Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to prevew The Arrangement by Robyn Harding.
A young woman, Natalie, struggles to make ends meet. She is living in NY City and is a student at an art school. She left Washington State to get a way from a disfunctional relationship and her family. Natalie lives on the edge - one minute away from being thrown out of her apartment, having little or no money to function, and a dead end waitress job.
Natalie meets Ava, another art student. Ava has it all - nice clothes, lovely apartment, and MONEY. Ava tells Natalie that she goes out with older gentleman who like to spend time with her and she is paid for her time. Ava is a "sugar baby" and she meets "sugar daddies". Ava tells Natalie that it is a harmless way of life and she gives Natalie enough info to peek her interest. Natalie decides to try it, and she sets up becoming a "sugar baby".
She meets a distinguished older man, Gabe. He is everything she could have hoped for and more and soon Natalie is enjoying the "life", and she is also falling for Gabe. And this is against the rules.
Gabe has a wife and daughter - he is an expert at acquiring young woman and disposing of them when things get too close for comfort.
Soon Gabe decides that things are out of control with Natalie. But Natalie can't let go - she loves Gabe, and she will destroy him before she lets him go.
Good plot - the characters are hard to like, but this is a good book that kept my attention till the end.
recommend - 3.5 stars.

Some reviewers have compared this to a Lifetime movie and I think the comparison is apt. While this book does give you some education on the world of Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies, overall I felt like it lacked some depth. It's entertaining, but for me will likely not be memorable.

I think, for me, I wanted to know more about the relationship at the heart of the story--particularly what each of these people were getting out of it. I felt like that idea didn't get explored fully.

Natalie heads into this new world very cautiously, not sure if she could even handle being sexual with her Daddy. But seemingly within pages, she finds herself in love with him and sleeping with him. I wasn't exactly sure why the big change other than she was immature and looking to be saved. It seemed like the author lightly touched upon Natalie's "Daddy issues" overall, but a lot of that nuance got glossed over in favor of relationship drama and double crossing.

I'll say this though, like a Lifetime move, this book goes down easy. There are significant twists and turns to keep the reader interested. However, I would caution against labeling it as a thriller. While it opens with the admission of a murder, and ends with an explanation of how that murder happened, it's not really a book about that crime as much as it is the dynamics of the relationship between these two very different, dysfunctional people.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Natalie is a struggling art student in Manhattan. She lives in Brooklyn with two roommates that she doesn’t get along with, barely able to pay her rent and other bills. She has no money for food and loses her job. She’s desperate. When she notices that her art school classmate has designer clothes and a great apartment in Chelsea, she asks her how. That’s when her friend tells her about being a Sugar Baby. There’s a website where older men or Sugar Daddies will meet younger woman, Sugar Babies, and pay them for dates and other things if they are interested. Although she is skeptical and a little turned off by the idea, Nat decides to just go on a few meet-ups for $500 each so she can pay her bills.

Nat meets Gabe through the Sugar Babies website, and they immediately hit it off. Gabe is a corporate lawyer who has a wife and daughter in the Hamptons, but an apartment in the city so it’s easy to make these Sugar Babies believe he’s divorced when in fact he isn’t. He lies to Nat as well and asks her to make their arrangement official – regular dinners and Broadway shows throughout the week and sleepovers, maybe even a getaway.

Nat develops feelings for Gabe and believes that he has them for her as well. When he decides to end their arrangement, Nat becomes obsessed with him. She’s will do anything to get him back, even befriend his 18 year old daughter. Things take a turn for the worse when Gabe is murdered and Nat is arrested. She doesn’t remember shooting him in the face, but she was in a downward spiral, drinking out of control, after he ended things. Could she have murdered him?

The Arrangement by Robyn Harding is an interesting concept. I didn’t know much about the Sugar Baby lifestyle prior to reading this except what I’ve seen on Law & Order: SVU! I think that I would have liked this book better if the characters weren’t all so unlikable. Nat started off okay. She seemed like any other struggling college kid, but then her character became a complete psycho. Gabe was just an awful person. He was misogynistic and a complete narcissist. He had no care for the Sugar Babies that he paid for. They were another business transaction for him, and he didn’t care if he hurt them or his family at all.

