What an amazing debut novel by Karen Hamilton! This book had me hooked from the first chapter and I found it hard to put down. I loved the plot twists throughout the book. I'm looking forward to reading more from Karen Hamilton. I have told friends and family about this book (especially my friends who love to travel). Thank you for the advanced copy.

I was shocked with the opening chapter and the type of trauma it can create to a person who experience the incident. This was a the story of a sociopath who has set out to get back together with her ex-boyfriend. She had a master plan and she would not let anything get in the way.

I will be honest I enjoyed the story. I love the theme that the main character was flight attendant and we got to experience the lifestyle. You had to suspend belief in a few scenes but it was overall a fun read. I love how we uncover the backstory between Lilly/Juliette and Nate.

My biggest gripe was the ending felt too much Gone Girl. I would have resolve it differently.

Review will be posted on publication date on What to Read Next Blog.

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton was one heckuva thriller. I have often mentioned that a book reminds me of a Lifetime movie (and y'all, I LOVE Lifetime movies to be clear), but this belong in that genre more than any other. It's rare that I read a book, and as a twist happens I say (practically yell) out loud, "WHAT?!?" This book was that. The story is told from an ex-girlfriend who is trying to get her ex back. She is willing to go to extreme lengths to do that. However, that's only one part of the story. This one was revenge on revenge on revenge, and whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't want to give too much away because the twists are so much of the appeal. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me get these thrills early. Y'all will be able to see what I'm talking about when this releases in March 2019!

“If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, they’re yours. If they don’t, make them.”

I'm all about psychological thrillers lately, and THE PERFECT GIRLFRIEND's synopsis sounded like exactly what I wanted to start my November with.

The story follows Juliette, a girl in love with a boy. She'll go to great lengths to be with him - even against his will. He broke up with her several months ago, you see. But that's not gonna slow her down!

Juliette was BANANAS! I was both in awe of and shocked by her obsession with Nate; how can someone be so crazy?! She isn't likeable at all, but her audacity and sleuthing skills are something to behold.

I was really entertained throughout the entire book, however, the ending did leave me wanting a little more. No spoilers, and I did enjoy it, but it felt a little flat to me.

Overall, highly recommended!

This week I have been staying up way past my bedtime thanks to some really good books. I am so tired all day but when I get in bed with a book, my blankets, essential oils, dogs, suddenly I get my second wind!



The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton was everything I wanted in a creepy thriller. It kept me turning the pages, I kind of wanted the main character to get her way, I laughed at her audacity, and I wasn’t sure in which direction the book was going to go.

The Perfect Girlfriend is a book that caught my attention early on and held it to the last page. I can’t believe this is the author’s first novel, well done!

“If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, they’re yours. If they don’t, make them.”

Juliette loves her ex-boyfriend Nick. She loves him so much in fact, that she’s convinced they belong together even though he broke up with her. If she can show him she’s changed, suely he will want her back though.

She even completes training to become a flight attendant at the airline where Nick is a pilot. How surprised he will be when he sees her!

And Nick’s sister Bella, a girl who was mean to Juliette growing up at school, she will get what’s coming to her. Juliette has a plan in place and nothing will get in her way.

What a devious main character! I loved it. And I don’t want to give away any secrets but…WOW!

Here’s the official synopsis:

Juliette loves Nate. She will follow him anywhere. She’s even become a flight attendant for his airline, so she can keep a closer eye on him.

They are meant to be.

The fact that Nate broke up with her six months ago means nothing. Because Juliette has a plan to win him back. She is the perfect girlfriend. And she’ll make sure no one stops her from getting exactly what she wants.

True love hurts, but Juliette knows it’s worth all the pain.



I wish this book was out now but its coming in March 2019. Pre-order it now!

WHOA.
This book took me ALONG time to read. I had to digest in small bits. I'm glad I stuck with it, but it wasn't easy.
What I loved: can't say I fully loved anything about it.
What I liked: It was twisty.
What I hated: All the characters. I couldn't really like any of them.

Definitely one to stick with...not for readers who prefer more fast-paced books. Like the MC, readers of this book need to be in for the long-game.

Actual stars: 3.25

The only word that comes to mind to describe this read is 'typical'. There wasn't anything bad, or wrong with the book, it was just a typical story that I have already read. I forced myself to finish reading it, and every time I put it down and picked it up, I had totally forgotten what I was reading. For me, it was not worth reading. But books are always different for everyone, so decide for yourself.

