I finished this book in one sitting; it was so entertaining! The pace may have been slow, but I didn't mind. Even though we knew about the deception from the start, the ending still surprised me.

I sometimes found Kirsty irritating, and her reckless actions, which endangered her life, bothered me. However, they served a purpose in the story, and everything came together nicely.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the free audio copy.

The story had a great plot- heartbreak, unrequited love, mistaken identity and murder. I was in from the beginning. It had such a great start. A midwife runs into a doctor at the hospital she works, and mistakes him for her high school sweetheart who left her heartbroken over a decade ago. When she approaches him, he assures her that she is mistaken and that he not the man who she believes him to be, nor does he know her. His identification suggests that she is definitely mistaken, and that he is not her ex, yet she cannot shake the feeling.

The book started off so good but soon fell flat. I wanted to like this story after hearing another bookstagrammer who loved it. However, that was not the case for me. I struggled through this book. It felt disjointed and convoluted. I found myself rereading passages of this story to fully grasp it all. I did like that the story was told from his and her Pov, but there was a lot of unnecessary fillers within the story that didn't seem to directly connect. I found a lot of things incredulous to believe and really tried to suspend my disbelief. The fact that there was mistaken gender, and no one mentions it, I find to be rather odd. The story moved along very slowly, and the lead character was rather annoying and extra. While I do think the title is a clever spin, I don't find that the cover really relates to the main theme of this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookoutoure for access to this ARC audio

I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it was unique compared to a lot of other thrillers and the plot kept me intrigued. I love some twists and turns and this book definitely gave me that.

This book really surprised me. At first I thought that I wouldn't like it. It was heavy on the British lingo. Which normally I wouldn't have an issue with but some of them I just didn't understand. Other than this I thought this was well written and very twisty. Great start to my new year.

This is my first S.E. Lynes book and it definitely won't be my last! I was super excited to see how many books the author has published already!

The Perfect Boyfriend follows a woman who, after years of trying to move on, unexpectedly runs into her high school boyfriend—the one who disappeared without a trace—and everything she thought she knew about him starts to unravel.

The story is told through two perspectives: hers, the woman who believes she’s finally living a quiet, happy life, and his, the man who is back with a purpose—and a secret. From the moment she sees him again, her instincts tell her something is horribly wrong, and as she digs deeper into his past and their shared history, she begins to question her own perceptions, as does everyone around her.

What makes The Perfect Boyfriend so gripping is the way Lynes blurs the line between reality and delusion. Though it is infuriating to listen to at times, the layers of manipulation and gaslighting, and the way everyone around her discounts her concerns as 'hysterical' keeps you on edge, and kept me listening into the wee hours of the night.

The narrator was phenomenal, but I may be biased as I adore a Scottish accent. She was great, though, and added a lot to the story with her distinct accents for each character. If you enjoy dark, twisty thrillers about obsession, revenge, and tangled relationships, this book will keep you hooked from start to finish, just like it did me.

Kirsty works at the hospital where she is a midwife. After helping to deliver a baby, she is on her way out when she spots a man. She’s sure she knows him from somewhere! It’s her high school boyfriend, Hughie Reynolds! Though, he just up and left her high and dry one day. But when she approaches him, he tells her she’s mistaken. That he’s not Hughie. Everyone around her believes that she’s just mistaken and just hormonal, after all, she is very pregnant. Then strange things start happening and Kirsty can’t keep her nose out of this man’s business.

I’m not normally an audiobook listener, but a friend told me that this one was really good and to listen to it. So I did. I really enjoyed it! The narrator did such a great job bringing Kirsty to life. I will say that is one of the positives about listening to an audiobook rather than reading the book. The narrator can really bring the characters to life. Kirsty had such a great personality, and she even made me chuckle a few times (especially with the Leona Lewis line!).

Lynes wrote a fantastic thriller. The suspense was brilliantly built up to an explosive ending filled with twists. I listened to it rather quickly, and in less than a day. The cast of characters are great, and there are some twists leading up to the ending as well. This book is a well thought out thriller, leaving nothing open ended.

I haven’t read this author before, but I am now thankful to be introduced and will make sure to read more of their books!

I loved this book!

I was gripped from the start! It’s a rollercoaster of twists and turns and when you think you’ve figured it out it just gets better. I could feel the tension in the situation of the main character and couldn’t wait to finish to book and find out how it would end.

The narration by Tamsin Kennard is brilliant as always, really bringing the book alive she makes the story addictive.

I will definitely read more by this author and will be recommending this book to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was really intrigued by the premise of this story and dove in with high expectations. While I can see how others might enjoy it, unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

The book centers around Kristy, a very pregnant midwife, who becomes convinced that she’s crossed paths with her long-lost ex-boyfriend. He disappeared years ago after leaving her a cruel letter. Now, he seems to have reappeared with a different name, a much worn out and lived appearance, and even a new accent. While everyone dismisses Kristy’s suspicions as pregnancy brain or stress, she sets out on a determined mission to uncover the truth.

Although the premise was compelling, I found the execution lacking. The pacing felt slow, with several chapters that didn’t seem necessary to advance the plot. At times, it felt like a struggle to keep going, as the story didn’t fully hook me or deliver the tension I was hoping for.

This isn’t a bad book by any means—it’s competently written, and readers who love domestic suspense with a touch of mystery might find it enjoyable. However, for me, it lacked the freshness and gripping intensity needed to stand out in a genre full of similar stories.

