I was drawn to read The Arrangement by Robyn Harding because I thought the story was something different... not something I would pick up and read everyday. The cover was enticing, and the thought of some poor college student becoming a Sugar Baby who gets in over her head was also intriguing. Who hasn't made a joke about needing a Sugar Daddy to help ends meet? Now we as the readers, get to live vicariously through Nat... a broke art student who is really struggling to make her way in New York City.

Her friend hooks her up to a website that is like many of the dating apps out there, but this is specifically for Sugar Daddy's. Soon, Nat gets messages and responses and her excitement with the job leads her to meet Gabe, the Sugar Daddy of her dreams.

Let me make it clear that I was not disappointed in reading The Arrangement!!! Robyn Harding has mastered the skill of combining pace and an adventurous, dramatic plot with characters that are easy to relate to and more importantly, realistic. We have all met people who we have a really time liking at times. There are many characters like that in this novel that dives deep into the taboo relationship between an older man and a much younger woman. The ending between Gabe and Nat is dramatic and explosive, with a lot left unresolved for awhile as the plot continues on its twisty tale of love, obsession and revenge.

When someone dies in the book, things get more complicated and twisted. (HA! I am not telling, so don't even ask me who it was!) I encourage you to pick this book up, it is one of my favorites this year and for some reason, it sticks with me. Maybe the characters, maybe the plot twists, or maybe it is the unique Sugar Daddy spin.. I am eager to read your comments to determine what you think after reading The Arrangement.

Thank you to Robyn Harding, NetGalley, and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for this advanced reader copy for me to read and review. As always, my honest opinions are my own!

I found The Arrangement really addicting. I ignored so many real life things so I wouldn’t have to put this book down and I have no regrets.

What I liked

-The author mentions in her acknowledgments that to research the topic, she signed up on an actual sugar daddy/sugar baby website and met with a couple of girls to find out more about them and this world they live in. I think this authenticity came through in the book. Harding does a good job of relaying how these young women justify what they do – or why they shouldn’t have to -, as well as how damaging and dangerous it can be. Before I go on and start to sound judgey, let me say that while I don’t agree with what they’re doing, I don’t think they’re the ones that should be blamed in these circumstances. They are not the ones with families and wives they are cheating on.

-Another thing that Harding did well was get into the psyche of the type of man that acts as a “sugar daddy.” Gabe justifies his actions in a multitude of ways, but all of them are dickish. His wife had cancer and isn’t up to meeting his needs anymore. She used to be attractive, but now has grown older and doesn’t want to get plastic surgery. His daughter doesn’t appreciate him anymore. Blah, blah, blah. He is narcissistic and selfish and, I’ll just say it, gross.

-The writing was pretty addictive. It was pretty well paced and the tension just kept increasing as Nat and Gabe’s relationship became more and more unstable and volatile.

What Didn’t Work for Me

-You know how sometimes people have certain words that just make them cringe when they hear it? That’s how I felt every time a sugar daddy was just referred to as “a daddy.” I also don’t love the term “sugar baby.” Those terms are used a lot throughout the story and I cringed every time. However, I did find some other terms interesting – such as a “splenda daddy”, who is someone who pretends to have the funds to be a sugar daddy. Not so fun fact, that term describes my father (see earlier paragraph about narcissistic, selfish, and gross men…).

-I felt really let down by the ending. There’s a bit of a twist and it was exactly what I predicted it would be. Maybe people that don’t read a lot of this genre will find it really surprising, but it felt cliched and done to me.

Overall

Overall, I enjoyed The Arrangement. The writing was addictive and Harding did a good job of creating a tense atmosphere. Even though I was a little disappointed with how it ended, I’m going to give it 4 stars because I thought everything else was well done.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

Wow! This was one of the top books I have read so far this year. I wanted to get my hands on this book as soon as I saw the cover and read the description and it did not disappoint. Natalie is a young college student who is short on cash and struggling to figure out how she is going to make ends meet. She learns about a sugar daddy/sugar baby website where she meets Gabe and what was supposed to be just one date ends up turning into something much more twisted. Readers who enjoy fast paced reads with obsession, murder, 'taboo' relationships, and multiple twists will want to grab this one! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this one!

Natalie is living paycheck to paycheck at her waitressing job in NYC while attending art school. When one of her friends tells her about this website to find a sugar daddy, Nat is unsure, until she loses her job and decides to try it once just so she can pay her bills. Her first go at the website introduces her to Gabe. What Nat and Gabe have is so much more than a sugar daddy, sugar baby relationship though, they are in love. Out of nowhere, Gabe ends it and in her drunken haze, Nat decides she needs revenge.

