The Best Day Ever ended up being better than I was expecting. The story takes place over a 24 -hour period. Paul and his wife have a seemingly wonderful marriage, two kids and a great house. They are on their way for a couple's get away and the "Best Day Ever". They seem to have it all or so it looks like on the outside.

Admittedly, the story is a bit slow in the beginning. The first half of the book takes place in the car and we spend most of that time in Paul's head. The story is told from Paul's perspective. As the book progresses.the reader begins to sense that things aren't right, especially when it comes to the narrator. This was an interesting way to tell the story. Seeing the story through the eyes of a narcissist gave the book a really creepy vibe.

Honestly, there weren't a whole lot of surprises in the book. If you pay close attention, you can see the reveals coming from a mile away. Still, I liked this book. It was a quick read and one I recommend.

I'm always up for a good suspense or psychological thriller, so I was excited to get my hands on this book. Even the cover art was enticing to me. Let's just say it did not disappoint. I easily tore through this book in just a couple of days because it was hard to put down.

I do admit - I figured out the storyline pretty quickly from the start but that didn't stop me from wanting to watch the suspense unfold. Following the mind of a sociopath from a safe distance that a book allows is fascinating to me. And that's just what you'll get with <i>Best Day Ever</i>. There are upstanding citizens out there who look completely normal from the outside but are a raging psychopath on the inside. They could be your next door neighbor hoping to have their own best day ever.

This novel started slowly and I almost decided to quit. But I'm glad now that I stuck through with it because it is such an amazing thriller. This novel is creepy and spine-tingling and everything you want from a psychological thriller. Paul gave me bad vibes from the start, what with his attitude on women. However, as the story goes on, we see how incredibly insane he actually is. While everything is written from his defensive perspective, we as the reader retain our own belief that he is utterly mad. The story takes place within a span of 24 hours and there are all of these little hints and clues that indicate that something is not right. I love how the author went about developing the story, and I love how the author created and maintained Paul's character. He is delusional about himself and that becomes apparent as we keep reading the story, and it just adds to that creepy-horror feeling. I don't think the story really had that much of a twist but I don't think that every psychological thriller needs one; it just needs to have the thrills, and this one definitely had that! The only negative point I can come up with is that the ending switched into Mia's perspective, which I really didn't care that much about. It's good to know how things worked out but I would have preferred to have heard more from Paul instead, as he was the main character for such a large part of the story. In any case, this was a really good thriller that had me at the edge of my seat and I look forward to reading more by this author!

{My Thoughts}

What Worked For Me
A Creepy Narrator Speaking Directly to the Reader – Paul Strom proved to be one of the creepiest, most narcissistic narrators ever! From the very first page, you sense that something about Paul is off, very off. You’re just not sure why or how, but as the pages go on the hairs on the back of your neck will start to rise and you’ll know he definitely cannot be trusted. You’ve got to love an unreliable narrator and the fact that Paul is speaking directly to the reader, shaping a story in which he won’t look quite so bad makes him both pitiable and scary. You won’t want to be friends with Paul; you won’t want to ride in a car with him; you won’t really want to hear his slanted take on his life with Mia, but you won’t be able to stop listening.

“I wonder if she is asking me for something, for some understanding. Some type of compassion or empathy. I’m not good at those emotions, or, if we’re being honest, any emotions except anger. Rage lurks deep inside me, ready to lash out whenever it’s needed.”

One of Those Tense Car Rides – Let’s be honest. We’ve all had them. You and your significant other are going somewhere, but right before you leave something happens. It could be one person is running late, or that one had to do ALL the packing, or maybe both of you just had bad days, but as the car doors close, the tension between the two of you is so thick you could cut it with a knife. You know what I’m talking about, right? Well that was the car ride Mia and Paul shared on their drive to the lake. They were both on edge. Paul wanted things to be perfect and little was. Mia didn’t really want to be going, but was irritated when Paul made them late. Throughout the journey, they’d snipe, rally and be nice, and then snipe again. I loved that Rouda used the confines of a car to build so much tension. Brilliant!

Foreshadowing to the Max – In Best Day Ever, Kiara Rouda proved herself to be masterful with foreshadowing. Right from the start you knew things weren’t going to end well for someone, but the puzzle of what had happened still needed to be solved. She layered on the mystery of who Paul was and how he got that way, giving the reader hints along the way. She left Mia’s story largely untold, making her even more of a mystery. I found myself jotting down notes as to where I thought her story was headed. Sometimes I was right, but other times wrong. I liked that Rouda gave just enough to keep me engaged and wanting more.

