3.5 stars - I *eventually* enjoyed this book, but more on that later.

Ursula is a motivated, successful, lively, quirky woman in a high level creative job, but deep down she is lonely. Her cat Mallory is a fine companion, but she wants to find her forever partner. Enter the Arc, the relationship architects, who promise a perfect match, forever. At over $40,000 to join, Ursula is wildly skeptical, but curiosity wins, so she secures the funds and begins the weeklong in depth process to find her perfect match.

This book started really slow. So slow that I considered not finishing it. Truly, it took me three weeks to read to 17% percent, and then 3 days to finish the rest of the book. The book really gets interesting as soon as Ursula starts the process at the Arc, and then it's just nonstop from there.

Her perfect match, Rafael is generous, calm, focused and thoughtful, and for both of them it is pretty much love at first sight. They believe they are destined for an easy relationship, since it's perfectly curated and matched, after all! But at the first sign of disagreement, things get murky. The rest of the book chronicles their highs, lows, insecurities and revelations.

I enjoyed the underlying theme of trusting your gut when it comes to love, work, and life. I think this book is going to be well received. Except I really don't like the cover :0

*I was given an advance copy by NetGalley, in exchange for a true and honest review!

This was a great read, not just about dating in the age of dating apps, but about the trajectories relationships take, and how we get in our own way.

The two main characters are matched by an elite, expensive dating service that pro oses to be the last Dati g hells they’ll ever need. But is love really able to be reduced to an algorithm?

I unfortunately just can't get into this book. I don't seem to be vibing with the story or concept and will have to DNF. I was really intrigued by it at first so I hope others will enjoy it more than me.

This book was so much fun! I was absolutely fascinated by the concept (paying top dollar to be matched perfectly by an elite organization) and was completely absorbed from page one. I found that despite the fact that all the characters were real, flawed people, I found them loveable in the way that real people are - sometimes irritating and prone to making poor decisions, but overall well meaning and kind. I also found the book incredibly funny, with a dry, sharp wit and some laugh out loud moments. I can't wait to see what else Tory Henwood Hoen writes - she will be on my radar now for sure!

I received a complimentary copy of The Arc from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I absolutely LOVED this book! There were some slow parts, and at first I did not see where it was going, but once I figured it out, I just enjoyed the ride. With so many facets, this novel was perfectly executed. The hopeful romantics, the soul-crushing lows, the "rebellion"--what a great book! (Worth sticking it out--even if the reader hits a slow spot or two.)

HOLD ON I JUST FINISHED AND HAVE THOUGHTS BUT I ALSO HAVE WORK IN THE MORNING. BRB

okay!!!!! hi i’m torn with this. i didn’t fall in love with it but i really didn’t hate it deeply or anything either. a 4.25!

Ursula is thriving in plenty parts of her life. She’s making solid money and is succeeding in her field at 35. Her romance life is the only thing not keeping up to speed with her. When she seeks out help from The Arc, they guarantee her a true match; one that’s forever lasting. She’s intrigued and pays their pricey fee in order to find the one thing she can’t seem to get right. She’s paired with Rafael, a 40-something lawyer who’s charming, ready to start a life with the perfect partner and who’s all sorts of in love with Ursula’s rather quirky characteristics. Though it seems like an immediate perfect match, their lives start to untangle and they must face reality: Are they actually perfect for one another or did they just want to believe some doctor because they were desperate enough to pay for love?

okay, lots of thoughts. Neither of these characters were all that lovable but I really didn’t mind that. It makes for a more interesting plot. The tension after they fell in love made me anxious which I love when a book can pull feelings out of me. I felt like I was tapping on a fishtank with a puffer fish in it waiting for it to blow. It was interesting to see it all unfold. I also am one who despises combined POV’s without a break to signify a change but I think because the author signified it, I was a little more prepared for it. I didn’t love it but I feel it was probably crucial to the story.

I think Ursula was just a little… too quirky for me. I also eye rolled at a lot of the rich-ness of everything. The whole idea of whatever The Stake (a place Ursula and her friend had memberships for) was so pretentious. It was just overall hard to connect with her as a character even if she loved her cat a lot.

A last note is that I was actually looking forward to an Author’s Note because I wanna get inside the head of the author. This book and the idea of The Stake and The Arc were just bonkers to me. I wanted to get in the author’s head a little and just get some insight but it wasn’t provided with that in this ARC which is okay.

Okay long story short, I liked this book! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I enjoyed this read. It kept my attention and I really found myself connecting with the characters. Make sure you read this one!

I could not put this book down and stayed up way past my bedtime to see how the story ended. This is a book that stays with you, turning the ideas over in your mind long after the last page is turned.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were well written and given depth and back stories. Ursula and Rafael have such cute banter and touching moments.. The premise of the ARC sounds insane but would kinda be pretty cool to have in the real world. I couldn’t put this book down because I was wanting to see what would happen. Love that this book was different from most “romcom” type books. Only qualm was that Ursula was all about woman empowerment and how little funding they get from VC, but it’s even worse for anyone not white so wish they may have been touched on even in minor capacity. Overall loved the book and would recommend for anyone looking for a fun but roller coaster read.

What an interesting and unique premise The Arc has! The ARC is an app that guarantees you find your one true love - nothing can go wrong with that, right?! I loved the flawed, realistic way Ursula and Rafael, our main characters, were written. My issue with this book was that I didn’t click with, or even like, Ursula, so it was hard to really sit back and enjoy this book for everything that it was. Overall, it was a quick read that I’m glad I got to experience!

