Unfortunately this was not for me. I struggled to connect with any of the couples- and it was hard to keep track of who was who. I’ve loved John Marrs books in the past, but I couldn’t find my groove with this one.

“The Family Experiment" marks my introduction to John Marrs' writing, and I must say, it left a lasting impression, despite my usual inclination away from sci-fi genres.

Marrs seamlessly blends elements of thriller with a thought-provoking exploration of scientific innovation and its ethical implications.

What immediately drew me in was Marrs' ability to create a gripping narrative that kept me on the edge of my seat. The suspense builds steadily as the story unfolds, weaving together multiple perspectives and intertwining plotlines that converge in unexpected ways.

As someone who typically avoids sci-fi, I appreciated how Marrs grounded the speculative elements in a relatable human drama. The ethical dilemmas posed by advancements in technology and the pursuit of scientific progress felt not only timely but eerily plausible.

"The Family Experiment" is more than just a sci-fi thriller; it's a cautionary tale that raises profound questions about the intersection of science, morality, and the essence of humanity itself.

In conclusion, "The Family Experiment" exceeded my expectations and piqued my interest in Marrs' other works. If you're looking for a novel that challenges the boundaries of genre while delivering a suspenseful and thought-provoking story, I highly recommend picking up "The Family Experiment." It's a testament to Marrs' skill as a storyteller and his ability to engage readers, even those who are not typically drawn to sci-fi literature.

John Marrs does it again. I loved his typical twists with the inclusion of AI . A series of contestants have the opportunity to play “The Family Experiment,” a game show with a virtual child. At the end the winner can choose to keep their AI child or use their winnings to help them grow their human child .

This had me shook for pretty much the entire book. The book bobbed and weaved constantly and left me in a state of shock. I could NOT put this down and now I wish I had read "The One" and "The Marriage Act" before reading this one since those two were referenced a bit in this one. I definitely plan to go back and read those two since this book was AMAZING. I loved the writing style, the mixed media, the plot, and the character dilemmas. Everything was so well plotted out and shocking that I could have kept reading this book for another 1000 pages and wouldn't have been bored. This is an easy 5 star and I can't wait to read the backlist of John Marrs.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book.

Absolutely loved this book!! John Marrs is so brilliant. This whole concept was so interesting and every page I was just desperate to know what would happen next. Thank you so much NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Hanover Square Press for sharing this wonderful sci-fi journey’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. GO READ THIS BOOK!

I am a huge fan of Marss, especially his writing in the The One universe. This was my least favourite of those. I still give it 4 stars because this author really has a way with words, but I simply couldn't get as immersed in this one as I have with the others.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. I’ve absolutely devoured other John Marrs books and while the premise of this book intrigued me, the story got a little too out there for me. I enjoyed it but wouldn’t rate it as highly as his other books.

This book was soooo good! I dont really even want to give any of the plot away because going in blind was awesome. It is a sci-fi book which I don't typically gravitate towards, but I love John Marrs. The story is told in different perspectives of families participating in a reality type show where they raise virtual children. These children do not exist in the real old, only the virtual world. So while each family is raising a virtual child, they still come back to the real world and have to deal with real world problems - all while the whole world watches.

The plot was unique, I loved how it all tied together and I liked the references to his other sci fi books (while I don't think you need to read those first to understand this book)

overall, I recommend it and gave it 4.5 stars!

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

At this point if John Marrs writes a 10 page grocery list, I will be buying it and reading it.

The twists in his books are insane. Not only does he have multiple twists in the same book but also those twists have twist!!! I feel like I turn into an owl when I read them. I have to keep turning my head all over the place so I don’t miss anything.

They are extra terrifying because they can very much happen.

This book is in the same universe as “the one”, “the passengers” and “the marriage act”. They are interconnected standalones. You don’t have to read them all but I suggest you do. They are all amazing.

In a future not that far ahead, the cost of living and raising a family is ridiculous. A lot of people can’t afford to start a real world family. In steps the family experiment. A tv show where a handful of picked families will have the chance to start a metaverse family. With gloves, headset, full body suits, and glasses you can experience raising a child that is fully AI. If you win the game you get to keep your child and raise it. You can decide when it ages and how long it stay in that age. But it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. Every single family has secrets.

This books is absolutely amazing. I gasped multiple times. I exclaimed profanity’s multiple times.

I highly recommend any John Marrs books and especially the ones set in this universe.

