This story takes place in Scotland where Kirsty Shaw is a midwife and only has a few days left to work before she has her first baby. While walking through the hospital, she spots an anesthetist who looks like an old boyfriend, Hughie Reynolds, from her past. When she calls out to him, he ignores her. She confronts him later and he tells her she has the wrong person. Lots of strange things happen in this book and there are some really good twists and surprises which makes this a good read overall. I did not like Kirsty at all because all she seemed to do was cry and I did not care for the writing when it was in the Scottish brogue. I found myself looking up words and trying to figure out what was being said. I love this author's books but this was not a favorite.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this very twisty book.

Midwife Kirsty is heavily pregnant herself when hm she is looking after a woman in labour when things start to go wrong. In the aftermath, her boss tells her to take a break and go and get some fresh air, but on her way back in to the hospital, she sees someone who disappeared from her life years ago. Or did she? And when her friends and family start to blame what she is seeing on her 'pregnancy brain' she is determined to prove them wrong.

Another cracking read with plenty of twists and turns, well worth a read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my combos this book.

Midwife Kirsty is heavily pregnant. She and partner Dougie are excited for the new arrival. Then, one day at with Kirsty spots her high school boyfriend, who had cruelly vanished without trace. He denies his identity, resulting in a spiralling set of events.

Told from the point of view of both Kirsty and ‘Barry’, each chapter is like a diary extract style. There’s flashbacks to the past as the back story is teased out. I was so completely invested in this book I couldn’t put it down. Twist after turn and nothing was as it seemed. Even after the big finale there’s more to reveal. This never stopped me guessing and I really enjoyed it!

This book had me hooked from the start to finish.
Through the pages we go on an emotional roller-coaster with midwife Kirsty.
Heavily pregnant Kirsty, believes she's spotted a ghost from her past; Hughie, whilst working in the hospital. No one believes her.
Incidents occur and she strongly believes that Hughie is behind it. How can she prove it? Her family and friends think her mind is playing tricks.
Who actually is Hughie?

The Perfect Boyfriend is an enjoyable domestic thriller, told from the points of view of Kirsty, a heavily pregnant midwife, and her ex-boyfriend, Hughie. There were some surprising twists, although I do have questions regarding them, particularly in relation to the suspension of belief required regarding one and wondering whether the other was really necessary for the plot. The Scottish vernacular is at times, difficult to read. Overall, I was invested enough to finish the book but it’s not my favourite of S.E Lynes’ titles. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to S.E. Lynes, Bookouture and Netgalley for my advance copy.

This was my second read from S. E. Lynes. It was a bit on the slow side and the twists were decent. Some were predictable, whereas others were entirely unpredictable.

We follow Kristy through ups and downs due to her past and present colliding. Truths will be bent and lies will be told.

Thank you to S. E. Lynes, NetGalley, and Bookouture for this ARC!

WOW WOW WOW! I absoluttely devoured this book!! I read this on a Sunday and came right back here on Monday to post! This was 5 huge starts and I can not wait to add this to my bookshelf! Be careful who you trust......be careful who you listen to....

𝒀𝒐𝒖, 𝑲𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒘, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚, 𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒖𝒙𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚. 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉, 𝒊𝒔 𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂 𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒎.

The premise of this book was solid, and the reviews were stellar, but it ended up just being ok with me. My biggest issue, through no fault of the author, was the vernacular. Most of the dialogue was just so far removed from what I'm used to that I had to really concentrate to decode what was being said.

Kirsty is heavily pregnant and is working her last few shifts as a midwife when she sees him in the hospital--the boy who broke her heart so many years ago. She calls his name, but he doesn't answer. When she approaches, he feigns puzzlement, but she knows it's him. Meanwhile, ominous things are happening in her neighborhood. An elderly neighbor goes missing, and there's an unfamiliar car that's begun appearing at odd times.

What unravels was definitely unhinged, but I just couldn't get invested in the story. I found the big twist to require much more of a suspension of disbelief than I usually give in thrillers. I kept reading to see how everything would play out. I've read other books by this author and have mixed reviews on many. I don't think this is the author for me, but there are many glowing reviews for all of her titles, so definitely give her a try if you're a lover of thrillers. This was 2.5 stars rounded up for me. Thank you to Bookouture for the early copy. At the time this review was written, this title was expected to publish on January 6, 2025.

The Perfect Boyfriend is a crazy wild read that keeps you guessing to the final page.

Kristy and Dougie are expecting their first child any day when Kristy sees a face from her past.

That face belongs to Hughie .

Hughie says he is not who she thinks he is. (Understatement)

Their story is unfolds with a dual pov and you want to tell Kristy just run for your life and leave the past alone.

Buckle up because it gets crazy: secrets, lies, murder, twists and turns that hit you rapidly.

The Perfect Boyfriend is a book you shouldn't miss.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the privilege of reading and reviewing this wild story.

Overall a good read although I found it a bit slow to start with and I did find Kirsty annoying in the beginning. It did gather pace and it was an excellent page turner which did get me gripped throughout. The characters were well described and it did add to the storytelling for me personally.

First time author for me but I think I would read more from her in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC which I can recommend.

