Perfect Marriage

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Pub Date 22 Mar 2018 | Archive Date 10 May 2018

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Description

Sally Lachlan has a secret that has haunted her for a decade, is it now time to let it go? A chance meeting with the charismatic geneticist, Anthony Blake, reawakens her desire for love and at the same time, her daughter, Charlie, shows signs of wishing to know more about her father. Both the past and the future are places Sally prefers not to think about but if she wants to move towards a new love, she will first have to come to terms with her long-ago marriage. Only then will she be able to be honest with Charlie. And herself.

Sally Lachlan has a secret that has haunted her for a decade, is it now time to let it go? A chance meeting with the charismatic geneticist, Anthony Blake, reawakens her desire for love and at the...


Advance Praise

'With an intricate plaiting of past and present that both tantalises and beguiles, this novel is a poignant account of a marriage that is not what its title suggests'

 Marion Hailligan


‘With crystal-clear prose and an artful warmth, Alison Booth leads us into the heart of contemporary human relationships, exposing tough – and necessary – truths. Very moving’

Nigel Featherstone


'Alison Booth captures the magnificence of female friendships and the tragedy of a disastrous marriage in a narrative that has the most satisfying of conclusions, hope’

Nicole Alexander

'With an intricate plaiting of past and present that both tantalises and beguiles, this novel is a poignant account of a marriage that is not what its title suggests'

 Marion Hailligan


‘With...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781910453490
PRICE $14.95 (USD)

Average rating from 58 members


Featured Reviews

'Alison Booth wove a beautiful intricate story of female friendships and the awfulness of an physically abusive marriage which she is still coming to terms with. In one word that seems to underline the entire book, HOPE. Such a wonderful and rewarding conclusion as well.

*Thank You to the Author/Publisher/Netgalley For the change to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

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Interesting and well crafted book. Ending I wasn’t expecting

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Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

This book had a great storyline and the characters were likeable. I found the book interesting and had a great subject that needs more exposurer. Great book

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A very descriptive book which talks about domestic violence in a emotive way. The storyline was good as it was unravelled throughout the book.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Alison Booth for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

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Beautifully written but in the end, there weren't any big surprises. I felt the stakes/reveal could have been higher/more shocking.

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The main element that draws me to a thriller is the promise of twisty relationship dynamics. I adore the promise of something or someone not being as they seem - especially someone. The premise of this book drew me in with that promise, and I couldn't wait to start reading.


The writing is sublime. It's pitch-perfect. From language choice to sentence structure, it's simply masterful. I soaked up the words hungrily and their haunting vividness swayed me into euphoria. The dialogue is equally immersive - entertaining and gripping every time someone opens their mouth.
The level of detail is incredible. The author's deep perception of people and scenes makes every scene come alive and the characters instantly three-dimensional. It's not the boring kind of detail because the language is so strong, and I love it.

The setting adds so much to the story. Under bleak, overcast English skies in the middle of a bustling city, the plot comes alive and the scenes are richly complemented. It's beautifully atmospheric.

The plot isn't packed with twists; in that regard, it's rather predictable. But I didn't mind at all because I was so engrossed in the characters and in Sally's journey. The emotion is understated, there's no big action or adrenaline pumping scenes, but it's still tight, gripping, and entertaining. It's superb.


The characters are brilliant. They're the kind of characters who give a first impression along the lines of "She's hiding something, he's so layered, they're so human and three-dimensional". They're instantly real people, if you know what I mean. You just know there's depth to them because the author pays attention to detail when she introduces them. It's effortless " bringing to life" of characters. It's impeccable.

Sally is a lovely heroine. She's well written and vivid, her journey as heartbreaking as it is hopeful. I loved seeing her character development and how her relationship with her daughter changes, too, as the story hops between Then and Now perspectives. And her relationship with Charlie (her daughter) is amazing. It's so relatable and genuine. I love well written mother-daughter bonds, and this one is wonderful and dynamic.

