Simone’s mother was murdered when she was thirteen and her father was convicted of the crime. Ever since then, Simone’s been working to prove her father is innocent. There’s no proof he did it, but there’s also no material evidence that anyone else did either. That is, until she has a chance encounter with her childhood neighbor who reveals that his dad and her mom were having an affair. Unlocking new motives for multiple people, Simone is determined to put together the pieces and clear her father’s name. “Perfect Little Lives” by Amber and Danielle Brown explores what happens when a crime is buried and the wrong person is sentenced.

This book wasn’t quite what I expected based on the description. I love a good proving-someone-was-wrongly-convicted theme, but there were elements of this story that just felt off to me. Simone is all over the map, which makes sense in the circumstance, but the descriptiveness of her romantic relationships felt out of place in the midst of the crime-solving focus she should have. It almost felt like this book wanted to be two different things at the same time.

In the end, I gave this book 3 stars. I was able to piece together what actually happened pretty early on, based on clues, but that made the rest of the book a little tedious for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House for allowing me to read this book. When I read the description I had high hopes but this book didnt deliver

I gave this book 3 stars because I did like it, but it was much different from what I was expecting, and I don't believe it is one that I would read again. If the book also had a "romance" tag attached to it, my expectations would have been more realistic and I may not have chosen this book, because I don't typically read romance or find it very enjoyable. It didn't help that the romance comes on strong in the first few chapters. I had to check and see if I had misread the synopsis. My favorite part about the book was the diary entries and the ambiguity of who wrote them. I thought Simone was unlikable at times and I'm honestly surprised she didn't figure out the murderer faster, because I felt like it was pretty predictable and lacking the shock factor. I prefer books that have me guessing until the last chapter and when I figure it out so early on, it's hard to stay engaged. I really enjoyed the commentary about the justice system in regards to race being pertinent in criminal cases, but was confused at how Simone could be so judgmental at times when she is fighting against the unfair judgement her father received. Overall, I'm not disappointed that I read it, but I'm thinking this one just wasn't for me. I would give the authors another chance for sure. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing Company for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

The writing of this book felt unnatural to me, coupled with the fact that it fluctuated too much between genres, unsure if it wanted to be a smutty romance or a mystery. Having too many storylines only complicated the whole process and this was one I just couldn’t finish. Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I enjoyed this author duo's debut and was excited for their latest domestic thriller but try as I could to get into this one I just could not get invested or seem to care for the story at all. It's likely a case of wrong book at the wrong time or a mood read thing but I had to set this aside. I will try again at a later time for it was a DNF for me this try. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I thought this would be more thrilling than it was. I was shocked by the ending but wasn’t sure if it was a love story or mystery.

This is the second book I've read by the authors and I really love their writing style! I did enjoy their first book more but this was still very entertaining. This is a fast paced popcorn thriller that had me flipping pages quickly to find out all the mysteries and see how they were linked together. I had a few theories and loved seeing how they panned out.

Started very very slowly but picked up speed. You will definitely have to give this one a chance to catch your attention. Good story when you get into the meat of the book but the main female character is very flat as a person.

Perfect Little Lives by Amber and Danielle Brown is a mix of romantic-drama-suspense. I liked the authors’ writing style and I always like an unlikable main character.

Synopsis:

Simone’s mother was murdered when she was thirteen. When her father was convicted, everything changed. Overnight, Simone went from living in a wealthy white neighborhood to scraping by.

Ten years later, Simone has given up on her dreams and lives a quiet life, writing book reviews and getting serious with her boyfriend. But with a true crime documentarian hounding her for a scoop and a surprise encounter with her childhood next-door neighbor, Hunter, the past seems set on haunting her. And after Hunter reveals that his father and her mother had a years-long affair, Simone is determined to find out who really killed her mother.

Simone is convinced that all evidence points to Hunter’s father, a renowned judge who had everything to lose if his affair—and his nascent love child—came to light. Playing the game from all sides, Simone enlists Hunter’s help in her investigation into his family—whether he realizes it or not. But is she so desperate for closure that she’ll risk imploding her carefully rebuilt life?

