This story reminded me of a mix of the stepford wives and something I can't quite put my finger on. I really liked this book but I have to be honest...I hated the ending! Please tell me there is more to this story. I want to know what happens next...

Part psychological thriller, a little horror and some romance and the pages flew by. Great idea for the book. The suspense kept building and kept me in the book. I did love the little factual tidbits throughout the story although some may find it to add nonsense to the story line. I will say there are a few 'torture' scenes that some readers may not like, I didn't think it was too crazy in description though. I did love the writing style enough for me to seek out more of her books. The only negatives that kept me from rating higher is some of the naïveté on the part of Alice and Jake, with their backgrounds I thought they would be a bit more smart. Also good for marriage tips, maybe!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bantam for the review copy in exchange for honest review.

Review in blog to be posted closer to pub date.

Therapist Jake and rock-and-roller-turned-lawyer Alice have just gotten married and are happily in love. Prior to going on their honeymoon, they received a mysterious gift from one of Alice’s high profile clients, and were told that everything would be explained to them when returned from vacation. Upon arriving home, they meet Vivian, who explains that they have been invited to join a secret membership-only group known as The Pact.

The Pact promises to support them in their desire to have a happy and fulfilled marriage. The rules laid out seem straightforward – be honest with your spouse, always answer the phone when your spouse calls, travel with your spouse once a quarter, and so on. Enticed by the promise of a marriage that lasts forever, Jake and Alice sign the contract, however they soon learn that they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. The Pact takes their rules…and consequences…very seriously. After realizing they signed up for more than they bargained for, they also realize there is no way out…


Let me just start by saying that The Marriage Pact was SO GOOD. It’s been a little bit since I’d read a 5 star book, but this broke the slump for me – I completely loved it and was instantly hooked! I’ve read so many suspense/thriller books centered around marriages that are told from the wife’s point of view, that reading this told from Jake’s point of view was refreshing. It was really interesting to me to read his thought process throughout all of this while he guessed what his wife was thinking.

The Marriage Pact was perfectly creepy and was the perfect combination of thriller and cult manifesto, and I loved it. I could not believe some of the things that were happening and had a really hard time putting the book down. I was constantly flipping the pages to find out what was going to happen! I had a ton of theories, and none of them were quite right. Despite the fact that Alice drove me up the wall sometimes, I was completely rooting for Jake and Alice.

I’ve seen some other reviewers mention that they didn’t totally love the ending, and I will say that the end of the book was not at all what I expected and did get a little out there, but I actually liked it. While I was expecting the exact opposite of what happened, I think the ending the author chose fit with the characters more. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I would have loved to see an epilogue to see where our couple was six months or a year down the road.

Overall, as previously stated, this was a 5 star read for me. I’ve never read anything quite like this, and it felt like this book was written just for me! The creep factor combined with the cultish aspects were exactly what I was looking for – I just didn’t know it! A big thank you to Netgalley, Michelle Richmond, and Bantam for an advanced copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review. The Marriage Pact comes out on July 25, 2017, so be sure to pick this one up!

It went a little too far into the improbable for me. I've always found the most effective thrillers to be those that had a kernel of reality - something that's not so far out there that you don't look over your shoulder a few times to make sure it's not really happening around you.

I'm not for sure where to start. This is not the typical type of book that I would read. There are parts where it went a little slow and but about halfway thru, it really gets going and I didn't want to put it down.

What would you do for love? What would you do to ensure that you have a perfect lasting marriage? Would you join a secret society? What would you do if you find yourself in world that you could never imagine in your wildest dreams, but have no way of getting out of?

Read this book and find yourself in the midst of these questions and more!

If a suspense novel could be fun, this one is it! It's the story of Jake, a therapist and his new bride, Alice, an attorney. They receive a wedding gift from one of Alice's clients, Finnegan. The gift, a locked box. The instructions say do not open until their return from their Honeymoon.

Upon their return, things start unraveling. When they open the box they see they are invited to join a club for married couples called The Pact. The Pact is basically a secret society that is designed to help strengthen and preserve marriages. However, as Jake and Alice become more and more involved, things aren't always how they appear.

From reading the description of, "The Marriage Pact" it sounds like a unique plot that could be very interesting. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The entire story was completely unbelievable. Jake and Alice sign up to be members of The Pact with little to no information beforehand. Alice is a lawyer. She signed in to this BEFORE reading anything. It's even more remarkable how long it took them to realize they were now members of a cult. Jake is a psychologist. This is something you would think he would have picked up on asap. Throughout the story, they try to reason with themselves about their distrust of The Pact. Completely ignoring that fact their lives are monitored 24/7, their professional careers threatened and at times kidnapped without notice for violation of the rules. As it went on, the book just got increasingly ridiculous. This is in no way what i would consider a psychological thriller. I barely finished the novel, and it took me a very long time to do so.

