For a debut novel I thought this was pretty good.
From the onset you’re put on edge, something is definitely off with just about everything - particularly Jay who is a walking bunch of red flags.

Slow building and tension laced, I think it did a decent job pacing wise and I read on solidly throughout.

However, I found the MC particularly insufferable throughout, and the ending a bit meh.

I would recommend readers check the TW’s beforehand.

An enjoyable but standard thriller.

Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture.

3/5 ⭐️

From the description I was expecting something else, but this was decent-ish thriller. It is very slowbuilding action-wise but there is a sense of underlying tension building up as the male main character starts becoming more and more controlling. All the characters are unlikeable, which is not necessarily a problem for me, but I found the female lead particularly annoying and idiotic, even after the revelation about half-way through the book. Her thoughts and actions don't really seem to match and left me shaking my head multiple times throughout. But the plot itself had a very fun idea behind it, even though I was hoping more from the execution.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A twisty and creepy slow-burn of a thriller. I enjoyed listening to this, although I would warn you to pay attention! As the story unravels we realise that Lauren, the narrator, has secrets of her own and is quite unreliable as a storyteller which left me a bit confused in parts, mainly around who was who, who was good and who was a wrong ‘un; there are a lot of characters to keep track of.

A good thriller, I will read/listen to this author again.

I did not finish, because it was way too cringe for me. I was trying really hard to keep going but it was way too heavy in the romance department for me. Like it was trying too hard to be verity, or something along those lines. It was sounding more like the perfect boyfriend than the perfect girlfriend. Cause what I was thinking was there was going to be something off about the girlfriend, but all signs were pointing to the boyfriend being so perfect from her perspective while the readers are going, red flag! red flag! And she was just starting to look into some weird coincidences. Maybe that's how it was suppose to be and then find out she's an unreliable narrator, i'm not sure. But like every chapter there was very descriptive sexual scenes even though they were brief sometimes, I just prefer if the books I read do have it in there that there's a specific area so I can easily skip the chapter and move forward. There so much talk about how he kissed her I was getting grossed out. Overall not the book for me even if it has a great twist it, which if it does bravo! But this is more for the romance community than the mystery community if you ask me. Or maybe if I was reading the physical copy instead of listening it would have been easier for me to skip over the cringey scenes. But im so sorry its a no for me.

I like the twists in Hayley Smith's debut novel, The Perfect Girlfriend, especially the biggest one halfway through that came out of left field; I loved it! Most importantly, it doesn't read like it's written by a new author, it flows pretty well and (most) things are logical. However, I didn't fully buy Lauren's confusion and found it to be more convenient than genuine.

Katie Villa is slowly becoming a favorite narrator of mine. I love how she embodies the characters she speaks for.

I rate The Perfect Girlfriend 4 stars. I deducted a star for the excessive details about renovating the house and because my CPTSD was triggered and caused me to unintentionally zone out due to the much too vivid details of violence.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing me with an ALC.

In this gripping audiobook, the author skillfully weaves a tale of love, secrets, and the lengths one will go to protect themselves. The story revolves around a protagonist who appears to have found the perfect relationship, but beneath the surface lies a web of hidden truths and a constant sense of unease.

The narrator's performance in this audiobook is commendable, as they capture the emotions and complexities of the characters with great depth. Their voice brings the story to life, making it easy for listeners to immerse themselves in the suspenseful atmosphere created by the author.

The setting of the story adds to the intrigue, as the protagonist finds solace in a secluded house near a deep forest. The absence of modern technology and neighbors creates an isolated environment, heightening the tension and amplifying the mystery surrounding the characters' actions.

Throughout the narrative, the author skillfully portrays the protagonist's internal struggles and the delicate balance they must maintain to protect their secrets. The dynamics of the relationship between the protagonist and their boyfriend, Jay, are intricately developed, keeping the listener on edge as they question the true nature of their bond.

The author's ability to maintain suspense and gradually reveal the protagonist's hidden depths is commendable. As the story progresses, listeners will find themselves questioning the reliability of the narrator and eagerly anticipating the revelation of their true motives.

Lauren and Jay meet at a music festival where Lauren is playing fiddle for a popular band. There is an instant attraction and Lauren, who is looking for a change in her life, moves in with Jay without hesitation. She knows it is a rash decision because she barely knows him. But she is intrigued by his simplistic lifestyle, living off the grid in the middle of nowhere. As time goes by, Lauren begins to notice strange things going on in Jay’s world. Not only our his friends strange, but there are references to a dark haired woman named “Ruthie” who was once in Jay’s life. Another woman was found dead at the bottom of the nearby quarry, a supposed suicide but Lauren isn’t so sure. Having recently lost her best friend tragically, she cannot help but be consumed by the secrets that surround her in this new place. She feels there is some connection to all of these events. As time goes by, more and more strange things occur and Lauren doesn’t know who she can trust. Jay begins to act even more distant and secretive and as she strives to find answers she begins to feel that she may be in danger. This was a great audio book. It kept me intrigued and invested through to the twisted end. An enjoyable novel that I gave 3.5 stars.

The Perfect Girlfriend is a thrilling read! The story was different than I thought it would be, but I was pleasantly surprised by the twist and turns. Lauren is a complicated character, and the author has done a brilliant job of layering her motivations as the book unfolds. Hayley Smith wrote a fantastic debut novel. I was invested from start to finish. My only critique is there are too many descriptive sex scenes in the book. Those parts nearly leaned towards pornographic.

