Pretty quickly you get an idea of what will ultimately happen. There were several good “unknowns” that needed to be answered throughout the book, which kept the interest peaked. Overall it was a quick and easy read.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book summary made this book seem completely different from how it is. I was expecting a girl to be dating a guy and changing everything about herself to stay with this guy so her past doesn't come back to haunt her and then this new guy is also up to no good. The book does have some similar elements to what I thought it was going to be but I can't really decide which I would have rather read.

It took me a little while to get into this book but I was very invested until what you could consider the first plot twist. Once I was fully invested I did really enjoy what I was reading.

3.5 stars rounded down

Lauren is "The Perfect Girlfriend" appears to be deeply devoted to her boyfriend, Jay, and is determined to maintain the illusion of being his perfect match. She relishes the idea of their idyllic life together in a secluded house near a deep forest, far away from the prying eyes of the outside world. Her willingness to go to great lengths to please Jay, including managing their finances and time, portrays a sense of control and possessiveness in their relationship.

Lauren's willingness to overlook Jay's mysterious disappearances during the night and his return with a tense and glittery-eyed demeanour raises questions about his true nature and their relationship. It becomes evident that she has secrets of her own and is driven to keep them hidden from Jay, adding suspense to the story. Readers are left wondering what these secrets are and how they might jeopardize the facade of the perfect relationship she has constructed.

The writing style where Lauren narrates the story provides an intimate look into her thoughts and emotions. However, her unreliable narration hints at a deeper complexity, leaving readers unsure of her true intentions and motives. As the story unfolds, the tension and uncertainty surrounding the protagonist's character and the nature of her relationship with Jay intensify, drawing readers further into the intriguing and unsettling narrative.

The Perfect Girlfriend promises to be a thrilling and psychological exploration of love, deception, and the lengths people will go to maintain their carefully crafted image. It appears to be a captivating read for fans of psychological thrillers and dark romances, as it challenges the conventional notions of love and perfection while delving into the darker aspects of human relationships.

Very middle of the road for me. It’s hard to enjoy their relationship because he is so controlling and she just allows it and allows herself to be a dour at because she’s afraid of her secret getting out. Her secret that she’s not as perfect as she’s made herself out to be.

I smile at my boyfriend as I set the table ready for the delicious dinner that’s bubbling on the stove. I know I’m everything to him. I’ve made absolutely sure I’m his perfect match, in every way…

I won’t question him, I can’t challenge him. I need our relationship to work. Because I have secrets too . Jay thinks he knows me, but he doesn’t have a clue.

All I have to do is play my part, and pray he never discovers just how far from perfect I really am…

Every time I thought I had this book figured out something happened that had me going in a different direction! Definitely a page-turner for me. I do think it could have been a bit shorter but overall this kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend if you are looking for a thriller you can"t wait to get back to!

Today I'm sharing my thoughts about The Perfect Girlfriend as part of the book tour hosted by Bookouture. Thanks for my spot on the tour, and for the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that The Perfect Girlfriend is the author's debut novel. It read like the work of a seasoned author. The short chapters made the read easier and the relentless pace compelled me to keep reading. It's one of those "Just one more chapter" books that you simply can't put down.

The author's skill at descriptive writing made it very easy to visualise the locations and events which is something I always look for in a good book. The plot did keep me guessing although I think I had it worked out at around the halfway point, but that still didn't reduce the impact of the reveal.

I kind of liked Lauren but occasionally felt frustrated by the choices she made. She meets Jay and between them they have enough skeletons in their closets to occupy a small cemetery. As the story takes a darker turn the growing isolation Lauren feels is amplified by the coercive relationship with Jay. Both characters were credible, three dimensional, and very well written.

Overall, I think this is a brilliant debut read which I am happy to recommend to all readers of psychological thrillers and anyone looking for a compelling read. I gave The Perfect Girlfriend, by Hayley Smith, five well earned stars. I will keep an eye out for her next novel.

You never know when or where Cupid will hit you with his arrow. It could be across the office, on the dance floor, or in Lauren’s case, in a field at a music festival. A weekend with Jay and she’s ready to move in with him… and she does, but was it the right step to take in their fledgling relationship?!?

Lauren I thought I knew, a messed up woman in a whirlwind romance but as I got to know her more, my first impressions were questionable. She became more and more unreliable but she also gave off the aura of something else which I didn’t know what to make of.

