This is a fantastic psychological thriller from Lesley Sanderson! With a plot that is utterly dark, twisty and entertaining, it is well worth reading!

The plot is based around a group of cold water swimmers (a new first for me to instantly make this book stand out!). Alex and Felicity are at their wedding reception, about to delight and shock guests in equal measure by encouraging all to join them in a midnight swim. The swim ends in tragedy and the significance of this tragedy is explored in full horror with an earlier timeline that features Alex with his previous fiancé Beth, who tragically passes away. I won't say more for risk of providing spoilers, but `I will absolutely say this is a captivating read that passed all to quickly for me - as such it is easily a 5* read!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Dive off the deep end into this deliciously winding story about one man and the women he collects.
Alex is a scumbag and that is slowly revealed over the course of the book.
I thought swimming on the night of your wedding was odd until I understood the significance.
None of the main characters are what they seem and it takes most of the book to suss out why they acted the way they did.
I’d say everyone got what they deserved in the end.

Her Perfect Revenge is a twisty and turny rollercoaster of a story that had me hooked from the very beginning. I absolutely loved it and did not see the highly satisfying ending coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Her Perfect Revenge was a very enjoyable and twisty book to read! It was my first novel by Lesley Sanderson and it didn’t disappoint. I love that it is told from multiple perspectives as well as jumping from past to present. It really creates an entire picture for the reader. I thought it was very realistic in how they portrayed Alex through several viewpoints and how drastically different he is depending on who he is around. I did predict a few of the major twists in the story but it didn’t prevent me from enjoying the read. I had a tough time getting into the novel until about a quarter of the way in. The first chapter was a bit brutal with how much they mentioned swimming and the swimming group. It soon became clear why swimming was so important to the novel but it still felt very redundant in the beginning. Other than that, I really enjoyed the novel and would definitely recommend it!

Her Perfect Revenge mainly focuses on Felicity, the new wife and Alex, the husband. It begins with the newlywed couple deciding they are going to do a midnight swim (which I find a silly part for the story but to each their own) However, when Felicity comes back to shore with everyone else Alex is nowhere to be seen. Of course they find out he has drown but how he was an incredible swimmer, almost made it to the Olympics. Soon the police arrive and Felicity becomes their prime suspect. What is even more suspicious is that Alex's previous fiancée, Beth, had also drowned at the same beach years before.

This story was not too long so it was easy to get through. The beginning was a little bit boring for me. I enjoyed how the author told the storyline in the past and present so we got to learn a bit more about Beth and the dynamic of the whole group. I very much enjoyed having an Anonymous labeled chapters, it was interesting trying to figure out who that could be.

Thank you NetGalley!

Her Perfect Revenge was so good, it starts off in the present day, it is Felicity and Alex’s wedding day, they are celebrating with their friends and family at their reception and as they are avid swimmers Alex wants to do a midnight swim with them. Things go awry though when Alex doesn’t come back and is later washed up on the shore dead. His new wife Felicity is the main suspect.

The book is told in two different timelines, three years in the past and now, these are clearly marked at the top of the chapter so there is no confusion.

I devoured this book, it was fast-paced and I just couldn’t get enough, just when you think you know what happened you get a double whammy. I was shocked several times through the book as I just hadn’t guessed at all what was going to happen. I liked most of the characters although there were a couple of not very likeable ones which is expected in a psychological thriller. The plot was quite different and worked so well. It was just so good!

This is the third book I have read by Lesley Sanderson and I have loved them all.

A thriller about a newly-wed couple, an unsuspected death on their wedding day, and their complicated relationships with their friends. This book tells the story in an interesting way, through alternating chapters that take place in the past and present. Despite this, it took way too long for me to get into the book. The first half of the books drags on with unnecessary details and dialogue, which left me skipping pages here and there.

I also struggled to connect with the characters. They all felt hollow and I felt like I was reading a thriller based on a Lifetime Movie. There was a certain lack of depth in the characters. This led to complete boredom of the plot and I grew tired of the characters by the time it started to get intriguing.

Most of the time, I was thinking about other books that I wanted to read while I skimmed through chapters. As I said before, there are some decent twists and character developments further along in the book. It’s just a shame it took so long to get interesting. Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy so I can provide an honest review.

