Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book for my honest opinion.

This book is about a secret society or some may call it a cult in which you need to be nominated by another to become a member. There are very strict rules about how to be a better spouse in order to have a happy marriage and not become a divorce statistic. Along with this nomination is a contract which you can never get out of once you sign and a manual that you must memorize. There are consequences to disobeying the rules of the manual and you will get caught as The Pact goes far and wide with very influential people and you will have to pay for your mistakes. What started out as a very good idea, turns ugly as there are some power hungry couples in the group who you don't realize and learn about until almost the end.

To be honest I didn't get truly hooked in until middle of the book when I didn't want to put it down. I had questions about Jake's punishments and why he didn't question Neil's jealousy issue as being against the rules of The Pact. It was interesting to read what Jake and Alice learned in the beginning about themselves as well as their young marriage and how far Alice was willing to go for it. I was uncertain as to what they both would choose in the end when given a choice to actually leave the group.

I imagine that this book will appeal to some readers, but it seemed to take forever to get to the "so what" of this book. Interestingly, although most of the story dealt with main character Jake's insecurity as the spouse of a hot and smart woman, I don't think the end showed readers that he grew, or became more secure.

THE MARRIAGE PACT BY MICHELLE RICHMOND

This was a compelling book and an absolute gem until I reached the point of 60% mark. After that point it felt like I was walking in quicksand to finish it. I don't exactly understand why the novel just died for me at that particular place, but make no mistake it just lost me as a reader. I just loved the beginning all the way until just past the middle. I think with some editing towards the second half would make this a winner. It felt like I had to slog my way through to finish it. So overall I would give it 3.5 stars rounded up.

Jake and Alice recieve a strange wedding gift from Liam Finnegan whom is a client of Alice's law firm. Alice is a junior attorney and Jake is a counsellor for at risk teens and does some marriage counselling. They have bought a house in San Francisco that gives them a sliver of a view of the pacific ocean. Alice and Jake are just back from their honeymoon and Jake is making them both breakfast when Alice's phone pings with an email from Finnegan. Finnegan basically states that Jake and Alice reminds him and his wife Fiona of themselves twenty years ago.

Finnegan goes onto say that The Pact is something that Fiona and him received for their wedding. He says that The Pact turned out to be the best gift that they received and it's not for everyone, but in the short time that he has known Alice and Jake, he senses that it may be right for them. Finnegan asks if he may ask them a few questions. Alice types back, "Yes." He then goes on to ask them "Pardon my boldness, but would you like your marriage to last forever--yes or no? This only works if your honest." Alice types "Yes" Ping. "Do you believe that a long marriage will go through periods of happiness AND sadness, lightness AND darkness?" Alice types "Of course." Ping "Are both of you willing to work to make your marriage last forever?" Jake responds and Alice types "That goes without saying." Ping "Do either of you give up easily?" Alice types "Nope." Ping "Are you both open to new things? And are you willing to accept help from friends if they have your success and happiness in mind?"

This is the beginning of the nightmare that Alice and Jake endure. I loved the parts of the book where Jake who is the narrator gives out statistics. One was that couples who spend extravagantly on the cost of big weddings are more likely to get divorced than couples that spend a small amount. That if your ring finger is longer than your index finger you are more likely to commit adultery. The Pact seems very much like a cult. You sign a contract and are given a manual which if you don't follow the rules you are led off in a straight jacket to a prison in the dessert in Nevada. Depending on which rule you don't follow you are charged with either a misdemeanor or a felony. You are assigned with a public defender and a judge sentences you to a fine, probation for a period of weeks and members of The Pact are always watching.

What constitutes a cult? You have to keep its existence a secret. Once you join you cannot quit. Your every action is monitored. You have to adhere to the rules of a manual. You are asked to do things which you cannot say no without punishment. You have to have the same ideas as the group. Perhaps Alice and Jake's repeat incarcerations and their inability (which I don't blame them) to follow the manual got tiresome for me. In any case what started out so promising in premise did not extend through out the whole book. It was a brilliant idea for a book. I absolutely adored the first 60%. With some editing in the last 40% could yield a winner. I really liked the ending and wish this book gets some help for the last 40%..

Thank you to Net Galley, Michelle Richmond and the Publisher for my ARC.

I just finished The Marriage Pact, given a free digital copy by Netgalley. I really liked it. As an avid mystery reader, this fit the bill for me. It was a very different topic and definitely got me thinking about how I would react given an apportunity, to join a group large and multifaceted that's goal was to make your marriage as great as it could be with a NEW SET OF RULES you must follow or face the consequences. There are parts that go off the deep end. But I enjoyed it, recommend it, and would read this author again. One complaint- wish it was juicier.

This was one suspenseful book. I read it quickly because I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. I have not read this author before . I will read more.

Great book! Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommend!

Have you ever read a book, that you could not quite figure out if it was brilliant, or if it was terrible? And I don't mean that as a bad thing, at all. This book walks that line. Just as I was starting to think, ehh this book is so unrealistic, the author does something to draw me in, and at that point, I have to keep reading, to figure out how its going to end.

