This book is set in the same vein as The One and The Passengers by the same author, based in the future and controlled by the government, people are fashioned from a young age to believe in the sanctity of marriage, those that upgrade their relationship to a Smart marriage are rewarded with lower taxes, healthcare, nice houses in new developments, but they are monitored in everything they do by a device called an Audite (think upmarket Alexa), and if there's the slightest chance of a less than harmonious marriage they are put on a three step plan to bring the marriage back on track or force them to divorce - whether they want to or not! The Marriage Act follows the lives of four couples, each of them with different stories, all put through their paces to see if their marriages are as strong as they believe, and then there's Jeffrey, a Relationship Responder whose job is to try and resolve these marriages. Alongside this a group called Freedom for All are trying to prove that the Act isn't all it's cracked up to be, but who will win?

This is an uncomfortable read at times and, after reading The One and The Passengers, both of which I raved about, I was excited to read this. It's a slow burn with a lot of characters to get your head round at the beginning, but once all their individual stories are in place it becomes easier to follow. It's a well structured story highlighting how technology is having more of a bearing on all of our lives and it's not a question of if certain things will happen but when, and that's quite a sobering thought. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, apart from Arthur and Jean who were quite endearing. The Marriage Act is an intriguing read with an unexpected twist.

I'd like to thank Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Another excellent albeit dark and disturbing book by John Marrs. I have read several of his previous books and despite their often grim or terrifying nature, they are addictive and utterly brilliant. This one is set in the future and the basic premise centres around something called Smart Marriages and the Sanctitiy of Marriage Act. There is more than a whiff of Orwell's 1984 about this book - Audite devices are reminiscent of Orwell's Thought Police. The characters and plot were very cleverly written. If you have enjoyed Marrs' other books and you are a fan of dark or dystopian thrillers, you will love this book.
With grateful thanks to NetGalley, John Marrs and Pan Macmillan for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Well what can I say, John Marrs has done it again! This is the fourth of Marrs' speculative thrillers, set in the same world as The One, The Passengers and The Minders, and what a brilliant addition.
The Marriage Act follows 5 different people as they navigate their way through life and marriage in a very different country to one we live in now, but scarily one that's not too hard to imagine.
As in true Marrs style, the chapters alternate POV and are short, snappy yet pack a hell of a punch. There were definitely a few 😱 moments.
Brilliant and gripping thriller that had me turning the pages long into the night.

I've read two other John Marrs books, both before I started blogging. Both are referenced in this book, but John has perfected a way of seeding in references that still make perfect sense in context, so it doesn't feel like those TV shows where the camera lingers very pointedly on something innocuous while the soundtrack screams at you and you have no idea why. As proof, another blogger's review said there were references to a third Marrs book, which I didn't pick up on at all!

This is very much a John Marrs book - large group of characters, high concept, slightly future (in this book, our anchor is the fact that William is on the throne, and a 40 something woman is 'just barely old enough' to remember Brexit.) This time around John is tackling Big Brother (in its original sense) and just how much interference is warrented in society. It reminds me a little of The School for Good Mothers in that the government has decided on the way things Must Be Done and won't permit any deviance.

I always have trouble when there are lots of characters, and that was true here too. Quite late, I was still trying to remember was this the vlogger or the activist. I did better with the men, for a reason I won't spoil (a facet of one was very memorable, so I knew which one was him and which was the other one.). One of them reminded me quite a lot of a character from The One by Marrs!
I can see this as a fantastic book club read - it would certainly lead to plenty of discussions, and not all centered around surveillance either. I look forward to seeing what John tackles next. I'll definitely be reading it.

Rating - 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

An addictive concoction of sci-fi and mystery thriller set in a terrifying dystopian world.

Synopsis –

Set in the UK, in a not so distant future, The Marriage Act deals with a society where Marriage is an obligation by law. The “Sanctity of Marriage Act” is a legalized norm, where the government favors families that “upgrade” their marriage to a “smart” one and if they don’t , then there are difficult consequences. We follow four couples, whose lives are monitored by an AI device and ensures if everything is as “it should be” in their marriage.

