I'm not sure how I felt about this book. On the one hand, I was intrigued by the matchmaking concept presented. On the other hand, Ursula kinda drove me crazy. At times, I loved her quirky self and other times I wanted her to just communicate!!!!

Normally, I read a book pretty quickly but this one took me several days. I didn't find myself getting lost in it and was fine reading a chapter or two at a time.

Overall, I liked it. 3 1/5 stars

The Arc tells an interesting story of a very modern and "scientific" spin on matchmaking/dating algorithms.
Our heroine, Ursula, is a 30-something who works as the VP of Audacity at a branding agency in NYC. She is hyper focused on her job, so the effort she puts into finding a love match is minimal. Ursula frequently spends time with her best friend, Issa, at <i> The Stake</i>, a feminist club with an array of interesting services. One day in the steam room talking about the lack of a dating life that Ursula has, they approached by a stranger who hands Ursula a card. It is for a match making service called The Arc. Through her participation with The Arc, we meet Rafael, a successful attorney who is also looking for love. There is an instant attraction and they are perfect together...initially. There are some trials and tribulations with the two of them and Ursula's job. There are two different parts of Ursula at war in this story--the hard worker and the one who wants to fall in love. We watch her climb the mountain top to attain her goal and we watch her fall down again until she realizes what is truly important to her. I struggled a bit to get through and the ending wasn't much of a twist, but it ended with a nice and neat bow. It's worth a read.

4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the e-arc for honest review.

A compelling novel and truly inventive in content and situations. Imagine and entity that promotes finding you your particular person for a lasting relationship. That is what Ursula and Rafael fork over thousands of dollars to do and are matched. As you read, you are drawn into their relationship and all that happens in it. A really different and captivating story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a debut novel by Tory Henwood Hoen. I was sure how I was going to feel about this one, but I was hopeful it was going to be great. The beginning was a jumping off point for the main characters. We have to see who they are right? Well I started it and it felt like I was getting to much info but I was compelled to continue. So the beginning felt like a 2 star. But having said that I arrived at the actual meeting up and fell in love with the characters. They were interesting and different. It was a pleasure watching all of it unfold and I couldn’t get enough. They had wonderful silly moments and I loved the chemistry. I have to say that I really fell for this book!
Quirky, unconventional and very entertaining. If you love a great romance then I highly recommend this.

Thanks St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

Ursula wants to find love.

She signs up for The Arc: a modern, science-backed, secretive matching making service with a 100% success rate. She’s paired with Rafael and immediately, it’s everything they could have possibly hoped for. Love explodes and it seems perfect; absolutely blissful. But when the going gets tough, is The Arc’s certainty in success enough to keep the relationship alive? And what happens when that certainty disappears?

———— ————
I absolutely loved this. More than I thought I would. It absolutely WOWed me - it was a breathtakingly beautiful love story.

I felt everything so deeply. I felt such a deep sense of warmth watching Ursula and Rafael fall in love. It was such a magical - yet still realistic? - expression of finding “the one”.

But completely separately I felt a deep echoing with Ursula and her life-reckoning. It felt so raw to discuss the pressures of career success.

This book made me feel so deeply and expressively - it was amazing.

*thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts*

I really enjoyed this romcom with its fun and outgoing characters (Ursula and Rafael), current storyline and general writing style. The topic area is one that brings into question the science behind matchmaking services. The thought of paying top dollar for your ideal match could potentially be very appealing for those who are searching for their “soulmate”. The author did a great job with the storyline and bringing this couple through the process; shining a light on the potential that it may not be as accurate as once thought.

I loved this book and am thankful for the opportunity to review the advanced reader copy.

Ursula Byrne is thirty-five, single, and lives with her cat. Her life revolves around her career (and the cat), and she's starting to wonder if it will always be that way. Most of her dates are disasters (reminder the time she threw up on the first date?) and she's underwhelmed by the men she comes across on the dating apps. But then discovers The Arc: a very selective matchmaking service that uses a week-long, immersive assessment to architect lifelong love. It's expensive, but they promise 100% success. Ursula is paired with Rafael Banks, a lawyer. Their connection is immediate, but as their relationship continues, they begin to wonder about The Arc and its role in their life. Can lifelong love truly can be guaranteed?

