The Perfect Boyfriend

by S.E. Lynes

Perfect boyfriend. Perfect liar. Perfect killer?

Her
I am on my way home, thinking only of the quiet, happy evening to come, when I see something impossible. I would recognise those gorgeous pale blue eyes anywhere. It’s him—the high-school boyfriend I adored… until the day he vanished without a trace.

I run towards him, my pulse racing. He turns, politely, a puzzled look on that familiar face. ‘I’m sorry,’ he says. ‘Do I know you?’

I need answers. I’m certain he’s lying. I just have to prove it.

Him
Of course you recognised me. Always so keen, always trying to do right by everyone.

It’s typical of my bad luck that we happened to run into each other.

I left this place for a reason—one you never knew. Now that I’m back I have plans, and I’m afraid, my dear, that you’re getting in my way…

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Psychological Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller

328 pages, Paperback

Published January 2, 2025

About the author

S. E. Lynes is the #1 Amazon best selling author of THE HOUSEWARMING, and 'intelligent and haunting' psychological thrillers, VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT, THE PROPOSAL, THE WOMEN, THE LIES WE HIDE, CAN YOU SEE HER? and HER SISTER'S SECRET
Formerly a BBC producer, after gaining an MA in Creative Writing, she became a Creative Writing Tutor at Richmond Adult Community College and now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing. She has also published three children's books in Italy.

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Lynes and her books. She has time and time again impressed me with solid and emotional psychological thrillers, so I was very happy when I saw another one that could be requested by NetGalley.

In this we follow two main characters, and what becomes a tense discovery of the past and what happened there. The writing was as always top notch, one of the reasons I always veer toward Lynse’s books. It just flows effortlessly and there were many beautiful sentences and psychological insights that spoke to me. The action truly ramped up in the last chapters, and it was very intense. Every mystery was tied up nicely, so it didn’t leave any unanswered questions. The only thing I was a bit baffled by was one of the twists that I couldn’t quite figure out why we needed. It had little to do with the rest of the story, so even if I was surprised I just didn’t get why it was important to add it (maybe I missed something)

Overall a solid read and it only cements my devotion towards the author. Well done, yet again!

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Setting ~ Scotland
Publication date ~ January 6, 2025
Publisher ~ Bookouture
Est Page Count ~ 376 (p+ 55 chapters)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 10 minutes
Narrator ~ Tamsin Kennard
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ flashbacks, transcripts

Kirsty gets a blast from the past when she sees an old boyfriend who left her without a trace 10 or so years ago. She’s so sure it’s him, but he says he has no clue who she is. Are her pregnant hormones playing tricks on her or is he lying for some reason? She’s making it her mission to find out.

Kirsty was a pretty good sleuth. Not only is she trying to figure out what’s going on with the ex, Hughie, but her elderly neighbor is missing and no one is taking her seriously. Not even her partner, Dougie. Speaking of Dougie did I miss something all along, or was that a ‘twist?’

One little quibble ~ Kirsty badmouths the cop for being young and inexperienced. Umm, hello, everyone is inexperienced when they are first starting out. Yeah, he might not have taken her as seriously as he should have, but I wouldn’t base that on his age.

One more little quibble ~ not a fan of the title really as it doesn’t make much sense.

Overall, the pace was pretty steady. Not sure it had much thriller, edge of my seatness going on, but I was engaged throughout.

Narration notes:
She does a pretty great job. Her male voices are kind of believable.

Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did I just read????? Holy Moly, S.E. Lynes has taken me on a riveting, wild, and shocking roller coaster of a ride once again! I mean, seriously this book knocked my socks off leaving me with cold feet and my jaw hanging open! This book had me in its clutches from the very beginning and never let go! Whew!

Kirsty is at the hospital where she works as a midwife. She has just delivered a baby and is walking down the hallway when she sees a man who stops her in her tracks! Could it be? Is it him? Is the handsome man walking toward her high school boyfriend (Hughie Reynolds) who vanished all those years ago?????? The man tells her she must be mistaken but she knows it is him! The eyes, it's all in the eyes!! But is she correct???? Everyone in her life from her husband to her friends, believe she is mistaken, perhaps a bit hormonal as she is very pregnant.


