The Marriage Pact: A Novel

I loved reading this book - it was a page-turner - and wanted to like it more than I did at the end. But the plot has fatal flaws. The premise never made sense at the outset, and I kept waiting for it to be explained via some twist that never happened. The motivations for both the protagonists and antagonists never were explained and just weren't logical. In summary, a great read that never paid off.

Compulsively readable but the whole premise was unbelievable. The Marriage Pact is, to put it bluntly, a weird book. Like really weird. Our main characters are newlyweds Jake and Alice, and for some bizarre reason (read: there really isn’t a good reason), they decide to sign The Pact in hopes to have their marriage last forever.
My main issue with this book is that the decision to sign The Pact makes zero sense. For example, Alice is a lawyer. And yet she signs a contract without really thinking about it, or reading the fine print. That made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. And Jake just kind of goes along with whatever Alice says because he doesn’t want to lose her. And when things start to go oddly, both Alice and Jake just ignore all of the warning signs. Alice gets on someone’s bad side and it starts off with her having to wear a tracker bracelet. And both Alice and Jake seem to be amused about it all. It was very weird. Things escalate from the tracker bracelet, and I won’t spoil that here, as part of the readability of The Marriage Pact is that you know things will go downhill, but you don’t know exactly what is going to happen. I would’ve read this book in one sitting if I had the opportunity to; I was desperate to know what was going to happen next! And the ending is, well, it was a letdown for me, but only because it was bizarre, a bit disturbing, and a tad ambiguous.
The Marriage Pact was a book that I didn’t want to put down, so I would definitely start this at a time when you can devote a few hours to either reading this in one sitting or in two sittings. It’s one of those books where the character choices really don’t make a lot of sense (when you are running from people with all kinds of resources, it’s probably best to NOT take your cell phone or use your credit card….just sayin’….), and there were just some very weird things in the book, but I did read the book quickly and can’t stop thinking about it!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. This review first posted on my blog, luvtoread.

The whole novel is based on the ridiculous premise that a well-respected lawyer would enter into a contract without taking the time to understand its obligations and implications. It irritated me to the point that I felt that the main characters deserved what they got for being so stupid.

Friend!

Yes, that one word inspires fear if not down right terror.

It starts with and interesting premise of a club (of sorts) to help people with their marriages. However, things seem to be terribly wrong on several different levels when "punishments" are dished out for apparent "crimes." The Pact is a very powerful group of very successful (and wealthy) people. Oh, they run an all knowing spy and police force outside the jurisdiction of the law, they run three actual prisons with both physical and psychological torture as standard fare. Of course everyone is there of their own free will... never factoring in that escape is impossible and those enhanced interrogation methods that leave one unconscious in their own body fluids and functions...

As Alice and Jake become entangled in the details of "The Pact" their lives get turned upside down in many ways. Life becomes fear and love becomes performance for this all knowing and brutal club.

I liked the premise of the story. It's original and quirky. However, when people give power to others this way it is predictable that things will go sideways and bad every way imaginable. Besides, nobody has left the Pact... alive. (And Jake and Alice are desperate to leave...) Despite the fact this is so far-fetched, I'm willing to suspend judgement for the sake of the story. (James Bond stories are far-fetched if one thinks about it.)

There are three problems with the book. (So subtract three stars for each...)

First, Michelle tells the story from Jake's perspective... this perspective is really off... like another planet off. Which makes the "male" narration of the story flaky.

Second, the book is filled with marriage factoids. In fact two chapters are nothing but non-cited studies in marriage. At first, I thought this was interesting. Then it became an interruption in the flow of the story. Finally it became an annoyance. I wanted to stop and just toss the book toward the end when Richmond essentially voids out all the factoids she's put into the book. (She says everyone is different and finds their own way... which I won't disagree with.. but then why bother us with all the information?)

Finally, the ending is the worst ending ever. Seriously, figuring out you are as sadistic as "The Pact" and behaving that way... It's as if the characters are put though physical and emotional pain, chaos, and misery to learn... nothing!

Fidelity to the Spouse, Loyalty to the Pact. Til death do us part.

What is the secret to a happy marriage? How far would you go to ensure your marriage makes it? What sacrifices would you make?

The concept of this book is exceptional. While it reminds me a great deal of the Stephen King short story Quitters, Inc, the two barely have anything in common. It's more the theme of therapy gone terribly, terribly wrong. This book is desperately original, and I can guarantee people are going to love this. It's definitely chock full of suspense, and has that "can't put it down" factor.

