Typical SL book and I loved every second of it. Couldn’t put it down and am recommending it to everyone

The Perfect Boyfriend is a fantastic, dark twisted thriller that kept me gripped until the very end! A big 5 Stars from me.

S.E. Lynes delivers a gripping psychological thriller in The Perfect Boyfriend. The story follows Kirsty Shaw, a midwife who encounters her high-school boyfriend, Hughie, after a harrowing experience at work. As Kirsty tries to uncover the truth behind Hughie's mysterious disappearance years ago, she finds herself entangled in a web of lies and danger. Lynes' expertly crafted plot and relatable characters make this a must-read for fans of suspense and intrigue

I really enjoyed The Perfect Boyfriend. It was well paced with enough twists and turns to keep me interested without being over the top.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

The Perfect Boyfriend unfolds through alternating chapters set in the past and present, wit two different POVs that gradually piece together the story. The pace picks up in the latter half of the book, leading to a satisfying ending,. However, the title feels a bit misleading in relation to the plot. Despite this, the author's writing style and character development kept me invested throughout. Overall, I’d rate this book 3½ stars

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

A tense and compelling psychological thriller, The Perfect Boyfriend follows Kirsty, a pregnant midwife who is certain she’s spotted her ex, Hughie—despite his insistence that he doesn’t know her. As she digs deeper, the mystery unravels through dual timelines and two different POV’s revealing secrets from their past.

While the pacing starts slow, and I felt it a little repetitive in the middle ,the tension does build steadily, leading to a gripping final act packed with twists. Some reveals were predictable, while others completely surprised me , making this a solid, entertaining read.

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

A brilliant rollercoaster read that had me hooked from the very first page and I found it very hard to put down once I started.

I enjoyed the pace and twists of this book and will be reading more from this author. A very entertaining read with many twists and turns, some predictable and some will leave you surprised. I would recommend as well worth a read.

As per usual... (I'm even boring myself with reviews for S E Lynes book nowadays...) This book had me hooked from the first page and I sped through it in a few days.

I've said it before, 13 times before, to be precise, but I absolutely love S E Lynes books (don't make me start up again about 'Mother') and I know I am always in for a treat with her books.

It has the usual depth of writing, and twists, i come to expect and love from any new books of the author's and made me want to keep reading at any opportunity I had. I really liked the main character, Kirsty, but I was also really frustrated at people not wanting to believe what she was telling them.

As highly recommended as always.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and S.E. Lynes for an ARC of The Perfect Boyfriend.

The Perfect Boyfriend has an intriguing premise—a woman unexpectedly runs into her high school boyfriend, the one who vanished without a trace years ago. But when she confronts him, he claims not to know her. The story unfolds from both perspectives, adding layers to the mystery and keeping the reader engaged.

The book moves at a steady pace, and there are moments of real suspense. The writing is solid, and the dual viewpoints add some depth to the characters.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a slow-burn mystery and a subtle sense of unease, The Perfect Boyfriend is an engaging read that will keep you turning the pages.

I have read a few books by S. E. Lynes in the past and mostly I’ve enjoyed them however this one left me feeling I just wanted it all to end. It dragged for the first 3/4 of the book but I persevered to the end which although it tied up most of the twists, it still left me confused.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

The Perfect Boyfriend may not be the worst novel I have ever read, but its author, S.E Lynes is definitely an author I never want to read again. Although the novel is titles The Perfect Boyfriend, it is not about any such thing. It's a sick tale of a woman who befriends someone she thinks is a peer at school until he cruelly abandons her. What follows in this long book are developments in her life, a marriage, a pregnancy. Author Lynes brings back the character who cruelly left and he involves himself in her life in new and even crueler ways. Lynes has done a good job of creating an evil, disgusting, unlikable character, which is fine, but she doesn't know when to stop. The story goes on and on with sick activities. When you think it has finally ended, Lynes starts it up again by telling us that the bad character was not whom she said it was and we are now in for even more sick stuff. That's when I gave up. Even when the story does finally end, Lynes keeps talking. I have never come across an author whom I want to avoid as much as S.E. Lynes.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Kirsty is pregnant and just about ready to pop. She’s in love with her partner, Dougie. And has a lovely friendship with her elderly neighbor Joan. She has only a few shifts left in her Labor and Delivery position before she goes on maternity leave. She’s walking through the hospital on one of these final shifts when she spots a face from the past. Her ex boyfriend from high school, Hughie, is working in the same hospital as an anesthesiologist. Only when she shouts his name he doesn’t react. She catches up with him only to be told she is mistaken, but she knows she isn’t. Things ended poorly between them all those years ago but it’s no reason to pretend he doesn’t know her.

