Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

I get scared by how easy it is to imagine some of the Black Mirroresque things that happen in John's books could happen in real life. Wouldn't put it past some of our politicians to try and implement such crazy scheme! Really good read!

I honestly have to say I adore John Marrs style of writing and this book was once again a brilliant read. I really enjoyed how this story carries on in the future from the end of The One, and that Matched your DNA is still alive and going strong but now the Smart Marriage Act is also in play. Some of the listening devices in the story, gave me cause to look at my Alexa device in a whole new light and I just hope that this new world is just a figment of the authors imagination and not nothing that will come to pass.
This is a must read for the long drawn-out nights at the start of the year.

This story is set in the not too distant future where there are smart marriages. Basically the government controls your marriage and can decide if your marriage is in trouble by listening in via Alexa type devices. There are advantages to being in a smart marriage which lures people in. The book follows several different couples and the problems they face.

This was a fast paced story with some interesting characters. I enjoyed the book which was thought provoking but was left wanting more.

Oh wow. Where do I even start? I usually start by thanking the publishers (Pan Macmillan) for sending me an ARC of this book, thanks to NetGalley for facilitating, and of course… a huge huge thank you to the always amazing John Marrs for yet another mind blowing read.

I just… woah. This book. Marrs just gets better and better with every journey he makes into this dystopian world. I love the continuity through these titles also, the discussions of DNA Matching and autonomous vehicles really took me straight back into the world. And these are books that are burned into my brain - this year alone I have read over 100 books and yet I still remember in detail The One from 2016. That’s how immersive they are. Terrifyingly so in fact. The very idea of a Marriage Act (or a smart marriage) seems totally mad but also totally plausible - which is the terrifying part. Having your AI devices listening for flaws in your marriage and monitoring more widely if any are detected is a horrifying thought. But then I bet my parents would have been horrified at the thought of an “always listening” Alexa when they were my age and her somehow, we all have one and think they’re great. So where does the development of tech go next? Why wouldn’t they be developing AI to work as a therapist? What “smart thing” will we have next? And the tax breaks and better housing is also the perfect incentive for humans to readily accept this kind of change. Well played, Marrs. Well played.

The book is told from the view point of different characters throughout which is a technique I love because every chapter leaves you on a bit of a cliff hanger until that character is revisited. And oh my, were there some cliffhangers in this. I could not put it down. And when I thought I had my favourite storyline and character to follow the bombshells were just dropping all over the place from every other character!

The storylines were so very clever and so rich and full, each one was a novel within itself but we were really spoilt by Marrs who treated us to multiple viewpoints. I also loved how the individual storylines interconnected perfectly with each other.

I just wish Marrs had a long standing deal with Netflix for ALL the books within this world - because although (to me) a TV adaptation would NEVER remotely rival the book, I would love to be able to share this world with my non-reader friends (I know - weird when people don’t read, but there we are…) I know so many people who would absolutely love these ideas but would not crack open a book if their lives depended on it.

I wish someone could erase my memory of this book so I could read it for the first time again. It was just outstanding and has now overtaken The Passengers as the most terrifying concept I have ever come across.

I won’t take any more time in case Marrs is reading this because I’d rather he be writing the next one than sitting reading this! Ha!

So I’ll end with this - read this book. Pick it up, download it… whatever you need to do - but read this book. You won’t regret it.

LIKES
☀️ For me, John’s dystopian books are absolutely where his writing shines! I enjoy his thrillers a lot, but the ones set in this world suck me in like no other and I was immediately sucked in.
☀️ The right level of creepy and believable. It gave me that Black Mirror feeling where you’re actually a little terrified that things that happen here could happen in real life.
☀️ Even as with all multiple POV books some drew me in more than others, each served a unique purpose and offered an interesting perspective.
☀️ The various characters and their stories are woven together seamlessly to create a well rounded, intelligent narrative.
☀️ Full of suspense, plot twists and tension - exactly what you hope for in any thriller.
☀️ Yet another story from John that leaves you wondering what you would do were you in the character shoes (probs run for the hills, tbh).

DISLIKES
🌙 No dislikes, it just didn’t quite have me as hooked as The One or The Passengers. I liked it just as much as The Minders, which is why I’ve settled on 4 stars!

Brilliant brilliant brilliant!
I am definitely a fan of JM’s books. His writing style, characters everything just keep me riveted.
Highly recommended

It was my pleasure to be able to review The Marriage act by John Marrs as an ARC.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

This was the Blurb

What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey?

Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills – the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.

But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.


I have read a number of John's books and can honestly say I have enjoyed every one of them so was interested to see if this would be the one to disappoint.

The premise of the book was really interesting and it feel so far fetched that something as fundamental as making a commitment to someone you love could ever be governed and controlled.

John has a very clever way of making what seems like an impossibility feel entirely possible. Taking a concept that is part of everyday life and creating a twisted alternative.

I absolutely loved this book it was so close to reality whilst keeping it uncomfortably close to being something that could actually happen.

The book was about relationships and how the government intervention has impacted them. The characters were believable and normal perfectly flawed people.

There were characters that threw surprises at you, some who were as likeable at the end as they were at the beginning and some that were totally left of field.

There was no way at the start of knowing where you would end up and it was quite a journey!

People watch out for your smart speakers.

#TheMarriageAct #NetGalley #johnmarrs

This was an interesting book with some thought-provoking ideas but unlike some of John Marrs' previous books, I thought it lacked a bit of character development, meaning I didn't really care what happened to them. It also took a while to work out who was who and how they fitted into the story. I would perhaps have been better reading it on holiday when I had a concentrated period to read it rather than picking it up randomly. It is very original but I have enjoyed others of his books (The One, Passengers) more than I did this one, largely due to the fact that I cared what happened to the characters far more.

The Marriage Act is the first of John Marrs' that I've read, and I swiftly added the rest of his repertoire to my "want to read" shelf on Goodreads about 25% of the way through this book. I loved the subtle easter eggs referencing his other stories, and that honestly made me love the book even more. This dark thriller represented a terrifyingly possible near-future that gripped me from the beginning and held me tight through all its twists. I could not put this book down, and I will be recommending it to everyone. The many multiple perspectives was a lot to get into at first, not knowing the author, but once I got into the groove it was seamless. It really came together in the last third of the book and made it so satisfying to finish.

This was sensational. Not only was it unnerving, it was gritty and really left me feeling grateful that the marriage act isn't a real thing. The pacing is fantastic, the characters were all so well written and nothing felt unanswered by the end. Sometimes when a book features a lot of characters, you have so many questions, but this really closed off well. I loved the idea of all the different ways in which the marriage act impacted people's lives. And the ending..wow.

This is a great dystopian warning from John Marrs.
What happens when the government decides that marriage is a “Good Thing”, and people should be penalised if they are not married. Furthermore, couples are under constant surveillance via devices called Audite (think Alexa), and if relationships are deemed to be failing (decided by computer algorithm), relationship advisers move in to help.
Seen through the eyes of several couples, a relationship adviser, a government employee, a vlogger, the story makes the reader question our reliance on technology, and realise how easy it is for politicians to manipulate the “truth” for their own purposes.
However there is an organisation called Freedom for All (FFA), who are working hard to overthrow the Act, and the tension between the two factions forms the drama.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow what a read!… I was up all night reading this… An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page… Full of mystery and suspense with twists and turns to keep you on your toes, I was completely hooked…

Wow. Just wow.
Okay, I admit to being a huge fan of John Marrs. I recommend him to EVERYONE. His pscychological thrillers and speculative thrillers are equally amazing, and I think about several of them all of the time.
The Marriage Act is yet another speculative thriller that is so belieavable, scarily close to reality and another of those books that I could truly see in future society. It has reminders of his previous books The One and The Passengers, so I recommend reading those books before this one.
The premise is scary- married couples sign up to a Smart Marriage, where they are recorded and monitored by their smart watches and the house Audite (sounds familiar, right?) and they are given tips and notifications if the couple's recordings find anything of concern. Then the Relationship Responder comes in, who lives or spends a lot of time with the couple and provides support or advice where needed. This book consumed me while reading it, so much so I found myself analysing my conversations with my fiance to see if we would be Levelled Up. LOL.
There are many characters to keep track of, all with different scenarios that give the reader an amazing understanding of how the Marriage Act could be followed in all walks of life. At first, I wasn't sure I could follow them all clearly, but as with all Marrs books, they are so clear and distinct, it becomes seamless. And these characters are... something else.
If readers are thinking these speculative books aren't as dark as Marrs' psychological thrillers.. LOL. You would be VERY wrong. They definitely show Marrs' trademark dark streak.
I finished this about 4 days ago, and I am still thinking about it. Mind-blowingly good. My new favourite of Marrs' speculative books.

