Most of this book is very good - great characters, good writing, original ideas. My only gripe is how very long it is, and I do feel that some rigorous editing would still let the book shine, and maybe put less readers off.

I've never read a book by this author before but I was pleasantly surprised. There was Suspense and an edging plot all the way through. It was a great read.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

This is my first Michelle Richmond book and I have to admit I rather enjoyed it, I shall definitely watch out for more. This is a psychological thriller that has you wanting to keep turning the pages.

Imagine receiving an invitation to join "The Pact" a select group of "Friends" from your boss as a wedding gift from your boss, would you say no; could you? That's what happens to newly married Alison and Jake a young couple in their 20s. The Pact has strict rules and even have a doorstep of a manual, it tells you when to do certain things such as holidays and gifts for your partner to keep your marriage healthy and successful. Being young and impulsive they find themselves breaking the rules and they are aware that breaking the rules has consequences. The young couple's fledgling life together will face difficulties and their loyalty will be tested when they realise just how seriously they should have taken the manual.

Thanks to Ms Richmond, #Netgalley and Penguin UK = Michael Joseph, Penguin. all opinions are mine and mine alone.



Penguin UK = Michael Joseph, Penguin

Don't mention the Pact! A great thriller with plenty of suspense and I was keen to keep reading to find out what was coming next. I also enjoyed the author's writing style- bravo!

Omg talk about a roller coaster read wow this book kept me on the edge of my seat threw out I just couldn't put it down this writer keeps you hooked and once your hooked your not letting go I found this book thrilling the characters were fantastic and well thought out and the little clues all the way threw keep you guessing until the end this book stays with you long after you close the book this book is well worth the read I promise you wont be disappointed

Well written and the plot was intriguing but just not well executed. I really wanted to enjoy the novel but it just missed the mark for me.

This book was a real page turner. Plenty of drama and a book I wanted to keep reading, always a good sign!!

Wowzer, this book! What a fascinating concept to write about! A secret group, not a cult, called “The Pact” who want to help you to have a better marriage. It is an exclusive group, you don’t know about this group unless you have been invited and before you can be invited you are vetted extensively without even knowing.

How many people are in this group? Who knows? But it seems to be that they are EVERYWHERE! My head was spinning with the outlandish things and shocking things that went on within the group and if you broke the rules, well let’s just say, there is nowhere you could run away to as they would find you. Scared yet? You should be.

The dark side of this pact is just plain atrocious, the things they do to people and the worrying thing is that the participant is willing! Willing!! I mean by Jove how I will never know. The nice side of the pact really does make you appreciate your partner and your marriage. The little gifts, the trips away, the rules….wait what oh yes rules! As I say you break them, well then it is a felony! A felony! That is when it all hits the fan!

I loved that even though this story is about Alice and Jake, we see everything from Jake’s point of view. I got to say, it was refreshing, but also….frustrating!!! When Alice seems to be in trouble for everything, he was put on a semi pedestal, he could do no wrong and Alice was forever in the wrong. I mean it just drove me crazy, the bracelet and then later that collar!! How is it fair! Plus the weighing in, god how could they stay in such a toxic environment. But then….there is no running from the Pact, there is no escape. However, when Jake is unsettled with the pact as he begins to (finally) question their ethics and starts to dig, well all those eyes are on him and that is not pleasant.

I must admit, as much as I found this fascinating, I found elements hard to listen to/read because it was just well awful. The fat-shaming, the locked away in cells, I mean they went to prison. It felt like they were truly being tortured. I just couldn’t fathom how these people had so much control.

As I began to learn the routine of the Pact, the bike messengers, Declan and Vivan, I was dreading it when you knew their names were coming up, or if it was a Wednesday! I mean how much could one couple take!!

The twists were quite delicious, the end was fitting and so well deserved outcome. If you can suspend all belief for a while then this book might be one that captures you. I was just so intrigued, I mean could it be real? I am just not sure it bears thinking about! It is an intense thrill of a book, it makes you want to keep reading and not stop until you get to the end. However, I wanted more at the end, I need more, an extra chapter will be fine. I think that everyone I am interested in are ok but I would love the confirmation. What I think is quite…clever, is that there could be another book, maybe?