Well, well, well, hang on to your hats folks because this book is about to become a wild, fast paced, and thrilling ride. I enjoyed how the book is told through the perspective of both Kirsty and Hughie. I found this to be a nice clever touch! Plus, readers are also given glimpses into the past. S. E. Lynes brilliantly captures the emotions of being a teen experiencing a myriad of emotions. She also captured Kirsty's unwavering drive and determination to get to the truth!

I enjoyed the mystery in this book as well as the mounting tension and sense of unease. I could not stop turning the pages as the twists and turns kept coming! There was one part where my mouth fell open in shock because I did not see that reveal coming at all!!! Total shocker! S.E. Lynes never disappoints!

Gripping, shocking, wonderfully written, and well thought out!


Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟
Sometimes you never forget your first love…even though you probably should!
Still working long hours at the hospital as a midwife, Kristy is only weeks away from giving birth. Leaving the hospital after a somewhat difficult shift, she glances up and spots someone she never thought she would ever see again. Her first boyfriend, her first love and her first heartbreak, Hughie! He left her suddenly with only a nasty note. No explanation. Is that any better than ghosting? Hmm…not sure.

When Kristy shouts out his name he acts like he doesn’t know her. Going so far as to even deny he’s Hughie. But Kristy is sure it’s him and will do whatever it takes to expose him and all his secrets.

A bit too much telling and not enough showing for my taste. But the author did include a wicked twist in the end! Didn’t see that coming!

🎧: Narrated by Tamsin Kennard. She did a great job but I do believe this audio would have been elevated with a second narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio

[Alexis Hall]

Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.

And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.

***

It’s probably slightly unfair of me to be reviewing this book since I’m not the biggest thriller reader. And when I do fancy a thriller it tends to be in slightly aberrant situations—like being on a long journey—where capacity to engage me is the only thing I’m seeking from my entertainment.

To give The Perfect Boyfriend credit, it did indeed engage me, even if it didn’t completely blow my mind, and I suspect will not linger in it. Then again, my mind is basically Swiss cheese so very little lingers in it.

The premise here is that the heroine, Kirsty, is working as a midwife up in somewhere Scotlandy—I think I want to say Aberdeen. She’s also heavily pregnant, and about to go on parental leave, when she suddenly sees a former ex-boyfriend, apparently working as an anaesthesiologist at the same hospital. This particular boyfriend left her in a notably unpleasant way, vanishing without a trace after, and when she attempts to talk to him in the hospital, he acts as though he doesn’t know her.

Cue the usual thriller type happenings, which I won’t go into detail on, because it would spoil literally the entire thing. But it definitely has all the elements you want from this sort of book: mysteries, revelations and twists oh my, a handful of murders, a narrator presumed unreliable by those around her, messing around with timelines, kidnappings, peril and the POV of the villain interspersed with those of the heroine/narrator.

I think my strongest impression of this book was that it … how can I put this. It read the assignment. It is a thoughtful, brisky written, very well-constructed thriller that hits all the right notes at exactly the right times. And sometimes that’s kind of all you need?

Can I quibble? I mean, yeah. I’m me. Of course I can. I honestly found the heroine a bit of a non-person: she’s just a nice woman, with a nice life, from a nice background, who is nice to people. As a certified feral basket, by about the midway point I was starting to maybe think the villain was broadly had a point in his frustration with her. Also, while it’s clear the villain is a horrible person who does horrible things, at least he’s got more going on than being nice—which ended up making his sections read as disproportionately charismatic. And there’s always going to be part of me that’s going to relate to people from fucked up backgrounds who do fucked up things for fucked up reasons (although I definitely draw the line at fraud, abuse and murder). I think what also makes the villain complicated, especially compared to Kirsty Who Is Nice, is that his ambitions are fairly modest? He wants to escape his deprived and abusive background and, err, be an anaesthesiologist? At which—despite his lack of formal qualifications (sorry, mild spoiler there)—he seems to be genuinely talented, and causing no harm? I realise that we’d all prefer our medical practitioners to be qualified and fully vetted before doing their thing, especially given the consequences of doing it wrong are so very dire, but like … it’s not like being qualified magically insulates you ever making a mistake or being bad at your job. And, yes, I get that part of what qualifications are doing when it comes to high stakes professions are serving as a barrier to entry, so someone can’t just walk in off the street and operate on you, but, in abstract terms, between two people performing their jobs in a functionally identical way … what does it matter? I guess I’m just saying that if the villain hadn’t run into Kirsty, he’d probably have just continued his life of mild shitfuckery.