The premise of this book is that couples join a group called the Pact. The Pacts goal is to keep marriages happy and intact. There are rules to follow and punishments, some very severe if you break the rules. Alice and Jake are newlyweds and they join The Pact. They soon come to regret it, but The Pact is a lifetime commitment.

I had trouble with the premise of this book. I found it difficult to believe that 2 highly successful adults, one a lawyer and the other a therapist would think joining this organization would be a good idea. That is the reason for my 3* rating. It is a psychological suspense read that is probably worth your time if you can accept the premise of the story. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I have been married for seventeen years and I love my husband, but if we ever met anyone involved in an organization like what is found in The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond, I would run for the hills! In this new thriller, we meet Jake and Alice, newlyweds who have been introduced to a great new way to keep their marriage strong. The Pact is a group of people extra committed to their marriages and to ensuring the survival of marriage as an institution. It is a group that comes with its own rules, all meticulously laid out in The Manual. "Read it. Memorize it." And no, that's not a joke. But what happens if someone decides The Pact isn't for them, or if, heaven forbid, their marriage doesn't work out? Let's just say that isn't an option. At all.

In this creepy book that details what sounds an awful lot like a cult in the beginning and sounds like it can't be anything else by the end, the reader has the opportunity to explore interesting theories of marriage. Not only has Jake joined this group, but in his professional life he is a marriage counselor so we have access to several different perspectives. Jake shares with the reader studies on marriage and relationships that are quite interesting. Among the rules shared in the book are no talking about The Pact; always answer your phone when your spouse calls; each spouse must buy the other a gift every month and the couple must take a trip together every quarter. These all sound pretty good, but it is when the consequences for not meeting these requirements are handed down through a pseudo court that it starts to get sticky. And there is no room for negotiation:

Fidelity to the Spouse, Loyalty to The Pact. Till death do us part.

I thought this was a very intriguing concept, but I was a little disappointed in its execution. I felt the author did not allow the reader enough of a look into the way the group normally works before things start to get crazy. I also felt that some of the writing seemed amateurish, that it could have used a little more polish. That said, there was a lot to like in this book. I loved the insertions of actual scientific studies on marriage into the insanity of The Pact. And I really enjoyed the descriptions of Jake's practice as a marriage and teen counselor. At one point, we read an interesting exchange he has with a group of teenagers he counsels. When he overhears two of them discussing The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, Jake has this to say, which I thought was very interesting in the context of this book:

It is scary, but not for the reason you think. The scary part is that you might find yourself agreeing with some of it.

How much does the reader agree with the protocols of The Pact? How much is right and if it is right, are consequences a necessary part of any organization with strict regulations? How much should Jake and Alice "make peace with The Pact" or should they try to fight against it? These are all very compelling questions. I'd love to hear how you would answer.

I really enjoyed the first 80% of this book. The plot was unlike anything I have ever read and I couldn't put it down...but then it just sort of ended. I wish the ending would have been explained more or ended differently.

This book is about Alice and Jake who are newlyweds and as a wedding gift they receive a box inviting them to join The Pact--a group of like-minded individuals who believe The Pact is the answer to a strong marriage. As it turns out, there is a manual with many rules you must follow and consequences for disobeying. Alice and Jake do their fair share of breaking the rules-both intentionally and unintentionally-and they find out just how sever the consequences really are.

I really like that this book is told from Jake's perspective. I haven't read many chick-lit books with a male narrator so that was refreshing. Overall, I really enjoyed the storyline and would give it 3.5 stars.

*Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. However, all opinions are my own.*

Interesting plot. The ending left me with so many more questions. I did finish this book completely thinking about the premise for a few days so it did keep me thinking about it!

I enjoyed this book. I am new to NetGalley, so I am assuming the typos will be corrected going forward. Within the first few pages, I was intrigued to know more and after the book took a turn for the strange side, I loved it. Read it straight through. The believability factor doesn't bother me, I just like to be caught up in the story. I would recommend this to friends.

3.5 Stars* (rounded down)

Could you imagine being married to someone and being obligated to stay with them forever with no way out ? Because you made a Marriage Pact to stay together? And you love each other and you were already making the commitment and it seemed fun, exciting, ominous and oh so mysterious? And heck, what could possibly go wrong, right?!