Out now!

Though we want to believe that the criminal justice system works, it often fails—whether it fails to convict the guilty or it convicts the innocent instead. And in Perfect Lives by Amber and Danielle Brown, a daughter of a man who was unfairly convicted will stop at nothing to clear his name.

Review posted on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

True crime junkies who like suspense this one is for you!

This book was a page turner! Let’s start with what I loved. The journey of a daughter coping with her father being charged with the murder of her mother, being behind bars, while her whole life has changed & she is struggling to cope while get to the bottom of the murder. There isn’t enough in our world about the impact that true crime interest has on the family members involved. No matter if they are children/spouses of the murderer or the victim. This story I really felt showed a bit of a window in to that.

I also loved that she doesn’t back down from the truth. I can’t imagine how this is a similar story perspective to families battling for innocent family members in the legal system. I really respected Simone’s fight for her dad. Her fight to not give up. However it was also the story of her putting her whole life on hold to do all that for her family. Including her dreams. So seeing that go full circle was a point I truly loved seeing by the end.

I actually was convinced the killer was the son in Chapter 27. But quickly knew his mom was CRAZY! This is a page turner that I couldn’t put down!

One thing I was unsure about in the beginning was it felt we wouldn’t get enough character development. It felt messy in the first two chapters, like I didn’t know Simone enough to understand who she was or her story. Thankfully this is corrected through the next chapters. More about who she is as this woman dealing with loss as an adult. As a person in society. Not to mention also being the child of a horrific crime.

I was a little meh on Simone’s love stories intertwined. I think the story almost didn’t need it. Not at least so in depth. I also felt like her boyfriend Reggie would have better understood her background & history with her family being an ex-con who turned his life around.

Overall though I REALLY enjoyed this and absolutely recommend it to suspense loving readers!

Huge thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for this early reader copy in return for my honest review.

Full disclosure: I did not finish this book. I got pretty far and I likely will finish it at some point just because I’ve made it so far, but I was not able to finish and I will tell you why.

Now normally if I do not finish a book I give it a 1-star review, no questions asked. However, this book got an extra star because I feel like it could have been great, but was missing key parts. My first issue was that it sometimes felt like I was reading a mystery/thriller, while other times I felt I was reading a book about a toxic romance. I do not understand the little jabs thrown in at men constantly. I’m all for powerful women and knowing what they want, but it almost felt like the authors had a bone to pick with men and were using it as a side plot, which I did not enjoy.

My second complaint and likely the most important was that the story just did not flow nicely and did not keep me interested. Like I said, I have not finished, but I’m almost done and I will finish because I have my own set of rules about books and how much time I have put into it. Perfect Little Lives had a good plot idea but was poorly executed. I need to be hooked from the first page and kept just enough in the dark that keep me turning pages. It was more of a chore to pick this one up than an urge to know what would happen next.

While this book was not for me, I would be very curious to read other books, or future books, by Amber and Danielle Brown to see if I like one more. I strongly encourage others to check it out and see what they think. Just because a book was not for me does not mean it’s not for someone else.

Marketed as a  "A dark and riveting page-turner with an intelligent twist.", Perfect Little Lives sounded like the perfect read.  As I am often on the lookout for a gripping thriller, I couldn't wait to dive into this latest offering from sisters Amber and Danielle Brown.  Perfect Little Lives delivered a mash-up of thriller, suspense and romance. 

Perfect Little Lives, introduces the reader to Simone, a book reviewer, who has dreams of becoming an author. She lives with her boyfriend Reggie, an attorney. She appears to have her life in order. However, with all her focus being on proving her father's innocence, her life is slowly spiralling out of control. The murder of her mother resulted in her father being charged and found guilty. Simone, however, believes someone else is responsible. Despite the lack of evidence to back up her theory, she remains resolute in her quest to uncover the truth. Then the unexpected occurred. Her childhood friend, Hunter, came back into her life, and with his return came some interesting information about her mother and his father. Information, which had her zeroing on Hunter's dad as the main suspect in mother's murder. 

