I no longer know if Ruth Ware is for me. Though an interesting plot, One Perfect Couple felt 300 pages too long. We were going in circles and the characters all felt one dimensional. The writing felt subpar and there wasn't a true plot twist. It feels like a good idea wasted on a bad author.

Thank you to Ruth Ware and Gallery Books for my copy of One Perfect Couple!
This was a reality tv version of a book. It was super fun, lots of drama, and way over the top. You have to suspend belief immediately, and then this book is easy to enjoy. I loved the premise of the reality tv show and the location of a resort in the middle of nowhere. It was just like if Love Island went wrong.

I didn’t like any of the characters and they were hard to root for. I thought it was hard to connect with them because there wasn’t much background established. It was a fun popcorn thriller with an “And Then There Were None” trope. I think it could have been a bit more mysterious, as the reveal, if you can even call it that, fell pretty flat and was obvious. It’s a fun beach read, but I wasn’t necessarily wowed. 3-stars

Ruth Ware is the queen of thrillers! I really enjoy thrillers that include a reality TV aspect. This book was fantastic! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and I read this book in one night. Thank you to Galley for the ARC.

British author Ruth Ware is often compared to Agatha Christie, and her books are brilliant takes on Christie’s classic locked-door mysteries. Her latest book, One Perfect Couple, is a modern telling of Christie’s famous And Then There Were None, along with a dose of The Lord of the Flies. When five couples sail to a desert island to compete on a reality TV show, the stakes are more than roses and fame—they’re life and death.

Virus researcher Lyla has hit a dead end with her latest project—the numbers just don’t add up. When her boyfriend, struggling actor Nico, is offered an opportunity to compete on the new reality TV series One Perfect Couple, it seems like a great chance to take a break. The couples will fly to Jakarta, then take a seven-hour boat ride to a new island resort in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Along with Lyla and Nico, the other couples include Conor and Zana, Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, and Joel and Romi. The players hunker down for the duration: No phones or laptops, a game that lasts six to eight weeks.

But after the first challenge, a violent storm batters the island, leaving two people dead, others injured, the electricity off, and no way to contact the boat. As the survivors band together to salvage what’s left of the food and water, it gradually becomes clear that one of them is a danger to the rest. And then the dying starts.

One Perfect Couple unfolds at a dizzying pace, even in the early scenes setting up Lyla and Nico’s relationship and the later parts of the book when days turn into weeks. Ware’s narrative voice is perfect for suspense, and unlike many authors in the genre, she writes in the past tense, making it easier for the reader to lose herself in the prose. Lyla is the first-person narrator, and as a scientist who doesn’t watch reality TV, she’s an ideal stand-in for the reader.

Interspersed with Lyla’s narration is the diary that Zana updates as events unfold. And Zana’s take is a lot different than Lyla’s descriptions. But her entries are so short and seem so divorced from the experience of trying to survive on a desert island that I never doubted Lyla’s account, and I wondered Ware’s purpose for including the diary. That reasoning doesn’t come clear until the end, when it plays a part in tying everything together.

There were a few twists that I’d anticipated that did not play out. The book is a lot more straightforward than other offerings in the genre, and readers expecting to be tricked may be disappointed. By the end, though, I was happy that my predictions didn’t come to fruition. Rather than playing games with her readers, Ware is able to tell two stories: One about a group of people stranded on a desert island, and the other about toxic masculinity, the importance of trusting a fear response, and how our culture is set up to both glorify and excuse its perpetrators. This “second story” is another way in which Ware resembles Christie. Many of Dame Agatha’s murder mysteries, especially Miss Marple’s, have subtle messaging about sexism and abuse of women.

One Perfect Couple is another home run for one of Britain’s leading crime fiction writers. Every fan of the genre should have her books in their libraries.

