THE ARRANGEMENT is my first encounter with the works of Robyn Harding. It builds slowly, introducing us to the characters, but before long I found it compulsively readable. Not being familiar with the premise of A Sugar Bowl, as it is referred to in this novel, the relationships developed between an older man and his young mistresses, commonly known as sugar daddy/sugar babies. I could see that Ms. Harding did her homework and research, as she acknowledges this at the end of the novel. Websites exist for this type of ARRANGEMENT, where a man can meet a willing partner, paying for her company, for a date or two, a short duration or a longer ARRANGEMENT.

The characters are not likable, but interesting. The reader is made aware of why they are in this life style. Naive 22 year old Natalie and her Sugar Daddy Gabe, are the main characters, he is about 30 years older than her. Natalie was only going to meet him for a couple of times, take the money for rent and tuition and get out, as the thought of sex with older men was repulsive to her initially, not to mention risky. She didn’t expect to end up liking this man who seems kind, attentive and let’s not overlook, wealthy.

Gabe has been actively seeking out “companions” since his wife Celeste got diagnosed with cancer, their sex life stopped and he thought she had let herself go. You will not like Gabe. He unexpectedly finds himself enthralled with Nat, to the point of exclusivity and seduces her, not only with money, but with attention, a kind ear, a protectiveness she’s never experienced. He provides her an apartment, a generous salary, anything she needs. He’s never told Nat that he’s married. He uses his 18 year old daughter as an excuse not to see Natalie on weekends. When a family situation occurs for Gabe he feels needed at home and decides it’s best to break it off with Natalie, but she’s not having it. Now we’re getting down to the nitty gritty. We see new sides to these characters, darker ones than we realized.

I found it more interesting as it went along, especially after we get introduced to Gabe’s wife and daughter. The only likable character was Gabe’s wife, who was a lawyer before her cancer. Her part in it was deliciously satisfying.

Pick up a copy of this domestic drama/thriller on July 30th. Thanks to publishers Gallery/Scout Press via NetGalley for an advance e-copy and for a chance to express my personal opinion of this novel.

The Arrangement is the first book I have read by Robyn Harding. I sat on the beach -I am on vacation and read this book in less than two days. This is the type of book where your feelings range from pity to disgust and everything in-between, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The premise is simple; a college girl, Natalie, is struggling financially while trying to go to art school and support her self in the Big Apple. A friend suggests joining a dating service called the Sugar Bowl, where Nat could find a Sugar Daddy to help her make ends meet. In walks Gabe, a successful corporate attorney looking for a beautiful young girl to give him blind devotion, hang on his every word, and be at his beck and call on his terms- in other words, a Sugar Baby.

Ms. Harding writes the two main characters like they could be real people. She does a phenomenal job making you simultaneously feel bad for Nat and feel disgusted with her. Nat is a self-centered, self-absorbed child playing in a very adult world. Gabe, what can I say about his character other than I despised him for most of the book and I say this in the best way. There were times that he did show his human side, but they were rare. Gabe was narcissist, an egomaniac, the consummate manipulator, and a cruel human being. Which made him an excellently written character for this book.

The Arrangement is the crowning example of a domestic suspense thriller. There are twists and turns throughout the book, and the ending is pure perfection. Reader beware there are very adult themes throughout this book. The Arrangement is a wild ride giving the reader a small glimpse into the very sleazy world of the Sugar Bowl.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

***I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion .***

Linda's Book Obsession Review "The Arrangement" by Robyn Harding, Gallery/Scout Press, July 30, 2019

If you love mystery, suspense, psychological thrillers, and fiction, and an intense, intriguing, captivating, riveting, novel, I have a book recommendation for you!!Kudos to Robyn Harding, Author of "The Arrangement" for writing such a page-turning and entertaining novel. I could not put this book down, and read it in one sitting!! The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex, complicated, flawed, and dysfunctional.

Especially young college and career driven girls find that college, schools and living expenses get out of hand. Some have to work several jobs and struggle to study. Natalie is a young art student finding it difficult to balance her life. After meeting a friend that seems to have it all, Natalie decides that the solution for her is to find a "Sugar Daddy", someone who will pay her expenses plus. Natalie is told that you have to go online, and often older men just want someone to listen to them, and sex is sometimes not necessary or negotiable. Of course, she would have to dress up and use makeup. 

Natalie does meet Gabe, an older man, and feels that he is the one for her.  Of course, Natalie is not told that Gabe is married, and has visions of forever in her mind. In this time setting, there are rules. Natalie really has no clue how dangerous Gabe can be, and Gabe has no clue what Natalie is capable of.  In this game, there are twists and turns, betrayals, secrets, lies, and murder.  

If you want to find out what happens, I recommend and suggest you read "The Arrangement" by Robyn Harding. Happy Reading!!!!

