This was sadly not my favorite. It had all the elements of a story I should love- reality TV, game show competition, suspense and survival… but the marketing is really off here.

Advertised as a “And Then There Were None”-esque thriller with a game show backdrop, it really is more of a survival story, reminiscent of Lord of the Flies.
The pace was VERY slow, and though over time the characters developed into distinct narrative personalities, for at least the first 1/2 I couldn’t tell anyone apart beyond the MC.

I didn’t dislike it enough to DNF, and the ending was okay, but overall it was just too slow for me. It also wrapped everything up in like the last 5 pages, which felt crazy rushed after 100 pages of finding coconuts for water.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this one. I went into this one somewhat blind, I didn't read the blurb, I just saw Ruth Ware's name and was instantly sold. The plot is an interesting one and the twists begin immediately. Lyla is a likeable character as are many of the other reality show "contestants." Throughout the book, I wasn't sure who the good guys were and who the bad guys were. While I did enjoy the story, it's not my favorite of Ruth Ware's books.

3/5 ⭐️

From the synopsis, I was hooked. I thought this book was going to be an amazing, suspenseful book regarding an island where there was a murder/more of a survivor story. However, when they got to the island, what I thought was going to happen simply did not. Every time I thought "this would be a great twist!", the plot did nothing. It was very lackluster. There was so much promise!

I really wish there was a big twist at the ending, or something to make the book feel more redeeming. The book felt like is just simply... ended. Everything that was supposed to be the suspense in the book was so spelled out that it was not a surprise. There was no mystery, no thrill! The premise of the book was good, and the writing was good, which was the other redeeming factor and the only reason I rated higher than a 2 star.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Let me preface this by saying that I am cognizant of the fact that I'm absolutely in the minority on this one. I just....didn't like this. From the description, and having read Ruth Ware before, I anticipated that this would be both a survival story and a locked-room (locked island? lol) mystery. I mean the synopsis literally contains this line: "This...thriller follows five couples trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them".

What this story ended up being was mostly a survival thriller with an extremely surface level plot (and I would argue little-to-no mystery, and very lackluster survival moments--they never seemed too in peril from the lack of food and water, that was just background to the eh plot).
Also, in the beginning of the story they mention one major clue (That Baz and Connor are intertwined because Connor dated his niece "or something". If that plot point didn't end up being relevant, it would have been weird to throw in, and Ruth Ware has written enough books where I would be shocked if she connected two of the characters and then it amounted to nothing. So that was an immediate giveaway for what was most likely going to take place. But still, I had hoped for more twists and turns and intrigue.
Every death that occurred was immediately solved/immediately explained. The "culprit" was known from about the 35% mark, and then the rest of the story was the characters surviving mildly, and people dying off. Also, Nico (MCs shitty boyfriend) is voted out literally immediately, lol, and then just ultimately dies off-screen on a boat during the big storm that hits the island, which was...a choice.

One other random gripe I had was that I was weirdly irritated by Lyla's strange middle-of-the-road stance on whether or not to kill Connor. She, multiple times, is like "he's going to kill us all" and Connor literally killed Bayer in front of all of them and yet she is like omg we can't possibly kill him first.

I don't know, this was just not at all what I was expecting. Every "twist and turn" was so spelled out for the reader--there's even a portion at the very end where the characters are just re-explaining the gist of why the culprit was the culprit (this information could have been woven into the actual narrative and plot of the story, but instead it's just sort of spelled out for the last few pages).

Was this horrible? No. Was this as good at the synopsis made it out to be? Also no.

Another creepy and engrossing book by Ruth Ware. I always expect a book I can't put down and this one doe not disappoint.
A couple go to an off the radar island for what they think is a reality tv show.
Things go sour very quickly. Then they get worse.
A tad Lord of the Flies and a ticking clock for survival.

Enjoy. I sure did.