Her perfect Revenge
By: Lesley Sanderson
4 🌹 🌹🌹🌹

This authors alway delivers delicious novels. Fast paced and fun. Makes you wonder whom did what?
🌹
Imagine you get married to the man of your dreams and he is dead within hours. Alex is a fit man who swam all the time. As part of their reception they take a swim in the dark. He goes missing and you get safely ashore. Alex’s past leads to several suspects.
🌹
The next morning his body is found! This novel is absolutely delicious and full of twists which lead to an wild conclusion. I have read several of her books and can recommend all of them. This novel publishes today October 18. Thank you Bookouture for my advanced copy.

#herperfectrevenge, #lesleysanderson, #bookouture, #Happypubday, #bookreview, #booksconnectus, #Happypubday, #stamperlady50, #bookstagram

Felicity first met Alex when he introduced himself on the beach where Felicity was sunbathing. He was with his fiancee, Beth. Felicity and Alex both work at a local university as lecturers in the English department. All three of them enjoy swimming and meet often with a group of avid swimmers. But sadly, one day Beth drowns.

Sometime later, Felicity and Alex come together and end up getting engaged. On their wedding day on the beach, it is Alex’s idea to go for a midnight swim with the rest of their swim group. Besides being an excellent swimmer, Alex drowns. Felicity is heartbroken. She went from bride to widow in one day. Now, the police are questioning all of the guests to see if they can find any clues as to why Alex drowned.

This story goes from the past to the present and we see how Alex treats women and not in a nice way. Revenge is certainly something that many people want to see enacted on bad people and we see that happen in this novel. It’s a story of how women are taken in by a charismatic man but they learn what he is and take control of the situation. Well done. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ooooh this is a good creepy read about a couple on their wedding day. After a beautiful service and party with their loved ones a group of them have planned a night time swim in the sea at midnight. When the groom goes missing in the water it brings back memories of his first finance who drowned swimming and when a body is found questions start to be asked and no one seems to know the truth. Why is everyone keeping secrets? Great thriller and a perfect book to read on the beach.

Homegirl is marrying her dream man. A man who she worked for and initially met when he was taking a walk with his fiance Beth. Beth drowned so now these two are having a wedding. So sad.
Anyway, they decided to have a midnight swim at the wedding. yes, a man who lost his love to drowning has decided they will all swim in the sea at midnight when everyone is tired and people have been drinking.
So he drowns and ruins everyone's good time.
It interesting seeing the different perspectives of the dead husband. It is also interesting that the cops were so interested in this. I mean he swam away and drowned. It happens.
There is a ton of dialogue in this book and that just isn't my thing. Also I need to honest here - Alex is awful and I don't 'care who murdered him.
Ultimately this is a book about true friendship and I like that.

This is a great psychological thriller.
Everyone's celebrating Alex and Felicity's wedding and at the stroke of midnight, the bride and groom, and anyone who wishes to join them, take a midnight swim to mark the occasion.
When everyone has returned to the beach they soon realise Alex is missing.
When the Police arrive, questions are asked and it soon comes to light that his previous fiance Beth, swam in the same cove three years previously and was never seen again, fear drowned.
The story is told in the past and present, both five years previous and up to Beth's drowning, to the wedding day and beyond. There's also a few chapters by an anonymous source.
This is a great read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This mystery thriller took me a few days to get through, it was a slow burn for me that I was able to figure out fairly quick how it was going to end. I wouldn’t consider it a challenging read due to easily figuring out the twists. I enjoyed that there was a variety of “friends” that took on who could have been the “mysterious mistress”. I was hoping for more secrets and shock factor. I also enjoyed multiple viewpoints and also past and present viewpoints within the chapters, I thought that added to the story. If you like small town revenge stories you would like this book. Available for you on October 18, 2023.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow-I loved this book, such a riveting read. Very addictive. Recommended.

Her Perfect Revenge by Lesley Sanderson was another excellent book and this book was full of great twists and turns throughout that just had me gripped from the beginning till the end.
Sanderson has a way of bringing you into her books and they are just so addictive.
The characters were well-drawn with enough mystery and complexity to keep you guessing.
If you enjoy past and present POV's you’ll find this story totally enjoyable.
It was mysterious, suspenseful and wonderfully paced with so much unpredictability.
This is a book that you can read in one sitting and lose all track of time.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

First time I was reading a book from this author and I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
This is a fast paced thriller with a lot of twists by the sea.
On their wedding night, Alex and Felicity, avid swimmers, go for a night swim with the rest of the wedding guests. Only Felicity comes back.
Soon what was considered first as a tragic accident becomes a murder investigation and she becomes the main suspect.

