“…it sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? That there’s only one person in the world who’s like really, completely linked to you through your DNA and who you’re supposed to fall head over heels in love with…”

Every so often you read a book that completely throws you off your usual reading experience and has you literally unable to part with it for even one second. You want to pause life. You want to stop the world from spinning because your mind is doing enough of that. John Marrs is a new to us Author and he has singlehandedly blown all other psychological thrillers we’ve read out the water with The One. There are no words to adequately describe how tense, how riveted, how shocked and how involved we were in this thought provoking, thrilling story. The writing was sublime and John Marrs achieved in mere short chapters what sometimes takes an entire book to do- we connected instantaneously with all the characters, with their stories and with the concept as a whole. It was a magnificent, intriguing and a somewhat very relevant story.

“So you don’t think that true love can exist between couples who aren’t pre-destined?’
“No, no, of course it can…..But those who have been matched often feel something deeper and more complete. The other person is literally their other half.”

With all the dating websites currently out there, what would you do if there was a scientifically based company that could match your DNA with another person, ultimately finding your soul mate, the one person who is your perfect match? No matter the age, gender, race, religion or nationality. Would you do it? What if you were married? Would you be tempted to submit a swab to know your true match? Would it make you question your life and love for your current partner if you weren’t a match? We were inundated with situations, thought processes and actions of character lives which made us really sit back and think on; what would we do? Not only is this a highly entertaining compulsive read, it also raises quite a few questions and throws a few warnings out there on the dangers of accepting what you’re told without questioning. Of meddling with what shouldn’t be touched. The concept is so fascinating and has been a fabulous topic of debate whilst we’ve been reading. The stories of Christopher, Ellie, Jade, Mandy and Nick had us riveted. Hearing and experiencing their thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, love and ultimately lives as each was ultimately marked from the day they sent away a swab to find their match was an – edge of your seat – experience.

‘And in that moment , as they felt each other’s hearts racing, yet beating at exactly the same speed, they felt as if they were two halves of a whole.’

The amount of twists, eerie surprises and bang on situational double-crossings was phenomenal, it’s not often we are left open mouthed and applauding whilst reading. When you read as much as we do, we often find a case of knowing where a story is probably going to go. Well this was not the case with The One. We were shocked along the way in a continuously moving story that delved into the lives of five characters each with a common thread, each had a personal story where we felt as if we were voyeurs living their lives alongside them.

If ever there was a case for a book made into a film/TV serial then The One by John Marrs should be first in line. Without question this is one of our favourite reads and we highly urge you to go pick it up and go on a menacing thrilling journey which deals with what could essentially be real life, real people and a theme that in many ways reads to be quite topical of today’s evolving dating websites and experiences. You will not be able to look away, we promise! When we reached the last page we wanted to give John Marrs a standing ovation- what an incredible writer he is and what a unique and fascinatingly chilling story this was.

I liked this but not as crazy about it as his debut. I generally don't get along with books that have more than a couple of story lines as you dont get the chance to get to know the characters well enough. Eg Bethany and Amanda to me seemed like the same. Still a page-turner though and raised a lot of thought-provoking questions. 3.5 stars from me.

5** I have been holding off reading this until near the publication date but itching to get it read whilst trying to avoid other reviews (which I did). I now know why! 4 lives, 4 stories, 4 matches. Each one told alternating with the others and every short chapter so well written you just want to know more. A book you can’t put down, a book you want to devour. Characters that you love, or dislike but each with that “je ne sais quoi” that you “need” to know what happens. Brilliantly put together with imaginative plots for each character that are wildly differing. Every chapter ending with that hook so you turn and turn again. One stunning read. John you have a talent. I can’t wait to read more.
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I am always slightly hesitant to read a book that so many people have raved about. However, in this instance I was not disappointed. A really good read.

The concept of the storyline was certainly thought provoking and possibly an insight into the future of online dating. The characters were varied but interesting and different. Each character's story was well plotted and I liked the style of writing which kept me hooked and eager to see how each storyline panned out. Although with the twists and turns there was no predictability. The only thing that stopped me giving this was 5 stars was that I found some of the book a bit implausible.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest and independent review.

First of all this wasn't exactly what I was expecting. To be completely honest I wanted to go in as blind as possible and was expecting a well-built thriller. I didn't get that, but I got much more. This was a study of character where we see how we affront changes, solitude and that had enough turns (although quite predictable, yes) to set its thriller roots where as always things aren't always what they seem to be.

