Being in the public eye with celebrity status can sometimes come at a cost. When Wyatt has a home renovation TV host to The Perfect Home, the notch is etched at a higher level. His wife Dawn sees an ugly side to him. After struggling to have a baby, Wyatt decides to try some treatments to help with fertilization. Dawn eventually has twins, but notices his ugly demeanor gets worse. When she finds evidence of his horrendous plan to up their TV status, she takes the twins and leaves.
Wyatt publicly denounces her as a psycho on TV to get his twins back. He convinces her friends that she is a psycho. Now she is on the run and finds more lies and information that he is not as what he seems.
This is a great debut and domestic suspense. Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5/5

The description calls this one Gone Girl meets Fixer Upper and honestly I wish! I can sorta see the comparison, it definitely had the DIY show vibes but GG is a stretch. There was something original here, I think the fertility issues angle was a unique approach but besides that and a few other aspects this felt like books we’ve read before. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it and was invested for the majority of the time and I knew everything would depend on how it ended and I guess I just wasn’t blown away by the direction the author took. I also wasn’t a huge fan of some of the characters behaviors and found them to be frustrating, I’m being purposely vague so as not to spoil things. Overall this had moments that kept me engaged and others that made me roll my eyes a bit but the premise was interesting and the writing strong enough that I would try the author again.

A little too far-fetched for me and I struggled to finish this one. I was hooked on the synopsis, but the story fell flat for me, and I really had a really hard time finishing it. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for this honest opinion.

While the premise was interesting, sadly, the story failed in its execution. I was never able to connect with any of the characters, and I couldn't stay engaged with the plot. The pacing was uneven, and the characters weren't as developed as I expected. Some plot points just made me roll my eyes. Nothing about this book will stick with me now that the final page has been turned.

This is a fun and entertaining novel about a couple--Wyatt and Dawn--who host The Perfect Home, a reality show that shows viewers how to accentuate their homes perfectly. Even better is Dawn owns an antique store where viewers can buy furniture for their own homes. Dawn gives birth to twins, Harlene and Junior and books Hattie as their nanny. But something is "off" with Wyatt and when Dawn discovers a creepy plan on his computer, she takes the twins and tries to disappear. But Wyatt has his own plans and the money to hire people so it's difficult for her to hide with two babies. Things get dicey...and then BLAM! It's a thrill ride to the end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to the publishers for an early copy of this book. This book was probably one of the oddest things I've ever read. I didn't really know what to expect with this one but I appreciated that it was a short, quick read. I didn't love the characters in this one and wasn't gripped as much as other books in this genre. Overall this was a good read, just wasn't my favorite.

This book was wild - touted as Fixer Upper and Gone Girl, I'd say that's pretty accurate.

In my mind I kept picturing what if, what IF, this were Chip and Joanna Gaines. lol

I thought it was an interesting premise and a look at how reality tv is fake (which we all know) and how parasocial relationships skew people's judgement of their tv idols.

This was just a fun ride. I didn't like something about the ending - IYKYK - I just felt like that character would not have chosen that route.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for an e-copy of THE PERFECT HOME to review.

I rate THE PERFECT HOME four out of five stars.

Dawn and Wyatt are HLTV (read: HGTV) famous for their home renovation show. When Wyatt takes their infertility struggle into his own hands with an illegal supplement, Dawn notices his behavior starts to change.
After realizing her children are not safe at home, Dawn leaves with their twins (thanks to the miracle supplement) and a PR/optics war begins when Wyatt paints a picture of Dawn as a struggling mom with postpartum symptoms. Through dual POVs we follow Dawn through her run to safety/away from Wyatt with the twins, as well as Wyatt's perspective of staying "on" for the cameras through press conferences, etc.
We learn who Dawn can trust to help keep her and her children safe with multiple twists and shocking moments along the way.

The writing of this book was easily digestible, and each character was fleshed out in detail; however, I did feel at a couple points this book was a little too long for my taste in what was essentially a domestic thriller. I did love the side of the story that reminds us that when couples/families seem perfect on the screen it is rarely, if ever, the actual case behind the scenes. I would gladly read more by this author, as I personally enjoyed my feeling of shock during some of the reveals and the intense annoyance at some of the characters, which to me always makes for a good time!

