Thank you Ruth Ware for the first engaging thriller of my 2024 summer. This book has nods to Agatha Christie, Lord of the Flies and has a reality tv theme show tossed in. Sounds like an interesting concept? It was!

Lyla the scientist is dating Nico, the wannabe actor who is in need of a career boost. Nico is approached to join a couple’s reality tv show set on a remote, uninhabited island in the Indian Ocean. His reluctant girlfriend, Lyla agrees and they join four other couples on the island. However, shortly after arriving at the island a hurricane unexpectedly hits and it quickly becomes survival first.

Lyla is the narrator of the story and she’s very likable and relatable. Reading about her actions to survive kept my interest. There are 10 characters total in the island and it is easy to keep track of who is who from the beginning. Some characters survive and some do not. There were a few twists and I had several theories in my head as to how it would all end. There was one plot point I felt that wasn’t properly addressed but overall I found this to be a book I did not want to put down.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is not the first time that Ruth Ware has written a book borrowing from Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, and she has done better previously (e.g., ONE BY ONE). This time around the setting is a remote Asian island, and there is a reality show theme. Reference to "real" reality shows like The Bachelor and Love Island are scattered throughout the book, just in case we didn't get the connection. The characters come in sets of two, the couples that are vying to be the last standing, and therefore, the perfect couple. There will be tasks, and a social environment is set up where the contestants must both work together and compete against each other.

Nearly all of the characters are social media stars and/or actors looking to raise their visibility through participation in the show. The one anomaly is the character through whom much of the book is told, Lyla, a research virologist who is included as the plus-one for Nico, a down on his luck actor. All of the characters meet on a yacht that will take them to the remote island, and they begin their jockeying for position immediately. Shortly after they are left on the island, a massive storm rolls in that separates them from the boat where the crew is being housed. When the storm wears itself out, not all cast members are alive and it seems that the LORD OF THE FLIES action on the island ensures that even those remaining may not make it to the end.

The characters are well portrayed, and their personalities play various roles in developing the action. As Lyla tries to reason her way through the situation, helping the remaining characters avoid further harm, she is stymied by knowing very little about each one of the other competitors nor even about the premise of the competition they have entered. Neither she, nor anyone else, has any basic survival skills, making it unrealistic that they survive at all with a murderer amongst them.

There are plenty of wholly-engaging fast-paced action scenes, and these keep the pages turning in spite of the very hefty dose of suspension of disbelief that is necessary to read this book. As the book draws to a close and Ware provides the characters and the reader with an explanation for the entire setup of the book, there will be many readers who just aren't willing to suspend disbelief quite that much. I am one of those readers. The book is a fast read, and one that holds the reader's attention in many places, but it ultimately falls flat without a reasonable premise.

This book won't keep me from reading upcoming Ruth Ware books, but I can only recommend this one for those who don't require much depth or complexity in their reads but prefer fast-paced action-driven books. It is not Ware's strongest offering.

Thrillers have been hard for me recently, but I love reality TV in my books, so I picked this up. WOW. Ruth Ware has done it yet again. This was fun, fresh, and kept me guessing. Perfect for your summer beach bag!

If there's one thing about me, it's that I love a Ruth Ware book! This book started off a little slow for me and took me a bit to get into, but once I was in it, I was so into it. I love shows like Love Island and Bachelor in Paradise, so this was a fun book to dive into. Mystery, suspense and tense situations made for one entertaining book! Thanks so much for the ARC, NetGalley and Gallery Books.

A deserted island, a storm, a large cash prize, and a reality tv show- add all of that together with nods to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and you get One Perfect Couple. A dazzling summer thriller with a fast pace that's sure to be a huge summer smash hit.

This is, as all of Ware's books are, a must read. The vibes from this book are absolutely amazing and perfectly geared towards a summer read, or are strong enough to whisk people to the tropics from wherever they may be.

