I wish this had been a more realistic or original idea. However, it wasn’t. But it was a successful use of the take that it did follow. Does that make sense? It will for some. There is too much repetition and not enough originality in modern “thriller” fiction. It’s not done badly. It’s just overdone.

This story was super twisty, and there are a lot of names so stay focused.

I liked the way everything unraveled and came together at the end. I truly did not see it coming!

Also, Hank coming up with her own hashtag within the story #perfectLily is genius. I love it!

This is the first novel I’ve read by Hank but it certainly will not be my last. I definitely recommend this one!

Her perfect life is a great thriller. Told from 3 points of view. Lily , her missing sister Cassie and her producer Greer. So many twists and secrets will have you guessing till the very end

A slow-burn narrative that engages readers with multiple points of view and a sharply written plot. The story uniformly sparks interest with a crisis-prone undertone, ardent twists, shocking betrayals, and a plot teeming with deceit.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #HerPerfectLife which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

Lily is a news reporter with a secret source, she doesn't even know who it is, then suddenly this source reveal itself and knows Lily's secret. Lily has a seven year old daughter, Rowan who's father is a married man. Lily tried to keep Rowan out of the spotlight and away from prying eyes. Greer is Lily's producer/assistant for the last two years. Greer would really love to find Lily's secret and become a revered reporter herself. We also hear from Lily's sister, Cassie, in before chapters. Sounds great, right!?

I read The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan and really enjoyed it, a lot...so much so I clicked five stars for it...sooooo when it came around to asking for this ARC it was a no-brainer and I moved it to the top of my list to read. Unfortunately this didn't live up to my excitement.

I was enjoying this decent story in the beginning and middle but as other reviewers have mentioned; for being investigative reporters Lily and Greer were quite naive and gullible. And the ending with all the plot holes really ruined an okay read for me.

Okay, so we'll start with what I liked. As always, I love the idea of jumping between points of view and time frames. We get to see things from Lily's perspective, her friend Greer's perspective, and we go back into the past to Cassie's point of view.

I especially liked Cassie - she's fierce but scared, trying to what's best when she finds herself in a very sticky situation. Maybe if the entire book had been about Cassie I would have liked it more.

Unfortunately, most of the book is about Lily. As an investigative journalist, you'd think she'd have more sense. Unfortunately, she's incredibly naïve, which drove me crazy.

This story is a little crazy, which sometimes I'm totally okay with. Unfortunately I had a hard time really diving into the characters and I felt like mostly (aside from Cassie) they were one dimensional. I've heard this author is pretty well known, so maybe I just started out on the wrong book? I guess maybe I'll find out another time.

Her Perfect Life kept me turning those pages late into the night. I loved how the past and the present stories unfolded, alternating with different points of view. The tale of the past is as engrossing as the current fraught situation. Hank teases you until the end of the book where "all is revealed."

A Satisfying Mystery Full of More Twists and Turns Than a Corkscrew.

SUMMARY
Cassie was eighteen and a freshman in college when she disappeared. Her mother and little sister, Lily, age 7, could not imagine what happened to her. The police investigated, but Cassie was nowhere to be found. Younger sister Lily, now 33, continues to scan crowds everywhere she goes looking for the face she imagines would belong to her older sister.

Lily has the perfect life. She is a beautiful, Emmy award-winning journalist with a stellar reputation, and an adorable seven-year-old daughter Lily and her producer Greer Whitfield have relied on a new anonymous source for remarkable story tips that have led to their latest Emmy award. But now the tips have suddenly changed. They are seemingly tied to Lily’s carefully safeguarded life. This mysterious source threatens to expose Lily secrets and ruin her reputation if she doesn’t do as they say. Why would someone want to ruin the beloved Lily? What is Lily willing to risk to protect her perfect reputation and all those she holds dear?

REVIEW
Lily’s life was perfect until it wasn’t. She was a smart investigative journalist until the story starts hitting much to close to home. HER PERFECT LIFE is entertaining and unpredictable and has more twists and turns than a corkscrew.

The writing is good, and the chapters alternate between Cassie, Lily, and Greer, adding tremendous breadth to this multifaceted story. I particularly appreciated how well the story comes together at the end.

HER PERFECT LIFE is Ryan’s twelfth novel, and as a Boston real-life news journalist, she has certainly left her mark on this one. Other most recent novels include The First to Lie and The Murder List

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Publisher Macmillan/Forge
Published September 14, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

It’s been a long time since a book brought me so close to tears from feeling drawn in and connected. Her Perfect Life was so good that I finished reading this while literally sitting on the edge of my couch after being sick all day. It was my comfort read. My 'can’t put it down, I have to know if my theories are right', read. The author created an absolute masterpiece. The story is so heart wrenching while also being so heartwarming. It showcases perfectly the balance of controlling the narrative for the public eye and how having skeletons in your closet is more normal than we realize. We always assume that our dirty secrets make us unlikeable, but this story shows just how well we can idolize somebody without knowing anything about them off/behind the screen. On top of that, it’s such a deeply thrilling read. Each chapter is a page turner that pushes the reader to look beyond the words and theorize. I absolute LOVE that.
It's so easy to get wrapped up in the chapters and just continue enjoying the slow build up. At first I wasn't sure what to think of the story and really of the characters. They were consist in being the perfect balance of likeable with mystery, and I think that's what really pushed me to enjoy the slow thrill. However, once you get to know Lily and the others, it's so easy to read it just because you feel so connected to them. Hank Phillippi Ryan does literal magic in the pages of this book, making it so damn easy to FEEL for everyone as you venture through each character's perspective. By the time the climax was rolling out, it almost felt like it happened too quickly just because I wanted more. I wanted to keep reading. I wanted to dig deeper into my own theories on what was going to happen and see the reality play out on the pages. In the most simple way I can phrase it, the book's just that good.

