I was speechless by this book as I am with most of John mars books. This very futuristic book follows families in a reality show to compete for money. If I wasn’t concerned about AI before I certainly am more now.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book

**A dystopian future where the Meta verse is the place for starting a Family. Set is Dystopian UK people can no Longer afford to have children so a reality Tv show is created where contestants to experience having a child at an accelerated rate. following 10 couples the win will get to keep their child!**

John Marrs never disappoints with a fast paced unputdownable book so many twists and shocks throughout. he has a knack of making every character unlikable

Bizarre scifi thriller read and I devoured this upppp!!! Honestly any book by John Marrs is a chefs kiss for mee

Another thought provoking very creative book by John Marrs! I absolutely loved The One so I was excited to read this one and it didn't disappoint. I was immediately drawn in and read almost 75% of the book in one day. There are a lot of characters to keep up with though, but I thoroughly enjoyed this either way! I really enjoy that these books both feel far fetched but also that they could happen in the future with the way that tech is going.

Bizarre and definitely outside my comfort zone reads. Virtual AI children given to families in a reality TV setting to raise as their own and feel the real emotions. Strange but also could not stop reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade for an eARC.

4.5 out of 5 stars. Wow! This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading and even when I wasn’t reading, I couldn’t stop thinking about it! The Metaverse and AI aspects are so interesting to think about but also kind of frightening, and I think John Marrs did a great job of portraying that. I almost had the BIG twist pegged 1/4 of the way through but was off by a tiny bit, but by no means was it predictable.

I love John Marrs books. But sadly this book was just not for me. I ended up DNFing it. It was just a bit too futuristic for my taste. Rating it 3 stars because while this book wasn't for me it might be the perfect book for someone else. Plus I still love John Marrs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the E-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

No one does realistic sci-fi better than John Marrs! Wow! John Marrs' "The Family Experiment" was dark, thought provoking, and scarily realistic. In the latest "blow your mind" work from Marrs, we are introduced to a world in which having biological children is difficult and cost-prohibitive for many people. Enter "virtual children". How it works is this: Several couples apply to have a virtual child, and join a reality TV concept in which they raise said virtual child, while being watched by the public for up to 24 hours a day. Controlled by headsets in a realm referred to as the "metaverse", each year of the virtual child's life lasts approximately 3-4 weeks. Couples are voted off one at a time, leaving the final couple with the option to either keep their virtual child, or be offered 250K to put towards having a real, biological child.

While these couples are being watched, viewers are witnessing how well they do, and do not, parent. Family secrets, child abuse, and betrayal/lies abound within the families, as each competes to hopefully be the final family standing at the end of the competition....with or without their child.

As usual, Marrs blew me away. The freakiest part is that this could theoretically happen in the future. The plot is eerie, to say the least, and I was completely hooked on each character and invested in the lives and the choices that they made. Highly recommend starting with "The One", then moving to "The Marriage Act", before reading this latest novel. While it's not necessary, you will have a greater sense of context, and some of the characters are repeaters from other books. Marrs is a talented writer, and this is not one to be missed!

3.5 stars rounded up

I am quickly learning that if you are in the mood for a psychological thriller set in the futuristic United Kingdom, John Marrs is the author for you! This is my second book by him, and it did not disappoint.

Like The One, The Family Experiment (which is set in the same universe, though it's not a sequel) changes characters each chapter. This, at first, is a little confusing to keep the characters straight, but after a few times through, you start learning who is who.

I think the author does a great job with balancing the development of intriguing characters with an edge of your seat thriller. Each chapter leaves you wanting to continue the story, which makes it a fast read.

The book really makes you think about how AI is going to effect our lives going forward. I think Marrs' books, while fiction and set in a world we have not yet reached, still feel like they could happen.

This was a great thriller! John Marrs knows how to write a good book with unexpected twists and fantastic plots. I will be recommending this to all thriller fans

This is a story about modern families.

I love a good John Marrs multiverse entry- they never fail to be unsettling. That being said, this wasn’t my favorite of his because I hated literally every character- by the end I was hoping they would all be hit by driverless cars. YMMV, the premise is absolutely well executed and the pacing kept me hooked.

Thank you so much @hanoversquarepress for the eArc- it’s a very exciting #coffeeandcurrentlyreading

3.5 rounded to 4!