There's also female friendship! I love seeing Zoe and Sally come together, and they have each other's backs, which is quite a twist considering the story events. But it's good. It's unique, and it's empowering. I can't say much more cos of spoilers ;)

This is a thriller that's more about relationships than it is about thrills. I loved watching Sally interact with all the different people in her life, especially her relationships with the other female characters. Everything is so sincere and at the same time entertaining. It's beautiful.



A Perfect Marriage is a stunning, gently moving tale of love, loss and the things we hide - even from ourselves. The writing is poetic, the characters brilliant, and this book is incredibly moving

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Thankyou to Alison Booth and Netgalley for the opportunity this novel is well written and flows lovely unfortunately it just wasn’t for me and that’s okay because reading would be boring if everyone liked the same thing! I would recommend this as everyone’s taste are different

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Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to have an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
It was a quick read and definitely a well written book. The author lets her respect for love, relationships and friendship shine through in her words.
I much prefer thrillers and mysteries so it wasn't my type of book but I did enjoy it.

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Thank you to the Red Door Publishing and Netgalley for letting me read this novel before it releases on March 22. The beginning drew me in when Sally, the heroine, meets a magnetic geneticist at a conference she’s attending. After she returns home, she can’t get him out of her mind and hopes to see him again soon although they are quite far apart geographically.

The story goes on to talk about her first marriage and her deceased husband and the curiosity her daughter, Charlie, shows about her father. Told in alternating “Then” and “Now” chapters, which was a format that worked well to get all the information across that a reader would need.

From other reviews I read, I’m in the minority on my viewpoint so take this with a grain of salt. For me, there wasn’t enough going on in the book. It was a slow read. I definitely needed more action. But decide for yourself. We all have different and valid opinions.

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A Perfect Marriage was a nice quick read. It was heart warming and sentimental. I enjoyed it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

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☆☆°ARC provided by Netgallery☆°☆°

I just love a good book about a disturbed marriage. Do they love each other? What secrets are they hiding?
How dark are the secrets?


This book was well written and flowed nicely.

Country gals book blog

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Sally Lachlan was only eighteen when she married Jeff, but they were in love – Sally knew they would be together forever, she was so deliriously happy. The first sign of a ripple in the relationship was on their honeymoon but the next morning, Jeff was the same man she’d fallen in love with.

Sally’s daughter Charlie was seventeen when she started showing an interest in learning more about the father she barely remembered. Sally was terrified at the thought. But she also knew it was time she let the past remain in the past – after all it was ten years ago, and she deserved a future. Her unexpected meeting with Anthony Blake when they were both at a conference made her even more determined to move forward; to find happiness.

But first she needed to tell Charlie about her father…

Set in the THEN and NOW, A Perfect Marriage by Aussie author Alison Booth alternately steps back in time to Sally’s past and works through the current day and her attempts to find a sense of contentment within herself. A traumatic and harrowing look at love and loss, forgiveness and hope; of a daughter’s enduring love for her mother and a mother’s quest for peace of mind. I’ve loved all this author’s previous work and this one didn’t disappoint. Highly recommended.

With thanks to RedDoor Publishing via NetGalley for my digital ARC to read and review.

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This book was not what I was expecting at all, but because the author had the characters so developed, which helped you understand the relationships both publicly and hidden, I was able to quickly read through it and enjoy. It was a very fast paced read, because the author wrote it in a style that kept my attention. While not my typical, definitely one I would tell people to give a chance.

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Sometimes Netgalley throws you some real curve balls. I requested this title fully expecting a fast paced thriller, it is after all listed under the 'mystery and thrillers' category. It really shouldn't have been as it is neither of those things - it is especially not a thriller. I mean, there is perhaps some information that you learn at the end that could be construed as a slight twist, if you ignore the fact that said twist was heavily hinted at right from the beginning. ​​

OK, so this wasn't at all what I was expecting and although the telling of emotional drama and reflection on an abusive relationship is not something I may have picked up otherwise, there was plenty to like about it.

Sally's story is told through both the past and the present, in alternating chapters. The past is told backwards (sounds confusing, but I just mean starting from present day and working backwards) and it's quite a clever technique to slowly reveal why the main character is as she is.


