Madeline and Wes Drake throw a lavish gender reveal party—but things go terribly wrong. Secrets explode, tensions rise, and nothing is as it seems.

Told through multiple points of view (maybe too many at times), the story is full of twists, drama, and characters you love to hate. Fast-paced and full of tension, it keeps you guessing until the end.

Quick Take:
Twisty, dramatic, and addictive. A wild ride through family secrets and lies.

Many thanks to Park Row Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Perfect Hosts.

The Perfect Hosts is a western esque thriller centered around a gender reveal that goes horribly wrong.

There are so many plot twists and threads to follow, it makes for a fun read. The Drakes host a magnificent gender reveal where the unthinkable happens and it’s a race to figure out who has it out for them. With an estranged sister, a police officer with a past that connects him to the town in a mysterious way, and a touch of domestic violence; you won’t want to put this one down.

Overall The Perfect Hosts kept my interest, and was a very quick read. It got a little jumbled near the end, and I had a bit of a moment when I didn't really care who was to blame for the explosion. I think the side stories were a little clunky and didn't really come together so great. But this author keeps me coming back. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed The Perfect Hosts! From the very beginning, the story pulled me in and kept me curious. The suspense was steady and gripping — never over the top, but always enough to keep me on edge. I found myself flying through chapters, totally wrapped up in wanting to know what was really going on.

Heather Gudenkauf does such a great job of making you question everyone and everything. Just when I thought I had it figured out... I didn’t. 😂 The pacing, the twists, the psychological layers — all so good. This one definitely kept me thinking even after I put it down.

Thank you for the chance to read it early. I had a great time with this one!

The Perfect Host
If you’re in the mood for a twisty thriller that starts with a seemingly innocent gender reveal party and spirals into absolute chaos, The Perfect Host delivers. What begins as a celebration quickly unravels into secrets, lies, and more than one shocking revelation. The story weaves through multiple characters’ perspectives, each adding a new layer to the mystery, and it’s the kind of book that keeps you flipping pages late into the night. Think Big Little Lies meets Gone Girl, with a suburban backdrop and plenty of suspense. A fun, fast-paced read for anyone who loves domestic thrillers with a dark edge.

I always have loved Heather's books and this one did not disappoint either! The story was super crazy and so many things were happening. Its definitely a "at the edge of my seat" type of story.

The beginning of this book really captures your attention with the couple Madeline and Wes who are about to have a baby and having a gender reveal party on their ranch when something goes terribly wrong. From that point on you are instantly grabbed by it and need to know more. The story is filled with secrets, lies, betrayal and so much more. There were quite a few POV's so be on the lookout for that which i am not always a fan of with too many people but this one made an exception since all of the characters tie together with the story.

The ending too makes you think there just might be another book with that cliffhanger!
Great book, Definitely recommend it!

Oh this is a good one! The author does not disappoint! The twisty plot and shocking ending is worth the time of reading. Well done!

This one was hot mess express in a lot of ways. Uber rich country folk and a gender reveal gone wrong? I wasn’t sure where the hell it was going but it was very different than most Gudenkauf stories

Heather Gudenkauf’s The Perfect Hosts is a riveting blend of high-society glamour and dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the very last page. The story kicks off with Madeline and Wes Drake’s over-the-top gender reveal party at their sprawling horse ranch—think pistols, pearls, and enough drama to fill a small town. But what starts as a celebration quickly spirals into chaos when an explosive accident leaves one woman dead and everyone questioning what really happened. The author masterfully captures the tension among the guest list, revealing layers of deception, jealousy, and buried truths as Agent Jamie Saldano attempts to piece together the puzzle. Saldano’s internal struggles add depth to the investigation, making him a compelling character amidst the glamorous yet dangerous backdrop. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, a twist or two kicks in to keep you on your toes. Gudenkauf perfectly balances suspense, intrigue, and a splash of Southern sass, creating a story that’s equal parts thrilling mystery and satirical peek into the upper class. Whether you’re into tense whodunits or stories about secrets lurking behind perfect facades, The Perfect Hosts delivers an enjoyably unpredictable ride. A fantastic read that proves sometimes, the most beautiful parties hide the darkest secrets.

A ritzy gender reveal party goes horribly wrong in this twisty thriller. There are tons of characters and trying to figure out who is doing what and why makes this an unputdownable page-turner. Highly recommend for readers who like unreliable narrators, plot twists, and a whodunnit that keeps you guessing.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read in advance!

The Perfect Hosts is a great who-done-it about a gender reveal party that goes horribly wrong. Madeline and husband, Wes, are having their first child. Wes has planned an over-the-top gender reveal party for the occasion. With all the town’s population at the event, what could possibly go wrong?!?
I loved all the twists, who did what to whom. I will definitely be reading more of Heather’s books!

This was a great book with an interesting setting and concept. All of the characters seemed untrustworthy and there was a lot of mystery around this gender reveal party!

✨I love a good ripped from the headlines story, and this one grabbed my attention from the start with an outrageous gender reveal turned tragedy. There were secrets and lies, mysteries to solve, a cold case, characters you love to hate and twists I didn’t see coming.

✨ The ending definitely has me pondering – and I kept help but think a sequel would be so amazing.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Thrillers
✨Ripped from the headline stories
✨Multiple points of view
✨Wyoming settings
✨Horse and ranch life
✨Reba (yes, that Reba)

My thanks to @parkrowbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

Once again, Heather Gudenkauf has written a thrilling, suspense-filled novel in her latest, "The Perfect Hosts". Grab this book and run to read it!!!!!

A gender reveal party gone wrong. Wes and Madeline Drake are the happy couple waiting to see if it’s a boy or girl, but an explosion happens and it’s chaos. They invited 200 of their closet so there’s presents scattered everywhere and people running. Agent Jaimie Saldana is called to the scene, he has a past with Wes and the Drake family. Everyone has a secret and can’t stay hidden forever. Thank you to the publisher for a copy.

This review contains spoilers.

When I was just a few pages in to The Perfect Hosts, I found myself thinking that there were already too many characters to keep track of. It didn't help that three of the characters introduced were Madeline, Mellie and Mia. However, once I got everyone straight, I found myself getting pulled in to the mystery. Heather Gudenkauf is a favorite thriller writer of mine. I will genuinely find myself on pins and needles reading her books. However, this one wasn't hitting the same way for me. It was almost as if there were too many mysteries to solve - past cases 20+ years old, infidelity mysteries, the most current mystery of the bombing. It just became a bit much. And never mind a story with one or two red herrings - in this story, just about every character was a red herring.
I also didn't find the characters very likable which made it hard to connect to the story.
Lastly, the end of the story became entirely too rushed as it became a race to solve all the open-ended mysteries. The treatment given to Juneau's story was almost an afterthought which I thought was not right after spending so much time on her and Jamie's stories.

I was left a bit unsatisfied by the story. However, I will still order this for the library's collection and recommend to those looking for a thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, the way the author tied in real-life scenarios for gender reveals and put an unexpected spin on it was wonderful. The who done it had twists and turns right to the end. Such a good read that I sadly finished it too quick!!!

gripping, slow-burn thriller that delves into trust, trauma, and the facades people wear. With sharp pacing and emotional depth, Gudenkauf crafts a story that’s both suspenseful and hauntingly intimate.

I read this in one evening. I was all in from chapter one. There are twists and turns throughout. Loved it.

What starts out as a fun gender reveal party idea leads into a mystery that will leave you questioning everything. I loved learning more about these characters and the twisted motives they had. Keeps you guessing the whole way through!