The duo who writes under the pseudonym Winter K Willis knows how to keep the reader turning pages. In this story, a famous pop star, Juniper(real name Chloe), heads to a resort with her best friend, Tawny, on holiday. Juniper always wears a wig, and so her identity is kept hidden from everyone. No sooner does she head to her room than a bizarre series of gifts keeps showing up daily for her, some of the gifts going back to when she was a child and visited the resort with her father. Three years ago, two young men died at the resort by falling from the lighthouse. Add to this a weird maintenance man who insists on taking photos of everyone and the reader is left wondering about who might be stalking Chloe, what the gifts mean and how anyone might know that she is Juniper.
On the negative side, it would have been more credible if Juniper wore a mask than a wig to keep her identity secret. Also, the rationale of the perpetrator was bizarre, but in particular that Chloe's father would have kept in touch with the person he clearly wasn't interested in, and revealing his daughter's identity to them!
The ending was odd but possibly a set-up for a sequel.
I read an advance copy of this book that required editing, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily. 4 stars2 s Laurie42 2

I couldn't stop reading! There were many surprises with plot twists, it really kept me engaged2 s Janalyn Prude3,315 93

Chloe is finally going on vacation with her best friend Tawny to an island getaway but you can only get there by boat. The night before they get to the island the ship is rocked by thunder storms and Chloe couldn’t feel worse. Unfortunately this is only the beginning of the storm that is about to rock her world. When they arrive on the island and see their beautiful beachfront cabana there was a gift on one of the beds that says from your biggest fan and it’s for Chloe. Her best friend Tawny is confused because why would Chloe have fans… She lives off of her dad‘s inheritance… Right? No Chloe is secretly a rockstar named Junipra. She couldn’t be more popular despite the fact no one has ever seen her face and she keeps that life separate from the one with her childhood best friend Tawny. In another cabana on the beautiful island A guy named Jake just checked in but when walking into his bathroom he notices an infestation of ants. When he goes back to the check-in desk to tell them about his problem he has to speak to the manager as the guy who checked him in is baffled. When the manager Mary comes to help Jake he can’t help but think he seen her somewhere before when he says this to her she is startled but blows it off and says that she needs lots of people and he doesn’t look familiar. Jake is there on a business trip but wishes that he wasn’t he is newly engaged and wants to be with his fiancé who is always distrust for when he is away. Jake will start receiving gifts as well it seems whoever is sending these presents to Chloe and Jake obviously knows them better than the people in their lives especially Chloe. This freaks Chloe out after all the last time she came to the island she was nine and it was with her father who has recently passed away. She has fond memories of the island and doesn’t know anyone there especially someone who knows all the things they seem to know. Things only get scarier when Chloe find out about two guys that were found murdered by the lighthouse on the island her friend doesn’t understand why she can you just let this go she doesn’t know everything that’s at stake it just seems to only want to party. When Chloe starts investigating things become dangerous she even thinks she knows who the culprit is but boy is she so wrong! This book was pretty good I stayed up all night finishing it and there are things I didn’t put in my review a romance and stuff about Jake but trust me if you strange mysteries with only a couple of eye rolling moments because I mean really her best friend doesn’t know she is a rockstar… But okay this book is so good you could let all that go and just invest in the mystery because it is a good one. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review I want to thank Book Sirens for my free arc copy.an-awesome-read book-sirens1 Julie96 16

Thank you to Hidden Gems Books for this free ARC of The Perfect Gift by Winter K. Willis, this review is voluntary and unbiased.

This thriller follows the vacation of different guests and employees at a private resort on a paradisiac island. We meet two guests Chloe (and her friend) and Jake who are both receiving strange gifts from their childhood vacation on this island years ago. As they both try to know who their stalker is, we learn more about employees from the resort Jerry and Mary who have been working there for decades.

I loved how each character was fleshed out, they had their own goals, fears and emotions and felt pluridimensional. I have never seen a thriller in that setting before so I really d how novel it felt. There were a few times where the authors jumped over part of the investigation that I thought would have been interesting, but it follows the writing pattern of jumping from one character's perspective to another. Overall I enjoyed this thriller greatly and I was shocked multiple times by the plot twists throughout. 1 Amanda Dulay26

This book did get me curious to know what happened and why but honestly I wasn’t surprised by the outcome. Also the ending with Jerry was super unnecessary in my opinion. I feel he really was just an innocent soul. The ending didn’t feel right for his character. 1 Renee Taylor245 7

I received this as an ARC. I am providing my honest review.

Overall, "The Perfect Gift" by Winter K. Willis fails to deliver on its promise as a gripping psychological thriller. While it explores dark and taboo themes such as mental illness, violence, trauma, and obsession, the execution is predictable and lacks the suspense expected from this genre.

