Do yourself a favor. Buy this book. Now.

An AI program in the metaverse allows you to raise a child, experiencing everything virtually from birth to adulthood. Before it gets rolled out to the public, an instant viral reality show puts 6 parental units to the test. The winner will either get to keep their meta-baby and any unspent funds or will have their fertility treatments paid for to start their real-world parenting journey. Within the first week a family is eliminated. This was an exciting read with twists and turns at every swipe of the page.

I especially enjoyed the sprinkling of additional media throughout this book. Some Reddit style feeds, different memos and bulletins, and news stories were among the nuggets of goodness bringing you deeper into the world Marrs has created. I typically read audiobooks but I would have missed out on the creative presentation of these tidbits.

I was so excited to read this book. I’ve been a member of the Psychological Thriller Readers on Facebook and was beyond thrilled to be selected to read this ARC. While it’s already been released in the UK, we are excitedly waiting for the release here in the US on July 9, 2024.

This book was very slow to start. I found the chapters hard to follow at times. The characters were well developed and the storyline was very intriguing. I love John Marrs books but this one was not for me.

I don't typically read dystopian or sci-fi novels but author Marrs is one of my favorite writers. I won’t pass up the opportunity to take a look at any of his new offerings.



This novel is set in the futuristic virtual reality, with desperate clients who want the perfect child, and who are chosen for a virtual reality tv show. Several couples are given the opportunity on the tv show to raise a virtual "Meta Baby" through a virtual headset in the Metaverse. These couples are competing for a chance to either keep their child, or win money to assist them in starting a family in the real world.

This was too far out there for my taste, a little scary too at the thought of the plot, and there were a lot of characters to keep track of, all with secrets, which should have drawn me in, but didn’t. It just wasn’t my kind of book.

Fans of dystopian thrillers/sci-fi, will devour this. Release day is July 9th. Pick up a copy of it at your favorite retailers.
My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the galley e-copy to peruse and review.

I don't know how this man does it, but I want him to never stop. Another great read by John Marrs. A reality show where contestants compete to win by raising AI Children. Unique idea, and had me hooked from the start. The multiple point of vies and short chapters are his signature writing style...and they are *chefs kiss*

4 stars

This is my first book by this author, but it won't be the last.

When the novel begins, readers learn that population growth and the outrageous expense of raising a child have made it nearly impossible for many to achieve their goals of establishing a family. Of course, those desires linger for some, and those with the means will have a new option: a virtual child with whom they can interact exclusively in the metaverse. Several teams (some couples and one individual) get to test out these virtual children in the most public way - as part of a reality show that offers almost round the clock viewing of the parents as they interact with their new children, as those children age (rapidly!), and as they all make new and wild discoveries about each other.

The premise of this novel is great, and some of the details are just bone chilling. It's easy to imagine all of this happening later today. At first, I did struggle to keep each parent team in order, and a couple of the storylines merged for me at times. That noted, this is well paced, and once I found my footing, I could not wait to see where this was all going.

After reading this book, I'm not sure that a virtual child is much easier than the traditional sort, but they - and the complicated characters who are interested in them - definitely make for a good read.

John Marrs has done it again! Captivating and refreshingly unique, The Family Experiment is a speculative thriller that takes place in the same futuristic world as The One, The Passengers, and The Marriage Act. You do not have to read those books before this one. On the surface: reality tv, the Metaverse, virtual children, couples who desperately want a child but can't have their own, a competition to be best at raising a virtual child for the reward of parenthood. Below the surface: so much more. This book is fast paced and packed with dark twists, surprises, and intrigue. I love the number of characters that we get to follow, which keeps the story from growing stale. As always, Marrs does an excellent job with character development and making it easy to differentiate between the characters as you read. This book kept me on the edge of my seat; I did not want to put it down. The Family Experiment releases in the U.S. on July 9th. Go get yourself a copy!
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for this opportunity.
This review has been shared on 7/7/2024 to:
1. Goodreads
2. Psychological Thriller Readers group on Facebook

Gosh, John Marrs is good. He has easily become one of my favorite authors. I’m also shocked to say I think I might actually be a major sci-fi fan and he is one of the reasons why!

