Scott Atwood is a writer with writer's block meaning he can't make his deadlines. After trying and repeatedly failing to come up with a good story, he decides he only has one option - he decides to throw himself in front of a subway train. But, even in that, he fails as someone pulls him out at the last minute. But the experience gives him an idea - what if, instead of waiting for inspiration, he makes something happen like, oh, letting a husband know when his wife's secret lover is with her in their house, then waiting to see what happens.

I really enjoyed The Perfect Ending by Robert Kaufman... right up until the ending. I finished this several days ago and have been mulling it over back and forth. I read other reviews to see if my opinion is the norm - it's apparently not as most reviewers seem to think it worked well with the story. So my final assessment - I'm still not satisfied with the ending but I am in a minority but I did enjoy the rest of the book so I'll leave it up to other readers to decide for themselves. I will say, though, that, overall, I enjoyed the story enough to look for more by this author in the future.

3.5

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Independent Book Publishers Association for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

This was a really good book, and I loved the plot. This book has a few relatable points, like when he began to struggle with ideas; that's something every writer can enjoy/relate to. I think that the author put in a few of their own struggles as they wrote this. This is a good thriller novel, part of the reason why I decided to get into the genre.

Solid 3.5 stars.

Great quick read, but felt it should have been developed a little further.

I did feel as though this had a decent twist at the end, nice way to wrap up the story.

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

The premise of this book is interesting. An author has writers block and decided to go to extreme measures to unblock his writing slump. The author, Scott, is incredibly unlikeable. I did not like reading this book because he was so awful. The ending was definitely a twist.
Somewhat reminded me of The PlotGc

A fun, fast, addicting story about a bestselling author with debilitating writer’s block who is considering throwing himself in front of a train. He comes up with a new book idea while at the train station, if he can’t think of an idea maybe he can wreck enough havoc in other people’s lives and use them as his new storyline. I’m not doing the description justice, this is a must read!

I am sorry I found this book so rambling and unfocused that I couldn't finish it. It was confusing. I don't very often give up on a book although there are some I wish I hadn't bothered but this one just did not grip me'

Scott Atwood is a writer ... a writer with writer's block. His publisher has been hounding him with phone calls wanting to know where he is on his latest book. He's nowhere.

He's decided he wants to end his life, but it wants it to be a spectacular ending. Stepping in front of a train might be the way. But as he gets closer to the tracks and leans way over, he has a brilliant idea.

How about writing about a writer of psychological thrillers who decides to cause havoc in other peoples' lives in order to come up with ideas for a new book.

His first victim is a married couple who lives a couple of streets over. He knows that the wife has a secret visitor every Wednesday afternoon. What if Scott places an anonymous call to the husband and tell him he needs to go home pronto. And what will happen when the husband walks in on his wife and her friend?

The lines between fiction and reality are separated by a very fine line. Has Scott found his perfect ending?

The concept is unique, the plot is well-written, the story line unusual. The characters are deftly drawn, however, Scott was not at all likable. This is a real-turner, full of twists and turns that lead to a decidedly unexpected ending.

Many thanks to the author / Independent Book Publishers Association / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely me own.

This is the second book that I have read by this author and he sure didn't disappoint. The book kept me just wanting to read more to find out what will happen next. Reminded me a little of another author that wrote a book that the character had writer's block but this book was much better. Dark and twisty but not over the top. Book got my attention by the middle of second chapter. This book is sure to be a reread on my part.

Lately I haven’t been giving many books over a 3.5 star rating and after reading the first two chapters of this b00k, I was debating on whether I was even going to be able to finish it but it started getting interesting, really interesting. I wanted to know more secrets about the people in the neighborhood and how Scott Atwood was going to incorporate them into the finished product without blowing his cover or if he was even going to be able to finish the book without his guilt manifesting as a heart attack or stroke. As I was getting closer and closer to finishing and the book hadn’t started to wrap up, I was getting worried but then the last chapter literally blew my mind and had me saying “Oh My Word!” loud, This was the first book that left me with that reaction in a long time. I really have no criticism for the book. I really, really enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I was ready to dump this book by the prologue, which was loaded with profanity. Wasn’t really interested in reading a book like that but I stuck it out, and the remainder of the book was not out of the ordinary in that regard.

This was a quick read, a mystery/thriller about an author with writer’s block and a wicked idea to get past it. Very fast-paced, and it is a definite page-turner. There was an “aha” moment very late in the book that tied the prologue with the ending (or so you think). Had it ended at that point, it would have been fine. But the author put in a twist in the final chapter that really made this a five-star psychological thriller.

