The Perfect Marriage

by Debbie Viggiano

Rosie Perfect is trapped in a loveless marriage to feckless husband Dave. Unlike her surname, the marriage is far from perfect but, as she’s also mum to baby Luke, leaving isn’t an easy option. When best friend Lucy announces she’s getting married and having a hen night, Rosie relishes a night off from drudgery. Waking up the following morning in businessman Matt Palmer’s bed wasn’t on the agenda. But Matt is no marriage wrecker. Or is he? Suddenly Rosie’s life is turned upside down…from not recalling what took place between Matt Palmer’s silk sheets to discovering her drunken husband is also a gambling addict…from having her home wagered away in a poker game to being pursued by a murderous loan shark. As Rosie lurches from one crisis to another, life is far from perfect. Indeed, will Rosie Perfect ever get her perfect happy-ever-after?

Genres: Romance

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2014

Reviews

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earlier today as I was sitting here completely miserable from a cold I was trying to decide what to read. I wanted something fun, comforting and just something to make me feel better. I reached for The Perfect Marriage and it was in fact the perfect choice (no pun intended, well maybe). I devoured this book in one day as I could not put it down.

I loved this book! I know I am quite behind with reading this as it was published several years ago, but wow I am glad I read it.

Rosie Perfect lives a life that is far from perfect. She struggles to pull herself up and create a better life for herself and her son Luke but others around her are making this difficult. I adored Rosie right from the start. I loved her determined, spunky can do attitude.

I expected this is be a funny light read, which it was, yet it was so much more. The characters were well developed and there is even a bit of a thriller/suspense plot thrown in. This book had me biting my nails one minute and laughing my butt off the next!

I have been wanting to read a Debbie Viggiano book for quite awhile now, I just had not gotten to it. I have heard such good things about her books and I was not surprised that I absolutely loved it! The only shocking thing is that I actually read this one before What Holly's Husband Did. It has been driving me crazy wondering what the heck that dude did!

I couldn't resist this gorgeous cover and great blurb. I see many more Debbie Viggiano books in my future. Does Ms. Perfect end up with a perfect life? I guess you will have to read it to find out! This book was just what the doctor ordered today to cheer me up.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Review to come

[wendie webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly funny

Laugh out loud book that exceeded my expectations. Written well with a good storyline enough to keep the reader guessing. I will be recommending this one to all my friends

[Rachael Viagas · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 54%. I was terribly misled by all the 4/5 star reviews. I found it rather childish and not worth finishing, it read like an old fashioned theatrical farce with little real wit.  Definitely not for me.

[Tabitha Ormiston-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine piece of work from this author, with engaging characters, and OMG the funeral scene! This book has added zest in the form of an evil crime lord and an insane transvestite. Truly a riot!

[Claire]

My Progress (56%)
- Hard DNF

Safety Stats
Rosie
Virgin - no
What's Your Number - ?
OM drama - no Rosie was married when she and Matt first met, but they didn't have a good relationship and quickly separated.

Matt
Playboy - no
Sex scene with OW - no
Cheating - no
OW drama - no

Overall, Safe.

My review:
The fiancee of Rosie's best friend turned out to cross-dress, and the woman immediately left him as soon as she found out, screaming about him being perverted. (I'm using he/him pronouns because he said that he wasn't transgender.) Many characters, who were supposed to be likable, were extremely transphobic towards him, and one literally called the man "Tracy the tranny." I have no idea what the point of any of this was and it took up an absurd amount of the book.

[Tracy Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant

Such a lovely story and a brilliant book enjoyed it so much it's been great. Hope to read more stories like it

[Vicki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book was ridiculous. Too many characters introduced too quickly and the story felt rushed. Returned this one.

[Amelia Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosie is trapped in loveless marriage to dave an achollic jobless and a gambler. One night after being out friend hen do she wakes next a stranger named Matt.
Suddenly rosie can't remember anything from meeting matt and her life turned upside down by her husband gambling attictiction can Rosie either get her perfect ending.
I really liked this book one best romance comedy I read in a while. It really got angry at the some charters sad I wanted bang Rosie and matt heads together I defently be reading more of her books

[Elizabeth Grieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read, nicely written for the most part. The story is about Rosie, mum to adorable Luke, who is trapped in an awful marriage with the feckless Dave. She meets a lovely man, Matt Palmer, who comes to her aid, and helps her and her son when they are in trouble. Rosie's best friend is engaged to Terry, who has some trouble of his own ... an amusing and charming story.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Checks the boxes for all emotions

Hilarity, sadness, anger, frustration, disbelief, worry...this story brings it all. Most of the characters are likable (with the possible exception of Hester), even if not always realistic. It is an easy read, the dialogue is not really “deep”. I can honestly recommend this book.

[Louise Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

What a great writer. Story made you want to keep reading until you finished the book. Loved that all the places were local to me. I could picture the scenes even more. Just downloaded another 3 books.

[louisemakarewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

PERFECTO !!!

I could not put the book down. It was nail biting in a chapter it was so loving and caring. Just like it said romantic what most of us are looking for but don't always find.

[Lynda Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy reading , escapism ,

Really enjoyed this book and read it almost in one go . Just a light hearted , easy read , laughed out loud at the funeral scene. Will look for more books by this author

[Tara Blais Davison · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5 There were some very funny exchanges in this book. Though it was a bit preposterous to imagine an atypical one night stand could morph into a Rapunzel-like storyline, I suspended my disbelief and this unveiled a comical romantic tale.

[Billie Barrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly was such a slow read. I didn’t really enjoy the book - it just dragged on. Rosie was annoying a little and Matt was lovely. I also did not like Hester or any of the other characters for that matter. A bit disappointing considering it had such hood reviews - it wasn’t that funny at all

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant easy and fun read! Chic lit at it's best. Thoroughly enjoyable!