Thank you Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Earlier this year, I read and enjoyed Lesley Sanderson's 2023 release, The Mistress Next Door, which prompted me to add a few of her previous books to my TBR. This week, I picked up Her Perfect Revenge, where a newly married woman's husband drowns, and soon, the police discover he was drugged. But readers watched the entire wedding scene and the group's midnight swimming excursion post nuptials. When was there time for someone to kill him? If you dislike swimming, or find it strange that a wedding party would feel the need to drink and then go swim, you're not alone. Unfortunately, the entire premise was a non-starter for me, so I struggled, I must admit. But it had a different tone that other books, and it was something new, so I finished it. Definitely a few mysterious moments. Some strange past and present jumps. And once you realize what's going on, things seem much easier to accept... but still... it has to be taken for measure in that at its core, it's a mystery drama where you don't question things. The last few pages, to me, just tied things together without offering a ton of new explanations where I craved a surprise twist. Overall, it was a good book but it felt a little too simple for me this time. I'll read another one in the coming months before deciding if the author is for me or not.

Cleverly written psychological thriller! There are twists and turns that keep you guessing all the way to the end. This is an intense read and so worth it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Her Perfect Revenge is a domestic thriller. The story is told from several points of view mostly Beth, Felicity, and an anonymous person.

Alex and Felicity have just married at the beach. Both are swimmers along with friends that enjoy it also. At midnight they plan to go for a night swim to end the reception. During the swim Alex disappears and isn't found until the next day.

As the investigation begins, we learn Alex had a fiancé that died in a similar manner several years earlier. It is revealed that Alex was murdered which shocks his family but not the people closest to him. Turns out that Alex was not a nice man. But who would have been angry enough to kill him.

This is an intriguing plot. Two drownings, a man who is not nice, a fiancé who was abused and a new wife that doesn't seem to be a perfect match for him. Lots of strings to pull as the story is told. It starts out innocently but turns dark as the truth is revealed.

★★★★ 4.5 stars

My husband is dead...and I'm the only suspect...

What a delightfully delicious psychological thriller Ms Sanderson has delivered us with. And the setting is superb. I love the beach, the water. So refreshing and invigorating. But this thriller is not quite what you expect it to be at first...

It's the perfect setting. A hotel whose doors open up onto a deck that give way to the sandy beach where a party is well underway celebrating Alex and Felicity's wedding. But this wedding comes with a difference. At the stroke of midnight, the bride and groom, and anyone who wishes to join them, are taking a midnight swim to mark this momententous occasion...and to exorcise a few demons for others.

As the guests shed their clothes, Alex and Felicity are the first to dive into the icy depths, the others following behind. But Alex, a born competitor, sees this swim as a challenge and swims further into the black water as Felicity, feeling the chill, promised herself only ten minutes before returning to shore. No one thinks anything of it...until a further ten, fifteen, twenty minutes go by and there's still no sign of Alex.

Frantic now, Felicity calls 999 and the police attend, along with the coastguard. And Alex still has not returned.

It isn't long before all the guests are questioned and a picture is formed. But then in follow-up interviews over the ensuing days, another picture is becoming clearer. Alex was engaged once before. And his fiance Beth swam in the same cove three years previously and was never seen again, fear drowned. Coincidence? But the police don't believe in coincidences and so they begin a thorough investigation questioning and re-questioning everyone again.

And it soon becomes clear that yet another picture was forming... But was it the truth? Or was it just what they were being lead to believe?

Even though I guessed one or two of the major plot twists almost from the start, it didn't ruin my enjoyment of this entertaining thriller. I read so many of them I tend to look where no one else does and expect what no one else does. The story unfolds in the past and present, both five years previous and up to Beth's drowning, to the wedding day and beyond. It does shift back and forth from time to time but only so as to drip feed us information at just the right time. And then we have a handful of chapters by an anonymous source. That one was a mystery but it wasn't too hard to narrow it down. The clues are all there for you to find.

The pace was steady throughout and the chapters short and snappy, which always keeps things moving along nicely. The ending was satisfactory with no loose ends though I would have liked maybe a final chapter from Alex as he took that last swim. I would have liked to peek inside his mind and what was going through it as he entered the water on that fateful night. Still, it the resolution was satisfactory and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A very different type of tale that was thoroughly entertaining.

I would like to thank #LesleySanderson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #HerPerfectRevenge in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.