Book Title: The Perfect Couples
Author: Ruth Ware
Publisher: Gallery Books-Gallery Scout Press
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: May 21, 2024
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 400

Story starts in London in dreary late January with Lyla Santiago a scientist with a PhD and Nicholas Rice aka Nico Reece an actor working making ends meets by working as a barista’; Nico sees an opportunity to bring attention to his acting ability that also includes Lyla. Plus promises a lush tropical paradise with palm trees, coconuts, and lovely little villas where the contestants will stay.
A ‘Couples’ reality show’ at a new resort on a remote island in the Indian Ocean; where five couple will complete challenges to find the “One Perfect Couple!
The five couple are:
Nico (28) – Lyla (32);
Conor (31) - Zana (22);
Bayer (28) - Angel (28);
Dan (25) – Santana (25) and
Joel (33) - Romi (31).
However a storm has the couples facing dangers from both the island and each other.

It is me or does this sound very similar to other stories of getting stuck or left on a deserted island?
However this is a story by storyteller Ruth Ware – so it is going to be different ~ Right?

This is my ninth novel by author:, Ruth Ware. She is an author who is either hot or cold for me. There are stories I just love but then there are stories that were okay...
I especially liked " The Turn of the Key", ""The Death of Mrs. Westaway" and "The It Girl" which were all HITS with me!

Truth be told~ I am as much of a fan of reality shows as I am of excessive f-bombs – in other words – Not!
I knew going into this that it was a reality show on an island but expected more from Ms. Ware’s creative mind!

I started out liking Lyla but the characters turned out to be annoying, immature and unlikeable- which sometimes makes for an interesting story- not so much in this case.
.
Want to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books –Gallery Scout Press for granted me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 21, 2024..

So I've discovered something about myself. I like the "And Then There Were None" trope. You know, the go somewhere deserted and then people start dying. But why? And are they connected? Why this group of people?

Well I am all for a book that is this storyline set across the backdrop of a reality TV show that feels part Survivor, part Love in the Wild, part Love Island. I immediately liked Lyla, a struggling scientist whose actor wannabe boyfriend, Nico, practically drags her onto One Perfect Couple. It's an up and coming TV show on an up and coming network but as Lyla (and the reader) quickly figured out, there was a lot the producers weren't being on the up and up about.

And then things start going wrong. Not the least of which is a monster storm that injures some, kills others, and makes everyone stranded. When reduced to needing basic needs, man's true carnal nature comes out. As Lyla quickly finds out and witnesses.

This book does touch on domestic violence so readers should be made aware of that. However, it is a crucial part to the end storyline that left me pleased. I know a lot of readers are going to enjoy this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4! If Love Island and Lord of the Flies had a baby--this one was a page turner! With no access to their devices or the outside world, five couples head to a remote island to compete in a reality TV dating show for an undisclosed prize. But things aren't what they seem...

Our protagonist, Lyla, is not typical reality TV contestant. She is a scientist, feeling down on her luck recently with work AND her love life at home with boyfriend Nico. When Nico, an aspiring actor, begs her to join him for this chance of a lifetime on a reality dating show, she gives in. What does she have to lose??

When a violent storm leaves the cast stranded without contact with the crew, the couples have to figure out how to survive more than just silly reality show challenges and petty fights.

While I was excited to pick this book up at any given opportunity, I found myself wanting more from the ending. It fell a little flat for me, and I was expecting more of a twist from Ware.

Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review!

I love Ruth Ware, and this was no exception. I wasn't a huge fan of last year's release so I was concerned for this year's, but this one blew last year's out of the water! Twisty, vibrant and full of secrets, this one really kept me guessing until the very end.

I feel like One Perfect Couple is different than Ruth Ware's other books (I've read all of them). The plot is an interesting one and the twists begin immediately. Lyla is a likeable character as are many of the other reality show "contestants." Throughout the book, I wasn't sure who the good guys were and who the bad guys were. There are twists and relationships that reveal themselves throughout. I think that it ended in the only way that it could - and it was a great ending!

