I was in a weird book slump where nothing was sounding good to me when I decided to start reading The Marriage Pact. While it did take me a few chapters to get into it – whether because it started out a little slow or because of my mood, I’m not sure – it did eventually hook me and I could hardly put it down.

When Jake and Alice get married they receive an odd wedding present from a new acquaintance. It’s a locked box that they cannot open until they answer a series of questions about what they want their marriage to be and then wait for someone to come visit their home and explain. Inside the box is the Marriage Pact. A contract and a manual of rules to follow in a marriage, as well as a list of punishments if you break the rules. The goal of the pact is to have a lasting, successful marriage, so they agree to join. However, they soon come to realize how cult-like it is and how dangerous it is for them if they do not “make peace with the pact.”

Though I thought the book was a little too long and there was a little too much detail at times, I liked the writing style. It’s told from Jake’s 1st person POV and I found him likable, though often frustrating. I found myself disliking Alice most of the time because of how hard she was to nail down, which was also one of the things Jake loved about her.

I thought the psychological suspense aspect of the book to be really well done. I really felt Jake and Alice’s fear of the Pact. I am really fascinated by cults and the Pact is basically a cult. The punishment sessions were creepy and crazy. I never quite understood why it was so severe, though. There is an explanation late in the book about why punishment needs to exist to enforce the rules, but it still didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I guess cults don’t really make sense, though.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Marriage Pact. Though it started out a little slow for me and did get bogged down in the details a bit, for the most part it was well-paced and seriously creepy. I had fallen into a book slump before I started this and it definitely pulled me out. This is my first Michelle Richmond book and I’ll definitely be reading more from her.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

4.25-4.5 STARS

When I first read the synopsis for “The Marriage Pact,” I just knew that this was one novel that I had to get my hands on. With a uniquely intriguing premise, I was immediately drawn to this story and was subsequently enveloped by the drama unfolding around the newly married couple, Alice and Jake.

A wedding gift invite to join “The Pact” by one of Alice’s prominent clients, the goal of this exclusive club is to help keep marriages intact. At first, the rules and elaborate parties seem more than doable. But when rules are inadvertently broken, the consequences might be more than this couple is willing to abide. Suspenseful and mysterious, this psychological drama takes the reader on one very unforgettable ride.

Up until the ending, “The Marriage Pact” was all that I had expected and more. But the author totally lost me with the way in which she wrapped this story up. Unrealistic and overly contrived, this story’s conclusion was disappointing, to say the least. After riding the story’s high, it was a major let down not to have a smarter, more satisfying resolution. Still, “The Marriage Pact” has its merits—not the least of which is a very innovative story concept. While it might not be a 5 star read, it’s certainly a book well worth giving a try.

This has an interesting premise but I found it overdone.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an advance copy of Michelle Richmond's novel, The Marriage Pact, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Jake is a psychologist in a small private practice and Alice is a former rock star turned lawyer. After a short courtship, they decide to take the plunge and get married. At the last minute, Alice jokingly invites a client, a famous musician whose case she worked on, to their wedding. Not only does he attend, but the singer and his wife give Alice and Jake an unusual wedding present. Their present is an invitation to an exclusive club called "The Pact."

The Pact is a group of like-minded couples, powerful couples, who enforce a set of rules designed to strengthen their marriages. When they return from their honeymoon, Alice and Jake are met with a representative from The Pact who asks them to formally sign a contract to seal their membership. Alice and Jake sign, not fully realizing the impact that joining will have on their lives. 

The Pact actively monitors their marriage, looking for any cracks. Alice and Jake are given a hefty instruction manual, which details the actions they must take, like booking quarterly vacations and always picking up the phone when their spouse rings. When they don't take their responsibilities seriously, they face the consequences, quite severe consequences. Jake discovers an old college girlfriend is also in The Pact and she tries to warn him. According to her, those who do not obey mysteriously vanish. Who is the mysterious group leader named Orla? Why were Jake and Alice chosen? Can they get out of The Pact alive?