Post to Instagram will run on or just before release date (will update with link in NetGalley profile at that time).

The Perfect Home by Daniel Kenitz is a highly recommended domestic suspense novel following Wyatt and Dawn Decker who are the stars of a home renovation TV reality show, The Perfect Home, on the HLTV network. Wyatt loves the attention; Dawn doesn't.

When the two learn they are facing infertility issues due to Wyatt, he decides to take a fertility drug that is illegal. The drug works and Dawn gives birth to twins. The side effects of taking the drug, however, induce a drastic, frightening change in Wyatt's personality. Dawn finds something Wyatt has written that leaves her fearing for the safety of the twins, let alone herself. She takes the twins and goes on the run. Wyatt reaches out to the press, framing Dawn as unstable and a threat to the twins. Unexpectedly, Dawn finds an ally and now must find a way to tell her story and prove Wyatt's instability.

Chapters alternate between the point-of-view of Dawn and Wyatt. Dawn is the more completely realized character and everyone will immediately know her point-of-view is the trustworthy one. There were several times I did feel like yelling at her to use her head. Basically, all of the characters are caricatures of a type of person. You won't become fully invested in them. Dawn's looks are consistently describe as less than perfect, while Wyatt is describe as a handsome, perfect manly specimen.

Initially, the infertility in the plot was a turn off for me but once I kept reading the novel certainly became much more entertaining and grabbed my attention. It is written in an easy-to-read style that allows the pages to fly by, however, you will have to set disbelief aside and make it through the initial opening chapters. There isn't the tension found in a thriller until the end and the story felt like it has been done before.

This is an entertaining debut novel. 3.5 rounded up. Thanks to Scribner for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

This was a fun thriller about a TV perfect couple with twins, hosting a successful show with each other while raising a family. But when Dawn finds a terrifying note on her husband Wyatt's computer, that outlines how he would kill their children, she doesn't know what to think. Lots of twists and turns with this one !

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book!

As a person who watches many programs on HGTV, I was intrigued by the description of this novel. What I found was a mildly interesting tale of a marriage between two people who starred in a television program and led lives completely different from their television persona. Several of the sub plots including inability to have children, a mistress, a mother in an assisted living facility, a father who deserted his family are interesting and lead to the primary plot (which I won’t divulge). The book is a quick read and I thank NetGalley and Scribner Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

This was fun! A modern day version of Angel Street/Gaslight about striving for perfection at quite literally any cost, Kenitz's debut is well-paced, exciting, frustrating, and, above all, fun. I can't wait to read what he does next!

Thank you to Scribner for the review copy!
NOTE, my review is slightly biased, I do not care for books and particularly domestic thrillers that delve into infertility themes, I find them challenging to engage with.

The Perfect Home offers an intriguing premise—imagine a darker Fixer Upper—and the dual perspective narrative provides insight into both Wyatt and Dawn, adding depth to the story. However, while the book explores interesting themes like toxic masculinity and the ethical implications of illegal fertility drugs, it treads familiar ground for fans of domestic thrillers, relying heavily on well-worn tropes. Wyatt's descent into manipulative, erratic behavior is chilling but predictable, and Dawn's character feels more passive than compelling. Though the narrative had moments of intrigue and an interesting exploration of ASB's role in the plot, the twists ultimately fell flat, leaving the resolution unsatisfying. Fans of HGTV-themed thrillers might enjoy this for its setting, but others may find it lacks the tension and originality needed to truly captivate.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Perfect Home.

I was excited to read The Perfect Home since the premise was intriguing, a dark version of Fixer Upper, but I wasn't captivated by the story.

There was nothing original or fresh about the premise; a young woman named Dawn is drawn by the charismatic and very handsome (as always in books) Wyatt Decker.

When Wyatt's personality undergoes a dramatic shift soon after the birth of their twins, Dawn discovers there's a lot she doesn't know about her husband (another popular trope) and she must do everything necessary to protect herself and her children.

I liked the dual prospective narrative but there was nothing new I haven't read before in similar domestic thrillers:

Wyatt gaslights Dawn and her friends; he's a manipulative, scheming adulterer and Dawn (like nearly everyone else) has fallen for his charms.

I couldn't help feeling the toxic masculinity the author was trying to convey was not so subtly being downplayed and the black market drugs he was using was an excuse for his psychotic behavior.

