I read the prologue and almost did not continue as this is not the type of book I usually read at all. Went back after a week or two and was HOOKED. Amazing story. Fast-paced, suspenseful. Great characters. It's the type of book you finish and then hope this becomes a movie. Can't wait to read more of her books!

Wow, just wow! This book was not what I expected - but in a good way. The Marriage Pact was suspenseful, intriguing, and psychologically provoking. When I started to read, I was expecting a story about a young couple who got involved in a group that demanded certain things. That part was true - but the twist was in what was expected. The behavior, the control, the rewards and punishments went way beyond my imagination. And I loved the twists and turns. The twists at the end blew me away!

As I read about the rules of the pact, and Jake's insights and thoughts around marriage, as he related to The Pact and the couples he counseled for work, I thought about my own marriage. I thought about how some of the "rules" would be beneficial - to keep the fun and surprise in marriage. I thought about my husband's and my relationship and it would be viewed within The Pact. And I thought about those around me - and whether some might have benefited from the rules. As I read about the consequences, I realized that while some may work and improve the relationships, they also introduced a level of fear that should not be present in a successful marriage.

Overall, though, I loved that the story kept me engaged, questioning, and surprised throughout. Well Done!!

"The Marriage Pact" is awesome, the best thriller/suspense novel I have read this year. The story is a page-turner and keeps the reader enthralled. Told from Jake's point-of-view, the reader gets an intimate look into his and Alice's lives.
Alice, a lawyer, and Jake, a therapist, are getting married, they have been dating for a few years and live in San Francisco. At her practice, Alice meets a relatively famous folk singer, Finnegan, and on a whim invites him to her upcoming wedding. She is surprised when he accepts and really doesn't expect him to actually show up. Not only does he attend the wedding, he sends a lovely gift - this is when Alice and Jake are introduced to The Pact.
At first, it seems like good fun. The Pact has parties, and its members have connections. Its members also want what Jake, and presumably Alice, want - a good, strong, long-lasting marriage. The Pact also has good ideas, always answer a call from your spouse, come home on time, give gifts to each other, and more. But The Pact has its negatives too - punishment, torture and maybe murder.
Reading this book, I was completely engrossed, did not want to put it down. Michelle Richmond does a fantastic job of keeping you on the edge of your seat and keeping the surprises coming. I enjoyed this look into Jake's private thoughts and insecurities - it was easy to see how both Alice and Jake got trapped into The Pact.
Highly recommended, really loved it, and I look forward to reading more from Michelle Richmond.

The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond is about two seemingly intelligent professionals who get invited to join an exclusive club after they get married. There were some tense and very uncomfortable moments but things became kind of repetitive. It was hard to fathom that such people would fail to see that this was a cult from the very beginning. It took me a while to read because you know where things are headed. It was also a bit wordy at times.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book held my interest and is very well written. I recommend it highly.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review. I had never read any of Michelle Richmond’s books and might have missed her entirely if it wasn’t for this ARC.

Alice appears to thrive as an attorney at her law firm, while Jake and his partners have a successful therapy practice At Alice and Jake‘s wedding, they receive a gift from one of Alice’s law firm clients; a beautiful locked wooden box with two pen.. Getting married is an important step for both of them, though each of them have their own thoughts, demons and secret fears. Alice’s client sends them several questions related to their desire to have a long marriage, one that will experience ups and downs, but will provide, in the long run a stable and happy home for them. The Pact, is a way they are told to commit to each other by adhering to certain rules, as well as sharing monthly gifts and going on vacations together. It sounds like the type of pact any couple would make to each other, though time, distance, work, children, friends, and commitments would most likely derail some of any couples best laid plans.

Not however for those who belong to the Marriage Pact group. They take their rules, roles and responsibilities very seriously. Jake and Alice will soon find out that something that appears too good to be true, usually is. Other members are available for get together and good times, but also consider rule infractions extremely detrimental to a happy marriage and won’t hesitate to step in after a rule infringement. The punishments aren’t as easy as apologizing to your spouse or promising to do better in the future, Alice and Jake soon find out that enforcement of the community rules is uncompromising and can be brutal. Surviving married life without the benefit of the Pact rules might be much more difficult than navigating those uncharted waters with only each other and not a play by play rule book.