I did struggle a bit to connect to both Alice and Jake, for most of the book, they were just characters on a page, and as far as the plot twist, it was fairly predictable. But even with the negative that I have said, I still enjoyed the book very much. It made me question how much I give, and how much I sacrifice in my own marriage. The premise of this book is pretty clever, and I feel a lot of readers will enjoy it. *Thank you Netgally and Bantam for allowing me to read this book, in exchange of my honest review*

Loved the book! I just finished it, I'll be back with my full review.

This is a highly original books that I would recommend. This book has a twisted sense of marriage and we feel for the well-defined characters throughout, as they try to escape this crazy club they find themselves in.

This book is great. The suspense and dread keep building throughout the book. I did not want to stop reading. At first, I found the idea of the pact to be farfetched, but the author does a great job of making it believable. I will be telling people they need to read this book! Thank you for allowing me to read this!

This book started out interesting and then got way too dark for me. Really wasn't prepared for it. There buts of really nice writing, just not my type is book.

This was well-written. It was refreshing to not wade through pages of clichés. The characters were interesting and the plot kept my attention.

The story is about a newlywed couple, both a little insecure about their partner’s commitment to their marriage, who sign an agreement that they really don’t understand. The know they are joining a club whose purpose is to maintain marriage, they just don’t know the extremes that the organization will go to ensure that they are committed to their marriage.

There are some disturbing scenes of violence and some mild sex. As far as the language, I didn’t really notice.

I really liked this book and will recommend it to others.

I could not stop reading this novel. The anticipation of what the next chapter would reveal was exciting and I read it in two days. The writing is excellent, fast moving and never long winded. The background and life experiences of the husband and wife prior to their marriage, engulfed me into caring about what would happen next. I truly believe this would be an exceptional movie. I will definitely be exploring the other books Michelle Richmond has written.

This is kind of a freaky book: all about the depth and commitment of marriage. Which all may be well and good, but it gets a bit strange. The newly married couple, both smart, educated, seemingly aware embark on their new life together.
They meet some odd people, who seem ok on the surface, but there is something a little off about them. They offer the Pact, a contract that supposedly honors and reinforces the commitment of the couple to each other and this group. I kind of expected they would be required to have some bumper sticker like marriage encounter.

The wife, a hotshot attorney, signs a contract, binding I don't know how, but essentially commits them to follow certain rules and sets of behaviors that can be punished by others in the group. The punishments are draconian.
After being in thrall to these weirdos, the eventually discover the story and the founder of the Pact. It simply does not make sense to me. Nor does this couples' apparent tolerance for ridiculous behavior. He is a shrink and she an attorney and they still go along with the group.

Finally, an ending that is ok, but I really question the whole concept of this. Marriage is tough enough without others watching, intervening, judging and punishing. Maybe this is a parable of marriage and I just didn't get it.

"Hi Friend"......
There is an assumption we have about marriage which involves two people building a life together, but must we shed our former selves?

The National average cost of a wedding in America is $29, 858

Over 50% of marriages end in divorce. A few reasons documented are: infidelity, abuse, many problems, sex problems, children, time apart, household responsibilities, friends, irritating habits, family, expectations, and personality conflicts...just to name a few!

I'm dying to 'spill the beans' about the juicy parts of this story, "Friend", but without a signed contract from you - I'm afraid I can't do that.

However, "Friend"......I happy to share a preview, a few thoughts -about Michelle Richmond's new novel, "The Marriage Pact".
BUT..... first let me ask you a few questions?
..... Do you believe that a long marriage will go through periods of happiness and sadness and lightness and darkness?
.....If you were newly married and committed to never getting divorced do you think you would be willing to sign a contract with "FRIENDS" if they have your success and happiness in mind?
..... Did you know that monogamous marriage was only established in Western societies about 800 years ago?
..... Did you also know that married people live longer than single people?


"The Pact is a group of like-minded individuals intent on achieving a similar goal".
"Created in 1992 on a small island off northern Ireland by Orlando Scott. The Pact has increased exponentially in size and commitment since that day. While our rules and bylaws have changed, our membership has grown, and our members have spread far and wide, the mission and spirit of The Pact remain true to the concept in the beginning". If you were a member, "Friend", you'd get a complete copy of the rules and regulations yourself.

"The Pact grew out of the failure of Orla's first marriage.
With the modern world evolving the way it is, marriage may be left behind. Orla saw a purpose for fighting for the success and well-being of marriage and created an organization to support marriages succeeding. It's possible that the single-family modern marriage may no longer be efficient. Yet - all marriages need to evolve - need challenges - and a supportive designed organization was created with that purpose in mind. The organization will need to evolve over time too.

Not anyone off the street can join THE PACT. Newlywed couples have been vetted and invited in. If they accept - they each receive 'The Manuel' .... which they are told to memorize....with rules to follow:

I'll share a few of the RLUES of "THE PACT", but not all secrets.....LAUGH WITH ME .... THIS BOOK IS KICK OF FUN.....( but some turds will toss this book - with its manuel out the window and think it's insane)
---I THINK THIS BOOK IS FRESH WITH HIDDEN BRILLIANCE.....AND it's SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN..... ( however - It might have been a tad shorter).
For the first 64% I was NEVER BORED: not one lag moment!
Then, I did hit a few spots - for a short time -where I was less interested, and mostly getting impatient to see what was coming next.
Soon enough, the story kicked into high gear!!! I loved the ending!!!!!