What Didn’t
Slow Middle – I really liked most everything about Best Day Ever, but did find it a little slow in the middle. After the car ride, I would have liked to see the pace pick up a bit.

{The Final Assessment}

I read Best Day Ever in a single day, which I almost never do. That alone says a lot about Rouda’s book. It had that can’t-put-down quality to it that was a breath of fresh air in my reading life. As a psychological thriller it wasn’t “edge-of-you-seat” tense, but instead more of an edgy jigsaw puzzle. A puzzle that I wanted to finish, so I could know what this creep was up to and why!

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this deliciously creepy book - I loved it!

Paul and Mia are a seemingly perfect couple, with 2 adorable boys. They live in the best Columbus suburb and have a second vacation home on Lake Erie. He promises Mia the best day ever - a special romantic getaway weekend to their lake cottage.

The tale is told from Paul's viewpoint and he is talking to you, the reader. To me, things that he said were spot on but I feel that a review of this book should not give even a hint of what is to come! I couldn't put this one down!

A egotistical husband finds his perfect life teetering and plans to fix it by spending the "best day ever" with this wife. He has it all perfectly planned out and is determined that nothing will spoil his big surprise. The story was entertaining enough, though rather slow-moving and predictable.

The Best Day Ever took place in a 24 hour period of time. Paul Strom portrays, through his narration, that he and Mia are the perfect married couple, and that she should be solely focused on their family. As he takes his wife on a road trip to their lake house, Paul feels the tension in the air with Mia, but doesn't really know or care why. He is a master at rationalizing what is happening, yet still feels like he has total control of the day and everyone around him. Glimpses of Paul's delusional thoughts and the derailing questions that Mia asks cause him to rage within. All of the unpredictable, erratic thoughts and mixed feelings that Paul describes during the day created a dark, demented character.

I couldn't put the book down because I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. I love that about this book and look forward to more from Kaira Rouda!

I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

Paul and Mia Strom are off to spend the weekend at their lake house. They have two sons who will be staying with a sitter while they are gone. Paul wants this to be a weekend just for them.

Mia has had some ailments lately and has lost a bit of weight. The doctors can’t seem to find out what’s wrong with her and she is being extra careful with what she eats.

Their life from Paul’s point of view is perfect with two wonderful sons and Mia as a good wife at home with them where she belongs. But, truly he is a crass, arrogant, controlling egotist who thinks he is superior to everyone, including Mia.

On the drive to the lake house, Mia tells Paul that she will be working from home. Paul is furious. He doesn’t want her to work, nor does he approve of the man she will be working with.

As the day continues, secrets that Paul has kept are coming to the surface and we see the cracks in their marriage that come to a violent conclusion.

This is a fabulous book! If you have ever known a sociopath, you will surely recognize Paul as he perfectly fits that role. I loved how the author built this story from a loving couple heading out for a weekend together and slowly built the suspense as cracks began appearing until crumbling was inevitable. Readers, this is a must read for you.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Had me on the edge of my seat. Finished reading it in two days! Recommending it to my co-workers and customers.

Paul Strom seemingly has the perfect life. He has a gorgeous wife, a beautiful house, and two young children. He exudes confidence (and at times, arrogance) to everyone he meets. He's promised his wife, Mia, the "best day ever", and has planned a romantic weekend away at their lake house for just the two of them. 

Told from Paul's point of view, we follow Paul and Mia as they head toward their weekend getaway, and begin to question what we really know about their marriage. Are they as happy as Paul lets on? Best Day Ever is told in a span of just twenty four hours, from the time Paul and Mia leave the house, until the twisted conclusion. 

I will admit that I had a little bit of a hard time getting into Best Day Ever. It took me about a third of the way through, but then I couldn't put it down! Paul narrates our entire story, and I absolutely hated him. He's arrogant, sexist, misogynistic, and controlling. He's definitely a narrator you love to hate! As I mentioned above, the entirety of the book is told in less than a 24 hour span, and I spent quite a lot of that time trying to figure out what was going on. You can feel the tension as you read, and you know something dark is happening between Paul and Mia - I had an idea of WHAT, but I wasn't sure about the WHY. All I knew is that I was 'Team Mia' all the way! 

Once the details came to light and things started to piece themselves together, I was hooked! The last third of the book kept me up way past my bedtime, because I wanted to know how the book will end. Best Day Ever is very similar to The Dinner by Herman KochThe Dinner by Herman Koch (which I hated), in the sense that you know something will be revealed at the end, but everyone is tiptoeing around it and forcing very awkward, stilted conversation. While that didn't work for me at all in The Dinner, it worked much better for me in Best Day Ever. 

