I had such high hopes going into this one but just immediately felt disappointed and confused as to what I was reading. There was too many characters that I didn't care for, a plot I cared even less about and just an all around meh feeling. The only reason I didn't DNF is because I kept holding it for it to get better because I love this author. However, sadly that did not happen. I wanted to be on the edge of my seat with this one but inside I was heading out the door. Definitely a different plot to this book but it just completely fell flat for me

John Marrs is one of my favorite authors, and I'm absolutely thrilled to have read another book set in the universe of "The Passengers" and "The One." "The Marriage Act" once again explores the dangers of too much government oversight and technological advances being used to control citizens. In this book, Smart Marriages featuring AI control whether or not couples stay married, and couples in these marriages are given significant financial and social benefits.

The book is built with short chapters from several perspectives, and each ends on a delicious cliffhanger that drives the reader through the book. I love this format, and Marrs does it incredibly well. I laughed, cried, cheered, and gasped while reading this novel. It is creepy at times and heartbreaking at others but not devoid of hope. It's speculative thriller done right.

Thank you @netgalley, @johnmarrs, @harpercollinscananda and @killercrimeclubfor the opportunity to read an ARC of The Marriage Act.

The Marriage Act is about couples who sign up under the 'Marriage Act' and by doing so they live in a better area, have better houses etc. However, by doing so you and your spouse are monitored 24/7 by a device that sounds very much like the Amazon Echo paired with wristbands similar to an Apple watch...all I could think of was eeekkkk!!! The Marriage Act is in charge of your whole life and makes decisions on not only you and your spouse but family too! I am not sure I would like that very much at all. In the midst of all this there is murder, thriller (spine tingling) plots, love and hate relations.

I have to be honest, I struggled with this book for the first bit. I could not follow the storylines and what was to be the plot, but then, it was like a brick dropped on me and I couldn't put it down. All the story lines starting making sense and taking me on a rollercoaster ride that I did not want to get off.

I found it funny when the characters (the couples) talk about their life in 2020, what it was like, wish they could go back - don't we all feel this way at times. The author has a way to developing the characters so that you love them, hate them, love them again. Yes, there was a moment in the storyline that I cried, my heart was so completely broken. I was feeling every emotion the character was going through (will not go too far into this storyline, I suggest you read the book to see what I am talking about).

Overall a great book, I will recommend this book to friends and family. I will definitely be reading more by John Marrs

In a world where devices already listen for keywords to respond, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁 is dark, twisty, thought provoking, and hard to put down!

Having never read a book by John Marrs before, I was left speechless when I finished. With the number of characters, it did take a bit to get into and sort out what was happening. Once I did, each couple's story evoked a different emotion. Arthur's broke my heart, Corrine's and Roxi's angered me to no end, Anthony's frustrated me with no way out, and Jeff's was so bat shit crazy that it amused me. 🤷🏽‍♀️

The scariest part of this book is how possible this could be in terms of technology monitoring our everyday conversations. The government involvement in marriages is quite the leap, but with the wrong leadership, they could pass legislation that would grant significant benefits (lower taxes, better housing, reduced education costs, etc) to married couples that agree to their monitoring. Anything is possible.


Thank you to @netgalley and @htpbooks for the advanced copy!

This was my first book by John Marrs but it definitely won’t be my last! It started off a little slow for me but it eventually picked up.

This was so good and takes place in the same world as THE ONE. I have loved every book I've read by this author and recommend him all the time.

In a theoretical future society in which everything is controlled by Artifical Intelligence, The Marriage Act
by John Marrs is a chilling glimpse of what could happen when one's personal and marriage life is monitored. A fast-paced, thrilling (although terrifying) read. Unique and thought provoking. I am reconsidering allowing Alexa in our home.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

If you're into futuristic, thriller-type books... this one is for you!! The Marriage Act by John Marrs definitely has me thinking about the book and the concept long after I read the last page.

The books take place in future England. Get this- marriage is now controlled by the government. They feel that marriage is the answer to society and because of this, singles get the short end of the stick. The government can listen in on random conversations in your home, and if they feel your marriage is at risk, they can put you on a three-step plan, step three being a possible divorce even if you don’t want one! The novel follows and switches POVS from four or five different couples/individuals and their involvement with the marriage plus process. This could include couples in a relationship or relationship responders working for the government.

This book was nothing like I have ever read before. The concept was fascinating, and the author thought of EVERY DETAIL POSSIBLE. It did get a little repetitive at points but overall, I breezed through it because it was so different, and I needed more information. Since it read to me like a thriller, I expected the ending to be a little more of a bang. Overall I loved it and recommend it to anyone. This book would especially be great for book clubs to discuss the different topics and concepts. 4 out 5 stars and it comes out May 2nd, 2023.

Big Brother is listening and apparently watching. Those were the main thoughts running through my head as I started this book. At first I thought there were too many main characters and that I would never keep them straight but they were quickly sorted out as their stories move forward. The government is promoting Smart Marriage with all kinds of benefits for those who upgrade - reduced taxes, top notch health care, reduced house and educational expenses. All you had to do was consent to having an audite monitor all conversations. At the first sign of discord they offer "help" for you your relationship. At first it seemed way out there but with the advances in technology perhaps not that far out. John Mars has proven himself a master at these psychological thrillers and if you enjoy feeling on edge this is definitely one for you.
#TheMarriageAct#NetGalley#HarlequinPublishing

This one was not as enthralling as I hoped it would be...I thought the premise sounded like the perfect utopian plot but there were so many character points of views I struggled to connect with any of them and was confused for the first quarter of the book. I ended up pretty bored about halfway through...

