Ruth Ware's "One Perfect Couple" lures you in with the fun, glamorous world of reality TV but quickly evolves into a nerve-wracking survival thriller. The story centers on Lyla, a woman whose life is teetering on the edge of collapse—her research career is floundering, her relationship with her actor boyfriend Nico is strained, and her future feels uncertain. When Nico gets the chance to audition for a reality show called "The Perfect Couple", Lyla decides to join him, hoping for a distraction or maybe even a fresh start.

The couple is whisked off to Ever After Island, a secluded paradise in the Indian Ocean, along with four other couples, all competing for a life-changing cash prize. At first, it’s all fun and games, with typical reality TV drama and tension playing out as expected. But when a violent storm cuts the contestants off from the mainland, the stakes shift dramatically. It’s no longer just about winning money—their very survival is on the line as the challenges turn deadly, forcing them to navigate an increasingly dangerous game.

The island setting is immersive, with its tropical beauty masking the lurking dangers beneath the surface, and Ware's ability to ramp up the tension is impressive. The characters, though sometimes fitting reality show stereotypes, are distinct enough to keep track of, and the story remains a fast-paced, page-turning ride throughout. There are plenty of twists and turns, with red herrings sprinkled in to keep you guessing. The novel deftly blends reality TV drama with thriller elements, delivering a blend of psychological suspense and tragic, heart-pounding moments.

If you're a fan of thrillers with a "Lord of the Flies" twist, or if you've ever been captivated by the spectacle of reality TV, "One Perfect Couple" delivers a thrilling, entertaining read that keeps you hooked until the final page. A special thank you to Gallery Books for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy for review!

I may be in the minority but I found this book to be a really fun ride. Reality show plot, isolated setting, people dying one by one, uhh yes please! Were there some flaws in the facts and plot, yes, but I go into books to have fun and enjoy the story and this delivers on both accounts.. In a nutshell, this is a quick paced survival story set on a deserted island with quite a few unlikeable characters. Lyla is our main character, a scientist who goes a on a reality dating show when everything goes wrong. If you want perfect scientific facts or a realistic story, do not read this. It is a far-fetched thriller, but again fun and a quick read. It was a solid 4 stars until the end which dropped it to a 3.5, ut still recommend.

The island setting and the reality show trope make for a wonderful match in the newest thriller by Ruth Ware.
This book was a page turner - Ruth Ware never disappoints.

Page turner!! It is an interesting take on the whole (like) love island-style realty tv series. Mostly.
Single gal signs up with her boyfriend (they do live together and she has doubts about her boyfriend's ability to be a good partner...he is fairly immature) to join as a couple for a reality tv series on a glorious island. They could win a lot of money. Her boyfriend could get his big break. She is uncertain...but, he pleads his case and she agrees, a little reluctantly.

On the island, serenity is hard to find with a killer on the loose; Relationships unravel—disaster after disaster. Fear sets in. Big storm. Fear sets in., Will they be rescued before the next victim falls. Who is the killer? Why? Who will survive? Grab this thriller from Ruth Ware to find out for yourself.

Many thanks to Ruth Ware, the publishers, and Netgalley for an ARC to read for review. 4 stars!

I think this was my favorite Ruth Ware book to date! A mix of Survivor and Bachelor plus a lot of bad decisions led to a very engrossing thriller! Kept me on the edge of my seat, for sure!

This was an entertaining read. Good suspense and loved the female bonding. Read it in one sitting and enough of a thriller to transport my mind away from problem, which is what a thriller should do.

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

After realizing that her research contract will not be reup, Lyla agrees to join a reality dating show with her boyfriend. But upon arriving on the island, things begin to get heated between all the couples. Then a storm moves in and they are cut off from the outside world.

There were some twists and turns that I really enjoyed in this story but the ending fell a bit flat for me.

I felt the ending could’ve had a little more but like always, I loved this Ruth Ware book! Felt very Love Island meets horror, perfect for the summer.

Wonderful thriller again by Ware! She is a go to writer if you love thrillers. I will recommend this to all I know looking for a great thriller.