Here, in the writing aspect, do my problems with this novel lie. I found the different stories and characters to be well constructed but the storyline was a mess.
This novel is separated in five different stories, were you follow five very different characters in the day-to-day. The writing was easy to follow, fluid and concise, and with really short chapters. But the fact that the POVs alternated every single chapter and some extreme shortness (in some cases), it made it not difficult but frustrating to follow each storyline. Also the fact that each story followed a different timeline... not a very good idea. We go from jumps in time of mere minutes, to that of weeks or even months...
I think this would have been better presented either as separated short stories or developing more the story and giving each character more time to tell us what was going on, instead on leaving us with small cliffhangers every time.

First of all we are introduced to this astonishing development in genetics with which we can find that true love (our Match) we've always heard about. This is no magic but 100% science. When scientist isolate a specific gen know to be connected to that "love at first sight" feeling (👀👀), a system is designed to recognize and pair two different genes that are meant to be together. And voila! Thanks to a free and accessible app our better half is found and you can get his/her details for the modest price of 10 pounds!
These are five different stories which only connection between them is The Matched One. That's a factor introduced to us in page one and that still sounds ludicrous to me, but kind of possible?¿?
Each storyline is quite predictable and matches (no pun intended) to its designated character and at the same time they all follow the same drama arc, with its ups and downs.

When we get to the different main characters we find some very distinct ones. At first sight I liked three of them but as the story went forward and things started to unravel the only immovable thing for me was my lack of care towards the woman that opens this story, Mandy, a desperate, sad and pathetic woman. Then we've got the sweet little twisted Christopher, a bratty and capricious girl named Jade, a sweet and loyal guy called Nick and lastly we get to meet Ellie.

Imagine this. For a sample of dna and the price of less than a decent bottle of wine you could find your perfect partner. The one for you. Imagine it been that easy. That's the premise of this book. In this alternate reality Marrs seamlessly weaves the story of five couples who.have taken the test. But it soon becomes clear that even if they're a perfect match other doesn't necessarily follow that a perfect happy ending will follow. In fact just the opposite could be true.

This is an excellent read. John Marrs has taken a little sci-fi (with more of the fi than the sci) a big old dollop of thriller and a sprinkling of romance and come up with a real page turner. Part of its genius is that it's set in a reality which is now. There are lots of contemporary references that make the story extremely relatable. It's a quick and easy read that provokes a lot of questions and thoughts on modern life. A clear 5 star read.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC for an honest review.

This story is unlike any that I have ever read and I was completely transfixed from start to finish. In a world where love can now be determined by science, couples across the world come together with their perfect match, but what happens to those who never find their match or those who are already in love with someone else? As we fall into the love lives of five characters who are matched successfully through their DNA, we are brought on a rollercoaster ride of love, lust, tragedy, disaster, and complete terror. From Mandy who is desperate to start a family with her perfectly chosen partner to Nick whose match is a complete shock to the system, the reader becomes captivated by all of these characters stories, even the one whose secret life is so much more terrifyingly darker than the rest. But should love really be decided by science? And what happens if someone decides to test the theory?

THE ONE by John Marrs is an exceptional read that really got under my skin and I read this book in one night as I had to know how life ended up for the characters. While all of the stories were compelling, Nick's tale really stood out for me as he struggled with his results and the fallout from his decision to do the test. While love is obviously the aim of the game, there is a darker, tense edge to some of the character's lives that really make their stories stay with you long after you close the book. THE ONE by John Marrs is a top notch and unique plot and it will definitely be in my top ten books for the year - these slots seem to be filling up fast!

My goodness, The One had me hooked from the very first page! The concept is brilliant as more and more people are turning to meet their partners online, this book takes that one step further by allowing people to have their DNA matched to find their ultimate partner.

This book follows the story of five people, Mandy, Ellie, Nick, Chris and Jade. Desperate to find true love, they've all taken the test and are about to meet their true matches. But it appears that even soulmates have secrets and some could be deadly.

I loved the way this book was written. Each chapter related to one of the five main characters and gave you a brief insight into the next step on their journey. It's a psychological thriller with a difference that will draw you into the very end so much do I read this book in less than a day.

This is the first book I've read by this author and one of my favourites of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK Ebury Publishing and John Marrs for the chance to review.

