John Marrs is one of those authors that will always be an auto buy for me. I don’t even need to read the blurb to know what the book is about, I just know if he’s the mastermind behind it, I’m sure to enjoy it. His ideas are all so unique, but at the same time, not completely far fetched either.

This story is a speculative thriller that takes us to the not so far out future. A time where another option is being presented to people who wish to start a family, but might not be able to conceive, or simply may not be able to afford it. Whatever the reason might be, a virtual family just might be the answer. This can all be done by accessing the metaverse through a VR headset.

The company who has come up with this idea, decides to film a game show to promote it. In their competition, real world couples will raise their virtual children from babies to adulthood (18 years old) at an accelerated pace of 9 months time. We follow the ups and downs as each couple navigates through balancing their life in the real world and the life they have created in the metaverse.

Is it possible the contestant’s two “lives” will cross paths? Will they be able to keep up with two separate lives or will their secrets be exposed?

This book is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat wanting more.

It’s one of those stories you will continue to think about even after you’ve finished it.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and netgalley for this e-Arc. I dnf'd this book at 50%. I think this more of a me issue than the book. I think the book is well written, just didn't end up being a book for me.
In this book, virtual reality has become commonly used. Eleven contestants have entered the new virtual reality series "The Family Experiment" for a chance to win up to $250k to start a family of their own.
The contestants have to last nine months and receive the most votes from the audience to win. What lengths will these contestants go to for the chance to start their dream families.

John Marrs has crafted yet another dark, twisty and thought provoking speculative thriller in The Family Experience. John is fast becoming for me the king of writing multiple povs featuring characters who are fully fleshed out, with unique backstories and great character arcs.

I read this book in two days, because no matter what I was attending to at home my mind kept wandering back to the story and the characters, and I needed to see how it would all unfold. The Family Experiment is set in a not too distant future UK, where skyrocketing housing, food, and health costs (sound at all familiar??) have made it impossible for some couples to even entertain the idea of parenthood. Enter a new reality show which promises to help solve this issue through the rollout of virtual interactive MetaChildren. Children who are so realistically depicted through virtual reality, that the hope is they can replicate the need/want for human children in a more cost effective way. Five couples, and one singleton are chosen to compete in this series, each raising one of these virtual children in the Metaverse in front of a worldwide audience. The winner can then choose to keep their new progeny, or pull the plug on them and keep what’s left of the prize amount of £250,000.

What follows is one twist after another as we learn that each of these couples are hiding some staggering secrets, either from each other or from the live audience, and one by one they are eliminated before we reach the shocking conclusion. The tongue in cheek addition of breaking news segments, and obsessive viewer chat rooms only added to the entertainment. I won’t give away any details but I found the premise of this book to be thoroughly disconcerting because it’s not something that is totally out of the range of possibility for our future and mankind. That this could be a potential reality is what makes John’s speculative series of books so entertaining and gripping.

It’s not just autonomous vehicles anymore. . .

It’s nature vs nurture vs AI.

It’s Ready Player One meets Bringing Home Baby.

It’s a new reality show in the metaverse where people have to tackle parenthood and raise and care for a child… a virtual child.

I tried to wait to read this closer to publication date, but I couldn’t because John Marrs speculative thrillers are chips and salsa. And I frickin’ LOVE chips and salsa. I couldn’t put this down!

This novel is set in the same near-future world as Marrs previous speculative thrillers, THE ONE, THE PASSENGERS and THE MARRIAGE ACT. You definitely can read this one as a stand-alone, but to get a full picture of the world I recommend reading them all in that order. 4.5 stars.

This is my fourth John Marrs book and it's another winner! The Family Experiment is another fascinating concept brought forth by Marrs. In The Family Experiment, we follow along with couples as they compete in a new 24/7 television program called, The Family Experiment. Fans of the show are able to watch as couples raise a virtual child for nine months, as the child goes from a newborn to adult. The winning couple is allowed to choose between money to start their own family or to keep their virtual child.

The setting of The Family Experiment is in a not-so-distant future in which there is financial hardship impacting families and most couples require IVF to bring a child into the world. As is typical of a Marrs book, the futuristic concepts hit very close to home and make you really think about the power of AI and some of the other technologies that we are just starting to experience. There are tie ins to Marrs' past books like 'The One,' 'The Marriage Act,' and 'The Passengers,' which makes the book a bit more enjoyable if you've been a long-time fan (but also doesn't deter new readers!).

