It's seems I'm in the minority here. I didn't particularly like this. It's tricky to pull off a coercive control book. Firstly you have to find believable reasons for isolating the victim from their family and friends. The isolation was way too far fetched in this one. The best friend acted in such an extreme, unreasonable way that it made me hyper-aware that this was simply a plot device. Secondly, you have to make the victim relatable and normal, yet fragile enough to fall for a seemingly charming person, otherwise you risk making the character irritatingly stupid. Unfortunately I found the main character incredibly frustrating and didn't quite believe in her actions. But the main reason I didn't like this book is that the blurb gives no indication that this will be about coercive control. Then the twist at the end? As a few others have said, it doesn't work.

I had never read anything from this author so I was really excited after reading the reviews of her other books. To be fair it did not disappoint. It was very slow going at the start and I got very confused about the story on how the strands fitted together. I was a bit confused about the Lottie character. So I nearly gave up.

But quarter way through was engrossed and really started to enjoy the book and needed to find out what happened.
I am not going to go into the plot at all as that will spoil everything and please read this for yourself you wont regret it.

I was given this book by netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review which I have done.

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.

I enjoyed this read, I just did not love it. I did love Vanessa and her quirky characterisation, her obsession with houses is both interesting and serves a purpose. Plus it was a bonus reading about stunning, luxury houses from time to time. Anyway, back to the plot. Ellwood writes this in the past and present. I much preferred the chapters set in the past. As the book progresses, the present becomes more important and of course, the past and present intertwine, however I found the past more intriguing and suspenseful. It was the past I was constantly racing to get back to.

For a lot of the book, the chapters set during the present come across dull and a bit infantile, events do not make sense but not necessarily in a good way. The latter half of this read almost feels like a different book. Seemingly from out of nowhere, the atmosphere becomes chilling and full of danger. I was hooked by the second half of this read and I only wish the whole book had been the same.

I have touched on Vanessa's character briefly and I now return to her. She is a very interesting character, I did not always find her likeable and I did not particularly connect with her but there was something about her that kept my interest and ensured I kept reading. As the book continues, the reasons behind her behaviour become clear and I must commend Ellwood for the twists and reveals as they are set up perfectly and suddenly everything makes sense.

'The Perfect Life' is a good read that slowly transforms into an intense, chilling read. I only wish this had been the case the whole way through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for an advance copy.

This is the first book from this author for me. And I really enjoyed this book. I was capture from the first chapter. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. This was like a fix to me, I just needed to find were would chapters take me.
This was beautifully witten.

Four stars for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

Riveting. I loved this twisty tale with its roots in a child's ghost story. Creepy and intriguing right to the end.

Wow! I have just finished this book, having started it last night. Literally couldn’t put it down.

This twisty psychological drama is based on the life of Vanessa, who lost her mother at the age of 10, which has had a profound effect on her life.

She meets Connor through a work colleague, and falls head over heels in love. However all is not what it seems with her new love and the plot line turns ever darker as Vanessa slowly starts to think she is losing her mind.

Vanessa starts to visit houses for sale, using different personas for her visits, but the last visit ends in murder. Can she remember what she has done?

I loved this book, it was written in such a way that it drew me in from the start. If I could give it 6 stars I would!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ever since her mother died when she was a little girl, fragile Vanessa Adams has been in search of happiness. Her wonderful older sister Georgie does her absolute best to help her and when Nessa meets Connor she thinks she’s found what she has been seeking. The story is partly about their relationship and also Nessa adopting different personas to view dream homes in search of that elusive something....

Initially the alternating Then and Now storyline seems a bit confusing but it all slots into place and makes sense. I like the the weaving of a sometimes ghostly fantasy world into the day to day reality which is a very stark contrast. I really like the children’s book theme which Nessa draws so much from especially after her beloved mother’s death and highlights how important fiction can be for children, it certainly was for me. I love the bond between the two sisters which is really heartwarming, demonstrating real love which Nessa’s relationship with Connor is so far from. That story is chilling and full of manipulative tension until the scales tumble from her eyes. The tempo builds well as the story progresses with a number of very unsettling, menacing and dangerous events occurring as Nessa’s world falls apart. Her feelings are very well described and you vividly sense her fear and panic. The ending is twisty and unexpected with people ultimately getting what they deserve.

