Jeneva Rose returns with a wickedly entertaining sequel to her bestselling thriller The Perfect Marriage. In The Perfect Divorce, we reunite with Sarah Morgan, whose life has seemingly returned to normal after defending her first husband Adam against murder charges. But as we quickly learn, “normal” is merely a carefully constructed façade, and Sarah Morgan is far from the woman she presents to the world.
When Sarah discovers her second husband Bob’s infidelity, she wastes no time filing for divorce. However, what begins as a straightforward marital separation spirals into a labyrinthine tale of revenge, manipulation, and murder when new DNA evidence emerges in her first husband’s case and the woman Bob slept with suddenly disappears. The resulting psychological chess match between Sarah and Bob is both chilling and captivating, with each player willing to go to extreme lengths to win.
Masterful Misdirection
Rose demonstrates exceptional skill in crafting unreliable narrators. The narrative alternates between various characters’ perspectives, including an unnamed person held captive in a basement, creating a disorienting yet exhilarating reading experience. Each chapter reveals another layer of deception while simultaneously raising new questions.
The true genius of The Perfect Divorce lies in how Rose manipulates not just her characters but also her readers. Just when you think you understand what’s happening, she pulls the rug out from under you with a revelation that forces you to reexamine everything you’ve read thus far. The final act delivers a series of stunning twists that will leave even the most astute thriller readers gasping.
Character Analysis: Crafting the Perfect Villain
Sarah Morgan emerges as one of the most fascinating protagonists in recent psychological thrillers. She’s:
- Frighteningly intelligent and calculating
- Capable of profound manipulation
- Morally ambiguous yet somehow sympathetic
- A master of presenting different faces to different people
- Driven by complex motivations beyond simple revenge
What makes Sarah so compelling is how Rose humanizes her despite her increasingly disturbing actions. Through glimpses of Sarah’s relationship with her daughter Summer and flashbacks to her past, we understand—though never condone—how she became the person she is. The evolution of Sarah from The Perfect Marriage to The Perfect Divorce is subtle yet profound, showing how trauma and betrayal can reshape a person’s moral compass.
Bob Miller serves as a worthy adversary, though his characterization occasionally feels one-dimensional compared to Sarah’s complexity. The supporting cast, particularly Alejandro and Sheriff Hudson, add depth to the narrative and serve as effective foils to the main characters.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What Works:
- Pacing and structure – Rose masterfully controls the flow of information, revealing just enough to keep readers hooked without giving away too much too soon. The short chapters create a propulsive reading experience.
- Dialogue – The conversations between characters crackle with tension and subtext. Rose has a gift for revealing character through speech patterns and word choice.
- Setting – The small-town backdrop creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that heightens the psychological tension. The abandoned farmhouse and basement settings are particularly effective.
- Thematic depth – Beyond the thriller elements, the novel explores provocative themes about justice, vengeance, and whether some people are simply beyond redemption.
Room for Improvement:
- Plausibility strains – While thrillers often require suspension of disbelief, some of Sarah’s machinations stretch credibility. Her ability to manipulate so many variables simultaneously sometimes feels too perfect.
- Moral complexity – The book occasionally simplifies complex ethical questions. While this keeps the plot moving, it misses opportunities for deeper exploration of the characters’ moral reasoning.
- Secondary character development – Some supporting characters, particularly Summer and Anne, could benefit from more nuanced development to elevate their roles beyond plot functions.
- Unresolved threads – A few narrative threads are introduced but not fully explored, possibly being saved for another sequel but leaving readers with lingering questions.
Style and Tone: Cold Precision Meets Dark Humor
Rose’s writing style is marked by its clean precision and moments of unexpected dark humor. She excels at creating visceral, tense scenes without resorting to graphic descriptions. The prose is accessible yet sophisticated, with occasional flashes of literary flair that elevate the material above typical genre fare.
The author’s background in psychological thrillers serves her well, as she demonstrates a keen understanding of human behavior and the darker impulses that drive people to extreme actions. The novel never judges its characters, instead presenting their choices and allowing readers to form their own opinions—a refreshing approach in a genre that sometimes resorts to heavy-handed moralizing.
Comparisons and Context
The Perfect Divorce builds impressively on the foundation laid in The Perfect Marriage, deepening the psychological complexity while maintaining the page-turning quality of its predecessor. Fans of Rose’s first book will appreciate the continuity and evolution of Sarah’s character, though the sequel can also be enjoyed as a standalone novel.
Readers who enjoy the morally ambiguous protagonists of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl or the psychological manipulation in Caroline Kepnes’s You will find much to appreciate here. Rose’s work also brings to mind Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley novels in its portrayal of a character who operates by their own moral code.
Other notable works in Rose’s repertoire include One of Us Is Dead and You Shouldn’t Have Come Here, which share her signature blend of psychological insight and unexpected twists. However, The Perfect Divorce shows significant growth in her craftsmanship and thematic ambition.
Final Verdict: A Psychologically Astute Thriller That Lingers
The Perfect Divorce is a deliciously twisted exploration of revenge, manipulation, and the lengths people will go to protect themselves. Despite some minor flaws, Rose has crafted a compelling psychological thriller that will keep readers guessing until the final page—and questioning their own moral compass long after.
Who Should Read This Book:
- Fans of psychological thrillers with morally complex characters
- Readers who enjoy unreliable narrators and multiple perspectives
- Those who appreciate intricate plots with genuine surprises
- Anyone who enjoyed The Perfect Marriage and wants to see what happened next
The Perfect Divorce confirms Jeneva Rose’s place as a rising star in psychological thrillers. With her keen insight into human behavior and masterful plotting, Rose has delivered a sequel that not only lives up to its predecessor but surpasses it in many ways. And based on the tantalizing hint in her acknowledgments that “Sarah Morgan’s story isn’t over yet,” readers can look forward to more of Rose’s deliciously dark storytelling in the future.
“I knew when I married Bob, I would divorce him one day, because men are like lawyers. They can’t be trusted. And I would know because I am one… and so is he.” With this opening line, Rose sets the stage for a thriller that explores not just the dissolution of a marriage, but the unraveling of a carefully constructed life—and the deadly consequences that follow.