This review is written with thanks to Ebury Publishing, Penguin Random House UK and Netgalley for my copy of The One.
matchyourdna.com is a multimillion pound dating site, where by providing just one sample of DNA, you can find “the one” – the person whom your DNA dictates is your ideal life partner. For five users of the site, their match has been found. But when they meet, will their matches be all they had hoped for?
The One follows five different characters who have all found their DNA match on matchyourdna.com: Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick and Ellie. These characters have very different lifestyles, and Marrs tells each chapter from the perspective of one of the characters. This gives the reader insight into each character’s life and allows us to understand their thoughts and feelings throughout the match process. However, the frequent alternation of perspective made the beginning of the novel quite confusing for me as I tried to get to grips with the characters, and it was not until about half way through that I felt I really had a sense of what made each person tick. As the novel progressed, the quick changes in perspective also caused the novel to lose momentum in places: the characters switched as their story became interesting! I appreciate that this technique is designed to build tension, but with five characters to rotate, I found the build up a little too slow.
At some point in their lives, most people have used, or know someone who has used a dating site. This makes The One very relevant to the contemporary reader, and the plot is an interesting interpretation of current dating trends. However, despite being in a long term relationship myself, I don’t subscribe to the idea that “the one” is out there for everyone, and this made some aspects of the plot feel unrealistic to me.
As the relationships between the couples develop, there are several twists and turns, and at the point where these are revealed, The One becomes a thrilling rollercoaster ride. This only really happened for me in the final 20% of the novel, and I found the majority of the plot to be fairly mundane. In view of this, I finish The One slightly underwhelmed, with a nagging feeling that whilst it was easy to read, and gripping in places, it could have been so much more.

Utterly compelling, I found this one of the most interesting and captivating books that I've read in a long time. The whole concept of being DNA matched with your "one" true love fascinates me, human nature is such that this can only be fraught with problems. And this is what makes this such a brilliant read - the twists and turns are insightful and entertaining.
Complex and interesting characters entwined in a mix of thriller meets sci-fi make this a "love" story to remember.

This is fast paced and scary , the characters are well written and show humans at their most vulnerable. Who in us has not looked for companionship at some time , the idea of DNA match is original and clever , science may have something to say on the true possibilities of this idea but it makes one heck of a read .

This is a fabulous read, I couldn't put it down. Just imagine that a gene had been discovered which tells who your perfect life partner is, The One who is for you. You may be perfectly compatible with others but to get The One is a match made in heaven, gives of a thousand small explosions.

We start with fairly short chapters introducing six random subscribers to Match Your DNA, an international company matching your DNA with one other somewhere in the world. We very quickly learn a little about the lives and 'getting together' of Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Amy, Ellie and Nick. Most have taken the test and are with their perfect partner and others are curious to see who their perfect partner is even if they are with someone at the moment. Each of the characters' lives are interesting and different, Christopher, for example, is a serial killer and we follow him through his murders and also his love life, while Ellie, who set up Match Your DNA, is scared of anyone getting too close because they only want her for her billion pound fortune.

The premise of the story is quite thought provoking in many ways – if you're happy and in love with one person would you jeopardise that love for a perfect match? Would you cheat on your perfect match in the likelihood they will take you back because your love is so deep? The chapters of each character are fairly short so there isn't a moment of getting fed up with one or another character, and each are lovely and easy to fall back into. For a book about love and finding happiness there's also a lot of sorrow and pathos. Some perfect matches are dying or seriously ill, but John Marrs has a wonderful compassionate way of writing so that even the sad parts are engaging and thought provoking.

This is the first book I've read of John Marrs and was so impressed that I have just purchased another of his books. He has a good fluid way of writing and I would have thought that this book has a degree of enjoyment for everyone.

Using science to determine and identify one’s perfect ‘life time partner’! What an unusual phenomenon?
The story follows 5 couples in discovering their relationship compatibility. Embedded within this romantic saga, a whole gamut of crime and murder gradually surfaces which gels incredibly well.
Captivating and compelling tale!

I loved this book. This is my first time hearing of and reading a John Marrs book. I can't wait read other books by this author. In a world of re-tellings and carbon copy dystopia, The One is gripping and original. Told in very short chapters the narrative follows five persons, Nick, Christopher, Jade, Ellie, Mandy, as they explore their new found DNA proven perfect partner. They have been DNA matched and no spoilers but this was so amazing. I devoured this book, 416 pages long in one sitting. I could not put it down.