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press, and the author John Marrs for this entertaining book!

This is another winner from John Marrs! I absolutely loved this book. It has some of the same elements from "The One" by him as well, and refers to that a lot, so I would recommend reading that book first.

I did not see the ending coming at all! I really enjoyed all he twists and turns and it kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next! If you like a good psychological thriller I would definitely recommend this one!

I was so excited when I got approved for an ARC of this book. John. Marrs. I LOVED The One and The Marriage Pact, so needless to say I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one.

In a world where conceiving a child is incredibly costly and not everyone can conceive, there's the Metaverse to the rescue. While there, you can have an AI generated child and experience all parenting has to offer while you're in your physical home rocking a suit, gloves and headset to "exist" with your child in their world. It sounds far fetched, but longing to be a parent knows no bounds, especially for the contestants on the new reality show The Family Experiment. For nine months, these parents will compete against one another to be the best parent viewers judge them to be, all while being live streamed. Who will make it and who won't? And more importantly, at the end of the competition, will the winner choose to keep the prize money and their meta child or will they take the money to start a family in their world?

The thing I love about Marrs' work is that it is so fascinating. There's always an incredibly unique premise that truly makes you think. And using AI? It makes it seem all the more plausible. Bravo to Marrs for knocking it out of the park again.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another success from John Marrs! I loved immersing myself in this book, and I love how he created a word where he included all his previous work! The parallel stories were so interesting to follow, and the writing style is the one we know, easy to read and easy to follow. I read it in 2 days. 5 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc! I liked it, very interesting concept, and quite entertaining. John Marrs is an awesome author and writes a lot of futuristic type stories.

Wow, wow, wow. The book packed so many punches!

With AI technology advances, a game show has been concocted to roll out the release of “Metachildren.” For the selected contestants, the Family Experiment gives them a chance to raise a child in a digital world on an accelerated timeline. As the game progresses, however, there are more and more revelations about those participating, and some secrets are more deadly than others.

Covering topics from consumerism, inflation, to the intense discussion of the ethics of AI, this book brought to light controversial realities in a crazy and engaging way. I was completely hooked, and desperate to discover more of each contestant’s story as it was threaded through the book. And the conclusion was oh so satisfying.

If you like multiple POVs, cleverly tied-up loose ends, and issues that mirror those in real life, you will be as engrossed in The Family Experiment as I was!

The most Black Mirror coded book ever! A multi-POV psychological thriller surrounded around families who are participating in a virtual reality TV experiment called "The Family Experiment." Families are competing against one another as they take a virtual child from birth to age 19 within a 9 month time period. The public will get to vote and watch couples 24/7 on who their favorite couple is in - and winner takes all in a grand prize of either keeping their virtual child or taking the money and building a real one outside of their virtual reality.

I loved the concept of this book and alternating point of views at every chapter. I kept turning the pages because I needed to know what would happen next. It really made you think between the morality of the entire concept. The news articles, the comments from social media, etc. kept the novel engrossing and creative. My only hang up was the ending felt a bit dragged to tie everything all up. However, highly recommend to anyone who loves a thrilling novel!

My first John Marrs and it will definitely not be my last! Thank you to Netgalley, John Marrs and Hanover Square Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

An organization films a reality challenge for want to be parents to raise AI children in the metaverse. Secrets from the parents' pasts come to life, and their flaws are revealed to the viewers with disastrous consequences.

if you love Black Mirror this book is for you!!

The Family Experiment is another great, speculative fiction from John Marrs. Focused around a Metaverse reality tv show, The Family Experiment tells the story of a handful of couples that would do almost anything to start a family—including parenting a Metaverse Child.

Overall this book hits the nail on the ‘what would you do for your family??’ head and is another solid addition into the ever growing collection from John Marrs. As with some of his other novels, I struggled with the large cast of characters but by the end the novel’s focus is shifted to only a few of them. Like I said if you enjoy Black Mirror and speculative fiction, pick this book up. You will enjoy it!!

How would you like to have a virtual child? I loved the premise of this book and it was carried out expertly. It made me ponder about what could happen in the future, with virtual reality. There was so much action and the twists were delicious and shocking. This is speculative fiction at its finest. Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a captivating blend of psychological thriller and family drama. Mars skillfully develops complex characters and navigates their evolving relationships under extreme stress, providing keen insights into human psychology.

