This book has an intriguing concept and the premise is that everyone has a perfect match, all you need to do is send a mouth swab off and let the computer find your DNA match. Apparently you will always find your perfect mate. Isn’t that what we all want? The company can match you genetically with your perfect match after a scientist has discovered a compatibility gene. But the DNA match doesn’t take into account the nature of the human condition, consequently things, of course, don’t run smoothly for the five different couples who are involved in the story, trying to find their one true love. As each story is told, they all take different paths in search of true love, you get intimately involved in their fascinating lives, and each complex story is carefully plotted and gets progressively darker as more is revealed.

The five stories are very distinct and it is fairly easy to keep up with what is happening to each of the couples, and the plot doesn’t flag at all, you are kept always on the edge, as the plot twist and turns.
In this book, all the hard work is taken out of looking for your perfect partner, your soulmate, It sounds easy doesn’t it? Well don’t be fooled, things might not be all they seem. Read this book and find out, you will find it tense and thought provoking. It’s a cracking psychological thriller!

Great book. Really interesting premise, and should make you wonder if you would take up this kind of option. Surely love is more than that anyway?

Page turning, crazy making, scary, I loved it!! This book had me stay up through the night to finish it. Highly recommended

What a brilliant idea for a novel. The ‘blurb’ grabbed me from the first moment I read it, the front cover of the novel was another great attraction - it’s absolutely gorgeous - but nothing prepared me for the content of this fast moving and unique novel. I was gripped from the start, although I found the sheer number of characters quite a challenge to untangle as they were all introduced character by character and story by story - all within the first five chapters of the novel. The premise for the novel was interesting. It concerned a massively successful decade old multi-million pound dating site that matched couples by their unique DNA sample from a simple mouth swap sent out in the post. Once the match was discovered the company emailed the recipient with a name only. If they wanted to go ahead with their unique match, that’s when a modest cash purchase was required in exchange for further details. It was a failsafe idea and virtually 100% guaranteed to introduce couples that were a perfect match; soul mates, perfect partners, true loves and all without time consuming searches and one or two narrow escapes.
The novel consists of just five matchees and each of their stories are followed chapter by chapter but not one story at a time and in one chunk so to speak, the stories are told a bit at a time and interspersed with the other characters stories. This didn’t bother me at all, as each story was so very different, each compelling and a page-turner. It actually added to the attraction of the novel as each story was eagerly awaited to see what happened next. It made a sort of refreshing break.
There was Jade, who was matched with an Australian farmer, obviously living on the other side of the world. Their conversations led to love and Jane eventually decided to bite the bullet and pay him a surprise visit. Nick, on the other hand was engaged to be married but, at the insistence of his partner and just to check they were a match, they both took the test. His result caused consternation because he was matched to a male physiotherapist working temporarily in London. Mandy, a divorcee, was searching for a perfect match after her husband had left her for his perfect match. She received her email and found out her match was a handsome man, a true adventurer who lived his life to the full. Christopher, an ambitious and driven psychopath with a murderous secret was matched to a police lady and their relationship blossomed, gradually changing Chris beyond recognition. The final story was Ellie’s and she was matched after waiting ten years to find Mr Right. She was rich beyond belief, talented, beautiful and a brilliant scientist. Her match Tim became her constant companion but both were keeping dark secrets that ensured their story would reach a stunning and unexpected climax. Each coupling was unique, each story totally different, thrilling and exciting in their own way. Here in this novel are five novellas all combined in one and linked only by membership of a DNA assured dating site.

This psychological thriller is truly absorbing, filled as it is with interesting stories, many twists and turns, thrills and spills and more than a few blind alleyways. The characterisation is superbly crafted, built up piece by piece within their stories into five excellent cameos. I was unsure about the ending to begin with and gave my review a lot of thought before I committed it to paper. I decided that it was a brilliant ending, enigmatic and perfectly fitting for this unique novel. I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Del Ray for my copy sent out in return for an honest review. Don’t miss this excellent novel, first published as ‘A Thousand Small Explosions’ in July 2016. It’s well worth a read. It’s a 9.5/10 from me.

What a great book this was, I found it very difficult to put it down. It alternates between different characters and this is the reason I struggled to put it down. I was desperate to find out what happened to each of them, so I had to keep reading, this went on till the early hours of the morning! A very cleverly written book, and one I won't forget in a hurry. The story is unique and the events that unfold are suprising and shocking at times.