An awful but really very possible future society!
This is truly a case of the machines taking over (I don't trust my Echo, let alone would want to sign up to a system I knew was definitely judging me!) with some very odd human ideals driving the Marriage act.
Focused on the two sides of the battle- for and against the act and the two tiered society it is driving this is fast paced with plenty of twists.

I love this authors work he is very imaginative and has unique storylines. I especially love his speculative novels.

A speculative near future thriller where couples are given advantages if they sign up to the marriage act. Where the government encourage marriage for its health benefits and take invasive intervention measures to help resolve couples issues.
We are introduced to various couples, some who are signed up to the act, and have a variety of ‘issues’ which are deemed to require intervention.
Some couples who are living what they consider a discriminatory life and trying to fight against the act.
Then we have a relationship responders who are tasked with intensive counselling of the couples. Their motives are not always pure.
Also which seems on the surface a little out of place in this scenario an assassin.

It’s a very character driven story with quite a few characters to get to know, so it’s a slow burn start. It took me awhile to gel with the characters.
The alternate new world is well formed and described, occasionally I felt that I got too much description of the world and it’s working.
It kept me engrossed and has references to the One, it doesn’t need to be read first, but might give you more feel for the world created.

I really enjoyed it, very character driven. I didn’t love it as much as the One. I’d recommend it if you fancy something different

I have read several of the novels by John Marrs and I have enjoyed them all this included. The author always has really original well thought out plot lines and the characters are well developed and linked together. I read this in two days and really could not put it down, it has a slight sci-fi scheme however as with all of Marrs books it could be true and a look into the future (I hope not). I would recommend this to those who like a fast-paced, psychological thriller.

What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey?
Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills – the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.
But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.

Wow, wow, wow then more wow - I just couldn't stop reading this, John Marrs is one of my favourite authors and he is really at his peak with this novel. Not too much in the future or too far fetched, with references to recent happenings as well as fictional references to his previous books and pretty mind blowing as this could actually happen! His clever characters and storyline come together so well in an amazing churning of events and fantastic finale. My mind is still ticking all of it over! Well recommended, I think this is his best yet and should be a mover series - are you listening #Netflix?
Thank you to #JohnMarrs, #MacmillanPublishing and #NetGalley for the opportunity to be able to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Johns husband for the initial idea :)

This was a terrifying read, and the reason it was so terrifying is because it doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to imagine this happening, it is so believeable.
Well written iwith a compelling storyline and characters that are both relatable and believeable.
A fantastic read that I couldn't put down but was kinda scared to keep reading

John Marrs manages to take his readers to a near-future dystopian world which is all too believable and close for comfort, he is an absolute must-read author for me. Following on from the world he created in 'The One' and 'The Passengers', 'The Marriage Act' is the story of a Britain where every conversation between a married couple is actively listened to and assessed as being satisfactory or not. Couples are encouraged to sign up for enhanced Smart Marriages, which give them access to better accommodation, more career prospects and the like, but at the cost of having no privacy at all - and if the AI decides you are not acting as you should, your life and marriage are put under severe scrutiny, with the introduction of a Relationship Responder into your life.

Some people in society think that its a small price to pay for a better standard of living, others are vehemently against it but have to tread carefully as everything you do is so closely monitored.

As always, John Marrs conjures up utterly believable characters living in a world that could so easily be real; there are numerous storylines that are intertwined with one another, and actions in one person's storyline often have repercussions in another's. Four couples have upgraded their marriages to Smart Marriages, and reading about the impact it has on their lives, their relationships and families was fascinating.

It made me think a lot about how we are so accepting of devices already listening in to us in order to have an easier life, we've all had the experience of targeted adverts after random conversations- and this is the natural next step from that. All too believable and scary for words.

Huge congratulations to John Marrs for such a page-turning read which was equally depressing and entertaining!

John Marrs has an amazing imagination, plotting his stories just close enough to our lives to be plausible, adding the latest technology (which we know can't be far out of our reach) and coming up with a shudder-inducing future. I can't say I "enjoyed" the book as the picture it paints is far too nightmarish for enjoyment but I was gripped from page one and it's a fantastic read. Another great book to follow on from The One and The Passengers (both referenced in this book).