Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - The Golden Couple

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Golden Couple by Sarah Pekkanen, Greer Hendricks

16 reviews

cassiealexandra's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

4.25

This was definitely what I’d call a slow burn thriller. The pieces came together so gradually that, at first, it almost read like a family drama. I kept waiting for something to happen. I’ll blame my own recent television habits with crime procedural shows. Not all thrillers are the same as a “whodunnit.” This was more of a, “what is happening?” kind of book. Avery says there are “invisible threads” tying herself to the Bishop family that she is slowly unraveling; I felt the same as a reader.

I appreciated the interesting characters about whom I was constantly wondering. Which person is unstable here? Is anyone a reliable narrator or source of information? It had plot points that were hinted at just enough to keep me in suspense, hoping that I’d figure it out just before the characters did.

I also loved the points of view choices here with Avery being in the first-person perspective and Marissa’s chapters being third-person. This is the first I’ve read by Hendricks and Pekkanen and I wonder how their writing process goes and if this unique POV thing has to do with their team dynamic.

The narration on this was also excellent. I’d never listened to Marin Ireland on audio before, but I see why she’s popular.

My two slight issues were that after the slow opening, it sometimes felt like too much was going on by the end and that the wrap up was convenient by my gut feeling. But, after reflecting for a while, I realized the ending and loose ends made sense and weren’t as coincidental as I’d originally felt.

The bottom line: A solid slow thriller with lots of moving pieces to puzzle out, strong characters, and great audio narration.

— NOTES —
Genres: slow burn thriller
POV: dual—first-person, Avery; third-person, Marissa
Content: infidelity, murder, cannabis use, death, vague memories of romance

— MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS —
(all out of 5)
Pace: 4
Enjoyment: 4.5
Craft: 4.5
My Gut Feeling: 4
Total Stars: 4.25

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blueyogi's review against another edition

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tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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greatexpectations77's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I always enjoy this author duo, and I was very sucked into this story. It felt weird that it was set in an area where I've spent so much time! Will read more by this pair.

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nataliebootlah's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

To outsiders, the Bishops are a picture-perfect couple—wealthy, successful, and very much in love—but behind closed doors, their marriage is falling apart. This is your typical domestic thriller laced with infidelity, a former therapist and her unconventional approach, and the secrets everyone is keeping. All the Bishops have to do is go through ten sessions with therapist, Avery, and then they’ll be the golden couple once again. Right?

I wanted to see more from Avery’s character, her bizarre 10-step approach, and way less of Marissa’s whining. Although there were some notable twists, the back plot was kind of forgettable, and the big twist felt predictable. Ultimately, this one fell flat for me.

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axkerti's review against another edition

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I just couldn't deal with the story, the plot was absolutely dragging and while I finally got one question answered when I DNF'd there was literally no energy left to the book. I was bored and I was starting slump. Chances of ever giving this book another try are really slim.

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