The story failed to deliver on its promise of a dark and riveting page turner. The premise was great, but the execution was flat. The plot was all over the place. It was as if the authors could not make up their mind whether this should be a thriller or a story about Simone's love life. The thriller aspect of the story provided average entertainment, however, the story would have been better off without the inclusion of the poorly executed love triangle. 

While I shared empathy for Simone's mission to demonstrate her father's innocence, I was not a fan of her personality. If naive, clueless, judgemental and manipulative were a person, then Simone would definitely be that person. Also, lies were second nature for her. She was not above manipulating persons to get what she wants.  Funny enough, she didn't even recognize the truth while it was staring her in the face. It was this truth that took away from the thrills. Figuring out who murdered her mother, which occurred in the first twenty-five percent of the story, was a no-brainer.  My desire to learn if Simone will figure it out was what kept me reading. 

The story was filled with several inconsistencies and gaps which spoiled the flow of the story. Also, the ending was anti-climatic. The story ends without readers made aware if the killer gets their just dessert. 

Overall, Perfect Little Lives had the potential for an exciting read. Unfortunately, it failed to deliver the expected thrills and page-turning experience.

"Perfect Little Lives" by Amber and Danielle Brown is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the dark complexities of suburban secrets. The novel unfolds with a perfect blend of suspense and domestic intrigue, following the lives of seemingly idyllic families with hidden shadows. The characters are richly developed, and the plot is skillfully crafted, revealing unexpected twists that keep the reader on edge. The Browns' collaborative storytelling is seamless, creating a tense and atmospheric narrative that explores themes of deception, betrayal, and the facades people construct to maintain the illusion of perfect lives. "Perfect Little Lives" is an enthralling and chilling page-turner.

The first chapter I did not like I found it very prude and sloppy . I just could not get into the big and I’m sure it was difficult to write a book with 2 authors.


Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

I read someone Had to Do It last year and loved it, so I was excited for this tour. I like the voice the author’s write in. Something about it makes it stand out from the other thrillers I’ve read.

I could not figure out where this one was going and it kept me guessing. I could say I figured it out, but since I suspected everyone, including the narrator, I am not sure I can brag about my guessing correctly. And this one has a little of everything. While the main focus is the mystery of who killed Simone’s mother. There is also a romance and work and family relationships. And while unraveling the mystery, I got to know Simone pretty well. I’m always a fan when there is deep characterization in my mystery read.

If you are a fan of a slow burn suspense, then you need to pick this one up.

This one didn't quite have the same spark that I liked in the authors' debut last year and wasn't as cohesive a story as it maybe could have been, but I did think it had a solid premise in Simone pursuing justice for her wrongfully incarcerated father in the murder of her mother. The romance element of the story is maybe what hindered it a bit, and didn't necessarily work for me, but the mystery part of the plot was interesting.

Perfect Little Lives was a fun, but predictable romantic, dramatic mystery. I feel like the authors didn’t know which way to go with this book. Romance…..ehh. Thriller….predictable. Suspenseful…not so much. With some revision, this could be great instead of mediocre. I would still recommend this to young adults that enjoyed “Pretty Little Liars” and “Twisted”.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS BOOK!!! The drama was next level, the mystery was fun, and the notes of romance (which confused me slightly at the beginning because when I’m in “thriller book mode” I usually don’t encounter really any sort of romance…BUT once I got more into the book I didn’t mind it at all)! This book would be perfect for anyone who wants an entertaining genre bending drama filled read or anyone who wants to dip their toe into the world of thrillers!

4.25⭐️

⭐️OUT TODAY 12/5⭐️

Special thanks to NetGalley @graydonhousebooks and @htpbooks for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

#perfectlittlelives #amberanddaniellebrown #graydonhousebooks #htpbooks

Perfect Little Lives is filled with drama and tension. I love that it was a mystery with romance mixed in. People behaving badly over secrets isn’t anything new but the way this was written is! The voice is incredibly strong and the dialogue felt real. This was very enjoyable.