Fans of Gillian Flynn will enjoy Karen Hamilton's The Perfect Girlfriend. It maintains a creepiness factor throughout. The downside for me was that I found the characters so unlikable that there was no one I could "pull" for or even root against. This is not due to my only liking sweet and kind characters; one of my very favorite characters in recent books is Kepnes's Joe Goldberg, so I'm fine with creepy and wicked. I kept wanting a bit more depth to Lily/Juliette's character, but I largely found her more annoying than menacing. That said, the book did keep my interest because I did want to know just how far she would take things. I look forward to more by the author as I think that she will only improve with time.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for my ARC of The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton. Juliette always has a long game - spurned by an ex? No problem! Apply for and join the same company as ex boyfriend Nate’s. Want a nose about the exes flat? No worries, she’s got copies of his house keys, phone passwords, spyware. She knows your every move and she’s not afraid to use any tool at her disposal. She will have her happy ending. Deliciously sinful. Like a desert you know you don’t need but want, The Perfect Girlfriend is that book!

Everyone has an inner psycho. They might stuff it deep inside of themselves, but it's there. Juliette, our main character, is unafraid to show it to the world. She has suffered a huge heartbreak but she is determined to win back the love of her life by doing whatever it takes. Many people go through bad breakups, but most move upward and onward. Not Juliette. She does things that jilted exes dream of doing, but would never dare.

The story is narrated by Juliette and the reader literally gets into her head and is privy to her real thoughts and feelings. At first, Juliette seems like an average gal who is dumped by a guy that she was really into, but there are telltale clues sprinkled here and there that tell me that she is a little off. Eventually, I realized that Juliette's head is totally screwed up. Poor Nate. I wonder how he felt to be on the receiving end of Juliette's obsession. She lives in a world that is far from reality. I felt sorry for her, so I rooted for her. I wanted her to win back her Prince Charming and have her happily ever after.

This book is about obsession, revenge, bullying, stalking, family relationships, friendships, and an inside look into the life of a flight attendant. There are times when I cringed and groaned and said "No you didn't just do that" but I loved the premise. The writing is strong, the story is entertaining and easy to read, and if you've ever had your heart broken, you'll live vicariously through Juliette.

It's not a book, it's an obsession -the best domestic psychological suspense title of 2019! I burned through the pages -TPG is my top gift recommend for those suffering from suspense withdrawal.

You won't want to do anything else but isolate yourself and read.

This is one of those I wasn't too sure of at first.

Our main character is...different. I didn't like her, but I also didn't like any other character in the book.

Yet, I kept reading.

And, oh, I'm so glad I did.

Before I knew it, I was rapt - completely engrossed in this psychological thriller. And the ending made everything worthwhile.

Very nicely done!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Sorry but I didn't enjoy this book at all and got halfway through and was still waiting to find out what Juliette had in mind to win Nate's love back.

A main character that you love to hate, Lily doesn't know how to take no for an answer. Psychotic and twisted, I read it till the end, hoping she would get her comeuppance.

I love books about crazy exes and this one did not disappoint. I loved all the scheming going on, that elaborate wedding plot had me cringing.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley, Karen Hamilton and Wildfire for my free ARC.</i>

<i><b>I loved him and yet I'd been unable to stop him making the biggest mistake of his life. He was mine.</i></b>

Juliette loved Nate. Nate decided to end his relationship with Juliette. Juliette cannot let Nate go and will do anything to get him back. And thus begins our story.

<i><b>Once upon a time, I could walk up to him and hug him any time I pleased. Now, I am not allowed. Those are the rules. I have not been given any choice or say in the matter.</i></b>

Juliette is both highly problematic and also sympathetic in moments. After being dumped by Nate, an airline pilot, Juliette becomes a flight attendant to worm her way back into his life. She is methodical, disciplined and tries to stay three steps ahead of everyone else. It honestly sounds exhausting, but Juliette is nothing but dedicated.

<i><b>He thinks he doesn't want me, but he's proving that he does. It's all up to me to help him come to terms with his feelings so this whole mixed-messages thing stops.</i></b>

This book is very much along the lines of Kaira Rouda novels or "The Last Mrs. Parrish." I found it hard to put down because I wanted to see what Juliette would do next. I think my mouth dropped open as some of the pieces fell together at the end. I felt like I should have seen it coming, but I was so invested in what was in front of me, I wasn't really trying to piece it together like that.

