Ruth Ware delivers another page turner! I finished this one in a day. Reality tv gone wrong, 5 couples compete to be the perfect couple before a perfect storm leaves the contestants stranded on the island with a murderer. Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ruth Ware loves to put groups of people in remote locations where trouble is sure to follow. This formula has worked for her before (One By One especially) and also in her latest One Perfect Couple. Five couples are sent to "Ever After Island" in the Indian Ocean to compete for the title of One Perfect Couple for a "Survivor" type show. But there are red flags from the beginning-producers evade questions as to if One Perfect Couple has been actually picked up by a network or is still in "development." Upon arrival on the island the contestants are told they must surrender their phones and other electronics- seemingly to prevent details of the show from being leaked, but with all communication to the outside world cut off, their biggest challenge becomes far more than not being to able to post on Instagram. When a massive storm hits Ever After Island they are left to fend for themselves in brutal conditions. Narrated by contestant Lyla, who was pressured to participate in One Perfect Couple by her actor wannabe boyfriend Nico, the tension increases with each passing day as their meager supplies decrease with no way of reaching the outside world. One Perfect Couple is a blend of old school psychological drama & suspense and modern day "reality TV" where it's already impossible to know what is truth and what is being staged for the cameras. The characters are an interesting mix of Millennial's and Gen Z'ers, all looking for their shot at fame. It's fast paced and a bit quirky, with an ending that is perfect for none of the couples but works brilliantly.

This was... not great.

It didn't feel like a mystery. It felt like the big reveal happened around 50% and after that, there was no suspense. I don't know how or why this book fell flat, but it was just not her best.

I also got all the characters confused, which is a me problem and not the author's fault. That's my reading red flag. It's a curse. But they all started to blend together because everyone was GORGEOUS.

I definitely felt like the MC was not the brightest. She kept trying to be the peacekeeper instead of figuring what the F was going on.

It was quick, I'll give it that. Didn't drag on too long but was definitely not my favorite of hers.

One Perfect Couple is a new reality TV show pitting couples against each other to proclaim one the Perfect Couple. Lyla is a scientist whose latest experiments aren't turning out the way she hoped so when her wanna be actor boyfriend asks her to join him on the show, she acquiesces. Nico desperately wants to be on the show because he thinks it's his shot to fame since his acting career isn't going anywhere.

There are four other couples along with Baz, the producer and his assistant Camille who deals with the contestants. They all meet in Indonesia and then head out on a boat to the middle of the ocean, a 20 hour trip from land. The competition has only been underway on this deserted island for one day before a storm comes through and devastates the island leaving the competitors not knowing if they will be rescued or stuck for a long time. This is when a story about couples becomes more a story of survival.

Most of the story is told in the first person by Lyla, but we also hear the SOS calls and diary entries. This is very much a character driven novel, my favorite! It takes a little bit to really get to know all the characters and of, course, they act differently when they know they are on camera versus when they cameras aren't around. But you really get to know them and I couldn't help but root for certain ones.

I couldn't put this down, another sign of how much I enjoyed it. I think I will stick with novels though, I still don't have a desire to watch the type of reality TV that this book talks about. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Great Ruth Ware as usual! Loved the storyline and setting. Was interested in the characters and couldn’t finish fast enough. Definitely recommend for any mystery lover. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

If something is too good to be true, it probably is. Lyla has concerns about the project from the first time Nico discussed it with her and she was right. When a mystery starts out basically telling you there is going to be a problem, you know going in there is going to be a problem. The mystery is how big a problem and who is going to survive. It's like "Survivor", "The Bachelor", and "Lord of the Flies" mixed it up and produced "One Perfect Couple" as a Reality TV series. What could possibly go wrong? Throw in a hurricane, a deeply hidden agenda and a volatile mix of personalities and the answer is: a lot. The story grabbed me, kinda like a train wreck or a Nascar race, I just couldn't look away. I can't say I enjoyed it, I'm not really a psychological thriller reader, but it did make me want to know how it all ended.

Lyla is a virologist whose research has not produced the results she, and the school she is working for, were hoping for. She is facing the end of her contract and wondering where she goes from here. Lyla thought she would be more settled at 32 years old. Her boyfriend of over two years, Nico, is a struggling actor just waiting for his big break. When Nico's agent approaches him with the opportunity for a new Reality TV series for couples, he is so excited. This will surely be his big break. He just needs to get Lyla on board, but how hard could that be? Afterall, she would be guaranteed a two-week trip to an island paradise and help Nico get his big break.

