This blew me away. What a topic!

I thought this would be the usual domestic thriller - no complaints here! Instead, I dove into what I realized was a sci-fi, domestic thriller. I don't normally like sci-fi, unless it's a fluffy vampire book, but I loved this book!

An Elon Musk-type created an Artificial Intelligence ("AI") replica of his dead wife, Abbie. He codes her to have the ability to have Abbie's memories, feelings, and instincts, but what is his real goal? Does he want the companionship he so sorely misses? Is he simply creating a shopbot to market to big box stores? A caretaker for their autistic son? "The perfect wife?" Something else?

I really tore through this book, eager and desperate to find out what happens(ed).

I love the sociological and consumerism themes of this book. Sure, we could create robots to dive the oceans and clean up plastic, but why not create a sexbot instead and make millions? Who would want an empathetic robot to take care of elderly patients when we could instead have a flattering shopbot help us pick out dresses and shoes?

I love how Tim is described by his employees. The verbal thrashing scenes are perfectly laid out, very relatable to someone like me who's worked for narcissistic rich people more times than I care to remember.

I liked how the chapters are numbered. Present Abbie versus past Abbie: dueling chapters. It didn't confuse me that the numbers were out of sequence depending on which Abbie was narrated; I really enjoyed the change-up.

It's so cool to learn and remember along with AI Abbie. "THUNK", there's a new memory! I loved it, and I was able to picture it perfectly. This book would make a great movie.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and the author for this advanced copy.

******** possible spoiler below*********
There's one overarching theme in this book that really, truly hit my emotional sweet spot: an innocent third party can be the catalyst for an abuse victim to finally make a change. You'll take abuse for years and years, but once an innocent is involved, you realize you can't martyr yourself anymore.

First line: You’re having that dream again, the one where you and Tim are in Jaipur for Diwali.

Summary: When Abbie wakes up in a hospital bed she has no memory of how she got there. There is a man who tells her she is his wife and that something terrible happened to her five years before. And through his determination and technological advancements he was able to bring her back. She is the prototype for a new technology called CoBots.
As Abbie acclimates to her new life she starts to wonder what happen to the real Abbie. Using Abbie’s memories, old text messages and the built in intuition she follows the clues to find out how and why Abbie disappeared.

My Thoughts: This was a lot of fun. It was modern day science fiction thriller. At the beginning there is a separate narrative by an unknown character who gives us a look into the past and the real Abbie. I was constantly trying to figure out who it was and I never would have guessed. I like the idea of being able to “bring back” someone who has died but it is also a little sad. I know that there is one person I would love to “see” again but this may make it harder too.

So many different scenarios were flying through my head while trying to figure out the ending. There were lots of twists and turns which make it a great psychological thriller.

I really loved Danny. He is Abbie and Tim’s son who is autistic. He communicates using Thomas the Train references.

FYI: Check out Delaney’s other books Believe Me and The Girl Before.

The Perfect Wife by JP Delaney is a fantastic read. What started off as a thriller, quickly turned in to so much more. Abby, a mother, surfer and artist wakes up one day dazed and confused. She has no idea who she is or where she is. Her husband gently informs her of an accident that happened many years ago. Before I go any further, The Perfect Wife is the kind of book to read without knowing too much going in to it. I was pleasantly greeted with surprises, twists and sharp turns along the way. Without divulging too much information, I will say that this book is filled to the brim with mystery surrounding Abby and her Tech savvy husband. Delaney's story is so intriguing that you will be hooked from page one. It is the perfect blend of domestic noir with a splash of sci-fi and the unconditional love of a mother. I had an extremely difficult time putting this fast paced novel down. I highly recommend this read. It is crazy different and crazy good!

Abbie Scott awakens to discover that, through the wonders of science, she has been saved to return to her life with her husband Tim, a tech entrepreneur, and Danny their autistic son. Her memory has lapses and gradually Abbie begins to wonder whether her previous life had been as perfect as Tim says. I don’t want to give away too much about this book, but I was very pleasantly surprised that, instead of the plain old psychological suspense of the author’s previous books, this one has an element of science fiction that made it very appealing to me. Abbie faces both ethical and practical dilemmas for herself. The author also deals at length with the difficult educational options for an autistic child. The author has an autistic son, so he is speaking from experience here. Abbie’s issues, on the other hand, are straight from really prime speculative fiction. This is definitely my favorite of the three books that I have read by this author.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Rounded down to 2.5 stars

I originally DNFd this one at the 56% point but ended up finishing it because it was a group read. Delaney has been one of my most anticipated authors for the past couple of years, with Believe Me being one of my favorite books from last summer. The Perfect Wife however disappointed me even though Delaney had an intriguing premise. The character development was pretty dull and boring in my opinion, and characterization is what I most look for when reading a novel. Also, the switching back and forth from second to third person was a huge turn-off. It was frustrating to me as a reader. The only bright spot in the book was Danny, and I loved how Delaney wrote his character.

