I came to this book THRILLED to have another Rebecca Hanover book in my hands. Unfortunately, I just really didn't care for it. While her last book felt well thought out and layered and oh so interesting, this felt like a quick write-up that was stereotypical of the genre. Emily, the main character, was just completely unlikable, which is a term I hate using for female characters, but in this case is absolutely true. She just didn't make any sense, constantly changing her mind and giving in to what was so obviously manipulative behavior. With no redeeming qualities, I just didn't care about her and didn't want to even finish the book past about the 10% point. I will certainly give this author another try, but this book didn't do it for me.

⭐⭐⭐✨
CW: Cancer, Death of a Parent, Fertility Issues

I Would Recommend this Book if You Like:
📖Literary psychological thrillers
😮Good plot twists
👩🏻‍👧🏻Discussions of Motherhood
🤣Moments of humour

What I Liked:
1) This book has me hooked I needed to know wtf was going on.

2) This book had a few moments of humour and self-awareness from the MC that I really appreciated.

3) I kept being surprised at the lengths the squatters were going to it was so entertaining seeing them try to outsmart each other.

4) This book is not at all pro-landlord and actually acknowledges tenant's rights are important but stuff needs to be put in place to protect people in situations like the MC in this book.

What I Disliked:
1) Some of the pop culture references were very heavy handed.

2) I think the pacing got very repetitive in the middle of this book which lowered my overall enjoyment.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

I didn't immediately predict the plot twist and the book had decent pacing. However, it was a frustrating read. I couldn't get past how naive and foolish Emily was although I understand why she was desperate. Pip and Sophie are villains and incredibly annoying with their entitled behavior. The potential cancer diagnosis seemed unfitting in the story as well as some of the minor characters. Although it was a tense, suspenseful thriller, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I want to say that I found the plot of this book to be very intruiging. I also really like the cover. This book is about a lady who tries to get a roommate for extra income. Unbeknownst to her, this roommate is a squatter. A really good premise (and resolution) for a thriller! Squatter situations freak me out and the events in this book unnerved me. The way Pip (the squatter) encroached on the MC's boundaries was very eerie, like when you know something bad is going to happen but you aren't quite sure what exactly that is.

With this said, I have to admit that the writing style in this book was not for me at all. I think this is just a matter of preference, though. There was a lot of details that seemed unnecessary and made me lose interest in what I was reading. It felt like reading a lot of filler that was derailing from the main story. I think perhaps with a bit of shuffling of the focus of this book, it would read better. Unnecessary filler can turn a really good short story into a mediocre book.

While I unfortunately did not have a good time reading this book overall, I see the potential in it. Even though the writing style is not for me, I think the author has a real talent for creative plots. All the best for the release!

Thank you for the opportunity to review the book. Thos was a good read and I flew through.this and couldn't put it down

I have mixed feelings about this book. I did not like the writing style, there was too many unnecessary details, like Emily’s knee, the BRCA storyline or that her and her aunt kind of seemed like hoarders. I found the plot twist to be fun and it was a page turner.

Seems Perfect is a gripping psychological thriller centred on Emily, who finds herself drowning in debt and urgently requires a roommate to help alleviate her financial burden. Enter Pip and her tween daughter, Sophie; their arrival turns Emily’s life completely upside down.

Pip and Sofie are incredibly annoying characters. Their invasive and entitled behaviour is infuriating, and I found it really difficult to tolerate them. It’s frustrating to see how they walked over Emily. While Emily may make some naïve choices, her desperation to kick Pip and Sofie out of her house and reclaim her peace is completely understandable.

This book really caught me off guard with how much I liked it! It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I thought the ideas were awesome, and the characters were really well done. The plot was super engaging, and I totally didn’t see the twist coming. Plus, we got a peek into Pip’s backstory, which was great!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I would definitely recommend it.

