One Perfect Couple
Fiction
Simon and Schuster
May 21, 2024
Hardcover/Library
400
Purchased/Library audio
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 finds 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.
My review:
I confess that I have never watched Survivor, not even one episode. But that certainly doesn't stop me from enjoying survivalist stories, this one included. This one takes off fairly quickly, just a small bit of backstory before we are on the island and the competition has begun. What starts as a game turns in a different direction when a storm erupts essentially cutting the couples off from communication and supplies. Add to that, someone among them is not what they seem, and you have the makings of a tense, exciting thriller! I loved the pacing, the writing, and the character set up. Even when I thought I had things figured out, I was sure that I was probably wrong in my hunch, so was waiting for the twist to fall. I really don't have any quibbles with this one, although the number of times we heard about how thirsty they were got a little tiresome. As with most thrillers, it probably didn't have anything that will make it stand out a few years from now (the only way a thriller earns five stars from me), but I very much enjoyed my time while listening.
A fast paced survivor story that will be perfect if you are a fan of the show, or these types of stories. Fast paced and intense, I think this will be the perfect summer read if you're tired of true beach reads.
