4.5 ⭐️ rounded up. This is hard to review without spoilers. The feelings I had about certain characters I feel would give things away if I were to voice them. So this review will be on the shorter side. I really enjoyed this thriller. When I was not reading it, I was wishing I was. The secrets, suspense, and shorter chapters made it hard to put down. I liked Ashley and how she became a sort of amateur sleuth. She was really good at putting the pieces together and trusting her gut. Even though I had my suspicions it still kept me guessing and I was not expecting that ending. With all the secrets that came to light I was always switching what I thought actually happened to Lucy. I have read AJ Campbell's books from the beginning and she keeps outdoing herself every time.

Thank you @ajcampbellauthor @bookouture and @netgalley for the gifted copy.

At a birthday party for her best friend Lucy’s daughter, Ashley Morgan feels uncomfortable when Lucy all but ignores her and focuses all of her attention on Ashley’s husband Danny instead. She tries to tell herself it means nothing. After all, Lucy and Danny grew up together and are lifelong friends. Plus, Lucy and her husband’s company works closely with Blue Banana Studios, Ashley and Danny’s marketing firm. They’re discussing business, she’s almost sure of it. But when Lucy is found bludgeoned to death with a hammer and Danny’s caught holding the murder weapon, Ashley starts to wonder what was really going on between them. The police do too.

Initially, Ashley believes in her husband’s innocence as strongly as she does their marriage. It breaks her heart to see him hauled off for questioning. But as she sits in their office that night to handle some work, she stumbles upon a note on his desk from a flirtatious woman dubbed “L”, as well as an appointment with a divorce lawyer. Suspecting that he’s having an affair, Ashley digs deeper to uncover even more that he’s been hiding about his life — and their business. She can’t believe her eyes. The man who she believed was a loving, trustworthy husband is nothing but a liar. It makes her doubt his innocence as well as his fidelity. Yet, Danny swears he didn’t kill Lucy, and his explanations actually make sense. But if he didn’t, who did? Ashley thinks she knows… and worries that she’s next.

Uber intense, pulse-pounding, and completely engrossing, “My Perfect Marriage” by A.J. Campbell tops the list of the books you must read in 2024. There aren’t enough glowing adjectives, OMG‘s, or swear words in existence to emphasize how gripping, suspense-filled, enthralling, and completely amazing it is. There aren’t many books I dub one-sitting reads, but this is one of them!

“My Perfect Marriage” has everything that makes good books… well… good. It has likeable characters such as Ashley and her sister Susie, as well as unlikeable characters such as Danny. It also has those characters you can’t help but suspect of something nefarious like Danny’s brother Tom or Lucy’s husband Lee. In addition, it also has the ominous prologue that grabs your attention and leaves you a little confused, trying to figure out what’s going on. It’s the perfect hook to get you to keep reading.

But where there are some novels in this genre that are a little formulaic (small twists, rising tension, big twist, shocking reveal), “My Perfect Marriage” is anything but. In fact, this book blows any such formula to smithereens. It doesn’t wait until the end of the book to blow your mind. Not at all. In fact, the first big, startling twist happens early — by the fourth chapter — and launches you on an adrenaline-filled rollercoaster ride through the rest of the book. It has your heart-racing and your mind spinning as you zip through the pages and all the twists that follow, leading you to a phenomenal, explosive ending.

“My Perfect Marriage” is one of those books I wish I could erase from my memory, so I could read it again for the first time. It’s one heck of a great book.

When A J Campbell comes with a new book, I make sure I read it
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I absolutely love all her books and My Perfect Marriage is no exception.
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I have to warn you that this is an unputdownable thriller that kept me up all night. I could not stop reading it. I needed to know what was going on
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This book took me from one scenario to another, second guessing myself every time I tried to even think of how this entire story will end
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It is filled with so many plots and twists and fast paced. My heart was racing a few times as the tension grew with every page
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The characters are so real that you can totally picture them as your next door neighbour and the story itself is one that can easily be shown on TV as breaking news
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If you fancy a heart pounding psychological thriller to binge, MY PERFECT MARRIAGE is just what you are looking for and it is out today so go grab it and start reading

I have enjoyed every book l've read by Campbell, and this was no exception.

