Yall! The synopsis on this book made it feel like it had literally everything! A little sci-fi. Little romance. Etc. But man was it hard to get through it! I couldn't connect with the story at all, and I had the hardest time just getting into the book. Unfortunately, this one just couldn't keep my interest.

🌟 🌟/5

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Tory Henwood Hoen. ❤️

what a unique story. theres a touch of si-fi, romance, humor, it kind of gave black mirror vibes. the journey between these two people and the new york setting made it a great read for me personally. it is quite thought provoking.

Overall, The Arc is a compelling read that balances humour with serious reflections on love and technology. Its strengths include well-developed characters, a unique premise, and insightful commentary on contemporary dating culture. However, some readers may find the pacing uneven at times. Despite this, Tory Henwood Hoen's debut novel is a promising start and is likely to resonate with readers looking for a modern romance with a twist.

The Arc is a matchmaking service that claims it can find you your partner for life, for an extortionate fee. Ursula is fed up with dating, so she decides to take the plunge. Things don’t turn out how she had expected. Rafael is in his 40s, a lawyer who is as unsettled as Ursula, and once the two undergo their week long session at the Arc, complete with meditation and a slew of other activities meant to mine out their most intrinsic qualities for optimal matchmaking possibilities. Once the two meet, all their most idealized dreams come true...until the very first argument. This isn't a light rom-com, but much more of a women's fiction/literary story. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, the author and NetGalley

I loved the premise of this book, but ultimately, the execution fell flat for me.

I think it was hard to connect with the protagonist.

I really enjoyed The Arc; it was a unique romance premise. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. Looking forward to more from this author and to seeing what they will come up with next.

What a unique premise! Imagine having a dating service in the future where it claims to find you a life partner. Some of the book was a bit out there but it was nice to not be the same as so many other romance books. The Arc made some bold statements about feminism and captitalism which sometimes didn't feel like it connect as deeply with the story. I did have to continue to read on to see what haappened to Rafael and Urusula. There were many twist and turns along the way which led to an unpredicatble ending.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. Tory Henwood Hoen did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would recommend it!

In 2018, Ursula Byrne is a successful, single 35 year-old, VP of Strategic Audacity at a branding agency in Manhattan, New York. Not unlike many successful women, Ursula was focused on building a successful career and tired of the usual dating app disasters. After a first date with James who was a very large man who drank too much and eventually vomited in the taxi. She goes to an upscale new feminist club which caters to soothe and support women who can afford to join. While there she comes across information regarding The ARC, a website which is touted as a highly secretive, super-sophisticated matchmaking service. Of course, using new technology it uses a complex series of emotional, psychological, and physiological assessments to architect partnerships that are deemed to last. The exorbitant price tag obviously narrows the candidates down to ambitious, affluent singles who are relying on finding their life mate.

Ursula throws caution to the wind to finally find a worthy companion so she contacts The ARC with anxious anticipation. When you need to complete so many assessments how could you not be matched with your perfect mate? She is paired with Rafael Banks, a 42 year-old attorney from Argentina. What ensues is a typical rom-com story but elevated to an elite couple who have just as much baggage as those of those they encountered without the expense.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the complimentary arc of this novel. This voluntary review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I was interested in reading this based on comparisons to Taylor Jenkins Reid and Rebecca Serle; however, I do not think either of those are apt comparisons. This book was missing the heart and warmth that both of those authors bring to their work. I did find the concept behind this book to be interesting, but it also seemed to highlight the privilege of white people with money to be able to solve their problems.

THE ARC is a lighthearted and witty love story with just the right amount of futuristic vibes. I think the concept of the optimized matchmaking experiment was hilarious and maybe a little closer than we think lol.

I’m so excited to read The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen. Thank you NetGalley for this complimentary copy! My review will be updated once I’ve finished.

A romantic book about a dating website/application. I thought I would like it more than I did. Thanks for the review copy,

I think the concept of this book was really unique and thats what drew me in. The writing was so detailed and I felt like I could just picture it all happening in front of me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

The Arc is a great read with such an interesting premise and full of quirky, feel-good romance, friendship, and relatable conversations. I have recommended it to my friends

This was not the book for me. Another book where I didn’t vibe with the characters and the authors messaging of high level, important subject matters sort of just floated around in the story without actually coming together.

On to the next read!

THE ARC - by Tony Henwood Hoen

What would you do if a stranger asked you to participate in a secretive matchmaking service that is designed to connect you with your ideal mate—assuming one can afford the phenomenal fee of what’s proposed to be a sure thing—would you yes?

For Thirty-five-year-old Ursula Byrne, though not an instantaneous, ‘Yes, Please, and Thank You! Where do I sign up?’ due to the price, she changes her mind when a career opportunity lands in her lap, thus offering the means to invest in her future—a path that The Arc guarantees to connect her with her life partner.

When The Arc pairs Ursula with forty-two-year-old Rafael Banks, are they a perfect match?

Is it love at first site?

Is Rafael truly her soulmate?

You have to read the book and find out! ;)

I loved watching how the story played out, and though I anticipated the ending early on, I enjoyed every minute of the journey.

Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an eBook of THE ARC at the request of an honest review.

Very interesting read. Definitely not what I was expecting, or even what I would enjoy. This was a just "meh" read for me.

*Thank you @stmartinspress for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon/Goodreads because less than 4 stars or DNF."

This was such a fun and quirky read!

The Arc made me laugh so much that I could not help but enjoy reading it. This novel is a romantic comedy that asks "How do you actually find love in the modern age?" Thus, The Arc is created to give those struggling with finding love the opportunity to be matched with the perfect person, for a fee of course.

Ursula, although toxic at times, is a joy to read about for the most part. She often times takes things too far, but she has her likable moments. Rafael on the other hand is truly a saint and I fell head over heels for him. He genuinely wants to create a connection with someone and it is very telling in the way he acts and speaks about those he loves. There is a bit of shenanigans that goes on in this novel, but overall, it is a book about how finding love isn't as hard as we think, we just need to open our eyes and find out what and who our priorities should be.