A bunch of Instagram influencers are invited on a trip to Iceland to promote a clothing line. You have multiple POV's that got a little confusing for me in the beginning. It was an interesting look at behind the scenes of Instagram Influencers, and how not everything is as great as it appears. True to life, I'm sure!

It just didn't totally grab me, but the ending had a good twist!

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!

In The Perfect Ones, a group of social media influencers are invited on a trip to Iceland to promote a clothing line. The women are enjoying this unique travel destination and trying to make the most of the opportunity to increase their following, when one of them disappears.

The Icelandic setting is what first caught my attention about this book and that part of the book was really good. I loved the descriptions of the scenery and some of the traditional foods of the area. The story itself includes a few different timelines and is told from the point-of-view of three of the influences on the trip:  Hollie, Celeste, and Alabama. They are all flawed characters and the book goes into a lot of depth about their lives before and after the trip. 

I was engaged in the story, but I was expecting the book to be more of a mystery focusing on the disappearance in Iceland. Instead, the book was in part a domestic drama going into details about the women's relationships with their significant others as well as one character dealing with a possible reason her young daughter is having problems at school. The book is also a commentary on the pressures social media puts on people to appear as if their lives are perfect and how that can affect mental health. The book is good, but was much different than I thought it would be. The ending has a bit of a twist that some people will really enjoy. I liked and was able to predict part of it, but part of it wasn't as clear-cut as I would have prefered. 

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Crooked Lane. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Sometimes the timing on books is weird! I went into this completely blind and found it was set in Iceland, where I just returned from a couple days ago! Definitely some good descriptions in the book fitting a short trip which resonated extra being so close to my travels. Had to pull in one of my pictures for the background that’s directly a setting in the book!

The Perfect Ones is a thriller filled with Instagram influencers on a paid trip to Iceland. When one of them goes missing, secrets and hidden parts of their lives come to the surface.

This was fast paced, had an engaging writing style, and featured intriguing plot lines. Unfortunately it suffered from a lack of focus. It wasn’t clear what each influencer’s “it factor” was which made it hard to connect to the idea that the characters were so successful and made any falls from Grace feel contrived. I also felt the reveals took too long while we were unnecessarily bogged down in ancillary plot lines. Each storyline might have made a great book on its own but they ultimately didn’t cohere like I hoped. I would have been more interested in the Alabama storyline at the forefront.

The ending didn’t feel super believable to me given the character development and jumped a little far in the future. Overall not a favorite but I wouldn’t talk anyone out of picking it up due to solid scenery, background, and side stories!

Trigger warnings surrounding pregnancy that to clarify would constitute a spoiler!

Alabama Woods is an Instagram or stuck at 40,000 followers and she just knows this trip to Iceland sponsored by Pink Purse Will be the boost she needs to get to 1 million followers Holly is a runner and an Instagram or who has 1 million followers but she initially has no desire to go on this trip to Iceland it doesn’t until her seemingly perfect marriage in the life she is so carefully cultivated starts to implode. Alabama and Selest are good friends and so they travel together celeste was also reluctant to go on the trip and she was worried about her daughter Bella who is having behaviour problems that she believes is because her daughter is autistic and although her husband Louis wants to blow it off as kids being kids Celeste knows there is much more to her little girl than just being a bad girl. They have other people who are going to be at the Iceland location that also have big problems but they must all be pushed aside when Alabama goes missing the night before Alabama goes missing however it seems she is stuck like glue to Holly and notices things that Holly‘s closest friends didn’t notice but once she goes missing that is neither here nor there or is it? There is so much to this book that there’s no way I could give a brief summary there’s so many secrets so many OMG moments and let me just say Nicole Hackett has dotted all her I’s and crossed all her T’s. At no time will you shake your head and think there’s no way that can happen, this book is so greatly cultivated and executed that you will not want to put it down it is so good a total solid five star rating and it makes you wonder who’s the real them the one online or the one in real life? The perfect ones by Nicole Hackett is the reason people read books I think I have found a new favorite thriller author because it all her books or like this signed me up. I received this book from NetGalley and crooked Lane books but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The bones were good for this one but something didn’t hit for me. I couldn’t really connect with the characters - the multiple POVs may have hindered this slightly. Alabama, you need to log off of insta, baby. Celeste was easily the most likable but, for the record, you are not going to get an autism spectrum diagnosis within a few weeks, especially if you’re using a school psychologist. Overall, a fast read that has a great setting!

Featuring ~ debut, multiple 3rd person POV, multiple timelines, 6 part story, social media influencers, infidelity, mental illness, miscarriage

Hollie, Celeste & Alabama are influencers off to Iceland for a week.

Usually I am big fan of multiple narrators and timelines, but in this case it was difficult to keep up with. Sometimes we were in the day of the accident, or the day after, or 3 months before, or a day before, or 6 weeks after....it might have been fine~ish, but how was I supposed to remember what a husband said 8 chapters ago to make the wife upset without a recap. But then I'd probably be complaining if I did get that recap because then it would have been repetitive. Also, since it was in the 3rd person each characters name was said in each chapter a gazillion times.

