Title: Nine Perfect Strangers

Author: Liane Moriarty

Book Length (Audiobook): 16 hours 28 mins

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Read Start Date: July 2, 2019

Read Finish Date: July 8, 2019

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty’s latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out…

Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.

Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer – or should she run while she still can?

It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.

Combining all of the hallmarks that have made her writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.

My Review: At about 2/3 of the way in, I really liked this book. The characters are very interesting and well developed, and the overall storyline is captivating. During the time that the nine strangers are at the health resort and receiving “treatment”, we learn about their pasts and what secrets brought them to the resort for “healing”. We even learn about the history of the people running / owning the resort, which is just as sordid and interesting as the guests.

Now that I’ve finished the book, my opinion has not changed. I really liked this book! It was fun, easy to read, the characters were well developed and the pace of the book was on target. I also just in general really like Liane Moriarty as a writer.

I have read some pretty bad / mixed reviews of this book, but I don’t really understand them to be honest. A lot of people said that the changing perspectives (of the 9 guests and the 3 hotel staff) was confusing, which I did not find at all. I was able to keep everyone straight. The characters were unique enough that it was possible.

Other people said that the story did not have a theme or a purpose — not everything I read needs to have some preachy message, so if this is true, who cares! I usually read this book (audiobook) while bike riding, driving in the car, doing chores around the house, etc. Despite what other people said, I recommend this book!