I was really looking forward to starting this book. I was ready for all the twists and turns. Sadly, this book was merely okay. I was expecting a high-tension read. Instead, what I read was a book that had no mystery, no plot twists, and no plot holes. This was more of a TV reality show (survivor-like show), but the contestants, who are very cliche, are being killed off one by one. And you know who the killer is. Ugh!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

On paper, Lyla and Nico don't make sense. She's a scientist and he's a struggling actor, their lives couldn't be more different. But they've been together for two years and are, for the most part, happy. When Nico comes to Lyla with a proposition to go on a reality TV show, she hesitates even though she knows it could change both of their lives. She's in a rut professionally, and she's desperate to get out, but a reality show? Her? Despite her hesitancy, she agrees to give it a shot - a choice that she would probably take back if she could.

When Lyla, Nico, and their fellow competitors arrive on the island, they notice things are not quite as they were billed to be. The majority of the resort is still under construction, theres limited resources, and there's a storm brewing (because of course there is). The first challenge brings tension, and when the storm cuts off the competitors from any contact from the mainland they must work together to survive the elements and each other.

If Fyre Festival and The Bachelor in Paradise had a love child and a serial killer in the cast...it would be this book. What could have been a silly, over the top scenario was dealt with a deft hand by Ruth Ware, as always.

Lyla, is a scientist, and Nico, is a struggling actor. The two have been dating for two years, but have hit a wall as their relationship doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Nico is blown away when he’s presented with the opportunity to appear on a new reality television show, being pitched as… One Perfect Couple. After much persuasion, he convinces Lyla to join him explaining that it would really bolster his career. Lyla very reluctantly takes time off work to join him on set, a remote Indonesian island. It’s tropical and beautiful and she thinks this might actually be a good vacation. There are romantic huts, beautiful crystal clear water, palm trees, and lots of food and alcohol. After all the crew wants the couples, relaxed and loose lipped. Ding ding ding… behind the beautiful facade, there are some concerns. The director seems off, not to mention, most of the crew leaves every night and returns in the morning. One night a really bad storm hits the island and there's a lot of damage to the rooms and one of the palm trees falls on a hut and kills someone. To make matters worse, the boat with the director and supplies never returns. Did they go missing during the storm? Now the couples are stranded on this remote island with no communication. Part of the agreement was that there would be no cellphone usage, therefore all phones were taken away. It’s a small island and all the water is saltwater so water supplies are an immediate problem. Food is also an issue because there were to be deliveries regularly, but they don’t deliver! And as desperate people tend to do,there is back biting and people turning against each other. So you see there is a ton of suspense here.

This Ruth Ware is not one of my more favoured novels she has penned, but still it’s very good,

Lyla is a smart scientist and Nicole is a jerk struggling to be an actor. I was surprised she would agree to this escapade with Nico. Otherwise the plot is quite believable. There is no mad monster stalking and killing the couples, instead, just regular peopke in desperate situations.


While anxious and thrilling the story line and the great deal of dialogue dragged for me

Lyla is in a rut professionally and in her relationship with aspiring actor boyfriend, Nico. When Nico presents an opportunity (more for himself to increase his social media visibility) to enter a reality dating competition with four other couples, she begrudgingly agrees despite her reservations. She finally concedes to Nico - who could deny a free vacation on a remote island with a cash prize for the winning couple? Despite the idyllic setting, the first challenge quickly mounts tension amongst participants. When a storm hits, participants are cut off from producers and the mainland, thus must work together to survive on the island. A satirical commentary on the extreme reality dating shows with alternating POV and a not-quite-so-reliable narrator. Ruth Ware has created a whirlwind mystery that leaves readers on the edge of their seat to find out who is the One Perfect Couple.

I was very excited to get my hands on this book early. It was good, but it wasn’t quite what I expected. There wasn’t much of a mystery, it was a very slow burn. It all came together in the last few chapters. But it wasn’t that kind of revelation that that surprises you. There was not much on the reality TV front, as they never even began the show technically so that was disappointing. But overall it was a good read. If you’re looking for lots of twists and surprises this is not the story for you. It’s more a story of survival and will they or won’t they. So if you go in with this in mind, you will find it enjoyable. For reference, I love this author, and her books, just went into this one with different expectations.