I flew through this novel (and that’s saying a lot with an infant at home). The premise was super unique and fun to read. I will say the amount of characters was A LOT to keep track of and I really had to think about who was who each time the characters changed. If you can get past that aspect I think it added to the plot of the story for sure.

I was a big fan of The One, but haven’t read The Marriage Act yet. While it isn’t necessary to do so, I do wish I would have done so before reading this as it was referenced several times in the story.

Overall, another great read by John and one that I’m excited to recommend to others! 5⭐️s!

All I can say is WOW! This is the second book I’ve read by John Marrs, and now I want to read all of them. I read The One last year and absolutely loved it. This book has call backs to all of his other books set in this universe, so I wish I had read the others. However, I was hooked on this! Basically, the premise of this novel is that in the future, there is a way for people to have a virtual AI child. In this story, couples have to compete in a reality show where they take care of an AI child in the metaverse, and whoever gets the most votes gets to keep the child and some prize money. But there is a whole lot more going on! Secrets are revealed about each couple (and the single dad of course, who has the best storyline, in my opinion) and things get wild.
If you’re a fan of futuristic books with some suspense, this book is definitely for you. I would just suggest reading at least one of his other books first so you kind of get the gist of what this universe is like!

I'm left with conflicting feelings on this book, however, I stick by my 4 star rating.

The premise is that you can create a child through artificial intelligence and virtual reality and "raise" it at your convenience in a virtual, but very realistic world due to advanced technology. The couples in the book have been selected to "test drive" the program through a reality TV show.

I enjoyed reading this book but the format was something I had to get used to. Most of the book felt like each set of characters had their own chapters and stories independent of each other except for the fact that they were all part of "The Family Experiment". None of them had any interaction with each other until the very end of the book so at times I felt there was a lack of continuity. At the same time I was compelled to continue reading as it was evident that each couple had a sinister secret they were hiding. In the end, everything tied together but by that point I pretty much predicted the outcome.

Overall, I'd recommend this thriller as it was "different" in it's formatting and definitely not a boring read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Family Experiment by John Marrs is an absolute gem of a book. It's such a great example of speculative thriller. Intense, intelligent, thought-provoking, it will make you question how you view AI and its impact on people and their lives. Families compete on a reality tv show where they spend 9 months raising an AI from newborn baby to teenager. If they win, they get the choice of keeping the baby or receiving funding to have their own real-life baby with paid for IVF treatments, etc.

The writing is absolutely brilliant. The concept of Metaverse is so unique. The story itself have so many twists that will have you completely hooked and reading till you finished.
I love how the story is told, with its multiple points of view, switching between different characters, their individual stories and voices strong and well developed.
The Family Experiment is absolutely exceptional. One of those books that I know will stay with me for a very long time. Highly recommended!

This book was so interesting! All of John Marrs’ concepts are so unique and well thought out. It’s about a group of contestants on a reality TV show where they have to parent AI children in the Metaverse. Through technology, it looks, feels, and sounds exactly like parenting in the Real World. But the contest (and none of the contestants) are what they seem. The book is written in such a way that makes you want to keep reading so you can find out what’s going on, and I truly did not expect any of the twists! It also really makes you think about AI and technology and what it makes possible. Definitely an exciting and thought-provoking read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. THE FAMILY EXPERIMENT is out on July 9th!

In this dystopian thriller, John Marrs imagines a future where families unable to afford real children turn to virtual parenthood. Parents don VR suits to raise virtual children in the Metaverse, competing on a reality TV show for a chance to either keep their child or win money to start a real family. Each family harbors dark secrets, and the twists keep coming.

Marrs' vivid descriptions and fast-paced plot make for an immersive and thrilling read. Although the ending felt rushed, it was a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended for fans of speculative fiction and thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley, Hanover Square Press, and the author for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

I have always heard such wonderful things about author, John Marrs! Im not sure what took me so long to pick up a book, but I’m so glad I did. This book was well executed and well imagined. I was thoroughly engrossed and cannot wait to read more. The Family Experiment is a complex book told from multiple POV’s. It alternates between past and present with a clear distinction.

