Thanks to #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an #ARC of #ThePerfectParents.
TW:suicide
Every family has their secrets, what are the secrets that caused the Hemsworth parents to jump into a fast flowing freezing river? That's what Flo, Ezra and Jess are trying to figure out.
This book made it easy to read 'just one more chapter'. I wanted to find out what happened so much I had to force myself to slow down and reread parts due to speed reading, I wanted desperately to find out all the twists immediately.
Good tense book with a twist and turn in every chapter. Some predictable and others completely out of nowhere.
I would definitely recommend a read.

A tense and thrilling story that keeps you guessing until the shocking end. Great, really enjoyed it!

This was a really enthralling psychological thriller read and I devoured it pretty fast.
It's packed with action and lots of twists and turns all throughout the book.
I was pulled into this story from the ominous first chapter right up to the end. Just when I thought it was all wrapped up, another shocking revelation was brought to light.
Told from multiple POVs and different timelines the story unfolds in a masterful way that will captivate readers and leave you incapable of putting it down.
Complete with interesting characters, gossiping neighbours, deep dark family secrets and a creepy old mansion you won't regret giving this one a try.
A special thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and J.A Baker for my eARC of this book
All opinions are 100% my own and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

The community was envious of the Arnett House, they had a large estate, staff, a happy family. However on the inside it was full of secrets, lies and cover ups. When the children return to their home to clean up their parent's mess, weird encounters keep happening, where did these girls go? Whose related who? So many twists and turns throughout the entire read. Was shocked by the ending!

I found this book to be repetitive, and not in a necessary way. I also felt that the writing in this book was very juvenile. I struggled to make it through this book to be honest.
Thank.yoi to the publisher and netgalley me the opportunity to read this book for an honest opinion.

After a slow start this book grew on me. I nearly gave up early on but was glad I persevered. While I guessed a few of the twists there were a few surprises.

the parents jump into the river , because of a sucide pact. the children are left to deal with the aftermath. it is a little slow but overall good.

I enjoyed this book and the characters. However, I felt like I was waiting for something to happen. I was very disappointed by the ending and thought that i may have missed a few pages. Overall, I think it had a lot of potential .

Easy read, nice to get into but I just think it was predictable. I liked it but wish there was more to it. Felt like it just got straight to the point.

Jackson and Lydia Hemsworth are pillars of the community, feted for having the perfect marriage and three wonderful children - Florence, Jessica, and Ezra. But appearances can be deceptive, Because behind closed doors, Jackson Hemsworth rules his family with cruelty and control. His marriage is a sham, his children for years have cowed in fear. Until the day that Jackson and Lydia throw themselves off Newport Bridge in a joint suicide pact - the final cruel blow by Jackson to control hos wife and torture his adult children.

We all know that appearances can be deceptive and in this book Jackson Hemsworth has pulled the wool over everyone he knows eyes. Jackson treats his family badly at home. But while they are outside, he is the pillar of the community. His wife and family fear for their lives when Jackson is around.

Years later, Jackson and Lydia jump Newport Bridge. After their deaths, the family had a lot of secrets to deal with. My intrigue was piqued whilst reading this book. The characters are flawed but relatable. There were parts that were quite predictable, but that took nothing away from my enjoyment of the story. The pace is slightly on the slow side. This is a multi=layered story that slowly peels at the layers until we get to the truth.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #JABaker for my ARC of #ThePerfectParents in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this story, but felt that the book itself was a little slow. It centers on a family that are considered pillars of the community, when the parents act upon a suicide pact. When their 3 grown children have to work through the aftermath of this, secrets come out and it's very clear that their parents were not the personas they showed publicly.

The book starts off great, with the parents on the bridge and getting ready to jump. It was wrought with tension (which continued in the flashback chapters later). However, once we started reading from the points of view of the children they left behind, I felt that the narrative was somewhat repetitive and centered heavily on the characters' inner thoughts. The twists were really good, and some of them truly surprising, but I felt that they got lost a bit in the internally focused narrative. I thought the end of the book was well done.

Overall, there was a ton of promise in this story but it overall didn't hold my interest throughout. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much!

Meet Jackson and Lydia Hemsworth, the darlings of their community, praised for their ideal marriage and three picture-perfect kids. But as we peel back the layers, we find a household ruled by cruelty and control. Think you know what's going on? Think again! The real shocker comes when Jackson and Lydia take a nosedive off Newport Bridge in a joint suicide pact, leaving their adult children to grapple with the aftermath.

