Disappointed by the latest from Ruth Ware... I found myself just not caring about any particular characters which really killed the suspense. Without anyone to really root for I found myself losing interest and felt like a slog to get through. I felt some of the explanations to be far fetched and unbelievable. Perhaps the reality television focus was just off putting for me personally, each of the characters were insufferable in their own way at least. Overall not my favorite.

I am a fan of Ruth Ware’s books, but this was not a favorite. One problem was that I found it difficult to keep the large cast of characters straight. And while I realize that it was necessary to pick the characters off one by one, I felt that the pacing dragged in the middle of the book. I did appreciate the references to Lord of the Flies - how could the author avoid it?? Having Angel light a copy of The Woman in Cabin 10 to signal a passing ship was a perfect touch. If readers are expecting a big twist at the end, this book does not deliver.

This is a fun spin on the classic locked room thriller - toss a bunch of reality show competitors on an island, strand them, and then someone starts killing people off. I love unreliable narrators and playing the whodunnit game so I really enjoyed that aspect of this story. The second half of the book really picks up and was a lot of fun. The beginning dragged a tad for me during the setup but it all ties in pretty well as the story continues. This is a great summery thriller. I think fans of Agatha Christie style books will love it.

If you've watched the show Lost - it's like a mini version of that. Minus the paranormal parts. Watching people fight over water and hide resources can only be entertaining for so long- so maybe another twist or two in the middle would help keep readers engaged. It did feel a little bit long in parts.

Disappointed by Ruth Ware lately as an author. Yes, she rights a food and suspenseful book. Yes, sometimes she has some good characters, but some are also very unlikable and cringey, it is part of being a good author. My experience reading her last few books have been the same due to predictable plots/reveals and lackluster endings.

It took awhile for me to read this one because I was reading better books and I read this one in stages. Underwhelmed, yet again.

Cannot recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley, Ruth Ware and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

already available

Ooooh this was so good!!! Truly could not put it down and was reading a page here or a paragraph there whenever I could get a spare moment to myself.

I wish we spent less time in England at the beginning - that much lead up wasn’t necessary and made it a slower start than it needed to be. Then once we arrive on the island, I wish there had been a little more show content (because it was really fun, like reading a guilty pleasure reality tv show!). Everything that happened afterward was appropriately paced to me.

The content was frustrating at times, but very easy to see how each situation could’ve arisen. The characters handle their circumstances with less bumbling and idiocy than other books with characters in a locked-room “thriller” type book, which I appreciated.

Things wrapped up pretty cleanly and while it wasn’t necessarily a happy ending, it felt mostly satisfying.

4.5 rounded up!

As the couple added to a reality show, Lyla and Nico end up on an island paradise with four other couples. However, this is not your usual survivor wannabe. Here they encounter storms from the ocean and within the group. You will be on the edge of your seat to see how and how the lucky one are who survive.

Thank you to NetGalley for the book! I thought it started off a little slow, but it ended up being a wild ride in the last 60% of the book.

My only qualm, which was rectified later in the book, is that Nico and Lyla would never even be friends in real life, let alone bf/gf. Lyla seemed lonely and kind of sad in the beginning.

Ruth Ware is one of my favorite thriller authors, so it kills me to say that this one didn’t work for me. By all accounts it should have. I love locked room/stranded/deserted thrillers, I love reality tv, and I love tropical locations in books. Unfortunately, despite it having all my favorite things I didn’t care for this one and here’s why. First, it’s SLOW. We get to know the characters prior to their trip to the Ever After Island in the Indian Ocean, which was fine, then we learn what is expected of them for the reality portion of the show (again, fine) then a storm hits. What happens next should have been tense and suspenseful because suddenly these people are stranded on an island with limited food and water, no communication to the outside world aside from pone radio device, and then eventually a killer. I wasn’t nervous for them (maybe a little thirsty) but not nervous. I never had a foreboding feeling that the killer was going to kill off anyone because it’s barely talked about in the book (small mentions YES but nothing big to where we should feel scared for these characters). And finally, we basically know who the killer is from the start. It’s extremely obvious from the get-go who it is making the mystery portion extremely lacking. The ending was too easy as well. Had it picked up in intensity I think I would have enjoyed it more.

Despite my feelings on this book, I’ll continue to read Ruth Ware because I love her books and she’s one of my favorites. But this one won’t go down for being a top read of the year.

𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Thrillers
❥ Stranded/Deserted Thrillers
❥ Tropical Locations

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐

One Perfect Couple has allowed me to understand something about my reading style: I think Ruth Ware is a good author whose stories I don’t connect with. The overall story is fine but I never connected with any characters or the plot and this has been the case with her other books.

