This book was just great. It was a page-turner, particularly with the choice to have six different individuals narrate their own stories. Marrs does a great job of giving the characters their own voices - despite the large cast of characters, I had no trouble keeping them apart. There's romance. There's a lot of moral and philosophical questions. (What is love, exactly? How does someone show love? Do we accept the person we love, major - even criminal - flaws and all?) There is a lot of suspense and plot twists that seem to come out of nowhere.

I had originally given this 4 stars when I read it (a month before I reviewed it), but I can't remember why I didn't go for 5 so I'm just turning that right around and going for 5, because thinking back on it, it was just so good. It's so rare to find such an original story that can be simultaneously engaging as mind candy and brain food. Bravo.

I liked the concept but did not like the story or the characters. This was a did not finish.

The One
by John Marrs published by Harlequin (US & Canada) Hanover Square Press has to be one of my favorite books that I have read by an author new to me this year. It was one that I couldn’t put down even though I am so late on writing this review. I am thankful to Netgalley and all parties involved for receiving this arc. The review below is my honest opinion. Living in 2018 many of us know that there are more dating sites then we know what to do with. Yet we all try to find that perfect match. This book uniquely explores the concept of love that is matched by your DNA. What could go wrong right???? Here is the catch, your DNA match could live on the other side of the world, or be decades older than you, or already married, or even the same gender as you. It may not matter, you are made for each other.
Now what hooked me… The original writing the short chapters and fast paced story line. Every character has its own personality and you connect with each one even the strange ones and there are a couple of them I promise. I think that everyone is interested in finding “The One” and being perfectly suited that they sometimes get lost in the bigger picture. If you like Psychological Thrillers this is “The One” for you.

At-home DNA test kits seem to be all the rage now - I admit to being tempted by them myself (and will buy one if the cost drops about half). For the most part, the results reveal ethnic background and/or health risks based on heredity. But if you could take a DNA test that would put you together with "the one" - your absolute soul mate with whom you have a forever-and-ever love bond - would you sign up? At my age, and nearly 56 years of marriage to the same guy, I daresay there isn't much point. But what If you're single, or already have found the person you believe to be your one and only? And more to the point, what would you do if you learn that your predestined mate isn't the one you're with?

Ah, the plot starts out thick, and trust me, it thickens from that point on. Readers are introduced to five people from different walks of life who accepted the challenge, available from a wildly successful company that researched and developed the process. Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick and Ellie- all have been notified that a "Match" has been found. And - for better or worse - each has paid for the opportunity to connect with that perfect person.

Chapters show the progress of each of the five matches from beginning to end as well as what's happening around them. Nick, for instance, is happily engaged to Sally. Ellie lives the life of a self-made and wildly successful, but lonely, entrepreneur; Christopher has a secret life that he's not eager to share with anyone else - until, perhaps, he meets his "match."

And so it goes, with each chapter revealing more details and adding complexity (and sometimes nail-biting action) to each person's story - and yes, there are some big surprises along the way. Once I reached the halfway point, quite honestly, I didn't want to put the book down. Yes, I suppose some of the outcomes stretch believability boundaries a bit, but on the other hand, when I really think about it, as comedian Judy Tenuta says, it could happen.

Perhaps more than anything, though, this is an insightful look into human behavior - a realization that what we do in one situation can impact, often irrevocably, what happens in another. Whether intentional or not, the book also touches on the moral and ethical ramifications of DNA testing, particularly as it becomes more detailed - and more readily available. Is there really such a thing as too much information?

In the end, it's a "Wow!" from me. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love when stories start out in one direction and veer suddenly in the opposite direction to take you on a wild ride. The One by John Marrs does just that with its story of five different people who decide to be matched to their one true love. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the floor drops and the story really begins.