This encounter is all Kirsty can think about until her elderly neighbor, Joan, goes missing. Everyone brushes it off and blames Kirsty’s hormones on her concern over Joan’s whereabouts. Kirsty also starts to uncover lies about Hughie’s troubled past which only exacerbates her anxiety. She starts receiving texts from Joan’s phone that she doesn’t believe Joan is writing. When a body is found in the sea, Kirsty fears the worst - is it Joan? What happened to her? Was Hughie involved?

The ending of this story is truly unpredictable. The last few chapters are twist after twist until the whole story is tied in knots.

I had high hopes for this book based on the tag line and description but it just didn’t do it for me. Kirsty’s self doubt was exhausting. Especially when she knew she should be following her gut. Her support system was also very disappointing. They were supposed to be likeable and Kirsty’s concerns about Joan were very valid but the way they doubted her made me dislike them. The first 3/4 of the story felt slow and repetitive. The last 1/4 was like whiplash - rushed twist after twist until I wasn’t sure what actually happened. It would’ve been more powerful to spread out some of the plot twists.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

My first book from this author and I going to read her other books! It's a real page-turner. Loved the unexpected twists and turns!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Perfect Boyfriend is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The dual POV, written in the first person, works exceptionally well in building both the characters and the suspenseful plot. The author has a real talent for creating believable, everyday people—none of the characters feel exaggerated or unrealistic, making their experiences all the more compelling.

The tension builds steadily, with twists and turns that kept me invested throughout. However, the only aspect that stretched credibility was the ease with which professional medical qualifications and experience were faked. This felt somewhat implausible and pulled me out of the story at times. That said, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

A fast-paced, well-crafted thriller with strong characterisation—definitely worth a read!

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it didn't capture my interest the way S.E. Lynes' The Baby Shower did. It felt a bit drawn out and repetitive at times, with a slow-moving timeline that didn’t quite keep up the pace I was hoping for. The concept was interesting up until the ending, but I felt as if I had to suspend my disbelief too much, and it just didn’t land for me. There were moments that kept me curious, so I pushed through, but overall, it wasn’t my favorite of her work. That said, I loved the other book I read by S.E. Lynes, so I’ll definitely continue reading her future releases. I just wish this one had a bit more excitement and a bigger twist at the end.

I really enjoyed The Perfect Boyfriend by S.E. Lynes.

So many twists to keep you guessing though the whole books, even though deep down you know the answers. Or do you?

I think this story is well written and the characters well thought out.

However, to me, this book might be longer than it needs to be. But overall a good read.

I’ve read a few books by this author in the past, and have found her to be a good solid author.
This isn’t my favourite one I’ve got to be honest, but it’s still an excellent read. It’s a steady pace from start to finish, a bit repetitive at times, not as many twists as I’d have expected.
Still, a good addition to the authors catalogue of works.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

Rating: 3.8/4

The Perfect Boyfriend is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the unsettling truths hidden beneath seemingly ordinary relationships. This was my first book by S.E. Lynes, and I was captivated by her ability to build suspense and keep me engaged throughout.

Kirsty, a dedicated midwife, is leaving the hospital after a long shift when she notices a familiar face—Hughie Reynolds, her former high school sweetheart. Years ago, he vanished from her life without a word, but now, standing in front of her, he claims to have no idea who she is. As she tries to make sense of the situation, a series of eerie events unfold, drawing her into a mystery she never expected.

At first, it’s easy to question whether Kirsty’s exhaustion and pregnancy are making her imagine things. However, as the story unfolds through alternating perspectives, it becomes clear that there’s more to the situation than meets the eye. The uncertainty surrounding Hughie’s identity keeps the tension high, and when Kirsty’s elderly neighbour disappears, the puzzle deepens. The more she investigates, the more she unknowingly puts herself and her unborn child at risk.

I flew through this book in just a few hours—the fast-paced narrative and short chapters made it impossible to put down. S.E. Lynes masterfully kept me on edge until the final pages, and this definitely won’t be my last book by her. Though it took me a few chapters to fully connect with the story, once I did, I was completely hooked. I love books that make you need to keep reading late into the night, and this was one of them.

If you’re looking for a psychological thriller filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and a sense of unease that lingers long after the final chapter, The Perfect Boyfriend is a fantastic choice.

This was a rollercoaster of a psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns and shock moments. It has been a while since I have read a book by this author and this one reminded me of how this author has the ability to keep the reader on their toes and to expect the unexpected.