It took me a long time to get into this book, in fact skimmed through a lot of the beginning, So the main character pays a lot of money to be set up in the perfect relationship and then months later is told there was a mistake and it wasn't the right relationship for her, they then make that statement true and let their doubts break them up. this is a story about people owning their choices and making their own lives or is it?

I really enjoyed this book! Although it lacked real angst, the author still did a fantastic job roping me in and making me route for the couple.

What I liked:
- the dark sense of humor]
- AGE GAP *insert drool emoji*
- the authors writing style
- the ending!!

Overall, I would definitely give this book a go. A great debut novel!

This was one of those book that I still think about even weeks after having finished reading it. Optimizing our lives has become such a goal but optimizing our love matches to the extent The Arc presents really was interesting (and if I am being honest, a little scary). The storyline and love story at the core of this novel is built around likable characters and does lay out the pro/cons of this approach to love quite well. Would recommend this book to others!

This was an interesting read - the future of the dating world maybe!! I enjoyed reading this book! The story is relatable and realistic - I have heard about the dating scenario from friends and family and how frustrating it can be!!
**
I liked the author’s style of writing and sense of humour! The story flows through smoothly. Both Ursula and Rafael’s characters are well developed and true to the real world!! Their feelings and emotions are well described in line with the plot. And there are a few thought provoking situations as well! The friendship between Ursula and her friend from University is beautiful too!
**
This whole concept of matchmaking reminded me of how in the past in India - horoscopes were matched to find suitable partners.
**
Thank you to the Author, @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an Advance Reader Copy.

unfortunately i have decided to dnf this book. i just don’t believe the writing was for me. the concept and idea was intriguing, but the execution wasn’t paced well for me.

the beginning was a little boring, but i understood that it was character introductions so i continued reading. then once the characters got together i felt it was insta-love, and yes i know this book is about two people meeting through a dating app, but i’ve read books similar and they don’t say i love you as soon as this couple did. and i’m not saying that’s a bad thing, i just feel it’s unrealistic and not for me. but while they were together i was interested, until around 60% where i started to get bored and read other books. now this book is 350 pages and i left like it was never going to end.

overall, i do believe that one day i will come back to finish the book, because it honestly did interest me but for now, i will dnf it at 64% and leave it.

I love this book! The plot kept me engaged and I liked the ending of the story. It really tied it all together. The characters were completely likable and it felt like a story that was ripped from the headlines. I want to go to The Arc!

4.5, rounded up because I think the overall number (currently 3.7) is too low.
The Arc is an unexpected delight, combining romance, satire, and the slightest touch of sci-fi. Henwood Hoen’s wry sense of humor made me laugh out loud several times, while also prompting pseudo-philosophical dives into what it means to be in love, in a partnership, where to draw the lines between love and career and logic, between self sufficiency and unity. It’s rare that a book resonates on so many levels, where you feel as if the author hijacked your own brain, putting to words so many of the thoughts and feelings you’ve had. And at the same time, there are wonderfully escapist moments, like when the central couple is falling in the kind of passionate, all-consuming love for which we all desperately yearn. So often these love-at-first-date scenes feel so contrived, but here, it’s authentic. I disappeared into their story, as if it were my own.
Now, none of that is to say the book is perfect or that it will be universally relatable. This feels very much like a millennial story, with its Manic Pixie Dream Girl-Turned-Woman at the center of the narrative. Comparison-wise, I’m not sure it will be highbrow/literary/boring enough to appeal to those who love Sally Rooney, and it doesn’t fall in with TJR’s most popular books, Seven Husbands or Daisy Jones, though I’d say it’s in the same wheelhouse as some of her earlier stuff, like One True Loves and Forever, Interrupted. I do hope that this book finds its audience and gets some good placement on recommendations lists, as it’s worthy of praise (despite its lack of pretentiousness) and I look forward to following this author’s work in the future.

3 stars
I took a ton of notes while reading this, but honestly, most of them were subjective and I don't want to drag a book simply because it wasn't my taste, so I'll keep this brief. To start, I just don't think I was the target demographic for this book. I was more drawn in by the title and list of authors the writing style was similar to than the actual premise. Because I was never super into the actual premise, the whole plot felt very slow and predictable. Additionally, the writing style, although it had aspects that I loved, felt very millennial. Lastly, I found the characters too quirky for my liking. I like weird characters, but their quirks were too eccentric to feel realistic. Overall though, this book did have some sweet romantic moments and messages about living life on your terms. It's a good book, just not for me.

The story intrigued me, the Taylor Jenkins Reid comparrison drew me in. However, that's where it stopped. I found the story long and drawn out. The whole feminist club was just too much for me. There are far too many details in this book, I don't need to know everything the characters feels. I can it, I'm.not much for inner dialog. I simply just lost interest. Sorry, can't love them. Right?

Can love be boiled down to a science? The Arc thinks so and so far has achieved a 100% success rate.

Ursula and Rafael are thrilled to be matched and smoothly transition into a happy duo, but after one disagreement it’s revealed there is just a single area in which they’re not a perfect match.

Can their relationship survive without a guarantee of success?

There are a lot of surprises in this one! I loved the twists and turns and that final jaw dropped.

I wouldn’t call this one just a romance, maybe a sci-fi romance?