The narrative is written in multiple first-person perspectives, a style that I personally find challenging, especially when there are more than 2-3 characters involved. In this case, the use of multiple narratives becomes confusing and disjointed. Additionally, the constant shifts between the present, past, and distant past further contribute to the confusion.

It wasn't until two-thirds of the way through the book that I realized one of the characters was already deceased, and his perspective was written from a point in the past. The lack of clarity regarding the timeline made it difficult to fully grasp the story's events and created unnecessary distraction.

Furthermore, despite claims of numerous plot twists, I found the plot to be lacking in both surprise and foundation. The twists felt forced and came out of nowhere without any foreshadowing or groundwork, making them less impactful and more arbitrary.

As the story reached its climax, the pacing suddenly accelerated, but it felt rushed and insufficiently developed. There was minimal character development overall, and the effects of the prior events on the main character were not adequately explored, leaving a sense of unresolved potential.

In conclusion, "The Perfect Gift" is a mediocre thriller that falls short in delivering a unique and engaging storyline. Its confusing narrative structure and lack of solid character development hindered my enjoyment of the book. While there were some unexpected turns, they lacked the necessary foundation and shock factor to truly captivate the reader.mystery1 Anandi Ghosh13

The Perfect Gift is a psychological thriller by Winter K Willis.

Synopsis
Chloe arrives on a vacation with her best friend at an idyllic island. She leads a double life about which nobody knows, except someone. This unknown “someone” sends her gifts one everyday for each day of her stay. The unknown sender knows all about her past life

Chloe panics and seeks answers, which takes her into a psychological intrigue. Will she be able to find who it is and why they are stalking her?

This book is a page turner, with suspects at every corner.

Disclaimer: I did not purchase this book. I got it as an ARC from Booksirens.

What I d – The plot is gripping and I wasn’t able to put it down. There is a little bit of romance but the hero is a vague shadow. Chloe’s character dominates throughout the book. The other main characters develop as you read the book. The employees of the resort change right before your eyes from neutral figures to important characters and you keep wondering who the unknown sender may be.

What I did not – The initial chapters toggle between the character and it is only later that you realize that some of the story is in the past. The end was a little disappointing. It was “bland” after all the excitement-build-up. The ending left me wanting to know more.

The plot is gripping and is fast paced right from the beginning. The mystery is there right from the beginning and the twists and turns will keep you hooked. Chloe, Jake, Jerry, Mary, and the other characters all evolve.

I enjoyed reading it but would have enjoyed it more if the ending had been more gripping and the identity of the unknown sender had been kept a secret till the end. As it was, I could guess the sender’s identity and that made the ending bland for me.1 comment Monica Mil-Homens348 14

Opinião: Mais Um Thriller bom, mas que a meu ver faltou-lhe qualquer coisa para ser excelente. Apesar de ter gostado muito da estória, da forma como a mesma nos é contada, julgo que só a meio do livro é que temos aquela reviravolta que nos dá vontade de chegar até ao final, antes disso achei demasiado lento a desenvolver. Infelizmente achei previsível quem enviava os presentes apesar de não saber ao certo a razão, mas o final efetivamente é uma surpresa e salva este livro. Gosto muito destes autores e já li tudo deles e acho que não gostei tanto deste livro como dos anteriores no entanto, só pelo final completamente surpreendente vale a minha honesta recomendação.

Eng Review: Another good Thriller, but in my opinion it lacked something to be excellent. Although I really d the story, the way it is told to us, I think that it is only halfway through the book that we have that twist that makes us want to reach the end, before that I found it too slow to develop. Unfortunately, I found who sent the gifts predictable, although I didn't know exactly why, but the ending is actually a surprise and saves this book. I really these authors and I've read all of ttheir work and I don't think I d this book as much as the previous ones, however, just because of the completely surprising ending, it's worth my honest recommendation. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
the aesthete nerd94 1 follower

The Perfect Gift | Winter K. Willis | ????

An island resort, an endearing female friendship, a pop star with a secret identity, a hint of a vacation romance, cloudy skies, stormy evenings, slow dance, secret gifts, Murder.
Well, those are the freaking awesome ingredients that made me read the Perfect Gift and frankly, though am a bit underwhelmed by the ending, as a seasoned thriller reader, I surely don't regret diving into this.

The prose pulls you in from the very beginning, I loved the vibe of the story. The scenic locales, the vivid imageries, a brewing romance, sinister secrets. It was indeed an interesting premise and the fast-paced writing kept me hooked throughout.
But what we have come to expect from thrillers these days are plot twists and let's be honest, there was not much of a twist here. The big reveal was pretty predictable. And there's an unnecessary and unexpected twist at the very end, which seemed a bit forced. It was a classic case of the journey being way more entertaining than the destination.