I really enjoyed The One by John Marrs so was excited to read another book her wrote. The Marriage Act set in a near-future Britain, where memories of Covid and Brexit still linger, Marrs’ vision of a “Smart” society, in which everything is controlled by Artificial Intelligence is compellingly, terrifyingly real. In this imagined society, happy marriage is deemed the desired state and the country’s route to economic advancement.

We are introduced to the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which encourages people to sign up to a “Smart” marriage, with DNA genetic matching available to assist individuals in finding their perfect partners (gave me GATTACA vibes). Inducements include lower taxes, cheaper mortgages, and access to better healthcare, amongst other benefits. In return, couples must agree to have their every move tracked by IA and enter mandatory counselling if IA identifies discord in their relationship.

Far-fetched maybe, but it’s a premise that holds an unnerving kernel of plausibility; enough at least to set your antennae twitching. Marrs has clearly done his research about the potential scope of AI and presents a very convincing case; seductive detail adding to the sense of authenticity.

The narrative — a multiple POV, following four couples as they navigate the pros and cons of their smart marriages — is a delicious slow burn, and I found myself wholly invested in both the characters and their stories. I saw much of the Marrs I’m familiar with in the use of ever shortening chapters towards the end to increase pace, which ultimately builds to a frantic, shocking conclusion.

It was a great read, but I was left wanting more. All the way through, I was waiting for the various strands to come together or at least to intersect, and oddly, they never do, instead remaining separate and distinct. This absence of homogeneity in the narrative both bothered and baffled me. Only a niggle, perhaps, but it did detract from my overall enjoyment. It won’t, however, stop me reading more by Marrs in this genreThank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book

It took me a while to get into because I couldn't keep the characters straight but eventually I got into this and couldn't put it down. This story was wild with every one tied together somehow and so much craziness. The end was really well done.

I'm not usually a sci-fi fan but Marrs can write a good one!

Thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of John Marrs, so it pains me to say I did not really enjoy this book. I found it rather shallow and not up to the author’s usual standards. I think part of the problem was that there were too many characters going off in too many directions with connections that were tenuous at best. My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

4.5
I Really enjoyed the experience of reading this. At first, I was concerned about the number of perspectives that we were getting - often with multi POV there are some great characters and others that you slog through to get to the good ones. Here, each chapter was short and punchy - plus each POV was so entirely different there was no chance of getting confused. Major Black Mirror vibes of course, but also gave me the same feeling as reading Blake Crouch (the ones I liked...) - less hard science, but the same sci-fi thriller effect. The way it was written made it a very fast read, because it was hard to ever put down at the end of a chapter. The decision between 4 and 5 stars often hinges on the ending for me and tbh this one didn't floor me, but that doesn't take away from the rest of the positive experience I had reading this book.

Wow, John Marrs just continues to surprise, scare, astonish, alarm and entertain! What if marriage was a law? What if you were overtaxed, under-funded for health care, forced to live in a poorer neighborhood if you are unmarried? And all the perks went to married couples? I couldn't put this book down. But I may have to disable my Echo Dot.

The formatting of this read made it hard to get into, but once I got into the quirks of the document, I was good to go. I found the first half to be very slow, but the story really picked up in the second half. There were a lot of storylines that were initially hard to follow, but also created a great wholistic review of a dystopian world. Overall, I did enjoy the story.

Thank you to NetGalley.com and Hanover Trade Press for access to this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. (3.5* rounded up).

In the not-so-distant future, the Marriage Act in the UK incentivizes cohabiting as a couple by providing benefits such as better access to healthcare, lower interest on loans, and preferred housing. In exchange, couples consent to being monitored 24/7 by artificial intelligence that evaluates the health of their relationship, and flags any relationship problems for immediate repair. Single people and couples who choose not to upgrade to a Smart Marriage have no access to enhanced benefits, but also aren't monitored in their daily lives. Naturally, this causes political and social conflicts.

I didn't realize when I began this book that it is set in the same future as "The One" - where people have one true DNA Match. I felt pretty much the same about this book as I did about The One. I liked the short chapters and rotating characters experiencing different facets of the dystopian society, but I was definitely more interested in some stories than others. I also found parts of this book almost a little too dark, and some of the plots were confusing as there were so many characters to keep track of. I did enjoy the read and it went quickly. It's scary to think of the possibility of how accurate this type of society could actually be.

John Marrs does it again! The Marriage Act is unique and interesting, as well as thought provoking. I love how immersive Marrs writing is, and how each of his books builds on his prior stories. Great read! Highly recommend!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved all of this authors books and this one too! Highly recommend any and all of his books. Must read author!

Told from multiple perspectives, The Marriage Act is a dystopian picture of what our world would be like if marriage was a contract made not just with your spouse, but with the government as well. Couples can choose to enter a "Smart Marriage", which allows an Alexa-type device to be installed in your home that monitors your marriage. It is supposed to be a way to head off any marriage issues before they start, and enter you into counseling as needed, as a way to preserve marriages. In return, couples who choose a Smart Marriage enjoy better housing, benefits, tax breaks, and schools. It also makes it virtually impossible to leave a bad or unhappy marriage.

I can't honestly say I had any "favorite" characters because most of them were kind of awful, but some of them you can definitely relate to and have sympathy for. This book gets MESSY in places, similar to "The One", but it just doesn't hit for me as well as "The One". It was still super enjoyable if not a tad long.

I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in return for my honest review.