The characters drive the story and make it truly special. Coming from all walks of life, their reasons for choosing to be matched is as diverse as they are. As you learn more about the five of them and follow along with the upheaval to their lives being matched causes, they become something more than flat characters. They become the kind of friend you want to see happy in whatever guise that comes. You hope they get their “happily ever after” because that is what we are taught to consider the epitome of success. With that friendship though comes emotional tension as each relationship deepens and matures into something special, and you worry that the happily ever after was all a bit too easy.

The One plays with the idea that being in a committed relationship is necessary for happiness. The assumption that nature trumps nurture when it comes to long-lasting relationships runs counter to everything sociologists understand about forming relationships. Yes, there is something biological about compatibility but there is an element of shared belief systems and ideas and experiences that only come through experience, i.e. nurture. Moreover, being matched ignores the dating rituals that allow individuals to learn more about each other and determine compatibility. It reduces partnering with someone down to a cheek swab. While not totally clinical, romance loses something by this process, no matter how romantic a couple is after they meet. The premise though is absolutely fascinating, and Mr. Marrs explores every avenue of such a life-changing discovery throughout the novel.

To say more about The One would be to give away everything which makes it an outstanding story. It is best if you go into it as blind as possible with no real expectations or understanding of the story. Mr. Marrs does a fabulous job building his world and developing his characters. Let the story sweep you away and force you to question your own ideal relationship or what would happen were you to find out your perfect match is not someone with whom you are currently partnered. Fall in love with the characters and their stories, and ride the roller coaster of romance with them. You will enjoy the story that much more.

Although this book was a little over the top—I loved it! I loved each couples story, I loved the unique premise and I was hooked the entire time. Loved every time I opened this book!

How do you know they are The One? The one that makes your heart flutter and your knees weak. That’s the question answered in John Marrs’ book called The One.

A new DNA discovery can match you to your soulmate, for a small price of $9.95. The story follows five people as they receive emails telling they’ve matched with the love of their life. There’s the rich tech CEO, the about-to-be-married straight man who matches with another man, the woman who matches with a man across the world, the serial killer, and the young discovered woman who desperately wants a baby. Of course, it’s never easy for any of them.

The One has been described as “a word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom” and just released in the US now. It’s pitched as a sci-fi, which makes sense because of the DNA science, but it reads much like a romance. At first a soppy romance, especially with Jade and her boy-crazy, ditzy friends. *sigh*

Some serious questions are raised in the story. If you’re in a happy relationship, should you test to find your match? What happens if you don’t match? Keeping this spoiler-free, the story tells reports of divorces, and devastation following. It also has those amazing romances that make you weak at the knees; that “now” we know is genetics, not kismet. What if it’s genetically-fated love that’s not meant to be. Tiny spoiler, Mandy’s first physical encounter with her match is at his memorial service.

The One raises the ethical questions, and even though there’s resolution, I don’t think they are answered. Obviously, it doesn’t impact the story because I’m only just noticing it now. Weirdly there were things that irritated me at the time (this book will date rather quickly from the brands and name-dropping, not the science), but weren’t top of mine while writing this. Another was that it’s confusing to follow the different characters.

Amusingly, Penguin (the UK publisher) has created a “Who will You Match With?” quiz. Woohoo, I got the sane one. Who also matched with a man. Oh, and that’s not a spoiler. This book isn’t sophisticated. From the moment you meet Nick you know he’ll Match with a guy. His life was too perfect. And they are cute together.

I went from “sheesh, why did I request a romance” to “I have 15 minutes; let’s read more” about half-way in. It’s an excellent premise, and, I think, original. Let’s give The One a 3.5 out of five.

Couples use the "Match Your DNA" service to find their one and only soulmate.

First released in The United Kingdom, The One follows six couples as they use the "Match Your DNA" service to determine their soulmate. The science has been in place for 10 years and has changed countless lives, so what could go wrong?

"How far would you go to find The One?"

The premise was so intriguing and unique that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough... yet I didn't want it to end either! There were more twists and turns in this story than any other book I've read, making The One one of my top 3 favorite thrillers EVER, joining the ranks of The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle and The Vanishing Year by Kate Moretti! I will be recommending this one to everyone who loves a great dark and twisty, yet thought-provoking, read. Can't wait to get my hands on more from this author!

