The ARC is a match making service and what a good job it does!

I don't want to give a lot away on the book. But it seriously was a great fun easy read. I really enjoyed escaping reality with it for a few hours!

The Arc was a really fun and entertaining read. It contemplates technology and connection all the while keeping the reader guessing and engaged. The only reason I ever wanted to put this book down was to prolong the experience of reading it!

I finally read the book after putting it on my tbr for so long and I am disappointed in myself that i didn't read it earlier than I should have. I loved Rafael and Ursula's story it made me so intrigued to learn more about them. The detailing, the story...it was all so good and I can't wait for others to read this book!
Thank you for the arc @netgalley

I LOVED this book. It is tough to find romance novels that have characters in their 30s-40s. The dialogue was spot on, funny without trying too hard. The plot was well paced, I guessed the twist but still really enjoyed getting there at the end of the book.

Marketing VP Ursula has a fulfilling life, wonderful friends, and a successful career, and is single. She’s tried online dating and the men? Welllll, they weren’t exactly the cream of the crop. Then someone refers her to The Arc - a super sophisticated and secret matchmaking service that promises lifelong companionship with your perfect mate. Ursula is soon paired with a lawyer named Rafael, and it is ELECTRIC. But as the relationship progresses, they wonder (insert Carrie Bradshaw voice here) - despite the science, can true love ever be a sure thing?

Hello my little Rhodesian Ridgebacks (#iykyk)! Two romance books in a row? I don’t even know who I am anymore. Thankfully I loved The Arc as well, so maybe this is the sign I need some more romance in my life! Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for providing an advanced reader copy of this one.

The Arc is an interesting, almost speculative fiction romance story about a company that uses science to find love. While I’ve definitely seem similar concepts in other books, I think this one really set itself apart by delving deep into the descriptions of the process of how the matchmaking works. It is frankly bizarre, but so fascinating, and it worked here because it made me invested in how the relationship would turn out.

And speaking of … I think the reason I liked this book so much is because I am obsessed with them as a couple! Raf and Ursula are written to thoroughly compliment each other and they are so adorable. The scenes with them were equal parts cute, hilarious, and touching, and I felt immediately very involved in their futures.

The only reasons I didn’t rate this book higher were: 1) when conflict arose (which you know it will - this is a romance after all), I couldn’t relate to one character at all and was unreasonably angry with their behavior (after loving everything else about them); and 2) the ending was way too abrupt for my taste. Other than that, this will be released in time to be a perfect Valentine’s Day read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 stars

The Arc is a smart, unique book about Ursula and Rafael, two successful people who meet through a secret, sophisticated matchmaking service. The matchmaking service called The Arc claims it can find a person’s ideal partner. However, when Ursula and Rafael’s relationship hits unexpected roadblocks, they realize nothing is ever guaranteed.

This was a very surprising read with an excellent premise. It reminded me of another approach to the storyline of The Soulmate Equation. However, the pacing kept me from truly loving the book. It is a very well-written novel, but is a slow-burn that was a bit too slow for me times.

Overall, The Arc is an interesting story with a unique take on relationships in the modern world.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely could not put this down. Rafael and Ursula, two power house New Yorkers decide to try the most insane matching making institute out there, The Arc (to the tune of 50K). Days of questions, medication, workouts. Matched by the brilliant Dr. Vidal. And then - they meet. I loved everything about this book. Clever, hilarious and brimming with hope. I love that we never shy away from Ursula being who she is, never apologizing for her success. Their chemistry, their ups and downs. I’ve never read a love story like this!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'll start by saying that I wanted to read (and started reading this book) as I was intrigued by the description and was expecting more of a "Black Mirror" take on dating apps and dating in general. While portions of the book did veer a bit into that, I felt that this book read more like direct social commentary than a sci-fi dystopian take on romance - which was slightly disappointing to me given what I expected. While I enjoyed this book for the most part and found Tory Henwood Hoen's writing (and social commentary) witty and on-point (Ursula, one of the main characters is a VP of Strategic Audacity at a marketing firm!), I mainly enjoyed the portions of the book that dealt with the ARC. However, I would have gladly read a book on Ursula's life and career at Anonymous and Co. as I think that would be hilarious! The characters were well developed but I didn't particularly care for or root for the success of their relationship as I didn't feel like their attraction and relationship was well explored. The book does raise some good social issues while simultaneously emphasizing that nothing can ever be perfect. I also found myself questioning how much I would pay for the guarantee of true love (40.5K?! Probably not but appreciated the discount to account for gender pay gap!)

