A lavish, newly built resort. Ten weeks of pure bliss. Internet exposure and fame. For Lyla’s boyfriend, Nico, the optics seem unmatched. Now in his late 20s, Nico sees his connection to this show as his last opportunity for success and fame. But for Lyla, the T.V. cameras and gorgeous resorts are a far cry from the researching and lab work she’s accustomed to. Reluctantly, she decides to tag along with Nico’s antics one final time, and the outcome will change everything. 

One Perfect Couple was published on May 21. 2024, by avid British crime and psychological thriller author Ruth Ware. This Ware’s 18th book, with her most popular novel, the Woman in Cabin 10, currently being turned into a Netflix Original film. 

If you want the chance to read this beachy thriller, you can buy it digitally through the Kindle Store or Barnes & Noble for $14.99.

My non-spoiler summary 

At 32, Lyla Santiago is in the final stages of her rigorous postdoctoral research project. For weeks, she’s worked back and forth, exhaustingly adding finishing touches and spending hours in the lab with dwindling hopes of using her research to propel her career forward. However, that reality is turned upside when her charismatic and aspiring boyfriend, Nico, suggests they apply for an upcoming reality T.V. show. 

Within a flash, the couple find themselves in the middle of the Indian Ocean at the show’s Ever After Island. They are met with four other dynamic and attractive couples, who seem to be a far cry from Lyla’s timid nature and casual style. Each one will be competing for the chance to be One Perfect Couple. After a tumultuous first day surrounded by cameras, Lyla and the other couples find themselves in the midst of a destructive storm that turns the promises of the show into a distant reality. 

Now that everything’s changed, the couples find themselves in a very different competition; a fight for survival. As more strange occurrences and deaths continue, the remaining survivors can’t help but wonder if a killer is lurking, and slowly, they work to defend themselves and unravel the mystery. 

This novel is written in first person, with the narrator presenting Lyla’s perspective throughout the novel. Despite this, there are small excerpts and diary entries from other female characters that foreshadow some occurrences throughout the story. This allows the reader to get a sneak-peek into future events as Lyla and the other character do anything they can to survive. 

My Opinions… 

Immediately, this story pulled me in. As a lover of all things reality T.V., I thought this idea was creative and exactly the drama-filled twist to a reality show that I’ve been craving. Even after reading this book, I scoured Google for more books with similar plotlines, because I enjoyed the concept so much. 

This book was a great page-turner, and made a point to visit each of the couples as they progressed throughout the story. I enjoyed this element, as it allowed me to learn more about their characters and keep my attention divided so I wasn’t as bored. 

However, I felt as if the story was rushed and there should’ve been more development in the beginning. The storm on the resort is an inevitable part of the story, but it objectively changes everything; including the character dynamic. I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes and superficiality of the reality show element, and wished there was more time to savor that aspect of the story before it all fell apart. A survivor’s island aspect to a story isn’t unique, but the reality show took on it was. By reducing that element, the most interesting aspect of the book was also reduced. 

Additionally, the characters were predictable and 2-dimensional. This made it difficult for me to take their problems and relationships seriously. I find it easier to connect with book characters I can relate to on some level, and I felt like all of them, including Lyla, lacked the level of depth that allowed me to care about their development or survival. Also, there are so many plot holes and occurrences that are never explained or mentioned again. Without spoiling too much of the book, there are seemingly key moments in the story that are never provided context or revisited throughout the novel, which left me confused and frustrated. 

All that being said, I would rate this book a solid 6/10.

Overall I would consider this book to be a fun and easy piece of “brain candy.” The plotline is unique enough to draw one in and keep them desperate to find out what happens next. However, it lacks depth and character development that would’ve taken the book to the next level. Simply put, you’re likely to enjoy this book a lot more if you decide to accept it for what it is; a quick, easy read that doesn’t take itself too seriously.