Review –

Wow, I am gob smacked 😲with the kind of impact this had. Kudos to John Marrs for the brilliant conceptualization, creativity and imagination he embodies into this book.

He employs his time-tested multiple POV format here, like in all his other sci-fi thrillers. I did take some time to settle into the book and familiarize myself with the characters etc, but soon the fear and dreadful realities of this world began to sink in.

The first half of the book is slow burn, as we get to know these couples, their current affairs, backgrounds and the effects the Marriage Act is having on them. But the second half gains momentum and intensity, as we delve deep into the intricately layered plot.

Of course, we have a killer on the loose, which makes it all the more dark along with a bit of wicked humor! 😈In my view, this was the best part of the book. Needless to say there are twists and turns that are most unexpected.

It is incredible how effortlessly Marrs makes it all feel utterly real. 🤯Never once did I feel that something like this was impossible. With AI becoming an integral part of our digital lives and the kind of power it is arming itself with, it would not be a surprise if it soon starts controlling every aspect or behavior of man-kind.

Imagine if AI could determine the fate of married couples! Given the way the world has changed post pandemic, this truly isn’t an exaggeration at all. It is so horrifying to even begin to fathom such an existence in the future.

I loved that Marrs brings in some concepts from his books – The One and The Passengers (no need to have read them) and cleverly uses them here.

I really don’t want to say more as this needs to be read and experienced for yourself!

I appreciated the author’s note in the end - where Marrs mentions the inspiration behind the premise and idea of the book. He deserves a huge applause for the kind of research he has put into it.

If you love sci-fi thrillers please don’t miss this!

Thanks NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC!

Creepy, far to real and has you questioning the future and what we are setting ourselves up for. If you liked The One, you’ll love this. Like a sequel, a thinking pot of relationship advice, government control and the uncomfortable possibilities that await us thanks to technology advances.
Couldn’t put this down and wanted to constantly talk about it while reading as it shocked in John Marr’s all too familiar way - too real for comfort. Brilliant 5*

Another immersive, well written and well thought out novel by John Marrs, that is thought provoking as well as entertaining.

Well how do I write this review - if you are a fan of John Marrs writing like I am you understand his writing style. It is deliciously dark and takes you away from normal life - although quite scary that can see some of it happening (and I have a lot of alexa devices). This one I had to take notes so that I could keep the characters in my head at the beginning but they all worked and loved the ending.

Oh and I did love the Northampton references could envisage how they were in future years.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

The latest speculative thriller from the John Marrs stable, takes the reader on an eerily believable journey into the future.

The story covers several couples as we learn how ‘The Marriage Pact’ impacts their relationships. The characterisation was totally plausible and never for a moment did I not ‘see’ them acting out their parts, some totally despicable and manipulative. Chapters alternate between them and the harsh realities of the Audite and smart technologies monitoring their interactions. There were several moments when I stopped to reflect on how close this story was running to reality, particularly the power of social media and vloggers.

The Marriage Act is a tense, dark and often harsh story, including and extending further the themes from several of his books: The One for the DNA match; The Passengers for the driverless cars. It also reflects on recent history, making for an unnerving read at a relentless pace.

John Marrs is at his best with a twisted, reflective story and here he delivers a skilfully, tightly plotted, compelling read. The settings were chosen to carefully reflect the themes within the story, Old Northampton and New Northampton (slightly unnerving for me as that is where I am from). A brilliant read that I would strongly recommend!

I have enjoyed all John Marrs previous books so was looking forward to this one.

Set slightly in the future a government that encourages marriage.
An interesting concept and a great read

When I think about Johnny Marrs I think of thriller. In this case it's a well done and thought provoking speculative fiction.
It's set in a not very far future, AI rules and every aspect of life is controlled.
All the rest is a riveting story that kept me reading as the author is an excellent storyteller.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

When I first started this book I wasn’t sure a) what was going on and b) which I was going to enjoy it. I continued to read and suddenly it hooked me. This storyline is like an updated 1984 set in the next 20 to 30 years with the government watching and monitoring everyone’s lives, rewarding couples who marry under the Sanctity of Marriage Act with lower taxes, better jobs, nicer areas to live, better education for their children. Their marriage is monitored daily through a futuristic version of Amazon’s echo device by relationship auditors and there are massive consequences for a deemed failing relationship. Single people are texted higher with little chance of acquiring well paid jobs and are required to sign up to the government’s dating programme matching then to potential partners through dna compatibility.