LIKE- The Marriage Pact has a Twilight Zone/Black Mirror type quality to it. The tone is ominous, unsettling, and creepy through-out. I never quite knew where the story was heading, but I was happy to keep turning the pages. The intrigue and pacing never dropped. 

I didn't account for how dark Richmond's story would go. The Marriage Pact is utterly disturbing. There are many chapters with scenes of detailed and imaginative torture. I'm left with imagery that will likely never leave my mind. I'm talking stuff like in the Saw film franchise. It's horrific. 

The story is told in first person with Jake narrating. This is an interesting choice, because early on, all of the terrible things happen to Alice, leaving Jake ( along with the reader) imagining and worrying about what is happening. My stomach was in knots. The Marriage Pact is a visceral reading experience. Jake and Alice are both affable characters and it's easy to root for both their marriage and their individual characters to succeed. They are every-day people caught up in a completely mad situation. Richmond is brilliant with her character development.

I was worried that the ending would fall short and I felt like this until the final twist and the final chapter. Richmond has written the perfect ending. I can't imagine anything else working.

DISLIKE- I was left with a few questions. How did The Pact manage to grow and become so powerful? At what point did Orla lose her grasp? Although the concept was intriguing, I felt I had to seriously suspend my disbelief. I just can't imagine so many people going along with this group. I wanted more backstory on the group and its founder.

RECOMMEND- Yes, if you like creepy suspense stories and if you can handle highly disturbing content. The Marriage Pact is a thrill ride and Richmond is a fabulous storyteller.

Alice and Jake have come to a time in their lives where they believe they are ready for that next step of getting married. Alice was once a singer in a band but now is settling into her career as a lawyer while Jake has been busy setting up his practice with his partners as a psychologist. The pair had planned on keeping the wedding somewhat small and simple but at the last moment Alice invites a wealthy client and his wife on a whim.

Once invited to the wedding Alice’s client sends a mysterious package to the couple as a wedding present. After the honeymoon it’s explained to Alice and Jake that the present is an invitation to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact. The Pact is supposed to be a group that helps couples succeed at marriage and keep them happy and intact so Alice and Jake don’t see the harm in joining but had no real idea of what they would really be in for.

The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond is one of those thrill rides that I find myself unable to put down once I’ve started reading because I honestly could see this happening in real life. Alice and Jake while both successful at their careers are both a bit worried about married life so it seemed logical for them to jump at a chance to help make sure they succeed. Once the story gets into the depths of just what they have agreed to I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see just what would happen to them next.

My one complaint leading me to rate this book at 4.5 stars would be I so wish the author had added an epilogue to the story. I suppose though when I want to to continue reading when a book is over that is somewhat of a good thing though as I was clearly hooked on Alice and Jake’s story. The ending after all that had happened just didn’t seem as satisfying to me as I would have liked and felt it needed a bit more.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a very freaky book. Stars are reflective of the work of the author - not whether I enjoyed it or not. She got the reaction she was striving for....
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I thought about this book many times before I excepted the review. I hesitated about reading it because it’s not a typical storyline that I usually read. But I’m trying to branch out slightly and thought this would be a good addition.

Now that I have read this book I have decided I’m not good at these psychological reads. This book has many disturbing parts. I do have to give props to the author for her imagination and excellent writing ability to elevate the creep factor.

However, I did not enjoy reading most of the story. For me the best part was the ending. Not only because it was over, but also because of the outcome.

With intense situations that will make you uncomfortable and make it very difficult to turn the next page, you have to be in a good frame of mind to read this book. I’m not going to give away the plot or any of the twisted, creepy stuff, but just know there are factors in this book that could trigger issues and emotions.

Like I said prior, the author is extremely talented in the psychological twists and turns of the mind. This is one book you definitely will not forget, even if you try to. So if you love that type of story, you will enjoy this one!

Michelle Richmond is, without a doubt, a talented writer with a gift for storytelling. That said, I did have some problems with this particular tale.

