‘The Perfect Divorce’ Author Breaks Down That Twist Ending, ‘Perfect Marriage’ Movie Plans and What’s Coming for Sarah in Book 3

Caution: Spoiler Warning – My experience with Jeneva Rose’s books “The Perfect Marriage” and “The Perfect Divorce” includes some plot revelations that might spoil your reading enjoyment.

Once more, Sarah Morgan has managed to succeed: Jeneva Rose’s “The Perfect Divorce,” a follow-up to the 2017 publication “The Perfect Marriage,” has soared to the top of the New York Times best-seller list, claiming the No. 1 spot on both the hardcover and combined print/ebook charts, just days after its release on April 15.

Ever since the captivating tale of attorney Sarah Morgan unfolded in the first book, readers have been eagerly anticipating a sequel. The pandemic sparked an intense fascination with Sarah’s story within online book communities on Instagram and TikTok. However, the plot twist – Sarah being the murderer of her husband Adam’s mistress, Kelly Summers, and the one who framed him for the crime while also zealously defending him in court – left many wondering where the narrative could possibly head next. So, how would author Rose continue the story after such a shocking revelation?

Rose explained to EbMaster, “That aspect was what took me the most time to decipher. I knew everyone would suspect Sarah since all the readers of ‘The Perfect Marriage’ would be wondering, ‘What is she up to, and why is she doing it?’ They’d also expect her to succeed in the end. So, maintaining a balance between the different storylines was quite challenging.

10 years following “The Perfect Divorce,” Sarah and her partner Bob, who had been instrumental in a murder/frame-up scheme earlier, are seen raising their daughter Summer. The story now unfolds as Sarah encounters yet another unfaithful spouse; however, this one is aware of her manipulative tendencies.

As Sarah increases the number of people she involves, her chances of being caught escalate, which could negatively impact her daughter,” Rose explained. “Therefore, she was far more deliberate about her actions and their consequences. In dealing with Bob this time, she had to alter her tactics from those used in the initial story, since Bob is aware of her activities. Consequently, she couldn’t simply implicate Bob for murder again; instead, she needed a fresh approach to stay one move ahead of him.

Explore further details from EbMaster’s conversation with Rose regarding “The Ideal Divorce”, future ventures for “The Ideal Marriage” film, and her upcoming projects for the third book in the Sarah Morgan series.

“The Perfect Marriage” came out in 2017 and blew up on TikTok during the pandemic. At what point did you decide to write a sequel?

When I completed “The Perfect Marriage” in 2017, a sequel idea sparked within me, but I wasn’t certain if such a follow-up would be warranted. Sales were crucial for a publisher to back it, and while they picked up in 2022-2023, I waited until I had a solid continuation plan. The reopening of the Kelly Summers case seemed promising, but I needed to ensure there was enough substance for the characters’ stories to continue. Why were their tales unfolding?

To meet readers’ expectations for dramatic twists and revelations in “The Perfect Marriage,” I also wanted to make sure I had the surprises that would match the original work. This way, I could avoid the so-called sequel curse. Once I had these elements and felt confident about the quality of the book, I was ready to write it. I decided to pitch the idea to my publisher in early 2024/late 2023.

How did you decide to handle the POVs in this one after the big reveal at the end of “Marriage”? How you would approach Sarah, knowing readers would now be on the lookout for her as an unreliable narrator and a killer?

In this story, I aimed to delve beyond the alternating perspectives of the husband and wife. Included are Sheriff Hudson, who was Deputy Hudson in the previous book, as well as an unidentified narrator and Bob, the new husband. With Sarah, I intended to reveal a nuanced character. While she is a mother, her priorities primarily revolve around her daughter. In this narrative, I plan to uncover Sarah’s inner thoughts more deeply, yet not entirely, since she continues to compartmentalize her emotions. She believes she’s often making the wrong choices, albeit for what she considers the right reasons, which serves as her moral compass.

Do you feel like, had Bob never cheated on her, they would have just stayed together, and they’d still be together?

In simpler terms, I believe Sarah would’ve carried on if nothing had happened to upset her. As long as someone didn’t harm her, their actions – whether accidental, mistaken, or a one-time occurrence for her – could have been forgiven. However, once trust is shattered, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to repair. This is because Sarah has so much at risk that she can’t afford to put her faith in someone who has broken that trust.