Don't expect something path breaking and absolutely memorable. But if you want to relax with a light thriller while sipping on your hot chocolate this Holiday season, this easy flowing novel won't let you down. Tina Lincoln230 2

Love or a Fling?...
This was a very detailed nightmare of a previous love affair... sort of.
A perfect getaway vacation, workplace, a place that some work at, love, sex, betrayal, left behind... those are only some of the words to describe some of this story. Chloe takes a vacation with her best friend to a wonderful island resort to get away.. she is a pop star, but no one but her manager (not even her best friend) know that she is a pop star that always wears a wig and looks much different on stage than she does in regular life. So when she gets to her room, there is a red box with a bow waiting for her... with no name on who gave it to her, and she continues to get more presents, with no name, that have personal information within it, a picture of her when she was a child on vacation with her father, who was always working. This scares her, as she has no idea who knows her secret, and what their plans are!
This story goes into wonderful details of many peoples lives, what their day-to-day is , where they have come from, and where they do not want to be, without a job or home.
Who is leaving the presents... What are they going to do..
Thank you, Winter K. Willis for a great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review. One146 1 follower

Everyday your day is decided entirely by the wims and wants of others. No one says your name unless it prefixes “ fix this or fetch that”. You work at a resort your job description is to serve and please the guest. But for this resort; they never actually say the name of the resort. That job gets harder day but day. Guest start to receive red boxes filled with their past. Gifts from an admirer. The resurgence in the investigation of the death of guest in the past. The best part of this book is the ending. It’s definitely unexpected, especially because it’s the end all loose ends get tied into a pretty knot. Jerry and Mary’s are both red flag characters for me. Jerry just has a weird hobby and overall vibe. Mary wants to be the victim and the hero at the same time it comes off crazy. Although it did add an interesting element to Chloe I didn’t really see a point to the Hannah Montana moment. At one point I thought the gifts was Tawnis way of getting back at her for hiding such a huge secret for so many’s years. Keep in mind she tells Stephano after knowing him for maybe 24 hrs. I wasn’t a fan of the time jumps it was confusing to follow. I would recommend based solely off the end alone. Jaclyn B.258 3

Pacing was my biggest issue. For a good psychological thriller, I crave the suspense. The build up of anxiety. With the short chapters, and multiple points of view, any built up we had worked toward was suddenly shifted, the tension diffused.

While the suspense element wasn't there for me, there were still several plot twists that kept the reader engaged. In this way, the quick chapters kept the story moving, the POV shifts showing new sides to give more information and broaden the view of the island.

Not quite the suspense I'd thought I was getting, but still an interesting read and worth trying. While there were elements that didn't quite land right, there was some definite potential there. I look forward to seeing more from Winter, and have hopes for the next book!

I received an ARC from BookSirens. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.booksirens Louise1,430 17

Chloe and Tawni go away on a trip for a break but while this is a good opportunity for Chloe to reflect on her past, deep down Chloe feels the trip might not be as rewarding as they'd hoped. Hoping to have concealed her second identity, Chloe receives gifts from a fan who knows her real identity. The book is written in the present tense so readers read the narrative in real time. This is a personal pleasant way to read since nothing in the future can be foreseen and readers learn what happens at the same time as the characters. There are various character perspectives so readers have an overall view of the story, but not from all of the characters featured and the quick changes and short chapters take away the suspense.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author. Alicia 8 7

This was a free kindle book and I decided to give it a chance. I was instantly hooked by the writing. Right away I d the characters and it had nice mystery and intrigue. Did I know who the “bad guy” was right away? I did but that didn’t change how much I d this book. What did change it was the very end. I am sure it was set up so we could have a second book or a new story set in this world but I just didn’t need that type of ending. I wanted this one wrapped up with a bow and left as a stand alone but instead I was left with knowing there was another character that I just didn’t quite know the way I thought I did and it felt a bit weird. I truly did love the book though and I am so happy I read it and will definitely check out more books by this author duo I just hope the next one doesn’t have an ending this one. Laura81 1 follower

I loved Winter K. Willis's "Behind The Neighbor's Door" so much that when I got a chance to review the newest book "The Perfect Gift", I was so excited to read it. "The Perfect Gift" is a wonderful psychological thriller about Chloe, a woman who goes on vacation to relax & have fun with her best friend. Chloe keeps receiving these mysterious gifts while she is on what's supposed to be a peaceful island resort. In trying to uncover the mystery of who is sending her the gifts, she is unsure about whom to trust. This book was a page turner that I couldn't put down & had an unbelievable twist with a surprise ending I never saw coming. I highly recommend "The Perfect Gift" to all Winter K. Willis fans or anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Patricia496 9

Chloe leads a double life as a performer who wears a wig and mask onstage so she can preserve her anonymity (sorry, I kept thinking of Sia!). But when she goes to an island with her friend Tawni for a relaxing vacation, it seems that someone on the island knows who she is.

