Totally in shock!

I absolutely enjoyed this book!!!

I loved everything about it.
The writing style, the tension, the characters and of course the emotions.
Wow!

Would appreciate it, if it will be translated in german. Awesome!!!!

It took me a while to get into this storyline and wasn't keen on the characters, especially the main one. It was well written, dark and a bit twisty but didn't keep me on the edge of my seat unfortunately. I like a real 'knicker gripper' and unfortunately this wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

The book is about a woman named Lauren who meets this man named Jay at a festival and shortly after begins a relationship and moves in with him to the middle of nowhere. This all in an effort to change her life. She seemingly does everything to try and please Jay, yet he acts dodgy and uninterested in wanting her to know about his life. We then find out that Lauren is on a sort of secretive motive to find out what happened to her friend.

My initial thoughts of the first half of the book is that the main character is quite annoying. It seems as though she is quite naive and every red flag is ignored or excuses for it are made. The beginning is slow and drawn out which at times makes it difficult to read without putting the book down for break. However, the second half of the book gets more interesting. This is where all the pieces about Lauren's decisions make sense.

Overall it was a good thriller book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoture for allowing this ARC of The Perfect Girlfriend by (talented) debut author Hayley Smith.

I love a slow-burn, first-person POV psychological thriller and this story riveted me from the very start.

In addition to twists, secrets, lies, flashbacks, and drug and sex abuse, this riveting double-revenge story also featured an off-grid, “self-sustained” life of Jay and Lauren’s that at first served as creepy atmospheric setting but later came to be Lauren’s perfect home, without murderous, rapist, drug-pusher Jay.

I loved the combination of thriller and hobby farming that captured Lauren and showed how she transformed a rundown, neglected remote bungalow into a domestic haven. I loved the details of her home keeping alongside the weird relationship between her and Jay, who definitely kept secrets from her.

We learn that though Lauren also has an unsavory motive, she is not the sociopath that Jay proves to be. I rooted for her and loved her happy ending.

Four stars - and I have a new favorite author.

I was surprised to see this was a debut novel for this author. I thought she had a fairly unique writing style that kind of confused me (in a good way) because it felt slow, but it also didn't at the same time.

Usually when books feel like they take a while to get to the juicy details, I get bored, but I didn't with this one and I attribute it to the way the author wrote.

There were quite a few little surprises here and there. A few that I thought I had figured out, and I did...but there was always a tiny key piece that I didn't quite have and that made it really enjoyable. I usually have psychological thrillers figured out completely pretty quickly, but I thought Hayley did a good job at including just a few things that weren't easily solved.

Like I said, it wasn't necessarily a fast paced book, but it did keep me intrigued. It was a pretty good balance of of weird, creepy, and mysterious.

I didn't really understand some of the choices Lauren, the main character, made...but it didn't keep me from enjoying the story.

If you're looking for a fairly unique writing style that's a psychological thriller, you should try it out.

There is talk of abortion, physical abuse, rape, drugs, grooming and abusive relationships if those kinds of things aren't for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutour for letting me review this ARC.

***Trigger warnings*** Abortion, drugs, physical abuse, death, and abusive relationships

We meet Lauren, whose life is a total mess. She dated a married man, had an abortion, her parents disowned her, and her best friend died. She drinks too much, loses her job & flat and has to live with a friend, who really would like to see her go. Lauren meets Jay while playing the fiddle at a music festival. There is an attraction and they spend the weekend together. Jay asked her to move in with him, and Lauren decided to be his perfect girlfriend.  Lauren moves into the isolated cottage. There is no Wifi, no mobile reception. Jay has an interest in self-sufficiency, and Lauren begins to renovate the cottage they live in.

The more you get down into the story, the more you realise Jay has a few of his own secrets, but all is not as it seems with Lauren either.

This is a gripping, addictive, page-turning novel by @hayleysmithwriter. I was surprised that this is her deput novel because it really doesn't feel like it. It's well written, with clever twist & turns. At times, it feels incredibly creepy, and it draws you more and more into the story.

Thank you @NetGalley, @bookouture and @hayleysmithwriter for the chance to read the advanced copy of this book.

I can't wait to read your next book @hayleysmithwriter!

Puplication date: 20.07.2023

I was not expecting this book to be this amazing but the author is one to watch out for! You never see the twists coming. The only reason this wasn't a 5 star for me is because Lauren is a trainwreck and I didn't sympathise - she was with a married man then when he left her she moved in with a literal stranger she met at a music festival. The characters were very well written and there was no filler or loose plot holes. Everything was tied neatly by the end. The pace was also perfect because it kept me at the edge of my seat without the unnecessary filler.

What a wonderful debut novel! I read this book in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down. It was very entertaining and it was full of twists, turns and surprises. I never would’ve guessed that ending!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book.