What an interesting twist on a romance novel. Unique and very intriguing concept. Ursula is 35, successful, smart, and single. She’s on the verge of giving up on love altogether when she stumbles across The Arc. It’s a matchmaking service of sorts, but not one like you’ve ever seen or experienced. And it will cost you a pretty penny, but for Ursula it’s worth a try. And she has a match! It’s Rafael. And it’s off with a bang. I have to say if you like romance and sci-fi, you’ll enjoy this book. It’s not sci-fi, but it gives off those vibes. I really enjoyed it.

The Arc took me on a journey that I could relate to. I loved the attention to detail and description of the Stake, I could picture myself there! I enjoyed all of the characters and it was easy to follow along. I did get bored in the middle of the book because of all the detail and I was in suspense. Great Book and looking forward to more books from Tory!

I received this book from Netgalley and at first I was a little skeptical. The book begins with us getting to know the main characters and I wasn’t quite sure what to think. But as the book went on the story became so engrossing and enjoyable. The idea behind a way to find a perfect match for someone is not new but it had an interesting method. I loved the story and the characters in it. Their growth both individually and together was beautiful and I loved the ending.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my ARC of The Arc!

Pub date: Feb 8, 2022
Genre: romance, women's fiction
In one sentence: The Arc will find your ideal mate - for a price - but can technology really optimize relationships?

I read this book in two sittings, and it really grabbed me! I love books about dating technology (The One, The Soulmate Equation, etc.), and this one put a unique spin on the genre. Ursula and Rafael are successful 30-40 year-old professionals; most stories I've read focus on younger or older protagonists. I loved the clear sparks and banter these two had from the very beginning - the story reminded me of how dizzying it is to fall in love and to wonder, is this person really so perfect for me? And of course, there are bumps along the way no matter how compatible two people are...

I was very happy with how The Arc covered Ursula and Rafael's relationship, and I think other readers will love their story too! This is a romance with a little more to it than just the love story - the social commentary was woven in very nicely. I think many female readers will relate to Ursula's work and life challenges.

Published to Goodreads and Instagram 11/15/21.

Well, this has a lot of potential for a debut. Very modern SATC, very snarky. I liked that it was drenched in NYC-ness… maybe too much glitz and glamor though, and this is from someone who would have previously said there’s no such thing. I liked the pseudo twist about the love interests. The narration threw me off and held me at arms length, but maybe that was by design? Decent chemistry.

The premise pf the storyline intrigued me to want to read. I had difficulty trudging through this long winded story. The storyline had unrealistic ideas that it is unbelievable the cost to sign up for this architectural relationship construction. I found the story dragged especially during the courtship. The only pivotal point was when they discovered their chemistry was too strong to withstand the conflict and so they were told they were destined to break up. I felt like weak storyline with no purpose and hugely disappointed after reading it.

Stopped at 20% before skimming the rest.

I think the cover is indicative of the tone of this book--a romance, but off-kilter. It skewers modern dating but also skewers the struggles of professional women functioning among the jargon of tech innovation/ startup-bro culture and commodified self-actualization. Hoen's too on-the-nose descriptions of bogus job titles and bizarre spa treatments and characters' self-obsessed styling doesn't allow the romance to shine through. Ursula is already hard to connect to, so all her musings and neuroses on top of the minutiae of her work and dating life, while at times entertaining or downright funny, were ultimately clinically dry and bored me. And then, because the Arc's hefty fees and extensive testing are supposed to pretty much guarantee instalove, there are discussions about if it's real or not, if there's something wrong in questioning it, and then questioning THAT questioning. All that leads to a plot that's neurotic, not enticing.

And those last few sentences...GRRRR.

