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.

Ruth is back, baby!!!! This felt like old RW in all the best ways. Reality TV meets deserted island meets strangers having to work together meets whodunnit. A little mystery and a little genre bending. Ah, so good! This felt like one by one but on an island. Absolutely loved it!

I am a huge Ruth Ware fan and I eagerly await her next books so I was thrilled to get an advance reader copy of One Perfect Couple. The setting was a reality show set on a remote island where couples would compete in challenges to see who was the 'perfect' couple. They were told to give up their phones to keep the series a secret. Everyone was beautiful and the island was exotic and all seemed well until the storm hit that cut them off from contact with the outside world... I couldn't stop reading and trying to figure out what was real and what was part of the show. Twists and turns and bodies showing up made this mystery into a page-turning thrill ride!

I'm sorry, but Ruth Ware's books are always so unbelievable and the writing just doesn't do it for me. I find her plots slow & boring, her characters poorly written (and always so unlikable) and the writing juvenile. I'm giving this two stars, because I should not have requested it, as I have not liked a single one of her books before.

The Perfect Couple is the newest thriller by one of my favorite authors, Ruth Ware. This one is set on a remote island. Five couples are brought together to film what they think is a new reality show. Little do they realize how much their lives will change over the course of the next few weeks. Secrets and drama keep this plot moving right along. If locked room mysteries are your deal, then you're going to love this book. Read and enjoy!

Ruth Ware books can be hit or miss for me, but this one was a hit. I liked the locked room/isolated island vibe it had. The characters were varied in terms of development. Some I loved and some I hated, so it kept me reading to see who’d be next. Definitely recommend for those wanting a more updated version of And Then There Were None.

You can count on Ruth Ware to write a reliable thriller. One Perfect Couple will keep you reading far into the night, although the end did fall a bit flat. Lyla is a post-doc virologist; her longtime boyfriend, Nico, is a struggling actor. When Nico is offered a place in a new reality show for couples set on a remote island in the Indian Ocean, he convinces Lyla to go with him. Readers can guess something is wrong with the show, and things start to go badly immediately. The book is told through Lyla's POV, which is a relief. I am tired of the multi-POV books. Through her eyes, we meet the other four couples and the show's director/crew. The book description references Agatha Christie's classic And Then There Were None, but I honestly think Lord of the Flies is a better comparison. Not my favorite book of Ware's but highly entertaining.

Lyla’s boyfriend Nico talks her into going on a reality show. What could go wrong? It will give his acting career a boost.

Of course, things go very wrong when a tropical storm hits the island.

This book is a lot more straightforward in where it’s going than most of Ruth Ware’s other books. Even so, there were connections at the end that were surprising.

#Netgalley #OnePerfectCouple

First line: He is fighting.

Summary: Lyla and Nico are heading for a small island in the Indian Ocean. Having been picked for a new reality TV show, One Perfect Couple, they are competing against four other couples in challenges created to test their relationships. Nico is hoping to jumpstart his acting career and Lyla is along to support Nico but after the first test everyone is frustrated with the game and each other. But overnight a storm hits the island leaving the contestants stranded on a deserted island. Without their phones, electricity and supplies quickly dwindling the stranded partners see that this is now a game of life and death.

My Thoughts: With Ruth Ware I have a complicated reading history. Some of her books are excellent and others are a big letdown. But her newest thriller is filled with intrigue and tense moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. And as with other go-to authors, I did not read the synopsis of the book before starting this and just jumped right in blind. I find that I like this approach because I have few preconceived judgments.

When telling others about this book I likened it to Survivor/Love Island meets Lord of the Flies meets a very dark Gilligan’s Island. Sounds crazy, right?! It was. The characters are all hoping to get something from this reality show. They arrive on a beautiful tropical resort island. It appears perfect and the TV show could be a simple way to get noticed. Then things are turned upside down and everyone’s true colors quickly come out. There is immediate tension and it continues to build as alliances are formed but rather than being voted off the island, you could die instead.