I had one other big issue with this book. When using Facebook, if you block someone you can’t see their profile, but Nat was able to see her ex-boyfriend’s profile even though she blocked him. The author should have researched better and hopefully will fix this before the book is released.

Overall, I found the story interesting and the author definitely kept me wanting to read more. It was a hard book to put down. I did figure out the big twist, but it didn’t make me want to stop reading. I just wish I felt more for the main characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Natalie didn't expect to fall for Gabe- the relationship was meant to be simply a way to make some money. Hah! He's old enough to be her father but he's become more than just her Sugar Daddy, at least to her. To be honest, these two deserve each other. Gabe is pretty rotten and Natalie isn't the most sympathetic character even before she becomes Gabe's kept woman (an old, but appropriate description). When Gabe decides to leave her, she goes full stalker (never good). There's a murder but who is dead, who did it, and why is it relevant? No spoilers! This is a little creepy in spots, a little far fetched in others, but it is a page turner. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nat, a small town girl, is struggling in NYC as she tries to cover her bills and art school tuition with her waitressing job. When she loses her job, she becomes desperate and signs to become a sugar baby, like a classmate of hers. She falls in love with her sugar daddy, Gabe, but of course he has no plans to leave his family for her and that is when all hell breaks loose.

I thought this was an interesting premise and interesting subject matter that was executed pretty well. I could see how someone could end up in the situation Nat was in so the story was pretty believable. Overall it was a good quick read and I enjoyed it.

The Arrangement tells a fascinating tale about the life of a sugar baby, going from sweet to sour very quickly. After seeing her friend Ava’s lifestyle, Nat is curious, but piling on bills and roommates who just don’t get her give her the extra push she needs to look into sugar-ing.

Nat’s first taste of the sugar bowl seems to be the perfect catch, but when she discovers her sugar daddy isn’t exactly what he says he is, Nat doesn’t take the news well.

Harding’s writing captivates you within the first pages of this gripping novel. She pulls you in, hoping and rooting for Natalie to be happy and find something that will work for her. Harding sneaks in foreshadowing that Natalie should be wary of her arrangement, but that doesn’t stop the main character.

The unknowns about the sugar baby/daddy lifestyle pulled me into this book, but Hardings writing and that suspenseful twist at the end are what really captivated me. This five out of five-star novel is one that I will recommend to everyone who enjoys a sexy thriller.

I'm in between 3.5 and 4 on this one. I feel like I've seen this on Lifetime Movie Network, and if I haven't, I probably will. There is not one likeable character in this book, but I think that's part of what sucks you in. In the first chapter you find out Nat kills someone. I kind of figured it was Gabe, but read enough thrillers to know not to trust my instinct. Toward the end I had it figured out, but it was still nice to have Celeste confirm it. I'd probably read something else by this author. Thank you to netgalley and Pocket Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I did not see that coming. I thought I knew what was going to happen in this book but the ending surprised me.

The story centers around Natalie who is a young art student in NYC, barely getting by on her scholarship, low paying job and living in an apartment with two other girls. Until a friend tells her how she can make money...by being a Sugar Baby. Through an online service she can hook up with men older who will take her to posh restaurants, pay her for her time, and maybe more.

We follow Natalie and her relationship with Gabe until he breaks it off with her. Things get weird and suspenseful until a murder occurs....then all I wanted to do was finish this book. It is being released on July 30, make sure you get this book. You won't regret it!

THE ARRANGEMENT
By Robyn Harding

Natalie is a young, naive, art student learning the ways of New York City. With billowing debt and the contempt of her roommates, Natalie is adrift after losing her bartending job. She recently ended things with her friend with benefits, Miguel, and is floating along ungrounded at school.

When Natalie discovers that her friend, Ava, is a sugar baby she is appalled and certain she could never stoop to such degradation. Soon, however, Natalie is swept up into a world of gifts, money and attention.

Gabe lures young girls with his polished personality and large amounts of money. He moves slowly with Natalie but soon is in a relationship that borders on love. At least for the innocent Natalie. When Gabe’s daughter is in distress, Gabe ends the relationship with Natalie. Only Natalie won’t let go.

Without spoilers, you will need to read this book to discover the deranged, psychotic and complex puzzle that follows.