This book was great. Part of me wanted to smack Nat a few times for being so unbelievably naive, but it was easy to see how she got pulled into this crazy scenario. Gabe was the typical Wall Street cheating husband, who ended up actually having feelings for his side piece. Overall I really enjoyed this book and finding out why really happened!

Well, this did not turn out how I thought it would! I thought it would be more like Pretty Woman, but it was definitely much more twisted. Other than Oleg, I pretty much hated every character (note: this is not a bad thing!!) and their motives, actions, and personalities. What a bunch of crazies!! 😂

I enjoyed that this book started with something so relatable (a student failing to make enough money to survive) and then taking it about 10 steps above what most people would do to fix the situation.

Great read!

The Arrangement delved into the taboo and secret world of relationships between rich men and pretty young women. As bills mount and eviction threats are thrown from her roommates, Natalie covets the lifestyle of her fellow student Ava. As she puts her toes into the sugar daddy/sugar baby world, she finds her self enthralled with Gabe. As their relationship progresses, she finds her self going to new lengths to secure her spot in his life; with devastating affects. Robyn Harding did a great job researching, building characters, showing how far one act can spiderweb and threw in a book ending twist that will leave you stunned!

Natalie is an art student trying to make ends meet on a slim budget when she has the opportunity to become a “sugar baby.” Gabe is powerful, wealthy and handsome, seemingly the perfect sugar daddy. When Natalie’s feelings for him go beyond their professional relationship, she is caught up in a web of deceit, obsession and murder.

The premise of this is unique and appealing, fraught with tension throughout. Robyn Harding is excellent at creating multilayered and multiflawed characters. Even though I did not agree with most of Natalie’s decisions, I found myself sympathetic to her predicament. The ending was exciting, although I did foresee the twist. 4 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Gallery/Scout Press and Robyn Harding for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This novel felt very one-dimensional to me. All of the characters lacked meaningful depth that would have helped me feel their emotions. Much of the action felt forced to move the narrative along...the story was either bogged down in replaying endless thoughts and memories or jumping to a conclusion that wasn't adequately supported by the plot. However, the author does develop a good sense of place in creating the crowded, impersonal lifestyle of New York City.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scout/Simon & Schuster for the ARC to read and review.

They agreed -- no strings attached. So how did "The Arrangement" end in murder?

Natalie Murphy leaves her stifling hometown of Blaine, Washington, for the glamorous life as a student attending the Manhattan School of Visual Arts. She's talented and naive but broke -- with annoying roommates who are just about ready to kick her out of the shared apartment. Then she gets to know a fellow student, Ava, who is living in a penthouse in Chelsea and who has lots of nice things. What she learns -- Ava is a "Sugar Baby" and goes on "dates" with rich men. That's how she gets her money. It's not long before Natalie sets up her profile and agrees to her first "meeting" with a prospective "Daddy." Of course she doesn't intend to have sex with one of those decrepit, gross old men. There are rules! But then she meets Gabe Turnmill and everything changes. Natalie is loving her new lifestyle even if she sometimes feels that she is little better than a prostitute. After all, Gabe really cares about her and they are developing a "relationship." What Natalie doesn't know is that Gabe is very married and intends to stay that way. When he tries to break it off, Natalie's fuse is blown and things spiral completely out of control. NO SPOILERS.

This was a very compelling book that kept me glued to the pages as I rapidly raced to the end without leaving my chair. The writing is good, the story is chilling and the tension immense as the reader anticipates the very bad thing that is probably going to happen. Along the way, I found myself almost yelling at Natalie to "GET REAL" and had to remind myself she's barely 20 something and remembering what girls of that age are like -- otherwise I would have found some of the events a bit more implausible and unrealistic. Not knowing anything myself about the world of paid escorts, I could see how a young innocent could be drawn in through their own ignorance and naïveté. I very much enjoyed the book though I'm not sure I was all that pleased with the last couple of chapters and the resolution after all. Regardless, I will be recommending this intense suspense novel with all of its angst and drama. It's a sordid, sorry tale with a warning.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This story is about Natalie, a 21 year old student and part-time waitress. She is from Washington state, living and going to a prestigious art school in NYC. She is barely making ends meet financially, when a fellow student introduces her to the lucrative life of a sugar baby/sugar daddy arrangement. The story becomes complicated with twists and turns. It is a page turner and a quick read, with a satisfying ending. I appreciated that the author was very sympathetic to Natalie and her chosen (of necessity) lifestyle. Thank you to the author and publisher and I will definitely read more from Ms. Harding. Recommended!