There's nothing twisty or exciting or suspenseful about the narrative, nor did I like Dawn or anyone else. I didn't dislike her.

I just didn't care about her or what happened.

I would describe this as a psychological thriller, a little beyond belief with lots of gaslighting. Wyatt and Dawn are stars of a home renovation reality show. Wyatt can charm the pants off anyone while Dawn is his eye-rolling straight counterpart. As the show goes on, Wyatt is trying to discover new ways to keep America interested and to expand. Dawn is happy with the show as it is. Her worries center around the death of her mother, the lack of her father in her life and infertility issues. The use of illegal infertility medication leads to twins which are soon in grave danger. I give thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.

Had a really hard time with this book. Had to push through it and finish, I do not like to DNF, however, if DNF did not make me feel so guilty I would have. It just was not good enough to hook me in. I wish it could have hit the mark, but it did not.

4.5 very solid stars! I loved this book! I couldn't put it down and if I didn't have a job and a kid and other obligations, I probably would have binged it in a single sitting!

If you're an HGTV fan, you absolutely must pick this book up. I loved the fact that it was centered around a home improvement show and a husband and wife duo were the protagonists. It also added so much that we heard from both Wyatt and Dawn so we got both sides of the story. Pretty quickly, some theories I had about the storyline were debunked because of this and I actually really appreciated that!

What made this novel unique was the ASB, a drug that is illegal in the US but proven to increase fertility. It was interesting to see Wyatt's character shift after taking the ASB, learn of his past, and see the ramifications of quitting the ASB cold turkey. I liked that we had a reason/culprit for the troubling behavior and it added a lot to the story because it made me question my instincts about certain characters.

Dawn was a relatable character for me. She felt authentic and I appreciated her relationship with her mother, the challenges she faced trying to be a good mom to her twins, and her struggle with fame.

Overall, I really loved this book and very highly recommend. It was very well written, the plot and pacing were stellar, and it was surprising without ever being over the top. Grab this one if it's not on your radar!!

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the copy.

Thank you Netgalley for this Arc that hits stores January 2025! I thought this was a good thriller is drama in the beginning but it took a turn and I just didn’t find it that thrilling. It was a good plot line and I liked the main characters. I thought the husband was nuts and couldn’t wait till everything was uncovered on him but it just kinda fell flat. I feel like so much more could have been done with this one. I was hooked and interested but just expected so much more. This one definitely can be bumped to 3.5 ⭐️s for me! I’d still check out anything this author published for sure!

👹 M O N S T R O S I T Y M O N D A Y review 👹 featuring “The Perfect Home” by Daniel Kenitz!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Dawn and Wyatt Decker are the dynamic renovation duo on your television screen and star in a popular show called The Perfect Home.

On screen this married couple seems to be picture perfect, but behind closed doors things are fraying at the seams. Wyatt loves the spotlight and cares about status, while Dawn prefers to stay behind the scenes.

A lot of the recent strain stems from infertility issues and against Dawn’s wishes Wyatt starts taking a sketchy experimental drug. The lies about the medication are an issue … until Dawn finds out that she is pregnant with twins!

But when Wyatt stops taking the drugs cold turkey rather than weaning off of them … a dark side starts to come out. Dawn stumbles across some sinister plans of Wyatt’s to harm their family in order to bump up their celebrity status. Dawn decides to take the twins and RUN … and soon finds out that even those she trusts most are blinded by Wyatt’s charming facade 🎭!

The family drama and piping hot tea in this book is JUST SO GOOD! I love a southern setting and themes of reality television shows! This book is dark and twisted and filled with manipulation, cruel intentions and a sinister power struggle!

Thank you kindly to Daniel Kenitz, @scribnerbooks @simonschusterca @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This action packed debut thriller releases on January 7, 2025!

The Perfect Home is the perfect read for those late night, thrilling binge reads--just don't think too hard on the plot...

While Kenitz's debut domestic thriller is practically unputdownable, it lacks those necessary twists and turns that made the aforementioned Gone Girl so delightfully disturbing (and somehow, poetic?), and instead delivers more questions than answers.

If you're just here for a good time, though, have at it--and try out Gone Girl too, when you're finished.

3.5 stars. Thank you to the publisher for this e-arc!