User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Ever since her mother died when she was a little girl, fragile Vanessa Adams has been in search of happiness. Her wonderful older sister Georgie does her absolute best to help her and when Nessa meets Connor she thinks she’s found what she has been seeking. The story is partly about their relationship and also Nessa adopting different personas to view dream homes in search of that elusive something....
Initially the alternating Then and Now storyline seems a bit confusing but it all slots into place and makes sense. I like the the weaving of a sometimes ghostly fantasy world into the day to day reality which is a very stark contrast. I really like the children’s book theme which Nessa draws so much from especially after her beloved mother’s death and highlights how important fiction can be for children, it certainly was for me. I love the bond between the two sisters which is really heartwarming, demonstrating real love which Nessa’s relationship with Connor is so far from. That story is chilling and full of manipulative tension until the scales tumble from her eyes. The tempo builds well as the story progresses with a number of very unsettling, menacing and dangerous events occurring as Nessa’s world falls apart. Her feelings are very well described and you vividly sense her fear and panic. The ending is twisty and unexpected with people ultimately getting what they deserve.
Overall, this is another entertaining read from the talented Nuala Ellwood.
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the arc in return for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
After her mother died when she was a young child, Vanessa dreamt of having a perfect life with the perfect husband and children living in the perfect house. She thought she’d found her perfect man in Connor Dawkins, but then their relationship started to fall apart as she found it harder and harder to please him.
As life became more stressful for Vanessa, she became addicted to real estate apps, fantasising about living in the perfect houses she saw there with her perfect family. She would make an appointment with a real estate agent to view a house on the market, one she could never afford, and then she would dress up, taking on a different persona. Once in the house of her dreams she would fantasise about the life she and her fantasy family could have there. It seemed like harmless escapism, that is until the owner of one of the properties is found dead in his home and the police identify Vanessa as the last person to see him alive while viewing his house.
Told in two time lines, then and now, Vanessa takes us through the last year as her life starts to spiral out of control, from meeting Connor to becoming estranged from her closest friend, to eventually becoming homeless and jobless, and now a murder suspect. The slow unravelling of her relationship with Connor is not particularly original but is well done, although his motivation for his treatment of her is unclear. The novel builds tension slowly as the scene is set and Vanessa’s relationship with Connor plays out. Although his relationship with Vanessa is far from perfect, it takes her some time to open her eyes to that and it’s hard not to become frustrated with her as she tries so hard to be the woman she thinks Connor wants. She’s not an easy character for the reader to empathise with as her difficult upbringing has left her fragile and naiive and far too trusting for an independent woman in her thirties.
It takes a while for the two different time lines to come together and start to gain momentum. Although Vanessa’s addiction to viewing upmarket houses and the associated murder mystery is the more interesting and original theme of the novel, it is dealt with in much less detail than the development of Connor and Vanessa’s relationship and could have been a stronger focus of the book. The climax was a totally unexpected twist, but also felt very sudden and somewhat rushed after the slow build of the rest of the novel. The epilogue does go some way to tie the different elements of the plot together and see justice served where deserved. More a domestic suspense than a thriller, this would make a good summer holiday read. 3.5★
With thanks to Penguin and Netgalley for a copy to read. Original review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
Rating: really liked it
Vanessa and her best friend Lottie shared a flat and had done for years. Vanessa loved her job and when she met Connor, the instant attraction was startling. But Vanessa loved Connor and when he asked her to move in with him, Lottie was devastated. It didn’t help that she disliked Connor, didn’t trust him and thought he was bad for Vanessa. As Lottie left her life, Vanessa began to feel alone and isolated, even while she was with Connor. To help her ‘escape’, she would go to viewings on houses she could never afford, always under another name. She thought it was harmless.
When she was a child there was a particular series of books she loved. When her mother died and her sister Georgie cared for her, those books were a crutch. When she discovered the house the author lived in was for sale, of course she had to view it. And when she was shown through by the author himself, she was gobsmacked. But something went wrong while she was there, and all she remembered was fleeing the house, crying. With the author discovered dead, and Vanessa seen leaving, the police determined her guilt. But would they prove it? Because Vanessa couldn’t remember anything…
The Perfect Life by Nuala Ellwood is a strange book. It was all over the place, in the past, then the present, then back further – it was hard to keep track of it all. As Vanessa continued to put herself down and be put down by the one person who was supposed to care, everything came to a sudden and catastrophic conclusion. The twist in the ending was unexpected but it also didn’t feel quite ‘right’. I’ve read all of this author’s books and liked Day of the Accident the most. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I have previously read 'Day of the Accident' by Nuala Ellwood and loved it so had high hopes for this one. In all honesty it wasn't as good as the previous red but still an entertaining read and got better with every page I read.
Vanessa likes to pretend to be different people and enjoys playing make believe looking round houses she couldn't possibly afford. What started as harmless fun became sinister when one of the owners is found dead and everyone suspects Vanessa.