Thematically, the book explores trust, control, and ethical boundaries, prompting readers to reflect on societal norms and personal values. While some plot twists are predictable, the story remains emotionally engaging and intellectually stimulating.

Overall, The Family Experiment is a thought-provoking and thrilling read, offering a balanced mix of suspense and emotional depth that will appeal to fans of both genres. Thank you John Marrs, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

thank you Netgalley for this ARC!! John Marrs does it yet again!!! this book is kinda similar to the one and the marriage act, which i also lovvvvveeedddd. such a cool concept.

multiple couples are followed who have a "meta baby" in a meta universe. these couples are able to put on suits and actually FEEL their metababy--engage, interact, cuddle, etc. The baby ages very quickly from birth to age 18 within a few months.
This whole experiment is filmed and the world watches the stories unfold. the viewers can "love" or "hate" certain things they witness by sending red or black hearts. viewers can also win lotteries and enter the meta universe at anytime, unbeknownst to the couples. at the end of the family experiment, the couples have to make the decision to pursue a baby in the real world or keep their metababy. i love these wild sci fi type stories that make your brain go crazy. with AI in our future, i wonder if this could really happen!?!?!!!!!

Another page turner from John Marrs!!! This book has short chapters rotating between the families participating in the virtual reality experiment. Every chapter ends with a cliff hanger but keeps you waiting as the next chapter starts with a different family. With tie ins from the past and present mixed in with viewer comments and game show host vibes this book is impossible to put down. If that doesn’t sound enticing enough, in true John Marrs style there are plenty of twists and surprises to keep you on your toes!

Pub Date USA: July 9, 2024

Thank you Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing an ARC of The Family Experiment by John Marrs for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A number of families are struggling to start and afford families, a solution that arises is to create a virtual child in the MetaVerse. Connecting though a VR headset and a hepatic suit. To get the word out about this new product a reality TV show called The Family Experiment has also launched. 10 couples will compete to raise a child in the MetaVerse while the whole world can tune in 24/7 voting which families to be eliminated- eliminating their virtual child and their chance to create a family in the real world (via IVF or surrogacy).

Wow what a concept and I love Marrs‘s take on it! He did such a great job telling the story, putting the reader in this world, but also adding real issues from today and adapting to the world he created! I also loved that he continued the world he built from The One and The Marriage Act while keeping the books just separate enough. I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin and John Marrs for the advanced copy of The Family Experiment. This was my first time reading speculative fiction, and now I'm wondering what took me so long. This book is fan-freakin'-tastic! I can't wait to start this series from the beginning. Overall rating: 4.5 ⭐️

Book Title: The Family Experiment
Author: John Marr
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing- Hanover Square Press
Genre: Sci Fi Fantasy, Thriller
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 400

This story is set in the same universe as “The One”, “The Marriage Act”, and “The Passengers”.

For those DESPERATE to experience parenthood, there is an alternative- an interactive REALITY TV show which will stream 24/7 as it pits five couples and one single father against each other, as they raise a “Virtual Child “ programmed by AI.

Over the next nine months eleven childless British contestants will compete to raise the world’s first interactive children in the Metaverse.
Their baby will grow at an accelerated rate.
 They will receive a newborn baby
 When the baby reaches two months will be a child much older
 By the ninth month a fully grown adult.

Parents will wear virtual reality headsets and their experience can be viewed twenty-four hours a day.
Viewers will vote for a couple to face a Monthly Challenge.

Although I am not a fan of reality shows, I love this author. Additionally I did read “The Marriage” but this story one was a struggle and I tried and tried again. Have to admit did some skipping but hung in until the end.

I have read several John Marrs’ novels. My very favorite was " What Lies Between" a dark twisted psychological thriller ~ which is my kind of a read!
I do like John Marrs and am hopeful this is the last in this series and if it isn't I do hope he will also go back to writing about the psychos who roam our current world!

I was looking forward to reading the Author’s Notes and Acknowledgement as I knew both would be interesting as well as clarifying.
Marrs tells us his inspiration came from a newspaper article suggesting that a few years from now, it will be commonplace for people to start a family in the Metaverse.

Keeping with the story in his ‘Author Note there is a photo of him.
Which he stars off - You’ll know this already but it seems fitting to ask AI to come up with an image that can be used rather than the usual (admittedly old profile). The AI image is based on a selfie.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing –Hanover Square Press for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 9, 2024.