Ruth Ware is one of my must read authors, and there's a reason her novels wind up on the majority of my recommendation lists. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

I am a huge fan of Ruth Ware books. "The Woman In Cabin 10" is what got me back into reading years ago. Unfortunately this did not do it for me. There were so many characters I had a hard time remembering who was who. I did love the concept and the setup. I was truly afraid for the characters on the desert island. I felt like it was missing a big twist.

I appreciate that Ruth Ware mixes up her themes and even her writing style from book to book. But “One Perfect Couple” seemed to be trying too hard to seem hip and happening by taking an easy swing at reality TV dating shows. The first chapters were almost unbearably cute, after which the book took a sharp turn for the very dark and even gruesome. Although “One Perfect Couple” was probably my least favorite of Ware’s works, I’ll concede that in the end, .i wasn’t sorry that everyone didn’t die.

Ruth Ware is always hit or miss for me and this one was a miss. The first part of the book is gripping but it hits a lull halfway in and never really recovers.

HOLY COW!!!!! This took me a little longer than most books to finish for the simple fact that I DIDNT WANT IT TO END! I did because I wanted to know the ending but wow was this a great read. Lyla was such a likable character and I enjoyed reading from her point of view. I can’t say enough good things about this book. Definitely my favorite by Ruth Ware (and I’ve read them all!)

One Perfect Couple sends couples to a remote island in Asia for a reality television show. Lyla is less than thrilled when her boyfriend, Nico, asks her to be part of the show with him. Nico is an aspiring actor and hopes the show will help his career, so Lyla reluctantly agrees. How bad can spending a couple of weeks on a beautiful remote island really be?

Doing what Ruth Ware does best, the sinister plot twists and turns. Some of the characters are a little underdeveloped, but I really enjoyed the plot. One Perfect Couple was a book I couldn't put down because I wanted to see how it would end. There are several characters I supported and several I loved to hate. There are a couple of unanswered questions, but overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this entertaining thriller.

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 decides to try out with.

Hard to go wrong with a Ruth Ware mystery.
I did enjoy this as I have all of her novels but I had trouble concentrating on the story. Probably because I loathe reality shows like this and even though the prospects of someone killing the over privledged, impossibly gorgeous people tickled me.

Recommended.She is a master of her craft.Worth your time.

Thanks to Gallery Books and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

As a fan of reality shows, I enjoyed the premise a lot. It was a good stranded island mystery with a bit of a twist. Rather than keep the 'killer' reveal for the very end, it gets to this much earlier and instead adds intrigue with the diary, prologue, and the characters' survival with this known threat on an island on their own. Ruth Ware has been one of my favorite authors since her early work and I was pleased that her latest continued the train of truly enjoyable novels.

Lyla is a scientist who agrees to go on a reality tv show on a beautiful island with her actor boyfriend Nico. They plan for her to leave early and let Nico get a chance at fame. This plan goes south on the first day. A storm leaves the contestants stranded and fighting for their lives.

I really enjoyed the concept of this book but felt like something was really missing from it. I am not sure what I expected but I felt like the story was dragged out and then rushed at the end.

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware is an incredible domestic suspense.
The characters were well developed and fleshed out.

What a twisty book. I was left shocked , really suprised.

This was such a good thriller, I love Ruth Ware!

This was such a fun and intense thriller, perfect for the summer! The first half dragged a little but the second half more than made up for it and had much better pacing. I enjoyed the ending, ironic as it was. 4.5⭐️

Well this was an interesting Ruth Ware books.

Let’s do a personality type review shall we. It’s the only way I can summarize a book like this. You have the main character who is brilliant and organized. Introverted and just wants a stable life. Her boyfriend is the exact opposite. Very extroverted and wants to be a star. So, why not do reality tv? Seems to be the most logical thing to do right?

Lyla, poor Lyla. She gets guilted and dragged onto this reality tv show. Think, YouTube star wannabes, mixed with instagram drama, and with whatever other private island/love show you can think of. That’s where Lyla went. Then it unfolds and your usual assumptions become correct about the boyfriend and the people she is around.