There's quite a bit of emphasis on their appearances and it's like they're in competition with each other ~ they have to look the best and have the most followers and likes. All characters are unlikable, jealously is high and one of them is making some crazy plans which really shows how unstable she is.

With all that said I liked this one well enough as a debut. The author made it seem like it'd be cool to visit Iceland. And it was helpful that each chapter told us who was talking, when it was and where we were.

Social media influencers Celeste, Hollie, and Alabama are all invited on a trip to Iceland along with a large group. After a picture perfect day hiking the glaciers, Alabama disappears. With few clues, the police start interrogating those closest to her, her best friend Celeste and Alabama's Instagram idol Hollie. But everything isn't picture perfect behind the scenes of each woman's life.
The story jumps between the recent past and then days after the disappearance as each woman's messy real life is revealed. Holly is struggling between her husband's desires and what she really wants in life, Celeste is recognized signs of disability in her young daughter, a fact that her husband continues to deny, and Alabama's mental health is at stake when social media popularity becomes an obsession. This book really made me consider how much social media has taken over my own life.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story follows around influencers who are invited to a trip in Switzerland when one of them, Alabama, disappears. Celeste, Alabama's best friend was on the trip with her and an influencer who Alabama tried to befriend, Hollie was there as well. This story was ok for me but not fantastic. There wasn't much of a story line and the ending felt predictable. I was able to relate to Celeste and the struggles of motherhood which I did like.

I am definitely interested in reading more by the author!

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC!

When a group of influencers is invited for a stay in Iceland, things are about to get a bit dicey. Told in 3 POV’s, each woman had a different reason for being there and when one of them goes missing, the other two feel completely guilty for the role they played in her disappearance. Different timelines come together to give us a picture of what happened, but the overall story was on the slow side and it was difficult to connect with the characters. A quick read, but one that wasn’t overly thrilling. Thank you to Crooked Lane books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The Perfect Ones is a fast-paced mystery that follows a group of popular social media influencers on a trip to Iceland, when one of them goes missing and is presumed dead. The main characters, Hollie, Celeste, and Alabama, all have their own storylines and things they are dealing with, and are struggling with their personal lives but also maintaining their influencer status and providing quality content to their followers.

I thought the story was good. It was fast, it held my interest, and I really wanted to know what happened to each of the main characters. I felt like it was a good "look" at the "real lives" of social media influencers, and what goes on behind the camera. Of course, I can't say for sure not being in that position, but I assume it makes sense. My only complaint was once they returned home from Iceland, the story began to fall short and felt slow. Sure, I wanted to know what was going on with their lives, but I was more invested in what happened to Alabama and I was worried that aspect wouldn't be wrapped up.

Don't worry - it does, and the ending is really solid.

If you're looking for a quick mystery, this is a good one.
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

What a page turner. An influencer trip to Iceland where you see the dark side of being an influencer and how people truly feel about each other. A couple days into the trip Alabama Woods goes missing. No trace. Everyone wonders what happens but one person knows more than they’re willing to share. And not just about the night in question. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

👸🏻THE PERFECT ONES👸🏼

⭐️⭐️⭐️(3 Star Read)

Publish Date- 2nd May 2023

⚠️TW: Miscarriage/ Suicide Mentions⚠️

. Jeeeez who knew the lengths people would go to, to appear Instagram famous
. I liked Alabama as a character and felt totally sorry for her from start to finish, this was clearly the authors intentions for this character
. The book starts off as a slow burner giving lots of information surrounding each character and their lifestyle
. It spans from past events, current goings on, the night in question and weeks/months/ years later
. The descriptions of Iceland are amazingly thought out in this book and it’s really made me want to go
. This book is a typical who dunnit book and I was honestly convinced every character had a part to play
. I totally did not see the ending coming, very clever
. The author touches on some tough subjects sensitively throughout the book
. I’d be keen to read more from this author in the future
. Thanks to NetGalley for sharing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Perfect Ones has a lot of things I enjoy reading about: influencers, missing people, weird trips, yet this one fell flat for me. I don’t think the narrative style worked—there was a lot of flipping between timelines and people. It all blurred together and I didn’t know (or care) who did what and when.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

(e-ARC was provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange of an honest review)

Holly shit!

Synopsis
During her stay in Iceland for a sponsorship, influencer Alabama went missing. Her best friend, Celeste, was worried, much for Alabama's safety and her own guilt. Then there was this influencer that Alabama was dying to befriend, Hollie, who actually knew more than what she let on.

What I like about it
It depicts the world of influencer greatly! Granted, not every circle of influencers behave and think the way those three main characters behave and think, just that the word of it leaves an icky thing in my mouth by the oversaturated people. On one hand, they're smart for building their career based on being liked and relatable and all, but this is such a double-edge sword. Sharing isn't always caring and it translates well into Hollie's personal life.
Alabama must be the girlboss type, although she failed to appear so. Measuring herself by the numbers of like that she receives, always planning ahead, and dying to get ahead. It consumes her, and she's the scariest character here.
Celeste was probably my favorite. She was the type of person who has this hate-love with her influencing job, this was why she didn't get why Alabama was so obsessed. She made a mistake and she must live with a guilt for the rest of her life.