And most of us live lives of mild shitfuckery anyway?

The other plot note that mildly bugged me was that, at one point, Kirsty’s elderly neighbour (Kirsty is nice to her elderly neighbour because, of course, she is) disappears. And she remains disappeared for over a week, with nobody around taking Kirsty’s concerns seriously because, apparently, sometimes old women do be that vanishing way. Across the run of the book, Kirsty does make various attempts to contact the police about the various things that are going, and is disregarded, but … like … why on earth didn’t she just report her neighbour as a missing person (which you can do at any time you believe someone is missing, and will be taken especially seriously if they’re vulnerable, i.e. young, old, in mental distress).? And, yes, okay she’s getting texts from said neighbour, telling her to stay away, but they’re clearly not *from* her neighbour, and she doesn’t believe them—even going so far as to creep around her neighbour’s blatantly empty house.

I know it’s kind of a … limitation of the format. If people behaved wholly rationally at all times in a thriller, it wouldn’t be a thriller it would be a … a …quotidianer? A boringer? I don’t know. And I get that everyone suspends their disbelief in different ways, at different times, in different places, but, for me, I need at least lip service paid to the rudiments of sensible behaviour. Oh, and I also got slightly in my head about the fact that the dual narration is framed as a series of audio-interviews for a documentary. This is another suspension of disbelief thing: obviously I know a book written the way people genuinely talk would be unreadable and that the audio-interview aspect here is essentially equivalent to the letters in an epistolary novel i.e. it’s not meant to be a literal representation of the form, so much a way of conveying a fictional narrative that heightens intimacy and immediacy. But, for me personally, I would have liked a tiny nod, now and again, to the fact that the book-as-written is actually a series of audio-interviews. Because I don’t quite see why you’d employ a device like that and still present the book almost entirely in standard prose. Though I will add, since I’m talking about language, that the book does have a really nice ear for Scottish rhythms and dialect, that I felt was really well-judged, and was lovely to see on the page without it ever feeling cartoonish or overdone.

Finally … and this is … technically a spoiler, though it shouldn’t be a spoiler. Basically, at the very end of the novel, slightly out of nowhere, we learn that the heroine is in a queer relationship. Her partner, the ambiguously-named Dougie, is actually—OHEMGEE—her wife. I guess fair play to the book for playing the pronoun game for the entire duration of the text sufficiently subtlety that I didn’t notice, but also … why is the fact that the heroine is in a long-term relationship with another woman deliberately, I don’t know if withheld is even the right word, presented evasively in that way? Like, was it meant to reflect in some way upon Kirsty’s relationship with the relationship with the villain? He left her so traumatised she turned gay? What? No. Or was it more that the book kind of fucking with the reader, like “ahh, you made a gendered assumption, what does that say about you, ahhhh”. Or is it meant to be the final twist? In which case, also no, because queer people aren’t a twist. We’re just … here? And frankly the only way it can possibly work as a twist or a surprised if the queerness and queer identity play literally zero part in the heroine’s life or thinking up to the point she’s suddenly like AND THE CHARACTER CALLED DOUGIE IS ACTUALLY MY WIIIIIFE. I don’t know. It was all hella weird to me.

Even so, I still enjoyed the book. Based on the other reviews, which are very “omg, blew my mind, amazing twists” I think it would probably appeal to more to a thriller aficionado. But it delivered what I was hoping for, in terms of the quintessential thriller experience, and got me through a long, slightly emotionally tough, journey. For which I’m super grateful.

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What a crazy, twisted ride! This thriller is layered with lies, deception, and countless unanswered questions. Did Kirsty’s first boyfriend resurface from the distant past, or is it an ordinary case of mistaken identity? Just when I thought the story was going in one direction, a twist would occur and take the plot down an unexpected path. This thriller is entertaining, suspenseful, and unputdownable. It was a roller coaster ride from start to finish. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

[Norma ~ The Sisters]

I went into this book expecting a gripping, emotional mystery—a high-school sweetheart reappearing after years with secrets to uncover seemed like such an intriguing setup. And while the premise had potential, I found myself struggling to connect with the story or the characters.