The story centers around Emily who lives in San Francisco and struggles to make ends meet since her aunt got ill and who the condo she lives in belongs to. Looking for a housemate, she finds Pip who sounds like the perfect person to share a flat with, and maybe a friendship. But when she turns up to move in with her daughter in tow, pretending that she thought she mentioned it, then that’s when things start to get daaaaaark!

This is quite a page turner, a good and innovative scenario and plot. I really enjoyed it although I would sometimes feel screaming at Emily to stop moaning and start acting. But isn’t it what we want in a story, a bit of frustration?

I really enjoyed this story, it would make anyone feel uncomfortable and infuriated by the audacity of one of the characters. Or two.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This sounded really interesting but I was so frustrated with the main character that I ended up skimming most of it. I also wasn’t a fan of the twist involving Pip’s daughter. It uses a common horror trope that can be effectively chilling if done well; here it just felt cheap and uninspired.

4.5 stars.

As an introvert, I LOATHE Pip and Sofie with every molecule of my being. I hate villains, I mean, I hate Voldemort. But these two? I hate these two bitches more than Voldemort. I’m not just uncomfortable, they made my skin crawl, my stomach turn, my blood boil. I had to put the book down every few pages just to breathe, just to recover from their absolute gall. For real. The level of audacity here? Uncharted territory. Emily, you foolish, foolish girl, honestly, I feel you. I’m right there with you! I’m the kind of person who avoids confrontation and conflict like it’s radioactive. I have boundaries so high and fortified that they’re practically made of stone. But Pip and Sofie? Oh. My. God. These two are like a walking horror show of shamelessness. I hate them, absolutely despise them, they are the definition of skin-crawling.

Pip is that nosy, invasive aunt who sidles up at family gatherings, with that disgustingly fake smile plastered on, leaning in to ask, “Why haven’t you had children yet? After all these years… something wrong?” Just vile. People like her? They drain my soul. The absolute worst. People with no concept of boundaries? They are my nightmare, and Pip and Sofie are walking, talking versions of that nightmare.

This book? An emotional endurance test. These situations are my Achilles’ heel, my personal hellscape. I can read dark, disturbing content and barely blink, but this? This level of interpersonal horror, this brazen disregard for personal space, made me so angry, so uncomfortable I wanted to scream.

But honestly? The book is good. So good. That plot twist? It spun hard and fast right at the end. This, right here, is what I call a thriller.

This was a quick and engaging read, perfect for getting out of a reading slump. The synopsis instantly lured me in and I was not disappointed. I don't know much about squatters right, but I think it's insane how they are protected. Emily and her decisions sometimes stressed me out, but I honestly believe she didn't know any better. I felt so bad because she was blindsided by a master manipulator, but I wish she stood up for herself more or had someone she could trust to confide in. I definitely didn't see the ending coming, and I thought it made the story even more interesting. I would love a bonus chapter, to see the aftermath of that final chapter. I would definitely recommend if you enjoy thrillers.

Ooooh, there were times in this book I could literally feel my blood pressure shooting up, let me tell you. I had such empathy for Emily- and so much disgust with Pip and Sophie. At times, I really felt like some of Emily's actions were not real-world-likely; however, when I stopped and actually considered those actions, I don't think they were terribly far off from what I also would have done, start to finish. It's easy to judge a character in a book, you know? I loved that this book actually got a physical reaction from me- that's not something that happens often, no matter how great a book is written. I definitely enjoyed this one, and couldn't wait to see if/how Emily got things straightened out. I will absolutely be recommending this one, come February!

3.5 stars
This was a great thriller in the sense that I didn’t predict the plot twist! As much as I hates Pip, I did not expect for this story to go the way it did. The entire book was jarring and increasingly frustrating to read, mainly because of Emily’s naïveté. That’s my only real criticism, the lack of thinking on her part. I know people make mistakes but every time she found out that Pip was lying, she forgave her or made an excuse and that drove me insane. The plot was original though and I did enjoy my time reading, despite the slightly annoying main character.