"'My fertile years are waning, my chance at love has passed, my cat is my greatest asset,' she thought."

This was one of the weirdest books I've read in quite some yet I found it oddly mesmerizing, even when Ursula and Rafael were at their most annoying moments. Probably I'm not smart enough for a book like this (I find this happens a lot with books set in NYC and featuring single thirty-somethings). Even now, I'm not sure if THE ARC was a true romance, satire, or something in between.

For instance, Ursula and her best friend belong to The Stake, billed as a nouveau feminist wellness club. What would be a private club or gym for the rest of us is some sort of strange immersive experience for them, where they can participate in things like the Scream Den, Smash Center (literally smashing things), Swaddle Station, Sobbing Pods, and more. Massages are intense and emotional experiences. I never could quite figure out if it was all for real.

As for The Arc, they charge Ursula the cool price of $40,500 to match her for life (adjusted down from $50,000 for Rafael, what with the gender wage gap and all). But, since she's a VP for strategic audacity, she can consider this ridiculous sum. Why, yes, this is her real title. I believe most of us would consider it marketing or advertising. Again, mocking? Again, I'm not sure. Throughout the book Ursula struggled with her place in her career, and I found it very easy to identify with her and the struggles of females in corporate America. Honestly, it was one of the things that endeared her to me. Some of the pieces of the book may have been exaggerated, but the sexism Ursula faced was not. Same with her trying to find a balance between happiness and a career.

As for Ursula and Rafael, this probably would have been a 4+-star read for me (even with all the weirdness!) if I liked them more as a couple. I need to be fully invested in my couple for a romance, and while I liked them both, I wasn't able to completely root for them together. (I did, however, love Ursula's Russian Blue cat, Mallory.) The book slowed the most when they were together.

THE ARC offers a nearly sociological look at relationships and society. It's humorous at times and serious at others. The book is more character driven and deep than a regular contemporary romance--expect pondering, delving into societal customs and the meaning of love. Honestly, I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would based on other reviews. It's different and often witty, and some of the messaging is really interesting. It's definitely not for everyone, but if you're willing to get out of your comfort zone, it's worth a try.

Is it really all down to science?
A little depressing to think you have to gather enough money that most don't have or would use towards buying a place or car if they did and leave it all up to an almost clinical way to meet " the one". While some would see this as an investment I can't help but look at it differently. Though I struggled to connect with either character it was a unique situation but am sure that this would be a better fit with someone else.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

Going in I figured this was not an actual romance novel, and I was right. This is more of a satire with a strong romantic element. While it definitely does an amazing job with the satire part, at times I was confused at to what point exactly the author was trying to make.

“My fertile years are waning, my chance at love has passed, my cat is my greatest asset,” she thought.


There are some absolutely brilliant moments of humor. The book starts out with Ursula in a branding meeting for Indubitably, a toilet paper subscription company, whose founder came up with the idea when he was horrified when he ran out of toilet paper at his bachelor pad. Some of them are more throw-away one-liners, like Ursula mentioning a Silicon Valley watch startup named Bro-lex. There’s also The Stake, the women’s club she and her best friend belong to, attempting to reclaim the image from all the women burned at the stake for being witches. Frankly, yes, it was completely over-the-top (a lavender-scented steam room named Purple Rain that only plays Prince) but honestly, I would probably join if it actually existed!

“I want security, and I want joy. But most of all, I want peace. I’m exhausted. I don’t mind the struggle, but I want to feel confident that I’m on the right path, moving in the right direction, in all aspects of my life.”


