Would you go on a reality show that was part Love Island and part Survivor? Lyla, a scientist, and Nico, a struggling actor, are at a place in their relationship where things have run their course. Lyla is ready to exit. But then Nico signs them up to spend some time on a remote island for a reality show. He promises Lyla some time in paradise to rest and relax. But it isn't long before things go wrong and people start dying. The remaining contestants are isolated from the world, low on food and water, and forced to look around at each other in suspicion. This book compares itself to And Then There Were None. I spent the first two-thirds of this book trying to figure out what the twist would be, but it turns out I shouldn't have bothered. The end was abrupt and the plot just seemed to fizzle out. I wanted so much more at the end. I enjoyed the tension and interactions in this book, but with such a disappointing end I felt like I had been led on.

One Perfect Couple was a mid level suspense for me. Is there a twist ending...yes, kind of. Did it surprise me....no. Could it have been a couple of different endings...yes. Did I care about anyone on the island....nope-likeablity was low and understanding of why the main heroine was even there was questionable. It was ok. I can see it being a fun book on a tropical vacation, but for me- it was nothing new or ground breaking.

About the Book: This is a book about reality show contestants stranded on a small island after a huge storm cuts them off from civilization. They have to survive until help arrives (if it will arrive?), as tensions rise and their situation becomes bleaker by the day. Many of the contestants aren’t surviving - is it by accident, or something more sinister?

Read this book if you:
- want to read a combination of Then There Were None and Lord of the Flies
- are a fan of reality shows like Survivor or Love Island, or at least appreciate the behind the scenes aspects of it
- imagine Theo James casted in a lot of books you read (because you can’t tell me he wouldn’t be an AMAZING Connor!)

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one! The beginning takes a bit to get used to all the reality show characters, but I think Ruth Ware does a great job at making them all different enough while simultaneously reminding us who is who as you read. Then as the group’s numbers dwindle, they are even easier to keep track of. This book does a great job making you feel the tension and the claustophia of the island, and the characters are entertaining to read about. I kept turning pages and I think this would be a great summer read!

This one is classic Ruth Ware she just added a survival and reality show element. I wasn't big on the whole couple swapping idea even if it was "just for TV." This one does take readers on a different path than her gothic tales, just like her last one.

Ruth Ware does it again! This was a really, really good thriller, A reality show-5 couples on a remote island and the couple that isn't voted off is the winner. But it doesn't get that far because a horrific storm destroys most of the infrastructure and all communication to the mainland is cut off. If the storm didn't kill them, there is a killer amongst them. Who is it and why? This story kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the story. Enjoyed the arc of the main character Lyla who although reluctant to come was persuaded by her handsome, aspiring actor Nico. As conditions deteriorate Lyla finds the mental, emotional and physical strength to survive.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Many thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

2.5 stars

I hate to say it but there was literally nothing I liked about this. I LOVED Ruth Ware’s older works but the last few have done little or nothing for me. This being in the nothing category. Even the writing didn’t feel up to Ware’s standard. This may be the last book I read from her and it makes me sad.

Survivor meets Temptation Island in Ruth Ware’s new summer beach read, One Perfect Couple! Fans of reality TV will be completely absorbed in this gripping psychological suspense novel in which several couples meet up on an exotic Indonesian island to film a controversial TV series, only to find themselves stranded without a crew or supplies when a storm hits. As in any good reality TV show, alliances are formed and villains emerge as the group bands together, desperate to survive. The only trouble is the drama and high stakes aren’t scripted to make for good TV … they are very much real, and not everyone will make it out alive.

Despite hearing readers rave about Ruth Ware for years, this is my first novel by her, and as a fan of the suspense genre, it won’t be my last. As a reformed reality TV junkie, I loved the television element that Ware injected into this novel. It made for some exciting, behind-the-scenes reading … I only wish that it had gone on for a few more chapters! Almost instantly after arriving on the island, the cast is swept up by this freak storm, completely changing the tone and direction of the novel. I would have appreciated getting to know the large cast of characters a bit better through their reality TV antics and developing stronger feelings about them so that I could be more invested in their survival. However, the brief glimpse that we get of the production of the TV series was quite eye-opening and entertaining.

Speaking of survival, I love novels that throw characters into the elements and ask them to find a way to stay alive despite the odds. The stakes are always high, making for some intense reading, and One Perfect Couple is no exception. When stranded on a deserted island with a limited amount of supplies, you have to be crafty and clever about your survival. However, staying alive becomes increasingly more difficult when stranded with a group of virtual strangers, some of which are determined to thwart all plans rooted in logic and basic human decency. As in any good TV series, there are heroes and villains here … the only question here is who can you really trust?

