Marigold Doyle's life was perfect, with a successful career and wonderful marriage. But when her husband, Julian, passes away, her life is thrown into turmoil as she discovers a trail of secrets Julian was hiding in the months prior to his death. Struggling with her grief, she knows she needs to find out Julian’s actions to help her move on.
Finn Schröder, a former police officer and now private security consultant, is focused on an uncomplicated, unattached life and growing his business. He agrees to help Marigold find out the truth about Julian, but as they become closer, he realises his feelings for her may be developing beyond simply professional.
As Marigold and Finn work through the web of Julian’s deception, will they learn to face the reality that things aren’t always exactly as they seem?
Megan Mayfair is a USA Today bestselling author of fiction with a dash of mystery, a sprinkling of humour and a spoonful of romance.
Her books have won awards including the Romance Writers of Australia Romantic Book of the Year (RuBY), the Romance Writers of New Zealand Koru Award of Excellence and the Australian Romance Readers Association Award for favourite romantic suspense novel.
She lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three children and loves coffee, podcasts and yoga.
The Problem with Perfect is that when things start to unravel that are out of your control, things come crashing down and that perfect little bubble pops. That's exactly what happens to Marigold.
Marigolds has got it all! The perfect job at her father's company, The perfect Husband, Perfect Family and Home. But what happens when things aren't so perfect anymore?
When Marigolds beloved husband Julian suddenly passes away, she is devastated, but carries on despite needing to grieve. But as Marigold is about to discover, things wasn't so Perfect with Julian and he was hiding alot of secrets!
Along comes ex Police Officer Finn, who is about to help Marigold uncover the truth about who Julian really was and what secrets he hid. As the two become closer to finding out the truths, so does their friendship as the spark begins to shine.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this gripping book, it was a light hearted read filled with Mystery and Intrigue and a good dash of romance along the way. The Characters were very well developed, complex yet enthralling. The plot is filled with juicy little twists to keep you in suspense. I love the Title for this book and it fits in perfectly with the plot. It's a saying there is no such thing as perfect as Marigold was quick to find out!
Once again Megan has created a gem of a book. I can't wait to see what she writes next! I highly recommend this compelling women's fiction, that has a twist of mystery & romance, that once you start reading it's hard to put down!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
She’d end up running D-Line one day after her father retired, or she’d become the Prime Minister. They seemed like the only two jobs worthy of her.
Why was life so unfair? She’d lost her husband, she’d discovered he’d been keeping an entire, furnished apartment secret from her, she’d been barred from her work, and now she was going to have to spend all afternoon with her mother.
They’d host dinner parties, but the friends were always couples. They’d enter the property, two-by-two, like some form of well-heeled, impeccably-dressed human recreation of Noah’s Ark.
Perfectly imperfect. She’d take that. Perfect, after all, was totally and completely over-rated.
My Review:
I adored this cleverly penned book from beginning to end. The premise and writing were intriguing and original with a well-crafted mystery running through the center that kept my curiosity primed, although the complex characters were just as intriguing and unpredictable. The storylines were highly engaging and cunningly paced with a fair balance of humor, angst, and intrigue.
What sealed the deal for me was the wily Ms. Mayfair’s expert character development, as she has filled her tale with an authentic and uniquely complicated cast of characters who were not genuinely appealing or always likable, yet never failed to hold my interest. The observantly insightful and detailed manner in which characters’ emotional tones were narrated were an important part of the journey and frequently shifted with surprise revelations, humbling epiphanies, staggering stressors, irritations and annoyance, flashes of anger, relaxed amusement, and ultimately ending with a satisfying and sigh-inducing HEA. And as this is only her third published book within less than a year, I am quite eager to see what this crafty new talent comes up with next.
The Problem with Perfect is that when things start to unravel that are out of your control, things come crashing down and that perfect little bubble pops. That's exactly what happens to Marigold.
Marigolds has got it all! The perfect job at her father's company, The perfect Husband, Perfect Family and Home. But what happens when things aren't so perfect anymore?
When Marigolds beloved husband Julian suddenly passes away, she is devastated, but carries on despite needing to grieve. But as Marigold is about to discover, things wasn't so Perfect with Julian and he was hiding alot of secrets!
Along comes ex Police Officer Finn, who is about to help Marigold uncover the truth about who Julian really was and what secrets he hid. As the two become closer to finding out the truths, so does their friendship as the spark begins to shine.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this gripping book, it was a light hearted read filled with Mystery and Intrigue and a good dash of romance along the way. The Characters were very well developed, complex yet enthralling. The plot is filled with juicy little twists to keep you in suspense. I love the Title for this book and it fits in perfectly with the plot. It's a saying there is no such thing as perfect as Marigold was quick to find out!
Once again Megan has created a gem of a book. I can't wait to see what she writes next! I highly recommend this compelling women's fiction, that has a twist of mystery & romance, that once you start reading it's hard to put down!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
After the death of her perfect husband, and her perfect career starting to wobble; Marigold Doyle has to accept that not everything fits into perfect little boxes.
I received a free copy, in exchange for an honest review.
Margaret Doyle is a powerhouse, she is only in her thirties, but she is one of the most powerful businesswomen in Melbourne. She works at the family business, and can't wait to take it over when her father retires. She had the drive and ambition to make it the leading company in Australia. She didn't think she had to worry about her husband - Julian ticked all the boxes when they first met, and he has been perfect ever since; the charming lawyer, who was always at home in their social circle, and was committed to his wife and his job. That is, until he died of a heart attack, and the secrets start to leak out...
Finn is an ex-cop that has his own problems, as he has to decide whether to remain loyal to his ex-colleagues, or keep his own integrity. He is glad to get the job to help Marigold uncover her husbands secrets, as it helps distract from his stress.
