Another great book by Ruth Ware. She does not disappoint with this thriller. She has such a gripping writing style that you just want to keep reading.

For me, Ruth ware tends to always do an elevated version of common tropes. The reality tv show/ resort gone wrong is no exception. I thought this was really good, but just with there was some variety for mystery/thrillers right now

Ruth Ware and I have a tricky history. I’m hot and cold with her books - some have been 2 ⭐️ and others 4 or 5 ⭐️- but I’ve read everything she’s written and she will always be an auto buy author for me.

Her latest offering One Perfect Couple is capitalizing on themes I’ve seen become popular over the last 6-12 months in a thriller.

1. A reality tv show gone terribly wrong - often purposefully by some mastermind that just wants to fuck with the contestants who are not randomly selected at all or by someone in the mix who has ulterior motives and a score to settle

2. An incredibly remote island resort that isn’t quite fully complete/baked out/built that is most definitely not equipped to handle long term visitors and inevitably has its infrastructure collapse losing all transport, communication and sustenance/water

She does it better than a lot of the other versions I’ve read in the last year. I didn’t spend the whole book pissed off at stupid characters or cursing the author for an obsession with Xanax. I was invested, engaged and tore through it in one day. There were situations and problems that characters faced that were realistic and relatable. Some were definitely hyperbolic but overall I couldn’t put this book down and cheered for my favorite characters to survive.

Five couples going to an island for a reality t.v. show, when a dangerous storm hits turning it into more of a “Survivor “ situation, which quickly turns to “Lord of the Flies.” It was quick, easy read. It kept me interested throughout and definitely had a little twist, although not 100% believable in my opinion.


My thanks to NetGalley, author Ruth Ware, and publisher Gallery Books | Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with a complimentary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

There were things I loved about this book and things I found lacking. The beginning was a tad hard for me to get into (could just be a me thing). But once it picked up…. OH MAN! I was hooked. I found myself feeling completely anxious while reading and whenever I had to put it down it’s all I thought about. What a storyline. I didn’t think the ending was shocking or had a crazy twist, however, it made perfect sense and gave the readers a sense of closure. Would definitely recommend but couldn’t give it a full 5 star rating.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book..

The best way that I can describe this novel is — reality TV meets the Hunger Games. It’s a good guy vs bad guy kind of read.

There was not much to the plot. I was expecting a thriller, edge of my seat, nail biting experience. This novel was entertaining but not one that I’d broadcast out as a must read.

This book left me thirsty…… it for more pages but for actual water. If you read it, you’ll get it.

Ruth Ware is just honestly an auto buy/read author for me at this point. It shouldn't come as a surprise this is another hit. I honestly really love the fact that I thought I had stuff solved one way...and I was right but there was that twist. And of course, I kept making second guesses.

I enjoyed the way it ended quite a bit.

I'll have to say this one did have my anxiety raised a bit as soon as that storm hit. It just all went wild.

“One Perfect Couple” by Ruth Ware is a high-stakes thriller of a mystery set on a desert island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I found it well-written and absorbing with lots of suspense.

Lyla is a London scientist whose latest experiment has not worked out—unfortunate, since her job depends on it and since she is supporting her live-in boyfriend, Nico, an actor who rarely gets work. But then Nico’s agent puts both of them up for a new Reality TV game show on an island far off the coast of Indonesia. A new resort is just being built there and the owners are lending it to the producers. To Lyla, the project seems completely “not her thing,” if not a bit dodgy. But Nico begs her to say yes. He just knows this is the chance he’s been waiting for to make it big. How can she refuse him?

They, the other cast members, and the producers and crew travel from Jakarta to the island by yacht. Filming and the contest begin. A contestant is eliminated and sent back to the yacht to be returned to Jakarta, along with the rest of the crew who will return in the morning to continue filming. That night, a hurricane hits the island and causes death and massive damage. The yacht never returns. No one answers the survivors’ calls for help via a radio with a rapidly dwindling battery. And then the murders begin.

Ruth Ware has given us an intriguing plot. Even though readers will recognize elements from Reality TV series such as “Survivor” and “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette,” and fiction such as “Lost” and “Lord of the Flies,” the story nevertheless has a good deal of originality. The characters are interesting. The major players are well-drawn and we care about what happens to them. The setting, as well as the challenges the characters face, are well imagined and described.

A solid four-star mystery/thriller.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Ruth Ware, and publisher Gallery Books | Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with a complimentary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

"One Perfect Couple" kept me on the edge of my seat, with thrills, chills, and great atmosphere. A group of couples join a reality show set on a island full of natural and unnatural dangers. Ware is a master of the thriller genre, so I knew I was in for a fast and fun ride. Recommended for fans of domestic thrillers, reality television, and Ruth Ware's work. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
#OnePerfectCouple

I’ve read all of Ruth Ware’s books and she is a great thriller/mystery writer. The last two books haven’t been mystery/thrillers though. I found One Perfect Couple entertaining. It was easy to read. I didn’t think it contained any mystery or thriller aspects at all. Especially compared to others in the genre. I’m not sure if she is just trying something new or what? Like I said, it’s entertaining but it’s not going to change your life. Three stars.