The Arrangement did not wow me. I found the dialogue repetitive. How many times can the same rhetoric be said over and over again? Natalie was a conundrum to me. Sometimes she acted naive and innocent and other times savvy. Her character developed from a nascent college art student to a psychopath. I disliked all of the characters and found much of this story to be a little far fetched. Thank you Netgalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Natalie is a struggling NYU college student who has been living well out of her means for a while now, and it's beginning to catch up to her. She has a job at a bar, but the money she makes isn't enough to cover everything she needs and she is behind on her bills, and beginning to worry that her roommates are about to kick her out. So she turns to a fellow classmate, Ava, to vent about her troubles and Ava tells her that she was once in the same boat, but she started using a website that saved her, and helped her afford the lavish lifestyle she now leads. Nat of course is all ears, until she hears what the website is... a Sugar Daddy/Baby website. The site hooks you up with a sugar daddy, and you accompany him to events, provide him with certain services, and in turn makes sure you have everything you need. Which maybe all well and good for some, but Nat isn't so sure she can handle what is required of her, the idea of being with an older man is unsettling, but what other choice does she have?

She decides to give the site a try and meets Gabe, a successful lawyer, and they meet and instantly strike up an arrangement. Their connection is instant, and they begin spending a lot of time with one another, but when their little arrangement starts to interfere with Gabe's home life things start to take a dangerous turn!

The Arrangement is a thrilling little domestic suspense novel that had my eyes glued to the words from start to finish.... this book was downright spellbinding! Once I met this amazing cast of characters I didn't want to let them or their intriguing story go. The pages were dripping with suspense, sex, obsession, lies, deceit... really everything you would want in an domestic suspense tale. This one impressed on all fronts; the story line was unique and riddled with twists and turns, and the words were perfectly penned and absorbing! One of the best suspense stories I have read this year!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and I am leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

Dark, twisty, and brutally honest page-turning suspense novels are my forte, and this certainly didn't disappoint! The novel delves deep into its characters psychology and motivations and keeps you guessing throughout. A perfect summer read.

To me The Arrangement by Robyn Harding starts slow and sometimes drags. The plot was interesting, although sometimes not too believable. The last quarter of the book makes up for some of the previous pages. I was given an early copy to review.

Boasting a unique and compelling premise, author Robyn Harding’s, “The Arrangement,” is a suspenseful, psychological drama that delves into the salacious world of sugar daddy/sugar baby relationships.

For the struggling young art student, Natalie, this arrangement was simply a means to an end. It was about financial survival and nothing more. But when Natalie unexpectedly falls for her much older sugar daddy, Gabe, she becomes convinced that what she shares with Gabe is different—special, even. But truth be told, Gabe is nothing more than a lying, cheating, narcissist, who will do just about ANYTHING to protect his marriage, his family, and his good name. So, when his “relationship” with Natalie threatens all three, Gabe plans to rid himself of the obsessed Natalie by any means possible.

While I found this story enjoyable, overall, it wasn’t quite as dark and twisted as the premise had led me to believe. Hence, it fell just a bit short of my expectations. Still, “The Arrangement” is a very good read from start to finish and one I would highly recommend.

What a page turner. Read in two sittings. I liked the gentle build up of romance...seemed believable to me. Without giving any spoilers I like that Celeste was smart enough to have all the pieces come together.

Will leave 5 star review on Amazon under name of Connie.

Thanks for granting me access to this book.

THE ARRANGEMENT is a fast read that had me turning the pages from the very beginning. Nat is a struggling art student who can't pay her rent. Not to mention her roommates don't care for her and are just waiting for the chance to kick her out. After a fellow student tells Nat about a site she can use to get herself a sugar daddy, she considers it. These are older, wealthy men who may or may not be married, may or not have twisted fetishes, may or may not be who they say they are.

Nat lucks out with Gabe, a rich man in his 50s who is entranced with her. She's able to pay her rent, and realizes she likes spending time with him...and then she falls in love with him. Gabe reaches the point where he wants to break their arrangement. Nat is heartbroken, and starts stalking him and his family. Will she really do anything to get him back?

As stated above, I was hooked from the beginning. There are some nice and unexpected twists towards the end, and Harding does a great job fleshing out all of the characters (even minor ones) and their motives. I reccomend.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Gallery, Pocket Books for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Let's dive right into this review, shall we? The term "prostitute" has such a negative connotation amongst the sugar baby industry. The term "escort" sounds a little too mature to the younger ladies. So we are presented with a new term. Sugar. It sounds innocent enough. A young lady is taken on a date with an older, richer man who presents her with cash at the end of the night for whatever they provide whether it be a conversation or sexual favors. It is presented to the outside world as a business arrangement unless one of them falls head over heels for the other. Then things take a turn for the worse.
THE ARRANGEMENT is a story that will keep you glued to the pages. (It did for me). The reader meets Natalie, a young, art student who is struggling to pay her bills while keeping her day to day life in order. With no help from her parents, she is introduced to the New York sugar lifestyle by one of her classmates. Her first date is a disaster with her feeling skeptical and a little disturbed by this profession. She then comes across a handsome older man named Gabe. Not only is he successful, but he agrees to a monthly salary, a new apartment, and exciting vacations throughout their entire arrangement. Natalie finds herself falling for this older man, but doesn't realize how dangerous this situation really is.
I found it interesting once Natalie was completely submerged in this lifestyle and facing an uncertain future that her parents (particularly her father) came back into her life to help her get through the mess she made. While she was broke and struggling he was not around. This may have been a fictional story, but the tale is as old as time. Parents should remain involved in their children's lives on a consistent basis and not just when they are in trouble or facing dire circumstances. If Natalie had the help and support all along then this lifestyle wouldn't have been so glamorous to her.
I enjoyed this book. It kept me hooked and allowed me to get through a couple of long work commutes. THE ARRANGEMENT will be for sale on July 30, 2019! Add it to your TBR today!