I loved this story, it was so sweet and funny, with moments of raw emotion. I completely connected with Marigold. She has worked so hard for everything she has achieved, and she is proud of her accomplishments, as she should be. She is a workaholic, but she doesn't see a problem with that. Her family seems happy - her parents aren't very close - but that's the way they've always been. Her husband seems happy with her working overtime, and that she wears the trousers in the house. When her husband dies, naturally Marigold wants to throw herself into her work, to distract herself; but her father (and boss) insists that she takes time to grieve and heal.
It was interesting to watch Marigold and Finn, as they chase down every clue Julian left behind; and Marigold slowly comes to realise that, although everything seems perfect on the surface, there are deep cracks below. I really liked how Julian's actions weren't overly-dramatised. He'd gone about everything wrong, but you could see why he would take those actions. At the end of the day, he wasn't some villain, he was just a man, with very human faults.
I also liked how Marigold (begrudgingly) started to spend time with her family, and reconnect with her brother, who moved away to run a successful vineyard. Their scenes together were really cute, and definitely helped get Marigold on track, to recognising her issues, and how importance balance is in life.
I'm always a fan of "light" romances. Marigold and Finn share a connection, and it was very satisfying to follow their growing attraction. It was woven throughout the story, supporting the rest of the plot.
I would definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to more of Mayfair's work.
After the death of Marigolds beloved husband, Julian, her perfect life is fractured by secrets. Just what was Julian hiding?
Marigold enlists the help of Finn, ex cop and now a security consultant, to find out how far the secrets go and why…..is there such a thing as perfect? Or is this an unattainable dream?
Finn and Marigold grow close as their investigation progresses in this quite light and easy read…..interesting and emotional writing by Megan Mayfair.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Megan Mayfair’s The Problem with Perfect is EVERYTHING. It was sweet, funny and mysterious, with so much raw emotion, that I couldn’t put this book down.
Megan Mayfair is an expert at character development. Marigold is such a relatable and wonderful character. Her life wasrealistic, her reactions made sense, and I felt like I knew her immediately.
The plot of this novel is fascinating and I really can’t rave about it enough. I want to stop writing this review so you can just go read the book.IThe Problem with Perfect is going into my favorite reads of 2019. Now go check it out!
*I read this book as part of a blog tour organized by Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
I received a free copy from the author and Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, what another fantastic book, I feel like I’m really on a roll at the moment with the books I’m reading! Fingers crossed this carries on!
The Problem with Perfect is a great mystery/romance book that follows Marigold as she deals with the sudden death of her husband and the realization that her life isn’t exactly what she thought it was. I really enjoyed getting to know Marigold, this is definitely a story with a multitude of complex well-developed characters and I really enjoyed being able to follow them on their journey. I also like how the author was able to write in such a way that it was easy to see why the characters were making certain decisions even if they were not always correct.
I also really liked that this was not a book I could easily predict, some parts sure, but the majority not at all, when reading I’m either in the mood for a whole lot of surprises or a nice easy predictable read and this was most definitely one for a whole lot of surprises! A great four and a half star read!
4.5 stars. I found this difficult to get into, since all I felt I wanted to do was give the main character a slap for being so stuck-up and judgemental. However, then the plot threw a mystery in my path, which left me questioning everything, and the story soon grabbed me. Watching the main character try to sort out everything while, well everything crumbled around her was interesting, and got me feeling more empathetic. The climax, as it was, happened incredibly late and I would have liked a little more of a resolution, but I can't wait to finish this series.
Loved discovering more about Marigold Doyle and her family through her eyes. Always love revisiting characters I’ve already met and loved. Julian’s secrets kept me turning the pages in desperate anticipation...and just when I thought I had it figured out, i was happily surprised. Megan Mayfair is quite the writer of suspense, as it turns out! Really enjoyed this book...but I really enjoy all Megan’s books.
I just love this author's unique brand of Australian contemporary fiction with a hint of mystery and a lot of romance. The Problem With Perfect was no exception! A book to get lost in, a book to give you permission to relinquish your own quest for perfection... and be gloriously you.
Absolutely loved this book! I enjoyed the mystery and watching Marigold and Finn becoming closer the more they looked into Julian’s past. I found it to be completely addictive reading and read it within 24hours! I can’t wait for the next book from this amazing Author!
I knew at the end of the first chapter of this book that I was going to love it - and I wasn't wrong! Really enjoyed reading about Marigold and all her personality quirks. She was such a unique character and Finn complemented her so well. But it was all the hidden secrets and twists in this book that hooked me and left me thinking. A great read!
I love to follow up in a series as interesting as this one. Finding that the people you have been reading about are not exactly what you assumed. Marigold is an intelligent driven business woman. In Tangled Vines I thought she was cold and a little too direct in her personal life.but when her husband dies from a heart attack her structured world collapses. When a mystery arises about her husband she calls Finn, the security consultant her company uses. I thought Finn was a rather mysterious character in book one and he proves to be even more interesting now.
I love their story and how they connected even though their backgrounds are different. I recommend this book but you should read the first one to get the full story.
4.7 stars, because it's imperfect but a good read. A nice mystery, a little romance. I certainly liked the Marigold character a lot more than I thought I would from earlier books. All the main characters were well-fleshed out and I cared about them. The only thread that I felt wasn't handled well were the actions that Marigold took to I was kind of hoping for an epilogue to give us a further update, but I suppose that will be a minor theme in book 3.
This book was cute, very predictable, even the “mystery” was expected. This is book 2 of a 3 part Saga. I wouldn’t go back and read book 1, nor do I plan to read book 3. It was a cute stand alone, but it wasn’t something that kept me on the edge of my seat.
This story had a lot of emotion, mystery and a touch of romance that kept me thinking what the secrets in this book could possibly be. Another great read!