This story really made me think about the idea of big brother watching and how we are monitored in our day to day lives. I highly recommend this book as a totally different but gripping kind of read.

Ben was spot on when he said this book was Margaret Atwood meets Black Mirror. Reading it felt like I was watching an episode of Black Mirror mixed with The Handmaids Tail. CRAZY!

The scariest part of this book is how incredibly plausible the story is. We already have the basis of all the technology mentioned throughout so I can see how this could happen. (Especially with our government🙄).

The chapters being short in length meant I couldn’t put it down. I’d say one more but then end up reading two or three more which meant I flew through this. At first the chapters being different characters got a little confusing but as their stories all started linking together it made total sense and was a very clever move by John.

Arthur and Junes segment broke my heart and made me cry. I couldn’t even imagine being forced into that situation and that being the only option.

Whilst I enjoyed this book there were a few things I didn’t enjoy. I found it an incredibly slow start and wasn’t sure I was even going to like it for a while but luckily it picked up. I also feel like it ended a bit abruptly, but others may think it was just enough.

Overall it was a interesting, thought provoking read and I did enjoy it but the ending was a little too quick for me.

While I found this to be a little slower paced than I would have liked, I still found myself intrigued throughout. Not wanting to put the book down.
With multiple POVs, each one with very different characters telling different stories.
Some I felt sorry for. Seeing how they truly loved their partner.
Some were unlikeable. Putting fame over family.
No matter the character I was intrigued to see where their story went. Some I didn't see coming, others I did.
I liked the connection to The One. With the mention of "Matched by DNA" a few times. Bringing those two stories together, how one caused the other to happen.

I wouldn't mind a 3rd book linked to this world. To see where John Marrs could take this terrifyingly world next.

Another cracking book from this great author. I love the way John Marrs intertwines his stories so there were references to The One, Passengers etc - having said that, it’s not necessary to have read these other books but you’re missing a treat! The Marriage Act had me assessing the way my husband and I speak to each other and all I can say is thank god we don’t have any listening devices in our home because we constantly take the Mickey out of each other. Can’t wait for the next book.

I almost always enjoy a John Marrs book. If you're looking for a light, fast-paced thriller that covers strange, Black Mirror-esque subjects then John is your man.

In his latest, we have another dytopian story, set in the same world as some of his other books (including The One). The Marriage Act has been rolled out across Britain in order to encourage marriage and the various economic and sociological benefits it apparently brings (ignoring real studies that show that unmarried women are happier than married women... anyway). Those that choose to have a 'Smart Marriage' - either new or upgrading an existing one - get benefits including NHS+ (interesting concept!), nicer housing and government loans. But the downside of this is that they are constantly monitored by smart gadgets (an upgraded Alexa) that trigger intervention if it picks up that the marriage may be in trouble.

The book is less about relationships and more about the surveillance society that we live in, and the power of AI and IoT/smart gadgets. It follows a similar structure to The One and other books, following a set of characters in different situations and how the Act affects them.

As with other John Marrs books, I wish the story went a bit deeper - everything is quite surface-level. But it's an interesting concept and a great thriller.

I was so chuffed to be given an advance copy of this book from prominent author, John Marrs

This is hands down the scariest book I’ve ever read - and it’s not even a horror book!

The reason it’s so scary is because this dystopia feels not only believable, but imminent.

It’s set in their near future, and begins with the on screen death of Britain’s most popular influencer, Jem Jones.

This influencer was a big proponent of something called The Marriage Act. This act gives couples (however they are matched in terms of gender and sexual orientation) the chance to upgrade their marriage, which would give them benefits such as special treatment through the NHS, a house in a better area, and financial tax benefits as well.

