One Perfect Couple

One Perfect Couple

Ruth Ware

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A high-tension and ingenious thriller following five couples trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them. Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize. But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death. A fast-paced, spellbinding thriller rife with intrigue and characters that feel so true to life, this novel proves yet again that Ruth Ware is the queen of psychological suspense.


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    Awesome Concept

    After mulling over Ruth Ware's latest psychological thriller, "One Perfect Couple," for a day, I've come to appreciate its gripping narrative. As someone who's devoured countless thrillers over the years, I'm thrilled to discover a fresh, intriguing concept within these pages. While I enjoyed Ware's "Zero Days," "One Perfect Couple" truly captured my imagination.

    The story centers on Lyla, whose life and relationship with Nico, an aspiring actor, are at a standstill. When Nico proposes they join a reality show called One Perfect Couple, promising fame and fortune, Lyla reluctantly agrees. What follows is a whirlwind journey to a tropical resort where the facade of paradise quickly crumbles.

    Lyla, a rational scientist, is wary of the show's unknowns, but her reservations are swept aside as they're whisked off to Ever After Island. Amidst the azure waters and luxurious villas, Lyla senses hidden tensions and secrets among the contestants. When a hurricane strikes, turning their idyllic retreat into a nightmare, Lyla must navigate treacherous waters both literal and metaphorical.

    "One Perfect Couple" skillfully blends elements of classic thrillers like Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians" with the societal commentary of Orwell's "Animal Farm." As the castaways grapple with survival, Ware exposes the dark underbelly of reality television, blurring the lines between staged drama and genuine danger.

    Through Lyla's eyes, readers experience the mounting paranoia and desperation as alliances shift and betrayals unfold. Each twist and turn of the plot propels us deeper into the chaos, mirroring the unpredictability of reality TV.

    Ware's storytelling is masterful, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. "One Perfect Couple" is a rollercoaster of suspense, urging readers to buckle up for a thrilling ride they won't soon forget.

    Thank you to Netgalley for this arc all opinions are my own. 

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