I found that I just wanted to keep listening and the narrator of the audiobook had a nice voice that just kept enticing you to keep listening. This is a book that will stay with me and to be honest probably take somethings away with me but if I ever receive a box from someone…I am putting it straight in the bin.

When anyone asks for book recommendations, this is one I instantly go to.
The plot is one of the most original I have ever had the pleasure of discovering and had me guessing until the very end.

The Marriage Pact is a psychological thriller novel with a difference. It is original and interesting - yet is also flawed and difficult to figure out.

The premise is intriguing and the story instantly hooks you in. It's a unique concept - a mysterious cult created with the sole aim of keeping couples together and marriages intact. However, there is a darker side to both the Pact and the plot. Things start to go downhill once Alice and Jake break the strict rules of the Pact - and it only gets worse from there.

Alice and Jake are an ambitious, career-focused pair of newlyweds who suddenly find their everyday lives turned upside down. Once initiated into the mysterious Pact, they find themselves doubting everyone and everything - even each other. Despite this, they are a likeable pair and you can't help willing them to escape the Pact's far-reaching influence!

The first half of the book starting strongly, introducing the key players and the idea of the Pact. However, once it passed the midway point, it sadly got more and more far-fetched and unbelievable. Although this helped to demonstrate just how difficult it is to get out of the Pact, it also made me feel disconnected from the story.

This got worse as the book went on, and despite plenty of unexpected twists and turns, the ending felt weak and unsatisfactory. What really happened at the end of the book? What happened to Alice and Jake next? There are so many unanswered questions that it leaves the whole story feeling unfinished.

The Marriage Pact has a unique concept and strong characters, but unfortunately, it ended up feeling rather flat.

"Would you stake your life on your marriage?
Newlyweds Jake and Alice are offered a mysterious wedding gift - membership of a club which promises its couples will never divorce.
Signing The Pact seems the start to a perfect marriage.Until one of them breaks the rules.
The marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare.
Because The Pact is for life.
And its members will do anything to make sure no one leaves . . ."

This book started off with so much promise and potential, a deeply disturbing thriller involving a cult and rules that MUST be obeyed or there will be consequences. However, by half way through I was getting bored with the marriage of Jake and Alice and wanted something to actually happen, which it eventually did. Unfortunately the ending let the book down terribly in my opinion, I had such high hopes for a fully rounded conclusion, but I was left wondering what was the point of the book.

Unfortunately, I read this book back in 2017 but completely forgot to upload a review on here, so can't remember exactly what I was going to say about it!

As if marriage wasn’t a commitment enough in itself....The Pact introduces an entire legal system alongside nuptials with terrifying consequences. Really exciting and more than enough to put you off going down the aisle!

I wanted to love this but just couldn't get into it, unfortunately. I can see that others loved it, so it is perhaps just a matter of personal taste!

I loved this book even though some parts were totally unbelievable but the writing was good and I liked the characters. Devoured it in a few days.

What a humdinger of a novel. A rollercoaster ride of tense emotion. My fingernails were bitten to the core. A classic psychological thriller with all the makings of a television drama. I loved it.

This is a high 4* book for me. It ticked many of my troops I love in a book.

Realistic characters
Cult (ish) type events
Sinister
Different
Smart and sometimes scary.

Marriage is a wonderful institute when it’s respected and worked upon by both sides. It takes lots of ingredients to bake a marriage and make it work. On so,I’d foundation.

Lots of marriages break up for all kinds of reasons.........so.......if you could join The Marriage Trap to sustain your marriage, would you do so?

It all sounds so weird in itself and it certainly is in reality .......but we see how The Marriage Pact and its Friends can get just a little eccentric and cruel.

Is there a place for cruelty in life to make someone a better wife or a better husband? Do you have to suffer to appreciate the good?

A very compelling and sinister book. One that I’ll remember for a very King time.

If you like realistic characters around an unrealistic arena. Try this.
Do you like being kept guessing? Try this.

The ending I thought let it down......but then thinking about it, is it making the reader interpret the results themselves?

A creepy thriller about how far you would go for love. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.