I was lucky to be selected on netgalley to read One Perfect Couple before it is released and it delivered! I devoured this book, absolutely could not put it down! It takes place as a reality tv show (one perfect couple) on an island that is being constructed into a new resort. Once they make it to the island they think its going to be a few weeks of paradise. However, after the first day a huge storm hits devastating the contestants and the island. The contestants are then working for their survival and rescue from the island as they have no way to contact anyone. With dwindling supplies the tension only rises creating rifts in the group. The question is, who is going to make it out alive?

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but One Perfect Couple fell flat for me. Now, with that said, it’s clear that Ruth Ware is an auto-read author for me. Hell, an auto-buy author. I own all of her books and I’ve loved them all. I think of In A Dark, Dark Wood almost daily, because it was the first time I experience how talented Ruth Ware is at creating atmosphere in her books, and One Perfect Couple was no exception. The pace was fantastic, the tension thick, the premise anxiety inducing. The characters were worked out well in expert fashion, and I should hope so, because Ware is a thriller writing veteran. But I think the fault lies here with me. I don’t watch much reality TV - except for 90 Day Fiancé, ok lol - so the whole Love Island and Survivor craze has totally gone over my head. It isn’t something that interests me, and that translated to this book. I wanted to skim through it because stranded on a deserted island is not a trope I heavily enjoy. With all my criticism, I still think you should give One Perfect Couple a try when it’s published in May, especially if you loved Love Island! Ruth Ware is a talented writer who usually never fails to suck me into the deeply atmospheric worlds she cultivates. I will continue to happily display anything she writes, and that’s a promise.

Ruth Ware's new thriller is sure to be one of the hottest reads this coming summer! I gave this book 4/5 stars.

This new installment revolves around the filming of a Love Island like reality TV show. Our main character Lyla, a 3o something scientific academic, and her longtime boyfriend, Nico, an aspire actor, are given a once in a lifetime opportunity to be contestants on the newest reality dating show. This takes them to a remote island off the coast of Indonesia where things start to go south.

Ruth Ware is a mastermind when it comes to thriller novels. I always know when I am picking up one of her books I will end up binge reading until the very end. She draws you in with such real characters and relationships. This novel is reminiscent of the classic mysteries And Then There Were None and Lord of the Flies, while providing a modern twist.

This is was not my favorite of all of Wares thrillers, but did not disappoint in any way.

Thank you Netgalley and Scout Press for an Advanced Readers Copy!

Ruth Ware’s latest installment is sure to be on the top of everyone’s Summer TBR!
In One Perfect Couple, we meet Lyla, a 30 something post doc who’s found herself at a crossroad in both her scientific research on viruses as well as with her live-in boyfriend and aspiring actor, Nico. When Nico is handed a once in a lifetime opportunity to film a reality tv couples’ dating show off the coast of Indonesia, Lyla decides she has nothing to lose and joins him. What ensues turns out to be a whirlwind adventure that leaves Lyla fighting for her life…
This novel was nothing like what I expected. I assumed I would be getting Ruth’s rendition of a locked door island murder mystery, but it turned out to be much more than that. Her shift in POV’s and jumps in the timeline left me guessing the reliability of the narration, adding a level of tension that made me fly through the already fast paced plot. The in depth descriptions of the island and its effect on each of the characters really transported the reader into the scenery, giving a Lord of Flies feel that left me with a sense of dread as the tale unfolded. Ruth also did not shy away from discussing some hot topics as well, such as the exploitation of Reality TV cast members and the dangers of internet fame.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Scout Press for an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review!

Great twist on an Agatha Christie classic! Group of influencers get trapped on an island and are left to fend for themselves. Add a dash of Lord of the Flies and you have an updated thriller!

Oh goodness, I feel terrible saying this, but I did not enjoy this book at all. It took me forever to finish it and I wouldn’t say I ever truly got into it. I wasn’t invested in it and felt that the storyline was very far fetched.

I devoured this one. A perfect read. I loved the premise of the story. I loved the diverse and eventually strong women. An interesting take on our culture of reality shows and toxic masculinity.

WOW!!! As someone who loves Naked & Afraid, this was awesome. One Perfect Couple is basically the book version of that show without medics or producers. This was a wild ride. The antagonists in this book were truly infuriating and it was fun to root for the protagonists. Ruth Ware does a great job of rounding out these characters and making the reader feel true emotions towards them. The FMC was a little frustrating, I needed her to be a little more cut throat, but I think she was purposely a bit of a drag at times so it wasn't an all out slaughter fest, figuratively and literally.

I still can't get over how much I loved this novel. I couldn't put it down. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC!

Love Island mixed with Lord of the Flies; obsessed with the plot; great writing and characters; tons of tension; was hooked the entire time and never wanted to stop reading; amazing twists that kept me guessing and not knowing who to trust; was so sad when it was over but it was a perfect ending.

This is one of those books I wish I could read for the first time again. Different from a classic Ruth Ware murder mystery and I stan. Between this book and Zero Days, I'm so excited about the different approach this author has been taking & I can't wait for more!

Special thank you to Gallery Books/Scout Press and Netgalley for a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am not a night owl, but I stayed up till one in the morning finishing this book. It’s like if love Island turned into Lord of the Flies after one day. Ruth Ware is always amazing, but the tension in this one was off the charts.