I couldn't get into this one.
Lauren meets Jay at a festival while she plays the violin
Jay and Lauren become a couple, and Lauren moves in Jay
She begins discovering things that make her wonder about who Jay is
There's articles of someone who has searched for females that have long black hair
There's a locked room that Jay seems to mot know where the key is
And then there's a bracelet found under the bed. Not just any bracelet, a bracelet that belonged to Her best friend who died a few yrs ago

This was a good debut novel! I liked the eeriness of Jay and Lauren. I will say that the audiobook was a bit hard to follow at times because there were some chapters where it felt like it switched POV from Lauren to Jay.

This gave me the vibes of Bridget Jones gone wrong. Lauren and Jay meet at a music festival and quickly have a whirlwind romance. Lauren leaves her (albeit somewhat questionable) life to move to the middle of nowhere with Jay. Strange things begin to happen- losing her car keys when she needs to go somewhere, certain rooms of the house being locked and Jay’s friends. This book was full of twists and turns and every time I thought I knew what was going to happened something it wouldn’t. I am looking forward to reading more by Hayley Smith.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to this WRC.

I really enjoyed this book. The initial hints of domestic violence and the naivety of Lauren had me shouting at the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ would recommend

Will be looking out for more of this author’s work!

* ARC from Netgalley *

This was a well-paced thriller/mystery with some very interesting twists. The "life-off-the-grid" setting was interesting and the descriptions of the house and gardens very well-written. I didn't quite understand a few of the relationship dynamics, like why the sisters' relationship was so fraught and why they were so distanced from their parents. But the time spent in the country home was well-done and I was satisfied with the ending. Loved the narrator also!

Firstly, I think mentioning that this novel was MAJORLY triggering for me for a few reasons yet the story was so good that I stuck with it anyway is testament to how good the writing is. I’m actually stunned to learn that it’s a debut aswell.

Distressing, suspenseful and gripping, the audio narration was excellent too. Katie Villa provides fantastic listening. I’ve normally caught the twist way before it comes and I really didn’t this time. Excellent debut, I’ll be looking forward to seeing what the author does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookature for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

I smile at my boyfriend as I set the table ready for the delicious dinner that’s bubbling on the stove. I know I’m everything to him. I’ve made absolutely sure I’m his perfect match, in every way…Jay and I have only known each other a short while, but whenever I gaze into his gorgeous green eyes I know he’s the one. His little house by the deep forest’s edge is perfect for the two of us – there’s no internet, no phone signal, and no neighbours. I’m about as far from my past as I could be. No one knows where I am, and I need to keep it that way.Warm in Jay’s arms, I can persuade myself it’s ok that he disappears for hours when he thinks I’m asleep at night, returning the next morning, glittery eyed and tense. And I don’t mind that he likes to be in charge of our money, our time, of me. He’s just looking after me, keeping me safe from the outside world, because he loves me.I won’t question him, I can’t challenge him. I need our relationship to work. Because I have secrets too . Jay thinks he knows me, but he doesn’t have a clue.All I have to do is play my part, and pray he never discovers just how far from perfect I really am…A completely addictive psychological thriller packed with incredible twists you won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of The Housemaid , The Split , and The Serial Killer’s Wife .

 

I liked the premise of this book and did find it interesting in parts, but overall this book wasn't really for me. The story was ok and there were a few good twists along the way but I found the story a bit drawn out and the ending was a bit rushed and lacked luster. The narrator, Kate Villa, was as amazing as ever though. She is one of my favourite audiobook narrators and always does a great job. 

 

My thanks to the author and Bookouture Audio for my advance copy to read and review via Netgalley.

It was hard to get hooked at first but then when the story progressed further into their relationship and the toxicity I was hooked. There were many red flags and triggers for me but it was a very good depiction of how it actually is. I really enjoyed the voice narration as well.

This one had me guessing the entire book! I couldn't figure out what was going to happen!

Lauren is down on her luck and meets Jay. She moves in with him and he starts controlling everything. Weird things are happening to her and I couldn't figure out if there were two characters or what was going on.

I think the different secrets that were revealed could have been played in a different way. One major secret seemed to be such a side story but it was also the main point of the story at the same time.

3.5⭐

Girl meets boy, whirlwind romance and quickly moves in together but everything isn’t what it seems. I feel like I’ve heard this before a few times.

Although I enjoyed this book, I found it to be a fairly standard thriller. The twist half way through was needed and almost unexpected. There were parts which felt a little flat but then others that made me feel intrigued again. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really like any of the characters but maybe that was the point as they all had secrets which started to trickle out as the story progressed.

A decent debut novel but I’ll be interested to see what else this author comes up with.

An easy will she or won't she, did he or didn't he twisty tale of love gone sideways. An easy listen and I found the narrator likable.

This one took me a little bit to get into and I was confused for a bit, but it turned out to be that good thriller confusion where everything comes together and makes sense by the end.

I listened to this book in 2 days!
A woman, whose friend committed suicide, and she just can’t believe it! And goes to find answers infiltrating a group of friends, only to get in too deep…..
It has me hooked after the 1st chapter! I had thought I guessed who did it, but as I listened I would second guess myself and completely change my mind then swing back again.
The narration was perfect, the emotion and passion that came through was captivating and kept me listening, the flow and pacing of the book worked well,
My recommendations for the format you use for reading this book should me your usual format, I have thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook but believe this book would be great in any format.