One of the most compelling aspects of the book is its portrayal of Elle's life as an influencer. Amanda Cassidy does an amazing job of capturing the darker side of the influencer lifestyle, highlighting the pressures and complexities that come with social media stardom. As a reader, I found myself drawn into Elle's world, experiencing firsthand the highs and lows of her public persona.

Elle is an influence who rose to fame with her home makeover videos, "Elle's Dream Home Makeover." She had just stumbled upon the perfect place for a new video and place to call her home for her and her fiance, Will. The only catch? The owner still lives there. Sue, her realtor and friend explains that this new fad is that you pay a lump sum up front and then make a monthly payment to the owner until they are deceased and then you own the house. So, the longer they live, the more you pay.

They take the risk and make the purchase, but Will is not excited about it. He is introduced as an entitled son of a rich family who has wasted through his money on bad investments and gambling. He's keeping this from Elle, who is out house searching for them. She can tell that something is off with Will, but suspects cheating.

Plagued with declining views from her social media, Elle decides to move forward with purchasing the chateau, despite the odd circumstances. Elle hints at another life she has overcome, saying that if she loses Will and her followers she will be like "her" again.

Meanwhile, Sue suspects that Elle has a dark past and hires a private investigator to uncover her past and Elle starts getting messages on her social media threatening to share about her secret past.

More creepiness comes in - like how Elle looks just like the home owner's missing wife and wondering if anyone else from the family will come forward to try to claim the house she is hoping to launch her career off of.

This store is one of deception, and seeing what lengths people will go to to stay relevant. At times it was hard to follow - but a solid 3 stars and I did enjoy the twists and uncovering of the past of all the characters.

Despite a few initial struggles with Elle’s decisions, the plot’s engagement didn’t falter. Some loose ends could have been tied up, but overall, it was a a good read. Constantly trying to piece things together kept me on my toes, and the suspense never let up.

This was my first book by this author but it won’t be my last! I just knew I had it all figured out 1/3 of the way through but boy was I wrong!!

A very creepy and dark look at what we and Rlle is willing to hide. Focused on the appearance of life and all that she surrounds her with is most important. Freaky and also hotror type thriller vibes. Yikes!

The perfect place by Amanda Cassidy.
This was a good read. I loved the cover and blurb. That's why I signed up. I did like the writing style. Wasn't sure how I felt about Elle, Sue or Will. Will I didn't trust at all. I had a theory of what was happening. I was partly right but I was also partly wrong. The ending did surprise me. I really hope there is more to come as it doesn't feel finished to me. I would like to see another book.


Blurb.
What you see isn’t always what you get.
Elle Littlewood can barely believe her luck when her producer tells her about the chance to get her hands on a dilapidated chateau in Aix-En-Provence, France for a rock bottom price. It seems too good to be true, but as a home interiors influencer, she knows this would make incredible content.

Lately, Elle has noticed the cracks start to show. Her life is the envy of thousands, and her social media posts show a beautiful, accomplished woman. Yet this wasn’t always the case. If they knew the truth about her past, they would never look at Elle the same way again.

Elle needs this house. She doesn’t care that it comes with huge strings attached. And when people get in her way, there’s nothing Elle won’t do to protect her brand. After all, she’s survived by doing things that people could never imagine – and knows she wo uld do them again.

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I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one but Amanda didn’t disappoint! I really enjoyed this one it was a bit of a slow start but unlike other thrillers I’ve read it was still an interesting story. The suspense starts halfway though and that was when I found myself reading faster. I was dying to know the ending! I only guessed a part of what would happen. the rest genuinely shocked me! I love that in a thriller. At first I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the multiple POVs, but it ended up tying the story together well. I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next. One of the most interesting parts of the book was a look inside Elle’s Life as ainfluencer. What a great book!

The Perfect Place is a suspense thriller that unveils the cracks beneath the perfect world of influencers and the quest for fame. It follows struggling influencer Elle Littlewood who decides to renovate a crumbling chateau in Provence, France to post to her social media to showcase what a successful and accomplished talent she has. However, just as the chateau is showing its cracks in its facade, so too is Elle’s true self and questionable moral compass.

Read this if you like:
-escapist summer reads
- French Countryside of Aix+En -Provence chateau setting
-past and present timelines
-complex characters with questionable ethics and morals
-over coming childhood trauma
-the world of influencers and the price of fame
-fascinating world of French real estate rules
-ulterior motives, secrets, and lies of characters
-twists and turns and a satisfying ending

My rating 3 1/2 stars out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for this eARC that will be published August 1 2024.

A really pacy thriller with lots of twists, really enjoyed this one! A great summer read! I loved Cassidy's first novel and this was a great follow up, definitely an author to watch out for!