The Marriage Pact started out well enough, it was suspenseful and gripping. The problem was that I kept feeling like I had read something similar. Then, it hit me. The idea of the marriage pact was different, but the fundamentals, the lengths the people behind the pact would go to achieve their goals, were very reminiscent of a Stephen King short story from the late 70's, one that was also featured later in a movie anthology.
I decided to let that go and just enjoy the story for what it was, but again, much like King's work from around that same period, the story veers off several times with extraneous details that, in my opinion, were nothing more than a distraction.
As mentioned, the story is a Psychological Thriller and as I said earlier, it does require quite the suspension of belief. It is certainly creepy at times will have a reader's heart racing, but once the people behind the pact take action, there isn't much in the way of realism.
Jake and Alice are both educated people in their 30's. He's a therapist and she's a lawyer. To say too much would give spoilers, but I found myself unable to envision any circumstance that would have these two educated adults succumbing to the dictates of pact rules and punishment - a fact that had me rolling my eyes through much of the story.
That said, there was a interesting twist at the end that I certainly didn't see coming, one that is the reason for that third star in my rating.
Of course, this is just one person's opinion, so if you enjoy Psychological Thrillers, by all means, check this one out. I will say that the author's writing style and talent are such that this one book will not deter me from reading future books by her.
*Review posted on my blog (7/13/17) at https://mommasaystoreadornottoread.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-marriage-pact-by-michelle-richmond.html

Im going to start this out a little differently than I normally do as I have a bit of a warning for you before I get into my actual review. First of all, if you have problems suspending disbelief this is probably not the book for you. The entire concept of The Pact and how Alice and Jake wind up joining is pretty far fetched and unbelievable. Quick example, it’s a binding contract and they both sign it extremely quickly and with almost no hesitation. Did I mention Alice is a lawyer? BUT, if you can get past the probability of something like this actually taking place, then this book is highly entertaining and a whole lot of fun!

I’ve had a long fascination with cults and in particular as of late Scientology, as I’m a huge fan of Leah Remini’s documentary series about this strange “religion”. (Anyone else watch this?! Would love to chat) Anyway, as soon as the details of this marriage pact were discussed I was totally reminded of Scientology. It’s eerily similar in the massive list of rules and regulations members must follow and in several other ways as well, but I don’t want to spoil it by saying more. I was also getting a strong Stepford Wives vibe, which is such an odd combination, but honestly? It mostly worked really well for me. Yes, I had issues in the beginning believing anyone as intellectual as Jake and Alice were supposed to be would actually want to be a part of something as freaky as The Pact, but I’m so glad that I kept going as it ended up being the perfect balance of creepy, downright strange and highly disturbing.

Domestic suspense is one of my favorite sub genres, I tend to binge read these types of books as there’s something so addicting about martial strife. I’m always looking for a unique spin on things and this provided that in a few ways. The entire story is told from Jake’s perspective and I loved that as generally it seems to be the wife telling the tale. The other aspect that gave it a fresh feeling was that Jake and Alice were a united front fighting a common enemy. Normally the wife is usually searching for the truth about her husband or something similar and seeing a unified couple was great.

As much as I did binge read this, the pacing is kind of strange. Most of the chapters are on the short side with the exception of a select few, but it still was a heavy, dense read. Jake spends quite a bit of time doing a lot of self introspection and analyzation, so it almost breaks up the otherwise fast pacing and excitement of the current storyline. The ending was ambiguous, which is not my favorite, but it did work well here.

It sounds like I have quite a few complaints, and I guess I do, but I still really enjoyed this book. The whole thing is so bizarre, maybe my mixed reaction is an indication of just how bizarre this read actually was, I’m not exactly sure. I would recommend this to the right reader, I know some of my friends would hate it and others would love it, but I hope I’ve given you enough information to be able to decide for yourself if you’re interested or not.

A slightly bizarre but intriguing story as Alice and Jake find themselves deep in the marriage pact, unsure of how they got there and if they can escape. The suspense built some anxiety in me as I needed to know how they could manage to move forward.

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

What if you could ensure the success of your marriage by following some guidelines? Well, this book will show you how in this chilling tale.