The few qualms I did have were around some of the pacing. It felt like there were some pieces that were a little dragged out, especially where it was focused on Paul's inner dialogue and not his discussions with Mia. I enjoyed the fact that the book was told from Paul's perspective, especially since books told through the eyes of a sociopath or psychopath are always really interesting, but I was hoping for a little more from him, and thought there were things that could have been done with his character to make him  scarier. 

All in all, I rated the book 3.5 stars! After the epilogue in this book, I could definitely see there being a sequel. If you're a fan of slow burning domestic suspense books (or if you loved The Dinner), this is definitely the book for you!

The babysitter has arrived, she is a little untrustworthy, but Paul doesn't mention this to his wife, Mia. He has a weekend planned at their lake house, and this is going to be the best day ever.

Mia and Paul met at work. Mia just out of college and Paul new to the company. Immediately attracted to each other, Paul didn't hesitate to ask her out (breaking company policy). After all, Mia was young, beautiful, and it didn't hurt that she came from wealth. Against her parent’s wishes, Mia and Paul marry, and the isolation slowly begins.

Told through the point of view of a psychopath (Paul), the story takes the reader through 24 hours of the couple's life. Paul is quite overbearing, exuding massive confidence (he's conceited to the core) and distrust. In other words, he is despicable. Mia, timid at times, is slowly rebuilding her confidence and taking back control.

This book is fast paced with unexpected twists. It’s obvious that Paul is the creep in the story, but finding out just how creepy he is leads to intensity while reading. The mind games are also interesting as the characters personalities are revealed through their conversations and actions while traveling to the cabin.

I highly recommend this book to readers looking for a psychological thriller! Just a little side note…the cover of this book is gorgeous.

4.5/5 stars

This book was so addicting I read it in a weekend AND stayed up until 1:30am to finish! Paul Strom is the husband and finally as readers and females we get an unreliable narrator who happens to be male. Paul loves his wife Mia and we find out, chillingly, just how much, as we ride along with them for a weekend at their cottage in the quaint town of Lakeside on Lake Erie. Paul tells Mia, this is going to be their best day ever. But, whose best day? This is a desperately, dark tale showing a light on the underside of a perfect marriage. It will leave you wondering about all those seemingly indefectible marriages that we all know of. Just a hint, things are not what they seem! I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

I posted a guest post by the author, rather than a review. I enjoyed the book and found it quick reading.

WOW! My skin is still crawling... can I let my breath out now? Kaira knocked Paul out of the park in her development of the perfect embodiment of a classic sociopath who is cleverly balancing charm, good looks, and success on the outside while boiling over with rage, obsession and drive for utter control on the inside. From the first few sentences it was like a train wreck and I couldn't look away! I knew something was just a little off and being able to immediately put my finger on it kept me coming back for more!

This is a page turner that will take you on a journey of love, fear, betrayal, disgust, hope, and freedom only to find yourself truly understanding the Best Day Ever. I won't rehash the synopsis but I will say it was well paced, wrought with tension and anticipation interlacing an emotional rollercoaster. Just WOW. This was easily one of my favorite reads so far this year!

Best Day Ever is a domestic thriller that takes readers on a wild ride of secrets, betrayal and deceit. Readers witness one full day in the lives of Paul and Mia Strom as they set off on a short holiday that they expect to be the 'best day ever'. As the minutes and hours tick by, readers are privy to the main character's innermost feelings and motivations and witness their idyllic holiday spin out of control.

The beginning of the book has a slower pace than I had expected and I'll admit that it took me awhile to feel invested in Paul and Mia's lives. But if readers are patient they'll enjoy the slow building of tension as the author reveals, in wee doses, the cracks in her main character's perfect veneer.

You never know what goes on behind closed doors and Rouda brings this idea home by giving her readers a chilling, bird's eye view of a dysfunctional and toxic relationship that appears perfect to those who know the Stroms. Best Day Ever is a story of a sociopath who has manipulated people and events to build a perfect life. This character will easily go down as one of the least likable yet compelling characters I can remember reading. You can't help but be mesmerized and a little bit fearful of their narcissism, sense of entitlement and total lack of empathy.

The story has a slow build and while some of the plot was predictable to this well-read suspense reader, overall this was a good creepy page turner that readers will have a hard time putting down. It has a memorable evil character and I enjoyed how the simple plot is slowly infused with a sinister feel as Rouda unfolds her story and reveals her characters' true natures to her readers.

One of my most anticipated fall reads, Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda, came out today and I, in the name of Clues and Reviews, decided to binge read this one. The book, which takes place over the course of 24 hours, was not a hard one to binge. The timing was quick and the plot moved steadily. Now that I am finished with this book, there were some things that I really enjoyed and some others that I found to be a bit problematic.

