This was a fun read full of suspense!! I really enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it to my friends 🧡

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Forget about sleep when you pick up Julia Crouch’s The Perfect Date because once you start reading it, putting it down is simply not an option.

After the end of her last relationship, Caz never imagined that she would ever fall in love again – until she met Harry and she found herself believing that he could provide her with the second chance she had long given up on. Charming, handsome and a perfect gentleman, Caz really believed that she could have a future with Harry. However, all of her hopes and dreams for the future were dashed the next morning after their date when her her rescue dog starts barking and as she gets closer she sees something that stops her in her tracks: Harry’s cold dead body!

Caz is shocked to her core – especially as this is not the first time that this has happened to her. Prior to Harry, Caz had also dated another man who had turned up dead. Is it an unfortunate coincidence? Or could it be something far more sinister and deadlier? Caz knows that she cannot tell the police about this – or she would be their number one suspect. But she needs answers and she will do whatever it takes to get them – because if she does not uncover this tangled web of secrets and deception, it will be her life on the line.

Julia Crouch knocks it out of the park yet again with her latest thriller, The Perfect Date. Unsettling, unpredictable and packed with jaw-dropping twists and turns, this tense chiller kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and I was hooked until the final shocking revelation.

Julia Crouch is a fantastic writer who always delivers first-rate page-turners and she has penned another winner with her latest novel, The Perfect Date.

A Heart-Stopping, Addictive Thriller – 5 Stars

The Perfect Date by Julia Crouch is an absolute rollercoaster of suspense, and I was hooked from the very first page. This psychological thriller is one of those books that you start reading and simply can’t put down – every twist and turn kept me on the edge of my seat, desperate to know what would happen next.

The story follows the main character, who has the misfortune of finding Harry, a man she’s recently started dating, dead on a sunny walk with her rescue dog. What seems like the worst thing to ever happen to her becomes even more chilling when she realises that her previous two boyfriends are also dead. As the body count rises, she becomes the prime suspect, caught in a web of confusion and fear. Is she being targeted by a killer? Or is she somehow to blame?

The pacing of this book is impeccable. Julia Crouch does a brilliant job of building tension, making every page feel like it’s leading up to something sinister. The psychological aspects are so well-crafted that I found myself questioning everything along with the protagonist. Could she be losing her mind, or is there something much darker going on? I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of empathy for her confusion and dread about what might happen next.

The writing is sharp and gripping, with vivid descriptions that made every scene feel real and immediate. The twists are expertly executed, keeping me guessing until the very end. The character development was also fantastic; I could really feel the protagonist’s anxiety and her growing sense of desperation to solve the mystery before it’s too late.

What I particularly enjoyed was how the book kept me second-guessing everything. Just when I thought I had figured things out, another twist would emerge, forcing me to rethink my assumptions. It was one of those books where you’re left breathless, gasping in surprise as the final, heart-stopping twist reveals itself.

The Perfect Date is a brilliantly executed thriller that kept me gripped from start to finish. It’s dark, twisty, and impossible to predict – a must-read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller. Julia Crouch has crafted a truly addictive story that will have you questioning everything. I highly recommend it to fans of authors like Lisa Jewell, Paula Hawkins, and Gillian Flynn. A definite five-star read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Perfect Date by Julie Crouch in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Great book with lots of twists and turns that completely threw me off what I thought was going on. I loved it and have recommended this to all my friends and family. Do yourself a favor and read it the first chance you get.

This was a fast paced thriller that kept me mildly interested. Secrets, lies and betrayal seem to follow Caz around. This was a decent thriller with some predictable plot points.

Really enjoyed this one. It's quite fasted paced and never lets up much. Quite twisty too. I did guess some of the twists before they were revealed but that didn't mean I was disappointed. Looking forward to reading more from the author.

This was quiet the thriller and started off strong and interesting but in the middle started to drag and I sort of lost interest unfortunately. I do always recommend the thrillers I read to people though because we all have different tastes!

It is a fantastic story, exhilarating plot, well developed characters, and a well executed shocking ending. I read in one day, unputdownable and very addictive. Recommend to every thriller reader.

I waited to read this one for Valentine’s Day but there was definitely no lovey dovey stuff in this one! A good read, I rated this 3/5 stars and am glad to have read it so thank you NetGalley for this! I didn’t see the twists that were coming even though I had a general idea. I'm a big animal person so it was nice to read a book that had animals play a part in it, I love me some doggies <3

I really struggled to connect with the characters in this one. It heavily influenced my rating. What I did like was the mention of a dog in the book. It was just a bit too predictable for me.

It was an ok story. There were a lot of things that were unnecessary. Unfortunately the ending was predictable so not much of a plot twist. I liked Caz though, very lovely! Also Joey was amazing! I could recommend this book to someone that’s getting into psychological thrillers!

"The Perfect Date" by Julia Crouch provided an okay reading experience, delivering a psychological thriller with a mix of compelling and lackluster elements. The story's premise holds promise, revolving around the complexities of online dating and hidden secrets. However, the execution occasionally falters, with the plot twists feeling somewhat forced and predictable. Crouch's writing is competent, but the characters lack the depth needed to truly engage the reader. While the novel maintains a decent level of suspense, it doesn't quite reach the heights of a gripping psychological thriller, resulting in an okay but forgettable addition to the genre.