The Hemsworth siblings return to their family home, ready to unravel the mystery behind their parents' last act. But, oh boy, Armett House isn't just a residence; it's a treasure trove of dark secrets, and the townsfolk suddenly turning hostile is just the tip of the iceberg. Cue the dramatic entrance of unannounced strangers and the missing mother's body – because, let's face it, this family drama is like a soap opera on steroids.

As the siblings dig into the chaos left behind, it becomes clear that the so-called "perfect parents" weren't as flawless as the town believed. Baker expertly weaves a tale that keeps you guessing until the very end. Why the hostility? Who are these mysterious strangers? And what on earth is up with the missing mother? The answers are juicier than the town gossip and as unexpected as a surprise birthday party.

"The Perfect Parents" is an absolute page-turner that takes a sledgehammer to the idea of perfection. J A Baker crafts a narrative that's equal parts thrilling and fun, making this book an irresistible blend of family drama and mystery. So, grab your detective hat and your favorite snacks – you're in for one heck of a ride!

The very epitome of page-turner with a chilling storyline that grips from the first and kept me guessing right up to the heart-racing denouement STUNNER ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fantastically dark family thriller where secrets are unpeeled like layers of an onion. The characters are developed beautifully, complex, and contradictory to create an engrossing read, you can sense their stuntedness due to their horrific upbringing and isolation. It's a slow burner but deeply sad and will stay with you long after you've finished it.

Husband and wife Lydia and Jackson jump into a river as part of a suicide pact and their children return to their ancestral home to deal with the formalities of death. However, it soon becomes clear that their childhood home has secrets that it cannot let lie, with devastating consequences.

While there were parts of this book that seemed far-fetched to say the least, the engaging plot and sense of atmosphere made up for them. This is a really engaging, immersive psychological thriller that is definitely worth a read.

When their parents appear to have committed suicide together, Flo, Ezra and Jessica find that Armett House, their childhood home, is full of secrets and lies.

With locals gossiping about their parents and the siblings needing to clear the house, each has their own reasons for not wanting to be there and wishing they were back in their own homes.

The longer they stay at the house, the more the secrets start to unravel. Why would their parents commit suicide? Where are the missing young ladies who worked at Armett House.

A great story that has you peeling away at the layers to get to the truth of Armett House.

It is a slow burner, but this helps as it ensures you don’t miss out on any of the secrets and lies that do get exposed.

It is quite a sad story as well and I did feel for the siblings.

This is yet another well written tale from the author.

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Struggled with this one. Didn’t really connect with the characters and found it a bit slow. Not for me this one . Sorry

Book Title: The Perfect Parents
Author: J.A. Barker
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Family Drama
Pub Date: February 26, 2024
My Rating: 2.4 Stars
Pages: 293

Jackson and Lydia Hemsworth are pillars of the community, they have the perfect marriage are perfect parents to three wonderful children – Florence, Jessica and Ezra. However, now they are carrying out a suicide pact by jumping off the Newport Bridge. Needless to say, they are not as perfect as everyone was lead to believe.
Now Florence, Jessica, and Ezra, have the task of emptying the massive Arnett house where they all lived.
Jackson the father was a very mean man who constantly ridiculed and punished the children until they moved out.

J. A, Baker is a new author for me. Although this wasn’t an enjoyable read for me; I will give her another try – every once in a while the first impression is not the best nor the most accurate- so I believe worthy of another try.

Want to thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 26, 2024

In "The Perfect Parents," J.A. Baker weaves this awesome family mystery that digs into the hidden stuff lurking behind the perfect Hemsworth family facade. Get ready for a wild ride of emotions as you uncover the truth about the Hemsworth parents' tragic joint suicide and the messy secrets their kids have to deal with.
The characters in "The Perfect Parents" are pretty real and relatable because, you know, they've got their fair share of flaws and complications. The Hemsworth siblings really steal the show, diving deep into their own mess while trying to wrap their heads around what their folks did. Watching them figure themselves out and go through the healing process adds a whole bunch of layers to the story, making it feel real and meaningful.

This is my first book by this author and was excited to read it as I’ve heard lots of good things.
I enjoyed the book and thought the pacing and development of the plot was great.
I didn’t quite engage with the characters or setting, but that’s likely just a personal thing.
It’s a good read and one that I’d recommend to anyone who likes this author or genre.