This is the story of Jake and Alice. Jake is a psychologist, Alice is an attorney and they recently got married. On their wedding day they receive an intriguing gift; a wooden box with the inscription "The Pact" on it. This box cannot be opened right away, first one of the members must introduce you to The Pact's philosophy and manual. Initially the instructions are easy to follow such as always pick up the phone when your spouse calls but soon it becomes restrictive and scary when there are severe consequences to violating the rules.

The book is narrated by Jake, the husband and is told in a straightforward narrative. Another of The Pact's rules of is that spouses must maintain the weight they had on their wedding day within a 10% deviation allowance. There are quarterly weight-ins of the couples and when rule is broken the overseers impose severe penalties. In the book Alice's attention is called when she goes over her weight and the overseers make her meet a trainer every morning at 5 A.M. or suffer severe consequences. Personally, I would love to be penalized with this rule as fear of physical abuse would be the only motivator that would get me to exercise regularly in the morning. I'd love to exercise without fail but sometimes, (or most of the time) I prefer to stay home reading. Can you blame me?

The story reminded me faintly of Orwell's 1984 because of its indoctrinating ideology, controlling overseers, and the severe punishments imposed on those who break the rules. Also, the members call each other "Friend" in a way that sounds very similar to "Comrade". I would have liked if the entire Pact's manual would have been included as an appendix. I would have read it out of curiosity, the book mentions some rules and I found them interesting and fascinating.

I enjoyed this chilling thriller Overall and recommend it to all those who love suspenseful books and intriguing subject matters. I think this story would make a great book club discussion.

Thanks to NetGalley, Michelle Richmond, and the Bantam Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond was a thriller of epic proportions. It is a story about two people who are newly married. Alice is a lawyer working crazy hours. Jake is a psychologist who has started a new practice with two other people. They are asked to join The Pact with a group of like minded people who believe that the marriage and their spouses are the most important people in their lives. Not their jobs, not their friends, not even their families - just their spouses. All of the ideas sound good until they start reading the manual and then break some rules. Suddenly they are in the midst of a horrifying situation.

The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond drew me in and held my attention for the whole time. I had trouble putting this book down, like I might miss something happening. I found myself being very tense and anxious about what would happen next. I think The Marriage Pact is a great read.

The Marriage Pact is a fast paced and suspenseful read. A crazy and twisty ride from the very beginning, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found myself rapidly flipping pages and devouring the story from the very beginning.

Don't get me wrong, The Marriage Pact isn't a perfect book. It's a bit over the top at times, perhaps. There are moments where you have to suspend some disbelief, but those times didn't take away from my enjoyment of a really engrossing story. Also, the story deserved a more forceful and definitive ending. For the majority of the book, the story is powerful and strong. The ending, though, felt weak and flat in comparison.

Overall, The Marriage Pact was an engaging read. I definitely enjoyed it, but I think it's one of those books that some will love while others will take a pass.

I have read several of Michelle Richmond's books and was eager to read this one. Although I enjoyed it, it was different that what I expected. A young newly married couple are invited to join a very exclusive club of married couples. They soon discover that the "Marriage Pact" that they have agreed to is a nightmare. Without giving away too much of the plot, some of the things that occur are unbelievable although maybe no more unbelievable than other cults that we have heard about.

Jake and Alice. A young couple on the verge of marriage. He a therapist, Alice a lawyer and musician. After winning a big case for a very wealthy client, Alice (and Jake) are invited by said client to join "The Marriage Pact." It is the wedding gift given to them by the client and his wife. It they decide to join, it will strengthen and enrich their marriage. It will prevent discord and divorce. They will become part of a very elite, special group of people (mostly very wealthy and some, famous) who socialize and have the same set of value regarding marriage. Sounds amazing. Also sounds too good to be true. I don't want to give away anything. I just want you to read this book. I could not put it down. Reread chapters because I did not want it to end. The first book I have read in awhile that kept the tension and intrigue and my interest till the very last page. I highly recommend The Marriage Pact.