Oh my goodness, what a rollercoaster of a read. So many twists and turns to keep you on your toes. I especially love a good punchy ending and this certainly delivered that. This is the first book I have read by this author and will definitely give other books a try if this is the quality of their writing. It was a very easy read, flowed well with lots of believable characters. I do love a psychological thriller totally full of suspense that keeps you up all night because you simply can’t put it down.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

Name :- The Perfect Boyfriend
Author : S E Lynes
Genre : Psychological Thriller
Plot :- S.E. Lynes' The Perfect Boyfriend is a psychological thriller that promises intrigue and suspense but ultimately delivers a mixed reading experience. The story revolves around Kirsty, whose life is upended when she spots her high-school boyfriend Hughie—believed to have vanished years ago. What follows is a tale of obsession, secrets, and a chilling game of cat and mouse.
Likes :-
1 Compelling Premise: The idea of a past love reappearing under mysterious circumstances sets up an engaging mystery that draws readers in.
Dislikes :-
1 Pacing Issues: The story unfolds unevenly, with a slow buildup that occasionally drags and a rushed resolution that leaves loose ends.
2 Predictable Twists: While the premise is intriguing, some of the twists feel clichéd or underwhelming, reducing the impact of the climax.
3 Character Development: Kirsty’s actions often feel inconsistent, making it difficult to fully empathize with her, while Hughie’s motivations could have been explored in greater detail.
Overall Impression :-
The Perfect Boyfriend is an average thriller that delivers moments of suspense but struggles to maintain its momentum or fully realize its potential. While it has an intriguing setup and some tense moments, the predictable twists and pacing issues may leave readers wanting more. It’s a decent read for fans of domestic thrillers but may not stand out in a crowded genre.
My rating : 3/5

Another great thriller by S. E Lynes, I was so excited to read The Perfect Boyfriend, it was full of suspense that was quite hard to put down.

Wow! I have read most of S.E. Lynes' books and I have to say this one has been my favourite so far. I loved every second, couldn't put it down. I even left the husband by himself on an evening to go and read without him. I didn't want this one to end.

This book did have enjoyable twists and turns that I did not see coming. However, I was not invested in any of the characters. I felt the characters did not have many layers/depth. I also found that the story was not smoothly tied together- it was hard to connect different details. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this opportunity!

This is the first book by S E Lynes and Im so glad I did! I really liked the synopsis and the premise of the whole story and S E Lynes delivered, The storyline was told on 2 POV's. This duel POV in first person which worked very well in building the characters and the plot line. This book starts out slowly and soon gathers pace throughout the book. Each character is well defined, different in their strengths and easy to follow. I love the foreshadowing and even if you do work out the finale, the twists are good and believable.

I will be picking up more books by S E Lynes in the future. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this eArc.

4.5 stars , 4 stars for other review sites .

Kirsty is a Midwife and at work one day when she is sure that she sees her ex boyfriend from high school. She is shocked as he suddenly vanished all those years ago. When she tries to talk to the man she assumes to be her ex, he is puzzled and says he does not know her. Kirsty is certain he’s lying and just needs to prove it.

This sounded like a great premise so I was really keen to read it when I saw it. I am really pleased that I picked this up! The story starts off slowly building the plot and the back story, then suddenly goes into crazy directions and a faster pace. The last part of the book is full of action and suspense and has you glued to the pages.

The characters were strongly written and I really got a feel for Kirsty especially. I could understand her feelings and thoughts. I enjoyed that it was told in more than one point of view, as this makes it easier to understand the events that led up to the current moment. What I really enjoyed about this thriller however, was all the twists and turns. I certainly wasn’t expecting some of them! I am eagerly anticipating this author’s next book now. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Two huge shocking twists at the end I did not see coming! Kirsty is a midwife and runs into an ex boyfriend one night on shift. He denies knowing her. As things start to happen to her and neighbors, she knows it’s all connected but no one believes her. While the connections were very predictable, the ending was not! The one issue I have is the dialect was super annoying. Just looked like someone that didn’t know how to spell

First off, kudos to the author for successfully making me despise Hugh—his webs of lies unfold in such a way that each revelation feels more shocking than the last (though perhaps some of them come off as flat, ultimately). The contrast between him and our main character Kirsty, who is portrayed as the epitome of innocence, creates a compelling dynamic, with Hugh serving as her binary opposite, her antithesis. However, I found myself wanting more from our protagonist. While her innocence is clear, I would have loved to see her explored in a more complex, multi-dimensional way. She felt somewhat stagnant, lacking the depth needed to fully balance out Hugh’s character. The differing perspectives between the two made for an interesting read, and the tension built throughout. Altogether, it’s a sensible novel that delivers on intrigue, but could have benefitted from deeper character exploration and a more satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm always very happy about an ARC and being able to give it a review! <3

Wow, the book starts right away!

You dive right into the story and immediately want to know what's going on. I was so glued to my kindle and wanted to help Kirty so much!!

The writing was smooth and easy to read. No unnecessary long lines or fillers. The POV switch between Kirsty and Hughie was perfectly done. Not too many characters to get confused with

An absolutely wild journey!