Perfect Strangers

On my hunts for new authors I normally have about a 1-in-5 hit rate. This was a hit. It’s spicy. He’s pretty perfect. The situation is something straight out of a romance novel. And the twists are pretty awesome. Finding an author that can weave the language into something that creates a sensory experience the reader is not easy these days. This one can. Enjoy.

Well. Where should I start? I went into this blindly. All I knew was that this had the potential to ruin me. So of course I headed into this blindly- I love not knowing if I’m gonna be in a pile of ruin after finishing a book. This was a journey, that’s for sure! To me it was a little bit slow at the beginning. I was trying to figure out where this book was going- I knew *something* was going to happen. Then, when I thought I had it figured out, I got slapped in the face by a plot twist. As plot twists go, I thought it was great and exciting! I loved the suspense and thriller elements. Then, again, I got hit with a plot twist. And this was a brutal one. It left me feeling so sad and hurting for Olivia, the FMC. It was heartbreaking and as truths were revealed it was so sad. So I thought that was it, I was sorely mistaken! Another plot twist. I was so confused, I started doubting myself, like I was doing something wrong somehow. But that was also the last time my head got all confused and trying to understand what was going on and what was real or not. Like I said: this was a journey! I loved the chemistry between Olivia and James. Therese instant attraction, the tension and also the mystery of who James was made it all very exciting and thrilling. I loved how it ended though! A perfect ending for this thrilling and spicy story! I’ll leave you with this: inception.

This is my second book by this author, the first being Penpal which I also highly recommend. I love a good story, I love good character development, when the banter between characters makes me laugh out loud, I love lots of spice and erotica if it’s natural to the story and the characters, and I love when I totally do not see what's coming … when a book is not formulaic (following the same old tropes with an HEA). This book checks every one of my literary boxes. I mean it’s not Jane Austen but I’m not reading it with the same eyes that I read pride and prejudice with (although the writing is excellent). At one point in this book I thought to myself, the author would have saved me pain if she had just simply removed my heart with a spoon. But that said, I will go back to my statement above, that I love when I don’t see the twists coming. You can take that anywhere you want because I’m not giving anything away. All I can tell you is, if you like the kind of books I described above, and haven’t read a book by this author, read this or Penpal to start… oh, and I finished both this and Penpal in a day … if that tells you how riveted I was.

Perfect Strangers had me hooked from the first paragraph and craving bourbon only a few pages in. J.T. Geissinger did not hesitate to release the steam immediately and somehow creates a sense of mystery before you even learned the characters names. In just the first chapter she not only managed to pump up the steam and create a sense of mystery, but she also wrote a shareable quote I absolutely had to save. At this point all we know is that the female lead is an author, temporarily staying in her spitfire of an agent, Estelle’s, Parisian apartment, she is running from her past and looking for inspiration, she has a sexy exhibitionist neighbor and she loves bourbon. Really we know very little about what to expect, but already we get a deep quote like this: “But the thing people don’t realize is that the past is a living, breathing entity that exists apart from our wishes or best intentions. It’s not gone, and it’s certainly not invisible. Its fingerprints are smeared all over every moment of the present, its weight drags on every second of the future, its consequences echo down every hallway of our lives. We can no more rid ourselves of the past than we could stop the earth from spinning.” And a hilarious one like this: “The perils of an overactive imagination. If I hadn’t become a writer, I’d be in a padded cell somewhere, clawing at the walls.” By the end of the first chapter, J.T. managed to develop a dynamic, relatable main character, Olivia. She was obviously suffering some sort of trauma, battling depression and running from demons, yet she doesn’t abandon her sense of humor or her compassion. She’s witty, awkward and already seems like the kind of woman I’d like to hang out, eat cheese and drink bourbon with. The electric connection between Olivia and James is so palpable you can feel it through the pages. Their direct and straight forward approach is refreshing, especially to someone frequently referred to as blunt, like me. But, even with their straightforward relationship, there are boundaries put up and secrets kept. James is as mysterious as he is sexy and that makes him all the more enticing. Although the first 3 quarters of the book are mysterious, they are mostly just romantic, emotional and hot as hell. The final quarter is riding the line of thriller and action and gets your blood pumping in a much different way than the rest of the book. Then it takes another dramatic turn that leaves you reeling, before finally delivering the final blow... The epilogue. Oh, the epilogue. You diabolical, talented, twisted woman, J.T. Geissinger, have nearly ruined me. Everything about this book is beautiful. The story, writing style, characters, even the pain, are all blindingly beautiful. I lost my breath, cried my heart out and prayed for miracles. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The moment I wrapped my mind around it, another shift came and knocked me back off course. Toward the end of the book Olivia says “That’s the only way we can ever achieve immortality. Love is what binds us together eternally, the only thing that survives after death…” and I know that the memory of this book will live on vividly in my mind and my heart. As my final words on this masterpiece I leave you with this quote I have stollen from Estelle, and slightly altered, as she captured it so perfectly. To J.T. Geissinger, “Yes, we’re going to talk about the book. And I’m going to end by saying this: you’re evil! Evil, you hear me?” *I received a free advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Perfect Strangers had me completely captivated from start to finish. The atmosphere JT Geissinger created was gripping, with an underlying tension that made it impossible to put down. I loved how the story slowly unraveled, pulling me deeper into its web of secrets and emotions. The writing was haunting and addictive, keeping me constantly on edge-and then came the twist. I truly did not see it coming, and it left me stunned in the best possible way. The shift completely redefined everything I thought I knew about the story and made it even more unforgettable. Suspenseful and brilliantly crafted, Perfect Strangers is another reminder of why JT Geissinger is one of my favorite authors!! I will be obsessing over this for awhile

Loves: Hooked from the beginning Chemistry between the MCs Spice Story...UNTIL... HATED: Weird last part of the book Mental head games in the WORST WAY The last 1/3 of the book ruined the entire book Did I mention the last part of the book?!!

Perfecto

This book is good spice level 🌶🌶🌶 but the ending kills me! I did not see it coming. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book took me on a toll... One word.... Amazing, emotional rollercoaster. I was crying laughing and everything else at the same time

Liebe das Buch

The entire plot is excellent, but the ending... AND THE ENDING were superior. Totally recommended. Plot 5/5 Hot scenes 5/5