One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
Lyla’s post-doctoral research is going nowhere, she’s pretty sure her contract won’t get renewed, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, are hanging by a thread. So, when Nico gets the chance to join a new reality TV show called The Perfect Couple, Lyla auditions with him.
Fast forward and suddenly she’s on Ever After Island for the show. They’re competing against four other couples for a big cash prize, but paradise quickly turns into a nightmare. A huge storm cuts them off from the mainland and their already-limited supplies quickly dwindle.
I’ve had a hit-or-miss relationship with Ruth Ware’s books, but the premise of this one hooked me right away because I can’t resist a good reality show plot. I just wish the whole competition had lasted longer! Everything went wrong so fast that it stopped feeling like a reality show and started feeling like a typical suspense thriller. I feel like playing up the reality show aspect could have created more confusing motives because you don't know if people are just acting "good" for the camera or what they may be hiding.
