The Perfect Girlfriend

This was a hoot! An obsessive ex-girlfriend makes plans for re-connecting. Juliette’s first person account of her method is so shocking that I gasped, then laughed, then felt guilty because the results were far from funny. It’s a difficult book to put down because there is no let-up, no pause in Juliette’s sneaky plans. My sympathies were torn between Juliette and Nate, her target, proving that Hamilton’s characters and plot are working perfectly. She is a flight attendant, he is a pilot, and the aviation and travel setting made it even more enjoyable.

I found this very different to The Last Wife that I described as slow, which was a little discouraging. I’m glad I tried another and now I can’t wait to read more by Hamilton.

I'd heard many good things about The Perfect Girlfriend before I started reading it but I really couldn't have imagined for one minute how much this book would pull me into its web of deceit. I found it a most thrilling, most shocking and most addictive read.

Juliette (as she now calls herself) is a flight attendant. It's a job she took so she could be near to Nate, her pilot ex-boyfriend. Juliette wants him back and will stop at literally nothing to make it happen.

She's completely cold and calculating in the way she totally believes in what she is doing. In a strange way, I kept thinking that she had been wronged and that what she was doing was (almost) ok. I think it's because the story is told in the first person by Juliette and she show more genuinely believes that what she's doing is right. Her self-confidence knows no bounds.

There's a quote on the cover that says it is terrifying. At first I scoffed, thinking it was nothing of the sort, but as I read on I started to realise it was an accurate description. It's scary the lengths Juliette will go to in her pursuit of Nate. There's a lot more background that I won't go into but it really highlighted to me how what happens when you are young can sometimes have such an incredible effect on your state of mind as you move through to adulthood.

One of the things I really loved about this book was all the detail about Juliette's job as a flight attendant. The author was cabin crew herself and so it's all completely authentic and I found it utterly fascinating. Juliette's job is such a big part of her story and she used it to her advantage. Being confined to the interior of an aircraft at 39,000ft can be pretty intense.

Many times I laughed to myself incredulously as Juliette wreaked her revenge. I kept slapping my hand over my mouth in disbelief. She's extremely disturbed and has absolutely no shame at all. I couldn't believe some of the things she did. Her volatility was scary to say the least.

I could have read on and on about Juliette for much longer but all good things must come to an end and the ending was just right. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. It's simply perfect, a masterpiece in plotting and characterisation. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time, I think. show less

BOTTOM-LINE:
Revenge fantasy disguised as light romance
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
A woman dumped by a guy tries to create the perfect life that will bring them back together, whether he wants it or not.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
There is a revelation about 60% of the way through that explains some of her behaviour, a pseudo-rationale to her logic, but even it is really far-fetched. The initial incidents are just plausible enough to be believable, and the light touch that makes it feel almost like a Bridget Jones' Diary type storyline makes the story seem all the more creepy.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
She got dumped, and she creates these elaborate plans that all seem to go off without a "WTF?" moment, as they take place entirely from her perspective. But the light show more touch the author uses to make it seem like a chic-lit romance is so inappropriate. If the protagonist was a man, everyone would see this book for what it is -- some sort of stalker / revenge fantasy hybrid. But even within the storyline, there are two violent episodes (one with him in a bathroom, one with his new gf) that are completely ridiculous.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media. show less

Hey. She is the perfect girlfriend and she will never let him go. Exactly. Juliette loves Nate. It is that simple, isn't it? Unfortunately, not so. But Juliette will go to any lengths necessary to make Nate realize how much he loves and needs her. For starters, Juliette becomes a flight attendant on Nate's airline, where he is a pilot, simply to be close to him. Now, it is only a matter of time for Nate to realize what a huge mistake he made breaking up with her six months ago.

This may be a familiar trope of an attraction that could and very well become fatal. But I did love how Karen Hamilton developed this novel. Not only do we have Juliette and her extreme focus on winning Nate back, but we have a bevy of other characters that just show more know something is more than a bit off, yet somehow seem rather reluctant to stop what is going on.

The Perfect Girlfriend was a quick read. I am ecstatic that it is a debut novel, because it clues the reader in as to what this new author's talents are. She developed a fast-paced, almost ridiculous read with characters that you couldn't like even if you tried. Kudos! I loved the fact that the book was written in first-person giving the reader opportunity to temporarily dwell in the mind of a loon. I will certainly be around for the next one.

Many thanks to Graydon House Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion. show less

I just disembarked from a hell of a turbulent thriller. The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton was a gripping read and a scary insight into what happens when a relationship goes wrong. Juliette is obsessed with her pilot ex-boyfriend Nate and becomes an airline steward in order to win him back.