Ruth Ware never misses. This drew me in right away with a unique premise and POV. The whole plot was gripping and nearly unputdownable.

3.5 stars. This has more of a survivalist focus rather than the kind of thriller she generally produces. Didn't have any serious 'twists' just an aggressive antagonist that was pretty easy to clock early on in the book.

Ruth Ware has done it again! This was such a fun summer thriller, perfect for fans of Survivor and Love Island. I flew through it -- if you're looking for something light and fast-paced, I'd highly recommend ONE PERFECT COUPLE!

In Ruth Ware's latest thriller, Lyla's post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, One Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself heading off to a tropical paradise with Nico. They are boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone upset, an overnight storm makes things worse. The group is cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, they have no phones, and no contact with the crew, the group must try to survive. The situation takes on a deadly twist with every new revelation. I loved the twists and turns and Ruth Ware's books just get better and better.

This book was a ripoff of love island, survivor and the lord of flies. There were so many characters and all of them were the same. There were parts that didn’t even make any sense. It was atrocious.

One Perfect Couple 🏝️☀️🌊🐚🛳️👩🏼‍❤️‍👨🏽💉
by Ruth Ware
4.8/5 ⭐️

First, my heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, Ruth Ware, and the publisher for gifting me an ARC of this title.

I read the ARC and listened to the audiobook for One Perfect Couple, both of which kept me hooked the whole way through. The audiobook is narrated by Imogen Church, who is a joy to listen to. Even when I was physically reading I could still hear her voice narrating.

This is about a group of couples who end up stranded on an island as part of a dating show. Everything you think this book will be about? Forget it. It was SO much better than I could have ever imagined. I’ve picked up Ware’s titles here and there, but man am I glad I didn’t let this one pass me by. If you’ve never read a book of hers before, grab this one to start! This is truly one of the best summer reads I’ve consumed so far. I stayed up until 2 AM last night to finish it, and I haven’t done that in a long time. 😳

I was rooting for Lyla the entire way through and the entire cast of characters, from Conor to Santana, were a joy to experience. Tuck this into your lake/beach/vacation bag and buckle in for a ride!! 🚢

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
Narrator: Imogen Church
Rating: 3 stars
Pub date: 5/20

Thank you so much to Gallery Books for my advanced copy and to Simon Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

"One Perfect Couple" is a fast-paced, high-tension thriller that combines reality TV drama with life-or-death stakes. The story centers around Lyla, a scientist in a rut, and her aspiring actor boyfriend Nico, who join a reality show called The Perfect Couple. The tropical Ever After Island seems idyllic, but after a storm leaves them isolated, contestants start ending up dead.

This author excels at creating a suspenseful atmosphere, with the island’s isolation ramping up the tension among the five couples. The "And Then There Were None" trope kept me engaged, though the final reveal is somewhat predictable and disappointing.

I went back and forth between my ecopy and the audiobook, and the narrator did an incredible job bringing all the characters to life. She made distinctive differences to her voice for each character, which was easy to follow.

After seeing so many great reviews, I desperately wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. It’s over the top, and you have to suspend your disbelief immediately. If you can do that, you’ll be able to enjoy this as a fun beach read.

Another great book from Ware! All of her books are absolute page turners, and this is no exception. While this one falls more into the thriller rather than mystery category I still really enjoyed it! Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This fast paced summer read grabbed my attention right from the start! I loved how it was broken down into 3 parts and kept me at the wedge of my seat the entire time! Definitely recommend!

I am a huge Ruth Ware fan and I am always excited to read her new releases, so when I was approved for this ARC I was over the moon. While I did enjoy this book, it was not my favorite Ruth Ware book so far.

I loved the premise of reality TV cast members being stuck on an island together and everything going terribly wrong. There was some very good misdirection throughout the book, however it reached a point where it felt like there was only one reasonable answer to everything. While I appreciate that the book did not go into the territory of unbelievable, I would have liked to have still been guessing at the end rather than just seeing how a few loose ends were tied up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.