I was fascinated to read about the hidden world of older, rich, powerful men and the beautiful younger women that date them. I learned about sugar daddies, sugar babies, and descriptions like Splenda daddy, salt daddy, and DDLG. WOW! Robyn Harding did extensive research into writing this book, and it's impressive.

Nat and Gabe are vile, disgusting, and the perfect combination of messed up.

The sugar daddy - sugar baby relationship is ALL KINDS OF WRONG... and I couldn't stop reading. I devoured this book in 2 nights. The writing is captivating and engaging. Robyn Harding does an excellent job of creating characters that mesmerize readers. I couldn't put this book down until I fished it.

It's no surprise that someone dies in this book, but we don't know who-when-how-why almost until the end. The plot focuses mostly on character development rather than a murder, and I really like the approach.

This book is about desperation, money, survival, betrayal, stalking, lies, and revenge. It's laced with sarcastic humor and it's a fast-paced read that I quickly binged. The ending is very good. It wrapped up everything in a pretty, neat bow and left me satisfied.

4 Stars for The Arrangement by Robyn Harding. Thank you Netgalley for the Advance Reader Copy! I could definitely tell what the arrangement was going to end up being and the result of said arrangement with Natalie. I still really enjoyed reading the book and the story that unfolded. Definitely worth reading!

OH MY FREAKING WORD!

The Arrangement by Robyn Harding was a twisted suspenseful and unlike anything I have ever read. The characters were absolutely insane, I'm talking narcissistic, sociopathic and obsessive.

Natalie, let me just say that I have no idea how I actually feel for her. She started out so innocent and sweet and really had a moral dilemma with being a sugar baby and was constantly warring with herself trying because she thought she was a prostitute.

That was until she fell in love and became obsessed with her 'sugar daddy'. What's so fascinating to me is that she had an ex boyfriend that was obsessive to the point of stalking her and she feared for her life, but she turned around and acted the exact same way to her lover.

There are just SOO many things I want tell you about this book but I really don't want to ruin any of the twists and turns, just know that The Arrangement is a book filled with insane characters making crazy choices that you and I would probably never make.

Once the truth of what happened is revealed you are just going to be blown away! The Arrangement is a thriller that is intense and twisty and utterly shocking and I can't recommend it enough to you!

Thank you Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books/Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for the ARC. I had a hard time keeping invested with this book. The premise is wonderful - SugarDaddy/SugarBaby relationship gone wrong. There were good parts that had me reading fast and other times that I was thinking "really"..... I couldn't invest in them completely. Gabe was extremely narcissistic and Nat... pls!!! woe is me.

Anyways, this book has gotten a lot of really good reviews and hopefully when you are reading it, you become engrossed in it. For me, it just didn't happen.

In this story, we follow Natalie. An art student who is scraping to survive NYC on her own. She has issues with her family and some drama back home in Washington state that she is determined to leave behind. After finding out that one of her classmates is a 'sugar baby' for rich, successful men around town, Nat decides to take the plunge in the Sugar Bowl. None of the characters are very likable, but I feel that made for an even better story. Some great twists at the end!

Nat is an art student that had just moved from a small town to New York City. She's enrolled in college, and she's having a hard time paying her bills. Her job at the bar isn't enough to cover her rent . Nat becomes friends with Ava. Nat had always assumed Ava was from a wealthy family, however when Ava finally lets Nat in on how she is living the high life, Nat is shocked.she can't believe Ava would be a sugar baby, and she lets Ava know that is something she could ever do. Ava tells her if she ever changes her mind, she'll help her set up her profile and guide her into the sugar bowl.

It comes as no surprise that with her current financial situation, Nat reconsider her friend's offer. Before she knows it, she's thrown into the sugar bowl which is an online "meet" market.that pairs young woman with wealthy older men who are happy to pay for a little companionship.

Nat is delighted when her first met and greet Gabe, a corporate finance attorney contacts her again soon after for a second date. Within a few weeks they enter into an arrangement. Nat is finally able to put her financial troubles behind her and goes on to enjoy the benefits of being a sugar baby. She finds herself eating at expensive restaurants, wearing designer clothes, and living the glamorous life. However, instead of seeing this as a business arrangement, she develops feelings for Gabe. He has no intention of leaving his family, and when he ends it with Nat that when things start to get out of control. Nat starts drinking too much, begins to threaten Gabe, and starts making plans to get even with Gabe. And then someone gets murdered. But who will be the victor in this cat and mouse game?