If you haven’t figured out from The Stake (which still makes me snort laugh every time I type it), the book tries to grapple with some of the complexities and contradictions of modern feminism, though I’m conflicted about how ultimately successful it is. Ursula frequently comments on how male and rich her coworkers and clients are, and she’s happy to have a younger female coworker that she mentors, though she feels like she’s not doing enough. It’s all compounded by how incredibly WASP-y the book is, and rich cishet WASPs at that. While money was tight in Ursula’s childhood, she still ended up with a full ride to an excellent school, and she has a job where she makes a good amount of money. She’s surrounded by folks who come from wealth, though, and she’s torn between her anti-capitalist upbringing and desire to, well, be rich. She’s good at her job and quite successful, but she doesn’t feel fulfilled by it. That disquieting sense of unhappiness doesn’t stop her from throwing herself at whatever new work challenge comes her way, at the expense of her personal and romantic life. When she stops and contemplates what she really wants, though, it’s that dream of a family and more time leveraging her creative side, rather than finessing the egos of dudebros.

The plot is enjoyable, if a bit uneven in pacing at times. Some things are over belabored (yes, we get that Ursula’s conflicted about everything, can we move on now?). The twist – was it even supposed to be a twist? – is easily guessed by anyone familiar with romance beats. It also feels almost like you’re viewing the characters from a remove. While the initial chapters are from either Ursula’s or Rafael’s third-person (mostly omniscient) points of view, as they become a couple, their viewpoints mix. It’s more like a nature documentary (or mockumentary) observing the mating habits of rich New Yorkers and it made it hard for me to connect with the characters.

While I’m all here for most of the book poking fun at rich white folks, one point that made me comfortable was the story of Rafael’s adoption. He was basically trafficked when he was given to his adoptive parents in Argentina as a six-month-old baby, and it even mentions his new parents using their privilege and connections to get him issued the correct documents through a backchannel. This results in a character who is Latino but raised by rich white folks, which is, well, a choice. Sure, that reflects more on his parents than him, but it didn’t sit right with me.

“I read somewhere that dating in your thirties and forties is just a process of wondering how this amazing person could still be single—and then eventually finding out why.”


The other thing that bothered me was who had to change for their relationship to work. One of Ursula’s biggest fears about a relationship was that she’d have to change herself to meet her partner’s expectations. The book paints her as “weird” for singing to her cat, going out to lunch in a cheetah outfit, and being generally whimsical, all of which seemed quirky but not particularly out there to me. But when push comes to shove and they have their bleak moment, [sure, Rafael jumps to some awful conclusions, but he also has some (honestly pretty good) suggestions for her future. Ursula sees that as controlling, but when everything shakes out? She realizes Rafael was actually right and she’s much happier when she makes those changes. Rafael, on the other hand, has a paragraph or so where he realizes he was cruel and he apologizes. The end. In a supposedly so feminist book, I would’ve expected a bit more growth from both of them instead of “oh yeah, the dude was right.” (hide spoiler)] And while they both have had their past relationship difficulties, it’s very obvious that Ursula has a lot more trauma to work through than Rafael.

Overall, this was a hilarious and enjoyable read, but I finished it not being sure exactly what the point was.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen was certainly a one of a kind read. A different take on how to find your soulmate, and one that I found to both interesting and scary in the same way. The premise of the book was a unique twist, the book was able to make me laugh at places which is always good in a book. In general, this isn't a typical type of read for me, but overall, I found that it worked. I would recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and am under no obligation to leave a favorable review the opinions expressed here are my own.

4 1/2 stars - Ursula and Raphael are two singles who decide to spend the $$ to find their forever person through an agency that uses a week long intense study to find life partners. This was such a great read.

So, starting this book, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. There's a lot of information thrown at you in very long chapters, it's sort of meandering. And then you get to the hook. And WOW. I couldn't put it down.

Well written, a story similar to nothing I've read recently, and really well executed.

Will read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Great modern romance!

Ursula is tired of the dating scene, and is ready to call it quits to live a peaceful life with her rescue cat. She soon meets a mysterious woman who suggests she doesn’t, and hands her a business card that states “The ARC”. Ursula decides to research it and although she’s very skeptical, decides to try it.