The mystery does have its twists, and there were moments that kept me curious. However, I found myself skimming toward the end, which is always a sign that I’ve lost my investment in the story. The characters felt distant to me, making it hard to care about their motivations or what ultimately happened to them.

This might have been more about my own timing as a reader than the book itself—sometimes a story just doesn’t land the way you hope it will. I can see how other readers might enjoy the blend of suspense and secrets, but for me, it wasn’t quite what I was looking for right now.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with morally complex characters, it might still be worth checking out. Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t the right fit for me at this time.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook. This one was narrated by Tamsin Kennard, who I have listened to many times. In this book, she has outdone herself. She used different accents, and she was superb.
As much as I loved the book, and was transfixed on the drama, I'm not sure the title 'The Perfect Boyfriend' really fits the story I was given.
I highly recommend the audiobook, it was brilliant.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have recently grown very fond of this authors book so much so I now have bought her backlist books I’ve not had the pleasure to read yet. She definitely has made it on my auto click to buy list.
She really knows how to grab a reader and pulls you in until you can’t escape and actually I didn’t want to! I was edgy but entrapped within what was happening and wanting to learn why Kirsty had a past when she bumped into her ex ( she’s now a fully qualified midwife) she’s just delivered a baby and bumps into him in the corridor, he’s now a Senior member of staff.

Every sentence every chapter held my attention. I listened to this audio and it was a good experience, easy to listen and follow, emphasis where there needed to be and good pitch and power.

Another book by the author that hooked me in and greatly entertained my reading juices

[Bec (becbingesbooks) - sorry, behind with lots of catching up to do · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one wild thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. The ending! Holy cow! Wasn’t expecting that at all or any of what led to the ending. Loved the characters too! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this remarkable book in exchange for my honest review. To be published January 2025. Can’t wait for more books by S. E. Lynes.

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is crazy! I can’t even say anything outside of the synopsis except for adding names. Kirsty and Dougie should be going through the most exciting time of their lives - Kirsty is due to have a baby within the month, and as a midwife, she’s so excited to finally be on the other side in the delivery room.

All of that changes one day, when she sees Hughie Reynolds at the hospital. He’s a new anesthesiologist there, but Kirsty has known him for a long time. They were friends, then dated for awhile when they were in school, but Hughie wanted to have sex and Kirsty wasn’t ready. After she declined his advances, he vanished, just leaving her with a cruel note telling her that he never loved her.

Eleven years later, when she sees him, Kirsty’s first reaction is to hide. Her shock gave her the courage to go up to him and say hello, but Hughie seems confused. He has an English accent, his name is Barry, and he has no idea who Kirsty is. She KNOWS it is him, but everyone ignores her as being hormonal, even when things start happening that don’t seem right…

Then, all I can say is things get wild. The book is written as recordings from a documentary about Kirsty and Hughie, which I thought was fun. The ending had several good twists, and the story itself was a page turner. It is slightly hard to understand the Scottish brogue (no, I didn’t listen to the audiobook, I mean while reading!) but that’s a really small thing. Otherwise, this book was great and very original. 4.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Bookouture, S.E. Lynes and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on January 6, 2025.)

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course, he’s not….he was anything but and now he is back, or so Kirsty,his ex, is sure of

But Kirsty is about to give birth and when she approaches Douglas, her partner, her friends and then when bad things start to happen the Police she is goaded by the cry of ‘it’s your hormones’…..but she knows she is right…doesnt she?

What follows is an intriguing psychological thriller that captures the raw determination to be someone they want/need to be….at all costs

More twists and turns than a steep mountain road and plenty of red herrings made it a book that had to keep reading and quickly to discover just what was the outcome was going to be, and it was a surprise, and a big one at that

Great storytelling and suspense made it an excellent read with an added big smile for my Nan who also loved a digestive with butter on 🥰

[Philippa Mckenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING - DO NOT PICK UP THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO. EATING AND SLEEPING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE. BREATHING WILL BE DIFFICULT.

