When you jump into a Ruth Ware thriller, you know you’d better buckle up because you are in for one helluva a bumpy ride and One Perfect Couple is no exception to this rule. The story revolves around five couples taking part in a reality show being filmed on a remote and idyllic looking island. The couples are housed on the island while the crew, when not filming, stay on the yacht which transported them here.

But right from the first page, even before the action begins, Ware ramps up the suspense and tension through the judicious use of foreshadowing, letting us know that a storm will strand the couples on the island, that they have a means to communicate with the outside world but can’t reach anyone including the yacht, that there are dead and injured among them, and even, perhaps, a murderer.

The characters are a fairly diverse group but all beautiful and with the kinds of professions one would expect on a reality show. There's.the actor, the model, the youtuber, the influencer, teacher, and a scientist. And, of course, since this is reality tv, one of them is to play the role of villain. Fortunately, given the large cast, they are all well-drawn and easily distinguishable.

The story is told in the first person by Lyla Santiago, scientist and reluctant contestant, there only to please her actor boyfriend and she describes the growing desperation, fear, and divisions which develop as rescue becomes less likely. Juxtaposed with this is the diary entries of another contestant who isn’t readily identified and who gives another much less desperate view of events making you wonder which voice is closer to the truth.

Ruth Ware really delivers with One Perfect Couple. It is one fast and furious tale, sorta Survivor meets Lord of the Flies, and a completely non-stop page-turner of a thriller and I loved every tense OTT minute of it.

Thanks to Edelweiss+ and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

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I'm a big fan of Ruth Ware's writing. I adore her suspense tales. Her latest is One Perfect Couple - and I think it's one of her best.

Lyla's boyfriend Nico convinces her to try out for a reality show with him. It's one that will have five couples hoping to be the 'perfect pair' and win the big prize at the end.

There are reality shows of all type available on so many platforms these days. And the ante is being ramped up to attract viewers. (Admit it - you've watched at least one episode!)

Lyla has her doubts before they go and...I'm going to let you discover what happens next. Ware's plotting is devious - I honestly could not stop listening. There are many unexpected twists and turns woven into the narrative. The tension is palpable on every page.

Lyla is a great lead character - she's quick, clever, sees the big picture and isn't afraid to speak her mind. It's her viewpoint and action that we are listening to. And how about the flip side? You'll have no problem recognizing and despising the antagonist!

I knew this would be a fantastic listen for me. Ware's writing and Imogen Church's reading guaranteed it! Church has such a versatile voice - she's created a different, recognizable voices for all the characters. She easily captures the emotions of the players with her voice. And the same with the danger and suspense of the plot. The listener is easy drawn into the story. She speaks clearly and enunciates well. I'm always impressed when a single reader can have me thinking there's more than one person!

An easy five stars for One Perfect Couple the book and the presentation. ( )

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware is a very highly recommended closed circle thriller that follows five couples, the cast of a new reality TV show, who are trapped on a remote island in the Indian Ocean.

Virologist Lyla Santiago is frustrated that her postdoc research is not providing the expected results, so when Nico Reese, her actor boyfriend, wants them to join the cast of a reality TV show called "One Perfect Couple" she reluctantly agrees. She can take off a couple weeks from work and assumes she can write up the disappointing results while on the island. Hopefully this opportunity will be the break that Nico needs and help their relationship.

Their audition leads to a quick approval and Lyla and Nico quickly find themselves on a boat in the Indian Ocean heading toward Ever After Island with the four other couples: Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana. After the first challenge, things go wrong very quickly. This is followed by a powerful storm which slams the island, leaving the contestants isolated, without any support from the show's crew and assistants and with limited resources. Since they had to turn in all electronics, their hope is in reaching someone via the two-way radio. These are strangers who must band together for survival.

One Perfect Couple has strong And Then There Were None merges with Survivor and reads Lord of the Flies vibes and the plot held my complete attention throughout. Once they reach the island, the tension rises quickly and, after the storm hits, stays high as the stakes are life or death and their expectations for survival lower with each passing day. There are new issues occurring daily that will challenge each individual.

The writing is excellent. The narrative unfolds through Lyla's point-of-view, with brief pleas for help on the radio and later diary entries between the chapters. Lyla is an exceptional character and an appealing character to experience the drama through her observations. The characters are all written as unique individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses and it is easy to follow who's who while reading.

Ruth Ware is a writer who always seems to deliver an excellent novel. This one would make a heart-pounding movie. Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/05/one-perfect-couple.html ( )

I love Ruth Ware, but this one wasn't her best. I really enjoy survival stories and was looking forward to this one, but I didn't like the characters and there was not really a twist. ( )

ONE PERFECT COUPLE is Agatha Christie meets LORD OF THE FLIES meets...dating reality TV? I'm not too familiar with the names of those shows, but you know what I mean! I really enjoyed this survival thriller set on a remote island in the Indian Ocean.

Lyla is a scientist whose wannabe actor boyfriend Nico talks her into participating in an upcoming reality show where they compete with four other pairs to be named the "perfect" couple. When they first get to the isolated island location for filming, they notice something is not quite right. Next, a terrible storm hits the island and chaos ensues. Then, it's truly a fight for survival as dead bodies turn up one by one.

There was a big cast of characters, and it took a minute to remember who's who, and who goes with whom, but ultimately they each had a unique voice. While this was an entertaining, escapist thriller, it also touched on the seriousness of bullying and domestic abuse. This was a page-turner that I flew through in record time. I also loved the little nod to THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10.

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for a copy of this book. Opinions are my own. ( )