Juliette has serious baggage and if you're a male reader then consider this a horror novel. The lengths Juliette goes to in an effort to win Nate back were entertaining at first, then bothersome, then troublesome before spiralling into downright crazy! You definitely don't want to come across a character like Juliette in real life. Ever!

I admired Juliette's energy and determination but couldn't help wanting her to shift focus and 'move on'. It's show more only when the heart of her fixation was revealed that I really began to understand her.

The duties and lifestyle of airline crew featured prominently throughout the novel and I enjoyed this fresh and unique setting way more than I expected.

I was utterly gripped by The Perfect Girlfriend and for heightened pleasure, I recommend you read this on a plane with your boarding pass as a bookmark. Arm the doors and cross check people, and get ready for an exhilarating take off and surprise destination.

* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia * show less

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton is a 2019 Graydon House publication.

Takes obsession to a whole new level-

Six months ago, Nate broke things off with Juliette, and processed to move on with his life. Little does the handsome airline pilot know that Juliette has not accepted the break-up. In her mind they belong together, and she will go to any length to get him back- proving to Nate, once and for all, that she is the ‘perfect girlfriend’.

Told from Juliette’s first- person perspective, the reader quickly becomes caught in her snare, unable to fully digest her cunning insanity. She pulls out all the stops-planning meticulously, beginning with her training to become a flight attendant, then acquiring a ‘best friend’ to show more make her look good, while keeping close tabs on Nate, at all times.

The commentary from Juliette, is sinister, and shockingly calm, her attitude cold, and extremely unsettling. As the story continues along the inevitable collision course, there is a feeling of both anticipation and dread. I wondered if Nate would ever discover he had a stalker, what would happen when and if he finds out how utterly and completely off the rails Juliette really is- or if this is all just an exercise in futility for Juliette. I couldn’t see quite how this was all going to go down for her, but I knew it was going to be epic.

I never could have anticipated just how devious Juliette really is, how manipulative, and utterly chilling her plans are for the unsuspecting Nate- or how absolutely determined she is to have him- until death do us part!

This is certainly a compulsive read, and a cleverly constructed novel of suspense. One may even experience momentary lapses in judgment, as Juliette is a pro at manipulation- even managing to elicit sympathy from the reader on a few occasions, as she reveals very poignant and painful experiences in her past. However, one might want to remember that Juliette is hardly a reliable narrator.

Another curious thought I kept having was how others might view Nate. I never could quite peg the guy. I couldn't trust Juliette, really, so I had questions, especially after the reader is finally introduced to him.

Unfortunately, after a strong beginning, the middle dragged just a little. I’m not sure if I grew weary of Juliette’s constant planning and reorganizing when her plans didn’t go as she’d anticipated, or if her running obsessive monologue finally exhausted me, but it did lose momentum there for a time. But, don’t let the lull seduce you into complacency!! The conclusion rocked me back on my heels, with a stunning twist that literally sent a shiver down my spine!

Overall, this was one wild ride. There was a little turbulence from time to time, but there was a smooth landing, making this a satisfying trip.
4 stars show less

My reading kind of dropped off over the holidays. The TBR pile is teetering, but I've seen so many teasers about Karen Hamilton's debut novel, The Perfect Girlfriend, that I decided to jump it to the front of the queue. And I pretty much finished it in a day.....

Let me introduce you to Juliette....

"Waiting. That's what I do, a lot of waiting. And thinking...." She's thinking (obsessively) about her ex boyfriend Nate.

"I hope he appreciates the lengths I've gone to, just to save us - everything will fall into place." What has she done? Taken a job that puts her into Nate's world. And Nate is not the only one in her sights. "Revenge is a dish best served cold, and mine is going to be frozen."

Oh my gosh, Juliette's thinking is show more so...so...off. She has a long term plan that will get her what she wants and in her eyes, what she deserves. And the path she maps to that end is frightening. Just when I thought Juliette couldn't possibly do any else, she does. I applaud Hamilton's plotting. I adore not being able to predict where a story is going to go. And with Juliette, there was no predicting. What a character! There were also two twists that I didn't anticipate and that I thought were quite clever.

I leave you with one last piece of advice from Juliette...

"If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, they're yours. If they don't, make them."

Karen herself worked for many years as a flight attendant and her descriptions and settings reflect that. I'm hoping Juliette isn't drawn from reality! Psychological suspense fans, put this one on your list for sure! show less