I liked how the author explored how an abusive relationship slowly develops. So many women out there just write off the behaviour of abused women that stay in relationships as 'ridiculous'. Ugh, such a pet peeve of mine. I'm really sure it must just be that simple. Especially when you're in love with someone, have grown up together, have a family together etc. This to me seemed like a real understanding of how a woman slowly but inexorably backed into a corner would lose all of her confidence and begin to feel as if she had no options.

Other things I really liked:


The characters were great, really subtly written and developed, especially the teenager daughter, Charlie.

The slow developing romance between Sally and Anthony was exquisitely done.

It dives straight into the action on page one with no long preamble and it was a super quick read

I just really wanted more from the ending, it did seem a bit inconclusive. For that reason and for the fact that the book really doesn't seem to match up with the tone of its blurb at all, I can't give it more than 3 stars. I don't understand why the blurb hints at this big secret , which makes you think there will be some big twist or reveal that just never comes. However if billed as more of the emotional drama that it is, I think it will find far more receptive audiences.

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This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for a review. Don't want to give a thing away. Read this book. Now!! SO great! You won't be able to put it down!

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Thank you NetGalley and Red Door Publishing for letting me read the Arc of A Perfect Marriage. What a great story! It definitely kept my interest and was page turning to see where the story went to next. Sally and Charlie’s mother daughter relationship reminds me somewhat of my own relationship. The book truly does show that you never know what happens behind closed doors. You should never judge anyone or anything until you know the fact. I would love to see a sequel to see where Sally and charlie end up, Sally’s relati ship with anthony and to see if anything g happens with zoe.

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A Perfect Marriage is Sally's story, a widow, trying to hide the fact that her marriage wasn't a perfect one after so many years of lying to her daughter, Charlie, who starts to question the past. Sally realizes she needs to tell Charlie the truth, but there is never the perfect time to tell her. Sally meets a new man, Anthony, and he deserves to know the truth also, but she can't seem to tell him either. At a party, Charlies overhears mention of an incident that fits perfectly with the timing of her father's death and start to research it. Sally is then forced to explain all to them.

I normally don't love books that tell the story by switching between the past and the present, but this format fits this story perfectly. The past would give just enough information to explain the next few present chapters, until the past was fully explained. It was seamlessly between the past and present. I loved the characters and was cheering for them throughout to understand each other and the past. Both Sally and her daughter Charlie, grew and changed as people. Overall, I loved this book and the story.

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What I loved about this book, is although you feel like nothing much is going on so much really is going on, even if you have figured out the ending.

The story follows Sally, it is the journey she has been on and the journey she is currently on. It touches on mental and physical abuse behind closed doors which can be a tough subject to write about and how it impacts the people around you.  The book if you haven't guessed, focuses on the past and on the present day, and the author pretty much teases you with both throughout the book. Just as you are hooked on the past, the chapter stops and you are brought back to present day, making the book more exciting and intriguing and I didn't want to put it down. (Unfortunately life didn't let me read this as quick as I wanted!)                                                                                                                                                                         

The two men in the book could not be more polar opposites if they tried. Jeff the husband, the abuser and betrayer. Anthony the lover, the friend and carer.  I appreciated how Sally's past was dark and clouded as she was living through the ordeal, but when we moved back to the present the shift in her character when Anthony was in her life, made it lighter.  There was emphasis on Anthony Blake being someone Sally recognised. At one point he was compared to Celia, I was waiting to see a big revelation with this but it did not come. The only thing I could think is that they are both perceived as happiness to Sally, and she associates this by comparing the two together.                                                                       

Charlie, her daughter, and Zoe, her friend, are the women in her life, her rocks and you feel that emanate from the pages. All joined together by their links to the same man, Jeff.  When all revelations have been made at the end of the book, you, the reader, feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders as you have live those moments with Sally and there is a sense of peace.  I loved the relationship that Zoe and Sally have, a bond, one that could never be broken.  The theme of hope, redemption and forgiveness all played a part here by the three side characters of Anthony, Zoe and Charlie. 

*I received a copy of this book on Net Galley from Red Door Publishing for my honest review*

Go buy the book, what are you waiting for?

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