I love when Ruth Ware leans into her Agatha Christie influence. It felt like One by One (another one of my favorite of Ware's), but on a tropical island instead of a ski chalet. I thought it was especially smart to have influencer characters who have become such an easily recognizable trope. The social commentary that was spawned by having filling an island with these types was so timely and well-done. I felt like Lyla was relatable and she made a perfect moral compass for the story. Overall, this was a great suspenseful mystery, perfect for a snowy day inside this winter.

Ruth Ware is an auto buy author for me. I was very excited when I got approved for this ARC! It has all of the things that you would expect from one of her books, drama, tension, suspense…and murder of course!

It starts as a reality show set on an island, and couples are competing for a cash prize. Then a hurricane comes and it now becomes a game of survival.

Going into this book, I expected a big plot twist, but didn’t get that this time. I feel like all of the information was given early on and there wasn’t the fun guessing game that there usually is. With that being said, I still really enjoyed the book. Ruth will continue to be an auto buy author for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an entertaining read. I am guilty of loving trashy reality shows and it was entertaining reading about a reality show going very very wrong in “One Perfect Couple.” I loved the twists and turns and was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time. I am a huge Ruth Ware fan and I'm already looking forward to her next book.

I read One Perfect Couple in just a few days and I honestly don't know if I liked or hated it. The premise sounded so promising, but the characters were so deeply unlikable and there was so much unnecessary detail, that I felt like it fell flat for most of it.

The twists that occur towards the end of the novel were outrageous and so good. Once you get past the middle portion of the book and you start to understand what's going on...you'll be hooked. The twists, the reveal...they made the entire book worth every word. I saw part of the ending coming, but not all of it and it was truly mind blowing. It had me on the edge of my seat...for that alone, I think I can say I liked this book and recommend it to all my thriller fans.

I really enjoyed reading this novel! I am a reality show viewer, so reading about an extreme type of new show, is very plausible! It was an exciting book, with much suspense. The characters were interesting and described in a very vivid manner. The book kept my attention throughout, and I could not wait to see how things resolved and the outcome of the characters.

Oh man so I was trying to pick books by authors that I love so I could hopefully get a smidge closer to my end of year reading goal.
I had this ARC I never got around to due to a new job which required quite a lot of training. So I picked it up and got to reading.
If you like reality tv shows a la Survivor mixed with big brother then this will be a good read for you. For me…..it was just okay.
I have to say some of the characters made me want to shake them…..(Santana I’m looking at you with your insulin ma’am). I think most of us could see what was coming from a mile away but there is some comfort in that.
All in all just an okay read for me. 3.5/5 stars.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Thank you so much @ScoutPressBooks for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 21 May 2024)

SYNOPSIS | Five couples are stranded on a remote island in the Indian Ocean while filming a reality tv show called One Perfect Couple (similar to Love Island). As a result relationships crumble, chaos ensues where only the strongest survive.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the setup of the dating show was such a fun concept
- whilst there are multiple characters, there is only one singular POV to keep track of
- very much a popcorn thriller with action packed pacing
- the journal entries were a nice touch

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- the lead up to the ending and the ending itself (it sort of just fizzled out...)
- no major twisty twists

One Perfect Couple was a fast-paced and easy read with a great variety of characters. Lyla was one of my absolute favorites with the way she combined common sense and brilliance. She was a fighter who thought through each new circumstance she was presented with and considered all the possible outcomes. Connor's dictator qualities made him easily unlikeable. The more problems that unraveled, the more interesting the story became. It's not your typical thriller, but it's definitely filled with suspense.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

This is my first book by Ruth Ware, who I have heard good things about. I had also heard this is not her strongest book; however, I really enjoyed it. It’s not completely just one point of view but close. The added threat of nature also feels like a constant note and is done well.

I really enjoyed reading this Ruth Ware and kind of inhaled it once I started it. While reality TV is not my thing – I found the premise focusing on the reality TV show gone wrong to be very compelling. It reminded me a bit of Blair Braverman’s Small Game except none of these contestants had survival skills.
While the way the book ended up unwinding was maybe a bit predictable, the journey to how we got where it was going was fun, and there was enough uncertainty about relationships on the island to keep me guessing exactly how everything would unfold.

It’s been awhile since I read One Perfect Couple. I slacked on doing reviews, so it will not be a great review. I read all of Ruth Ware’s novels. Do I think they are 5 star books? No, but they are quite enjoyable to read. There are always unlikeable characters, a plot twist, and a mystery to be solved. This book was no different. If you enjoy reading this type of book, I recommend it.