Jake and Alice don’t know exactly how they are going to find their way through married life, and the gift they receive offering them guidance, rules, friendship and support on how to live life as a happily married couple seems like an unbelievably generous and perfect gift. However, as with any contract, which they are asked to sign to become members, it pays to do more than skim the surface, it pays to know what you are signing! I didn’t know where the plot was going with this book and I have to say, at times it lagged and at times I couldn’t stop reading wondering what the eventual outcome would be for this couple. In the end, I felt reading The Marriage Pact was time well spent and without giving away any of the many twists and turns, I will say the story went to some very unusual places.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. Who can and can't ever be trusted?????? Recommend.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The Pact is reminiscent of Scientologists. It is scary how they invade marriages and lives of people. This book was very exciting and I enjoyed it immensely

I can easily say I have never read a story like The Marriage Pact. That's big because I read a lot. The Marriage Pact is like the Stepford Wives taken to the umpteenth power. What a twisty over-the-top read. I really couldn't begin to imagine what was happening. It was weirdly good but a bit much at times. I really didn't know what to expect and while I can't say I completely understand all the experiences Alice and Jake faced, I stayed up late reading trying to weave through this convoluted tale until the very end.

The Marriage Pact
by Michelle Richmond

Hurrah for The Pact, but not for the Pact itself. (Hated the Pact. Loved The Pact.)

Jake and Alice are invited by Alice’s boss to join a member’s only societal marriage group, which at first, seems like a great idea. The premise for the group is altruistic and idealistic. It exists to support, encourage, and challenge couples to become better spouses. Jake and Alice are intrigued enough to ignore the nagging questions in the back of their minds. Probably because they feel chosen. After all, only selected beautiful couples with potential are invited to this group.

The initiation contract should have contained small print that said: Join at your peril. Jake and Alice discover that the Pact is really about power and control—the leaders are narcissistic elites who believe they know better than individuals how to manage their lives.

The first person/present tense narrative is perfect to tell this story. You will travel deep into the feelings of thoughts of Jake and Alice. The only way I think I could accept Jake’s intense insight into himself is if he were a therapist, and he is. The only way I could accept Alice’s stoicism is if she were an attorney, and that she is. (Not dissing attorneys. I’m related to several.) Richmond has softened Alice by gifting her the talent of music—songwriting and playing guitar. It proves the link to the couple’s final troubles and to their healing.

As you read, your jaw will clench but you will will your eyes to the next paragraph.

The ending left me a little frustrated. I probably would’ve wanted to see someone alert the authorities about all the abuse by the Pact members.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.

This is a fast-paced thriller that hooks you from the first chapter and never lets go. At least it does in the beginning. The concept of this novel is intriguing, somewhat bizarre, and borderline unbelievable. But it is still an interesting read. "The Pact" is designed to bring couples closer together and strengthen their marriage. Couples have to be invited to be a part of "The Pact", but they go into it blindly, not knowing just what is expected of them. There is a manual to read and rules to follow, along with punishments for those that don't walk the line. It was hard for me to imagine that the two main characters in this book would allow themselves to be subjected to the rules and regulations of "The Pact".

The last third of the book just really went off the rails for me and never completely recovered. The concept of this novel is good, but some parts just need some re-thinking and some polishing up. Overall still a pretty good read. A solid 3.5 stars that I would recommend to fans of thrillers. I received this as a free ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jake and Alice are given a strange package in the form of a wedding gift from a new acquaintance . The gift turns out to be an invitation to join an exclusive club called the The Pact, where the only way you even know of it's existence is from a current member. They decide to join and despite the long rule book, things go really well for the couple...... until it all goes horribly wrong.
I could not put this book down. The story is so creepy and nerve-wracking that you won't be able to either. This is definitely a must-read!

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this story and had a very hard time putting it down. Jake and Alice are engaged and looking forward to their life of wedded bliss. Alice is an attorney, and when she impresses one of her firms biggest clients, he ends up invited to their wedding. The gift they get from him is an invitation to join a club called The Pact. They are told it is designed to help couples stay married, it comes with a contract and a manual they are told to memorize and follow. And they mean it. What Jake and Alice don't do is take the Manual seriously. They laugh off the "penalty's" and "punishments", and live to regret it. Before long they realize the new life they envisioned is not what The Pact has planned. I began this book while waiting to see my doctor and zipped through 80 pages, read it at stop lights on the way home, and seriously stayed up too late reading it. There just isn't a good place to stop, it kept me on edge the entire time. Very well written with characters you will love...and a few you will love to hate.