Robyn Harding has done it again with another smash hit.

The story starts off with a bang with Nat calling her estranged father stating she was arrested for murder.

The novel only gets better!

Nat, a struggling artist with horrific roommates signs up for a site "sugar daddy" she hears about from a college friend. She is suddenly living the high society life and is no longer worried about finances. What she doesn't count on is falling for the sugar daddy.......

I loved the fast paced trail this took me on.

I love Robyn Hardings last book, so I couldn't wait to read this one! Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be read on my GoodReads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly

Loved this book! 5 stars for sure. Very interesting read about a provocative subject. This book is fresh and sexy. I have enjoyed all of Hardings’ novels.

I loved this book! Harding crafted a clever little thriller. It's easy to see how one could be seduced into the "sugar bowl," despite the dangers. I will update my feedback closer to the book's release date with a full review and link to the review on my blog.

This was a provocative (or maybe trashy?) concept on the sugar daddy and sugar baby arrangement. Natalie is a young art student, on the verge of being kicked out by her roommates as she can't pay rent. Desperate for money, she finds a sugar daddy to help her financially. Enter Gabe, a lawyer in his fifties. Initially, Nat is worried about his sagging skin. I couldn't help but be amused by her thoughts on "older" men, haha! All humor aside, this was an interesting read on a lifestyle that I'm unfamiliar with. There's murder, sex (not graphic at all which was a plus in my book), and betrayal. I've never heard of Robyn Harding before but now I have to add "Her Pretty Face" to my TBR.

I expected not to like the characters as much as I did because of the moral choices they made and yet I found most of them likable and the plot was compelling. I would highly recommend this book and I think it would also make a great tv series.

This novel starts off with Nat calling her father whom she has not seen for years. He left her and her mother years ago when Nat was little but she is desperate and has no one else to turn to, Nat has been arrested for murder. Who was murdered? Is Nat truly responsible?

Jump back 4 months.....

Nat is a College student trying to survive financially and to make ends meet. She is struggling balancing everything, is stressed out, her roommates don't like her, and she fears being kicked out of her apartment as she is behind on her rent and bills.

One day one of her classmates Ava tells Nat about how she pays for her upscale apartment, which is a penthouse. Ava is a sugar baby and has a sugar daddy. Nat has never heard of this before but Ava tells her all about it and gives her the website address so Nat can check it out for herself. At first Nat wants nothing to do with it, but then desperate for money decided it couldn't hurt to meet a sugar daddy, just once or twice, for some quick and easy money.

Enter Gabe. An older, successful lawyer, who is very rich, handsome and sexy as hell. Nat figures there is no harm in meeting him just once, as there are no strings attached. Gabe has a wife and daughter, which Nat doesn't know about. What ensues is a whirlwind of emotions, lies, deception, betrayal, secrets and craziness! I loved it!!

I loved reading about Gabe. Reading things from his POV was very interesting and he had a very interesting life and personality. I literally was flipping through these pages to see what would happen next and I devoured the book and loved every addictive, thrilling second of it.

I thoroughly enjoyed how Robyn Harding referred to several places in Canada in this novel, as I am from Canada and it was nice to read about in a novel.

If you haven't had this book on your radar, you need to get it as soon as it releases on July 30th! You will not be disappointed! This book was truly amazing and I LOVED it!!

** Also, did you know I am mentioned in the acknowledgements at the end of this novel? I am @booksonthebookshelf. Thank you so much Robyn, that truly meant so much to me!

I am so happy that I was able to read this book! It was excellent.. y'all so suspenseful and kept you wanting to read the whole thing in one setting! Robyn Harding did an excellent job with this one and I hope y'all go out and read this book!

Robyn Harding has got our backs this summer, and THE ARRANGEMENT (July 30th) will successfully meet your thrill-aholic needs. Boy, was it an entertaining read. It was so much fun to learn about and be educated on sugar daddy/baby relationships - which just sound both exciting and terrifying to me.

Per her friend's suggestion, art student Natalie (Nat) agrees to find herself a sugar daddy - the only way to put an end to her financial struggles. When she meets Gabe, she knows - he's the perfect match. But things take a dark turn, when Nat realizes...she's falling in love with him, and in the following days, someone will end up DEAD.

This novel also discusses narcissism, features women coming together, parent-child relationships and what it's like to put your life at risk in order to survive. I'm usually obsessed with plots where extramarital affairs end in murder (Basic Instinct, Body Heat, Jagged Edge, etc) so The Arrangement, being as seductive and engrossing as it was, felt like an absolute necessary read for me. Just grab a snack, a cool drink and devour the heck out of this book.