Ashley finds her husband Danny standing over her best friend Lucy's body. Lucy is dead and Danny is covered in blood, holding a weapon.

Danny is taken in for questioning while Ashley goes home and starts to uncover and unravel clues as to what the truth might be. She can't believe Danny could have done this and is stuck between her loyalty to him and her suspicions about him that seem to be slowly growing.

This book was addictive and clever... a popcorn thriller style but not heaps on edge the whole time as there was some time spent where Ashley was slowly working things through- a nice balance.

For lovers of domestic thrillers, don't miss this one!

Thank you to #NetGalley, #Bookouture and A.J. Campbell for the opportunity to read My Perfect Marriage, to be published 8 April 2024. 5/5 Stars for this tense psychological thriller that kept me turning pages into the night. This novel had a different and unique trope unlike its predecessors. The bottom line is “Can you really know anyone?” As lives evolve through time, people tend to change and so do their values over periods of living in today’s world. This is a great, fast-paced read that keeps you moving from chapter to chapter. #NetGalley. #Bookouture. #A.J.Campbell #MyPerfectMarriage

Ashley, Danny, and their son Elliot reside in a quaint rural village. They both left London, and Ashley still yearns for the lively streets of the city. Furthermore, they both share a business partnership in a growing enterprise. Lucy, who is Danny’s childhood friend, invite them to her daughter's birthday party.

When the party is in full swing. Lee, Lucy’s husband, starts screaming and Ashley witnesses the commotion. See her husband Danny covered in blood, standing over the body of Lucy with a hammer in his hand. Danny is being accused by Lee of killing her. The Police is notified, and even though Danny maintains his innocence, they still handcuff him and escort him away.

Ashley questions whether her husband is truly innocent. Did he actually kill Lucy? Do you really know someone that you are married to? As Ashely further investigates. Her knowledge of Danny is expanding as she uncovers new things about him. Can he really trust him? Prepare yourself for a tense and twisty thriller involving secrets, murder, blackmail, and lies. Do we ever know fully the persons so close to us?

The author did a great job of developing the characters and the plot’s momentum made it a compelling read. The story had unexpected surprises and a shocking ending. This is another riveting read with a surprising twist at the end.

Note: Note: When I started reading, the book was titled “Can I trust You” and the cover was completely different. I couldn’t believe it when I learned about the title and cover change. The author’s newsletter states that the publisher made a last-minute alteration. Personally, I favor the earlier choices, but luckily the narrative remains unchanged.

Many thanks to @AuthorAJC @bookouture & @Netgalley for a review copy.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'My Perfect Marriage' by AJ. Campbell.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for AJ Campbell, Bookouture publishers, Bookouture Audio, Hachette UK, Eilidh Beaton, Rakkit Studios Ltd and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 8th April 2024

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY A.J CAMPBELL!!
This may be the first book I have read by this author but I am definitely looking forward to reading more!
This novel consists of a prologue, 58 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!!

