Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam.Most often with thrillers, they lead you down one path, make you believe it, and then blow your mind at the end. Every time I turned around, this book threw a spark in there that made me rethink my theory.

Maddie & Alex Walker, sisters who were once inseparable (until Maddie left younger sister, Alex behind when she went off to NYC), have a falling out after their mother passes away. Then Maddie sends a strange text saying she won’t be home to visit for Alex’s birthday (she’s never missed her birthday) & Alex fears something is wrong. Then Maddie goes missing in the Hamptons where she’s been working over the summer. Alex heads to the Hamptons & even finds herself staying in the guest house, of one of the wealthiest families, where her sister was staying before she disappeared. Alex retraces Maddie’s steps and it becomes harder & harder to find someone to trust.

This book had me guessing throughout. Each character seemed to have secrets of their own, but would anyone kill to keep them hidden? The ending threw me off a bit but otherwise I enjoyed the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie DeCarolis & Random House Publishing Bantam for the digital ARC of The Perfect Sister. I enjoyed the opportunity to read this ahead of its July 16th publication date.

Pros:
So many twists throughout the book - really kept you on the edge of your seat! I liked the plot and thought there it was laid out well.

Cons:
Slow build - the second half was a much faster read. I also didn’t like any of the characters in the beginning, but grew to like several by the end.

3.5 stars/B

Sisters Alex and Maddie never had an easy life, but at least they had each other. After a rift following their single mother’s death, Maddie supposedly returned to her life as a medical student in New York City. When Alex doesn’t hear from her sister, she goes in search of her in the Hamptons where Maddie had a summer job only to find that she is missing. Prior to her disappearance, Maddie was living in the pool house of a wealthy, but dysfunctional family, the Blackwells. As Alex tries to unravel the mystery, secrets about Maddie and the Blackwells are revealed and danger lurks everywhere.

I had a mixed reaction to this book. Told from different timelines and multiple, POVs, there were red herrings and twists that many might not see coming. But, I think I am tired of reading about wealthy people behaving badly. I tried to read it quickly because I couldn’t wait to get away from these twisted people. I thought the story went on a bit too long, but the last part of the book as things started to come together redeemed it for me.

Those who like thrillers with unseemly characters who will keep you guessing will enjoy this read.

The Perfect Sister is about a women's search for her missing sister, which leads to finding more secrets. I did enjoy the mystery aspects of trying to find her missing sister. While I enjoyed the book, I was not on the edge of my seat for the next chapter. With multiple point of views, there were times that I found myself lost in the story. Overall the book was good, just not as suspenseful as I would have liked.

*Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy to review.

So there are two things that I absolutely love when it comes to books - a good thriller and a beach setting. The Perfect Sister delivered both of these for me & I absolutely loved this book!! One sister looking for the other sister in the Hamptons- chef’s kiss!!! This book had many layers to it and a plethora of subplots. The multiple POV, dual timelines, and characters were superbly written. If you are looking for a good summer thriller, this is the one!!

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an ARC copy of this book.

This book is well-written but a bit slow at times. My favorite part of the book was the location. The Hamptons is a perfect place for a story about the haves and have-nots. The premise of this book is interesting. There are lots of layers and subplots, mostly told from various POVs and timelines.

My three-star rating reflects my assessment that the book wasn't bad, it was very middle of the road. It lacked suspense at times but had some interesting parts.

Thanks for the advance review copy.

Entertaining!

This story was an easy read and had some interesting (though dreadful) characters. Told from multiple viewpoints, it slowly builds to a somewhat crazy and sad conclusion. Definitely follows the theme of the uber rich as untouchable. I would recommend and try other stories by this author.

"The Perfect Sister" is set in the luxurious Hamptons, where Alex embarks on a quest to find her sister Maddie. Captivating and enthralling, the narrative unfolds as Alex encounters the alluring Blackwell family and chooses to immerse herself in their opulent world. However, beneath their flawless facade, lies a sense of imperfection. In this glamorous yet gritty setting, where appearances can be deceiving, Alex finds herself grappling with the question of trust while relentlessly searching for her sister. This remarkable tale is a worthy addition to your must-read list.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC to read and review.

Once your sister goes missing in a different town, you end up going to find her only to discover so much more. This mystery was a great read that included many twists and surprises.

I love when a book literally takes my breath away with a twist that was so unexpected. I really enjoyed this book. The only downside for me was that there were 6-7 POV’s and some were in the past so it was a bit to keep up with but otherwise great storyline.


Thanks you Net Gallery and Random House publishing group for this ARC.