Ruth Ware's books are hit and miss for me. I have love a few of them, but One Perfect Couple was not one I enjoyed. It was a fast moving easy to read book. This topic, surviving in a reality show setting, is a popular one in fiction these days, and other books have been more enjoyable for me. I didn't really connect with any of the characters or buy their motivation, including the way it (sort of) came together in the end. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This pains me to write because I love Ruth Ware but this story did not work for me. It seems far fetched, unbelievable, it doesn’t make any sense. The characters are unlikeable and underdeveloped. This has no similarities to And Then There Were None. If anything it’s more like Lord of the Flies but not nearly as good. The characters are supposed to be filming a reality tv couples show but that only happens for a few pages before a storm hits and the book becomes more about surviving. The story just wasn’t good. So disappointed. Not for me

I have a love-hate relationship with Ruth Ware's books. While the premise of her latest book was intriguing, I found it to be a mixed bag.I liked the idea of a reality dating show with an And Then There Were None twist, which was reminiscent of a mashup between The Bachelor, Big Brother, and Lord Of The Flies. The plot moved faster than her other books, but some parts were slow, especially after the storm hit the island. I was hoping for a high-stakes survival thriller story, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The large cast of characters made it difficult to differentiate them and figure out who was dating whom. However, I appreciated the different perspectives that complemented each other, including Lyla's first-person narrative, Zana's journal entries, and the mayday calls. The ending was satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Gallery Bokjs for the copy of the book.

I'm always so excited when I get to read a new Ruth Ware book! Her books are always unputdownable, and this one was no exception!

I will say that the format of this one is less "thriller" or "mystery" and more just "intense". You feel like you're on an episode of survivor, just trying to get through another day. I found myself quenched for thirst just reading about their water rations 😅 The author did a really good job of making me feel like I was there with all of the characters. The setting was perfect and the way she described the setting was even better!

Overall, I'm glad I read this one and would definitely recommend me the read!

Ruth Ware does not disappoint with this amazing book. I am tired of reading books with unlikeable character so it was refreshing that this one had me invested in the main character from the beginning! She is likable, relatable and funny. I felt like a teen again watching the horror movie yelling for the girl to run away! Sooooooo good!

I enjoyed the plot, the building tension, and the bond between the women. I’ve enjoyed all of Ruth Ware’s books - this one was great! It wasn’t my favorite of hers, but I liked the overall concept and the writing and character development was wonderful as always.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Ruth Ware's newest thriller, One Perfect Couple. Her novels are always compulsively readable and this twisted take on reality television gone wrong doesn't disappoint.

Nico and Lyla are chosen to participate in a couples-based reality show set on a beautiful, remote island. Although Lyla is hesitant to leave her job as a scientist, she agrees because she knows how important it is to her aspiring actor boyfriend. When a storm ravages the island almost immediately after they arrive, the five couples are faced with life threatening challenges that not everyone can survive.

As tensions rise and truths about the contestants are revealed, winning becomes irrelevant and survival becomes the only goal.

I couldn't put the book down! A few couples link up at unknown island with the opportunity to film a reality dating show. They are all desperate to take advantage of becoming "well known". Slowly, this start to become less than desirable and the dating show becomes a survival show real quick. In Ruth Ware fashion, she creates complex characters and depth quickly leading to a thriller.

Ruth Ware does it again!

As a fan of Ware's previous work, I went into this with high expectations and - needless to say - she delivered! I read this book in one afternoon/evening. If you're familiar with Ware's other work, this book is similar to One by One in its structure but I found myself really captivated by the unique location and a well fleshed out cast of characters.

Great suspense, immersive storytelling, and strong pacing. Highly recommend this one!

A couple agrees to be part of a reality show filmed on a gorgeous island, what could go wrong?

Lyla and Nico agree to be part of a series of couples filmed on a remote island to win a big prize that could help both of them in their careers. Once aboard a boat that takes them to the island, they meet the other couples and are informed that they must give up all electronics and that they agreed to be filmed at all times.

A day later, a huge tropical storm decimates the island, leaving the contestants to fend for themselves. Before long, teams and sides are created and people start dying.

Reminiscent of One by One, another isolated survivalist story.