Lyla was a strong and level-headed main character that is just trying to stay alive. It is easy to cheer for her. However, the other characters are a little more complicated. Where do their loyalties lie? Or what are their motives? It kept me guessing how it would end and who would survive.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a darker beach read on their summer TBR list.

I have read many Ruth Ware books and was very excited to read this one. Lyla was a wonderful protagonist - smart, emotionally intelligent, held down a career, but had not-so-great taste in boyfriends. I loved the Survivor element on the island and the tight relationships the women built in such a terrible time. Speaking of which, I felt that each women had distinct characteristics and none were stereotypical of what you would see on reality TV shows. Their relationships with each other were healthy and held one another with strong regard. BUT the ending of this book really fell flat for and dishonored a lot of sweat, blood, and tears that were put in by those who remained. I wished it did more for the characters especially with the themes that were brought up by the dynamic of those on the island.

An atmospheric thriller with nods to Agatha Christi, One Perfect Couple follows a group of reality show contestants as their scripts get cancelled and they’re forced to admit the reality of being stuck on an island. Lyla and Nico are in a rut both job wise and where their relationship is concerned. When Nico gets the change to be on a new reality show to boost his acting portfolio he leaps at the chance. The only catch is that Lyla needs to audition with him, as it’s a couples reality show. After their arrival to the remote island things quickly take a turn for the worse when a storm leaves the contestants stranded on the island. But it’s not just the elements they have to survive. They’ll also have to survive each other.

I used to be a huge Ruth Ware fan, but her last few books just haven’t done it for me. Maybe I read to many thrillers, but her newer books just don’t have the same all-consuming story lines that her earlier books had. This one was no different. What started out as a strong start, quickly lost steam. The entire story was fairly predictable and the only ‘twists’ that happened for me were a lack of twists and big reveals. All our characters felt one dimensional and Lyla, as our lead, tended to ruminate on the same things time and time again. I never felt I saw character growth, and plot wise our final ‘reveal’ and coincidences were a bit too far-fetched, even for a thriller.

The plot promised tons of reality drama, that is never delivered upon. It also felt different than Ware’s previous books, less thrillery and more contemporary fiction with a slight mystery (maybe). I’m not sure how to describe the difference but it was not a traditional Ware book. Overall, it was fine, but nothing that stood out. I was left with quite a few questions and an unsatisfying ending. If you don’t read tons of thrillers, you might enjoy this, it just didn’t rank high on my list.


One Perfect Couple is out now! Huge thank you to Gallery/Scout Press and Simon & Schuster for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting:
Instagram @speakingof.books.
Tiktok @speakingof.books.
Website: SPEAKINGOF.ORG

Loved it! This is one of my favorite Ruth Ware novels to date--a solid 4.5. I was engaged from the beginning and read it in one day! I enjoyed the setup more than I thought I would. Interesting mystery and I was totally fooled by what the journal entries were doing and what I thought they were doing. I didn't even need the final twist, but enjoyed it just the same.Thank you to Scout/Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to share my review.

Ruth Ware delivers another thriller. This book will leave the reader guessing how this story will end. I highly recommend.

Despite her reservations, Lyla agrees to take part in a reality show called One Perfect Couple with her boyfriend, Nico, who sees it as an opportunity to advance his tepid acting career. The filming will take place on a remote island in the Indian Ocean and it’s truly a tropical paradise. But almost as soon as the five couples arrive things start to go sideways and it only get worse.

One Perfect Couple is a thriller/suspense novel that moves along at a good pace. It has a good premise, an interesting plot, and is well-written. The characters are also interesting, although somewhat alike and maybe, for that reason, I had trouble keeping them straight. That’s usually not a problem for me, but in this case, it took me a while to figure them all out.

The ending was a bit under-whelming and it definitely seemed to be a little implausible. But, it did manage to tie up the loose ends. All in all, I enjoyed Ruth Ware’s latest book but would have liked to enjoy it a bit more. It was 3.5 stars for me, but will bump it up to 4 stars. NetGalley provided an advance copy.