All of that being said, I had so many issues while reading this. So many. The trouble is, as much as I genuinely, GENUINELY, enjoyed this book, it could've been so much better. There were far too many plot holes, and missing bits.

For one thing, there's no build up. Alice and Jake are barely introduced before we're hearing about The Pact. Then, once the danger element is introduced, it's an anvil slamming you to the ground and keeping you there until the end. There's literally no reason for this. A good build-up is everything in a suspense novel.

Speaking of the danger element being introduced, I had a serious issue suspending my disbelief. Jake is a therapist, Alice is a former, decently famous, musician turned lawyer. These are not unintelligent people. Yet they can't be bothered to read something before signing it. And the WTFitude kicks in almost immediately.

There's no grace period. There's no, "Hey, this isn't so bad." No, we get the crazy Scientology vibe straight away, and they're saying, "Well, this isn't so bad" when it's actually going bad. Plot points are opened up, then just left to dangle there. There's not even an attempt to tie them up.

And the ending. Yes, the twist was good, and fun. Satisfying? Not really. I didn't see a way to tie the end up satisfactorily, and I think the effort was a good one. I kind of but not really saw it coming, and it played out well in some respects, but really was a let down in others.

There's so much illogical here, it's distracting. And it takes away from what really, REALLY, is a fantastic, original novel. And that's what's disappointing me the most.

It is actually a fairly simple thing to fix, all that needs to be done is inserting some scenes throughout. But perhaps I'm just backseat driving.

Again, all things considered, I know people are going to enjoy this. As well they should. It's a hell of a ride.

Let me say...holy crap. This book was suspenseful. There was question after question lined up. Then the escalation started, things got worse and worse for Jake and Alice, and I was on the edge of my seat. The Pact was definitely creepy and intense. I liked how Jake and Alice saw the enticement at times. For me, it made the whole situation much more believable.

Besides the suspense, which kept me glued to the pages, I loved how marriage was such a big theme throughout the novel. Jake was a therapist and it was interesting to see his insights into marriage and the indicators and research of success, as well as how others deal with divorce. The novel was entirely in Jake's POV, but we did get peeks into how Alice felt about marriage as a whole and how Jake envisioned bits of their future.

The last part of the novel was surprisingly more slow paced. There's a bit of open-endedness, but the biggest question was answered and I was left satisfied.

I received a review copy.

The Marriage Pact is an agreement that is made with between spouses. It’s a membership within a group of like-minded individuals to support and enforce the agreement. The Pact was created for three reasons: 1) “to establish a clear set of definitions that can be used to understand and discuss the contract of marriage”; 2)”to establish rules and regulations for the marriage participants to adhere to, designed to strengthen the marriage contract and ensure success”; and 3) “to establish a community of individuals who share a common goal and desire to help each other achieve their individual goal” (a successful marriage) “which in turn strengthens the group”.

Sound all good, right? I mean, who wouldn’t want all the tools needed in order to make a marriage work? And to have a huge support group involved that will help achieve the goal of blissful marriage? Most people would say ‘sign me up’, which is the case of Jake and Alice. Newly married and madly in love, they have been selected to join this exclusive ‘club’ and when presented with the expertly phrased sales pitch, they are beyond excited to use these new tools in order for their marriage to grow and survive. But all does not go well as The Pact uses surveillance, threats, and interrogation to get their members to abide by the rules set forth in the Manual that each member is given upon signing up – and most of the members are okay with this type of treatment! Jake however is not, and even though he goes along with the group, he will do everything in his power to get him and Alice out….alive.

For all intents and purposes, The Marriage Pact has some sound ideas on how to make a marriage work, most are common sense, and if put to use will guarantee a solid marriage. The problem with this ‘club’ is the extreme measure they use in order for the couples to comply. If any rule is broken, members are sent to ‘prison’, sent before a judge and sentenced for their ‘crime’. Punishments are brutally harsh and beyond comprehension and include, but not limited to electrocution, and stripped naked and place between two pieces of plexi-glass and then placed for all other ‘inmates’ to see. I’m not going to lie – some parts of this book were difficult to read. Once you become a part of this club, the members really never have a life of their own. It is expected to drop everything and be at the beckon call of the leaders. Forget about wanting to leave the Pact as the only way out is death.