I across this book while I was browsing on Net Galley, and I was thrilled to be approved for this. Robyn Harding has done an excellent job of portraying the dark side of sugar bowl dating, and if you ever wondered what draws these men and young women into this eccentric way of dating them I recommended reading this book.
I would like to thank Net Galley and the publisher for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I rate this a
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When I saw Pretty Woman turns toxic, I knew that I needed to read this one. It was a page turner. I was sold on page one. This was my first book from the author, but won’t be my last.

Small town girl Natalie is out of her element. It is her choice, but life is harder and more expensive in New York City than she could have imagined. Loving the freedom and following her dream of art school is the best part of her life. Unfortunately money is a big problem. She lives with two roommates but is way behind on her portion of the rent. She loses the job that is barely keeping her head above water and turning the alcohol isn’t helping.

One of her friends at school offers Nat a solution to her situation. Ava has a posh apartment, stylish clothes, makeup and hair. When she reveals to Nat that she is a sugar baby, Ava tells Natalie that she dates men for money. Quickly explaining to Nat that sugar babies can just date older men, no sex has to be involved – unless it is her choice. At first Nat is repelled by the idea of dating men for money, but the amount of cash the sugar daddy pays for a dinner date could catch her up on the money she owes her roommates. After much deliberation, she decides that she will go on a date or two, get the cash and get out. The only problem is she really likes Gabe, her sugar daddy.

Falling for Gabe was easy for Nat; he is gorgeous, smart and rich. She starts to depend on the lifestyle and wants more than dinner and going to the theater. Things quickly begin to unravel. Soon she finds out he has secrets. Just how far will Nat go to have Gabe to herself? She is convinced they love each other and are destined to be together. But his family may not agree.

In the prologue of this fast paced novel, Natalie is calling her estranged father from the police station stating she has killed someone and needs his help. So the reader knows from the beginning that someone dies. It is a delicious bit of information that was always in the back of my mind. Who will die and why? While this isn’t a mystery, the element of the unknown is a fabulous addition to the complex plot.

The Arrangement is the perfect glimpse into a life most of us will never see – or want to ever be a part of. Ms. Harding explains in Acknowledgments the depth of research she did before writing The Arrangement. Doing her homework on the subject is what brought this book alive, and made the characters real. It is the first book I’ve read from this author and I highly recommend it.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Copyright © 2019 Laura Hartman

So first, let me say that I was completely drawn in by this book. Were there things I didn't quite believe, yes, but that didn't stop me from liking the overall story. I was drawn into Natalie's plight. She was juggling a lot, most of it her fault, but she learned of a way she could make life easier for herself. Or so she thought. At first Natalie seemed like a normal girl, trying to make ends meet. The reader quickly falls into her world and once she finds her sugar daddy, we see how things shift. This was a fast-paced read and I found I didn't want to put the book down. I found myself rolling my eyes a few times as things seemed over dramatized, BUT I wasn't sure how things would go or what really happened. I guessed a few things, but I didn't see all that was coming. Overall, this was a enjoyable read and I wasn't expecting all that this book held. I recommend this read!

This book is everything I could ask for in a guilty pleasure read: fast-paced, addicting, and totally crazy. Natalie (Nat) is an art student with financial struggles, who is starting to drown under her debt. A classmate tells her about a website where she can solve these problems, for the cost of her time and companionship...or more, if she so chooses. This leads Nat to into the world of "sugar daddies."

The concept of "sugar daddies" and "sugar babies" is intriguing enough - who wouldn't consider an opportunity for their financial problems to be solved, just by meeting a rich stranger for a drink? (Back when I was single, I had some pretty awkward first dates that I wouldn't have mind walking away from with a few benjamins in my pocket for my troubles!) But beyond that, I really liked that the author did her research and actually reached out to "sugar babies" to learn about their experiences. I think that was a great way to get insight on these kinds of situations, instead of making sensationalized assumptions about what goes on. Clearly, there is much at risk when entering into a "sugar" situation - morale, reputation, and family life are just some of the areas that can be negatively affected. The author does a great job of not sugarcoating (no pun intended) how dangerous and degrading it can be, despite the glamorous life that is portrayed by "sugar babies."

If you're looking for a read where you can actively root for a character, this might not be the book for you. The main character and "sugar baby" Nat might have been dealt a tough hand, but her actions went from "woe is me" (she couldn't possible take out a student loan to cover her tuition like the rest of us) to selfish pretty quickly. That being said, I don't necessarily mind an unlikable main character if the story is interesting, and this one kept me absorbed.

I could see this being turned into a Lifetime movie, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. I definitely want to sit under a blanket with a glass of wine, and watch this story play out on my television!