Preparing myself  to get married while reading The Marriage Pact made for some interesting feelings about this book. Like the narrator Jake, I believe in marriage, but I'm just as aware that believing in something and living through it are separate things.  Newlyweds Jack and Alice receive a wedding gift that invites them to join "The Pact," a top-secret organization that promises to help them navigate the stickiness of marriage.  Because this is a thriller, we know that Jack and Alice are in for a rough ride, and the novel doesn't disappoint.  I was genuinely concerned for their safety because pop culture has reinforced my opinion that a secret organization that guarantees a shortcut in life is up to no good. I thought Alice and Jake were flawed enough to make the writing interesting, but I did find myself gritting my teeth at some of the decisions they made.  There's a lot of room for eye-rolling and "yeah, rights" while reading this book but I think if the reader agrees to be swept up in the story they'll enjoy it. A good read for summer and an even better read for newlyweds. The statistics/comments/study references on marriage at the beginnings of some chapters were a nice touch!

I was able to get a copy of this early from Netgalley and WOW!

I have always known that marriage takes work between both parties, but The Pact is a bit extreme in its measures! Most of us might call The Pact a cult because of its rules the punishments if you break the rules.

Alice & Jake might seem like an unlikely couple but they complement each other quite well and this induction into The Pact (TP) tests even their love for each other. Are the rules really there to help or are they there for some other nefarious reason?

This book had me on the edge at various times wondering if belonging to TP was a good or bad thing. Sometimes it seemed like a good thing but as they delve further into the organization it is not all it is cracked up to be but there is no way out. I wondered at times if Alice was being brainwashed or if she really was looking deeper into herself and her actions as part of a married couple.

There are some surprises near the end and after those are revealed I truly did not expect the ending. No spoilers but I wish there had been an epilogue to explain a little bit more of what happened. If nothing else, this book will make you think about how you view married life or being part of a couple.

The Marriage Pact is a club unlike any other. I would suggest reading the entire 'Manual' before doing anything. They have rules abt many different things as far as buying your spouse a monthly gift to taking quarterly trips. But their are consequences that you'd never imagine! Going to prison, wearing obedience collars & electric shock!

The Pact seemed to take caring about the success of a 'Friends' marriage way too far. There was plenty of things going on to keep you engrossed in this story. A few things were unbelievable and needed a bit more explanation. A lawyer not reading a contract before signing. Alice should've had that manual memorized especially after her first trip to Fernley!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

3.5 stars--wow, what a thrill ride! Some of this book is pretty disturbing, some of the scenes are very difficult to read. The premise is great and actually some of the information about marriage is fascinating, you can tell the author researched the subject quite a bit. I liked the main characters, although they were a bit naive, I can't believe they signed a contract (especially since Alice was a lawyer) without reading it. That was just so unbelievable that it was difficult to get past. And I wanted a bit more of a dramatic ending, but overall it is a very fast paced, intriguing thriller.

Having read several previous books by Michelle Richmond, I thought I knew what to expect. I expected a work of thoughtful literary fiction, and this book certainly fits that description. But it's also twisty and dark in its examination of marriage and commitment. Jake and Alice have just returned from their honeymoon when they find a rather strange gift from an acquaintance that leads to an invitation to join an organization called The Pact. The Pact promises to help Jake and Alice succeed in a long and happy marriage, and they sign contracts to join. They're provided with a copy of a detailed manual that outlines the expectations of The Pact for their marriage, many of which seem fine, even good ideas- regular gifts and trips, answering the phone when your spouse calls. However, Jake and Alice soon discover that there are consequences involved in The Pact as well, which become more and more extreme, and The Pact soon begins to consume their relationship and their lives.
This book was unexpected in what a fascinating read it was. Again, it was more of a page-turning suspense book than I had expected based on the books I'd previously read by the author, and this wasn't a disappointment. The author handled the style beautifully. The only real flaw in this book was the passages about studies and research on marriage, which were veiled with the premise of Jake being a psychologist. While the facts were somewhat interesting, the construct of Jake talking about research he'd read or studied on the topic weren't very well incorporated into the story (they would be separate short chapters interspersed into the story, and for me, they just took me out of a story I was enjoying and distanced me from the narrative.