Marrs has created a world where we have taken technology to the next level. Humans are submersed in it. This world has multiple families unable to afford to have families so they created a way for parents to have virtual children. Parents out on a suit and visit the meta verse to experience parenthood in every single step. The book is about 6 sets of parents that are trying to start a family, each family has a deep dark secret with each twist bigger than the last. Oh and the parents are competing on a reality tv show where the cameras follow the parents 24/7 and the winner gets to keep their virtual child or get the money needed to start a family in the real world.

What a roller coaster ride of a book! I didn’t know which family to root for. Marrs descriptions helped me to feel submerged in the book. I highly recommend this thriller! I can’t wait to pick up Marrs other books! Thank you to NetGalley, Hanover Square Press and the author for the opportunity to read this book. My opinions are honest and my own!

I just want to live inside John’s head for a day.

The Family Experiment is about a group of people who join a new reality TV show where over the course of 9 months, they raise an incredibly realistic child in the Metaverse from ages 0-18 while being broadcasted 24/7. At the end of the 9 months, they can choose to either keep their Metaverse child or terminate them for cash.

Each family has their own set of demons and secrets that unravel one by one. While it’s not my favorite of his, this was a wild ride from start to finish. And if like dystopian/futuristic technology mixed with mystery/thriller, this is perfect for you.

4/5 stars. I LOVED the concept of this book and am a huge fan of John Marrs' speculative thrillers. This would have been a 5 star for me if it weren't for the ending, I felt that it fell flat.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

Reality television. Social media. AI. Is everything we see the truth or do people cover up what they’re really like? In this John Marrs novel you’ll meet a couple families competing on a new hit tv show for a chance to win money to have a child. They’re living in a future drove by AI, in a real-world poverty stricken world. With less real world experiences to be had, they can live a whole “exciting” life behind their virtual headset to travel, live ocean-side, and have a virtual child. But is a virtual world really what’s best?

This was an exciting read with actual twists you don’t see coming!

I really enjoyed the back and forth of characters and how well the author ties it all together.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my review.

Marrs' exploration of virtual parenthood in an economically challenged world is captivating and chilling. The fast-paced plot, combined with the reality TV show format, keeps readers engaged. Despite numerous characters and twists, Marrs ties everything together seamlessly. This book's scariest aspect is its plausible reflection of our near future. Highly recommended for those who enjoy speculative fiction with a dark twist.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing/Hanover Square Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by a favorite, John Marrs. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

In the not-so-distant future, the population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. A growing number of people can no longer afford to have families. For those desperate enough and for enough money, clients can create a virtual child that lives in the metaverse and is accessible through a VR headset. To launch this project, the company creates a reality TV show to pit 5 couples and 1 single man to see who provides the best parenting. The virtual children go through an accelerated growth pattern, going from birth to age 18 in a 9-month period. Of course, viewers can watch all the interactions, giving red hearts for good parenting and black ones for bad behaviors. Of course there will be monthly challenges the contestants must face. And the prize? The winner can either keep their virtual child or take the prize money to be able to have a real world child. What could go wrong?

John Marrs is the best at speculative fiction - you can easily take reality up a notch and imagine these dilemmas. This will keep you glued to the pages as each of the contestants secrets, motives and behaviors slowly reveal themselves. Also included are news headlines, social media clips, as well as the back story of this concept, and plenty of twists that will leave you gasping. With AI seeming to seep into our current world, this is a scary, eye-opening look into a potential future.

Imagine living in a world that is overpopulated and in such economic despair that people can no longer afford to start and raise a family. For those who still want a chance at parenthood, advanced technology can now provide them a virtual child in the Metaverse for a monthly subscription fee. And what could be better to launch this new idea than a 24/7 live reality TV show called The Substitute! The show features 5 couples and a single father as they raise their virtual child from birth to 18 in a matter of 9 months. The winner gets a choice to keep their virtual child or risk it all for the opportunity to have a real child.

While there are a lot of characters in this story and a little of twists in each chapter, John Marrs has done an excellent job making it easy to follow and tying up all the loose ends. The scariest part of this book is how close this may be to reality!

I would like to thank Hanover Square Press, John Marrs, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but I found it to be rather interesting. This was such an interesting concept for a book, and I enjoyed going through all of these scenarios. Great book!