Now that I've warned you, and you think you can cope with the utter brilliance that is The Perfect Boyfriend, then grab yourself a copy, a flask of coffee/bottle of wine, snacks, and a duvet and settle yourself in.

Every time I read one of this author's books, and I've been there right from the beginning (apparently, I qualify for an award and a big drink), I say it's her best yet. This is her best yet. Too many twists to keep up with without feeling dizzy and falling over, this book really will keep you guessing until lights out. And the EASTER EGG!! You need to have read Valentina to know what I mean, but it brought a little tear of joy to my eye.

But as much as I love this author and her brilliant, brilliant, pen, I have to give credit (a lot of credit) to Cath, for spotting what led to one of the reveals that really made my eyebrows touch my fringe! Nice one, Cath!

And a final tip.... If you're having surgery any time soon, you might want to foster a good relationship with your anaesthetist. You're welcome.

The Perfect Boyfriend isn't published until January 2025, but you can, and most definitely should, pre order it from Amazon.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"That's the thing about unresolved history. It's the moth, isn't it? That damn flame. So bright, so dazzling, so warm until it's not warm anymore."

A pregnant nurse working in labor and delivery is on break after assisting in a difficult birth when she sees someone from her past. It's her ex, who was her best friend and beloved by even her family, who vanished on her when they were teens, leaving scars and trust issues behind.

She should confront him. She thought he might even be dead! No, she's married now. She is due any day now. She should leave this alone.

But we know she's not going to leave it alone. When she sees him, he pretends not to recognize her! Did he take a clunk to the head or what? He's up to something, and she's going to find out what that is, even if it puts her in danger.

This was another great book by SE Lynes! Always a twisty tale that sucks you in. The narrator was great too. It dragged on a bit longer than I needed with some extra twists but it was worth the time.

[M Soh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Perfect Boyfriend was certainly a story you won’t be able to guess the ending to (amongst other twists it throws at you), but ultimately it didn’t work for me. I love S.E. Lynes and she is a phenomenal writer, as witnessed by her writing and imagination in this book, so understand it just didn’t work to my tastes.

Kristy and Hughie and the other characters were well written (though Hughie is the worst) and I enjoyed the ramp up as you read in trying to figure out if Kristy is just really stressed in the late stages of her pregnancy as those around her believe, especially her trusted partner Dougie, or if she is beautiful minding some connections. I say beautiful minding it because what I didn’t enjoy about this book is that the connections were truly tenuously pulled together and it takes massive leaps of the imagination to believe they could be connected. The ending of the book was also incredibly inventive but it took too much suspension of disbelief for me to engage with, and so while this was undeniably unguessable, I prefer a mystery that surprises you because you just weren’t able to put together pieces teasingly revealed or hidden well but somewhat believable, versus a leap and a jump. That said where this was well done in the story is a part at the end I won’t reveal that involved Kristy and Dougie and I think was a perfect ‘stop assuming based on traditional expectations’ part.

If you enjoy mysteries for staying mysteries throughout and leaving you shocked by the plot twists, but not necessarily ones you could go back and savor as ‘I should have seen it’, then this will fill your mystery and thriller cup just fine and you should absolutely read it.

[Nurse Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning of this book caught my attention almost immediately. Who is this person? Why do they look like someone from her past, but answers to a different name? It had so much potential but it all fell flat there. While I can appreciate the author including information that’ll come full circle in the end, it totally diverted the story. I spent way too long trying to understand why the story was called “the perfect boyfriend” instead of “the missing neighbor”. While I can ignore the unbelievability of the big coincidence, I feel like this one missed the mark for me. The audio narrator of this audiobook had a strong Scottish accent. While I enjoyed it, some listeners may feel it difficult to enjoy. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ALC.

[Jo Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy publication day 🥳🎉

I was a bit conflicted on whether to rate this title 3 or 4 stars, I was going to plump for 3.5 then I added on an extra half purely to make up for the readers that don’t want to understand Aberdonian vernacular - I’m not from Aberdeen, they have a different accent (I’m not a huge lover of the accent in all honesty) and different words for things but it really isn’t too much of a stretch to guess what’s being said. In fact it’s explained. It was not overdone at all.