Some people may hate the ending, as it is not the cleanest, but I didn't mind. After all the events of the book, it seemed fairly realistic. It thought this was very well written and while Juliette was far from a good person, I did have sympathy for her, especially as we learn about her background. I didn't want her to succeed, but I did want her to get the help she very much needed.

<i><b>If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, they're yours. If they don't, make them.</i></b>

Wow! I don't know if I have ever read of a character like Juliette, the main one, in The Perfect Girlfriend. She is completely out of her mind but in a way that you are tearing through the book to find out what on earth is going to happen to this psychotic woman! I keep thinking throughout...who does this!? Who is so obsessed with a man that they go through all she does just to be with him- even when he makes it clear it is not mutual. But I guess that's what makes it so great- you have no idea where this story is going and you can't put it down. This was an incredible debut novel for Karen Hamilton and I will be looking for more from her in the future. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

"If you love someone, set them free.
If they come back, they're yours. If they don't, make them."

This line perfectly sums up the narrator Juliette. Juliette is obsessed with her ex-boyfriend Nate and is willing to do anything to get him back. She stays at his apartment when he's gone, stalks him on social media, and gets hired as a stewardess for the airline he works for; all within the first couple of chapters.

The beginning of the book was a bit slow and the ending left me wanting more; but, it was a very well written and ultimately engaging read.

4.5 stars

If you love someone, set them free.
If they come back, they're yours. If they don't, make them.



Juliette knows that she and Nate were meant to be together. They have a long history and even though he broke up with her, she knows it was meant to be. She just needs to make sure that he gets with the program. Stupid man.
So Juliette gets herself hired at his airline. (He is a pilot) and she keeps an "eye" on him.


BTW: Juliette's investigative skills are off the chain.

It did take me a minute to get Juliette's fascination with Nate..because he is a bland douche in my opinion but us girls gotta stick together..... So I jumped on board.
Juliette took me on some wild adventures in this book. She might be a tad bit different but I still loved her crazy ass.


People just judged her wrongly. So what if it felt like people should go running from a room when she entered?
No one had such a hard life as poor Juliette.


I really did enjoy this book. Even if it took me fifty eleven million days to read it. I'm in a book slump and working non-human hours at work and I still loved the heck out of Juliette's world. So if you fall into the nutter loving world when you are reading this is the book for you. Then when people ask why you loved it so much...…


PS> I would have given it the full five except the ending gave me blue balls.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

3.5 stars

Full disclosure: As a flight attendant for a US airline, this was a tale of two halves for me.

For the first 50% of the book, I was enjoying the true portrayal of a flight attendant’s life...the training, the co-workers who overshare on the jumpseat (we call it jumpseat psychology), the expectations of the passengers and that flight attendants HATE working LAS VEGAS flights!! (Although I don’t fly International so I deal with all of that WITHOUT the rewards of 3 days of sightseeing, or trips to salons- my overnights at airport hotels are WAY too short for any of that!!)

I loved how Elizabeth (Lily) who was now going by her middle name Juliette , had carefully formed a POA (plan of action) to get her man back, including getting a job as a flight attendant at the airline he worked for, as a pilot.

She had given Nate his “space” for seven months and was now going to reinsert herself into his life as a more “sane”, confident version of her previous self. Had she continued to play this role, her plan may have worked, and I would’ve liked to see the story continue to play out in this direction, with a more plausible, (but not necessarily happy) ending-after all, this is a psychological thriller, not a romance.....😉

But Juliette is far from sane.

Two traumatic events from her school age years, have forever scarred her, and made her into the unhinged, delusional woman that she is today.

I was totally engaged in the first 50% of the book....her shenanigans were fun to read about as she strategized on how to win Nate back.

Another CRAZY flight attendant..(second one I have read about this year...) I can deal with, for the sake of a good story, but the second 50% of the book was way “over the top” and the ending a hard sell for ME!! 😕

I promise you-most of us are just normal people like you, despite the jet lag!

REALLY!! 🤣

I would like to thank Netgalley, Karen Hamilton and Harlequin-Graydon House books for the ARC I was provided in exchange for my candid review!

Available March 26, 2019 in the US !!