Overall, this is another entertaining read from the talented Nuala Ellwood.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the arc in return for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by this author but I hope won’t be the last. The way she describes the emotions of the main character pulls at your heartstrings and you feel like you are actually there with her.
I don’t want to give too much away but what I will say is that there are twists that you won’t see coming!
Some aspects of this book are difficult to read and you just want to reach into the book and hug the main character. For me that’s a compliment to the author for such emotive writing about a genuinely likeable character.

A good and interesting read!

I would recommend this to everyone who loves a good story with captivating characters! Definitely a good read!

Thanks for the ARC
Always keen to read publications by this author.
Both my wife and myself have enjoyed previous ones by Ms Ellwood and this was no exception.
Ok, could see parts of it coming, but plenty I didn't.
Thanks again.

I very much enjoyed this book - there were lots of twists and turns. Parts of it you could sense coming, but not all. I'm always keen to read books by this author and will look forward to her future work.

The Perfect Life by Nuala Ellwood

I Loved this book.

From the very first chapter I knew I was going to enjoy the story and boy was I right.

I could not put the book down as the story kept me on the edge of my seat. The story is fast paced, exciting and you never know where the next chapter will take you.

The drama and suspense are excellent. I have read all Nuala Ellwood’s other books and I think they are all fantastic.

I loved all the characters and could easily relate to them. I loved the main character, Vanessa, and couldn’t wait to find out what happens to her in the end.

I would like to thank Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

We all want a perfect life don’t we?
This was such a slow burner read but I loved how this was written with the back and forth of the past and present.

This story follows Vanessa who was a carefree fun loving woman, prime of her career but then she starts to change, follow her story how she goes from having the perfect life to being investigated for murder.

This book touches on subjects that are quite raw for some readers such as mental health, domestic abuse and rape.

I was so shocked by the end of the book with the wrap up in the end and everything coming to light, my heart strings were tugged in every direction for Vanessa!

This is a tricky one to review: I enjoyed it a lot but found it disappointing that our heroine is yet another woman drawn into the clutches of an apparently perfect man and who is unable to get away from at the first instances of his creepy behaviour. I could put up with that as it seems to me that almost all of these "domestic noir" type novels feature women tolerating "bad" men. Nonetheless I was quite intrigued to see where this was going and was ready for a thrilling denouement, but I'm afraid that it got preposterous with the very tenuous link between today's event and Vanessa's childhood. The villain almost appeared from nowhere and I felt that was a little bit of a cop out.

But all in all a good read and I'd like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. It hooked me from the beginning and I raced though it. It's a brilliant, psychological read. The characters are believable and completely relatable. The plot was consistent and never wavered from the main point. A lot of thought has definitely gone into the main character Vanessa and her aliases. It's a story which takes psychological mind games to a whole new level. I absolutely loved it and I will definitely be reading more books from the amazing Nuala Ellwood.

A compelling, twisty psychological thriller in which a much-adored boyfriend gaslights a vulnerable, naïve woman, leading us to ask: does anyone really have a perfect life?

Vanessa gets a thrill out of viewing houses she can’t afford. After her mother died when she was young, she’s longed desperately for a family of her own. She doesn’t think she’s doing any harm. Until one day the owner of the house she’s viewing is found dead. And the police think Vanessa is the murderer.

The story is told in two time periods: now, in which her life is a complete wreck; and before, in which everything was looking rosy. With a domestic setting and complex characters, this was a book exploring themes like love and control, and what happens when the perfect life turns out to be a nightmare.

Intriguing scenarios throughout this book. Vanessa assumes different identities with each house for sale she views, despite having no intention or funds to purchase.
The last house viewing turned into a nightmare for Vanessa when she was accused of murdering the owner of the property.
What follows makes you question her sanity. Her conviction that Connor her ex boyfriend is setting her up in an act of revenge.
An exciting and fast pace read with many different scenarios. However, the ending was a complete surprise.
Good thriller.

This was a good book overall, the story kept me gripped and interested. The main character was very relatable and I found the plot engaging. I will definitely be looking forward to more from this author.

This book took hold of me quickly because I was intrigued.

The author does well to reveal detail but leave you wanting more so you keep turning the pages.

The main character isn’t particularly likeable but that’s what makes it so interesting.

Read if you like twisty psychological thrillers.

This is my second book by Nuala and I really enjoyed the first book so was looking forward to reading this. Although I enjoyed it I feel it wasn’t quite as good as her first book so I still rated it 4 stars. Look forward to reading the next book.