As part of this marriage upgrade, couples wear a device on their wrist that will intermittently record the couple’s remarks to one another.

The idea behind this is to offer the couple a few words of advice when things aren’t being handled well.

And as soon as their marriage starts to sound troubled, they have a Relationship First Responder move in with them for several weeks to determine whether they will stay together or be forced to divorce.

Jem Jones is believed by the Brits to have killed herself after being heavily trolled on social media. And her passing has a dramatic effect on society.

The story is told from multiple points of view, which really helps make the story well rounded.

There’s Anthony who has an upgraded marriage, but has also had a strange relationship with Jem Jones. The true nature of which is not spelled out until the last few scenes of the book.

Anthony goes to meetings where government officials declare that the next step in their plan is to send underperforming kids away to juvenile custody schools.

They’re effectively trying to deliberately create a two-tier society. And of course, there are those that want to rebel, and rebel they do, including attempting to take the life of an MP.

The novel goes into the intricacies of various marriages throughout. Including that of Corrine (one of the rebels) and Mitchell. Corrine and Mitchell and clearly over, but they are still together so that the kids can get ahead.

Corrine can’t wait to separate from Mitchell when the kids go away to uni, but Mitchell tricks her into upgrading their marriage.

There’s also the story of Roxi and Owen. Roxi had always admired Jem Jones, and now that she’s gone, wants to pick up where she left off. No matter what that does to her upgraded family.

Roxi believes her husband is having an affair, and decides to video herself confronting the femme fatale, but things really don’t go to plan.

And if all that’s not enough, there’s also a serial killer - who it turns out is a trusted Relationship Responder! They clearly hadn’t done a good psych evaluation there!

Better yet, a good portion of the tale is told through the point of view of the serial killer, and you get a real insight on what made him turn out the way he did, adding to the believability of the story.

In addition to all the relationship and family tension, there’s also plenty of action too. Attempted murder, and murder.

Rectifying the issues caused by the Marriage Act is quite the fight for everyone who’s against it. There are plenty of twists and turns throughout the book, and the reader finds themselves on tenterhooks, wondering what’s next for these likeable and relatable characters. The reader will also find themselves going through the gamut of emotions.

I felt that the story was very timely for British readers, given some of the political phrases that are being used, such as “strong and stable” and “build back better”, and references to repeated pandemics.

There was a powerful ending to the story, and once your attention has been captured in those first few pages, you’ll find yourself racing to it. Highly recommended!

Wow what a totally gripping book!

I feel like I really needed a good book after reading a few mediocre ones in a row, and this definitely delivered. There are quite a few characters whose lives we follow and I found every one of them interesting and well thought out.

The premise is so interesting, set in the future but everything feels very realistic, too real at times! It was tense at times and had some fantastic twists.

I would highly recommend giving this a read.

REVIEW
The cover is quite simplistic yet still manages to be striking. After reading both The One and The Passengers and loving them both, as soon as I heard about this book coming out soon it was straight on my to read list! Then I later learnt that it is actually set in the same world as The One & The Passengers and I’ll be honest I felt a bit nervous, would this book live up to the other two books I had read set in the futuristic world built by John Marrs. Need not have worried at all as it fits in perfectly with the other two books, in fact I loved this one even more than The One.

The world setting is futuristic, you can find your true soulmate by matching DNA with them, cars are driverless and are used in a car pool way. The world is full of influencers, everyone seems to want to be the next “big thing”.