I enjoyed the majority of the story, I found Kirsty easy to warm to, a heavily pregnant midwife, who is always going the extra mile for people, but she has friends and family a bit concerned about her mental health when she’s adamant that she’s seen her ex boyfriend, who upped and left many years ago walking the halls of the hospital she works at. Add to that her obsession that her octogenarian neighbour Joanie is missing, she’s tired, stressed and won’t let it go.

Things take a turn when lovely Joanies body turns up in the North Sea, has Kristy’s dear pal really drowned herself?

And what about that encounter with Hugh?

The story that unravels is so well plotted with twists and turns that I was even questioning myself! The story that played out was reminiscent of an actual case in Glasgow, I wonder if the author took inspiration from this.

There was an extra little bit of fuckery from the author in the epilogue that made me skip back a few times. Well played.

I really enjoyed Tamsin Kennards narration on the title, she handled the varying accents with ease.

My gratitude to Bookouture Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

[Craig and Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Perfect Boyfriend is the latest to be released by popular UK thriller author S.E. Lynes.
Kirsty and Dougie have a great life and are expecting.
Pregnant Kirsty is a midwife who sees her ex teenage boyfriend, Hughie while working.
After she approaches him, he denies that it’s him.
Kirsty believes it’s really him and believes he’s lying.
She begins investigating and the truth soon unravels……
I was initially intrigued by this book and once I started I was quite enjoyed it.
The storyline as it begun was about Kirsty and Hughie and was giving off thriller vibes but it switched and became jumbled and went slightly left field.
The blurb is kind of misleading and the title should be something different.
Anyway it’s a moderate read and the ending was a little anticlimactic.

[Diane Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wooohhhhh... Hughes had me surprised first off. And tge back abs goth with wondering what was going to happen with the ex. So much backstory and it was great it was told. Not surprising another great book from S.E. Lynes.

Thanks to the author , the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

the audiobook was good!

I listened to this audio and thought the narrator did such a great job. I love how she did all the various dialects and voices. Even though it was just one narrator I could clearly tell when a different character was speaking. I would definitely recommend listening to this one if you want to check out this book.
For the story, I thought this was entertaining for the most part. I had no idea where it would go. I found it interesting how with everything happening it was hard for everyone around Kirsty to even believe the things she was saying. Poor Kirsty. I liked how we eventually learned all about Hughie and his past.
It was a slow start and I’m not sure why each chapter began with a transcript number. Besides that, I enjoyed the audiobook. I can honestly say I didn’t see the ending coming.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This twisty turny psychological thriller has unique parts, which is hard to find in this genre.
Kirsty swears that she sees her ex-boyfriend from high school at work, but when she confronts the guy, he acts like a complete stranger who doesn’t know her. She feels pretty awkward about it, but can’t let it go. Everything unravels from there.

I didn’t love the guys point of view in the novel. He lays everything out too much which is a bit of a pet peeve for me. I like when the reader isn’t talked down to, but has to figure things out on their own.

Overall, it was an entertaining read that should be enjoyable for anyone who loves the genre.

Tasmin Kennard, the narrator, did a great job as always. She had such a delightful voice to listen to.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Bookouture Audio for the chance to receive this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really appreciate it!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirsty works at the hospital where she is a midwife. After helping to deliver a baby, she is on her way out when she spots a man. She’s sure she knows him from somewhere! It’s her high school boyfriend, Hughie Reynolds! Though, he just up and left her high and dry one day. But when she approaches him, he tells her she’s mistaken. That he’s not Hughie. Everyone around her believes that she’s just mistaken and just hormonal, after all, she is very pregnant. Then strange things start happening and Kirsty can’t keep her nose out of this man’s business.

I’m not normally an audiobook listener, but a friend told me that this one was really good and to listen to it. So I did. I really enjoyed it! The narrator did such a great job bringing Kirsty to life. I will say that is one of the positives about listening to an audiobook rather than reading the book. The narrator can really bring the characters to life. Kirsty had such a great personality, and she even made me chuckle a few times (especially with the Leona Lewis line!).

Lynes wrote a fantastic thriller. The suspense was brilliantly built up to an explosive ending filled with twists. I listened to it rather quickly, and in less than a day. The cast of characters are great, and there are some twists leading up to the ending as well. This book is a well thought out thriller, leaving nothing open ended.