I really was enjoying this book in the beginning, but as the story progressed, it just became too unbelievable and bizarre. The members were expected to drop everything in their life (like their job) to be, for lack of a better word, get reconditioned. Most of the members were okay with how they were treated and acted like it was all normal. Things just got weird the further I got into the story. The punishments were beyond extreme, and quite frankly, unbelievable. I mean, what sane person would put up with that crap? Don’t get me wrong, the writing was good, there was just a certain creepy factor that I just could not get past. The author is an excellent story-teller and the writing is solid but the story itself was a little to gruesome for my tastes. However, just like a train wreck, I just could not stop myself from witnessing the horror that was unfolding before my eyes. I believe this book will appeal to a wide range of readers, just not this one due to the violent nature of the story.

Therapist Jake and rock-and-roller-turned-lawyer Alice have just gotten married and are happily in love. Prior to going on their honeymoon, they received a mysterious gift from one of Alice’s high profile clients, and were told that everything would be explained to them when returned from vacation. Upon arriving home, they meet Vivian, who explains that they have been invited to join a secret membership-only group known as The Pact.

The Pact promises to support them in their desire to have a happy and fulfilled marriage. The rules laid out seem straightforward – be honest with your spouse, always answer the phone when your spouse calls, travel with your spouse once a quarter, and so on. Enticed by the promise of a marriage that lasts forever, Jake and Alice sign the contract, however they soon learn that they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. The Pact takes their rules…and consequences…very seriously. After realizing they signed up for more than they bargained for, they also realize there is no way out…

Let me just start by saying that The Marriage Pact was SO GOOD. It’s been a little bit since I’d read a 5 star book, but this broke the slump for me – I completely loved it and was instantly hooked! I’ve read so many suspense/thriller books centered around marriages that are told from the wife’s point of view, that reading this told from Jake’s point of view was refreshing. It was really interesting to me to read his thought process throughout all of this while he guessed what his wife was thinking.

The Marriage Pact was perfectly creepy and was the perfect combination of thriller and cult manifesto, and I loved it. I could not believe some of the things that were happening and had a really hard time putting the book down. I was constantly flipping the pages to find out what was going to happen! I had a ton of theories, and none of them were quite right. Despite the fact that Alice drove me up the wall sometimes, I was completely rooting for Jake and Alice.

I’ve seen some other reviewers mention that they didn’t totally love the ending, and I will say that the end of the book was not at all what I expected and did get a little out there, but I actually liked it. While I was expecting the exact opposite of what happened, I think the ending the author chose fit with the characters more. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I would have loved to see an epilogue to see where our couple was six months or a year down the road.

Overall, as previously stated, this was a 5 star read for me. I’ve never read anything quite like this, and it felt like this book was written just for me! The creep factor combined with the cultish aspects were exactly what I was looking for – I just didn’t know it! A big thank you to Netgalley, Michelle Richmond, and Bantam for an advanced copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.

Twisted and full of surprises, The Marriage Pact reminded me a little of The Firm. Alice and Jake receive an unforgettable gift on the day of their wedding: membership to The Pact, a club that promotes healthy marriages. No one has ever left it and none of their members has ever divorced. Some have died under mysterious circumstances, but let's not talk about that. Alice and Jake find some good things about it, but little by little it takes over their lives and, as much as it helps their marriage, it starts stressing them out. The way the plot turns subtly menacing is masterful. Is it really happening or could it all be a misunderstanding? Nobody is there against their will, or is being coerced into anything so why does it fell like Jake and Alice are being bullied? The tension builds up slowly until it is almost unbearable and then the author ties everything up in a great, great ending.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine!

What makes a marriage last? Love helps. Commitment, certainly. Hard work. Supportive friends. Respect. And balance. As newlyweds Jake and Alice find out, balance is complicated. So when a new friend offers them a chance to join an exclusive group that supports the idea of marriage, they sign on the dotted line. Literally. And just like that, they are part of The Pact. 

The Pact has rules. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Give each other gifts every month. Take trips together often. Stay fit. And The Pact members have fancy parties in beautiful homes, with successful people. It's a beautiful life. 

Until a rule gets broken. 

When successful attorney Alice spends too much time at the office, when psychologist Jake starts to question The Pact and its ways, they start to see that The Pact may be more complicated than they originally thought. Is their marriage strong enough to survive the consequences of their carelessness? Are Jake and Alice strong enough to survive? 