Readers looking for a fast-paced read that you can get lost in will enjoy Ruth Ware’s One Perfect Couple! I listened to this novel while traveling to a tropical vacation spot - so apropos - and it made the hours fly by. Naturally, recommended to fans of reality TV and tense survival situations, especially those who have loved TV series such as Lost.

Thank you for a ARC of this book on @netgalley

Lyla is just a scientist she doesn't belong on a TV game show she doesn't have the look or it factor but her boyfriend Nico wants so desperately to make it big and this game show is for couples.

It wasn't long until I felt the pull of the plot dragging me onto the island and all of the events that took place between the beginning and the last page.

This books plot was top notch. I didn't call of the twists and turns. I felt like I was losing my mind at a few points. The entire mystery and drama of the book was top notch.

The bone I have to pick with this book is I didn't care much about the characters. Maybe because their are too many of them? Or maybe because more focus were on certain characters but I felt the attatchment I had to the characters were super thin. This could have been on purpose but I just felt like no one truly mattered in this story. I didn't feel the emotional peice of the story. I felt like it was all very dry as far as character personality.

I would say overall this book was readable. I enjoyed most of the book. I wish I could have felt more emotions for the characters.

So 3/5 moons

🌙🌙🌙/🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙

This was such a fast, exciting mystery and Ruth Ware is one of my favorites for this genre. The reality show setting and stranded victims theme usually hit home for me so the premise of this book had me hooked. I really liked the characters even though they felt a bit unrealistic at times (reality show contestants often are though so maybe that is more spot on). There were more deaths in this one than a typical Ruth Ware so please know that going in but overall I was really invested and read this very fast. It was great! Thanks to Ruth Ware, Gallery Books | Gallery/Scout Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I am a big fan of Ruth Ware, and this latest book, One Perfect Couple didn't disappoint! It follows a couple Lyla & Nico as they go to an island to film a reality show. with 4 other couples Dan & Angel, Joel & Romi, Bayer & Santana, & Conor & Zana. But nothing is exactly what it seems. The show they are filming for has a few formatting secrets up their sleeves and many relationships won't survive the show,

And once the boat leaves for the night carrying the whole crew a terrible storm hits the island, leading to 2 deaths, and several injuries. Unable to reach anyone by radio, Lyla and the others struggle for survival. Then when one of them turns up dead, the others realize there is a murderer amongst them. It's a race against the clock to be rescued before the food/water runs out or before the murderer gets them all.

This book was very good and sucked me into the drama. The killer turned out to be the obvious choice, but I really enjoyed the girl power resolution. There was a lot of "And Then There Were None" and "Lord of the Flies" vibes going on in this book. Makes you realize how fast things truly unravel in a survival situation. Hunger and thirst can bring out the worst in anyone!

Definitely check this book out if you're a fan of Mysteries & Thrillers, Ruth Ware, and/or survival reality shows. I will be recommending this one to my book clubs!

One Perfect Couple was hard to put down. The storyline of a reality show felt of this time, and I had no trouble picturing exactly what this scenario would look like. I think the thing that surprised me the most (spoiler alert) was the amount of death and violence in the book. I think the premise of a reality show made the beginning feel light and fun that by the time the violence occurred I was taken aback a little. I loved the main character, and I was rooting for her the entire time. I think the character I was most confused by was Nico. I could never tell if I was supposed to think he was the good guy or if he was some superficial wannabe celebrity that would have dumped Lyla as soon as he hit it big?! I wish the ending would have went into a little more detail because I felt like I needed to know a little more. Overall a good book that I didn’t want to put down.

This book had an interesting format of a reality TV show. It kept my attention throughout. There were not any huge wow factors or twists but was a good story.

Title: The Perfect Couple
By: Ruth Ware

Genre:
Fiction, Psychological Thriller

Red Flags:
Strong Language, Infidelity, Murder, Graphic death

Summary/Review:
Five couples are whisked away on a deserted island near the Indian Ocean for the opportunity to be on a reality television show. The show is called “The Perfect Couple” and once on the Ever After Island, everything for everyone starts to go terribly wrong. This was a much tougher read for me. I would suggest knowing from the get go, the intention of the book is to be read as a reality TV series. With that premise in mind, you know the storyline is completely unrealistic and over the top dramatic. For this reason, I was slightly disappointed. I had to change my thought process in order to finish the novel. The main characters were unrelatable, difficult to connect with, and I felt they needed additional depth. A very large portion of the book was the F*** Bomb, so personally for me this added a layer of negativity for my personal taste.

