I love that now I've read several of John Marrs' books there is a very consistent, dystopian world emerging. How the cars from The Passengers and the Match Your DNA relationships tie in with the Audites in this book is exceptional layering. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the world develop further.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as previous works because I didn't like any of the characters. At one point, I hated Roxi so much that I almost just stopped reading just to get away from her.
I just didn't have anything to sympathise with or to support. So I was interested in the overall world and story but none of the characters, which made it drag a bit for me.

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, tracking every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.

I’m very late to the party on this book but I have finally got to read it. Well this is another absolutely awesome read by one of my favourite authors. The Marriage Act is a gripping page turner which had my heart in my mouth at times. A speculative fast paced thriller that will grip you from the very start.

Imagine in the near future having to get married in order to be able to use the NHS, get a cheaper mortgage and get a good job. Imagine device's in your home, car and on your person recording your conversations and deciding whether you and your spouse can stay together. Imagine ticking a box to allow the government to take away your loved one when they are unable to take care of themselves through illness or old age. Absolutely terrifying but John Marrs does just that with the Marriage Act.

We follow 5 different perspectives Anthony, Roxi, Arthur, Corinne and Jeremy and how the act affects each of their lives and relationships differently. This was a very enjoyable read kept me gripped and I didn't want to put this down. Also if you've read previous books by John some are referenced in here but it also doesn't take away from the story if you haven't.

I highly recommend.

This was such a clever and creative plot that was incredibly thought provoking and equally unsettling.

It reminded me a lot of Handmaids Tale where this seemingly near future feels scarily believable and somewhat realistic! This techno dystopia explores smart device monitoring and AI and I think it’s actually scary how much are already being listened to and don’t even know it, let alone signed up for it and allowing it to fully dictate our lives and marriages!

I’m not typically a fan of sci-fi thrillers but I just love Marrs’s diabolical brain and I’ll continue reading everything he writes!
This book is one terrifying yet addictive adventure!

I enjoyed this one, maybe not quite as much as some of his others, it was probably a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 star read.
I find John Marrs’ novels fascinating because the things he puts into his books are dystopian but they’re not so far fetched that they couldn’t happen, so I feel like most of them are really relatable and could happen in the not so distant future which definitely adds to the thrill and the hair raising energy!
I enjoyed getting to know the four couples and seeing how things played out, overall an enjoyable read just preferred some of his others

I’m a massive fan of John Marrs, and this book had all the delicious parts I’ve come to expect - twists and turns, super plotting, great characters and a few shocks along the way. Whilst I struggle a bit with dystopian literature, I really like the fact that Marrs’ work has an element of plausibility to it. Not my favourite of his novels so far, but a stonking good read.

I love absolutely everything about John Marrs books. They're realistically dystopian and I adore when there's connections and references to other books he's written, like The One and The Passengers. I love multiple POVs and watching how the Marriage Act really influences everyone's lives in this way. Engaging, thrilling, I loved it - easy 5 stars!

After love The One, I was excited to read The Marriage Act as a follow up. It took me a while to get into and figure out who everybody was as the chapters jump between people.

I loved the social media aspect to the book and some of the ideas and pure bonkers, but totally believable at the same time.

This was a bigger book than expected and took me longer than I thought to get through it. I wanted it to catch my attention as much as The One did, but there was just that something extra missing that made it 4 stars instead of 5!

The Marriage Act is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. It brilliantly blends thriller with science fiction in a remarkable way. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out The Marriage Act asap.

As always, John Marrs does not disappoint! Another story involving tech of the future. Unlike a lot of Sci-Fi books, John Marrs is able to write about futuristic tech that is genuinely believable... we already have some semblance of these technologies in our present, a few adaptions to these and it's entirely plausible that the Scenarios John Marrs lays out in his books could become reality.
The stories are so convincing in places I have to wonder if John Marrs has some inside information...

I try and pick up almost everything that John Marrs writes; I love the Black Mirror series and I feel that these novels are somewhat in the same vein. There's a cautionary tale with a dark side and I love it. Although not my favourite of his novels this was still a 3.5 star read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for providing me with a copy of this book.
This book is well-written and there are no doubt many people who would be an ideal audience for this book.
John Marrs is a good author.