* Mandy & Richard
* Amy (police officer) & Christopher
* Jade & Kevin
* Sally & Nick
* Sumaira & Deepak
* Ellie (scientist who found the gene) & Timothy

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

Spoiler Free!

This is the story of five couples who have been matched through their DNA as being soul mates. Everyone in the world has one perfect match and a simple cheek swab can tell you who you are meant to be with. You have no idea who you will be matched with, man, woman, gay, straight, a lot older, a lot younger, serial killer. That last one's a kicker! The concept was so clever and unique and makes for great storytelling. I don't love the idea of soul mates or "one true love." I like to think that we all have multiple people who will be right for us at different times of our lives. Not that I wouldn't be tempted to take the test if it was available!

The chapters were super short and each ended on a cliff hanger which kept me reading at a frantic pace. It was a bit confusing at first as we met each main character and all the people around them too. As we only get one chapter then the view shifts to another it was hard to keep track of who was who but each of the main characters and their stories were so different though that it quickly became clear and not confusing.

Each of the couples has an unusual and dramatic match story. After all it wouldn't be very interesting to read about the happily ever after couples! The Five main characters are Mandy, Christopher, Ellie, Jade and Nick. Mandy was a bit of a child and definitely a hot mess. She's a slightly humourous and slightly tragic figure and I kept picturing her as played by Mindy Kaling. Christopher who was a psychopath serial killer and meets in match in more ways than one. Ellie the wealthy CEO with a secret. Jade whose match is on the other side of the world from her and neither can afford the trip to get together. Nick was the most interesting to me. I found him the most sympathetic character and really wanted a happy ending for him.

A lot of the drama was completely unbelievable and over the top, but it sure was entertaining! The story itself doesn’t do happy endings so much but it was satisfying. There is a major twist at the end for all the characters and we just get a short glimpse at how they deal with it. I would have liked a touch more than just a glimpse but I’m fairly pleased by the ending.

Thank you to Harlequin/ Hanover Square Publishing for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

This book will really get you thinking! I'm always intrigued by genetics and this book shines a light, albeit fictional, on the whole new world that DNA databases are opening. People are interested in their ancestry and their dispositions toward health risks but there are some aspects to this industry that are currently being overlooked. But, I digress...which is what my mind kept doing as I was reading this--in a good way! In John Marrs' The One you can find your true soul mate, the one other person in the world that matches with you. So what happens if you are already married to someone else, or your mate is decades older than you, or a myriad of other situations? Would you leave your spouse for the chance at a life with your one true love? This book follows a handful of people who have been matched and some crazy stuff happens. I really liked the Christopher and Ellie storylines, but the storylines were all so complex and fascinating. I'm definitely recommending this to anyone who loves reading about the dark and misunderstood aspects of human nature and in a strange, twisted way--love.

The One by John Marrs is a recommended mix of a romance and a thriller.

Match Your DNA, a dating service, has developed a DNA test that promises participants it will find The One - your perfect match, the one partner for you, the one you are genetically made for, your soul mate. Since it began ten years ago, millions of people across the world have submitted their DNA and let the computer program find their perfect match. Of course, this has also resulted in the breakup of marriages and families. It has also changed the whole concept of finding your perfect partner. Since the test finds your perfect match, with a reported 99.9% accuracy, the whole concept of dating, romance, and love has changed.

Five different people in this story have received the notification that they’ve been "Matched" and they are meeting their genetic soul mates. These five people are Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick, and Ellie. The novel then consists of short, fast-paced chapters sequentially jumping from one characters story to the next... and repeat. Each chapter frequently ends with a cliff-hanger. What it felt like was a soap opera. We have the over-arching theme that they have all submitted their DNA to find The One and have been matched. Then we follow their ongoing individual stories. Each story has its own drama and propagates related questions based on the match and the choices the individuals make.