An intriguing book that I listened to on Audiobook. The storyline is filled with shocks, suspense, secrets, drama, lies, family, tension, mystery, deceit, murder and drama. In this book we meet Ashley who has moved with her husband Danny and their son Elliot from London to the countryside. Ashley misses the business of London and when they are invited to the birthday party of Danny's childhood best friend Lucy's daughter Grace they are looking forward to it. The party is going well and Ashley is having fun with Elliot on the bouncy castle when all of a sudden there's a scream. Lucy's husband Lee is found starting over the bludgeoned body of his wife holding a hammer. It seems an open and shut case of a husband killing his wife but as Ashley starts trying to work out what happened she starts finding out her husband has been hiding secrets from her. Who can Ashley trust? Why has Danny been keeping secrets? Who really did kill Lucy? Well, grab your copy now and find out!!! This book captivates the reader straight away starting with an explosive car crash then it becomes slower paced and picks up towards the end. I would definitely liken it to being on a rollercoaster ride but one where you start at the top of the drop, shoot straight down then go along the tracks calmly until you start speeding up hitting twists and turns along the way. While I did enjoy the storyline at times I did struggle to keep up with some of the secrets being discovered as there seemed to be quite a lot going on at once. When I had worked out what secret went where it became less confusing but it did take a while. There was a mix of characters in this book and I felt differently about them all. They all had their own unique personalities and were all well developed. I liked Ashley and found her to be quite a strong character who stood up and questioned her husband and was determined to get to the truth. I must say though that I wasn't a fan of their son Elliot and did find him to be a spoilt brat at times and I felt like shouting at him through the pages. Eilidh did a fantastic job creating different voices for each of the characters and it felt like there were different narrators as she did it so well. This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Eilidh Beaton who did a great job bringing this story to life. I would listen to it in the car and while walking at any opportunity and Eilidh Beaton did a fantastic job on both male and female characters voices!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Amanda but also to listening to more books narrated by Eilidh! I must say that the cover and synopsis was a bit deceiving as it states that it is Ashley's best friend that was killed when it was actually Danny's childhood best friend but it didn't alter my feelings on the storyline I just found it a bit strange. This is an intriguing book which kept me trying to work out if Danny really was the killer and if not who it could be with AJ constantly taking the reader on roundabouts and twists trying to work out what really happened. I enjoyed the mystery and trying to solve it with Ashley. AJ's excellent writing skills and descriptions really brought the storyline, surroundings and characters to life and I felt as if I was with Ashley throughout. With AJ's evocative writing skills and Eilidh's brilliant narration I was walking around with my earphones constantly in while I was doing the washing, cleaning the house and driving around. I ended up reading this book in two sittings and am looking forward to seeing what AJ has next up her sleeve!

Overall an intriguing mystery that will keep you guessing throughout.

326 pages/ 9 hours 42 minutes

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, £9.99 in paperback and £16 for the audiobook via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 4/5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Could not put this down! Gripped from start to finish. So many twists and turns - right to the end. My favourite AJ Campbell book yet!

AJ Campbell has become one of my auto-buy and favorite thriller authors! Her books are always solid, with likeable characters, short chapters, and twists and turns! I love her writing style. And…she seems like a good human! Yay 🥰

This book draws you in immediately with a bone chilling scene. Then bam, another storyline begins. Ashley is at a birthday party for one of her close friend’s daughter. Her life is going perfect, she has the perfect family. Until her friend turns up murdered at the party and her husband is found with her blood and the murder weapon! Ashley doesn’t know who to trust or where to go as she uncovers secret after secret. This book will bring you on an emotional roller coaster.

This book brings small town gossip to the next level. I live on a small town and can relate. I felt Ashley’s stress and anxiety. I highly recommend if you are looking for a fast paced thriller! You will not be disappointed!

My Perfect Marriage by AJ Campbell

What did I just read!!! Oh my goodness if you are looking for an intense, explosive, edge of your seat psychological thriller then look no further. My Perfect Marriage (formerly titled How Can I Trust You?) by A.J. Campbell is just the book for you. It was absolutely brilliant and kept me up way past my bedtime. A.J. Campbell is one of my favourite authors and I’ve read all but one of her books and all were 5 star reads. But oh my goodness, My Perfect Marriage is definitely above and beyond 5 ⭐️. So far, this book is my favourite read of 2024 and perhaps one of my all time favourite thrillers.

From the moment the story began my mind was whirling with whodunnit? Everyone was a suspect, but I definitely didn’t figure it out. In fact, I was rather blind sided by the plot twist at the end and still can’t quite wrap my head around it. It was all rather shocking. But of course in a good way.

Ashley’s husband Danny is accused of the gruesome murder of his beloved childhood best friend Lucy. He’s covered in her blood and holding the murder weapon but vehemently denies he had anything to do with it. Ashley doesn’t know who or what to believe. Were Danny and Lucy having an affair and did Lucy’s husband find out and murder her in a fit of jealous rage? Or was it Danny’s brother who used to date Lucy? The possibilities are endless and everyone was a suspect to me. Even the local town gossip.

Thank you A.J. Campbell for having me on your book tour and @bookouture for my e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pub Date: April 8th 2024
Rating: 5💫/5⭐️

After reading I'm slightly confused by the blurb - as the victim was the best friend of the husband, not the wife. I also think the original title of how can I trust you suited the book more than my perfect marriage.
The story itself is fine, I just think that because I've read some truly brilliant and very dark books lately this one doesn't quite measure up. I found the characters unlikeable, and felt the ending rather rushed.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook. 2.5 rounded up to 3.