Unfortunately, I wish I had just not finished this one but I hate to DNF books. Still, I will read anything Delaney writes and look forward to his next book.

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine for an ARC copy. All opinions are my own.

At first I wasn't so sure about this novel. I did not know the premise when I began reading, and I thought, a robot wife? Really? But it didn't take long to pull me in. It was very well put together and did not seem like a story about a robot at all, and eventually one starts to forget that she is a robot. This story definitely blurs lines between what is real and what is not, what is acceptable and unacceptable, and really makes you think about how you might feel.

I really enjoyed this one! The sci-fi elements were very interesting and unexpected. I also read Believe Me by JP Delaney and loved it. Maybe I should check out his first book.

The Perfect Wife by J P Delaney is a psychological suspense novel that will reel in readers from the start. When Abbie awakens in the hospital, she is told that she was involved in a serious auto accident and with medical technology has been brought back from a five-year coma. Her husband, who is a techie in Silicon Valley, explains their marriage, but Abbie isn’t sure things are being presented correctly. Everything she is told is meant to build memories that she doesn’t remember. Actually, this novel has a dystopian feel, and brings to mind the 1972 Ira Levin novel, The Stepford Wives.

Delaney, British author of several bestselling psychological novels, is a great storyteller, and draws audiences in with unique scenarios. Is it possible for someone to use technology to create a person with memories and history? That is the question readers will ask throughout the novel. The characters are well-developed, the book is organized, and the writing is easy-to-follow. The fact that this is fiction makes it possible for the author to introduce several ideas that would be unbelievable in a factual setting, but while reading, they seem viable. Readers will be on the edges of their seats throughout the novel. There are plenty of surprising ups and downs, and readers won’t have any idea what is really happening until the dénouement.

For readers who enjoy psychological thrillers, J P Delaney is an author to watch. There isn’t a lot of violence, language, or sexual connotation, but there is plenty of suspense, which builds constantly and doesn’t stop to the end.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

My very first JP Delaney book! And I really enjoyed it! Part #BehindClosedDoors, part #ExMachina, I was impressed with Delaney's refreshing take on several tried and true genre tropes, including unreliable narrators (the robot wife is missing key memories!) and alternating points of view (who exactly is telling this story?). There were enough twists and turns to keep me reading until the last page, and while the book felt a little long and the ending a little rushed, overall this is for sure one of the better mystery/suspense books I've read this year (also! make sure you stick around through the acknowledgements...). Thanks to my friends and #partners at @randomhouse for the gifted copy of this one. it's available now!

This is a fast paced thriller where the main character, Abbie, is an AI replica of a tech owner’s wife. The original Abbie went missing after a surfing accident and her husband was so devastated at the loss of her that he used his company and their background of building robots to create the first AI person. This book is told in two different perspectives. The first one being the robot Abbie and the second being an employee of her husband Tim’s tech company. I loved the way the two perspectives shaped the story and worked so well together. I found myself really looking forward to what was going to happen next on both sides of the story.

I read this book so quickly because the suspense stayed pretty consistent throughout the entire read. There are a lot of twist and turns during the story and most of them worked really well. A couple of them felt out of place but overall this is another fantastic thriller from J.P. Delaney. Also, for all the people who are like me and thought that this is a far fetched sci fi thriller, Delaney lets us know that this technology is currently being developed and talked about. So if we think about it, this has the potential of being labelled as a domestic thriller.

If you are a fan of Delaney’s previous books than I definitely think you would like this one as well. I think his books are consistently good and I will forever read anything he writes. If you are in the mood for a fast paced thriller that will constantly keep you on your toes I highly recommend this on to you.

The Perfect Wife is not a modern retelling of Stepford Wives! This wife has feelings! It is crazy scary how this story could be happening in some laboratory. Hopefully humans are still governed by morals and principles but I am not holding my breath. All of these characters were extremely well developed, even the robots. I loved learning more about autism through Danny. I was worried the technical jargon would lose me but it never was overwhelming. Definitely a great storyline that will be creeping me out for years.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

this was definitely an unique and creative storyline. a mix of sci-fi, thriller and more. they touched down on AI and autisum as well in a character. this sbook was the perfect mix of everything i like. i'll be reading more by this author.

I have read two of the author’s previous books. One I liked, one I did not. So I was not sure what to expect. I am glad to say that I liked this one. The AI concept brought up a lot of moral questions as well as being an interesting topic. Having an autistic character and exploring the different approaches was educational. In the meantime, a whole mystery is unfolding. A very engaging story.

The Perfect Wife by J.P. Delaney had a really unusual and interesting premise. In a day and age quite overrun with thrillers (I’m not complaining) it’s a challenge to come up with something new and unique, and Delaney did it here. It’s a sci-fi mixed with domestic thriller and it carries a heavy dose of creep factor. The scientific-tech aspects of it were quite fascinating and thought-provoking, if also definitively unnerving.