There is no way of guessing the ending, this was a truly satisfying psychological thriller.

The One is the first John Marrs book that I've read. I'd never heard of him before, but I was intrigued by the original premise of his book. At first, I thought this book was a romance, which is not necessary my cup of tea, but then I saw that it was a thriller. So, I decided to give it a go. I figured it couldn't be worst than the last book I read.

The writing of The One is pretty descent, I'd even say good if pressed. Marrs' novel is divided by short, effective chapters. There are five narrators, which are looping throughout The One. It's a quick read, I finished it in less than two days and I devoted very little time to it. The foundations of The One are solid and keep the readers engaged in the characters' journey.

The main characters of Marrs' thriller are Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick and Ellie. They've all, but for very different reasons, registered to find true love. Marrs created an interesting set of characters that is enjoyable to read. However, some definitely lacked characterization. Mandy, particularly, is a character that comes from a very desperate place, but you never really ache for her. Moreover, Mandy is well into her thirties, but sounds and acts very juvenile. Which annoyed me and I would sometimes skim through her chapters. Jade was also problematic because you never really get to know her beyond her quest to her DNA match. But, Marrs redeemed himself with characters like Nick, Christopher and Ellie. Nick's conflict within himself was very palpable. Contrariety to the characters I mentioned above, he was fleshed-out and felt like a real, pulsing human being.

Marrs ended individually each character's story. I thought that he wrapped everything up quite nicely. Overall, I was satisfied with the way The One concluded.

Overall, The One is an interesting book with an original premise. It will definitely push you to think about your life, to reevaluate everything. I could see this premise turned into a tv series. I know that if it was on Netflix, I'd definitely watch it. The potential of his novel is ever growing and a lot of interesting things could be done with it.

This is the third book by John Marrs I've read and what an original story, the concept was believable and could be relevant to the world we are living in today. A real page turner that once started couldn't put it down. Once again the characters by this great author get right inside your head and you just have to keep reading to find out what happens to them. Thoroughly recommend and give it a very worthy five stars

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
A DNA discovery enables members of a dating agency to be partnered with their ideal match. The breakthrough makes the owner a very rich and somewhat controversial person.
The novel follows five couples in parallel stories as they meet their ideal life partner.
But surprises lie in store for each in this delightfully original debut novel by John Marrs. It will keep you riveted until the final page. No cheating allowed.
A novel with a difference as both characters and readers face twists and turns.
This novel deserves to fall into the must read category. Thoroughly enjoyable and memorable.

The premise of The One is great and it is as intriguing as it sounds in the blurb. The book consists of several separate stories: each is about a different character that 'has been genetically matched' with their unique other half.
The narrative constantly switches between the stories and every short chapter ends on a mini-cliffhanger. Although I didn't like the writing style (contrived, clunky dialogue, elaborate but clumsy descriptions, cliched metaphors etc.) and found some of the characters two-dimensional, I was interested enough to keep reading. There were plenty of twists and turns, and whereas some were quite obvious, the others took me completely by surprise.
Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the ARC.

A psychological thriller with a difference, this is a truly unique novel which is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Did you watch Humans, on Channel 4? If you did you may have been like me and found the moral, social and ethical questions that it raised, to be just as intriguing as the actual storyline.
The One, by John Marrs, elicited the same reaction in me. It was a book that was far more than just its entertaining storyline.
John Marrs, showcases several people, all with very different lives and needs, who have taken the test and explores a few variables that may complicate things. I can’t say too much without giving it away but I found it to be a brilliant read and definitely one that is suitable for any gender to read. With short, snappy chapters, this is a well-paced psychological thriller with some surprising elements that will keep you hanging on right until the end.
I can very highly recommend The One, by John Marrs – I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you want a bit of thought-provoking escapism, in an easy to read, proficient, writing style – go and grab it now!

Imagine a world where you can find your perfect partner by genetic matching. A DNA sample can show you who your life partner should be.
But what happens if your Match isn’t your current partner, what do you do?
And what if the process may be flawed?
The book follows five characters, three women, and two men as they discover their Matches and then each have life-changing decisions to make.
I was drawn into all their stories, and had to keep reading, because I wanted to see how they resolved their dilemmas. Short chapters and jumping between the characters really kept the momentum going.
The end was satisfying, leaving some unanswered questions
My only criticism is that I would have liked the five characters’ lives to link together in some way.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.