret, and Diana bonded over their divorces and are going on a girls weekend out of the city. Car trouble leaves them stranded and that's just the start of their troubles. When Diana doesn't return after a night out, Margaret and Sam begin to realize they didn't know Diana so well after all. Prepare for a wild, unpredictable ride. If you're looking for a hit thriller, this is the one for you!

This was a very solid popcorn thriller! You will speed read this just to find out what happens.

I love that the friends have bonded over their personal relationships that are ending. They need each other for support. They decide to take a trip to relax and it backfires from the very beginning. I loved the pacing of the books and it was pretty easy to follow along. I’ll definitely read more from this author.

At the beginning, I was very unsure what direction this was going, but honestly enjoyed it and didn't guess the end at all. A bit of a slow burn for me, but sticking with it was worth it.

The Perfect Escape is a psychological thriller that will have its readers guessing until the very end. Friends Sam, Margaret, and Diana plan a girls’ getaway to Saratoga Springs. All three of the women are in relationships that are complicated, to say the least. Along the way, they stop at a gas station, and somehow the car key for their rental car goes missing. They find themselves staying the night in Catskills. Ironically, this is where Sam’s ex-husband moved to. That night, the women go to a bar. From there, things get messy.

This book had me guessing from start to finish. From Harry, Sam’s ex, showing up at the bar to Alex, the handsome guy Margaret meets at the bar, it’s hard to know who to trust. And when one of the women goes missing, there is even a stronger sense of urgency to get to the bottom of it all. With its fantastic characters, plot with twists and turns, and a vibe that someone is watching the whole time, this book will easily get under your skin. Perfect for fans of Jeneva Rose and Sally Hepworth.

Thank you to Leah Konen and Netgalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked from the title and description and I wasn’t disappointed. Twists and turns galore. And an ending I didn’t see coming. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.