I will admit that I was somewhat confused at first, by the dual perspectives in the book. They are merely labeled numerically or by word-number which was rather confusing and didn’t help to identify whose actual perspective each chapter was from, though eventually I caught on. Perhaps that was the intended effect.

The plot, and its concepts, when you stop to ponder it, is disturbing and slightly horrifying, but also immensely intriguing. The whole idea of artificial intelligence embraces the notion of man playing god, while being a natural extension of the pursuit of what’s next in technology.

The ending was chilling, moving, and a stunner. I understand that some found it far-fetched, but really the whole story is meant to be slightly out there, as are all futuristic concepts, so to me, that’s what made it entertaining and a one-of-a-kind thriller.

This is a taut, dynamic, timely thriller that weaves together many current tropes and produces a uniquely disquieting tale. It’s difficult to put the book down as the reader is rapidly engulfed in layer after layer of seemingly well-known science fiction fears: human-like robots, memories that are alive enough to remake a human, a spouse who has recreated his wife in nonhuman form and a robot who thinks it is alive. The only weak spot in this addictive tale is the ending and honestly, it almost doesn’t matter. The ‘why’ of the whole story ultimately seems irrelevant because the romp of it all is fascinating and impossible to interrupt. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Wow! This was a real page turner. The story line was so extremely original and made you really think...”How long before this is possible “.

I really enjoyed the characters and the story. I didn’t even come close to guessing the ending. Well done! 3.5⭐️

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a complementary advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book reminded me a lot of Verity by Colleen Hoover. Unfortunately, The Perfect Wife did not contain a major twist like Verity did. While I did enjoy this book, it was semi-predictable. The male MC Tim is a controlling, self-centered misogynist. I didn't know what to make of his wife or rather the AI that looks like his wife and has some of his wife's memories. On the one hand, I feel for her and like her with all her flaws, but on the other hand she seems pretty naive. It was interesting to read about their son and his disorder. As a mom of a disabled child, my heart broke for this mom. I wanted to take her and hug her and tell her that her son is very special. I could put myself in her shoes and picture myself struggling like she did.
Overall, this was a great book!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book. This was the second time Delaney has surprised me in the best of ways! I honestly had no preconceived idea of what the book was about and I think that’s the best way to go into reading it. If I had read the summary I may have not gone for it- more sci-fi than I usually go for. But this book was so great! I really don’t want to tell too much about I because I want others to go read it and be as delighted as I was!

I opened this without having read any reviews and that turned out to be a good thing as this started out quite different to anything I was expecting given the initial premise of a woman waking up and having amnesia (done to death) and making the obvious connections as to what probably happened.
Although I thought this was going to be spectacular, it ended up going the same route trod upon so many times before. Sure there were some exceptions given the sci Fi tech aspect, but, in the end, I ended up being so disappointed at the unfulfilled potential to be truly out of the ordinary. Thus, I am having a hard time giving this a star rating, so let me think awhile. My initial rating 3.5 stars.

The problem in describing the plot is that I don't want to give away spoilers. I enjoyed being caught out and surprised so I'm not going to tell you anything more than to just read the synopsis. I definitely enjoyed the technological and scientific information in the book and even gave much thought while reading to the moral and ethical aspects. I surely felt that the author must have a child with autism or some other spectrum disorder in order to be able to describe it so well. The writing was excellent, it was just the resolution of the novel that felt so pre-destined and expected. The characters were exactly what I knew I'd find -- the oh so wonderful Abbie and the whack job husband. That was a let down given the possibilities that could have brought the conclusion to a whole new level.

Some reviewers have remarked that the second person point of view was distracting but I didn't have any issues with that and don't mind. The omniscient voice giving some background wasn't a problem for me either. My biggest complaint is that I didn't want this to be the usual domestic drama arc but it was. If you asked me what I had hoped for the story, I'd be happy to tell you...So, all in all, it was an entertaining read that I raced through in a single sitting but I wish it had really gone out there on a limb and shocked me with an atypical approach. The subject of AI and robotics was extremely fascinating and the applications for the future are immense in scope even as they are frightening. For, after all, what is it that makes us truly HUMAN?

This would be a great novel for a book club as there is so much to debate and discuss. Please share your thoughts!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of The Perfect Wife by JP Delaney.

When Abby wakes up, she feel strange, and oddly disconnected from her body. Greeted by her loving husband Tim, she learns that she was in an accident. While she has a lot of memories about who she is (artist) and who her husband is (CEO of a huge tech company), she's still fuzzy about how she ended up waking up with no memory as to how she got there.

I don't want to tell much more of the story, suffice to say, really interesting stuff! I liked this a lot, really fun concept, ripe with conversation starters. I love a book that is full of moral questions. It's written well, keeps you on the edge of your seat, and has lots of tricks up it's sleeve.