The synopsis roped me in, but I didn't really think it was for me. Netgalley, thank you for sending me this ARC!

I really struggled to get into this book and unfortunately had to DNF it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

Mariel Franklin's "Bonding" is a thoughtfully crafted novel that delves into the intricacies of human relationships, exploring themes of connection, trust, and vulnerability. The story centers around a group of characters who, each struggling with their personal issues, come together in a unique therapy setting designed to encourage deep emotional bonds and healing through group interaction.

Franklin’s prose is insightful and empathetic, beautifully capturing the characters' emotional journeys as they navigate their way through the complexities of forming meaningful relationships. "Bonding" is rich with psychological depth and character development, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in the transformative power of human connections. The novel offers a unique look at the ways people come to understand themselves and others better through shared experiences and mutual support.

maybe this is me, but i think i'm just done with like pained female central character battling disaffection and threesomes.

Not sure if it's meant to be a sample, but this first part of it was like no plot no vibes, felt very flat and scattered, not sure if I would be more engaged if I get to read more.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC.

I regrettably had this book to my DNF pile - it was just too slow paced for me to continue with and I didn't enjoy the writing style it was much too dense for my liking.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for a review.

An interesting, modern look at some of big issues facing todays’ western society - drugs, mental health, modern dating, and big data. We follow the POV of Mary as her relationship with Tom begins to develop, and an old flame comes back onto the scene. This was enjoyable and well written, but the supporting characters felt more interesting than Mary who was a slightly empty main character. The pacing was a bit slow for me, not much happens until the final part of the book, with a lot of work centred chapters in-between. The author did a great job of capturing the often nonsensical corporate speak, especially in regard to companies which are dealing with society-altering products and services.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I didn't like the writing style but finished it anyway. The main character was boring and not developed enough

I loved the premise of this book. The blurb seemed right up my alley, and I did enjoy the overall themes and plot, and the representation of bisexual characters.

Unfortunately, the writing style itself really didn't work for me. It was written in a weird combo of first person (the protagonist) and third person (to give backstory on anyone else.) I'm struggling to articulate why this came across so strangely, so bear with me. The third person sections of the book read like an omnipresent narrator, but they were presented as if our protagonist was giving us information on these people in her lives. It just... didn't really feel like it made any sense, since she wouldn't know half the stuff that was being narrated to us? Even if all these people relayed these stories to her, they wouldn't do so in the exacting detail we see in the text. It just took me out of the story entirely, instead of being engrossed I was very, very aware that I was reading a book.

I also found the protagonist kind of one dimensional? She didn't really seem to have much in the way of thoughts or feelings, we were following along her life with her in her head but all we really saw was what happened, barely anything of what it actually made her feel. I felt like she didn't really have a personality.

Overall, interesting premise but executed poorly for me.

Unfortunately whilst this tackles some of the most prevalent aspects of modern culture, being dating apps and hookups. The writing style is not my preference and I found it clunky. It just isn't for me.

2.5 stars. This book had a lot to say about society and it did it in an intriguing way, although it took a bit too long to get there for me. The majority of this book is about relationship building and introducing us to our main character. I would say what I came for (the content about the drug and side effects) didn't really start until about 70% of the way through. That's when I finally felt interested and like this book was going to say or do something. The drug and its impacts were SO interesting that I'm really disappointed there wasn't more revolving around it, rather than the lead up to it. Ultimately a let down that could have been something much better with some heavy cuts to the first half.

I didn't realise this was just a sampler. I wasn't really sucked in by the writing style so I probably won't be picking this up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I was absolutely enamored with this book. It felt like a fever dream most of the time, and I found myself completely obsessed and engrossed in the messy life of the protagonist from the very beginning. The book was fascinating, chaotic, and messy in the best possible way. As I realized, I am precisely the right demographic to fully appreciate its charm. Moreover, having attended the same university as the two main characters, it felt remarkably close to home for me. While I would wholeheartedly recommend this to friends, I acknowledge that it might be slightly polarizing for certain audiences and demographics. Nonetheless, it's an excellent debut, and I'm eagerly anticipating more from this author. If I had one critique, it would be that Mariel Franklin could have benefited from being a bit more descriptive in some scenes to better set the scene.

'Bonding' might be the first novel to tackle the two aspects of our contemporary lives which have come to be most associated with modern romance: hook-up culture and dating apps. Set somewhere between the sizzling beaches of Ibiza, the drizzly streets of London, and the endless expanse of the virtual world, Mariel Franklin shrewdly explores the nature of sex and relationships in the digital age: the blurred boundaries of our online/offline interactions, the capitalist machinations behind our applications and their algorithms, and the addictions - to drugs, to touch, to self-destructive behaviours - that propel us both towards and away from each other.

Without doubt, this is one of the best debuts I've read in a long time - Franklin's voice is sharp and clean, but never fails to entertain, and her attention to detail and realism is impeccable (for anyone who has been on the real-life dating app the novel imitates, its contours will feel strikingly accurate). That being said, although it did not detract from my enjoyment of the story itself, the more sensational plot points of the final third of the novel were perhaps the only elements which fell slightly short of the mark for me - without spoiling anything, the final arc of one main character in particular felt a little melodramatic.

I hope to read more from Franklin in future, and will be strongly recommending this once it comes out - thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for my free e-ARC!

Bummed that this is only the first three chapters. Snip it that I read left me on a hangnail, and I can’t wait to keep reading. Writing is snippy, and whitty, really enjoying so far!

I devoured these first few chapters in one sitting! I love the premise of this story and the writing style. I feel like I'm following the character on her journey, and I can't wait to see how the rest of her story turns out!

For just the three beginning chapters it definitely does its job of intriguing you. The topic to be discussed calls to me though, and for those interested in minor mental health topics they’ll also enjoy this.

I didn't realise that this was only the first three chapters so slightly disappointed but the story is very engaging so far and I will most likely be buying the full story when it's released!

Requested the download of first 3 chapters, definitely interesting, well paced and draws you in. Thanks netgalley

Loved the plot adored the style of writing would highly reccomend. My first book by this author and over the style of writing I could not put it down