I was really intrigued by the description of this one and it had me hooked until about halfway through when I started to lose a little interest. It just felt like things were not moving along in the plot and I was having a hard time connecting to any of the characters. The ending was okay but didn't shock me all that much. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Caz appears to be a magnet for death and misfortune. Instead of finding love from a dating app, she finds death. One time is unlucky, but what about when it happens a second time? Secrets, lies, and betrayal prove to be a deadly and dangerous combination. This is a fast-paced, entertaining thriller that kept me interested and intrigued. Although some of the plot points were slightly predictable, I was always engaged and invested in the satisfying conclusion. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy.

Very interesting read! I really enjoyed the beginning, but I felt there were a few times during the middle where it dragged and I found myself ready for the end. I think this was mainly because the main character seemed so ditzy. The ending it picked up again, and it made up some for the slow middle. I will be reading more from this author!

I was hopeful this was going to be a good story based on the title and description but quickly the feeling started to fade as everything was far fetched (dog pun) and I was ultimately struggling to get through it. I would not recommend this to anyone.

I love Julia Crouch's novels and could not wait to read The Perfect Date.

We meet Caz, who is a dog-walker, she has recently moved back home after being arrested for a man's death after having been on a date with, she was the police's main target. But the charges have been dropped and she is ready to start afresh somewhere else and try and leave the past behind.

Unfortunately, this happens again and Caz realises that someone is framing her or trying to get their revenge. The novel held my attention and I really enjoyed the characters in The Perfect Date.

Julia Crouch really knows how to tell a story and find her stories interesting and holds my attention.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a mixed bag for me! Having read some of the more unfavourable reviews, my expectations were a bit lower than before.
I was pleasantly surprised - I found it easy to read, very funny at times, and for the most part I found it a 5 star read!
The only things that dropped out a star at the following!
Joe is a dog - he isn’t lassie - he hasn’t got the intuition to place his paw on caz’s hand to stop her walking into danger.
And secondly it was so far fetched the murdered “dates” may as well have been murdered by aliens!! I found myself shaking my head in disbelief at the end! That being said, it didn’t detract from what was a bloody good read!!

This book started off so interesting. Caroline (Caz), who is a dog walker finds the gruesome dead body of a guy who she was recently seeing. She had met him on a dating app called See Me. But this was not the first dead body that she has found of a person who she was romantically involved with. Was this a coincidence?

Although the beginning of the story was a banger, the rest of the book dragged on too long, and had too many characters. It took me a long time to finish the book because Caz was so unlikable and extremely slow to connect the dots. However, I did enjoy the plot twists because I absolutely did not see them coming. Great job with that!

Overall, the book was a 3 star read for me. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for The Perfect Date.

The Perfect Date
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Julia Crouch

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Bookouture and Bookouture Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: I thought I’d found the one… But then I found him dead.

The last time I saw Harry, he was smiling at me over a candlelit table. It felt like I’d known him forever. I sipped my wine, and let myself hope for a second perfect date.

But this morning, out on a bright sunny walk, my rescue dog starts barking. I follow to see what he’s found. That’s when I see Harry’s body. His handsome face is cold and still. I back away, trembling.

It should be the worst thing that has ever happened to me. But it’s happened to me before.

The last two men I dated are dead.

I can’t tell the police I knew them both. I’d be their number one suspect.

But I need answers. Am I going mad, or is this my fault? And if I don’t find out who is doing this, will I be next?

My Thoughts: This was a captivating and compelling psychological thriller. This is the first time that I have read a book by Julia Crouch and it will not be my last. Crouch held my interest and weaved an unpredictable thrilling experience. At its most simplistic form, this was a whodunit. However, there were unpredictable twists and turns and I was questioning every character and their motive. This book was so much fun and I devoured in a matter of days (audiobook). Caz (Caroline) is a dog walker, takes care of her mother, and her last two dates were murdered. Her dog, Joe, has an excellant nose for finding dead bodies. Caz does not believe that the two incidents were connected. Since she is the connection for these two murders, will she be a suspect? Or were these men murdered to get to her?

The story is narrated by Caz, an unreliable narrator, in her POV. There are a lot of characters and it takes a bit to make all of the connections and understand the path of the characters. However, once it clicks, it clicks. Caz has been through a lot recently, including being detained as a suspect in Ash’s death. She has made some questionable decisions and her behavior is eccentric. The characters were fleshed out well with depth, they were mysterious, and creatively placed throughout the story. The author’s writing style was complex, twisty, unpredictable, and really well written. The story starts out as a slow burn to build up the characters, lay the foundation, and set the tone. Then the plot is delivered in twisty layers, pulling the whodunit in different directions. Then an explosive secret is laid out and the story is wrapped up in an ending that I did not see coming. Very well written story. Personally, I think Joe (the dog) really steals the show.

I had the pleasure of having the digital and audiobook (ARC) of this story. The narrator was amazing in this audiobook. She had great voice distinction, with amazing voice pitch and really brought life to the characters. She really nailed the fear behind Caz. She really kept me invested in this story. This story was dark, compelling, captivating, twisty, and really kept me guessing. I had every character nailed as a suspect at one time or another. Probably one of the most unpredictable books that I have read this year. If you love dogs, you will love this story! I highly recommend that you go pick this up today.