How did Sarah decide not to also kill Stacy when trying to set up and take out Bob, compared to what she did in the first book with killing Kelly and framing Adam for her murder?

Initially, when it came to the first book, Bob felt strongly that he needed Stacy out because her garden plotted where his was, which led Sarah to accept the situation. However, Sarah knew Stacy was in the wrong. In the current scenario, Stacy’s pattern involves pursuing men, sleeping with them, extorting them, and ensuring they are aware of their marital status. Sarah, on the other hand, felt that she didn’t need more complications or casualties in her life. She believed that Bob was responsible for his own mistake and should take responsibility for it. Sarah also understood that it wasn’t Stacy’s fault to be unfaithful to a man who was already married; instead, it was the man’s obligation to remain faithful. Fortunately, no one else was interfering in their plans or seeking revenge against them.

With the new character of Alejandro, what you were trying to express there, especially given he is part of this program run by Sarah to reform formerly imprisoned people, but turns out not to be reformed at all and is instead tasked by Bob with watching — and then later attempting to kill Sarah?

Sarah realized early on that he was not an official part of the program, which was orchestrated by Bob. This is why she developed a fondness for him, as she suspected Bob’s intentions. Consequently, she states, “Bob never made a nomination at all.” Her intention in getting close to him was twofold: to uncover Bob’s plans and to decide whether to eliminate him or bring him over to her side. If he had been a genuine nominee for the program, she would have approached him with the expectation that he could adhere to the right principles and make progress under favorable circumstances. However, since this was not the case, she invited him to work on her back deck and dined with him at home, all in an attempt to keep him close.

When writing “The Perfect Marriage,” did you know that Kelly was not responsible for Bob’s brother’s murder, or is that something you started to work through when you were writing “Divorce”?

In “The Perfect Marriage,” I’ve always imagined Kelly as a character who, like her current predicament where she’s accused of abuse, was previously wrongly accused of a murder she didn’t commit. If I were in her shoes, experiencing the torment of losing my partner and being falsely blamed for their death, I would yearn for someone to understand my vulnerability.

This misconception, coupled with the grief of my loss, would have a profound impact on my mental state. It’s as if no one cared about my pain or believed in my innocence. This is how I’ve always visualized her – innocent but perceived as guilty, carrying a grief that no one acknowledged, a burden she couldn’t shake off.

The story doesn’t delve into her perspective, but this is the emotional journey I envision for her. She was forced to leave town due to this misunderstanding, and I can’t help but wonder what that would do to someone psychologically.

Speaking of Kelly’s ex Scott, based on where you leave off at the end of “The Perfect Divorce,” what can you tease about what’s going on with him, and if anyone’s gonna catch up to him in a future book?

I’m considering adding a third book to complete this series as a trilogy. Similar to “The Perfect Marriage,” there are unresolved aspects, and here too, there are some lingering questions. For instance, if Stacy manages to escape from the basement and had been near Sarah, would she recognize Sarah’s voice again during her TV interviews, given that Sarah imitated it earlier? Additionally, when Scott discovers that the person who murdered Kelly is still alive, how will this revelation affect the storyline in the third book? There are several loose ends that I believe could be revisited and resolved in the final installment.

What do you call a third book, after “The Perfect Marriage” and “The Perfect Divorce”?

I haven’t considered it fully yet. Is there such a thing as ‘The Perfect Engagement,’ where she gets engaged but never marries, perhaps not even to Alejandro? It’s an interesting thought, I’ll need to ponder on that!

A film adaptation of “The Perfect Marriage” has been in development since October 2022 with director Sigal Avin, screenwriter William Broyles and producer Patrick Wachsberger. What is the current status of “The Perfect Marriage” movie and have the rights for the sequel been optioned for a film as well?

As a passionate cinephile, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the upcoming film titled “The Perfect Marriage.” A director and screenwriter have been assigned to this project, and originally, I was supposed to receive the script in March. However, we are now in April, and I haven’t had a chance to lay my eyes on it yet. Therefore, it appears that the script is still pending. If, by some fortunate twist of fate, the production company that acquired the rights decides to bring “The Perfect Marriage” to life as a film, then from my perspective, they would secure the sequel rights as well.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

2025-04-29 17:18