The Perfect Marriage

A Slower Burn

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose had all the right elements to be a gripping psychological thriller, but ultimately, it didn't quite deliver in the way I hoped. I was expecting something similar in terms of intensity to Home is Where the Bodies Are, which I enjoyed for its fast pace and unexpected twists. Unfortunately, The Perfect Marriage unfolds at a slower pace, and while there are some twists along the way, they don't hit with the same force or urgency.

The story centers around a seemingly perfect couple whose lives are upended by a shocking crime. The premise is strong, and the potential for suspense is evident. However, the pacing feels deliberate, which may not appeal to readers who prefer a faster-paced thriller. While I appreciate the author's attempt to develop the characters and their motivations, I found myself wishing for more momentum as the story progressed.

That said, The Perfect Marriage is still an engaging read with enough intrigue to keep me interested. The character development, especially of the central figures, is well-done, and I enjoyed the exploration of moral complexities. The ending, with its surprising twist, was a welcome change of pace. However, by that point, I had already started to anticipate a twist, which slightly diminished its impact.

In conclusion, while The Perfect Marriage has its strengths and will likely appeal to those who enjoy slower, character-driven thrillers, it didn't quite meet my expectations in terms of pacing and excitement. I'm giving it 3 stars—it was good, but not great. I wanted more of the heart-pounding suspense that I found in Home is Where the Bodies Are, but this book, while satisfying in some ways, didn't quite deliver on that front.

rented the audiobook as it sounded like it would be an interesting thriller, but ended up being disappointed.

The story could have been interesting, but I found myself thinking many times that the legal/investigative aspects did not make sense, and all the characters were acting like middle schoolers rather than law enforcement professionals.

The plot twist was interesting and is what kept me going, as I saw it mentioned several times in the reviews, but in retrospect, it was not worth it.

I personally liked the back-and-forth perspective switch, as I had never read a book written in such a way, but overall the writing fell flat as it felt rushed and poorly edited.

This book grates on my nerve. Tests my patience like no other. The whole time I was thinking to just shelf it, put it in the DNF list, put it in the shit list or something. But of course, I just love to torment myself.

The characters. Oh my god, the characters. Where do I even begin?? They're all so dumb and colorless. The dialogues... it's a cringe-fest. I really could not understand how a book can be this bad.

I would like a refund to my time, please.

It has me hooked for most of it but I just wasn't wild about the ending. Made the innocent guy look super pathetic - which may have been her point. But I just felt the last whole part where she went on and on about how much of a loser her husband was - was a tad unnecessary. Plus I hate how he got out to death for a crime he didn't commit and she was basking in that fact.

This was a bingeable, quick read. I probably could have rated it higher if I was rating it mostly on enjoyment. But, I just couldn't look past all of it's flaws. Writing seemed to get worse as the book went on.  Characters had absolutely zero development. And not even to mention all of the plot holes in the police and legal investigations.
I also didn't find the ending believable considering all of the information we were given throughout the book for which the first-person narration was probably the biggest reason for.

Truly finally out of my reading slump & of course it's a thriller book that gets me back into it!! Husband has an affair. Husband becomes #1 suspect and his wife of 10 yrs defends him?!?!!!! There's so many twist and turns. I wouldn't have thought of the ending

I like that the chapters were short so I felt the story was moving along. I liked the POVs between Sarah and Adam. Adam is a douche 100% but also Sarah is a mastermind

Very fast paced and a page turner! However... Some things are a little rushed and not very veridic, like they thinking they're already pregnant, the ambulance coming so quickly and having to take a polygraph test. Also, a lot of loose threads left hanging for no reason. And the ending? Not predictable at all....

usually domestic thrillers aren't my favorite but this one was probably the most fun i've had in a while in a book. i was always trying to figure it out and i semi did but the twist shocked me. i am a jeneva rose stan this has been the second book by her i've given 5 stars. i found it so fun and each perspective was equally good, this is definitely a favorite of mine!

to the people who have given this 4 or 5 stars please tell me what were u on to give this such high rating?

this felt to me something i would pick up on wattpad on a school night at the age of 12. the writing was terrible, it felt like a beginner trying to write a story. the plot was predictable and the dialogues were downright cringey. this was the most insufferable book i have ever read, and i am just simply wondering what were the publishers thinking when they put this out there? not only did that but the editor did this author very extremely dirty.

I started off thinking that this was another of those books that I couldn't possibly read in a cafe, crowded train etc... thanks to a lot of explicit scene descriptions. But then the actual story started and I must admit it was riveting. It was quite unputdownable. At some point, I had begun to suspect and yet, I found the ending upsetting. It was a pity. But the story is good, very good.