This book is unusual in that the protagonist becomes the wicked. You have cheered for her throughout the book when you find yourself conflicted about her behavior. It is refreshing to discover a plot outside the norm.

I found this to be an easy read, one that you do not want to end. The writing wraps you up from the beginning and does not let go. Even after the book has close, I wish I had a part two ready to delve into. I highly recommend this book: for the writing, for the characters, for the story, for the intrigue and for the description of what sugar daddies/babies involves.


I received an ARC from Galley/Scout Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review . This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book .

5/5- A thrilling page turner of a story about an arrangement between a sugar baby and sugar daddy that goes wrong. Get ready to jump into the sugar bowl!

This was an intense story revolving around characters that cause you to reevaluate your judgements about them until the very last page. You will still be thinking about the turn of events long after you’ve put this book down.

The entire time I was reading this book I kept thinking I knew how the book was going to end... I didn’t.

Robyn Harding can write unlikeable characters well. She can make you sympathize with down and out art student Nat (and sugar baby) that’s really a slovenly alcoholic and likes to play the victim card. The character of Gabe (multimillionaire corporate lawyer sugar daddy) is a harder sell but I took the bait (he is the slimiest of the characters). Celeste (Gabe’s cancer fighting public defender wife) is a forced sympathetic character and I really, really, felt for her — until I didn’t. Violet (Gabe and Celeste’s hyper liberal 18 year old daughter) had potential but she really is a spoiled rich kid enabled by her mom.

The two characters that hold the craziness together are Oleg, Gabe’s personal driver. He’s the one that knows all and sees all. And Ava, Nat’s art student friend (also introduces Nat to the world of sugar babies/daddies) is the cautionary tale that Nat ignores. I’d love to read a novella or even full length novel about Ava. Who she is and how she became a sugar baby — and what exactly happened that night...

This was a twisty book that got better with every page turn. I can’t wait for Ms. Harding’s next book to release!

* Sugar Daddy: rich older man that pays younger women to go on dates with them. The relationship can involve sex or be platonic. They aren’t exclusive with their baby, some have multiple babies. It’s not uncommon for sugar daddy’s to pay for trips, clothing, even rent for a posh apartment. Most are single but some daddy’s are married.

* Sugar Baby: a woman that goes on dates with men for money. They aren’t always exclusive to their sugar daddy. This is not a relationship it’s an arrangement. Not all perform sexual acts for money. They are different than escorts and prostitutes, kinda.


* Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
* Book release date: July 30, 2019

Thank you Netgalley for the review copy!

Absolutely compelling read from start to finish. I was never bored. I always wanted to know what was coming next.

One thing I absolutely loved was the small, easily attainable chapters! That helps a book along tremendously!

The characters and plot were very engaging.

A smoothly written book. I couldn’t find any flaws.

5 stars! Will recommend.

Broke, humiliated, and alone in a the big apple…desperate to make enough money to make her roommates happy with her again, Natalie decides to become a “sugar baby”..

How would you handle being alone in a huge city with no money and people angry at you, while also trying to make it in art school?

This story has intrigued me for some time now, and thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read an Advanced Readers Copy to see what the hype was all about.

WOW!! This story was so good, was a fast read and had me hooked by the end of the prologue. I literally could not put it down, Gabe sounded the “perfect” knight in shining armor to help pick Natalie back up again…but that’s not exactly how it happens…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I highly recommend this read, just set aside an afternoon because you will not want to put it down!! This book releases on July 31 so mark it and go buy it!!

A huge thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Robyn Harding for the arc.

Yep, The Arrangement knocked me off my proverbial feet. I didn't know what this was going in to it, only that it was a thriller/mystery of sorts, and honestly that's about all I need to know to be interested. But then when you add a #sugarbaby #sugardaddy type situation, and a possible murder. Oh hell yes, please!

It only took me two sittings to read The Arrangement since I was obsessed from the end of the first chapter. And of course, I had to wonder at the end, "Does stuff like this happen IRL?" I may never know.

Anyway, pick up a copy today, because you won't regret this thrilling read.

The Arrangement comes out 7/30/19.