Entertaining read but I felt that there were a few holes in the overall plot.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Vanessa wants the “Perfect Life” she enjoys dressing up, pretending to be someone else and goes to view luxury houses that she could not possibly afford. Where is the harm in that I hear you say?
When one of the owners of a house Vanessa has viewed is found dead, she becomes the number one suspect!!
I was so hooked by this book that I ended up reading late into the night, as I could not put it down!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Rating: really liked it
The Perfect Life was an intriguing read, following a London-based millennial as her seemingly "perfect" life descends into chaos.
Vanessa is a perplexing character, who we meet when she's at rock bottom. Within a period of months she's lost her best friend, her boyfriend, her fun life and successful career in the beauty marketing industry to become an unemployed neurotic living off her elder sister's charity. We soon learn that she's also under suspicion for murder...
The events and decisions leading her to her current predicament gradually unfold for the reader over the course of the backwards-and-forwards timeline of the narrative. We see the early halcyon days of her romance with Connor and the concurrent deterioration of her relationship with her lifelong friend, flatmate and confidante Lottie. At first, Vanessa feels that she's made the right decision by agreeing to move in with Connor and believes Lottie will eventually come around. But then the cracks start to show, with Connor's behaviour towards Vanessa becomes increasingly erratic and abusive. As a means of coping, she begins to indulge a dangerous habit - arranging viewings of beautiful properties for sale at prices that she can't possibly afford, and creating elaborate alter-egos deserving of this other, seemingly perfect, life. Her secret life culminates in the discovery of a body, with sightings of a woman matching Vanessa's description fleeing the scene. We know Vanessa isn't telling us everything, but how much is she really hiding?
Author Nuala Ellwood explores many fascinating themes, including the long-term internalisation of childhood trauma or loss, the various ways in which so-called "gaslighting" occurs and the dangers of co-dependent relationships, all of which contribute to Vanessa's escape into imaginary personae. While the character of Vanessa was well-developed over the course of the book, she's the type of female unreliable narrator that I feel has become a somewhat over-used trope over the last decade of mainstream crime fiction releases. That said, she's certainly an interesting character study, even if I was tearing my hair out in frustration at times due to her seeming inability to extricate herself from an unpleasant, even dangerous, situation. But I suppose that's what gaslighting does to a vulnerable personality...
I was somewhat flummoxed by plot developments and the introduction of new characters late in the story, which made for a dramatic ending, but didn't really seem to "gel" with the preceding character development and domestic thriller storyline. It almost felt as though the author had melded two independent plots together using a common protagonist. There was just too much going on, which was distracting from the well-established core narrative around vulnerability.
The Perfect Life was an interesting but perplexing read. Clearly Nuala Ellwood is a talented writer and both her plotting and character development show a lot of skill. While this one didn't really hit the mark for me, I'd be interested to read some of her other titles.
My thanks to the author, Nuala Ellwood, publisher Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business, Penguin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
Rating: really liked it
Thank you, Penguin, for a copy of The Perfect Life by Nuala Ellwood. I have never read a book by the author before so, I was excited to read a book from a new author.
After the loss of her mother at an early age, Vanessa thrives for a perfect life. When she thinks she has one, with her dream job, living with best friend Lottie and Connor her perfect boyfriend, things start to go wrong. Not only is she accused of lying to estate agents when she goes and visits houses that she can never afford and pretends to be someone she isn’t. She is accused of murdering one of the residents of them and they happen to be her favourite childhood author.
I am finding it hard to review this book. For me, this book didn’t add up. Because of the different timelines I thought I was reading two separate stories, and neither was excitable and quite unbelievable. I didn’t like the main character either, I just thought she needed to get a grip of herself and the ending was very disappointing.
Rating: really liked it
This book was SO busy and eventful it made my head spin!
I did lose track of a lot of the plot though, I think the author could have been more selective in choosing which sidestories to use and then develop them further.
Traces of an unreliable narrator, which is a great selling point for me, but the timelines made it a challenge to follow.
I love some of the authors that endorsed it, but it fell short for me.
Rating: really liked it
Vanessa has always found it easy to pretend to be somebody different, somebody better. When things get tough in her real life, all she haas to do is throw on some nicer clothes, adopt a new acceent and she can escape. That's how it started: looking round houses she couldn't possibly afford. Harmless fun really. Until it wasn't. Because a man who lived in one of those houses is dead.
This is another book that i can't say too much about as i don't wat to spoil it for potential readers. This is a dark and twisted psychological thriller. I was pulled in from the first few pages and it held my attention throughout. I liked he authors style in writing this steady paced book. I never saw the ending coming. I do recommend this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #PenguinGeneralUK and the author #NualaEllwood for my ARC of #ThePerfectLife in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
#ThePerfectLife
By Naula Ellwood
- Have you ever wanted to be someone else? When things get tough in Vanessa’s life, she adopts a different persona and looks around houses she couldn’t possibly afford. Harmless fun? Not when a man who lives in one of those houses is found dead. And everyone thinks Vanessa killed him…..