There were many points during this book where I wondered if I could finish it. I took uncharacteristically long breaks to explore other authors and read The Arc in chunks. However, I'm glad I persevered. The development of Ursula and Rafael's characters took a long time to unfold but when they finally meet as a result of the compatibility program, The Arc, it's clear they are meant for each other. Though it's more of a personal preference, I would have loved to have read more dialogue throughout the story. I think that's why the first 40% dragged on- we were only seeing events from Ursula's perspective through descriptions. The characters' relationship trajectory was rather predictable until the final chapter which made the whole read worthwhile.

Source of book: NetGalley (thank you!)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.

This was intriguing. Although if you’ve seen that Black Mirror episode, Hang the DJ, you’ll kind of get where the—heh—arc going from outset. Not that I think it was meant to be a massive twist or anything. Nor that it’s simulated reality. But in terms of what the couple go through and why.

Anyway. The heroine, Ursula, is damaged and discontented in equal measure, clever, creative, successful at but unfulfilled by her job at a trendy, male-dominated branding agency. Her romantic relationships have been equally unfulfilling, despite her desire for lasting love. Then she receives a mysterious invitation from The Arc, a secretive, highly selective, ridiculously expensive matchmaking programme that promises to find Ursula her perfect match. This turns out to be Rafael Banks, a slightly older lawyer, who is everything she’s been looking for and seems to truly get who she is. At first everything is wonderful—they do, indeed, seem to be a perfect match—but their first argument cuts them both deeper than either is prepared for. Not long after this, they are contacted again by The Arc because some fundamental incompatibilities were missed by the programme and they should never have been put together in the first place…

I know I fall back on this phrase a lot when I’m ultimately convinced by the whole of a text but, err, there’s a lot to like here? The satire is sharp (the heroine’s job title, for example, is VP of Strategic Audacity) and the voice assured, offering up some sly turns of phrase and plenty of snappy dialogue. Though I will also say that the book is written in omniscient third which a little jarring to me personally—the narration moves fluidly from character to character, but I think I’m just used to romances being more rooted, at least moment-to-moment, in a single POV. And it does mean that I felt I was being encouraged to sort of, um, observe the characters more than I was necessarily expected to identity with or feel spoken to by them. Or maybe that was just a flat-out empathy failure on my part, I don’t know.

The other aspect of the narration I struggled with, beyond simply adjusting to it, was that the choice to tell the story in this particular way—distanced and authoritative—often kept the pacing quite slow and over-inclined towards exposition, both on the macro and micro level. In terms of the macro level, we hear about Ursula’s career ambivalences repeatedly and while on the one hand this felt sort of realistic, because they’re a big part of what she’s going through as the book progresses, as a reader I didn’t need them re-iterating so many times in almost exactly the same words and within the same framing. On the micro level, it’s lines like this:

“Your generation is so confused,” said Rafael lightly, joking about their meagre age difference.”

I mean, I could just be being ungracious here but I’m not sure I need to have it explained to me by an omniscient narrator when characters are joking with each other, and what the joke is about—especially when I’ve been supplied (in quite some detail) with all the relevant character information to understand the joke without intervention. And, honestly, I never resolved to my own satisfaction whether the book was Doing A Thing or it just didn’t trust me to pay attention. And, honestly, as a reader I find it hard to trust a book that doesn’t trust me.

In terms of the characters, I did like them, and broadly root for them, although as already discussed I felt quite distanced from them. I liked how ambivalent Ursula was allowed to be regarding her own successes and desires (both professional and romantic), although maybe I’ve been rendered immune to the “quirky heroine” trope because I didn’t buy her as particular weird. I mean, in The Flatshare the heroine literally hangs clown shoes (CLOWN SHOES) on her wall. This one just sings to her cat … and that’s … that’s normal, right? Everyone does that, don’t they?