I have teetered between giving this book a 3 or 4 star review. I ended up giving it 4 stars because the premise of the book is very original and I enjoyed the author's writing style. That is the good part. In regards to the ending and tying up loose ends, the book was just average. I feel that there were too many questions about the motivation behind why some of characters did what they did. At some points in the book I could not suspend belief but at others the suspense was gripping and had you at the edge of your seat. All in all, I would still recommend this book to my friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book and give an honest review.

Alice and Jake don't intend to join The Pact, it just sort of happens. After he says that he loves weddings, Alice invites a new client to her own upcoming celebration. Soon after that, a wooden box containing a smaller locked box is delivered to their house. Once they return from their honeymoon, a Pact member comes and explains the significance of the gift to Jake and Alice. It's an invitation to join an elite group dedicated to strengthening the marriages of their members. What could be wrong with that? Plenty.

I absolutely loved this fast-paced thriller. It is dumb of Jake and Alice to sign on the dotted line in the first place, especially since Alice is a lawyer and doesn't take the time to read the entire contract, but real people sign up for predatory time shares and multi-level marketing companies all the time, so I was able to understand how they slipped into the group's clutches. As far as fictional married couples go, these two seem to really care about each other. They're three-dimensional characters who actually communicate with each other. Alice's background as a lawyer and Jake's background as a marriage counselor give them plenty of insight into what's right and what's very, very wrong with the group they've fallen in with. The entire book is told from Jake's point of view, so there's no bouncing back and forth between multiple characters. We know what he knows, and what Alice tells him and, except for a brief teaser at the beginning, things happen in order.

Is there a secret to a long marriage well this is what the book is about. A couple receives a strange box from a friend. A bit strange you say well it is. Do they survive the box read the book and find out.

This was such an intriguing book. The author pulls you in from the beginning. The characters are so rich and engaging. You find yourself rooting for them and cringing at their mistakes. I like how the author leaves the ending, do they make it or not? Just like marriage. Will definitely suggest this to friends and family

This is the first book I have read from this author. It had the flavor of a Bentley Little storyline. My problem in reading this book was that I was looking for some of the intensity and suspense of a Little story, but it never came. Still a decent read. A complaint is the amount of attention given to Victor's clients. I was waiting for a good subplot related to his practice, but nothing developed. Guess those parts were just meant to be 'page fillers'. Like I said I have not read any of her previous works. This felt like a first book from an author rather than from a seasoned writer.
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Terribly written and unbelievable story about a married couple who find themselves in an insane cult.

I received the opportunity to read The Marriage Pact by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the book.

The Marriage Pact is quite a compelling novel that keeps you guessing and offers a few surprises along the way as you read towards its dynamic conclusion.

In the story, Alice and Jake are newlyweds in rapturous love. As described in the “jacket”, Alice, had once been a singer in a well-known rock band. She gave it up for law school and is now part of a successful law practice and working long hours. Husband Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Prior to their wedding, Alice offhandedly invites a client to the wedding when he gushes about how much he loves weddings. His gift is a mysterious box that entices the couple to join an exclusive group known only as The Pact.

At first, the goals of The Pact appear symbiotic with the goals of any good marriage: keep your marriage happy and intact. Its rules, on the surface, make sense...give gifts, take trips, always answer your spouse’s calls…and then there’s the one that says, “Never mention The Pact to anyone.” The Pact comes with a manual – which they are encouraged to study and memorize -- bigger than a breadbasket that denotes all sorts of penalties for rule infractions. While Alice and Jake are initially attracted by the people they meet, the common goals of the group, they are whipsawed into shock when one of them accidentally breaks the rules and has to answer for it. Unlike “Hotel California,” you can’t check out any time you like, and you definitely can never leave, as Alice and Jake soon find out.

What I really liked about this book: The pace was great, it was fast moving and kept me guessing. I liked how Alice and Jake’s characters developed and how the seemingly innocent and honest mistakes that they made (and we all make in our lives and relationships) became huge hurdles for the couple as part of The Pact. It really made you think. The book was very visual. The author’s ability to convey the fear, the intensity and the handling of Alice and Jake when they got themselves into trouble, was riveting. I really liked the end and how it built up to it.

What I didn’t like as much about the book: I know it was a novel, however, for me, the premise was a bit far-fetched and it was hard to believe law enforcement was never involved or couldn’t be involved. It might have added to the book to include how the legal system was skirted.