THE FUN RULES......[which made me want to sign the contact]. I tried to get Paul to agree..... lol. We were laughing silly. He came up with some other cool ideas himself - marriage insurance -- etc.

1. Every month the married couple must give each other a gift - it doesn't need to be expensive but it does need to be meaningful. There are consequences if you forget. .....I WONT SHARE THE SPOILERS of these "consequences"
2. There are some social parties in Hillsborough - and Woodside - MANSION HOMES in the Peninsula - here in the Bay Area. NOTE: THE PACT is not a POOR MAN'S club.
3. Each member must plan a travel trip away from home for a period of no less than 36 hours every quarter. --no other friends or family should be accompanied. Failure to plan at least one trip during a 12 month. Could be considered a felony. Chuckling?
4. Whenever receiving a phone call from your husband or wife, you must answer it.

A little about the characters ----
Jake is the narrator. I LOVED HIM!!!! It was also an enjoyment for me, having read several books by Michelle Richmond, before, having her create a MALE narrator. I think Michelle did a fantastic job!!!

Jake is a therapist - he works with teenagers and kids and recently has taking on marriage counseling for adult couples.
Alice is an attorney-- but also plays guitar and sings. She used to be in a band. A musician at heart. She didn't go to Law School until she was 30.

Jake and Alice lived together for a couple years. Their marriage is new - and getting the background of them is completely engaging!
As the reader... we attend the wedding! Michelle simple has us in the palm of her hands. Her writing flows - it's natural - and exciting!!
Jake and Alice have a house in SF. There is much I admire about this couple - I like them both.
I enjoyed reading about Jake and Alice's little habits together - from eating pastries in the morning- or one of them cooking bacon- all the dinners at home- their dialogue.
A fun plug for Philz Coffee......( only the best coffee in the Bay Area)....LOVE THE BAY AREA DETAILS..... nobody does them better than Michelle Richmond--- ( born in the South)..... but has lived here so long - she's like a native!


PARTS OF THIS BOOK I can't share my 'FRIEND' .... until you sign that contract and send it back to me.....
Are the details of THIS STORY - THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS- PROBLEMATIC MEMBERS - THE BRACELET & COLLAR- "Fernley" - Details about other members: Finnegan, Dave, Joanne, etc. HALF MOON BAY AIRPORT -Personal Trainers - weigh- restraints - ins- Draeger's Market, jealousy- lies by omission- and Bay-to-Breakers.

We have much to discuss, "Friend".

WONDERFUL..... FANTASTIC FUN FUN FUN...."Friend"!

Thank You Netgalley, Random House, and Michelle Richmond -- I LOVE YOU BOOK, "Friend"!!!!!

I am a big fan of Michelle Redmond's work and this novel aptly displays her talent for writing literary thrillers. The story revolves around the marriage of Jake, a therapist and Alice, an attorney and former rock musician. They are both likeable, complex characters. Alice and Jake get caught up in a cult-like group designed to help people maintain long and enjoyable marriages. In truth, the group rules their lives and there appears to be no escape. The parallels between the marriage group and Scientology were substantial which made the unlikely premise more believable, Richmond's writing is excellent and her references to various bands and songs enriched the book. This book was absorbing and it was hard to tear myself away from it to get on with the ordinary tasks of life.

Interesting story line. Couldn't wait to see what comes next.
Will look for more from this author.

The storyline was just dumb to me. Unbelievable but especially since the main characters were a lawyer and therapist. I don't know I found it hard to follow and just boring.

Finally -- a gripping thriller without the word 'girl' in the title.

I loved this look at marriage and cults -- made me think of the great Stephen King short story, 'Quitters, Inc.'.

**Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of THE PACT in exchange for my honest review**

If Rosemary's Baby and Scientology had a baby, it might grow up to be THE PACT.

Attorney Alice and therapist Jake receive an invitation to join the secretive club (cult) THE PACT as a wedding gift. Under the guise of keeping couples happily married the "club" has rules and penalties for breaking those rules. And nobody leaves THE PACT.

Having read most of Michelle Richmond's novels, I am a fan. I love her conversational style of storytelling where reading almost feels like hearing an audiobook and i feel like Richmond herself is telling me the story. THE PACT is my least favorite, not because the story isn't well conceptualized or written but because I didn't enjoy the subject. I had trouble believing a bright, well-educated therapist and lawyer would join the creepy club/cult. Jake was a marriage counselor, he didn't need a stupid book of rules and as much as Alice may have loved parties, the price of admission seemed way too high. My lack of enjoyment is about my interest and won't stop me from recommending the book to the many people I know will love the suspenseful drama.

THE PACT will draw a huge audience, perhaps even best seller territory or the IT book of the summer. It would also make a great movie or HBO miniseries like BIG LITTLE LIES.