In her debut novel, Nicole Hackett weaves an engaging and thrilling story that deftly explores the pervasive, and often false, world of influencer culture.
When Alabama Wood goes missing two days into a promotional trip to Iceland, all of the influencers on the trip are called into question. There is no shortage of secrets between the women and the blurred lines between their online personas and real-life personalities make it hard to determine who is telling the truth about what they know.
Using multiple POVs and jumping back and forth in time, Hackett skillfully leads readers through the lives of the influencers before they embark on their Icelandic adventure right through to their return home, where they must all navigate the aftermath of the experience.
Each of the characters was likable and unlikable in their own way which made them perfectly human and relatable. The themes of friendship, motherhood and the pressure of social media were all handled with care and depth. I couldn’t put this book down and am looking forward to whatever Hackett writes next.
THE PERFECT ONES releases on May 2, 2023 and you should definitely add it to your list.
My thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the advance reading copy.
For more information Nicole Hackett, visit her website.