This is a book with a premise that is not as far-fetched as one may initially think: the possibility of a virtual child. The story could really make readers think about how companies could use AI and the ethics surrounding it. The writing is solid, and there are enough twists and turns to keep readers engaged in this dystopian novel which is not your typical sci-fi story. It will make you think, and it may make you feel uncomfortable. It's an interesting take on the possibilities of technology and how, or if, it should be used. Since the characters were on a reality TV show, there are advertisements, viewer chats, and news breaks included in the story, which make it more interesting.

I thought this book was interesting, the end was not what I was expecting at all. The characters were interesting and I wanted to know how things turned out for them.

John Marrs does it again. This book had me hooked after the first few pages. The idea of the family experiment is crazy something I’d never think of. Kinda of crazy to think in the future this could be a thing that happens maybe. Once you understand the experiment then you start learning their pasts and secrets, I couldn’t stop reading. If you like his other books you’ll definitely like this one.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc

Love John Marrs and always look forward to a new book that takes place in this universe! Creepy and sad at times but couldn't put it down!

The Family Experiment is a unique, thought provoking, and entertaining work of speculative fiction. With short chapters, multiple POVs, & lots of twists and turns, this near-future psychological thriller was such a fast paced read; I simply couldn’t put it down.

Set in the same universe as The One and The Marriage Act, this story follows several couples/singles as they compete in a reality tv game show, in which they raise a metaverse AI baby in a virtual reality simulation over the course of 9 months. At the end of this timeframe, only the winning couple will be able to keep their AI baby.

The Family Experiment takes a serious look at a wild interpretation of advanced AI technology. It touches on repercussions to the job landscape, the economy, and ethics all will delivering interesting characters with juicy secrets, exciting plot twists, and lots of drama.

I can always count on a John Marrs book keeping me entertained. This sucker kind of scared me. I think I'm going to be in the closet with my tin foil hat after this one.

Netgalley in exchange for review.

No spoilers. Read via ARC kindle.

This is my first John Marrs book, and however I felt like this kind of dragged and got slow in some parts, I felt like it was still a good book and would read more from him. I would absolutely love seeing this be turned into a TV series! I felt like I was truly reading a TV show, so I loved that aspect of this book. As it is in the UK, I did have to figure out some words with being in the US, but did not feel like it hindered the book in anyway. The way he has you cheering on characters, to find out that you shouldn’t be cheering for that character(s), had me on the edge of the seat. The thrill and twists were shocking! I definitely did enjoy the majority of this book, and am excited to read more from John Marrs!

Would I recommend? YES! If you are okay with a longer book that plays in your head like a TV show while you are reading, I think you will really enjoy this!

Ten couples raise a child virtually in a nine-month period on a reality show. The winner will either get to keep their virtual child without the subscription fee, or get a chance for a real baby. What a concept! John Marrs really knows how to take you right to the edge of reality. I love that he knows how to take you into a sci-fi world, but keep it close enough to reality that it seems like it's actually possible. I am not usually a sci-fi/dystopian person, but John Marrs makes the genre worth it. I am always on the edge of my seat waiting to see where the story will take me.

OMG!!! What a ride! If you plan on reading this one just plan the whole day, because every single chapter ends in a cliff hanger and you'll want to keep going. My goodness this man's brain must just be on fire from all this what if stuff, where do these ideas even come from, but some of these ideas scare the hell out of me, because this stuff could be coming to a world near me. I did a combo of listening and reading. I would probably recommend reading merely because of the amount of characters to keep straight. I'm an avid audiobook person so I don't say this lightly. This was a page turner and thought provoking book. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this for my honest opinion. My opinion is get this book now!!! Please John I need the next speculative book!

John Marrs has quickly become one of my favorite authors. After reading his book “Keep it in the Family” last year, I jumped on the chance to get an eBook ARC of his latest book. “The Family Experiment” is a slightly different genre, more dystopian, speculative fiction. However, it still has John Marrs’ trademark building suspense, plot twists that blow your mind, and characters and situations that may make you question your morals. I was intrigued by the synopsis, and the book didn’t disappoint.

While reading, I could see the parallels between the book and reality. The sad truth is that we’re headed toward something like this with AI being completely integrated into our society. Eventually, we may reach a similar predicament as the book, where couples desperate for children will do anything to have a child and let their lives become consumed by a virtual reality where they have AI children. That’s a terrifying thing to grasp.

I recommend this book for thriller lovers and readers who enjoy dystopian books involving AI!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eBook ARC.

Rating: 4 stars!

A reality tv show + AI children + a competition to see who is the best parent + real world drama = an interesting ride of a book! The intro chapter for this book had me scratching my head as to what the heck I was about to read... But I'm so glad I stuck with it! The ending had me screaming! I loved this!

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