Highly recommended and a full 5 stars.

Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.

So many internet dating sites out there, each promising to match you to other individuals who, like you, are looking to find their one true love. Disappointments abound, bad matches are made. Ready to give up? What if a mere mouth swab could do the trick for you? Match you with your other half, as it were. It's DNA, should be foolproof. Takes the stress and the guesswork out of the whole dating scene, and it has taken the world by storm.

The catch is that your DNA match could live on the other side of the world, or be decades older than you, already married, or even the same gender as you. It may not matter, you are made for each other.

Loved the originality, the short chapters were perfectly suited to the read, and I was interested in every one of the characters and how their lives were impacted by finding "the one".

This book is a modern representation of online dating with a twist, this new website uses DNA to find your perfect match and it's been known to go down really well. The One goes between 5 different characters online experiences and their relationships. Throughout this story I was only ever really interested in one character, Christoper, the rest all had secrets or came upon problems but I was never intrigued in them enough to enjoy the story, even Christophers story at the end fell flat. I was looking forward to this novel as I thought it would be a frightening outlook on online dating and social media but actually, it was just a bunch of stories about people's love lives gone wrong, not something I am interested in personally. - Thank you Netgalley & Del Rey books for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The concept appealed to me and scared at the same time. Wouldn’t it be nice to have science on your side, to find you that perfect ONE. The One you are destined to be with. There is no game, no broken hearts, only You and Him.

On the other hand, what would happen to the romance? to the mystery of first dates? to overwhelming thoughts “will he call? when will he call?” that we love and hate at the same time?

The story is told from 5 points of view. Five different people living different lives, the only thing they have in common is that MatchYourDNA website changed their lives. Five different stories provide you with enough perspectives to help you formulate your own opinion about the science behind love.

These were both positive, because of the element of surprise and all the reasons above, but they also made me feel very overwhelmed by the amount and development of different stories. Each of them could be a separate book on their own, and maybe I’d enjoy each and every one of them a little bit more.

But that is the only complain I have about this book! It was a super fast paced read, short chapters, crazy events and interesting characters definitely made it stand out before the other books in the genre.

This is a very clever plot. What seems to start as a romantic novel, becomes a thriller and psychological thriller as well. Thought provoking, very readable. Thoroughly recommended.

I gave this book a quick four star rating when I finished it but didn't review it straight away because I wasn't sure how I really felt about it. I had heard so much about it, all very positive, that I really wanted to love it too.
The premise is interesting, each of us carries a gene which, if identical to the same gene in another person, will give us the 'perfect' match - regardless of age, sex, colour, creed etc. One step on, and some would say the next logical step, to the normal profiling carried out by dating agencies.
The book follows the stories of five characters who have been matched in this way, each chapter is short and moves the characters experiences on in turn. It takes a little while to get used to the switches but once you do it is easy to follow, very quick to read and makes it more of a page turner as I think that most readers will prefer some characters to others so will want to get back to their stories. I can't really think of the book as a novel though, it's a collection of short stories which have a slightly tenuous connection.
I think that I may be too much of a cynic to be blown away by this book the way that others have. I'm in a minority, I know, but I just found some of the decisions and actions by the characters so implausible and desperate that I couldn't find any empathy with them and the numerous sub plots were too much at times.
I did think that this is a really interesting concept and I think that I would have enjoyed the book more if the idea of DNA matching had taken a more central role by concentrating on one story rather than five.
I would recommend the book as it does get you thinking about the ethics behind the science and whether you would take a test if it was available, it just didn't quite deliver for me.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this copy.

What a great idea... imagine that a dating site has been developed to match you with your perfect DNA soul mate. Imagine then that you realise that your life partner so far isn't the one. The world in this novel is experiencing the fall out of this new scientific discovery and follows the lives of a handful of characters who are experiencing meeting their life soul mates and the chaos that can bring. Imagine you meet your soul mate but they are a serial killer! or you track them down to find they are already dead?
This book is sharp, funny, gripping and had me totally hooked until the very end. I would highly recommend reading such a witty and also quite dark at times book.

Send a saliva swab to "Match your DNA" and for £9.99 they will reveal the person you are genetically designed to fall in love with. What could possibly go wrong?
John Marr's page turning and thought provoking book is comic, tragic and absurd in fairly equal measure - and involved a very late night as I was so hooked I read it one sitting.

