Review of The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
When I stumbled upon The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose, I was instantly intrigued. A legal thriller trying to capture the gripping essence of Gone Girl? Count me in! Unfortunately, what unfolded was a reading experience so frustrating, I felt my hair might just fall out with each turn of the page.
The premise revolves around Sarah, a high-powered defense attorney, who finds herself defending her husband, Adam, accused of murdering his mistress. Sounds tantalizing, right? However, the execution left much to be desired. The core issue here seems to lie in the characters: every single one of them, from the lawyers to the policemen, feels poorly fleshed out and utterly unrealistic. There’s an overwhelming sense of melodrama that turns serious moments into laughable exchanges.
Take Sarah, for example—her obsession with continually reminding us of her success as a lawyer grows tiresome. I mean, we get it! You wear Louboutin heels and command a courtroom. But does that need to dominate the page? And Adam? Let’s just say he displays a shocking lack of self-awareness, especially considering his affair and the murder charges against him.
As for the dialogue, it often reads like something out of a high school creative writing piece—stunted and unrealistic. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at their interactions, which often felt more like poorly rehearsed lines than genuine conversation. Honestly, I found myself wishing the author had invested a bit more effort into crafting believable dialogue.
The legal aspects of the story were particularly troubling. I may not be a lawyer, but even I can see the glaring issues, like a wife representing her husband in a murder case involving his mistress. Not to mention the ethical implications and the complete oversight of basic legal protocol—house arrest for a violent crime? It seemed like a simplistic approach to a complex situation.
Now, let’s discuss the numerous plot holes that marred my reading experience. They were so glaring that I often questioned why I was still turning pages. From random characters popping in for no reason to absurd circumstances—like Adam simply strolling out of a police cell—I couldn’t help but shake my head in disbelief. A thriller is only as good as its twists, and here, they felt more like holes than hooks.
Though I approached The Perfect Marriage eager for a captivating read, I left feeling disappointed and exasperated. The pacing dragged in parts while speeding through crucial plot developments without a care for coherence. If you’re looking for a tightly-woven thriller with suspense, you might want to look elsewhere.
So, who might enjoy this book? Perhaps readers who revel in spotting glaring flaws and enjoy a good laugh at absurd characters and exchanges. Jeneva Rose may have intended to deliver an engaging thriller, but for me, this was a misfire. I personally came away from the experience with a renewed appreciation for well-crafted narratives, where characters don’t just exist to frustrate their readers.
If you’re in the mood for a genuinely thrilling read, I recommend choosing something else. Save your hair—and your patience!
Discover more about The Perfect Marriage on GoodReads >>