I haven’t read this author before, but I am now thankful to be introduced and will make sure to read more of their books!

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*... Tamsin Kennard has captivated me once again with her flawless narration. I'll listen to anything she reads, knowing she'll capture all the dialects and even male voices effortlessly. The Perfect Boyfriend (not sure of the significance of this title...when Kirsty had her old beau he was far from perfect even then) started off strong. I thought the character development was well-done and I enjoyed the setting. I certainly could not have predicted all the murderer had been through leading them to the ultimate crime. But once it becomes clear "whodunnit," the story sort of trails off a little in my opinion. Overall recommended for all domestic thriller fans, especially those set in Scotland and read by Kennard!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARL! All opinions are mine.

[Donna Mallery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love S. E. Lyne’s books! She takes every day psychological thriller themes and makes them so unique! I really love her style! We have a delightful, if not frustrating at times, protagonist who is hell bent on making sense of several strange occurrences. Every one thinks it’s her pregnancy hormones. Don’t you love it when people dismiss you because you are pregnant?! The format of this book makes it that much more interesting. And, as always, she wraps up this book nicely without feeling the need to add that last twist chapter that just ruins it all.

[Mandy K · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Perfect Boyfriend (audio)
3⭐️

This was a solid 4 stars for me for the majority of the book, but the ending seemed too bland bringing my final rating to 3 stars.

Kirsty is at the end of her pregnancy and is working as a midwife when she runs into her ex-boyfriend in the hospital, only he pretends to not know who she is and has a different name. While her husband and friends offer logical possibilities, Kirsty can’t shake her gut feeling. But if her gut is right, why is he doing this?

This was a true psychological thriller following Kirsty and the strange happenings in her neighborhood. It was repetitive, but to me that’s part of the psychological aspect: constantly questioning self and reality. I really liked Kirsty, and the narration was wonderful! but the reveal seemed underwhelming. It didn’t seem to really have twists. Once things were confirmed it felt like things I already knew as the reader.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio
for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Jan 06 2025

[Amber Rothermel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had quite an interesting premise! Very unique, and I couldn’t wait to dive in.

A few things.
1. Kirsty and “Hughie” had way too long of dialogues. It was pages and pages and pages. Hughie’s were repetitive and Kirsty’s were manic.
2. It seemed quite far fetched

There were a few twists, nothing too shocking as you can see what’s going on early on. There was a random twist in there that didn’t seem to mean anything and felt odd and forced. They could have done much more with it than throw it in for shock factor.

All in all, not bad, and kept me wanting to read.

[amandareadsforfun · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator had a pleasant voice, but I couldn’t help but feel the story would have been more immersive with dual narration, especially since we get perspectives from both Kirsty and her high school ex. The premise had so much potential - a high school boyfriend reappearing out of nowhere, sparking intrigue and danger. But I struggled to see how the title connected with the plot. The “perfect boyfriend” in question was anything but, considering he ghosted Kirsty and treated her poorly back in the day.

Both Kirsty and the ex-boyfriend were weighed down by excessive internal dialogue, which slowed the pacing. I found myself frustrated with some of Kirsty’s choices - especially with her being a very pregnant woman taking unnecessary risks. It felt far-fetched at times and pulled me out of the story.

The story dragged in parts and became repetitive, though it did have its moments. Some of the twists genuinely surprised me, which kept me engaged enough to see it through to the end.

While I enjoyed a few of the surprises and appreciated the narrator’s performance, the pacing and believability left me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

[Leona · Rating 5 out of 5]

SE Lynes is one of my go to authors and one who I don’t even need to read the blurb before starting any of her books and The Perfect Boyfriend was no exception . This book had me completely hooked from the prologue. Every chapter just kept me wanting more so it was really difficult for me to put down . I loved the alternating chapters between the two main characters . With quite a few twists and turns and some OMG moments this book was one which I wholeheartedly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers.

[CJ-reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

hate not finishing a book, so I tried really hard to get into this story but I just couldn't finish it.

The story development was slow & Kirsty was a bit annoying of a character.

I wish I could have gotten into it, but it wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC ebook for my honest review.