I was a bit bummed with this one because I loved The It Girl by Ruth Ware, this one just didn’t do it for me sadly. It reminds me of a Lord of the Flies situation - group on an island where several things start going wrong. It wasn’t just predictable but it seemed the ending was just laid out for you in advance. Thank you for the early copy!

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I loved it! I can’t wait to read more!! This was an amazing read!

I adore Ruth Ware. Her books were what got me back into reading in 2018, and I always look forward to a new release from her.

One Perfect Couple is exactly what Ruth Ware is known for: atmospheric psychological thrillers with that classic "and then there were none" feel. It's one of my favorite kind of thrillers. The setting couldn't be better: a remote island off the coast of Indonesia, no phones, and five couples primed by reality TV to distrust each other. It's Survivor meets Hunger Games meets Love Island, and I was hooked.

Unfortunately, while I loved the first half, I was a bit let down by the actions of some characters (lack thereof, really) and by the ending.

Spoiler thoughts: I was so hooked for the first portion of the story. Ruth Ware is known for her similar "And Then There Were None" plots, but I love them. However, I spent this one trying to guess the Big Reveal. I thought it was going to come out that Zana was the mastermind, or that the storm was part of the show and they were still filming, or that Nico was still on the island and was secretly killing everyone but Bayer, or SOMETHING. Instead there was no twist: the reader was shown who the bad guy was early on, and nothing changed. The only "reveal" was about the diary entries. I read thrillers for the twists, so I'm a little disappointed when there's no big reveal.

When Nico and Lyla signed up for the reality TV show One Perfect Couple they had no idea what they were getting in to. This book is fast paced and leaves you wondering what the next twist and turn will be. Overall a great read!

This book was just ok for me. It got really repetitive in the middle but I liked how the author connected the characters' storylines and ended the book.

And Then There Were None meets Lord of The Flies meets Survivor. This was a great beach read, but not much more than that, excellent choice for readers who love televised elimination-style reality competitions. What if the TV show Survivor meant literally, "the last one surviving"?? What if your competitors were being "eliminated" for real?? Who would win this kind of competition? Who would SIGN UP for this kind of competition? What if they didn't know what they were getting themselves into because they just craved the attention and the adventure? Themes of reality-TV/ social media fame, abusive relationships, wilderness survival. I wouldn't say that this was much of a "mystery", however. I wanted more of a twist or a reveal, I liked the ending, but it wasn't a shock.

This book was so outstanding! I stayed up way too late because I had to see what happened next. It could have descended into something really predictable, but Ruth Ware is such a good writer, I was always on the edge of my seat. I also feel she has done a great job not repeating herself, when she could rest on her laurels if she wanted to. Pretty amazing. I thought I would not be interested in a book that deals with a reality show but I was wrong. Read this, you will love it! Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I really wanted to love this one, after reading the premise and the beginning, but it kind of fell flat for me. It had great promise, but maybe just the way it was marketed as a comparison to “And Then There Were None” led to my disappointment. The comparisons between the two were surface level, with the overarching character dynamics, conflict, and “twists” not relating to the referenced Christie story. I think overall the book was enjoyable and interesting, but I kept expecting more because of my own preconceptions.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

(3.5 stars rounded up)
This is a reality TV-setting survival thriller that’s fast-paced and pretty good! I felt like the different characters were pretty distinct, which is sometimes an issue with this type of book. The beginning caught my attention and the ending tied everything together well. The middle dragged a little bit for me, but I was glad I finished it.
Heads up that this is not really a murder mystery. There’s death and an isolated setting, but no real mystery to keep you guessing. I was surprised about that based on the description.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed this! The story was propulsive and tense all the way through. I thought the explanation for the show was a bit convoluted and far-fetched but it didn't take away from the overall story.

I absolutely loved this book - I love Ruth Ware's writing and her innovative plot lines. This kept me hooked and was an adventure until the last page.

Ruth Ware is the mystery thriller QUEEN!

I think this is now my favorite book of hers. The suspense will keep you on your toes. The snippets at the end of chapters will keep you guessing until the very end.

I love the way she expands on the characters and how they are important to the entire story. She is so detailed oriented, I can guarantee if I read this again I will notice even more details that pertain to the big picture.

Highly recommend, you will not be disappointed!

Ruth Ware writes a unique story of what we will do to survive and the lengths that we could be tested. This was filled with strong women who banned together to stay alive and went on, despite their fears.

Ruth Ware’s “One Perfect Couple” is a perfect summer beach read. While it did not include the twists and turns of her previous novels, it was a compelling survival tale. My only complaint is that the author could have taken a clue from her reality show inspiration and had a clearer characterization from the start.

Another hit for Ruth Ware! This book was so good and I could not put it down. I was glued to each page wanting to know what would happen next. She is a master storyteller.

Another fantastic read from Ruth Ware! As is usual with her books, I couldn't put it down. Great sense of place, excellent plotting and character development. Looking forward to recommending this one to our patrons!

A great thriller, with people trapped on a remote island after a storm. I didn’t love the beginning with the reality, show couples, and I’m even a big fan of The Bachelor.. but once the storm comes in, the action really takes off. I was frantically reading to see how it ended.

This thriller kept me guessing! If you are a fan of reality television and thrillers, this book is for you. A isolated island seems like a perfect destination for couples to see if they are destined to be the one perfect couple.... until disaster strikes and the couples are left in a game of survival. Throw in jealousy, fights for basic supplies, and mysterious deaths. This book has it all

If you love reality tv especially the Bachelor and Survivor this book is for you! This book included everything from relationships, to thrilling scenes, to funny moments. It was fun to read and I found the character development done really well.

Absolute perfection. This is a must read if you enjoy a who-dun-it. Very reminiscent of Agatha Christie.

5 couples compete to be the One Couple left on the island, but when a storm hits and 2 people die it quickly becomes a Lord of the Flies moment.

This is my favorite Ruth Ware book. I could not put it down.