This is my first time reading a book by Stephanie DeCarolis and I absolutely loved it! This book has suspense, it’s thrilling, had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. Very easy read and definitely recommend! I look forward to reading her other books. If you’re a fan of Freida McFadden or Lucy Foley then you’re in for a treat! I loved the multiple characters and reading from their point of views! Thank You so much to Vanessa Duque for reading my book reviews and sending me an email for this book! Thank You to NetGalley, Random House Group, and Vanessa Duque for an early copy of this book for my honest review! I give it a 5 star rating! Publishing date of July 16, 2024.

I truly enjoyed this book throughout the entire time I was reading. I did not want to put it down. Such a fast paced mystery. I was able to connect with all the characters and enjoyed all their points within the story. The twists kept coming and just when you thought you knew what was going to happen something else was thrown in.
How the setting was described really put me there on the east coast beach town. I could see just as if I was walking down the street myself and hear everything around me. Highly recommend and will be picking this up when it comes out in store.

This book was wonderfully done! The plot was twisting and fantastic, the characters were intriguing and well done, the narration was smooth, and the description was thorough, but not overly done. I really enjoyed the story and hated that it took as long as it did for me to finish it due to life circumstances. This author knocked it out of the park, I loved it!

2.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a girl (Alex)who goes to the Hampton’s to try and find her missing sister (Maddie). There were moments that I really enjoyed this book. However, most the time I was left feeling extremely disturbed by the actions of the characters in this book. The main character (Alex) was left alone for the majority of the book trying to find her sister. Many of the characters are corrupt and entitled. There was not any huge plot twists, which I enjoy with this genre.

This was a quick read, as I had to know how the story was going to play out. Some of the twists were predictable, but I was not expecting the ending of the story. Alex goes to the Hamptons in search of her sister, Maddie, when Maddie doesn't answer any calls or texts for a few days. The story unfolds in a slow burn and at times seemed a little drawn out. all in all, this was a good read. Thanks for the ARC.

This was a slow-burn suspenseful book, and I did enjoy it. Several of the twists were predictable, but I definitely didn’t see the final one coming.

I suggest checking this one out in July if you enjoy books in this genre!

This book is a perfect beach read. It has interesting characters, all of whom make lots of questionable choices. But that makes for a twisty, "now what?" kind of story that slowly builds to a surprising ending.

Lies… deception… murder… pack your bags and head to the Hamptons in this thrilling beach read!

Desperate to find out what happened to her missing sister, Alex takes off to the last place her sister was seen, which just so happens to be Blackwell Manor, home to the richest, most influential man in the Hamptons - James Blackwell. The Blackwell family is dysfunctional and clearly hiding behind deep, dark secrets. Underneath the cloud of lies, will Alex find her sister…… alive?

From the very beginning, this story completely sucks you in! Normally, multiple POV thrillers can get confusing, but the writing of this book made it extremely easy to follow. You’re constantly guessing who you can trust among this cast of sketchy Blackwells. While I did guess a couple big twists, the insane roller coaster ride this book takes you on requires some suspension of belief - but you’ll never see the ending coming! The second half of this book was so insanely intense that it was a struggle to put down.

This is one of the most bingeable thrillers of the year!

4.5 ⭐️ happily rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Stephanie DeCarolis’ latest mystery thriller novel, The Perfect Sister, is the story of Alex Walker’s search for her missing sister in the enclave that is the Hamptons. In short, the Walker sisters don’t belong in the Hamptons and that makes it all the harder to find out what happened that pulled them apart.

What The Perfect Sister has going for it is that you absolutely cannot guess what will be revealed at the obligatory Big Reveal. The reader knows all the players and their motivations but DeCarolis has created a story that keeps everyone at a Definite Maybe. The reveal isn’t made too early and it’s made with just the right level of build-up that keeps the story moving along at a good pace.

The characters are about as complex and unique as you’d expect in a story set in the Hamptons and focused on a pair of sisters who don’t quite fit. Alex and Maddie are driven apart a bit by the recent death of their troubled mother, and there are more family secrets revealed as Alex searches and in flashbacks to what Maddie saw. Some of the character development feels slightly over the top, in that the incredibly wealthy Blackwell family includes adopted, and deeply troubled, children because it would have hurt their social status not to have children.

The irony then becomes, of course, that someone did have a secret child.

And it is on this that the story rests. And it works really well.

The Perfect Sister is on sale July 16, 2024.

I received a copy of The Perfect Sister through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest and original review. All thoughts are my own.

This book was a quick read for me. It was able to pull me in and I didn’t want to stop until I knew the whole story. I liked that the author wrote it from different characters’ perspectives. I thought the setting and the characters were intriguing. The Blackwell family was one that kept me guessing the entire story. There were a couple of moments were I was surprised by what happened. Overall a great book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Stephanie DeCarolis for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.