The stories of each individual and their match are interesting, but not as interesting as the original concept and not exactly grist for a thriller. Quite frankly, many of the individual stories shambled along and were basically predictable. There were few surprises. None of the couple's stories intersect, so readers can jump ahead freely. There are a few intriguing questions, such as does a DNA match with your soul mate really mean your match is the only one for you? Is there truly no free will or personal choices in the matter. And what about having two heterosexual man matched with each other?

The writing is good. It is a quick read. The stories all start out with various degrees of strength, and then dawdle along for the most part. I appreciated how most of the stories were concluded. The plots in the individual stories were all bit too melodramatic/soap operish for me. I was also never convinced that a DNA test (no real scientific explanation is given) could predict a soul mate. So many people liked this novel more than me I'm thinking the difference is the romance novel part. I don't read them, so I was hoping for more science fiction.
Those of you who like science fiction may want to by-pass this one since the science is incidental while the match-making melodrama is in the forefront. 2.5 rounded up

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Hanover Square Press.
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Thanks so much to NetGalley, Harlequin, and John Marrs for the opportunity to read and review this book - 4.5 stars for this addicting read!

Match Your DNA discovered that there is one gene that we share with only one other person in the world - our perfect match. When you meet that person, you are literally drawn to them with fireworks exploding for both. This book follows 5 people who were matched and meet their soul mate - with mixed endings.

The best part of this book was the way it was written. There were short chapters alternating between these 5 characters - each chapter ended with a mini-cliff hanger so you were desperate to keep reading to find out what happens.

While at times you must suspend belief and there is more than its fair share of gore, this was an intense, hard to put down book. Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller/sci-fi story. It started out one way and then twisted and turned into something I was not expecting, but really enjoyed reading. Five different perspectives about dating in the future with your genetic match quickly turned dark, but was compulsively readable. The ending made me wish for a sequel but is probably unlikely.

When I read the plot for The One, I was intrigued. A future where you can find your perfect match through your DNA. That made my interest grow even more. Then I started reading the book. For the most part, I enjoyed reading the book. But there were some little things that grated on my nerves while reading.

The plotline for The One was very original. Being able to find your perfect match through your DNA? What a way to find your soul mate. The One looks at 5 different people and how finding their soul mates affected their life. But, more importantly, The One shows the dark side of this discovery. It also raises the question: Can love truly be in our DNA or is it pure luck.

The characters of The One are Mandy, Christopher, Nick, Jade, and Ellie. Mandy is a divorce who is trying to get her life back together. When she goes to meet her match, she is in for a very unpleasant surprise. A surprise that rocks her world. Christopher is a serial killer who is blindsided by his match. Nick is engaged to the love of his life when his Match throws him off-kilter. Jade has a long distance relationship with her Match. She decides to throw caution to the wind and travel to Australia to meet him. What she finds when she arrives shocks her to the core. Finally, there is Ellie. Ellie is the scientist who found the gene that started the whole Match business. Ellie has finally found her Match but little things start to bother her about him. Things that don’t make sense. When Ellie finds out who her Match is and what he wants, he could ruin her.

What I liked the most about The One was that it made me think. It made me think “what if someone discovered something like this“. What would happen? Would people accept it and use a DNA test to find their true love? Or would they denounce it? Would the social ramifications be as stated in the book: high divorce rate? Protests? Broken hearts? Like I said, it made me think.

The multiple characters didn’t do it for me. I felt that there were too many characters for me to remember. If the author had done 2 characters, I would have been fine. But 5. Too much. On the flip side, though, I thought that the author did a great job of fleshing out the characters. He made them relatable. He also made their situations relatable.

While I liked the plotlines and found them engaging, I did find it rushed in spots. I felt that the author got sick of writing about a character and wanted to end that characters scene before starting on the next one.

Each character got their own ending at the end of the book and not all were happy. Ellie’s was the last one featured. It was also the one with the most punch. Not going to say what happened but I was kind of expecting it. I wasn’t surprised at what went down.