3.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishing company for this ARC of this book.

ONE PERFECT COUPLE - RUTH WARE
4⭐
PLOT
Lyla's life is in a rut esp as her contract won't extend. Her boyfriend Nico gets an opportunity to join a new reality TV show One Perfect Couple but with her. A quick audition finds Lyla and Nico off to a tropical paradise somewhere in Indonesia where they have to compete with four other couples in order to win a cash prize. But no sooner they arrive things go horribly wrong when a massive storm changes the entire dynamics. Now the group has to band together inorder to survive before it's too late.
MY THOUGHTS
One perfect couple is a book featuring a cross between Survivor and Love Island. It's fast paced engaging locked room type mystery.
It was fun though dark to read about how they go about their survival testing patience and loyalties.
I dnt want to reveal too much about characters as it's really interesting to read about the multiple dynamics between them.
Since I haven't watched or read such a type of book in a while I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I didn't want to finish, but I couldn't put it down. The dark, twisty thriller we've come to expect. The ending was not what I had anticipated, but it was great all the same!

This book was written by one of my favorite authors and included one of my favorite tropes - a locked room mystery. So of course I was going to love it!

Five couples join a reality TV show, The Perfect Couple. Half of the participants aren't sure what they signed on for, since they are mostly there to support their acting/fame-seeking partners. But one thing is for sure - despite the producer's promises, this show will be as cutthroat as any other Survivor/Love Island-type show. Nico, who has talked his skeptical scientist girlfriend into coming along is the first contestant cut from the show. Despite her promise to leave before him, Lyla is already having second thoughts about this man who seems to not get her at all.

And then the storm hits.

When the untested infrastructure fails, it truly becomes a survivor experience for the remaining couples.

And then...they start dying. On...by...one. (pun intended, ifykyk)

The whole time I was reading this book I felt like this was a scenario that could happen in this age of fast production, quick-to-fame social media, and reality shows. Ware has a knack for making you feel as drenched from the rain, dehydrated from the sun, and itchy from the mosquitos as our poor protagonists are.

Ware remains on my list of auto-buy authors!

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advance reader's copy.

3.5 - Somehow I made it to 2024 without having read a Ruth Ware book?! I have been wanting to read one for awhile now and after meeting her back in 2023 I really was itching to read one. And finally the opportunity came!

I really loved the premise of this book and thought majority of the book was pretty good. I was engaged in the story and love the idea of a reality show being filmed and them being stuck on this island.

But what fell flat for me was leading up to the ending and then the end itself. I did this one primarily via audio but I felt myself having to revert to the physical book (which I kept at my side when I listened). I even looked at some reviews to see what I was missing or if others were left confused as well (some were).

I did love the idea of all the females banding together and them working together to survive. There was one death of a character that was kind of brushed over which I was surprised by only because they were featured so heavily and then it was just a sentence and that was it? I thought maybe we get into some of the grief

This book had a lot of themes that I loved: remote island/locked door, reality tv, couples, survival.

✨Book Review✨
One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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This book was a low four for me. I totally see why it wouldn't be for everyone. It's definitely not a typical thriller in the usual sense. In fact I don't think we even realize what is happening until around 70 percent. The main character was also pretty annoying. The reason it is getting four stars is that I really liked the atmosphere. The stranded on an island, reality tv vibes were strong and made me want to keep reading. It should probably be more like a 3.5, but I'm feeling the 4 right now for some reason.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a different book than the ones I’ve read lately, and I enjoyed the suspense and thriller aspect of it. The relationships and how they developed and changed was super interesting to see, and how people change in their fight for survival.

Thank you NetGalley for this galley!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware!

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of One Perfect Couple! Ruth Ware absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one. The suspense is off the charts—every chapter had me questioning who I could trust. The characters are layered and flawed in the best way, and the twists? Mind-blowing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, BAM, another curveball. Ware’s writing is so vivid that I felt like I was right there, unraveling the mystery. If you love a thriller that keeps you guessing till the very last page, don’t miss this one. Absolutely brilliant!

Full of twists and turns. How strong is your relationship? Once theirs was put to the test, questions were raised, and loyalties tested. Ruth Ware has done it again! It was a little slow to start but after a chapter in I was swept away!!