Was there a secret from her past? Was this one of the places her recently deceased dad used to bring her? And why can’t the resort help her find the gifts that keep appearing on her doorstep, even in her hotel room? And what’s up with that maintenance man?

Some of the dialogue was a little too trite for me (“It is what it is.’ “You do you.”) but it was a quick read and an interesting plot.

Thanks to BookSirens for an advance readers copy. Kara Marks326 70

This is a standalone thriller and the first book I’ve read by this author. This book was slow to get going for me and I had a hard time getting into the characters of Chloe and Tawni, but eventually the book got going. They travel to a remote resort and it turns out that Chloe visited there many years ago with her late father, when she was a child. She is actually a performer who sings wearing a mask and wig so that her privacy is preserved, but as she starts finding gifts left for her that make it obvious someone knows who she is. It turns out pretty twisty, and it’s a good read. I was provided an arc, which I really appreciate, but these opinions are my own. Audrey884 7

This was an interesting book that spans over time from childhood to adulthood! Do u remember all the people u met while on childhood vacations? I lived the island idea. It invokes a feeling of being trapped and isolated! I felt Tawni was a selfish friend and didn’t really understand what Chloe was going through! Still not sure if i trust Stephan. We never really learned much about his character! Overall i enjoyed this book! I was absolutely shocked by the ending! I recommend this dramatic suspenseful thriller! Jackie Welcel311 6

I was all set to give this book 5 stars, I was really enjoying it. Half way through I was very surprised with one of the people receiving the gifts. Then I was really suspecting someone else until the big reveal. A really good book til the last chapter! What?! There was no reason through the whole book to suspect this was happening and it was so wrong I regretted reading the darn book! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Cherie Melbourne1,059 11

I found this was an interesting read, it was clever the way it was written because it kept me wondering where it was going. I suspected who was leaving the gifts but couldn't work out the reason.
Loved the twist at the end.
It would have been nice to find out a bit more about Stephan as he ended up a central character, yet I finished the book and had no idea where he came from.

I received an ARC from Hidden Gems. I'm leaving this review voluntarily. Laura101 6

Twisted Ending

I mostly enjoyed this book. The writing style was a bit awkward, it felt somewhat forced. However, the storyline kept me coming back for more. There were a few things that were completely unbelievable, but in the interest of not being a spoiler, I won’t comment further. I had the book mostly figured out about 60% in, but the twist at the very end I didn’t see coming. Marilynn Mollica25 1 follower

Couldn't finish the book

I had to stop reading after 3 chapters. Confusing continuity (who planned the trip: Chloe or her friend; Jake's boss planned this forced trip for staff but Jake had to book his own room?) Was there any proofreading? Typos and missing words right at the jump made me abandon this book. Krystal Stewart140 1 follower

I have read everything by Winter K. Willis, and loved every single one. I was so excited to see a new book from them, and it definitely was as great as I had been expecting! I was gripped from the beginning, and stayed hooked until the very end. I definitely recommend! Liz Askew61 1 follower

Read this one fast!

I couldn't put it down! The premise was unique and the fast pace kept me guessing. Editing could be better as there was some missing words and errors found, but overall and interesting read. Twist at the end makes me want to read more. Ernie Crofoot19 1 follower

A not so good beach read (no pun intended).

Figured out the "who" almost immediately. The motive only took a bit longer. Terrible, sophomoric writing style, one dimensional characters, torture dialogue, etc. Don't bother. Hanna McComb5

I honestly couldn’t even finish this book. Not what I was expecting at all, this is not a thriller. I read probably about 40%, very quickly skimmed to 60%. Ultimately just read the last chapter. Now if the book started with that and went from there.. that’s a thriller lol Alice Lovell40

Awful

This book dragged on and on. Oh my gosh! Not only that, but it was also boring! I read fifty-five percent before I decided to jump ahead several chapters. I finally got to the part that said who the culprit was. I should've done it sooner and saved myself a lot of time. Frank194 4

Crime in hawaii

Aloha.. Full of twists. Fun read.psychological thriller all right. Two dead guests. Cold case but still open. Interesting characters. Aloha.




TJ280 16

New to me author Katelyn Zemlak6

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