I’m glad I stuck this one out.

Cross-posted to Goodreads.

For a book titled “The Perfect Ending” this was so far from having a perfect ending. This book was another of those books that tried to throw in a twist at the end. The twist was easy to see coming and just tired and overdone. I guess I haven’t seen it done for a while, but if you ever watched soap operas or bad 80s movies, you will see it coming and hope you are wrong.

“Coulda, shoulda, woulda” all went through my mind as I read this book applying the words both to the book’s author as well as the author/protagonist. The story started out with so much potential, but failed to deliver in the area of plot mechanics.

The Perfect Ending by Rob Kaufman is a twisted and unique thriller. A dark and thoroughly gripping story with an unexpected ending.......A Perfect read with the Perfect Ending for Scott Atwood.

Thank you to Rob Kaufman, Independent Book Publisher Association, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This book really had me from start to finish. This is the first I’ve read of Rob Kaufman’s work, and most certainly won’t be the last! I love a book with a good twist, let alone several. This one really delivered. Gripping, quick, great read! Would recommend to any thriller lovers out there, it’s unlike any I’ve ever read

The Perfect Ending is a smart and engaging thriller that had me hooked right from the opening prologue. Scott Atwood has a serious. problem, he's a writer who is suffering from severe writer's' block. How bad? He's pretty sure his career is over and it's time to pack it in. But just when he's about the 'end it all' he comes up with an idea for next novel and thus kicks off one heck of a wild ride. The book features a stellar cast of characters, a smart and engaging story, and more twists than a theme park full of roller coasters. Thanks to NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association for the opportunity to. read and review an eARC of The Perfect Ending.

I love books about books and this thriller did not disappoint! Kept me on my toes and guessing what was the truth and what wasn't.

How far would you go to get the perfect ending?

Scott isn’t a likeable character but he’s fully fleshed out, dark, real. Frustrated and giving himself one last chance he makes a decision and then what happens.....

Ooh! Loved this one! Full of suspense and surprises. Thought I had it all figured out but not quite.
A surprising must read!!!

If you wrote mysteries for a living and were fresh out of ideas, where works you come up with a new one? Not just a vague outline, but a novel that practically writes itself because it's an true story based on a twisted plot your set in motion, expecting to sit back like a spectator at a film and watch it unreel in front of your eyes, matching the one in your head . All you need is the perfect ending, tied up neatly just in time for the end of a cross country flight, for which this could be the perfect way to pass the time.

Scott Atwood, a famous award-winning author, is just short of loathsome. This is the main character? I didn’t like him from the beginning. He’s hit the wall with the famous writer’s block for months. His agent, his publisher is breathing down his neck. He’s promised them another bestseller and can’t figure out anything to write about and is missing deadlines. He needs something spectacular. Unique.

One last ditch effort: he’ll take his laptop to the train station. Write his next book or jump in front of a train. Perfect ending in view of those thrillers he’s written. Nothing mundane for him.

Then he sees something that sparks an idea. It’s brilliant! He’s thrilled. And with a little encouragement, a slight push, he can force the story from his neighbors and watch them as they literally unfold his new bestselling thriller in front of him.

This is one that fires the imagination from the get-go. Hook, line, and you must finish the book. Can he really create this much misery? This much havoc? His neighbors all have stories and he paints them in full color realism. My heart ached for Brad, weeped for Joel. They are so well-fleshed and you believe it all.

It’s dark, delightfully deceiving, and emotionally wringing. The author tweaks his main character with just a slight amount of humor and moral justification. It’s so wrong. Twisted mystery, suspense. I released more than one audible groan…omg. This one is a must read.

***REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS***
The title of this book is a great irony, given it has the most cliched, overdone ending in the history of fiction.

I thought the premise was really unique and interesting, and had SO much potential. But just as it was really heating up and getting juicy - boom "he woke up and it was all just a dream". This is the ultimate cop out ending and it's such a shame, because this premise could have had so much done with it. Unfortunately so much was given away by the opening chapters, that I could see the ending coming a mile away, although I kept hoping I was wrong.

The bulk of the story was a great read! Quite twisted and confronting at times, with themes of murder and suicide. The main character was an awful pig of a man, I'm never quite sure with awful male MCs written by male authors, whether they're intended to be awful or not 😬

Unfortunately the ending was a big let down to me and I felt like I'd wasted my time on reading the story.