The Perfect Girlfriend

This was a nicely done debut novel which turned things on a dime with one twist and reveal which changed how I felt about the book. I thought I knew where things were headed, I thought I had things figured out, I was wrong!

Lauren meets Jay at a music festival. He has gorgeous green eyes; she has beautiful dark hair, and they know each other is the one. That is until the proverbial you-know-what hits the fan.

Lauren agrees to move into his cabin at the forest’s edge. It’s perfect for two people who want to be alone, as in truly alone. There is no internet, no phone, and no neighbors. Jay soon takes over. Lauren doesn’t have to worry about a thing (that is unless she dyes her hair). Jay takes over her finances, plans their time and is in complete control of Lauren. She will be his perfect girlfriend. Controlling, much? Lauren doesn’t seem to mind, as she knows she is not perfect…

I had no idea what I was in store for when I began listening to this audiobook. I wanted to take Lauren aside and tell her to get you-know-what out of dodge! But Lauren has secrets and when the author revealed them, things clicked into place, and I sat back and enjoyed the ride. There is a nice amount of tension in this book. There were times I wanted to yell at Lauren, times I shook my head, and a few times I thought “okay, I see where this is going.” Both characters have their own agendas and motivations. It was entertaining to learn what they were. Plus, that hair scene… Okay it’s not as bad as when they grandmother put tar in Cathy’s hair in Flowers in the Attic but still…

This was a solid debut novel and Hayley Smith shows promise and I have a feeling her books are going to keep getting better. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Bookouture audio 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.