Good debut novel! Definitely took a little while to get into the book but it eventually picked up and the story started coming together. Some parts were confusing but it all made sense in the end. I wasn’t on the edge of my seat dying to keep reading but it did hold my interest most of the time. The storyline seemed to wander at times but overall a good debut for a new author. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Hayley Smith for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book creeps up on you slowly. Insidious like mold. Then let's the bombs off. I did not see the twists in this one. I found the writing style unique and engaging. Totally will recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.
This was a very strange book with different characters and a lot going on. I kept reading to find out just how it would end but I have to say I can’t recommend it to my friends. I know it wouldn’t be their cup of tea either.

Wow this book was a whirlwind the entire way through! It started off a little slow but I was glad for that at the end because it laid out the groundwork very nicely for the entire plot. There was a very creepy and menacing undertone throughout the whole book which really added to the thriller factor. I loved how a lot of the most important details were subtlety referenced at first to just give the read little hints here and there to see if they would piece together some of the mystery. I could not put this book down once I got into it and was so disappointed once it was over! The characters were all super interesting to be because every single one of them was flawed and that made the entire story that much more realistic. This is a stunning twist psychological thriller that will have you craving the simple homestead life while also leaving your heart pounding!

Weird. Creepy. The chapters were just set up weird, with sudden breaks that didn't always make sense. It is like the author had a weird style that didn't necessarily flow well. Just got weirder and more creepy as the book went on. Not for me.

Book Review 📚

The Perfect Girlfriend by Hayley Smith - 4/5 ⭐

Did I go into this book thinking it was some kind of Rom/Com? Yes. That was an error on my part as it's definitely a psychological thriller, but that made me love it even more! It had my attention from start to finish, I just wasn't able to put it down.

Characters - our main character is Lauren, a 30 year old woman with some big old skeletons in her closet. She meets Jay, who also has some big old skeletons in his closet, and their relationship moves in all the right directions. I had a hard time connection with the characters but that didn't matter because the story more then made up for it.

With each page you read, the more uneasy you feel. There is some seriously questionable stuff that happens but rather then making you DNF it pulls you in harder then you can imagine. It's a very stead read with more and more happening throughout the book, but the end. Get ready for a show stopper! There's twists and turns, surprises, and just some plain old creepy stuff that happens. Hayley done a great job and keeping you interested and not revealing to much at once, there wasn't anything predictable about it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoture for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion

What an incredibly strong, intriguing, and creepy ( in a good way ) debut novel!
Hayley Smith, you knocked it out of the park!

I was immediately engrossed in the story, turning page after page, needing to find out what was going to happen next!

This book is filled with secrets, psychological games, gaslighting, and an overall intense creepy vibe.

The ending is very unexpected with a twist that sincerely surprised me.

If you love psychological thrillers as much as I do, you need to read this book!

The author certainly grabbed my interest and made me a fan. I can't wait for her next book.

Thank you to Netgally and the publishers for allowing me to read the ARC.
All opinions are my own.

A great debut book. This was an exciting, thrilling adventure of a book! It was full of surprises, twist and turns. It was easy to read, and the pacing was good, as well. I will certainly be on the lookout for this author in the future. I recommend this book to reader who enjoy psychological thrillers.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free eARC of this book in exchange for a review.

I loved this book . It kept me gripped from start to finish and I read it in two sittings . I am a fan of psychological thrillers and this was the best I have read in good while . The characters were well developed and I was engrossed in the plot . I will definitely be recommending this to my book group and look forward to reading more books by the author

This was pretty fun, some giveaways but the author spun out the mystery well. Some decisions made by many of the characters are quite questionable but they do set up the story.
Lauren is running, not sure if from or towards, clearly needs a change. A cigarette smoking guy who lives in a hut with no visible means of support doesn't appear to be an optimal choice, and her isolation increases.
She is chasing his story, her friend's' story and change for herself.
Overall, the best part is the little girl.

Lauren meets Jay, who appears to be the perfect guy, at a music festival. As “fate” would have it he was there to see the band she was filling in and playing with. After spending the weekend together at the festival Jay asks Lauren to move in with him. Wanting to leave behind her old life and secrets, Lauren agrees. Everything is great until it isn’t. After starting renovations on the house Lauren begins finding things that make her question what secrets Jay is hiding. Why is he being so secretive? Why doesn’t he want to talk about his past? Lauren will soon learn the truth but will it be too late? This one was a wild ride! Right from the prologue I just needed to know what was happening! I definitely want to read more from Hayley Smith!

I was so excited to get this advanced copy thru NetGalley, the book sounds wonderful and "gripping" but i could not for the life of me get into this story. The characters felt distant, not very interesting either way, good or bad and i had no interest in waiting to figure out where the story was going. . Very slow start and middle so unfortunately i could not finish this book. Just not for me.