Natalie is a young art student in New York, struggling to make ends meet, trying to balance her school work with her job as a waitress at a local bar, and trying to avoid making her roommates any more angry at her than they already were. When a fellow art student suggests Natalie sign up on a website to get a sugar daddy to help her pay for college and other expenses, Natalie balks at first. Then she gets fired from her waitressing job and her roommates threaten to evict her. So Natalie signs up. She meets a man that wants to see her on a regular basis and even though theirs is just supposed to be a business arrangement, Natalie does the one thing she was never supposed to do......she falls in love.
I could not put this book down. I had to keep turning the pages to see how it would end. This is definitely going down as one of my all time favorite books. I highly recommend it!

I think I found a new (to me) author to follow. I loved this one! This story about attraction, obsession, commitments and revenge is so very well told that I felt I knew the characters. They aren't my favorite people but I needed to know what happened to them and where the story would lead. Nat, a 21 year old art student is behind on her bills and financial commitments and needs money NOW, When a classmate introduces her to the world of sugar daddies/sugar babies she apprehensively decides to go on a date. What did she have to lose? Her date, Gabe, is a wealthy married man with a daughter close in age to Nat. They grow to adore each other and seem to be taking their relationship beyond 'the arrangement'. You think you know where this is going right? So did I. I was wrong.
The writing is smart, concise, fast paced and kept me totally involved right up to the twisted end. I happily recommend this one to all of you looking for a great 'Beach Read'.

Thank you to Goodreads, the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC to read, review and enjoy.

WOW. WHAT THE HECK. I read the book, very engrossing on a touchy subject. I just wanted to be in love with it. Great writing and story. Hard to connect with some of the unwise choices.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy for review.

I really enjoyed this book. Natalie, in need of money, sticks her toe in the waters of sugar baby/sugar daddy relationships. Before long she’s in knee-deep and, ultimately, finds herself in way over her head. She broke ‘the arrangement’ when she fell in love with Gabe.

The author does a great job in helping us understand Natalie and the desperation that makes her explore that world. The writing was fast paced and held my interest throughout.

The Arrangement was a great summer read, one that lets you put your brain in neutral and just plain enjoy the book. Let me not forget to mention that there’s a murder too.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was most entertaining.

I loved this book!!!!!!!!!! I loved drama and sex scandal type stories. I read so much thrillers that a sex scandal is very refreshing sometimes!!!!!! I knew after reading the sypnosis that I would enjoy this book. Natalie is a college student in NY struggling with tuition, rent, and just plain means of paying her own way in college. She hears about a sugar baby website from a friend and decides to try it just to pay up some bills and save some money for her future. What she doesn't expect is to fall for her sugar daddy sending her spiraling down an unfamiliar road that ends in murder!!!!!!!! Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Threshold Books for my honest review. I highly recommend this book.

The Arrangement is my first book to read by Robyn Harding. I will be reading more of her books. I enjoyed her write style which captured my attention from the very first chapter. The Arrangement has a fascinating storyline. I didn’t know how the book would end.

This book was a little farfetched for me. I picked it up because I saw good reviews and heard high praise from book reviewers on Instagram. It's definitely a stand out in terms of plot in the thriller genre right now, focusing on the taboo theme of sugar daddy/sugar baby relationships. But we only get one of those relationships, and it ends up spiraling out of control.

I can appreciate the way Natalie is forcibly separated from everyone in her life. It's a little forced but not totally unbelievable. There are, however, a few key steps along the way that aren't justified enough (and I'll keep these vague to avoid spoilers): Natalie's guide to the sugar world abandoning her, Natalie's Instagram blunder, and Natalie's descent into absolute madness. It's so much so fast that it simply couldn't hold up.

There's also some pacing issues. The first 30% was solid: we get our introduction to Natalie and her isolation and desperation and the beginnings of her relationship. Then there's about 50% worth of awkward courting, sex, and doubt (on both sides). The last 20% was more my style with its fast pace and high stakes, but it didn't mesh with the rest of the story.

I also don't think having Gabe's perspective adds to the story. He's too stereotypical-self-important-rich-white-man to really pull off the potentially sympathetic secondary narrative voice. We get his panic as things spiral out of control, but it's hard to care when he totally deserves it, inside and out.

This is a quick and pretty straightforward read. Even though the subject is new, the overall story is not and the ending shouldn't come as much of a surprise (it feels right and almost inevitable).