The Family Experiment by John Marrs is the first Marrs book I have read, and it won’t be the last. The concept of being able to raise virtual children along with a television show documenting every twist and turn, was extremely compelling to me and it did not disappoint. I loved the different points of view and the journey to find out who Hudson was and how he got onto this show in the first place. I really was hooked from the beginning and found the whole plot intriguing. I believe the story is very appropriate given the nature of our society right now and it presented many interesting questions and points. It’s really not difficult to see something like this happening now or in the future, which is certainly unsettling.

The Family Experiment by John Marrs is another masterclass in high-stakes storytelling, blending psychological suspense with a chilling exploration of human nature. Marrs takes a seemingly simple premise—what happens when technology and family collide—and spins it into a rollercoaster of twists, ethical dilemmas, and jaw-dropping moments.

Known for his fast-paced plots and morally gray characters, Marrs doesn’t disappoint here. The narrative is sharp, layered, and filled with unexpected turns that keep you guessing until the very end. His ability to weave complex character dynamics with dark, thought-provoking themes makes this not just a thriller, but a deep dive into the consequences of tampering with human connection.

The pacing is relentless, the twists perfectly timed, and the ending? Absolutely unforgettable.

5 stars — a brilliantly crafted, twisty read that will have you questioning everything. Perfect for fans of smart, addictive thrillers with a dark edge.

The Family Experiment by John Marrs is a dark and twisted psychological thriller that explores the complexities of family dynamics, secrets, and deception. The story centers around a man named Nicholas, who discovers he has been part of an experimental family created for scientific purposes. As the truth about the experiment unfolds, the characters are forced to confront their pasts, relationships, and their own identities. With Marrs' signature suspenseful writing and unexpected plot twists, this book is a gripping, thought-provoking read for fans of intense thrillers and psychological mysteries.

A compelling story about the complexities of humans relationships, technology and AI. John Marrs always has the most interesting ways of blending the domestic and the surreal. It's a thought provoking thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat

Marrs just put out a masterclass in dystopia. Like genuinely no one else can compete because this level of worldbuilding, detail and commitment to bringing storylines full circle is incredible. A must read, and now I’m going to binge everything this author has ever penned.

SO GOOD!! I NEVER get to give 5 stars due to so many shortcomings in most books, but this one was WELL deserved!! And the ending did NOT disappoint! Usually I won’t read books based outside my country because of so many unfamiliar terms and what not but I am SO GLAD I gave this one a chance! The author did amazing keeping the language universal. I will definitely be reading more from this author

John Marrs does it again! I don't know what about his books exactly that hooks me so much but he does it every time. This world he has created seems like it would be so futuristic but in reality it could very well be happening right now. He dives into the truth of what could be and might be going on and we don't even know about it because we can't understand the full capabilities of AI. The twists and turns he throws into the mix of the secrets of everyday people just dig you in deeper into the story and you want to know more. I felt like I was invested in this reality tv show just like the viewers they mentioned. I can't wait for more from this universe he has created that in reality is it made up or is it the world we currently live in?

Thank you to Netgalley and John Marrs for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

John Marrs has done it again with The Family Experiment! This book is a brilliant mix of psychological tension, moral dilemmas, and gripping storytelling. The premise is both unique and unsettling, pulling readers into a world where science and human emotion collide in unexpected ways. Imagine a reality show where the ultimate prize is a real child.

"The world's population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, the breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them.
But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show called The Substitute. It will follow ten couples as they raise a Virtual Child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby…"

This book, like his others, challenges your mind into partaking in the impossible. Have a notebook handy because it is challenging to keep all of the couples straight along with their own secrets and issues, but it's worth it!!

I absolutely have to read more from John Marrs!

I cannot believe it took me so long to read this because once I started I couldn't stop. The Family Experiment is a gripping, fast-paced, sci fi thriller that kept me on my toes the entire time. It's set in "futuristic London" and also connects to some of this other books like The One, The Passengers, and the Marriage Act. I absolutely loved that they all connected because through each book we read, we learn just the reality of this futuristic London world we are in and the stories we are reading.

Through multi-POVS, I was pulled in and wanted to know what each family was going through. There were plenty of jaw-dropping moments that will leave you wanting to read more and just like me you may finish this book in one sitting!

This was a 5 star read for me because the sci-fi / futuristic setting of John Marrs books is so needed nowadays. We are advancing fast as a race and reading these possible "what ifs" and "possibilities" just make me realize what a scary future there could be.

I cannot wait for the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book!