3 1/2-Stars

My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

One Perfect Couple had so many twists and turns....and the journal aspect really kept me on my toes.

Wow. That was a whirlwind and I loved it. Absolutely pulled some Lord of the Flies vibes in a Bachelor show-type setting with, of course, a thriller-style twist. A quick read and enjoyable ride. Highly recommended. I've already put in on order for my library!

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware was a fast and entertaining book! It’s not what I was expecting after reading the plot summary - I would describe this as part survival, part reality show, rather than a psychological thriller, but it was entertaining and a nice change of pace for me. Add in a devastating storm on a remote island and I’m immediately hooked!

Ware is a great writer and I find most of her books engaging, well planned, and presented in a way that’s enticing and exciting. Ware did an extremely good job creating a rich sense of atmosphere on the island and I was immediately drawn into the setting and survival in the aftermath of the storm.

Where this story fell short for me was the character development and sense of tension and suspense. While the survival aspect was fun to read, I didn't find the storyline very complex or thrilling. There wasn't much tension, and there was no element of guessing or puzzle-solving to discover who committed the murders. I also felt like the pacing dragged in a few places and the story could have been a little tighter to create more sense of urgency.

One Perfect Couple is a quick read and entertaining. Unfortunately, while I've been a fan of Ware's previous novels, this one fell short for me. I would still recommend it to readers who enjoy survival stories with a hint of mystery, although it may not satisfy those looking for a serious psychological thriller.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Ruth Ware for an advance copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I had high hopes for this one, but I could take it or leave it. A couple - Nico, an aspiring actor and Lyla, a doctoral grad - sign up to join a reality tv show set on a tropical island where couples will compete to show they are One Perfect Couple. A storm arrives the first night and as you would expect, chaos ensues on what quickly becomes a deserted island. Told from the perspective of the person in the aforementioned couple that did not want to join the cast, obviously. This is as if Paradise Hotel, The Bachelor and Survivor had a book baby.

I have enjoyed all of this authors novels. One Perfect Couple is now one of my favorites. I couldn't stop thinking about what would happen next. I"ll be waiting eagerly for her next great novel.


Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery books for my gifted ARC.

*3.5 stars rounded up.

A survival story set on an island twenty hours southwest of Indonesia. Five couples have come to Ever After Island to compete in a new reality TV show competition to decide who is 'The Perfect Couple.' Unfortunately the island is hit by a hurricane shortly after the competition begins and survival becomes all too real.

The main protagonist is Lyla, a scientist whose current research contract is not likely to be renewed. So when her aspiring-actor boyfriend Nico begs her to apply with him to be part of the cast of a new reality TV show, she reluctantly gives in. Nico sees it as his chance to launch his career to the big-time but Lyla figures she'll just give it two weeks before getting herself kicked off the island and she can get back to 'real life.' Neither could imagine how things will actually unfold.

A good beach read to take on vacation--it's entertaining and suspenseful. I am not a reality TV show fan so that part didn't really interest me. It seems like an over-done topic but Ruth Ware does some exciting things with it that kept me turning pages. Sort of a cross between Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and William Golding's Lord of the Flies.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

One Perfect Couple is a spellbinding thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat, especially in the last 25% of the book.

Lyla and Nico join a new reality show being filmed at a remote island in the Indian Ocean with four other couples. Things begin to go very wrong after an overnight storm. This novel has vibes of And Then There Were None and Lord of the Flies! Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the advanced digital copy of the book.

One Perfect Couple is a survivor thriller more than a psychological thriller. The suspense comes from day to day survival on limited resources and one person in the group is a psychopath with unknown limitations.
Lyla is struggling with both her career and live in boyfriend, Nico. Nico is a struggling actor and sees an opportunity to promote his career through a reality TV game show. Nico begs reluctant Lyla to join him.
Five couples are chosen to compete on a remote island. However, after each challenge one person gets sent home. Lyla plans is to be the second one sent home.
After the first person is sent home, a storm rolls in and causes major damage to the villas, island, and two people are dead. One is a competitor and the other person is part of the production. This sets the ball in motion of disaster after disaster. The rest of the production crew left on the boat the night before the storm. Eight people are left on a deserted island with limited water and food. They join together to come up with a plan to ration the food. When everyone wakes the next morning the supplies have been transferred to one couples living quarters and this sets the premises of the book. Shortly after the water was moved people are dying one by one. Are they accidentally or murder? I smiled when the read the title of the book used to start the barn fire.
3 1/2⭐️⭐️⭐️. Different vibe from other Ware books. Tension and suspense was well written. I read quickly because the tension was overwhelming to find out who and how they would survive. Little scary, I thought how I’d do it and Ware beat me to it 🫣.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books/Scout Press for ARC read in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars
Lyla and Nico are picked along with three other couples to join a new reality show set on an island. Lyla is reluctant to go but wants to support Nico’s dreams of getting noticed on tv for an acting career.
After arriving to the island, the is a terrible storm that immediately switches everyone’s priority from winning the reality show to surviving on the island.
People are getting injured or killed each day. This story isn’t exactly very suspenseful or have twists, but more a tale of survival. It is well paced and has a variety of interesting characters. The ending ties things together but it wasn’t really the type of ending I’d hoped for.