Michelle Richmond has woven together a powerful story that looks at all the stresses of modern marriage and what it takes to stay committed to another person through all the challenges that life presents and that we ourselves concoct. In Alice and Jake, she has created two amazing characters whose strengths and weaknesses, gifts and struggles bring them closer and threaten to tear them apart. They seem completely real, and I couldn't help but cheer for them from page one until the end. 

The Marriage Pact is the perfect read for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller that keeps you guessing while taking you on a roller coaster of a ride. Phenomenal characters, genuine peril, chilling twists, and an ending that will make you want to stand up and cheer. This is one not to miss! 

Galleys for The Marriage Pact were provided by Bantam through NetGalley.com, with many thanks. 

Intriguing yet a somewhat clinic telling. But that's to be expected considering the story is told from the therapist husband's point of view. The chapters were short and precise, full of information related to Jake and Alice's relationship and experiences. I found myself flying through the pages to learn about the mysterious Pact and how Jake ended up on that plane at the start of the book. As I read, I grew to have more questions than answers. Every aspect of The Pact seemed both appealing and frightening, and I realized that The Pact was more like a cult with individuals guiding the marriages of the members through fear and punishment rather than truly providing guidance for a successful marriage. Like Jake, I felt that some of the laws in The Manual were wonderful for a marriage; however, I believed the requirements would just become another burden along the way, just one more thing that I felt like I would have to do instead of truly enjoying and appreciating the sentiments. I won't get into anything further since I don't want to spoil your fun.

I can honestly say that I was surprised by the turn the story took when more was revealed closer to the end. Jake's journey was at times frightening and confusing. I was connected to him emotionally; I felt his paranoia and uncertainty as well as his growing need to have his life back. And as I read, I kept being reminded me of The Firm and The Stepford Wives. The Pact had so much control over every aspect of the couples lives that I could almost see where they were headed and wondered how they would survive it all.

As a side note, I alternated between reading and listening to the audio book. I found the narrator to be perfectly suited for this novel. His tonality, inflection, and accents were spectacular.

Michelle Richmond's previous books have always had an element of mystery, but this one is a straight-up thriller. I'm not usually a fan of the genre, but I have really liked her previous books, so I decided to give this a try, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Newlyweds Jake and Alice are invited to join a secret society known as The Pact, designed to preserve and strengthen marriages. However, they quickly discover that The Pact is more complicated - and more sinister - than they initially thought.

You're going to have to seriously suspend your disbelief, because there are some pretty big holes in people's behavior, but I thought this was tons of fun and couldn't put it down.

If your book club can take the violence, this might be an fun pick, because there are all kinds of tidbits in it about marriage and divorce (narrator Jake is a therapist), that could be interesting to discuss.

In any case, even this non-thriller fan loved it!

Alice, a upcoming lawyer and Jake a successful psychiatrist are in love and about to get married. Alice is a junior partner in her law firm and wins a successful case for Finnegan, a famous rock star. She mentions to him she is about to get married and he says he loves weddings and invites him. Thinking he wouldn't show up. Her and Jake receive a present from Finnegan, a beautiful box that is locked and can't be opened. They received a call from Vivian who wants to explain the contents. What she revealed on her visit are they are invited to join the "Pact". A very select group of people to ensure your marriage will be forever. They will help you keep your marriage happy and alive! Or will they? Jake and Alice take the oath and commit their self to the greater cause. At what cost? What will they endure to be involved in this select group? Is the end worth the means ? To what end will you go through to stay in the Pack?

Oh my goodness ladies and gentlemen, this book is a roller coaster ride of what's real and what's not. How much pain and suffering can one person endure to stay in the Pack? This is a must read and I thank NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this book! What a roller coaster ride. I didn't want to stop once I started. My daughter was flying in from VA to TX and I kept watching time time thinking one more chapter, just one before I need to go!! A very thrilling book!!

Picked this up from our local public library -- which seems to have a weird selection of books. We have a committee which chooses them and it seems to lean heavily towards mysteries and Christian romances, with some more diverse romances thrown in -- but not exactly a lot of Nobel prize winning literature. Threw this on in my book bag and didn't really think much about -- and then I picked it up and literally did not stop reading until I finished it. I love the writer's language and the way she evokes a sense of place. Have only spent a bit of time in the Pacific Northwest, but her descriptions of the houses and the architecture and the scenery made me feel like I was there. I read a lot and am sometimes amazed when you identify the parallels and start to wonder if you've read the novel before. About 70 pages in, I was thinking: This is basically John Grisham's THe Firm -- Nice guy, not particularly bright, is offered something that sounds too good to be true, but that ends up being really difficult to get out of because -- surprise -- he's married to the Mob. However, in this case, the main character, Jake, has either joined Opus Dei or become a scientologist. The various types of devices that are worn are straight out of Opus Dei, which has been described as a cult, along with the idea that all kinds of wealthy influential people secretly belong to the organization and they help each other other. The "reeducation" sessions, the being shunned if you try to leave the organization, the references to prison cells -- that's Scientology, right? And the idea that the overall goal of the organization isn't bad -- just the way they carry it out -- that's probably any cult, any weird little group.