As always, let me break it down.

The plot surrounds Paul Strom and his wife, Mia, as they embark on a trip to their lake house which is going to be the “best day ever”. As they continue their journey, tensions rise, secrets are revealed and sanctity of their marriage is called into question. What would you consider the perfect ending to be of the best day ever?

The plot it itself was pretty standard when it comes to domestic suspense. Man and wife, alone together, secrets and lies and some trouble brewing. Personally, I am not bothered when I can sense the general direction of the book. I read a lot of books in this genre so it is truly very hard to WOW me throughout. I knew where Rouda was going with the plot early on and I was curious to see if I would be correct. However, what made this one feel a little bit different was the narrative style. Paul is the dominant POV throughout the story which I did enjoy since domestic thrillers are normally told through the perspective of the suspicious wife or downtrodden mistress. This one had a Gone Girl vibe in that respect.

Characterization-wise, I enjoy a character that I love to hate. Joe from You, Teo from Perfect Days. I relish in an unlikable character. I know this was supposed to be the point of Paul Strom, but I didn’t necessarily find him unlikeable, more like I was indifferent to him. He was just a cliché bad guy doing cliché bad guy stuff. He cheats on his wife. He lies about money. He was just sort of a tightly woven ball of all the qualities parents warn their daughters about. Maybe my baseline is off from reading all sorts of twisted reads but I didn’t necessarily find him that much of a “sociopath”

Overall, I was able to read this one extremely quickly and felt like the plot had a ton of potential but it fell a little bit flat for me.

This book was excellent. I started off thinking Paul Strom was a great guy with a great family and then it all went downhill from there. In the author's note Rouda calls Paul an unreliable narrator and that is certainly what he is. Paul reveals more & more of who he really is as the book goes along. I just kept thinking "how much worse can this guy get?" and then something else would happen. It's hard to write a review for this book since I don't want to give too much away. The ending was AMAZING and it left me feeling satisfied. I especially enjoyed hearing some of the story from Mia's point of view since I really liked her right from the beginning. This is a fast paced book that is well crafted & gives good clues as it goes along.

I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

Excellent read!! The arthor brilliantly narrated the book by the malignant narcissist! I quite literally couldn't put it down and found myself laughing in disbelief while saying outloud, "I think I dated him once!" Bravo!!

I have to start by saying that as gorgeous as the cover for Best Day Ever is in a picture it is absolutely stunning in person! I think it may be my favorite book cover of the year so far. If you’re a sucker for a pretty book do yourself a favor and order a copy of this one.

This is told solely from Paul’s point of view as him and his wife Mia head out to their lake house for a much needed weekend away. He speaks directly to the reader and at times it felt like he was slowly confessing his past sins, secrets and betrayals. He spoon feeds information only when he is ready, it’s very important for this man to be in total control at all times. The tension is a slow build, you know right from the start that not all is as perfect as Paul wants everyone to think it is, there is a simmering hostility bubbling underneath the surface of every single page. I questioned his reliability constantly and never knew if he was delusional, totally insane or maybe even telling the truth?!

Paul as a character is super over the top, his sinister behavior is extreme to the max, but he is an extremely well drawn villian, I really felt like I was getting a glimpse inside the mind of a very disturbed individual with terrible intentions. As you slowly learn what motivates him I was completely captivated by his past and also how his relationship with Mia first began and how it progressed to the point it’s at today.

I did see where things were headed fairly early on, but I think this was purposeful on Rouda’s part, she wanted you to pick up on some subtle hints and veiled threats, it really heightened the anticipation factor. And as far as guessing what would happen? Well, I wasn’t totally right anyway, there were plenty of surprises towards the end that I didn’t see coming at all, I always LOVE that! The ending was really strong, I especially liked the epilogue and felt it added something necessary and it left things pretty much reconciled which I always appreciate. This was a chilling look at one messed up marriage, if you like domestic suspense you’ll enjoy this one.

Didn't think I was going to like it but stuck with it. The description of Ohio was interesting. But THEN about 40% into the book I got this feeling there was more to Paul and Mia that I wasn't seeing at first.

Ok, so Paul was controlling and he thought the sun rose and set on him....he told a good story on how he adores his wife and children - gives them everything....but he started getting on my nerves when he boasted about his mistresses (yes, more than one) and how he didn't want his wife to work.

Then came the surprise of what he was doing to Mia, his wife, - showing her the Best Day Ever would solve all his problems. Oh, I can go on and on - but read the book (out today Sept. 19, 2017) and see if you hate Paul as much as I do. I would love to see this author write a sequel....you know "karma" and all that!