I didn’t know what to think of Jay. He was an odd one. He seemed so doting of Lauren but then he’d almost flick an internal switch to be someone else. And his choice of friends, I just don’t know!

The Perfect Girlfriend is a very impressive debut! Smith has written a darn good thriller that made me question the characters I was embroiled with and what had happened in the past. She kept me on tenterhooks as to how this relationship between Lauren and Jay would end. This woman is someone to watch!

A great debut novel with tons of twists and turns. It sucked me in from the first page and kept me up way to late to finish. Easy to read, captivating characters, and a heart pounding plot. Must read!

This book wowed me. I thought that the book was going to go in one direction, but it went in a different direction all together – only, you don’t realize the direction it’s taking until later in the book, which gave it a huge WTH moment! Beyond that, there were reveals that I didn’t see coming. This book also felt refreshing. We all know that there are only so many tropes, but it’s how an author goes about handling those tropes that makes the difference. (I can’t say more than that without giving anything away). I really enjoyed Lauren and I was rooting for her the while time. Smith did a great job of making me hate Jay and be suspicious of his friends. If you’re looking for a fast paced, refreshing thriller, then you need to check this book out.

What a wild ride this book was. The characters were always keeping you guessing. The woman was a little crazy but absolutely.made the story interesting. Would highly recommend

This #psychologicalthriller is full of so many twists that kept me wondering who to trust. Lauren thinks she’s found a happily ever after but soon discovers lots of secrets and they just continue until the twisty end! Excellent!

Thank you, @, @Bookouture, & @netgalley for my copy! All opinions are my own.

THE PERFECT GIRLFRIEND is fast-paced but for me took a while to get into. The bones for this story are good, but I think it could have benefited from a little streamlining and moving the plot up a bit. I hoped to really like this one, but unfortunately it was just not for me.

Up front there are a lot of "red flags" for each character that felt like they prevented me from really investing in or caring for them. Even though Lauren's motives are alluded to for wanting to stay with Jay, I felt they weren't good enough to deal with a lot of what she did. And I was made to question what kind of family/friends were in her life that they all let her just up and move to a remote cabin with a guy she just met.

This novel will undoubtedly be on the book club best sellers list.
I love a good psych thriller and this does not disappoint. There’s a twist reveal about 1/2 way in and I did not expect it. I’m very good at guessing these and I was taken by complete surprise. No details as I don’t want to spoil.
Great pace, intriguing writing, super storyline. The ending is satisfying and not abrupt like some are.
I would highly recommend this novel.

"𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒎."

Lauren meets Jay at a music festival and they hit it off instantly. Lauren sees this new relationship as a way to move away from her past and start afresh. She immediately moves into his cottage, off grid with no internet or phone coverage and surrounded by a thick forest. But why???

The Perfect Girlfriend was a fast paced psychological thriller with a deliciously creepy vibe and full of secrets and manipulation. I was intrigued and confused with everything that was going on but as the narrative moved forward all the pieces fit together and everything fell into place by the end.

A well plotted mystery, gripping and addictive with clever twists and turns. The setting of an isolated cottage made me feel claustrophobic and built up the tension perfectly. Overall, a thoroughly entertaining thriller and an impressive debut.

Thank you @bookouture for having me on the #booksontour and @netgalley for a digital ARC to read and review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the access to this ARC. This is a great thriller! What an amazing debut novel by Hayley Smith. I very much enjoyed this book. It kept me hooked and guessing all the way through. I couldn't figure out what was going to happen at all. I felt like you really got to know the characters which lead to me wanting to read on even more. Very very good thriller book! Would recommend

Perfect Girlfriend

I wanted to like this book, and I did like some parts, but overall, the book felt confused.

What I liked:

This goes in both columns: like and not: but this book read like a HGTV segment. So. Much. Home. Improvement.

You could almost forget you’re reading a “thriller” because of the focus on the house.

If you like that kind of show, it still appeals, and I do.

What I didn’t like:

You could vibe with the MFC, but she also came across as incredibly naive, frustrating, and misguided.

If her goal was her goal, she wouldn’t have made the moves she made. Or have been willing to abandon the goal if she actually had it. It was a little maddening in that regard.