I would recommend The One to anyone over the age of 21. There is a serial killer storyline that gets into somewhat graphic detail. Also, there is violence and language used. There are also sexual situations detailed but no outright sex. I would recommend The One to family and friends.

I would like to thank Harlequin, Hanover Square and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The One.

All opinions stated in The One are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

The One centers around multiple character's lives in a society where people are finding their soul mates through genetic DNA matching. The revolutionary science behind finding one's Match has resulted in countless marriages being torn apart, but is also responsible for countless passionate-beyond-explanation successful relationships. In a very Black Mirror style, John Marrs takes this concept as the basic ground working for 5 different characters, each with their own unique story of finding their Match, each with their own uniquely twisty surprises. Here is a quick synopsis of each of the characters' stories. There are only a couple twisty things that I consider to be very, verrryy minor spoilers.. but nothing that occurs past the first 10% of the novel, so these are all 'teaser previews' of each of their stories.

- - - Jade - - -
Jade lives on the other side of the world from her Match, Kevin, but that has not stopped them from engaging in a meaningful, passionate relationship. They text constantly and frequently talk on the phone. It's obvious that they have a deep connection and she considers herself very much in love with him. On a rebelliously impulsive decision, Jade hops on a plane to finally meet him and live out the fairytale they have always imagined. But when she arrives at his farm and drops the surprising news, Kevin breaks her heart by telling her that she should not have come. Has Jade fallen into a stereotypical 'catfishing' ploy--Or is this something even more twisted?

Jade's story has some heartbreak, but it will not be in the way that you expect. I admire her as a person and was very satisfied with her ending.

- - - Ellie - - - 
Ellie is a woman of wealth and power-- a CEO of a controversial, yet highly successful company. Many, many years have passed since she initially applied to be Matched, but the time has finally come for her. After her investigative team completes some background-digging for her, she decides to contact her match, Timothy. These two quickly hit it off, but both have some hidden cards up their sleeve that could throw this relationship for a loop.

Ellie's story was one of my least favorite in the beginning (but still very entertaining), but picks up toward the end and blindsides you. This girl is a powerhouse.

- - - Christopher - - - 
I'm a sucker for a quirky psychopath, so I tended to favor Christopher's story. Right as you are introduced to Christopher, you learn that he has recently been Matched and is curious to find out more about this woman. You then also learn (in the same short chapter), that he is a serial killer. Can a psychopath genuinely fall in love with another person and engage in an altruistic relationship? Christopher also has to learn how to balance his love life with his time consuming hobby.

I loved Christopher's character and it's always interesting when the main character is serial killer because you find yourself empathizing with someone that has committed heinous crimes. The conclusion of his story is so bitter sweet, yet so satisfying and thought-provoking..

- - - Mandy - - -
After multiple lost pregnancies and a failing marriage, Mandy lost her husband to his Match, who he secretly contacted and fell in love with. When she discovers that she too has been Matched with the person she is destined to be with, she does some classic internet stalking and then sets out to visit his home town in order to attend his... memorial service?!? I could almost hear Alanis Morrisette's "Ironic" playing in the background. While it may seem like that would be the obvious end to her story with her Match, Mandy still has quite a few surprises that are coming her way.

I really enjoyed Mandy's journey. While there were many areas that were highly predictable, it was a very unique story line and I was still surprised by a few twists.

- - - Nick - - -
Nick and his fiance Sally are in love and perfectly content, until she decides (thanks to some classic peer pressure) for both of them to complete the DNA matching test to see if they are indeed a Match. She hopes that this will provide further confirmation and assurance to them before they make the giant leap into marriage. While Sally's results come back with no match at all, Nick has the ultimate shock when he discovers that he has been matched to a man named Alexander. Standing firm in his knowledge that he has never been attracted to a man before and that he is in love with Sally, Nick shrugs the results off and chalks them up to a technical mistake. But when Sally insists that he take this a step further and meet his Match, Nick ventures out into this uncharted territory to find out if anything is truly there between him and this unknown man.