John Marrs' latest addictive dystopian thriller is set in the same world as his previous hits The One and The Passengers. In this new offering, the British Government have gone a step further; following matchmaking people by DNA they're now essentially forcing people people into marriages with benefits. A whole lot of tax and financial benefits. If you choose the single life, you'll pay for it - literally.

But these incentivised marriages don't come without their own cost. Couples married under the new smart marriage concept must have AI installed in their homes which is permitted to listen to random conversions between them in order to pick up on any potential marital issues. And, if any problems are picked up, that could mean a whole lot more problems for you.

As with the The One, the story alternates through a cast of characters, including those investing in their smart marriages, those working for the government to help keep marriages on track, and those firmly against the concept. Most characters in the book are quite unlikeable, and those who are likeable likely won't be around for long.

This book is exactly what I've come to expect from this author - a story which is fast-paced, addictive, a little ridiculous but also clever, all at the same time. Amongst the melodrama there are some nuggets of genius - the opening prologue and final twist really pack a punch, offering a twisted view on how our society interacts with the media and influencers. And there's also a tale of an elderly couple, Arthur and June, caught up in the trap of this modern society, which utterly broke my heart.

It's worth bearing in mind that, while a little whacky, this book is also quite dark. If you have a little hope in a character's goodness or eventual redemption, they will probably die. The world is both creative and cruel, a frightening speculative look at the future, and it's definitely a wild ride.

This was interesting to read and the subject concept certainly made me think. However it wasn’t my sort of book but it was interesting to think of the possibilities the way life could become.

I loved the tie ins of this one to the one and the passengers which were both books I loved. However this one just fell a bit short for me. As a huge John Marrs fan I was surprised that I didn’t connect with any of the characters. Needless to say I’m still very excited for his next piece of work!

My god. I love a realistic dystopian near future thriller! And how much of a nightmare was this little world. I felt so much rage reading this, I honestly HATED some of the characters with a passion! Dystopian nightmares really bring out the worst in some people and I love it 😂. What a wonderfully written, scary, realistic, thought provoking, addictive book. This was my first John Marrs and now I’m on the hunt for more, give me more!

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Once again i am in awe of John Marrs' imagination. In this latest installment following on from The One and The Passengers we now have The Marriage Act.

The Marriage Act has been introduced by the Government in order to rebuild the economy. Stats have showed married couples are less of a drain on society than single people. Couples can upgrade their marriage to a Smart Marriage giving lower tax rates, bigger homes and cash incentives but they have to allow a recording device in their home which will highlight any issues with their marriage which can result in a Responder visiting to assist in any marital issues.

John Marrs is such a fantastic writer that has you promising to read just a little bit more and before you know it the book has ended! The characters in this book are really something else. I loved them all, even Jeffrey which is probably wrong on so many levels 😂

Anyway read it! Read The One. Read The Passengers. Read John Marrs.

John Marrs can do no wrong and when I got excepted for this one I was so excited !!! What a fab read kept me wanting more from beginning to end !!! A spec thriller to keep you up all night ! It could so happen and that’s the scary thing !! Loved it another cracker !!!!! Xx

The Marriage Act is John Marrs’ 10th book. It is set in the near future and is somewhat of a speculative thriller which had me on the edge of my chair.

Although The Marriage Act is a stand-alone novel, John Marrs cleverly mentions events and incidents from his other books “The One” and “The Passengers” (and there may have been more that I overlooked).

I studied 1984 by George Orwell at school and in parts, The Marriage Act felt quite Orwellian as I read of a scary dystopian future, smart speakers that do more than just playing music from Spotify, and politics getting in the way of love - or the other way around? Implausible scenarios that feel almost possible!!! I enjoyed the weirdly twisted characters that John Marrs loves to create and followed their stories; sometimes shouting at my kindle! I used to boast that I have a smart speaker in every room, now I am questioning this decision!! (readers of The Marriage Act will understand!) Thank you John Marrs for an excellent read – I can’t wait to read your 11th book.

I love John marrs and his style of writing.
Whilst I did enjoy this book it definitely wasn't my favourite. . Set on the future it tells the story of 4 couples who are part of the Sanctuary of marriage. This is quite scary as could actually happen in the future. The pact watches your every move in your marriage, how you behave, how you treat one another and they will step in and 'help' you if needed. Hello however is not all it seems and not always wanted, but it seems there's no way to get out of this pact.. what would you do too save your marriage.
3/5 for me