⭐⭐⭐.5

Lord of the Flies combined with a reality dating show equals Ruth Ware’s latest novel One Perfect Couple.

Lyla and Nico join the cast of The Perfect Couple. While Nico is clamoring for exposure to boost his acting career, his girlfriend Lyla isn’t quite sure. She is a scientist and doesn’t crave the limelight. After her research takes a pause, going to Ever After Island with Nico becomes Lyla’s plan. She intends to get kicked off the show early and let Nico soak up the sun.

Ever After Island is picturesque and the resort is untouched. When a storm hits and wreaks havoc on the island and the participants, Ever After becomes more like the island from Lord of the Flies. Characters reveal their true colors and people start dropping like flies. The participants shift to survival mode as they try to identify the killer.

The storyline quickly shifts from dating show to real-life survival. There are moments of teamwork and some of the characters are more endearing than others, but the story felt drawn out and I wanted a resolution sooner than I got it. Letters/journal entries throughout the book are confusing until the end and I wasn’t sure how they connected to the overall plot. One Perfect Couple is not my favorite Ruth Ware novel, yet I will keep coming back, knowing that Ware is great at building suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Ruth Ware for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is narrated by Lyla. Lyla's boyfriend talked her into being part of a reality show, "One Perfect Couple.' Five couples will be taken to an island where they will be put through challenges to determine who is the perfect couple and it does not need to be the couple that came together. Lyla is a practical woman, a scientist and her younger boyfriend a struggling (and failing actor.)

The trip becomes something more right away and when a storm blows in and destroys a lot of the island, contact with the crew is lost and people start dying, it becomes something terrifying.

As with all Ruth Ware books, the ending is rarely what you think it will be. I stayed up way too late last night so I could get to that ending. This was a good read.

Thank you Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Gallery Books Scout Press for my #gifted copy of One Perfect Couple!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐑𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

You had me at reality TV show. Ruth Ware has once again delivered an amazing psychological suspense and this one is going to be the perfect summer read. It is atmospheric and there is so much tension and I really enjoyed it. The book focuses on fives couples on a reality TV show on a remote island, where Lyla and Nico are the main characters and are completing against the other couples for a cash prize. Not long after they arrive, a storm cuts off the power and access to phones, making survival on the island difficult. With tension high, the stakes literally become light or death.

I can always count on Ware for some good twists and turns in her books and she certainly delivered with this book. I really found this book to be so fast paced and I found myself flying through the pages trying to make it to the end to find out what happened. This would make a great book club read over the summer!

🌴Psychological Suspense
🌴Reality TV Show
🌴Fast Paced
🌴Atmospheric
🌴Remote Island
🌴Lots of Tension

Posted on Goodreads on May 16, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around May 17, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on May 21, 2024
**-will post on designated date

One Perfect Couple has two things that I love:
1. Ruth Ware’s writing and twists that she is known for
2. Vacation/Paradise gone wrong

Imagine, you’ve been cast in a reality tv show that is a cross between Love Island and Survivor. If you accept then you get to spend an all expenses paid trip to a new resort on a remote island in the Pacific with your significant other. Would you accept? In Ruth Ware’s world, I absolutely would not because you know that craziness is going to ensue on that island. In reality, I would contemplate it!

This book was a good thriller and perfect to pick up for those upcoming vacations this summer!

Thank you @scoutpressbooks for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

Lyla and Nico get selected to join the cast of a reality show on Ever After Island where they will compete against 4 other couples to see who is the perfect couple. But shortly after their arrival, a huge storm takes out the power and leaves one person dead, and another seriously injured. As the days pass and the situation becomes more dire, people start to end up dead and it is becoming clear one of the contestants is to blame.

Ruth Ware is an instant purchase for me. I flew through this book and really enjoyed the characters and the quick pacing. I appreciated that the story was all told by Lyla's POV because it made it easier to keep track of all the characters. I also loved reading the journal entries and Zana's recollection of events.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.