Trigger Warning: murder, graphic death, strong language, infidelity

If you love reality shows such as Love Island and Survivor, this book is for you! A deserted island, a reality TV show, a diabetic, a murderer, and a large cash prize combine to create an engaging, fast-paced novel. One hot mess after another, where everything that can go wrong does. Distinct characters, and some you love to hate, pull readers in. There's so much drama that you don't want to put the book down until you see who, if anyone, will survive.

Most of the characters are very unlikable, which makes it a bit difficult to get in to at first, but I enjoyed reading the strong female characters and seeing their growth. Also, there wasn’t really any big twist, the plot was a bit foreshadowed and predictable. Overall, a decent fast paced summer setting thriller, but not my favorite Ruth Ware book that I’ve read.

Ruth Ware is one of my favorites. This was a fun read. I love the idea of how uncomfortable that reality show could have been. Then it took a turn and became a book about survival. I wasn’t sure how it was going to end but I knew who I didn’t want to end up in top. I always enjoy Ware’s books and look forward to the next one. This is recommended to mystery readers.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Ruth Ware for allowing me to review this page turning thriller. I loved this book so much. I am a sucker for anything reality tv and it’s even better when the contestants go missing one by one. While those aspects are part of the book it quickly shifts to more of a survival on a deserted island with strangers type of a thriller. I loved the shift in the storyline just as much. The diary entries were so interesting and kept me guessing the entire time. I stayed up late to finish this book! I just couldn’t put it down. I adore Ruth Ware and can’t wait to read what she writes next. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers.

Ruth Ware is a a really good mystery and suspense writer. This new title is set in an reality show paradise where 5 couples are vyig for the title of The Perfect Couple. Contestants have various reasons for wanting to compete-most looking for publicity to further their entertainment career. A storm interferes with the competition which quickly turns to survival. Reminescent of Christie's THEN THERE WERE NONE, I hadd to set that aside as I read.

3.5 stars rounded down

This story was crazy. Lyla agrees to go on a new reality tv show, despite reservations, at the urging of her boyfriend. He believes this is his moment to get famous, so they make a plan that will best put him in the spotlight. From the start, she doesn't get a good vibe from production. Once filming starts it only gets worse, a freak storm cuts off their connection to the mainland and claims the lives of some of the cast members. Things only go from bad to worse, and they soon realize that something very sinister is at play and there is a killer amongst them. The story is told from multiple points of view, and catalogs their fight for survival. Secrets and twists abound.

This was prolly my favorite Ruth Ware book yet. It was a page turner. Lots of characters and not the easiest to keep track of them all but the main ones stick through and keep the ball rolling. I appreciated every bit of the wrap ups and felt pretty fulfilled by the end of the book. Was super excited to read this book and it was a well worth the wait pick!

Not her best work. Story line seemed pretty out there. Reactions of characters weren’t very believable.

Ruth Ware has the ability to grab me from the beginning and keep me hooked until the last page. Her writing style is top notch. I love the array of characters and this read like a movie playing out in my head. I was anxiously waiting for whatever was going to happen next.

This book started out so interesting! I was intrigued with the whole set up...filming a couples reality show on a remote island...a storm comes and causes them to be stranded with no communication..and then people start dying one by one. I'm always game for a good stuck on a deserted island with a killer story! So I was ready to dive with my popcorn and eat this one up.

But then it just fizzled out in the last third of the book. So many of these modern thrillers have a wild crazy twist at the end, and I appreciated that this story was not super twisty. But at the same time, there was also no mystery or suspense or intrigue as the story progressed. It really dragged at the end as the author tried to explain the story and make all the ends meet.

It started with promise but ended up being not my favorite.

Ruth Ware's One Perfect Couple throws you right onto Ever After Island, where couples are chasing fame and fortune on a reality TV show in the middle of the gorgeous Indian Ocean. It starts off feeling like a mashup of Survivor and Love Island, but things take a serious turn when a nasty storm hits, stranding everyone and kicking off some seriously unsettling stuff.

The book dives deep into survival, lies, and how people crack under pressure. It starts with all the drama you'd expect from a reality show, but then it gets into the heads of the contestants. Ware digs into their secrets and struggles, showing us what really makes them tick and how they handle tough situations.

Unlike your typical mystery, One Perfect Couple isn't about whodunit but more about the messed-up dynamics between the characters. They're stuck dealing with not just each other but also the dangerous aftermath of the storm. Even though it's not a twisty mystery, Ware's storytelling keeps you hooked. It's all about how people act when pushed to their limits, and it makes for a gripping read that's more about human nature than solving a crime.