I enjoyed this read and there are many strong aspects to it. The plot is good, perhaps a little too long but I was immersed in it and interested in the outcome. The setting is beautiful and really transports the reader to an idyllic French chateau. Linked to this, the front cover is stunning and made me smile everytime I looked at it.
The characters are good, not necessarily likeable but they were realistic and played their roles well. I particularly liked the blend of the young, influencer couple alongside the elderly gentleman with secrets from the past. It was interesting seeing the different personalities come together and the impact they have on each other's lives.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for an advance copy.

The Perfect Place is a fast-paced thriller that showcases the cracks beneath the glowing facade of an the 'perfect' life of influencer Elle's life. Moving swiftly between the 'then' when we see life from Elle's, Will's and Sue's viewpoints, and the 'now' when we are learning just of the tragic events that unfolded on the morning of the wedding. Each chapter reveals a little more of each person's true personality and how events are shaped by their secrets.
A brilliant read and perfect for the summer.

This book is amazing! I love Amanda's writing style, building up suspense as the story progresses. There isn't too many characters which is nice as it's a close knit storyline. Elle's deal with the chateau is a new concept, living alongside Leonard and then gaining the home after he passes. Sounds complicated and it turns out to be just that!

I like how Elle's backstory comes to light, it makes it seem like Will and Elle aren't that different really. I like their relationship but shows from different pov's in the chapters. Will's backstory is also an eye opener and I wondered what would happen if and when it would surface.

I always wonder what an influencer's life is like really, do you feel exposed? Like there's no quiet time to yourself as someone is always watching? Sue is jealous and I can see why but when it's not really earnt, its handed on a plate, is it really jealousy worthy?

After reading and enjoying this fast paced, suspense building read, I'm looking forward to reading more from Amanda! Would recommend!

I was gripped right away with this book, I loved the characters and they kept me hooked all the way through.

In Amanda Cassidy’s The Perfect Place, not everything is as glamorous as it seems.

Ellie Littlewood is a struggling influencer looking to reignite her following; what better way to do so than by rehabilitating a crumbling chateau in France? Of course, this one does come with some interesting strings attached, the biggest being it is still inhabited.

This book is an ideal summer read; it features unreliable narrators, a captivating setting, and numerous twists to keep the plot engaging. All these elements combined make this read like a soap opera.

It makes sense that most of the characters are hiding big secrets and that, at their core, they are not the most likable. While it's difficult to root for any of them, their absurd behavior increases the tension of the plot.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and would be perfect for a vacation.

I love a read set in beautiful locations, a holiday without leaving the garden.
The premise of this novel sounded right up my street and on the whole it was. The thought of living my life in the public eye, even by choice is enough to bring me out in hives. The novel highlights how what you see isn't necessarily the truth, those of us born way before social media lives perhaps are more aware of this ( and certainly I believe much luckier).

The reason I've given this four rather than five stars is for a couple of reasons. I didn't become invested in the characters, I think I just didn't feel they were well rounded enough. Secondly at times the story felt disjointed.

It didn't take away from the enjoyment but it for me just lacked a certain something.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the advance review copy.

An easy summer read set in a French chateau. Lots of plot twists and multiple POVs added to the suspense. I loved the descriptions of the chateau and insights into the life of a social media influencer.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc. All opinions are my own.

In The Perfect Place, Amanda Cassidy creates an intriguing mystery surrounding the complexities of our modern-day influencer culture along with navigating the hardships of life. This novel is set in France and includes some unique French customs that were interesting to learn about.

One of the most compelling aspects of the book is its portrayal of Elle's life as an influencer. Amanda Cassidy does an amazing job of capturing the darker side of the influencer lifestyle, highlighting the pressures and complexities that come with social media stardom. As a reader, I found myself drawn into Elle's world, experiencing firsthand the highs and lows of her public persona.

While I initially struggled to understand Elle's decisions throughout some of the book (especially in the beginning), it did make the plot more engaging in the end. I felt like there were a couple loose ends that could have been filled in for us as readers, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the story overall.

Throughout the book, I found myself constantly trying to piece things together, and there was always some new information coming out that would have me second-guessing myself which I really appreciated.

The Perfect Place......by Amanda Cassidy

This murder mystery makes an easy summer read, with it French chateau setting and mixture of odd characters.
The style of writing was interesting. As someone that normally reads gritty crime drama, this book was not my usual thing. However, it was entertaining and served me well as a poolside read.

Love a good French chateau setting with a social media influencer story line. Kept me on the edge of my seat, but no character was remotely likable. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This lovely book is so weird. I hated Will. I loved his inner turmoil though. I love the setting. I think books about influencers are so interesting because that is the strangest life. I did love the gross cop stuff, although it is well written.
This is like a modern day soap opera. It was lovely, dramatic, and everyone has a secret.