There’s a large cast of characters which can be hard to keep track of at times, so I recommend paying close attention to when the characters are first introduced, because it will enhance the enjoyment of your reading.

Fantastic survival story. Highly recommend.

(Please note trigger warning for domestic violence and abuse)

I really liked this book, it was hard to get into at first but then it picked up pretty fast. It was definitely edge of seat wondering what was going happen - I’m happy with the way it ended - perfect vacation beach thriller read!

You can't go wrong with Ruth Ware for a good thriller. I screamed when I saw I'd been approved for this. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me an advanced reading copy! This may have taken the cake for the best Ruth Ware book I've read! 10/10 perfect!! Definitely read this and you will not be disappointed! The next Netflix hit movie!

Another great book by Ruth Ware. She does not disappoint with this thriller. She has such a gripping writing style that you just want to keep reading.

For me, Ruth ware tends to always do an elevated version of common tropes. The reality tv show/ resort gone wrong is no exception. I thought this was really good, but just with there was some variety for mystery/thrillers right now

Ruth Ware and I have a tricky history. I’m hot and cold with her books - some have been 2 ⭐️ and others 4 or 5 ⭐️- but I’ve read everything she’s written and she will always be an auto buy author for me.

Her latest offering One Perfect Couple is capitalizing on themes I’ve seen become popular over the last 6-12 months in a thriller.

1. A reality tv show gone terribly wrong - often purposefully by some mastermind that just wants to fuck with the contestants who are not randomly selected at all or by someone in the mix who has ulterior motives and a score to settle

2. An incredibly remote island resort that isn’t quite fully complete/baked out/built that is most definitely not equipped to handle long term visitors and inevitably has its infrastructure collapse losing all transport, communication and sustenance/water

She does it better than a lot of the other versions I’ve read in the last year. I didn’t spend the whole book pissed off at stupid characters or cursing the author for an obsession with Xanax. I was invested, engaged and tore through it in one day. There were situations and problems that characters faced that were realistic and relatable. Some were definitely hyperbolic but overall I couldn’t put this book down and cheered for my favorite characters to survive.

Five couples going to an island for a reality t.v. show, when a dangerous storm hits turning it into more of a “Survivor “ situation, which quickly turns to “Lord of the Flies.” It was quick, easy read. It kept me interested throughout and definitely had a little twist, although not 100% believable in my opinion.


My thanks to NetGalley, author Ruth Ware, and publisher Gallery Books | Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with a complimentary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

There were things I loved about this book and things I found lacking. The beginning was a tad hard for me to get into (could just be a me thing). But once it picked up…. OH MAN! I was hooked. I found myself feeling completely anxious while reading and whenever I had to put it down it’s all I thought about. What a storyline. I didn’t think the ending was shocking or had a crazy twist, however, it made perfect sense and gave the readers a sense of closure. Would definitely recommend but couldn’t give it a full 5 star rating.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book..

The best way that I can describe this novel is — reality TV meets the Hunger Games. It’s a good guy vs bad guy kind of read.

There was not much to the plot. I was expecting a thriller, edge of my seat, nail biting experience. This novel was entertaining but not one that I’d broadcast out as a must read.

This book left me thirsty…… it for more pages but for actual water. If you read it, you’ll get it.

Ruth Ware is just honestly an auto buy/read author for me at this point. It shouldn't come as a surprise this is another hit. I honestly really love the fact that I thought I had stuff solved one way...and I was right but there was that twist. And of course, I kept making second guesses.

I enjoyed the way it ended quite a bit.

I'll have to say this one did have my anxiety raised a bit as soon as that storm hit. It just all went wild.

“One Perfect Couple” by Ruth Ware is a high-stakes thriller of a mystery set on a desert island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I found it well-written and absorbing with lots of suspense.

Lyla is a London scientist whose latest experiment has not worked out—unfortunate, since her job depends on it and since she is supporting her live-in boyfriend, Nico, an actor who rarely gets work. But then Nico’s agent puts both of them up for a new Reality TV game show on an island far off the coast of Indonesia. A new resort is just being built there and the owners are lending it to the producers. To Lyla, the project seems completely “not her thing,” if not a bit dodgy. But Nico begs her to say yes. He just knows this is the chance he’s been waiting for to make it big. How can she refuse him?

They, the other cast members, and the producers and crew travel from Jakarta to the island by yacht. Filming and the contest begin. A contestant is eliminated and sent back to the yacht to be returned to Jakarta, along with the rest of the crew who will return in the morning to continue filming. That night, a hurricane hits the island and causes death and massive damage. The yacht never returns. No one answers the survivors’ calls for help via a radio with a rapidly dwindling battery. And then the murders begin.

Ruth Ware has given us an intriguing plot. Even though readers will recognize elements from Reality TV series such as “Survivor” and “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette,” and fiction such as “Lost” and “Lord of the Flies,” the story nevertheless has a good deal of originality. The characters are interesting. The major players are well-drawn and we care about what happens to them. The setting, as well as the challenges the characters face, are well imagined and described.

A solid four-star mystery/thriller.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Ruth Ware, and publisher Gallery Books | Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with a complimentary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.