So clearly this would be a great book for your book group -- It raises so many questions -- Can one force a marriage to work by sticking to a script? Are cultures which prioritize marriage and really encourage people to stick with it successful and why or why not? And then after a few glasses of wine, you can move onto gossiping about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and Suri and the Sea Scouts or whatever they're called, and then you can discuss all your friend's marriages and why they failed, and whether they should have joined the pact, etc. etc. etc.

That said, the ending felt really forced and disappointing. Basically, after the head shaving, it all went downhill -- but isn't that true of so much in life? Anyway it was definitely worth the trip to the library.

Rating: 2/5

Genre: Thriller

Recommended Age: 18+ (adult content, torture, violence, trigger warnings for torture)

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Newlyweds Alice and Jake are a picture-perfect couple. Alice, once a singer in a well-known rock band, is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Their life together holds endless possibilities. After receiving an enticing wedding gift from one of Alice’s prominent clients, they decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact.

The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. And most of its rules make sense. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly. Plan a trip together once per quarter. . . .

Never mention The Pact to anyone.

Alice and Jake are initially seduced by the glamorous parties, the sense of community, their widening social circle of like-minded couples.

And then one of them breaks the rules.

The young lovers are about to discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life. And The Pact will go to any lengths to enforce that rule.

For Jake and Alice, the marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare. - the store.com

Let's start off with my need for thrillers is completely gone now. I had to DNF this book because it got way to weird and uncomfortable for me. While I thought that the characters were well developed and the writing was pretty good, I got a Stepford Wives and The Gift vibe from this book and it really creeped me out to a point where I had a few nightmares about it. When that happens that's when I call it quits on a book. Aside from the nightmares and the overall creepy vibe of this book, I felt that the books plot and pacing were off. It was probably my being uncomfortable that made this book too weird for me.

Verdict: I can't really give a detailed review like I normally do because of how quickly I DNFed the book, but if you enjoy thrillers and if you loved reading The Stepford Wives or loved watching The Gift you might like this book!

I received a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. It was not like any other book I have read. The story line was creative and original, not predictable.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style. The narrator was the husband, Jake. I enjoyed getting a man’s point of view. I loved the marriage statistics and antidotes the author would add. For example, “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”

Some readers may find the book unrealistic. What made it more believable for me was the fact that Jake keeps lamenting on what he should have done differently and where he went wrong. It is more understandable that at the start of their marriage they might make a quick decision thinking the other was in favor of it. An example of good intentions gone wrong.

"Hi Friend"......
There is an assumption we have about marriage which involves two people building a life together, but must we shed our former selves?

The National average cost of a wedding in America is $29, 858

Over 50% of marriages end in divorce. A few reasons documented are: infidelity, abuse, many problems, sex problems, children, time apart, household responsibilities, friends, irritating habits, family, expectations, and personality conflicts...just to name a few!

I'm dying to 'spill the beans' about the juicy parts of this story, "Friend", but without a signed contract from you - I'm afraid I can't do that.

However, "Friend"......I happy to share a preview, a few thoughts -about Michelle Richmond's new novel, "The Marriage Pact".
BUT..... first let me ask you a few questions?
..... Do you believe that a long marriage will go through periods of happiness and sadness and lightness and darkness?
.....If you were newly married and committed to never getting divorced do you think you would be willing to sign a contract with "FRIENDS" if they have your success and happiness in mind?
..... Did you know that monogamous marriage was only established in Western societies about 800 years ago?
..... Did you also know that married people live longer than single people?

"The Pact is a group of like-minded individuals intent on achieving a similar goal".
"Created in 1992 on a small island off northern Ireland by Orlando Scott. The Pact has increased exponentially in size and commitment since that day. While our rules and bylaws have changed, our membership has grown, and our members have spread far and wide, the mission and spirit of The Pact remain true to the concept in the beginning". If you were a member, "Friend", you'd get a complete copy of the rules and regulations yourself.