Thank you to Ruth Ware, Gallery/ Scout Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#reluctantreaderreads
#OnePerfectCouple
#RuthWare
#Scoutpress
#netgalley
#audiobook
#advancedreadereditions

I couldn’t put this book down!! I needed to know what was gonna happen and how they got stranded on the island. And so many people were dying! The intrigue!!

The ending was a bit meh and left lots of questions, but the ride was fun!

Ruth Ware is amazing, I always enjoy reading her. This one fell a bit flat for me and the ending felt a little lack-luster, so it isn't the usual five stars from me. Still this is a very enjoyable summer read.

DNF!!! First, Ruth Ware, you are a better writer than this! I tried to so hard to get into this one because of the author, but alas…locked room type mystery is not my jam. I know, those of you who have read my reviews before are screaming at me “you know you don’t like locked room mysteries! Why are you punishing yourself and those of us who read your reviews?” To be fair, I gave this a fair shot at 200 pages read. At that point it felt like I was reading the transcription of a meteorologist’s storm report. I didn’t particularly care for any of the characters, and…summer is too short to keep reading something I don’t love. Hopefully other readers will enjoy this more than I did, but it was not for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest (maybe too honest) review.

Lyla, along with a variety of other contestants are taken to a deserted island to participate in a reality TV show, One Perfect Couple. A storm the first night puts everyone in danger and knocks out their communication with the mainland. As supplies dwindle and tempers flair, the contestants just want to make it off of the island alive.

I am a long-time fan of Ruth Ware and her writing, but although I enjoyed this book it wasn't my favorite of hers. As with her other books, this is sold as Ruth Ware's take on a classic. In this case, the classic is "And Then They Were None," but it reads more like Ruth Ware's take on the Lord of the Flies meets Survivor meets isolation thriller. I can't get too much into why without spoilers, but I think I would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't considered that comparison while I read. The characters, like most of Ruth Ware's books, are interesting and engaging (although it did take me a while to get them straight because they all got introduced at the same time) and the plot in the end was interesting especially when you are trying to figure out what is going on. (I also appreciated the reference to The Woman in Cabin 10.)

If readers have already read Ruth Ware, I recommend this, if they haven't I would recommend another one.

Ruth Ware is a favorite author for me, and I was so excited to get this arc copy to read.

The story is described as a modern day And Then There Were None, taking place on an island. The premise is several couples competing on a reality show for a final grand prize and being awarded the "one perfect couple." The main character, Lyla Santiago, is convinced by her longtime boyfriend Nico to join the show as he is an aspiring actor and believes this will jumpstart his career. Lyla is a scientist/virologist and did not want to do the show, but desperate to make things work and disappointed with the trajectory of her own career, she compromises to help the partner she loves love.
When they get to the set of Ever After Island, they meet four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana. Each of the couples has their own unique stories, and each of them have their own reasons for being on the show. However, after the first challenge on the show causes chaos, many are left wondering if this show is worth the drama. It gets even more chaotic when an overnight storm leaves the cast stranded. The show has now become a life-or-death situation. This story was interesting, a lot of the book was the reality TV show and havoc the storm wrecked on the island and the people stranded. The twists were a little different from Ware's other books and really reminiscent of the novel it has been compared to, And then There Were None. I think a lot of people will love this book. Its pacing is a bit slower than I wanted it to be, but besides the pacing, it was a good read and one I think my students would enjoy.

It pains me to write a less than stellar review for a Ruth Ware book, but I’m going to have to for this one. It was just meh. And that just doesn’t live up to her standards and what I’ve come to expect of her stories. It was equal parts Survivor and The Real Housewives and yet somehow the characters were one dimensional and the conflict is superfluous. The premise was interesting but this was written more for the YA genre it felt like it me.
A group of up and coming actors are chosen to film a reality show on an island on the Indian Ocean when a storm comes through and maroons them there and kills some of the production crew. The “twist” was predictable-which was disappointing when you’ve come to expect much edgier stuff from the author.
It’s hard to say much more without spoilers so I’ll leave it at that. Not to say that I won’t read what she writes next, because I surely will with the hopes that this was just a one time miss for me. It wasn’t terrible it just wasn’t what I’ve come to expect and love from Ruth Ware.
Thanks to Scout Press and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.