Jake and Alice are a happy couple about to get married. Jake is a Psychologist and Alice is a successful Attorney. Right before the wedding, Alice makes an impromptu decision to invite a client from her law firm, named Finnegan, to her wedding. Finnegan, immediately sends them a gift in a wooden box that can only be opened with a key that he, of course, neglects to provide. They are immediately intrigued. And so it begins.

After their wedding, Vivian, a Friend, explains the rules and regulations of Pact to Jake and Alice. If they join, they can't ever leave and it is a bond for life that cannot be broken. They will become members of an elite society of Friends. The Pact will only enhance their marriage and their love for each other. They must do things: give small monthly gifts to each other, plan trips.. be invested in their marriage. If they fail to comply, there will be consequences. Penalties. Alice and Jake are intrigued and they decide to join and are excited to begin this chapter of their lives. And when one slips up, or seems less interested in the marriage or forgets to give a gift, what happens? Their Friends find out. Alice and Jake do not take this seriously - but believe me, they should. Penalties are assessed and some are severe. Quite severe. And unfortunately for Alice and Jake, some lessons are hard to learn.

Personally, I don't agree with being required to do specific things for a spouse in a marriage (and my ex-husband was vehemently opposed to doing anything out of obligation during our marriage (and no, that's not why we are divorced (lol)). And the fact of the matter is, I'm not into being punished because I didn't do "enough." I think a lot of people are with me on that, though you may disagree... but the only way to know for sure, is to read the Pact and roll the dice.

I have to say that I liked the premise of The Marriage Pact. I found the book to be freaky and disturbing, but in a good way. Further, I liked both Alice and Jake - though their actions frustrated me at times. All of their Friends were quite creepy. I hope I never make Friends like that. Unfortunately there were passages in the book that I felt were long and drawn out and neglected to hold my attention. In addition, the ending disappointed me. Had it been different, I would have rated this book higher. I had previously read Michelle Richmond's The Year of Fog and loved it and wanted to love this one. This book had potential but something was missing for me, that said, something about this is intriguing... intriguing enough that it is worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine and Michelle Richmond for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 5.21.17.

*Will be published on Amazon on 7.25.17.

this was a great book, it really makes you think. I really enjoyed it and read it in one day.

Have you ever just wanted to read a really good thrilling mystery book? Look no further.
This book packs in romance, thrills, mystery, and intrigue all into one.
I was one the edge of my seat for the majority of the story. I couldn't even guess what was going to happen next.
I enjoyed this book very much.
Thanks for the opportunity to read it.

This was such a beautifully written suspense that I just could not put down. Alice and Jake are two people who just got married, and at their wedding received a strange locked gift box that could not be opened until after their honeymoon. Once opened it contained a pen which they would use to sign a contract, this contract being a part of a Marriage Pact (more like crazy cult), and you cannot ever mention the name of The Pact. Well to Alice and Jake they thought it might be fun to be with a group of couples who just want to have happy marriages but unfortunately this Pact is far from happy. I was on the edge of my seat when phones or door bells rang as you just did not know what was going to happen or to who. Want a happy marriage don't ever open a locked box and join a group of couples who don't want to be known and like to call you Friend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I supremely wanted to like to this book and I really, really, REALLY tried to like this book...but I just couldn't. The book is incredibly long. And I don't mean page wise but story wise. The beginning of the book took forever to get going and when it finally does it's "twist" and "turn" every where that it really becomes to much. After all of that I found the ending to be lukewarm at best? Really at the end of the book I was quite annoyed I had invested a week in this book for it to end that way.

Michelle Richmond's writing style is very nice. In fact there were portions of the book that seemed like they didn't even belong in this particular story because of how eloquent the writing was so I would probably give another one of her books a try. I just felt overall that she was really trying hard to make this book "something" but she missed the mark.

Sure to be a heart-pounding summer thriller! Peppered with lots of fun (and frightening) marriage tidbits to interest newlyweds and veteran spouses alike.

I would give this book a solid 4.5/5 stars. It was quick in some places and slow in others. I also felt like the last chapter was added on later as an afterthought. If it would have ended with the previous chapter and left with that ending, I would have been completely satisfied. Good book overall.

The Marriage Pact is an addictive-thrilling page turner. Ready to start a new life together, Jake and Alice receive a mysterious gift for their wedding. Joining The Pact seems like a great way to start a journey of marriage to ensure happiness, but the couple soon second guess their choice to sign on the dotted line. This story had me intrigued from the eerie start to the suspenseful end. I really enjoyed the pacing of this novel. There was never a dull moment and the character development is superb. This is the first novel that I have read by Michelle Richmond and I am very glad that I had the opportunity to read such an entertaining novel.