This title will be out in January 2023, but I just couldn't wait to read it so here's my first Netgalley review for 2023! Not everyone feels that AI can correctly gauge a relationship’s health. After all, AI doesn’t have a sense of humor, and it cannot feel empathy or loneliness. Britain. The near future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills – the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single. We will know if you fail, because if you upgrade to a Smart Marriage, we will fit your home with a listening device. We will daily analyze your relationship and send marriage advice and support.

A right wing government has introduced the “Sanctity of Marriage Act” which promotes SMART MARRIAGES. Say “I Do” to one and you will get greater personal tax allowances, a nicer home with access to top schools for your children, and access to NHS for speedier healthcare among other things. People using the Smart Marriage terms to punish a spouse they no longer love, parents forced into marriage upgrades to secure their kids a better education, people forced into parroting robotic statements instead of having candid conversations with their spouse for fear of devices listening in. These situations, and more, play out over the course of the novel. The Marriage Act is situated in the not-too-distant future in Britain. It is a time and place where marriage is at the forefront, claiming to be the fix to an ailing economy and other social problems. Marriage is considered as essential and those who chose not to enter into this arrangement are penalised for their single status preference. The Marriage Act follows four couples very closely as they negotiate a world of constant surveillance and monitoring. In this society of forced control, power and dominance, who will survive?

It turns into decision, person freedoms, social media, and lots more avenue which can only lead to a “dead end” if allowed. From the bestselling author of THE ONE, now an eight part NETFLIX series. Set in the same world as THE ONE, THE MARRIAGE ACT is a dark, high concept thriller.

From the bestselling author of The One, now an eight-part NETFLIX series. Set in the same world as The One, The Marriage Act is a dark, high-concept thriller. This was hilarious in parts, if you were to analyse your own relationship in this way:) it was terrifying in other places and completely addictive. Other novels have contemplated situations where arbitrary rules were set by government but this was an entirely unique take on that premise. Brilliant! 4.5* Truthfully I really didn't give two rats asses about any of characters. I found myself annoyed by their selfishness. Corrine was a massive hypocrite who embodied: "how dare I face the consequences of my own actions." Noah should've been single, forever. Jeffrey and Roxi needed in-patient psychiatric care. Owen and Luca were inconsequential. Mitchell was a Disney villain (I literally pictured Elon Musk at times). Oh yeah, forgot about Arthur. He was a blend between inconsequential but also needing therapy. I guess everyone searches for the perfect mate, the perfect, partner one who would compliment you in everyday life. All characters in this story have to face certain consequences of their deeds... and they are all in for a surprise.Former journalist John Marrs has made a triumphant return to the publishing field with his 2023 release The Marriage Act. A stimulating and original near future style thriller, The Marriage Act is a highly absorbing read. The One has been translated into 30 different languages and is to be turned into an eight-part Netflix series starting in autumn 2020. The novel follows various people/couples and their differing experiences and situations surrounding this Marriage Act. As in the previously mentioned books, the number of characters is a bit overwhelming at first. I almost felt like I needed a chart to keep them all straight, but after a bit I got the hang of it. There were certain characters I was rooting for, others I downright hated, and others that I wasn't sure about. It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of John Marr’s writing and that I have followed his career for years as a reader and friend, so when he asked me to read his latest book The Marriage Act prior to final edits and proofing as usual I jumped with joy and said “Yes, please!”.

John Marrs does it again! The Marriage Act is another fast-paced speculative novel set five minutes in the future. The two elements that makes his books so enjoyable is his skillful use of multiple viewpoints, and the fact that he makes the improbable feel almost possible. The Priest’s Wife – A G Rivett | Blog Tour Extract | #ThePriestsWife @bryn.glas.books @RichardsonHelenAfter working as a journalist for 25-years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time writer. whew baby! there are few things i love (and tbh get scared of😂) more than John Marrs’ dystopian thrillers!! Set in a near-future Britain where automated driverless cars have replaced traditional vehicles, this enjoyable, if flawed, techno-thriller from Marrs (The One) plunges eight people into a Continue reading » This muddled mix of thriller and romance from British author Marrs (The Good Samaritan) takes dating apps to a new level. Match Your DNA, “based on biology, chemicals and science,” uses Continue reading » There are a few surprise twists thrown in, but overall this is an intriguing look at the insidious nature of technology. Even though many of these situations seem outrageous and like they would never happen, Marrs states in his author notes at the end that some of them are actually happening now. It wouldn't be a stretch for that slippery slope to extend to the others.

A scarily plausible alternative future with a truly twisted narrative. Tensely plotted and terrifyingly imagined." —Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange I love this author’s books,ever since ‘The One’ I have eagerly awaited every new book and enjoyed them,'The One’ has always remained my favourite……until I read this….written in the same formula,each chapter relating to a different character and each chapter left on a cliffhanger,superbly done and had me transfixed the whole way through Britain, future times. Couples agree to the Smart Marriage, where they are monitored from time to time. If their marriage is in trouble, a relationship responder will come in and help iron out the issues. If they can't, then they may separate. Except not everyone is playing by the rules and disharmony in a marriage can lead to more than separation.I find Marrs' near future sci-fi thrillers so addictive. Highly implausible, but impossible to put down. From John Marrs, the bestselling author of The One. Set in the same world, The Marriage Act is a dark, high-concept thriller. This was my third book by this author. My first book was “The one” (which has been adapted for a tv series) and “The Passengers”, both highly entertaining. Anthony wondered if the location was deliberate given the supporters of the Chartist Movement campaigning for political reform had once gathered there for a protest for democracy in an industrial society. Almost 200 years had passed and the [Freedom For All] was fighting for similar rights. History repeats itself, he thought. COME. ON. LMAO. You have to believe your readers can deduce this message on their own. Plz. John Marrs’ books are all standalones and fit within the genres of pyschological thrillers or speculative fiction. The Marriage Act is his latest novel which sits firmly in the speculative fiction category, but as with his other books in this genre, The One and The Passengers, this story could be a scary glimpse into the not-too-distant future.