After you reach halfway through the book, it turns into one mess after another. Everything that could go wrong, goes wrong.

It’s a reality survival show, in a book, with most of the chapters ending with a glimpse into the present timeline. Oh and did I mention, they are trapped on a crumbling island with cameras and a diabetic?

This book is a lot. It’s a lot of drama. A lot of flair. I recommend reading this if you enjoy reality shows, cringe drama, survival stories, or if you are down for reading characters who are walking dumpster fires and who represent everything wrong with our society.

I have said this for many years now and I shall continue to stand by it: Ruth Ware is the modern Agatha Christie and every one of her books is a winner. She is THE murder mystery author of the modern age. Twists, turns, likeable and unlikeable characters, intrigue, suspense, and everything that makes a solid mystery novel good.

One Perfect Couple is another one of Ruth Ware's books that make me think of Agatha Christie. It reminds me of And Then There Were None, but with Ruth Ware's signature ability to modernize the story and characters. A bunch of strangers are joined together on a beautiful remote island on a start-up TV show where couples compete to prove they are the perfect couple. However, are they the perfect couple with who they arrived with or with someone from another couple? The whole setup has this over overexaggerated feel to it like Love Island or Perfect Match in real life. That cultivated reality vibe that makes me want to gag but also makes me want to watch the trainwreck of other people's lives so I feel better about my mediocre one.

As with every reality show, there is a villain and then a favorite, a person who seems like they don't belong because they seem like a real person and not some curated personality. But with this particular reality show, it is hard to tell who the villian is. Is it the network that is launching this shitshow? The production assistant that seems suspiciously cheery and like she is covering something up from day one? The rather rude and dickish producer who sidesteps questions? Or is it any one of the toolbags and primadonnas that have lined up to use One Perfect Couple as their ticket to stardom?

After the first night, a massive storm wreaks the island and leaves the cast stranded and scared. As if things didn't already seem weird enough before the storm, now things are taking an unpleasant and dangerous turn. More and more questions arise every day, including the one about who the villian really is.

There is a saying, "players gonna play," and on this remote island people are doing a lot of playing. Dangerous games, manipulative games, and one big game of survival. One of the islanders keeps a diary of what happens, and as you read the book you experience the written record, and the reality. And you genuinely start to question what is at play when reality and the cultivated truth don't really match up.

A thrilling book that keeps you turning the pages until the shocking ending. Full of twists and turns and shocks. Brilliant!’ I highly recommend reading this book! 📖

Ruth Ware is by far one of my favorite authors and never disappoints! This was not my favorite out of all her books, but I definitely enjoyed it. I love that the storyline was different than other books that are popular right now as it is about a couple that get chosen to participate in a reality show competition but with a lot of twists. It was a little difficult to keep up with the different characters at first, but it all came together at the end.

Ruth Ware's "One Perfect Couple" promises an enticing journey into the complexities of relationships, but ultimately delivers a mixed bag of emotions. Set against the backdrop of a luxurious island resort, the novel sets the stage for a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and suspense. However, while the overall plot captivates, the execution falters, leaving readers yearning for more substance and depth.

Despite its promising start, "One Perfect Couple" struggles to maintain momentum. Around the middle of the novel, the pacing begins to falter, bogged down by unnecessary details and repetitive scenes. The once-engaging plot loses its steam, leaving readers to trudge through a sluggish middle section.

The characters, too, fail to leave a lasting impression. While their flaws and insecurities are evident, they never quite transcend the realm of cliché, rendering them forgettable amidst the chaos unfolding around them. Supporting characters suffer a similar fate, failing to leave a lasting impact beyond their surface-level attributes.

In conclusion, "One Perfect Couple" is a tale of missed opportunities. While the premise holds promise and Ware's skill for crafting suspense is evident, the novel ultimately falls short of its potential. With a dragging middle, underdeveloped characters, and an unsatisfying conclusion, it earns a modest three stars. While it may not be a perfect read, it still offers moments of intrigue and suspense for those willing to endure its shortcomings.