This was the first book by this author that I have read.
It wasn’t bad but I really thought it would be more.
I read reviews that said it was extremely suspensful and scary. Sorry I didn’t find that. Maybe I’ll try another one if her books!

This was great! I've read Ruth Ware before and this definitely lived up to my expectations. I struggled at first to get into the story, but I was gripped as soon as the storm hit. I read the vast majority of this book in one day because I just had to know what was going on (the diary entries that contradicted the actual events really got to me - I had to know what made that character lie like that). I would easily recommend to anyone looking for a good thriller, especially as we approach a new season of the Bachelorette this summer.

A new Reality TV show filmed on a remote island. Five couples. A storm on the horizon. No cell service or contact with the outside world. What could go wrong? Turns out, EVERYTHING. The storm hits, and the producers have abandoned the island leaving the contestants to fend for themselves. Everything becomes about survival. There are power dynamics at play, tensions flare, people die, and there's literally no way to request help or get off the island. Ruth Ware does a fantastic job of taking the reader into the novel. I enjoyed this book from start to finish.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

Many thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this copy!

Ugh. I wanted to like this book. I really did, but I just couldn't get into it. I found it boring, if you can believe that. I normally face liked Ware's books but this one just didn't do it for me, unfortunately.

Ruth Ware is one of my absolute favorite suspense authors. While "One Perfect Couple" was good, I don't think it was one of her best. The story line was a little flat to me.

What would you do if your boyfriend convinced you to go on a TV show that was set on an island in the middle of nowhere with other couples to see if you were the perfect match or do you match with one of the other contestants? What would you do if somehow you get deserted on the island with the other contestants and people start to die?

This was quick read that kept me engaged the whole time. Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC!

I've read all of Ruth Ware's novels thus far. Some are better than others. Her last one was a miss. This one is a hit!

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, One Perfect Couple, she agrees to try out with him.

A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla finds herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.

I like the premise a lot, same with the characters. The book is a survival book with very high stakes. It takes a dark turn at one point. Very well done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press publishing for the advanced copy. The novel is available now!

Great suspense! This is out of my comfort zone, genre-wise, and I was worried it would be too scary but was the perfect mix of psychological thriller and suspense. The premise was a fun twist on the reality shows that are so common.
The radio transmissions and journal entries were a fun way to build tension between chapters, and it definitely made me interested in reading another book by this author!

🏝️Summary 🏝️

Lyla is an intelligent researcher who lives with her aspiring actor boyfriend, Nico. Nico has been given the opportunity to bring his girlfriend to an exotic getaway.

Once they head through the Indian Ocean to an isolated island with four other couples, Lyla gets the feeling that this is not going to be a vacation in paradise.

🏝️My Thoughts🏝️

If you like reality television, you would like this book as it basically is reality television gone wrong!

It is a bit predictable and more of a domestic thriller, but it is a quick read that would be great for a vacation read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I can not stand reality TV but this is Ruth Ware, so I gave it a shot. What a ride! The story started a little slow but picked about one third of the way through and didn't let go. The characters were all terrible people and fun to read about overall.

This books certainly gets your heartrate up. I hated the first 1/3 of this book. I loathe reality TV and don't enjoy any aspect of that vapid world. But things picked up during the storm. The storm was terrifying. All the male characters were absolute garbage. Spoilers ahead. Female brains and camaraderie won in the end. Didn't love the whole message of "giving shitty people a platform leads to violence." I completely disagree. Words do not cause violence. You can control your actions--no one else's. The survivalist drama was also terrifying and I kept thinking more and more horrible things were going to happen--because they did. This was better than Ware's last two books. Great read for summer. Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy