Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

I wanted to read this because of the description which had it between Pretty Woman and Indecent Proposal, and I feel like that is really where this book fell.

For a lot of the book I really was pulling for Natalie. She seemed to be a young girl who had lost her way trying to get by in NYC. But, probably toward the last quarter of the book, I think that changed for me. I was a little disappointed that I figured out the ending ahead of time.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and would definitely recommend it to friends!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book gets all the stars! It was so good! Mark my words this is going to be a major hit! Also, this is my favorite book of the year and I don’t think that’s going to change! Robyn has masterfully written another book that you just can’t put down! I literally needed to sleep, but every single time I put it down I needed to know more. I had to make myself go to bed...lol. This is a serious page turner!

Natalie has left behind the Pacific Northwest and an ex-boyfriend who won't take no for an answer, and fled for the Big Apple! She is an artist and between struggling to pay her rent, her tuition, and food, she isn't left with much.

While her roommates' plot to get her out of the apartment due to her constant lateness with the bills as well as bringing home guys. She is stretched as tight as she can be. When her bar job ends she is desperate to stay in school and stay in New York.

Her art school friends have lots of suggestions, but Nat needs money now. When she hears about Sugar Babies, she loathes having to go there, but go there she does.

All she has to do is hang out for a dinner or two and she gets paid. A part of her feels like a whore but the part that wants to have nice things and stay in New York wins over.

And that was where it went awry. The girl is 21. And not a big city girl. She talks so formally and the obsession comes so fast that it left me wondering if there was a deadline somewhere.  In the end, they were all despicable people.

NetGalley/ July 30th, 2019 by Gallery/Scout Press

Robyn Harding is a new author to me and I was drawn to this book because of the blurb.

I enjoyed this book, but it didn't really WOW me. It is labeled as a mystery, thriller and I felt it lacked the suspense or the on the edge of your seat feeling I would expect when reading a story with these labels. This is NOT a romance story, but I wasn't expecting that going into it. This book is actually what I had been looking to read, since it was outside of my normal read and not a romance.

There were aspects of this story that I really liked and I loved the twist at the end of the story. But then there were things that I felt underwhelmed by.

I thought the writing of this story was good and I will read other books by this author. The only thing was I thought the pace of the story was slow at times and the story got a little wordy at times.

I did really like this book and I would recommend this book to others, but don't expect a lot of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

It's rare for me to like a book filled with unlikable characters, but this one I liked. Full disclosure: I did figure out the ending before the end of the book, but that was fun, not disappointing. The characters were such a mess that I kept reading because I wanted to know what they would destroy next. My only criticism is that Nat goes from an easily-crowded, space-needing girl to a very clingy one a bit quickly, but perhaps that was due to her dire circumstances.

The Arrangement is the perfect type of book for me. A forbidden/taboo topic, a complex story line and more - these are topics/plots/tropes that I gravitate to as a reader. The concept was phenomenal but the execution fell flat to me.

There were a couple of times that the characters lied (or I think) however, the way the scene read it was as if the author got it wrong. This really took me out of the story and I found myself going back to determine whether the character did actually lie or if there was an issue with the story.

Since I got frustrated at about 50%, I skipped to the end so that I would know what happened and let's say it's not the typical ending which was great. I will try another book by this author if she has more out.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

I heard a lot of buzz about this book. The reviews were fantastic, I could sense a psychological thriller edge in the synopsis, and it seemed like a really gritty thriller to dig in to. I heard the main characters were deep, edgy and well established. But I did not experience any of this. I never jumped onto the "Fifty Shades" bandwagon. Sure, the story gets your blood pumping, but that isn't what does it for me. At times, I felt like the writing was great! But others, especially with some of the dialogue, I feel like it missed the mark. A lot of it was unbelievable to me, and I truly could not like Nat or Gabe. To be honest, I felt annoyed most of the time. There was a small twist at the end, which wasn't bad, but overall, I was just not into this book.

What a ride - I could not put this down. Compulsively readable and totally screwed up.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review.

This read is one I’d quickly suggest to friends. The nature of the plot was eye opening and at times uncomfortable to read. Excellent read!

This is my 2nd book by the author! So addictive and chilling! You can help but root for the crazy person!

So fast paced and wild. You better hold on because the sugar baby is cray cray!

Natalie (Nat), an art student in New York City, leaves her small-town roots and morals behind when, desperate for money to pay her share of the rent, enters the potentially dangerous world of the personal escort.

Had she been able to keep her feelings in check, she would have had a wonderful life with her married sugar daddy. But, alas, she fell in love. What follows is a whirlwind of extravagant sex and extravagant gifts, only to be disrupted by what can only be described as more than one psychotic breaks in more than one person, including Nat’s apparently deranged ex.

I found this book thoroughly distasteful. I’m no prude, and while having a sugar daddy is not my thing, these situations happen. But the way this spun out of control made me want to take a shower
after finishing the book.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

Before I read this story, I had no idea what a “sugar baby” was. Now I know, thanks to this mostly forgettable story by the author of THE PARTY. Everyone is entitled to a flopper sometimes, and this one is Harding’s.
Struggling college student Natalie joins the over-the-top world of sugar daddies and babies when she is literally on her last dollar and has nowhere to turn. She is lacking self-confidence, but once she is dressed in designer duds and has a gorgeous older man on her arm, she becomes a sensual viper, living it up and loving every minute of it – even the intimacy. Then Daddy has a change of heart and decides to give all his attention to his beleaguered wife and hippie daughter, so Natalie loses her mind. The rest of the book is about Natalie boozing it up, complete with crying jags and unhealthy behavior. Then there is a murder; Natalie is blamed and faces jail time.
At this point the book becomes interesting due to the plot twist and further development of Gabe’s wife. Natalie is a one-dimensional whiny girl who is in over her head, and it was hard to become invested in her future. Gabe was a typical narcissist rich guy, and I could see him dumping Natalie a mile away.
Harding’s writing style is great as usual, but there wasn’t the usual suspense that she is known for in this book. Even the ending with the twist seemed to sputter out and die with no lasting effects. I’m sure there will be lots of people who think I’m nuts for not loving it – but we are all entitled to our own opinion.

You hear a lot about these type of dating sites. Some may say they are not safe. Some use them and have no issues. Harding took a look at these dating apps and developed a story that may freak you out a bit.

It started out with a solid development and slow build into the main plot. Gabe was a decent guy. Treated his girls right. Stand up family man with issues he had to deal with at home. Nat is an immature girl learning to live in the big city. Lost. Impressionable. Broke.

What I liked about the story was the fact it is not a far-fetched idea. The author subtly built the plot, dripping hints and issues here and there. The dating and how sweet Gabe treated Nat. Then we get the feeling of little bit of mental instability here and there. You know something big is going to happen.

And then it starts going downhill.

I have to say I was very disappointed in the last quarter and the ending. While there were several surprises and turn of events, it just felt very flat and matter-of-fact for me.

There was no excitement. Very little suspense at the end for me. I really was expecting more of a bombshell. It almost seems like someone else wrote it. Maybe it’s me, but she lost me.

Overall, the story is unique and well told, with some good twists in it. If it wasn’t for the ending being as drab as it came off, I definitely would’ve rated it higher. I really wanted to love the heck out of this one!

Natalie is a struggling college student trying to survive in NYC. Her roommates dislike her, she has complicated relationships with her parents , her co-workers and her peers
Gabe is an older successful, rich and powerful lawyer , he’s also her sugar daddy.
Natalie enters the “sugar bowl” as a way to get out of debt, she meets and likes Gabe
She convinced herself they are in love.
This book was such a roller coaster ride
I was glued to the pages and I recommend this book !

I can’t count the number of times I said “oh my god!!” aloud while reading #TheArrangement. I requested an ARC simply because Robyn Harding is the author - I had no idea what it was about. I was NOT disappointed.

I don’t want to say much about the plot because there are a lot of fun surprises, but it’s basically about a Sugar Baby / Sugar Daddy relationship gone wrong. It revolves around two deeply flawed characters and the “arrangement” they work out.

I had so much fun reading this. Though there are other books about this topic, the author took a fresh perspective and makes the reader question their own stance on the topic - whether you support it or find it gross. Though the main characters are not necessarily relatable to everyone, they are very interesting and well-developed.

The Arrangement comes out on July 30! Thank you @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the ARC!
#bookstagram #books #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bibliophile #read #thriller #summerreading

Trying to decide whether I'd rather spend time with Gabe or Natalie is like asking whether I'd rather be shot or stabbed. Both of these people are hideous and it's fabulous.

This book is like a Lifetime movie on a Saturday afternoon with a big bowl of popcorn, some Hot Tamales, my kids doing something else and my husband off golfing. It's indulgent and "too much" but in that great way that goes so well with slouchy socks and sweatpants.

Gabe is a vile, disgusting 1 percenter looking for a side piece and Natalie is a desperate 21 year old with a hot body, no brains, and an arguable sense of self. They meet on a site where Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies connect and, well, everything goes wrong.

I really enjoyed this twisted tale of stalking, obsession, and revenge. I even had popcorn and Hot Tamales.

Thank you to Robyn Harding, Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Basically this book is the kind of trash you need for a day at the beach or between meatier books. And I mean that in the best way.

The first half is really just a very simplistic outline for a Lifetime movie. Look, I'm not talking down to Lifetime, we all watch Lifetime occasionally because sometimes we need to take a break and watch women with bigger and crazier problems than our own. This book is Lifetime to its core, but with a better and more complicated ending than you would see on TV.

The second half starts some action and I enjoyed it a lot more. It's trash but it is basically well written trash. Although the characters are pretty one-dimensional (Natalie is a stereotypical naive small town girl darkened by the big city), the plot gets complicated and there are no glaring holes. I'm not saying it's realistic, and the big explanation at the end requires a lot of luck, coincidence and great timing, but there was nothing that made me want to throw the book.

The down sides:
The first 50% really is your typical outline for a story that's been told so many times before, and there is really no meat to it at all.
The end of it might have gone too far in explanation, as I had bought into it long before hearing the complicated series of events that happened and it seems like a lot of luck would be required to get away with all of that.

The up sides:
I liked that there were no explicit sex scenes.
I liked the twists and turns. Even though I guessed the culprit very early on there was no way to know for sure until the end.
I felt pretty satisfied with the last couple pages.
And though Natalie is such a stereotypical character, and so simply written at first, I thought her descent into the madness of a young broken heart was pretty accurate. As much as I wanted to shake her, to yell at her, her actions felt real and familiar.

I don't know how to explain why I really liked this book that is basically trash-turned-thriller, but sometimes you need some trash in your reading pile, and it's always nice to read an easy thriller that doesn't make you crazy with contradictions and plot holes. It's fairly well-written trash and when you need that for your book club bingo card, pick this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the ARC in return for an honest review. I've never been afraid to give a book a bad review, but this book was a pleasure to read.

Amazing storyline of what women will do to make ends meet in juxtaposition with their inner turmoils.
Marvelous read of arranging dates with married men. Couldn't put it down

The Arrangement was a very interesting read. As a college woman how far would you go to keep yourself afloat?!? Then what happens when you fall in love with someone who wants out of the "arrangement" (insert dramatic music here lol)
Robyn Harding does a great job making me guess throughout this book..... did she do it? Or was it someone else? I love when a thriller can keep me guessing!

Natalie wasn't a very nice person in the beginning. She dumped her high school sweetheart when she had a chance to go to art school across the country in New York City. She went into a "friends with benefits" relationship with her sweet co-worker, Miguel, then rebuffed him coldly when he began to fall in love with her. She shared an apartment with two other girls, but didn't clean up after herself or pay her part of the expenses. She drank too much, partied too hard and didn't seem overly enthusiastic about her art classes. Short on money, she tried to steal from Miguel's cash register, knowing full well he would be blamed and fired.
She got caught and fired on the spot. She needed money desperately. She could have found another job, applied for a student loan, lived in a college dorm room, even gone back home to her family. Instead, she dolled herself up, took some sexy pictures, and joined a sugar baby - sugar daddy website.
Most of the story is told from Natalie's point of view. She sees herself as innocent and put upon, and maybe the reader is supposed to see her that way as well. But she was a match to the sugar daddy who thought he could take advantage of her naivety. She was almost as selfish and manipulative as he was.
The twists and turns of Natalie's relationship with her sugar daddy and his family kept me reading straight through the weekend. The ending was unexpected and gratifying.
Despite the subject matter, there is very little actual sex or violence.