In The Marriage Act, marriage is actively encouraged and well rewarded if you know how the system works and can keep on the right side of it. People being single is really looked down on and by the rewards that marriage reaps, it means that being single is not a financially viable option if you want to live in a nice area and have a comfortable lifestyle. I mean I guess the real winners of the situation are those that are “happily married” right? Well not necessarily, as to gain the privileges that come with the marriage act you have to have an “Audite system” installed in your home meaning every word you utter to your partner can be recorded and in certain circumstances can be used against either of you. The main error of the Audite system is that it is computer run. So, for example a couple that has a snarky wit with each other will come across as arguing all the time and be flagged by the system. They are given a warning and the system literally prompts them to be nicer and say better phrases of encouragement and of a more loving nature. If the computerised system doesn’t think the couple are improving enough then a “Relationship Responder” is sent out to evaluate the relationship, give counselling and pointers on how to improve the relationship to level the computerised system thinks/is set at to be considered acceptable. If this fails then your case is set before a court who will decide whether you should stay married or be divorced. Of course, there are still couples who decide to divorce themselves but this is rare as once in the system of being rewarded for being together, making an equivalent standard of life apart would be challenging. Even those widowed are not left alone to grieve their loss in peace, they are actively encouraged to date and remarry. Of course, when you are no longer in a relationship you lose all those benefits you earnt so some people seek to stay in an unhealthy relationship and try to hide the fact it is merely a marriage of convenience. Those without a partner due to being widowed face the choice of a huge drop in their living standards, or start dating even if they don’t feel ready to do so.

The book follows different sets of couples and we learn about their experiences with The Marriage Act and how their relationships are scrutinised and affected if Relationship Responders are needed and sent to their homes. I think the couple and story that really stood out to me was that of Arthur and June, their story had me really filling up. It pulled you in, really held you, then had you going “oh no” and “wow” all at the same time. The Relationship Responder was so determined to gain access to their home they actually lay in wait and followed Arthur on a rare journey to the store, then took him back home as though they were doing him a favour. Sadly, at that moment Arthur knows life is going to change for him and his beloved June forever as soon as the Relationship Responder gains access to them in their cosy little home. Each of the other couples have their own stories of how they came together, how they became embroiled with the “Marriage Act”. Then there are those individuals who stood out, Roxi and older woman wishing she was the popular much younger vlogger Jem. Roxi see’s Jem as all she wants to be and of having all she would like in her life too. When Jem tragically dies, Roxi is determined to fill that space that Jem filled as an influencer. However, Jem Jones is not all she seemed to be at all, and Roxi soon realises that having such a visible life is not all its cracked up to be.
The character that I really enjoyed disliking was the main Relationship Responder we followed, a rather sad bloke who lived in his car when not staying at a “struggling couples” house. He became obsessed with every detail of the couple he was “helping” and at times enjoyed pitting them against each other. He was definitely of the “bunny boiler” variety!

I thoroughly enjoyed the references to current affairs as well as things that were in The One and The Passengers. Don’t worry though you don’t really need to have read either of those books first before reading this one, though I do recommend reading them both at some point!

This book is thought provoking and you honestly can’t help but firstly put yourself “in the shoes” of the characters in the book and wonder what you would have done if anything differently in their positions. Secondly it had me thinking about marriage, being divorced due to an abusive relationship it had me thinking how easy or difficult it would be for someone in the position I was in, but in this books setting…..would the Audite work in their favour in helping them get a divorce and escape any abuse or would the fact that Marriage gave a better standard of living than being single/divorced have people putting up with abusive situations. Definitely makes you think a lot, which I love.

My first thoughts upon finishing the book were that it was highly thought provoking, and shockingly believable as a future prospect. A fantastic range of different characters all with their own expectations of marriage, all trapped by the increasingly intrusive use of Artificial Intelligence forced upon them. 'Big Brother' is not only watching, assessing and recording but coming up with constant hoops & hurdles you have to jump through to prove your marriage is working.

Summing up, I really enjoyed reading this book and fond it interesting and thought provoking too. The thing is it’s the type of book that stays with you after you have finished reading it, rather like The One and The Passengers did. They are all speculative fiction and so set in a futuristic world but they are all also really believable and the scary thing is I wouldn’t say they are really far ahead in the future either!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this very disturbing book

oh my goodness me what have i just read...i feel traumatised by it, i want to run around the house and switch off all the gadgets that i own, and yes even my computer and i knew those smoke detectors had some sort of spy ware in them.....

have to say this is a frightening read and some of it could be very true and could happen.... A.I involved in your personal life, its not even worth thinking about

if you are very brave then you will love this book, if like me you are horrified by it but kept reading it to see how it panned out, then lets hope the nightmares stay away...

what a book though...this author wow...