I enjoyed this one! a twisty read that made me never want to stop listening. i enjoyed the narrator of this audio book.

Thank you so luck. SEL is a favorite author. I couldn’t put this down. I would have preferred it without the Houghie chapters. I don’t think they were needed and the story would have better without them. The confessional at the end could be kept although again it would be stronger if a police officer said this or she figured it out herself. I also found it hard to believe he was 29 at the time - 22/23 might have been more believable

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook book arc, the narrator did an amazing job with the story, but I agree with the other reviews that this story isn’t for everyone. While I enjoyed the book, it doesn’t really stand out against some of the other thrillers I have read.
Adding on that I find a lot of mystery books the main character is a woman that no one believes and they just brush her off cause she pregnant. I found after a while it to be more irritating than anything. 3 stars from me and I struggled to finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for access to this audio ARC.

I was determined to finish the book even though at times I was really struggling to get through it. The title and plot synopsis had intrigued me, but unfortunately I felt like the book didn’t live up to the hype. The story development was slow, and I felt like there was a lot of repetition, making it hard to stay fully engaged. I also found the characters somewhat annoying and couldn’t gel with them. The twists seemed odd and unfitting, especially the finale one. For want of not giving away any spoilers, I don’t think gender identity had any relevance to the plot and wasn’t sure why it was needed. Sadly I wasn’t gripped, very little suspense and I wasn’t concerned how it ended.

"That's the thing about unresolved history. It's the moth, isn't it? That damn flame. So bright, so dazzling, so warm until it's not warm anymore."

A pregnant nurse working in labor and delivery is on break after assisting in a difficult birth when she sees someone from her past. It's her ex, who was her best friend and beloved by even her family, who vanished on her when they were teens, leaving scars and trust issues behind.

She should confront him. She thought he might even be dead! No, she's married now. She is due any day now. She should leave this alone.

But we know she's not going to leave it alone. When she sees him, he pretends not to recognize her! Did he take a clunk to the head or what? He's up to something, and she's going to find out what that is, even if it puts her in danger.

This was another great book by SE Lynes! Always a twisty tale that sucks you in. The narrator was great too.

Kristy is a pregnant midwife who believes she saw her ex boyfriend who had willingly vanished from her life years before. I was reeled in from the beginning until midway through the story finding myself so irritated by the main characters. The pacing of this story was also painfully slow. The title of the book made zero sense and the ending was beyond disappointing. This book was not for me.
2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I did enjoy this fast ;past thriller and I look forward to reading more by this author........Kirsty is working as a midwife at the local hospital when she sees her ex-boyfriend Hughie from her high school days. She can't believe it but she would know those eyes anywhere so Kirsty is shocked when he says he is not Hughie and that he does not know her. Even though she can't believe it she moves on and puts it out of her mind. Maybe it's her pregnancy hormones playing tricks on her. Kirsty has more important things to worry about when she cannot get ahold ofd her eldery neighbour. Why is she not answering the phone and where could she possibly be? Could all these bizarre circumstances be connected somehow.......we shall see....Enjoy!!!

3.5*... Tamsin Kennard has captivated me once again with her flawless narration. I'll listen to anything she reads, knowing she'll capture all the dialects and even male voices effortlessly. The Perfect Boyfriend (not sure of the significance of this title...when Kirsty had her old beau he was far from perfect even then) started off strong. I thought the character development was well-done and I enjoyed the setting. I certainly could not have predicted all the murderer had been through leading them to the ultimate crime. But once it becomes clear "whodunnit," the story sort of trails off a little in my opinion. Overall recommended for all domestic thriller fans, especially those set in Scotland and read by Kennard!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARL! All opinions are mine.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

This was my first read of 2025 and it just fell a bit short. It was a good story and the ending had a twist but it was slow getting there. I also found the FMC to be very repetitive and it seemed like she was saying the same thing over and over again just in different ways.

I think if it was a bit faster paced then it would have been 4 stars!

But just because I found it a tad slow, doesn’t mean you won’t devour it and love it! Still definitely worth the read!

Audiobook version of The Perfect Boyfriend by S.E. Lynes (narrated by Tasmin Kennard)

My first book by S.E. Lynes was impressive. It started off a little slow, but picked up quickly and kept my attention throughout. The ending was excellent, in my opinion. It tied everything together as well as added even more plot twists than expected. I even gasped out loud at some. I thought the narrator was great and was perfect for this book. I am very much looking forward to reading more by this author. Thank you @NetGalley for my advanced DRC and for introducing me to a new author!


#ThePerfectBoyfriend #SELynes #NetGalley

The plot centers on a woman who, on the verge of giving birth, mysteriously encounters her ex-boyfriend who had disappeared years earlier. Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite meet my expectations, and I found myself losing interest at times. The storyline felt a bit far-fetched, and I struggled to connect with the main characters. While the narration may have impacted my experience, making it perhaps better suited as a traditional read rather than an audiobook, it simply wasn’t to my taste. This isn’t a reflection on the author’s skill but rather a matter of personal preference.

I thought that the narrators were a bit hard to understand but it could be just the accent.

It took me awhile to get into the story but as it went on I was kind of stuck and I just had to finish. I kind of guessed what would take place by almost the end of the book.

The ending dragged on for far too long in my opinion but overall it was an ok read!