dnf @ 20%

sorry publisher for not finishing this book. it was a bit messy and boring for me. i just couldn't relate with the main character and the mystery is not compelling.

This was quite a twisty read as the main character was like a chameleon until she got caught in an harrowing situation. Initially quite confusing, soon the entire picture came through. It was a good read.

This book was not for me at all, i don't think the writing is amazing sometimes poorly written the book was too slow the chapters did not have any important actions to keep me hooked on and keep me reading the story. i like the format of the present past it is really interesting and the premise and some parts are intriguing but it was very hard to keep going on reading, some side storylines did feel a bit wishy-washy and could have been better selected and developed the overall story.

Another excellent story from Nuala Ellwood. I have read all of her books and adore her writing. They keep getting better

At the beginning of the book. Vanessa seems to have the "perfect life". She enjoys dressing up, mingling with the exclusive crowd and more. However, we eventually learn that it isn't long before Vanessa loses her only best friend, her boyfriend, and what was a very successful career in the beauty marketing industry. When things get tough in her real life, all Vanessa has to do is throw on some fancier clothes, adopt a new accent and she can escape the horror of real life--even if it's just for a while. When one of the owners of a house Vanessa had viewed is found dead, she becomes the number one suspect to the murder.

This wasn't the book for me. I felt like the pacing was too slow and the chapters weren't eventful enough to keep me entertained throughout the book. That being said I did like the premise of the book, and found some parts of the book intriguing enough for me to finish the story. I did like the format of the chapters, the back and fourth between the chapters where we see the story being told between the past and present.

2 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for this ARC of 'The Perfect Life" by Nuala Ellwood in exchange for an honest review.

I liked it, I didn't like it, I'm not too sure.
I found the story far too slow for me and got bored very easily hence the 2stars. It could have been written better.

It's hard to make out what I thought of this book. I didn't dislike it as such but I didn't love it either. Perhaps it would be better if I read it again, but for the time being, it was ok.

Vanessa lost her mother at a young age and relied on her sister for support whilst growing up.

Her relationship with her best friend Lottie is destroyed when she meets Connor and falls in love, as she spends all her time with him.

As the relationship progresses Nessa gradually loses herself and views properties as different personas to be able to lose herself i something other than her relationship.

Her final viewing of an author’s house she loved as a child ends in the author’s death and Nessa is accused of being involved.

This is a tough read in parts as the topics include gaslighting, abortion and rape.

A well put together thriller and one is definitely recommend.

This was ok to read, but perhaps a bit slow to get into, I’m glad I persevered though.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This was an ok read, quite predictable and slow to start with. I felt there were some ‘gaps’ and like there was something ‘missing’. It didn’t quite grip me and capture me like other similar books. Nevertheless, Vanessa was an interesting character and I could relate to her strive for perfection and escape.

The book was quick to read and not as hard to follow as I had read from other reviews. But, some side storylines did feel a bit wishy-washy and could have been better selected and developed to enhance the overall story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK and Nuala Ellwood for this book and the chance to review. Apologies for the delay in reviewing.

A psychological thriller that alternates between two timelines, one of the past and one of the present, from the viewpoint of a confident, successful woman who, over a year, has found herself being questioned by the police. It's inevitable to make assumptions when the reader witnesses the oh-so-perfect boyfriend that the woman has found love with, despite or amidst the controlling nature of this man. The writing very well creates a tension that keeps one hooked while the protagonist allows readers to feel the thrill of it all, the chill of manipulation, and the vividness of fear, but the plot intrigues only so much despite the interest that the theme of alter egos would otherwise generate.

Wow what an absolute cracker of a book, before I dive into my review please note this book has a couple of trigger warnings for example rape, abuse and control. With that being said you don’t really get graphic details but with the story being as immersive you feel like you’ve witnessed those things.

Vanessa comes across as a very sad and lonely character even though she had a best friend (Lottie) and her sister (Georgia) she was very traumatised from losing her mum at a very young age so you feel really sorry for her as a whole (don’t worry guys this isn’t a spoiler)

I found the story started and got really interesting when she met Connor and fell in love. I’m glad it wasn’t one of those mushy romance novels that’s for sure. I found myself very gripped with this book I couldn’t put it down and read it within 24 hours! So if you are all looking for your next psychological thriller this one is for you.

Whilst the premise of this book sounded intriguing I feel the execution needed some work.

Told in dual timelines of Then and Now it felt a little all over the place and at times I had to go back and check which timeline I was reading. I just felt disjointed and had no real flow to it at all. It just left me feeling confused .

There is alot of predictability throughout the story and w the ending/twist was unexpected in my opinion it didny quite feel right.

Thank you to netgalley and Penguin General UK for the ARC.

I did enjoy this book, loved the story and development of the characters. I was a bit disappointed with the ending. It seemed rushed and some bits didn’t quite fit for me.

After things start going wrong in her life, Vanessa Adams, 32, checks the listings at various high-end estate agents and becomes addicted to looking round beautiful, expensive houses that she can’t possibly afford. She likes pretending to be someone else and imagining living in a stunning house. She ends up moving in with her older sister, Georgie, 45, and brother-in-law, Jack, in Wimbledon after a relationship break up and the loss of her job.