Loved the premise but this book ultimately failed to hold my interest.

If this is your first encounter with thrillers, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you’re a seasoned thrillers reader, you might find it quite predictable and not all that thrilling.

This was just ok, nothing impressive nor memorable.

My Perfect Marriage is another fabulous domestic thriller by the very talented AJ Campbell. Ms. Campbell will take you on a twisty rollercoaster ride from page one right up to that mind blowing ending. It is well written, fast paced with well developed characters. I tried many times to figure this one out but always got it wrong so I gave up and just kept reading (and listening) to see how it played out. Highly addictive and unputdownable, the family drama and mystery are unbelievable….it will make the hair on your arms stand up!! This is an excellent story if you are a thriller fan, it will knock your socks off!! I also had an audio copy and the narrator truly added to the feel of this one. Kudos Ms. Campbell, you have an excellent one here!!

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, Bookouture Audio and AJ Campbell for the honor to read and listen to this thrilling one!! I was not disappointed!!! The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #bookouture #bookoutureaudio
#ajcampbell #myperfectmarriage. #domesticthriller. #ajsthrillercamp

Solid psychological thriller where you won't know whodunnit until the end. There are twists and turns as the story unravels at an even pace.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

PUBLICATION- 8th April 2024
At first, I’m sure he couldn’t have done it. The man I love wouldn’t hurt anyone. But as I try to prove that he didn’t murder Lucy, secrets begin unravelling…

It starts with the messages between the two of them. Initially, they seem innocent enough. But the more I look, the more I become convinced they were having an affair. Then I find out about his divorce lawyer…. 📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕 Well this book certainly kept me on my toes and had me guessing until the very last page!! I’m usually good at sussing out storylines lol - I watch too many dramas 📺 😂😂 !!
The characters were very believable and likeable ( well apart from one later on!🫣). You never really know someone 💯 % do you?! Even if it is someone you love 💔 .
Buckle up, cosy cover, cosy socks, get those feet up and enjoy!! 🔥 🧦📕.

Holy Moley! This domestic thriller has it all! Full of lies, secrets, deceit, betrayal and murder I couldn't get enough!
I read this well into the night as it kept me needing to get to the explosive end.

You think you know who you have married but do you really truly KNOW anyone. That is what Ashley must decide about her beloved Danny. Filled with so many twists and turns this one will keep you reading well into the night.

I highly recommend this one for al the domestic thriller lovers. You won't be disappointed!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

this ismy firtst book by aj campell ,so thank you netgalley for the arc .i really enjoyed this book. this is a whodunit type of story about a husband who is supected of killing his wife best friend. soon after she discovers he been keeping secrect from her.there a reference to a villiage that i thought was super intresting. i loved the characters looking forward to reading more from this author

The book started off really well, with an inciting incident where Ashley finds her husband standing over the dead body of his childhood friend with a bloody hammer in his hand. He says he didn't kill her, he just found her like that, but can he be trusted?

I felt like the story became overly repetitive and I found myself quit bored and wanting something new to happen. I didn't really like any of the characters and wasn't that invested in the story. Something was just missing for me with this one.

Overall it wasn't a bad book though, it was a solid thriller but not my favorite one.

Holy crap!! This book starts off speeding and doesn't let up off the gas until the very end! This one was full of twists and turns. Everything I thought to be true was WRONG! Once I started this one, I couldn't stop until it was over. It was such a tornado. It was so gripping!

Danny and Ashley seem to have the perfect life until Ashley's best friend Lucy is found murdered, and it looks like Danny did it. Will Ashley believe him when he says he didn't do it even though it looks like he did?

Campbell did a great job at developing the characters and the plot in this book. The characters were well developed, and the plot moved at a pace that made this one hard to stop reading. There were twists and turns with an ending that will leave your mouth on the floor!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I actually listened to this already under a different cover and title and was unaware this was the exact same book, I purely picked this because of the author and after starting it I knew it was familiar! This is a wonderful thriller and will definitely be reading more from the author in the future and I'm not sure why the title and cover was changed but anyway fantastic thriller and highly recommend. I would give this 4.75 stars and thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this arc.