This is my first novel by Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Some other reviewers have said that the book is slow up until the last 10% or so, but I disagree.

I felt that it really hit the ground running.

I felt that the author did a really great job crafting the plot, and created believable characters. The storyline was very twisty which is what I love in a mystery novel.

I had my theories about whodunit but I was so wrong! I was kept guessing until the end.

Her Perfect Life isn't a perfect read. It's a quick read.. Admittedly, parts could have been condensed, but Ryan incorporates more than enough suspense to keep those pages turning. I have enjoyed some of her other books more, but those set a high standard. And while Her Perfect Life isn't perfect, Ryan gives us a far better book than most others in this genre.

Her Perfect Life is not so perfect.........

I've enjoyed many books by the talented Hank Phillippi Ryan. This one is just not up to snuff with all her others. Like sitting in a tub of tepid water. Not hot enough to be soothing and not cool enough to force you out. Hmmmm.

Lily Atwood is the darling of Channel 6 News. Her ratings are up there and she has quite the following. Together with her quick-witted producer, Greer Whitfield, they smash the competition night after night.

Lily, unmarried, has a precocious seven year old daughter, Rowen. She and her daughter have a wonderful relationship with Petra, the nanny, filling in when necessary. But Lily has a non-relationship with Rowen's father, Sam. Sam, who was married at the time, was unable to commit to Lily. Lily cut all ties with Sam after Rowen was born.

But Lily carries a family secret. Her older sister, Cassie, went missing during her freshman year of college when Lily was just a child. The police have given up after all trails went cold. Lily still pines for her sister, although she believes that Cassie may well be dead after twenty-five years.

Hank Phillippi Ryan spreads out her storyline with characters' names driving each chapter. It appears that no one in this story is truly who they present themselves as. This can work well at times, but too much is too much. We'll come to find out about the initial stages of Cassie's disappearance as well as some soiled stockings hanging in Greer's closet.

I found the character of Lily below par as well. As a journalist and news analyst, you'd think that Lily would not be quite so naive. She seems to float through the chapters as a reactionary rather than a hardnosed driver of the plot. Lily doesn't seen to have much stem.

But, all in all, Her Perfect Life serves up to entertain if you're a follower of Hank Phillippi Ryan. Let's see where the next one will take us.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and to Hank Phillippi Ryan for the opportunity.

This book was just okay. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the plot had some holes, making it drag on. This was the first book by this author that I’ve read and while it didn’t quite do it for me, I’d be interested in trying out another to see if I enjoy it more.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Someone said nothing happens until the last 10% of this book?

We must have read different books because this book takes off from the word GO.

There are a couple of places you have to buy into, granted. But I think Ryan gives you enough to go with it.

And it is well worth the buy-in. The story is fast-pace, twisted and keeps you going... the ending is pretty bittersweet. Noone really comes out with the outcome they hoped

It was my first book from Hank Ryan and I LOVED IT! Very interesting that the author was a investigative reporter and her MC in "Her Perfect Life" was too. There is a lot of intrigue, but all the subplots are connected. I had tons of theories about what happened and I was fooled in the best way. Definitely going to check our her other books.

Lily Atwood seems to have it all- a blossoming career, fame, and a fantastic little girl she adores… But when she was only seven, her beloved older sister Cassie went missing from college. Over the years, she has searched for Cassie with no luck, but now new evidence may help unravel the mystery of her missing sister… or it might just ruin her perfect life!

Why did this book feel like it was eleven billion pages long?! I went in expecting a fun, quick-moving thriller and was instead bogged by a 300 page book! Her Perfect is told in short chapters from Lily, Greer and Cassie… and I literally kept falling asleep before I could finish more than two!

Overall, this was just an okay book… nothing life changing or even super interesting. I didn’t care about the characters and considered DNF-ing it at 71%, but pushed through!

Three stars! This one might work for fans of Hank Phillippi Ryan…

Thank you to #Netgalley and #McMillanUSA for this advance reader copy of Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillipi Ryan. It publishes on September 14, 2021!

The beginning was a bit slow and hard to follow at times with two time lines and alternating POVs, but still captivating because you’re trying to figure out what the heck is happening/happened throughout the whole story. About almost half way through did it start to pick up and get really interesting, but I really wanted to fast forward to the end. When I got to the end I was oh, that was it? I had guessed that.

I can’t wait to see what you all think so keep an eye out for it coming in September!!

Thank you @netgalley for letting me read my first HPR novel in exchange for my honest review

Read this book in one sitting. An admired TV newscaster has built a perfect life for herself and her daughter but an old hidden family secret is on the verge of being uncovered. Will her memory betray her or will her trusted assistant give the final blow. With her perfect life in jeopardy Lily struggles with balancing reality with her carefully crafted persona. The author has done a masterful job in creating believable characters and crafting the plots and subplots. Suspenseful and absolutely engaging. Highly recommend this novel.

Lily Atwood is a newscaster and an influencer - documenting her life on social media for all to see. Of course, what she shows the public is not the full story. When she starts receiving flowers and notes with information about her past that she thought was hidden and lost forever, she is understandably concerned. And when her producer tries some underhanded tricks to get her daughter into the spotlight, Lily doesn't know who she can trust. As always, Hank Philippi Ryan delivers another page-turning story that will keep you guessing until the very end!

A slow burn mystery seething with drama, betrayal, and blackmail. Written in seamless multiple points of view and cultimates in page turning twists. A solid and engaging read.