This author is very talented! I'm not much of a thriller reader but this book is great and definitely had me thrilled. Even within the first few chapters, before the story really takes off, the seemingly mundane premise already had me intrigued. It's a quick and gripping read which quite possibly pulled me back from the precipice of a reading slump. While I had doubts about the writing style in the first few chapters, it quickly improved.

The majority of the book is written in first person from the perspective of the protagonist but the 20th chapter randomly takes on an omniscient perspective focusing on one of the other central characters. Following this, a few other chapters also switch out of the first-person perspective. While this eventually ended up coming together, it was a bit jarring at first.

I did accurately predict the plot twist, albeit only a chapter or so before it actually happened which is quite good for a book of this type. Some of the tertiary characters didn't blend into the story as neatly as I would have liked. There were more mentions of San Francisco than necessary, the cost of living seemed to be the only identifying characteristic of the setting but it really could have been in a big city anywhere in the world.

Overall, this was a fun read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a short page-turner.

This book really ended up surprising me (in a good way) and I couldn’t put it down. When homeowner Emily finds herself down and out, she starts her search for a roommate to help her pay for the house she inherited from her beloved aunt. She meets Pip and it seems to be a dream come true. Someone who she instantly likes, and can even find herself becoming friends with. She counts herself lucky to find such a perfect roommate in such a short time. Emily soon finds out, however, some people look perfect on paper…..

This book has you guessing “what’s next” as soon as Pip enters the house. You can feel her frustration, desperation, and emotions with each page turn. Suspenseful with a touch of drama kept me reading “just one more chapter”. My only qualm was the ending kind of sold the book short. I feel the ending could have been a bit more creative, but I would still recommend this read.

Spoilers:


I really wanted to like this because the premise sounded interesting, but that’s pretty much it. The characters are quite shallow from what I’ve read, and I didn’t care about the story all. I couldn’t really feel sympathy for Emily either as she is just so naive and doesn’t really do anything to fix her situation.

I read until a bit over half way, and we’ve only just started this murder mystery storyline. I don’t see how there can be a fully fleshed out plot in under 130 pages. I also just don’t care about the murder? We find out the victim is a man Emily has slept with (twice), and her investment in this man just irritates me. She acts like she was in love with him, while also saying she didn’t know him at all. This just wasn’t the book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc!

Fantastic thriller. I loved that it was set in San Francisco Noe Valley where I used to live, so the atmosphere was spot on. Unreliable characters, twisted lies, murder, and a scary roommate situation with an interesting twist that I don't want to spoil.
It made me wonder what I would do in the same situation. Totally fun and scary at the same time. I loved it!

I read this in one sitting and could not put it down until the last page at 3 am. 5 starts!

A truly excellent psychological thriller that left me on the edge of my seating wanting to know more. The narration told from the perspective of Emily really made you feel as the reader, that you were experiencing the horror of her new housemates. You can help but sympathize with Emily from the desperation she felt from the start of the book up until the end coupled with a sense of annoyance for her stupidity to begin with at the start of needing to find a roommate.

I wasn’t expecting the twists and turns to happen and I felt the timing of that was effective in building towards the overall climax.

I can’t believe I finished the book in three hours! It was captivating . The way we see main character’s personal thoughts, the way she sees other people’s actions. It was portrayed very well. Even though it was a little bit predictable it was amazing nonetheless. ( I am not even going to start talking about the twist) I couldn’t put it down. One of the best psychological thriller I have read in a while. Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending me ARC.

It’s a tribute to the writing that this book had me anxious and panicked while reading. I was so stressed the entire time which is very much the point.
Emily, an injured yoga teacher, desperately needs cash. She decides got get a roommate and while on paper Pip sounded too good to be true, in reality she’s a whole other thing.
Stuck in an increasing toxic environment, Emily needs to figure out how to get Pip and her daughter out of her apartment… before someone ends up dead.
I would recommend this as a quick, anxiety inducing thriller if not a little bit predictable.