[Agnes Kis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good ,funny book

Good,funny book to read, I laughed my head of from some parts. Really enjoyed it. Think I will try other books from the author.

[Patricia MacWright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh out loud funny!

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read - kept me up til the are hours enjoying the twists and turns of Rosie's adventures.

[A E Cobbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put down

Fab read funny as always and had to keep reading, loved every minute
Laugh out loud and great escapism book, loved it

[Corie Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked this book alot

First time reading this author, won't b my last. Funny worry romantic love story. Enjoyed it through. Great characters and story!

[Kathy Wainman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addicted to this author right now, funny, easy reads where you still care about the characters.
Well written.

[Kimberly #Audiofile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.
Hea.
Narration was ok.
3 star listen.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining audio book. Slightly daft storyline but told so well.

[Amanda Musselman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, kinda silly, nice with the British narrator!

[Vania Nunes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her marriage was far from perfect...

After being betrayed by her boyfriend with her ex-friend, Rosie, over 30 years old, eventually accepted marry Dave Perfect, four months after they met each other. Reason: his loyalty.
On the wedding day she started to wonder if she really loved him.
Now, with a baby in her arms, the little Luke, Rosie knew for sure she didn't love her husband, but still, despite all the problems, she wanted to keep her family together.

But an unhappy woman, even when hiding her unhappiness, had a day when the mask falls, and the day came when she was at her best friend Lucy's hen party.
Rosie drank beyond measure and woke up in bed to a stranger.

Matt Palmer was tall, handsome, successful, with piercing and was delighted with Rosie from the beginning.
He knew she was married, she had a son, and while respecting her current life, he knew to be the friend she needed.

Since the day Rosie met Matt, her life turned upside down.
She discovered some nasty things about her husband and was willing to divorce ... but fate surprised her again.
She could be with Matt now, but decided to wait a bit better analyze the situation and make sure about something for the first time in her life: what her heart really wanted.

The story has a good pace and some funny scenes.
What most attracted me in the plot is that what happens here could happen to anyone. There are thousands (or millions?) of women around the world unhappily married but who decide to stay for the sake of the family (children) and carry herself such unhappiness that make them ill.
Good thing Rosie had her happy ending. The best would be that all women of the world accomplished theirs.

5 stars
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review

[LJT · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved The Perfect Marriage by new to me author Debbie Viggiano. It is a totally engrossing read, due to all the situations the characters are involved in. Each character has their own story, which is intertwined perfectly into the main plot. There are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, angst-ridden happenings, and even an almost kidnapping. Honestly, this book has it all, and I read it from cover to cover quite easily. I was even able to figure out some of the English idioms and verbiage, which greatly contributed to the book's unique charm.

Rosie Perfect is stuck in a meaningless and heartless marriage, until a good-looking stranger extends a helping hand. With Matt Palmer's assistance, she is able to leave her loser of a husband, and provide a safe haven for Luke, her eight-month-old son. Very quickly, her husband's gambling problem and massive debt becomes her nightmare, however, good luck finally strikes and Rosie is able to move forward in her life.

I truly enjoyed this book. All the characters have larger than life personalities, and as a result, I was able to get to know them all quite intimately. Matt has a ruthless job, which does not take away from his amazing kindness. Rosie's mother Hester, is a real piece of work, and the author does a magnificent job of balancing her hateful personality with the humorous antics she and her old biddy friends, "the gels" are a part of. If you are in the mood for a slightly emotional and engaging romance, check out this well-written read.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Hilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 Stars
This is a beautifully written book about life, the up and downs, and how the things that we only think could happen to us, happens to everyone. A make you feel good book that will have you laughing so hard at time you’ll find yourself crying. There are amazing friendships, not so amazing men, people discovering themselves, people finally facing the facts and I couldn’t put it down. I was put thru every emotion possible with the book but most of all enjoyed the story and the laughter. The baby is super cute. The story of Rosie’s life along with her friends, family and a few new acquaintances made me realize that not everyone’s life is a HEA even though she does end up happy.
I haven’t read a book like this in a while. It was so complex but so exciting to read. With the multi-layer storyline one can get lost but the author did an amazing job of keeping me straight. I never once felt like I had to go back and read a part over. The story is engaging, with a nice pace and amazing scenes with hilarious situations. I thought that Rosie’s mother was a horrible person and I loved when Matt put her in her place. Brilliant.

[Cai · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Welcome back! This is Captain Marvel speaking, and that little lady over there is Wonder Woman. Take it from me pal, what she wants to do now is kick super villain butt, so if I were you I’d strongly desist from making threats.”

Rosie Perfect is in a less than perfect marriage with a jobless gambler. She goes out one night for a hen’s party and wakes up naked in a stranger’s bed with no memory of the night before.

I cannot wait to devour more of Viggiano’s work! The Perfect Marriage was hilarious. I laughed the entire way through and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up again. There were streaks of mystery throughout where you would try to guess the outcome. The characters were well thought out and quite realistic. I loved that the male protagonist loved Rosie, a mother who does not have the confidence to come across as sexy. He loves her even though she has more baggage than a travelling circus. That to me is a true love story.

The only reason this book was not a five star read is that it didn’t have any wow factor for me.

My recommendation: If you want a good laugh, you wont regret this book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my review. This is my first Debbie Viggiano read and won't be my last. If you are looking for a light, feel good type book then this is for you. I would say perfect for a holiday read - its a romantic comedy at its best.. Some laugh out moments when you possibly should'nt be - the funeral springs to mind, and some more serious little bits - with lots of romance. Thanks for a lovely read Debbie x