What a great idea for a story, and the tension rises as the story progresses. Some good and very different characters and well described interactions. Entertaining parts and sad parts but never boring or mundane. A great read.

The Best Psychological Thriller you will Read in 2017
I love psychological thrillers. I love to get into the minds of others and find out what makes them tick. I love to truly escape into a different world for a few hours and feel immersed in a universe entirely created just for me. Because as a reader, that is exactly how a book should make you feel. Like you are being given a secret letter to read. Special permission to read the deepest and darkest thoughts of someone else. And when a book’s home lies within the Psychological Thriller genre, there is even more of an expectation.

You expect a book that won’t just give you the fuzzy feelings and butterflies that a romance conjures up, but goose bumps and an all too oft uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach. Dread, fear, intrigue.

A psychological thriller, in my opinion, is one of the hardest genres to pull off. Is has to do exactly what it says on the tin. It has to thrill and it has to truly explain some part of the subconscious mind that you have never delved into before or don’t quite understand.

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The One achieved all of that and more.

John Marrs is without a doubt one of the most intriguing modern thriller writers of our time. His ability to weave the intricate details of multiple stories, switch between characters and still keep pace and intrigue, and within all of that have you starting to question some of the belief systems you have always held dear is utterly… addictive.

What is the book about:
Love. Essentially. The book is about love. But not in any way we know or understand it.

What if love at first sight is indeed real? What if it had been scientifically proven that there was indeed someone you could meet in your life that would give you instant fireworks? Instant attraction and a magnetic pull that not even you could explain. What if there was one person in the world that you could look at even just once, and a thousand small explosions would erupt within you?

Do you believe that?

OK – put that thought to one side for a moment – what if all of that were true, and we could prove it… with DNA? John Marrs has asked and answered that question with The One.

In his world, we have proven that there is in fact a DNA match for each and every person in the world.

Tinder, Match.com and Plenty of Fish would be quickly put out of business, wouldn’t they? Imagine if all you had to do was send in a sample of your DNA to a company who would then let you know where your DNA match was.

They could be next door, they could be half a world away. They could be 10 years older, 10 years younger or even the same sex as you. But how would you feel if you knew, for sure that person was scientifically proven to be your One True Love.

Would you test? Would you meet? What if that one person was a serial killer? Would it matter?

I have spoken about ‘love at first sight’ many a time here at The Glass House. Yes, I do believe love at first sight is real. I believe there is one person for everyone and I also believe that if you are lucky enough to come across that person, your body, mind and (so help me God for saying this) the universe will find a way to tell you. So this book was bound to strike a chord.

But would I take a test if there was one to take? Would I take the test to see if my husband is indeed my one intended true love? Before reading The One, I am pretty sure I would have said yes.

After reading John Marrs book, would I still take the test if offered. No. I am not sure I would. Would I test my love that way. No, I don’t think I would. But to understand why I made such a drastic 180 change in decision, you will have to read The One yourself.

Read it. Live it. Don’t make plans for the weekend because it will devour you. Then ask yourself the same question…

Would you take the test?

This review can be found in it's original for over at The Glass House Online Magazine in our Book Club section. You can find the full review here: https://theglasshousegirls.com/articles/book-club/the-one

Wow what a thought provoking story. Matched by DNA, would the relationship between stronger? Who knows.
Whether you agree with the concept or not I believe you will question yourself: if it was available, would I take the test?
I found this book easy to read and a real page turner.
This is the first John Marrs book I've read and it won't be the last.

If I am honest, I don’t think that words can describe how good this book is. I loved it and due to this you may notice that I mention this once or twice.

I was hooked from the very first chapter. Finding it hard to put the book down, it felt as though something was missing from me if I wasn’t reading it. I needed to know what was going to happen next, which is why one evening I refused to go to bed before I finished it. That night I managed to get through around 70% of the book.

I loved that even though my mind was coming up with possibilities of what was happening, I was never able to predict what was happening next.

I haven't been consumed in a book like this in a long time. There was something different about it and the way it was written. I can’t believe that I haven't read any of John Marrs books before! Where have I been?

So the book itself. Lets take a look at why I loved it so.

The Book:
How far would you go to find THE ONE?

One simple mouth swab is all it takes. A quick DNA test to find your perfect partner – the one you’re genetically made for.

A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one other person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love. Now, five more people meet their Match. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking – and deadlier – than others...