The Perfect Ones doesn't only talk about what happened to Alabama (the main mystery) and what the others did to her, but also the talk about how social media greatly change us all (not in so many words, but I can feel it). Everything is content now, especially for those who make money out of it. It also talks about ourselves as women, what must we do after a marriage, do we want kids? what if our kids not ok? what should we do about it and how do we discuss it with the other part of the household. There were a lot that this book covered and I love it.

What I don't like
Can someone explain the ending to me lol
It's not that I don't appreciate it but I just need a confirmation whether the last pages occurred before or after the last paragraph of the previous chapter.

Final thought
The Perfect Ones is a mystery drama of women who happen to deal with their online personas as well as their real lives. It's a good way to reflect and still very much enjoyable for a thriller readers.

I always love a novel about social media influencers and The Perfect Ones had that and so much more. A mystery, multiple narrators, travel, real life issues.

So why am I struggling to give this more 3 stars?

While the premise was awesome and there were a lot of pieces that could’ve made this book great, it fell a little flat for me. I wasn’t connected to the characters, didn’t emphasize with them all that much (though I did connect with Celeste in many ways), and though it’s a short novel, it almost felt like there was too much going on not directly related to the plot which made my interest wander.

The mystery with Alabama intrigued me and I wished the focus had been more on that and the trip to Iceland. The extra plot lines with Holly and Celeste were pretty much unnecessary in my opinion and detracted from the main storyline.

The writing was good and again, this has the makings of a great book. Honestly, it would convert SUPER well to a mini series.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the copy.

I’m quite interested in influencer-based fiction. The portrayal of influencers can be hit or miss. This one is about a trip sponsored by PinkPurse, where Hollie, Celeste and Alabama travel to Iceland. Alabama wants the follower count and lifestyle that Hollie seems to have so easily at her fingertips. Hollie has her own issues to deal with and doesn’t really want Alabama around, and Celeste is very focused on the fact that her daughter may be autistic. One of the women disappears, and we are then within a time vortex that takes us from three months earlier to “The Day Of” and “The Day After”, all with multiple points of view.

I would describe this more about the impact of relationships rather than a mystery. There was not a lot in the back stories that seemed controversial or shocking to me. The three women were equally bland and chaotic and I think that was a deliberate way to create them against the backdrop of their followers and lifestyles. I wouldn't say this is a thriller at all, and I am tempted to say it isn't much of a mystery. The end, which is 1-year later, left me wondering what was going to happen and I am still not sure if I really understood how it ended.

Synopsis:
"Everyone wants to be them, but internet fame comes at a price…
Two days after arriving in Iceland for a promotional trip, Instagram influencer Alabama Wood goes missing. With no leads, the Icelandic police start their investigation by focusing on the two influencers seemingly closest to Alabama on the trip: Celeste Reed, Alabama’s best friend of ten years, and Hollie Goodwin, fitness guru and Alabama's unwilling idol.
As secrets are revealed and loyalties are tested, debut author Nicole Hackett asks: do we control our online image, or does it control us?"

My Thoughts:
This was a fun thriller told in my favorite format, multiple POV's with past and present timelines. I did struggle the first few chapters as the story jumped around but once I caught up I was fully engaged. We know from the very beginning that something happened to Alabama while on an Influencer trip. The story takes us through the twists and turns of each characters past leading up to the trip and their days on the trip before she disappeared. This gives the reader a peek behind the curtain of the Influencer life, which is not always as perfect as it seems; and shows the drive to be popular at any cost.
The story is a medium paced, fun read with a big final twist saved for the very end. Great debut by Nicole Hackett.

Thank you to @netgalley , @dreamscape_media , and @crookedlanebooks for the gifted copy of this book.

I like multiple POV's and this had an interesting premise, except I couldn't connect to any character and I wasn't invested enough in the plot. A bit bland, but writing's good.

This is a story about a bunch of influencers and the lengths they will go to for "fame". They get invited to go to Iceland, although I'm not really sure why, and one of them goes missing.

This one wasn't for me. I was never really pulled into the story. I feel like there was opportunity with the storyline but it just fell short. None of the characters were likable. I feel like there was no climax or big "whoa" moment.

I do think this author has potential to write something really I would enjoy and I'm definitely willing to give them another chance.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Influencers are something of a phenomenon in our society. But are they real, or just make-believe? This book explores the lives of several of them who are brought together for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Iceland, where the flaws seem to show in each onel.

Hollie is the most successful, with over a million followers, but her life is really NOTHING like what she is currently portraying. Alabama and Celeste are best friends, having been roommates since their freshman year at college, and both are very active, with Celeste in the lead, but Alabama has plans to be better than them all!

But after only two days into the five-day trip, Alabama goes missing in the night, and the two women who have some insight into what happened are not talking. Only when they get back home do some of the stories come out. Each of them are moving on from that life, and a year later, one has abandoned her online life completely and the other has drastically changed the direction of hers.

When they meet up in Chicago for a race a year after Alabama's disappearance, no one knows what is happening behind the scenes!!