By contrast, Rafael feels both less complicated and less vivid than Ursula, though he’s a decent hero and they do have chemistry when they’re on the page. The only thing that slightly, um, threw me about him was that he is the adopted son of a couple of exceptionally privileged white people who kind of spontaneously agree to take him back to the US with them when he’s a baby—his parents having been murdered by the Argentinian junta. So what this means, in practice, is that you have a Latinx character for whom race is presented as being completely irrelevant. And while I’m sure there are plenty of people for whom that may well be true, it still feels uncomfortably like a very … white perspective? Or not even a white perspective. Maybe a white fantasy? Like you’re being served this guilt-free, low calorie, version of a Latinx person whose identity you don’t have to think about. As if he’s basically just a white guy with sexier hair? And it rang especially oddly when both Ursula and Rafael are conscious of gender-dynamics, not only within the context of their relationship but the world as a whole: Ursula grappling with feminist principles in a male dominated industry is kind a major theme for her. Of course, Rafael is a man, and he’s educated, and wealthy and has access to many of the trappings of privilege, but surely being a Latinx lawyer isn’t completely without identity-related challenges?

In any case, I am out of my lane. So out of my lane. Basically, I enjoyed The Arc and appreciated it, especially the New York setting which, from the week I’ve spent in New York, felt recognisable and placeful to me, along wit the glimpses of this almost American Psycho-esque world of branding and lifestyle trends—Indubitably, the subscription bog roll delivery service made me snarfle. I just also felt, due to the style of the narration and its occasional repetitiveness, it was a bit too long and under-paced. But, as with anything else, you mileage may very well vary.

5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I would definitely be recommending this book to readers on my Instagram bookstagram account.

Ursula Byrne has achieved much at age thirty-five in the high energy and very competitive world of marketing and branding start-ups while wooing venture capitalist to fund a host of ideas in this App obsessed world. Ursula is a bit of a split personality in that her business requires her to be a brilliant and entertaining highly skilled in professional in Manhattan’s elite very competitive, intensely demanding market place. While she is all of those things, Ursula’s job puts pressure on her that is the very opposite of her artistic upbringing and nature. Ursula is tired of being alone and after a string of failed relationships, she is ready to try something very different. Ursula is done with swiping postage stamp size profiles, and the App dating scene, so when something unique and different come along, Ursula decides it just might be for her.

The selective and secretive Arc program consists of a multifaceted series of tests including physical, psychological, and emotional as well a week-long program designed to identify and connect people with their optimal match. This very expensive process all but guarantees a perfect outcome for the matched couples according to the people who run it. Although highly skeptical, both Ursula and her eventual match, decide nothing else is working so they give it a go.

Raphael Banks has been looking for the right relationship as well with very little positive achievement. At forty-two and a successful lawyer satisfied with his work, Raphael would like to find someone to be in a permanent relationship with and start a family. Once he an Ursula are matched, their relationship starts off in high gear; however, when the inevitable bumps occur, they begin to doubt whether this is the real thing. Once doubt leaks in with some seeming manipulation from the Arc program, Ursula and Raphael hit some real challenges.

Ursula’s quirky personality and rarely unexpressed thoughts make her a challenge for Raphael to keep up with plus they both have personal baggage in the mix. The process Ursula and Raphael go through at the Arc matching service is designed to be not only self-revelatory, but guide the participants to understand exactly what they want out of life and a mate. Epiphanies, however, do not mean a smooth or easy road to love though the company would have its participants believe that, at least in the beginning. They continue to meddle in Raphael and Ursula’s lives; it for the reader to decide it the Arc helps or actually hinders relationships.

This book is a very intriguing, complex, and often times, highly navel gazing, self-assessing work. Sometimes the rapid fire self-actualizing internal monologue of the characters is like drinking from a fire hose. Some parts of this book are quite compelling and others are in eye rolling territory. I suspect the structure and style of the book is the author’s own meta, gestalt attempt to create a story for the modern world dating, relationships, and love by imbuing it with modern tech competing with the complex, often illogical, and very exacting human heart as well as mind.

This reads like someone telling you a story; it’s fantastically written and moves along smoothly.
The Arc is the author’s debut work and it’s an exquisitely unique, wonderfully witty, and darkly humored story. It held my interest throughout.

By the way, Nicole is a real shark; I looked it up. She was named after Nicole Kidman, the Australian actress. I’m also fairly certain that now I’ll get all kinds of interesting ads after googling “sperm whale foreskin”, even with that dreadful potential, I still definitely recommend this one.