A psychological thriller with a difference, this is a truly unique novel which is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. (Reference - Goodreads)

My Review:
I don’t normally write my reviews like this, split by the blurb and my review, however I thought it was a good way for me to give you the same information I had before reading the book.

So the book, it follows 5 characters all of whom have their own stories and chapters relating to love and finding their perfect match. Yet it's not that easy and everyone's got a secret to keep! With the help of a widely used tool, we look into the lives of individuals on their quest for love.

At first, I have to admit, I found myself getting confused with the different stories. The short chapters, flicked between the different characters and at first it was difficult knowing who was who in which scenario. Yet, as the stories unfolded you found yourself getting to know each character and you could see why the short chapters were vital. They helped to make the book what it is.

As a reader, I wanted more and the short chapters aided my reading speed. I needed to know more about them.

The short chapters, although confusing at first made the book what it is. Allowing the reader to flick between the characters so easily, is a skill to be commended. Well written characters and stories also have a part to play for why I enjoyed this book so. You soon settle into a rhythm where you know the characters and can relate to every single one! (That's rare!-especially when there are 5!)

Each chapter/story provided a separate twist and I am beyond impressed at how well it has been put together/written. You don't see the twists coming, yet when they happen they consume you. I had to put my e-book down after one moment in particular as it shocked me to my core. Whilst others, I read through my fingers, I simply had to know what was going to happen next. Like I say it consumed me.

Having read most of the book in one night, I can safely say that once you pick it up your going to want to finish it. You just have to find out what happens next.

I don't want this to be an overly long review, as I don't want to give myself the chance to spoil the surprises for you. However, I don't think I can recommend this book enough. I was messaging my friend after certain chapters telling her she 'has to read the book!!' and I honestly feel that it's one which needs to be talked about.

Having read most of the book in one night, I can safely say that once you pick it up your going to want to finish it. You just have to find out what happens next and there is no time to wait!

Throughout, I found myself writing notes trying to second guess what would happen next! Not possible (for me anyhow!). Although some elements were right, I never hit the nail directly on the head.

Massive shout out to NetGalley for approving me to read this before it has been released. All views are my own and unbiased. It was a fantastic read and I am excited to go and purchase a real copy to add to my bookshelves.

A thrilling and compelling story which has you hooked from the word go. I cried and gasped more than once and even had to put the book down at one point to process a particular scene. I wasn't prepared for it, but that's the beauty of this book. It's unexpected in all the best ways.

Like I say, you need to read it.

P.s. Favourite book of the year so far- 😍🙌🏼

An original and clever story that totally held my attention from start to finish. I particularly liked that the story is actually multiple stories of couples that have been Matched. This meant that I couldn't stop reading as each chapter would be the continuation of one of the other couples. The book had many twists and turns and many different outcomes. A very well written piece of work.

This DNA match test takes the guessing and luck out of finding your perfect mate...who wouldn't want to try it? Turns out that science doesn't have all the answers when humans are searching for their soulmates. Several matched couples find that the results aren't exactly what they had hoped for in this tale of love gone wrong.

I was so eager to read this as the premise was fresh and exciting and I ended up being very disasppointed by the outcomes of the stories. Mostly it was all a very depressing novel by the end. I couldn't believe how fast the story deteriorated into a series of NOT happily ever after matches even though I had to suspend disbelief in the concept to begin with. The idea that there was a gene that predicted a perfect match was a bit much, but even so, I went into this with a willingness to believe. What a muck up of possibilities to have made this story something that could have been amazing, but in the end, wasn't.

I found it difficult to like any of the characters in this sordid tale, but nonetheless, I rooted for them to make a go of things. Unfotunately, everyone seemed to have a game on, and I didn't like the way that some of them ended up. The fact that chapters flipped back and forth between the characters and their stories didn't provide much of a cohesive narrative and the lot was rather hard to keep track of until deep into it. I would guess there is meant to be some deep revelation to society about our dependence on science vs the human instinct to fall in love, but it fell short for me. In the end, I came away with the idea that if there really was a DNA test for me to find my perfect match, would I take the test? Yeah, no doubt. Don't we all want a sure thing in this life of unpredictablitiy?

I'm grateful to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the e-book ARC to review. I am sure that, as always, I'm in the minority because I can't say I really liked this book

This was a very intriguing book - I had no idea what to expect and have thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

Thanks for the advanced copy