The Perfect Home

November 15, 2024
When the married hosts of a home-renovation show struggle with infertility, it threatens to destroy their lives both on and off camera. From the outside, Dawn and Wyatt Decker--hosts ofThe Perfect Home, the "crown jewel in the Home & Lawn TV lineup"--have a life that seems as flawless as the "after" footage of the houses they remodel. However, their picture-perfect appearance hides their growing insecurities around their marriage and struggles with infertility: Wyatt feels like the "meatless burger" version of a real man, while Dawn--who never really wanted fame anyway--worries that she's not quite the match for her dashing husband. Amid their struggle to have a child, Dawn finds a mysterious package that arrives for Wyatt from Germany; containing experimental fertility drugs, it promises to make their dreams come true while also harboring a sinister threat. This discovery is not the last. Author Kenitz peels away the layers of the Deckers' seemingly perfect life, revealing a series of dark realities that fuel betrayal, desperation, and possibly murder--challenging the loyalties of the people closest to Dawn and Wyatt while also resurfacing unlikely allies from the distant past. Like many thrillers in the wake of Gillian Flynn'sGone Girl, the novel alternates between Dawn and Wyatt's perspectives, probing the power dynamics of gender and family and the illusions of the American dream. Dawn's interior life and motivations are more developed than Wyatt's, leaving the narrative tension lacking in places; astute readers will be able to guess the ending midway through the book. While the pages fly by, the novel lacks the psychological depth and narrative ingenuity that would lift it from good to great. An imperfect yet entertaining debut from a promising writer.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 2, 2024
A reality TV couple falls apart in Kenitz’s wickedly entertaining debut. Wyatt Decker is the charming star of Nashville-set home renovation show The Perfect Home. A consummate professional on set, Wyatt hopes to match his sterling work reputation with a picture-perfect home life. After the network hires Dawn Fremont to join him in front of the camera, the two fall in love, leading to a sharp ratings boost, and eventually a wedding. When the couple learns that Wyatt has fertility issues, he quietly turns to black market treatments. The good news: the drugs work, and Dawn gets pregnant with twins. The bad news: Wyatt becomes sullen, surly, and unpredictable, causing Dawn to question whether the drugs have permanently altered his personality. After Dawn gives birth and discovers evidence that Wyatt is drawing up a plan to put the family in danger for another ratings boost, she attempts to disappear with the twins. Wyatt, however, goes straight to the press, framing Dawn as an unstable threat to the children. Soon, the entire country is against her, and she has to turn to unexpected allies for help. Sharp, unpredictable, and chock-full of suspense, this domestic thriller expertly toys with readers’ sympathies. Agent: Ronald Gerber, Lowenstein Assoc.

December 1, 2024
Dawn and Wyatt Decker appear to be the picture-perfect reality-TV couple. Wyatt is goofy and charismatic, while everywoman Dawn rolls her eyes lovingly and keeps his antics in check on their home-renovation series, which draws millions of faithful viewers. However, real life doesn't quite match what fans see on their screens every week. The Deckers struggle to conceive a child until Wyatt lands on a solution: an experimental fertility treatment with unforeseen side effects. Fast forward to the following year, when Dawn is thrilled to be the mother of adorable twins but is also becoming concerned about Wyatt's increasingly erratic and moody behavior. When she takes drastic measures to ensure the twins' safety, Dawn is soon the target of public vitriol as Wyatt uses his fame and affability to win their fans' favor. Switching back and forth between the couple's perspectives, this diverting thriller is full of twists and evokes Gone Girl by way of Chip and Joanna Gaines.

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