One evening, the police knock on the door and accuse Vanessa of murdering the owner of one of the houses that she viewed. She denies everything but can’t remember what did happen that fateful day.

Told in two timelines, then (2017) and now (2018), we learn about the events that lead up to Vanessa being questioned for murder. She is a rather unreliable narrator and I wasn’t sure whether to believe her version of what happened or not, especially with some of the comments from her best friend, Lottie, her ex, Connor and her sister, Georgie. Interspersed between the two time periods are flashbacks (in italics) to Vanessa’s childhood and her various memories.

In 2017, Vanessa works in marketing for cosmetics company, Luna London, and she lives with her friend of 14 years, Lottie, a case manager at a children’s charity. They’re both single and get on well and have fun together and enjoy their girlie nights out. When Vanessa gets a new boyfriend and spends all her time with him, Lottie feels sidelined and, eventually, the two women fall out.

Things progress rather fast with Connor Dawkins, an art director, and the couple fall head over heels in love and, before long, Vanessa is moving into his flat. Life isn’t all rosy for the pair and the couple’s relationship is unhealthy and toxic. They’re both flawed in their own ways.

Vanessa’s behaviour becomes rather erratic and she gets carried away with her new relationship and forgets the important things in life like her family, friends and job. Connor is horrible and far too jealous and possessive and Vanessa is totally taken in by him and is blind to his bad points – the emotional abuse and manipulative and coercive behaviour.

By the time Vanessa is accused of murder, her life has descended into chaos and she’s not sure how she came to be in this position. Lots happens to her in the year after meeting Connor and she has to be strong to unravel the full story.

Overall, I enjoyed The Perfect Life – it was well paced, tense, gripping and even creepy in parts. Vanessa was a difficult character to suss out and there was certainly lots going on in her life. It was fascinating to discover more about her childhood and learn what happened to her mum. Her relationship with Connor was frustrating as he was very controlling and kept trying to gaslight Vanessa and convince her that she was doing things and behaving in certain ways. She couldn’t see what was happening most of the time or just ignored his behaviour and made excuses.

This was an engaging and absorbing book and rather dark and disturbing at times. It was an intriguing and easy read, with short chapters, and I flew through it in a few hours, desperate to learn more about how Vanessa came to be accused of murder. By the end, there certainly had been some shocking revelations and I was surprised by how it was all resolved. An entertaining read!

Vanessa likes to escape from her everyday life by posing as a potential buyer of property. But one day things go a step too far, when she visits the home of her favourite author from chidhood. Geoffrey Rivers is dead, and Vanessa is the prime suspect. Can she prove her innocence, while all her lies are exposed?

I enjoyed The Perfect Life. I think we all want to look round other people’s houses, and as far as Vanessa is concerned, it’s all innocent. And then the darker side of the story kicks in. Exposed as a liar and a fantasist by the estate agencies, she appears to be the obvious suspect In Geoffrey’s death. Flitting between the events leading up to Geoffrey’s death and the present, a story gradually unfolds of Vanessa’s life, her relationship with boyfriend Connor and how it all starts to fall apart. The final chapter, is especially powerful and well written.

A good, dark story, dealing not just with murder but with power and control and how, for some, their lives are not their own.

This was a very disturbing but good read.

Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and could not get enough of.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension -  impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

It took me a bit of time to get into the flow of this book, as I thought it was a little tame. But then as the story grew and more sinister things began to happen, it started making me question everyone's character.
The twists and turns involving Ness, Georgie and Lottie kept me intrigued and guessing until the end.
I particularly loved the part of when Geoffrey's son was introduced and how his involvement in the story unfolded.
I'm also liked the "Other" story going on within this story too, as I didn't like the character of Connor and his manipulative ways - and I'm glad he got what he deserved albeit a bit lenient!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, even if it was a little bit slow to start it definitely had a great finish, with plenty of intrigue in the middle

The book was great, interesting characters, fast changing and twisting plot- exactly what I love! I would recommend this book to my friends and family!

I devoured The Day Of The Accident. I loved The House On The Lake. So, naturally, I was prepared I would enjoy The Perfect Life as well. Little did I know, it would end up being my favourite Nuala Ellwood book yet!

Synopsis:

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO BE SOMEONE ELSE?

Vanessa has always found it easy to pretend to be somebody different, somebody better. When things get tough in her real life, all she has to do is throw on some nicer clothes, adopt a new accent and she can escape.

That’s how it started: looking round houses she couldn’t possibly afford. Harmless fun really. Until it wasn’t.

Because a man who lived in one of those houses is dead.

And everyone thinks Vanessa killed him…

My Thoughts:

The manipulation in this book is brilliant. The small red flags that get often ignored turn into a bigger picture, creating a unique pressure, and as a reader, I loved it!

Vanessa is such a morally grey character, and even though I felt for her, I could never truly trust her narrative. It was like stepping on shaky stones, but having a wonderful view at the same time. I don’t experience that often, and I want to find it more and more in books now!

I could predict in which direction the book was going, and even though I could sort of predict the ending as well, it still left me satisfied. If you are looking for a quick read that will take you on a creepy adventure, you better grab a copy of this book.

Nuala’s writing is amazing! She is able to get me into the story very fast, and keep me intrigued until the very end.

TW: rape, abuse, gaslighting