And twists? None that I felt.

It is an atmospheric read, though.

3.3, so ultimately? A 3.

This book kind of gave a hippie feeling throughout the book.

Lauren meets Jay at a music festival and it was a passionate love affair at the first sight. Lauren moves in to live with Jay and as soon as she moved in, Jay started the things that Lauren owned to get money. Lauren finds out about a girl named Ruth who was Jay's ex-girlfriend. But Lauren wants to know what really happened to her friend Nell who also happened to know Jay.

This was kind of slow paced but nonetheless it was actually a good story. It has sort of a creepy feeling, like a serial-killer vibe in it, although there is no serial killers in the book. There were some twists and turns but towards the middle and towards the end is where the story started getting juicier and more interesting that I couldn't wait to see what is going to happen in the end. Jay has gorgeous green eyes while Lauren has luscious black hair--description that seem to embed the reader. The ending was unexpected so overall, I actually enjoyed reading this book. I cannot believe that this was the author's debut book and cannot wait to read more of her books! Overall, this book worth five stars!

Many thanks to Bookouture for making me a part of this blog tour. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

The Perfect Girlfriend by Hayley Smith

Published: July 20, 2023
Bookouture
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Pages: 332
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Hayley Smith is married with three children and lives in Derbyshire, UK. She has worked as a graphic designer, youth worker and musician, and has been involved for many years in organising music festivals and gigs. Having a penchant for all things alternative, she often dips into the counter-culture scene for writing inspiration, producing quirky rough-edged characters and dark, unpredictable twists, turns and moral dilemmas.

“They are hiding something from me and I won’t be satisfied until I find out what it is.”

Lauren is looking to start over. To leave all of the grief and heartache behind her. And when she sees a handsome stranger at a music festival, she knows she has found her chance. Jay is attractive and kind and brings Lauren home to his secluded cottage. There, they start slowly renovating things, and Lauren learns to be self-sufficient. And then the secrets start coming out.

The way this story is written and the way things unravel is so clever. The twists were beautifully executed. For a debut thriller, this one stands on its own.

I loved the originality of the plot, and I loved the complicated simplicity of the storyline. I liked Lauren. She was searching for something, and she found it. Jay was a complex character, and I spent more time disliking him than liking him.

The way the story goes full circle was so well choreographed. The details matter so much, and it was fascinating to have everything come together.

I am looking forward to reading more of Hayley Smith’s work. I think she has a long career ahead of her!

Happy Publication Date 7:20:23. Thanks Netgalley, Bookouture publication and author for sharing the ARC.
Lauren is making sure she’s the perfect boyfriend for Jay, keeping his house immaculate, cooking delicious dinners , supporting him in his decisions to live organic life , deep in the forest secluded , no internet , no phones & all of these within a short time of meeting each other at a folk concert since music bound them! She’s happy that he’s looking after her even though it feels like he pretty much dictates and controls her life . It’s his way of keeping her safe , away from harsh world , she won’t question or challenge him . She’s desperate to hold on to him and make the relationship work because she’s got secrets to hide too and if he gets to know them , she’s in big trouble !
Have you ever read a book that has super high ratings but you cannot fathom why it’s highly acclaimed? Makes you keep thinking what is it that you are missing while reading it ? Because it’s a super weird story that’s not making any sense and seems like potpourri of several domestic & psychological thrillers all mixed up , a main character that keeps contracting herself every other sentence and if not for the fact that this was an ARC you would have DNF’d the book ? Well this is that for me .
I have nothing positive to say about this book and I will not be recommending it either .
It’s a 1.5 ⭐️ read for me .

HAPPY PUB DAY to this wonderful book!!!

4.00⭐️ | 📖 The Perfect Girlfriend by: Hayley Smith | 📅 Pub Day: Thursday July 20, 2023

A claustrophobic psychological thriller involving the whirlwind romance of Jay and Lauren. What starts out as harmless fun at a music festival turns sinister as everything Lauren thinks she knows is flipped on its side. I mean what could go wrong with moving in with some one you just met that has no internet, no phone signal, and no houses near!!

This is one book I will not soon forget because the author did a wonderful job creating the most claustrophobic atmosphere that made this book thrilling and such a fast read!!!!

Thank you to @netgalley @bookouture and @hayleysmithwriter for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!