One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
Five beautiful couples. One deadly game. Who will escape alive?
Lyla Santiago has spent months working on a research project that could be the key to getting a permanent job in her field.
So, she can’t really drop everything to go to a desert island with her actor boyfriend Nico to film One Perfect Couple, a new reality TV show that Nico is sure will lead to his big break – can she?
Two weeks later, Lyla finds herself boarding a boat to an isolated luxury resort in the Indian Ocean.
The rules of the game are simple. Ten strangers have tosurvive together on the island - and the last couple standing scoops the prize. There will be sun, sea, laughs and plenty of flirting. What could possibly go wrong?
But when a huge tropical storm cuts them off from everything, the group must band together. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla realises that someone is playing this game for real – and they'll stop at nothing to win.
Ten might have arrived, but who will survive to the end?
About the author
Ruth Ware is an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Turn of the Key and One by One have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including the Sunday Times and New York Times. Her books have been optioned for both film and TV, and she is published in more than 40 languages. Ruth lives near Brighton with her family. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @ruthwarewriter or at ruthware.com.
Review
‘One Perfect Couple’ is a dark and intense read, packed full of action, twists and turns and is the definition of a real page-turner! I will read anything that Ruth Ware writes and was super excited to read the premise of this book, as it reeks of Agatha Christie mixed in with Wiliam Golding but with a modern angle - reality TV!
Lyla Santiago is a research scientist, currently working on a project where the data doesn't fit the hypothesis. Meaning once again she will end up working another low-paid fixed-term contract. So when her aspiring actor boyfriend Nico suggests they do a reality tv show called ‘One Perfect Couple’ she reluctantly agrees. Set on a tropical island in Indonesia, five couples will compete to be crowned the ‘perfect couple’. Lyla has questions from the outset, especially when the TV company takes away all their phones and electronic devices. Then on the first night, a huge storm hits the island which leaves the contestants stranded, with no staff and no way to contact anyone. Plus, there isn't many supplies like food and water and the electricity has been cut off. Will they be able to survive until they are rescued…
I am not really into reality shows, well apart from Married at First Sight, but I was intrigued to see how this would affect what is basically a ‘locked-in survival story’. In the end, not really at all, it's the hook to get them to an isolated island but the real story is the relationships between the characters and how they survive the experience. Each character has their own distinct voice. Some are what could be deemed caricatures of the typical reality show contestants - the bulked-up men, beauty influencers etc. There are some exceptions, of course, Lyla being the main one. Lyla was a great protagonist as she was intelligent, had a bit of spunk, full of empathy and was resourceful!
Just as a FYI the topic of domestic violence, incel culture and emotional manipulation is addressed in the book but it is done with understanding and empathy and it is realistic in its portrayal.
This was an entertaining read that I flew through in one day! Could it have been a bit darker in tone, maybe? But that's just where my weird brain went. Overall, it was full of tension - a thrilling read!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