The ARC is a super secretive and selective program that puts it’s participants through various rigorous tests. The program guarantees the perfect match for those who are committed to the program.

She’s with Raphael, who is looking for something permanent. There are lots of challenges and eventually things with The ARC become much more complicated than they realized.

This was a very enjoyable modern romance. It was very interesting to read about what lengths these characters would go to in order to find their perfect someone. I liked that the characters had self discovery within the story as well.



I would like to thank Tory Henwood Hoen, St Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for this ARC to read and review in exchange for my honest review.

Publication date: 02/08/2022

This book makes me feel like a grumpy old lady yelling at kids to get off my lawn. I’ve been with my husband since the beginning of time, long before dating apps were even a thing. I understand that I am not the target audience for this book. However, when a book is suggested for fans of TJR, Sally Rooney, and Rebecca Serle, my expectations are going to skyrocket and this book did not come close to meeting those expectations.

Categorized as a rom-com, I never found the funny in this story. Ursula’s primary job is VP of Branding and Strategic Audacity - what does that even mean? I can see that the author was trying to make big statements about the commercialization of love but I don’t think I’m cool enough to get it. I’m sure this is a fantastic book for the right reader. I’m not it.

Honestly, this just didn't work for me. I wanted to love it but I found I didn't connect with the characters and found myself daydreaming during the passages. The Arc focused on an elite match making service, its high-tech and for the elite only. We shift between multiple points of view and none of it worked out for me, I picked this up because it reminded me of "The Soulmate Equation," but there were no similarities and the characters were just a bit much for me.

I received an advanced copy from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital copy of the debut novel by Tory Henwood Hoen - 4 stars for an intriguing look into finding your true love.

Ursula lives in Brooklyn and works at a branding agency. She's tried her hand at relationships but is never successful. At 35, she's ready to meet her soulmate. Enter The ARC - an intense service that guarantees they will find you the perfect person - at a hefty price. But she decides to take the plunge and is immersed in a weeklong stay at The ARC's facility. She is eventually matched with Rafael and everything is going perfectly. But will it last?

Once you got past some of the craziness, this was actually pretty thought-provoking. I've been married too long to even image dating by way of dating apps, but this takes it all to a different level. Who's to say who the perfect match is for another person? And what makes relationships last? I'll be interested in reading more from this author.

The characters were vain and insufferable. DNF. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Using state of the art emotional/psychological compatibility metrics, The Arc is an exclusive dating service that essentially promises to find your ideal mate, for a hefty fee of course! Ursula and Rafael are matched and hit it off immediately. Sparks fly, they've never felt like this about anyone, etc... Upon the first disconnect in their relationship, the Arc informs them that there's been a mistake in their being matched. They are given two option, they can choose to uncouple and be re-matched or stay together and try to stick it out knowing that they're match is flawed....oh, and of course, no refunds! What will they choose? If they stay together can they have still have a happily ever after or are they doomed?

There were a good amount of little things that just seemed off to me. Ursula's job is the VP of Strategic Audacity at a branding agency....what is that? She and her friend Issa are members of The Stake, which is an odd feminist club filled with a smash center, a scream den , hush-brushing, a swaddle station, and sobbing pods. If such a place exists I'm not applying for a membership, thanks. I was interested in seeing how things would turn out after they were informed their match was not perfect. (i.e. manufactured relationship/emotions/fate/science vs, human connection/personal choices etc....but that too fell flat for me.)
Overall this one was fine, but I didn't love it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not my favourite, did not get fully into the book and DNF'd. The book was not my kind of romance, although I am sure that someone else will love this book and rate it 5-stars it just wasn't for me. I felt it gave off weird viebs and not in the fun rom-com way.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review! The Arc is a little different to say the least. This premise is so intriguing to me right now and it is a super hot plot line. I really enjoyed it and thought it was very well delivered! This would make such a fantastic show as well!