I think we all have an imaginary coping mechanism to escape to when life becomes difficult, so I totally understood the escapism Vanessa committed herself to. Desiring the life that’s out of her reach and becoming a different person, helped her cope with the grief of losing her mother. Together with the childhood storybook she adored when younger, which helped her to fit in when she felt alone, these form the basis of the story and the backbone of Vanessa’s life.
I enjoyed the layout, told in the ‘then’ and ‘now’, allowing us to see how Vanessa has ended up being a person of interest, in the death of one of the house owners. Vanessa’s sister is a fabulously strong woman, who will do anything for Nessa and along with a claustrophobic boyfriend, there is an interesting cast of characters to represent this intriguing psychological thriller.
“The Perfect Life” is unknotted with a curveball ending that fit with the story and moved in a direction that surprises the reader.
A healthy 4 stars.
Naula Ellwood is the author of three bestselling novels and lives in York with her son.
You can find out more about the author and her books from the following link -
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/316/3...
Thank you to Ellie Hudson and Penguin Random House for inviting me on the blog tour for “The Perfect Life” and for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
This was another great read, twisty, compelling and kept me guessing until the end. It was such a great physiological thriller one of which I haven’t read in awhile. The idea of the story was different and that is what I loved about this book. Shame it was a short book I could have done with a little more. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Thank you Netgalley, Penguin General and Nuala Ellwood for allowing me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
"In front of me the screen darkens, obliterating Gloucestershire and polished floors and perfect lives, leaving me only with the stark truth of what I have done."
Vanessa is pulled into an intricately weaved web of manipulation, obsession and murder. Her life falls apart and for the first half of the book you really think that she committed the murder.
As the book progresses, we see that she is horribly manipulated into thinking she is crazy.
For me this first half was very slow, and I almost stopped reading. However I am very glad I kept going.
The second half delves deeper into the manipulation. As Vanessa starts to decline mentally her sister is there to support her throughout.
We reach the end which has some twists i did not expect, justice and finally some happiness.
The second half more than made up for the slow first half, this was a brilliant story.
"After living through characters in books, adopting different identities, taking different names, I know now that to be truly happy I don’t need to hide behind stories any more. I just need to be me."
Rating: really liked it
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I devoured The Day Of The Accident. I loved The House On The Lake. So, naturally, I was prepared I would enjoy The Perfect Life as well. Little did I know, it would end up being my favourite Nuala Ellwood book yet!
Synopsis:HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO BE SOMEONE ELSE?
Vanessa has always found it easy to pretend to be somebody different, somebody better. When things get tough in her real life, all she has to do is throw on some nicer clothes, adopt a new accent and she can escape.
That’s how it started: looking round houses she couldn’t possibly afford. Harmless fun really. Until it wasn’t.
Because a man who lived in one of those houses is dead.
And everyone thinks Vanessa killed him…
My Thoughts:The manipulation in this book is brilliant. The small red flags that get often ignored turn into a bigger picture, creating a unique pressure, and as a reader, I loved it!
Vanessa is such a morally grey character, and even though I felt for her, I could never truly trust her narrative. It was like stepping on shaky stones, but having a wonderful view at the same time. I don’t experience that often, and I want to find it more and more in books now!
I could predict in which direction the book was going, and even though I could sort of predict the ending as well, it still left me satisfied. If you are looking for a quick read that will take you on a creepy adventure, you better grab a copy of this book.
Nuala’s writing is amazing! She is able to get me into the story very fast, and keep me intrigued until the very end.
TW: rape, abuse, gaslighting
Rating: really liked it
Nualla Ellwoods My Sisters Bones was such a fantastic book and I was keen to read more. The Perfect Life had so much going for it but I found it to be really confusing with so many multiple timelines back and forth all the time. It was a fast read for me but there were times that I tuned out.
Vanessa likes to pretend to a wealthy woman by viewing properties she could never afford. Why can't she have the perfect life, and why is there a man in one of those properties now dead? The police are very interested in her and her alter egos.
Once you get to grips with the format the story is good but it wasn't a favourite for me.
Thanks to penguin and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book.
Rating: really liked it
A psychological thriller that alternates between two timelines, one of the past and one of the present, from the viewpoint of a confident, successful woman who, over a year, has found herself being questioned by the police. It's inevitable to make assumptions when the reader witnesses the oh-so-perfect boyfriend that the woman has found love with, despite or amidst the controlling nature of this man. The writing very well creates a tension that keeps one hooked while
the protagonist allows readers to feel the thrill of it all, the chill of manipulation, and the vividness of fear, but the plot intrigues only so much despite the interest that the theme of alter egos would otherwise generate.
↣ an early digital copy received via netgalley.