Ruth Ware is a genius for setting! This newest takes place on a deserted island, set up as a paradise for 5 couples on a brand new reality show being filmed. They are pitted against each other with challenges to stay together or break up, all for a prize at the end of the show. Lyla reluctantly joins the cast with her boyfriend Nico, despite the red flags she sees with the cast and crew. Their first night there, a massive storm knocks out all communication with the outside world and kills several contestants. And then the plot twists keep coming! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

First I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I feel like I was stranded on the island with them! This book had my anxiety climbing! It starts with, I think, 5 couples going to a remote island for a reality TV show. The very first night there is a terrible hurricane-type storm which caused injuries and a death. Slowly, the survivors die one by one and have to grapple with differing personalities - one in particular. Someone who decided they are making the rules and they are the boss. Is there a murderer on the island amongst them? It was really good. You can't really go wrong with Ruth Ware.

Ruth Ware is notorious for delivering a keep you on the edge of your seat thriller! And her latest, One Perfect Couple, does not disappoint! I loved the fast pace from the first page to the last and was entertained throughout. Definitely recommend for a thriller that will keep you hooked!

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic page turner from Ruth Ware! Not only was I eagerly devouring this book to find out what happens next, it also made me pause frequently to reflect on what I would do if stranded on a tropical island hundreds of miles from civilization with a group of strangers I'd only just met.

Lyla reluctantly agrees to sign up for a reality TV show that her boyfriend hopes will finally be the big break for his acting career he's been longing for. The premise - 5 couples on a remote island in the Indian Ocean complete to find out who are the "One Perfect Couple". The first night on the island, with the film crew away with the production's only boat, a terrible storm hits the island, stranding the couples with minimal supplies, no way to contact the mainland, and a diverse group of people with personality that were already set up to clash in typical reality TV fashion. Alliances will form and tempers rise as supplies dwindle and hopes of rescue diminish with every passing day. Who will survive and what will it take to be One Perfect Couple?

Thank you to Ruth Ware, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another quick read from Ruth Ware, one of the absolute queens of the contemporary thriller. This one is set on a desert island with the cast of a new concept reality tv show. Absolutely couldn't put it down.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Net Galley, Gallery/Scout Press and author, Ruth Ware for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of One Perfect Couple. This is an interesting story about five couples competing on a reality TV show which takes a big turn for disaster. I wanted more background knowledge in getting to know the characters. Many of the couples felt mismatched and incompatible. Many were unlikeable. It was easy to mix them up at the beginning. I also wanted more description of the reality show and what it entailed. Too quickly, the tropical storm hit the island and disaster took place. I prefer a slow build up and anticipation of conflict.
The plot moved quickly but the story was not the thriller I was looking for. The rescue was anti-climatic and discovering communication with the outside world was a bit unbelievable. This was more a bad guy vs. good guy story than mystery/thriller. This is an enjoyable read but not my favorite Ruth Ware novel.

4.5 stars

This is a fast paced mix of Perfect Match and Lord of the Flies. The fact I can’t stand the second one should have detracted from my enjoyment, but I was caught up with the story by that point. I always think the mark of a good thriller is one where you end up staying up past your bedtime because you need to read on-and in that this definitely hits. There were some things I was banging my head at how the characters reacted (or really didn’t react). I found myself getting thirsty for our characters and chugging my water bottle. I am quite satisfied with the ending, even if it doesn’t have the usual twists and turns. I feel like this would be the perfect summer beach read.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ruth Ware has done it again. Wow - this book blew me away. A reality dating TV show meets Lord of the Flies? Count me in! It was a little slow to start, but once it picked up, I was completely invested. The writing style really pulls you into the world of the contestants... I felt the hunger, desperation, thirst, confusion, fear and panic. Each character was incredibly developed and brought their own quirks to the group, so we had a great understanding of how the group operated as a whole, within each couple, and individually - something that is not an easy feat in writing. Be warned - read this book when you have plenty of free time because once you really get into it... you won't want to put it down. Highly recommend!

Thank you, Gallery Books and Ruth Ware for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am a HUGE reality show fan and I love reading about them just as much as watching them. I love reading more behind the sense perspectives as well. I also enjoyed how Ruth Ware mentioned some popular reality shows to compare the one she wrote about. I am honestly afraid if I go into detail, I will spoil the whole story. but it really held my attention from the very first page. I also love the random SOS radio calls during the book, it made me want to figure out what was going on, especially a certain one! Again, I absolutely loved this one and devoured it in a day!

Another winner for Ware, and I enjoyed every page as usual. Exciting and a perfect Bach read. Great characters and pacing. Another book to talk up for sure.