Nick was also a favorite for me. I loved his character and the unique things that he experienced. 



I highly recommend this read. I enjoyed every single character's story and I could not stop reading. This would have been a fantastic choice for a buddy read, because I constantly just wanted to TALK to someone about the constant twists and turns of this novel. Marrs drops a mini-bomb at the end of almost every chapter, right before he switches to another character's story line, making for a fast-paced, can't-put-down read. I went through so many emotions in the conclusion(s) of this novel... I had my heart broken, I was enraged, I shook my head and smiled with satisfaction, I fist pumped the air with an audible 'yes!', and, simply put, I became a huge fan of John Marrs



Thank you to Harlequin/Hanover Square Press, John Marrs, and NetGalley for providing me with a DRC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my judgement in any way and all opinions expressed in this review are my own. Thank you for the opportunity!

If there was a simple test that would match you with your perfect life mate, would you take it? It's guaranteed to be foolproof: swab your cheek, dance cheek to cheek at your wedding, and live happily ever after. Someone is using the promise of everlasting love to his advantage, and making ever after artificially brief. Creative plot and well-paced.

Have you ever bought a book or requested it, then forgot all about it or postponed reading it and when you finally did pick it up, the story blew you away because it was that amazing and the only thing you're asking yourself is why you haven't picked it up earlier? Yeah? That's how I feel about The One.

I know it's only February but it's safe to say that this novel is going to be one of my favorite reads of 2018. I can't remember a book that has drawn me into the story so much and so early on. After reading chapter 2 I already thought "What the heck is going on here?!" I tried to read as much as I could during the day and I'm pretty sure I would have finished earlier but life got in the way.
John Marrs has surpassed himself by writing this brilliant book. This is a thriller after my liking because the story is unique, exciting and totally insane - I loved it!

The story follows five different people after they have been matched: Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick, and Ellie. Those five are totally random and have nothing to do with the other: they come from different backgrounds, have different jobs and are of different age.
I can't say that I liked one character story more than the other because they were all intriguing in their own way and I couldn't wait to learn more about each one of them. I really enjoyed the cliffhangers after most of the chapters. It made me want to continue reading even more.
Although I liked all the characters' stories, Christopher's was probably the most fascinating. There was something about him that was exciting but also so terrifying. How someone can come up with a character like this is beyond me. Genius!

The Match Your DNA storyline John Marrs came up with was great. Obviously, Match Your DNA is fictitious but I can't help thinking what if scientists were able to invent Match Your DNA for real? I know this thought is far-fetched but science is continually progressing. Over the years they were able to stop diseases so why wouldn't they be able to invent something like this? And if they were to invent it, would it be just like in the book or would it be completely different?

I don't think that a book has ever made me gasp so much or say "No way" out loud as often as The One did. All those small little plot twists within the story were genius and well planted. When it comes to thrillers like this, I always wonder how authors come up with such storylines. It's insane!
John Marrs created a first-class page-turning thriller I couldn't get enough of. If I could, I would give this book all the stars in the world, but unfortunately, there are only five to give. I totally recommend this story to all of you readers.

This is an extraordinary book with a very unique premise. It had plenty of twists and turns and it was hard for me to put it down. The characters had depth and were fascinating. I hated to see it end. The story discusses the ups and downs of taking a DNA test and being matched with your soul-mate. You would assume that this would be an ideal situation but the author cleverly pulls the readers into the pit-falls of the results of this matching process. Loved this book and highly recommend it.

The One shows us a different reality, where people find their soulmate thanks to their DNA. Easy, right? No need to stay alone if you don’t want to, only, things don’t work out exactly as planned.

The One is the first book I've read by John Marrs, but it will not be the last. The beginning of The One is a little slow as the reader becomes invested in the many characters involved, but it is well worth hanging in there. The One brings a new concept to computer dating that doesn't seem that far fetched in these times. I was given an early copy to review.