"The Pact grew out of the failure of Orla's first marriage.
With the modern world evolving the way it is, marriage may be left behind. Orla saw a purpose for fighting for the success and well-being of marriage and created an organization to support marriages succeeding. It's possible that the single-family modern marriage may no longer be efficient. Yet - all marriages need to evolve - need challenges - and a supportive designed organization was created with that purpose in mind. The organization will need to evolve over time too.

Not anyone off the street can join THE PACT. Newlywed couples have been vetted and invited in. If they accept - they each receive 'The Manuel' .... which they are told to memorize....with rules to follow:

I'll share a few of the RLUES of "THE PACT", but not all secrets.....LAUGH WITH ME .... THIS BOOK IS KICK OF FUN.....( but some turds will toss this book - with its manuel out the window and think it's insane)
---I THINK THIS BOOK IS FRESH WITH HIDDEN BRILLIANCE.....AND it's SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN..... ( however - It might have been a tad shorter).
For the first 64% I was NEVER BORED: not one lag moment!
Then, I did hit a few spots - for a short time -where I was less interested, and mostly getting impatient to see what was coming next.
Soon enough, the story kicked into high gear!!! I loved the ending!!!!!

THE FUN RULES......[which made me want to sign the contact]. I tried to get Paul to agree..... lol. We were laughing silly. He came up with some other cool ideas himself - marriage insurance -- etc.

1. Every month the married couple must give each other a gift - it doesn't need to be expensive but it does need to be meaningful. There are consequences if you forget. .....I WONT SHARE THE SPOILERS of these "consequences"
2. There are some social parties in Hillsborough - and Woodside - MANSION HOMES in the Peninsula - here in the Bay Area. NOTE: THE PACT is not a POOR MAN'S club.
3. Each member must plan a travel trip away from home for a period of no less than 36 hours every quarter. --no other friends or family should be accompanied. Failure to plan at least one trip during a 12 month. Could be considered a felony. Chuckling?
4. Whenever receiving a phone call from your husband or wife, you must answer it.

A little about the characters ----
Jake is the narrator. I LOVED HIM!!!! It was also an enjoyment for me, having read several books by Michelle Richmond, before, having her create a MALE narrator. I think Michelle did a fantastic job!!!

Jake is a therapist - he works with teenagers and kids and recently has taking on marriage counseling for adult couples.
Alice is an attorney-- but also plays guitar and sings. She used to be in a band. A musician at heart. She didn't go to Law School until she was 30.

Jake and Alice lived together for a couple years. Their marriage is new - and getting the background of them is completely engaging!
As the reader... we attend the wedding! Michelle simple has us in the palm of her hands. Her writing flows - it's natural - and exciting!!
Jake and Alice have a house in SF. There is much I admire about this couple - I like them both.
I enjoyed reading about Jake and Alice's little habits together - from eating pastries in the morning- or one of them cooking bacon- all the dinners at home- their dialogue.
A fun plug for Philz Coffee......( only the best coffee in the Bay Area)....LOVE THE BAY AREA DETAILS..... nobody does them better than Michelle Richmond--- ( born in the South)..... but has lived here so long - she's like a native!

PARTS OF THIS BOOK I can't share my 'FRIEND' .... until you sign that contract and send it back to me.....
Are the details of THIS STORY - THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS- PROBLEMATIC MEMBERS - THE BRACELET & COLLAR- "Fernley" - Details about other members: Finnegan, Dave, Joanne, etc. HALF MOON BAY AIRPORT -Personal Trainers - weigh- restraints - ins- Draeger's Market, jealousy- lies by omission- and Bay-to-Breakers.

We have much to discuss, "Friend".

WONDERFUL..... FANTASTIC FUN FUN FUN...."Friend"!

Thank You Netgalley, Random House, and Michelle Richmond -- I LOVE YOU BOOK, "Friend"!!!!!

ElyseJody

‘The Pact’, an exclusive group for married couples, has a purpose that seems harmless enough: ensuring a happy marriage that doesn’t end in divorce. This is to be achieved by following the manual, which contains a list of rules that must be followed. If the rules are broken, consequences—the severity of which depends upon the rule(s) broken—will be meted out. Jake and Alice think joining The Pact is a wonderful idea, until rules are broken and they find out how far the group is willing to go to keep its members in line.

I have a morbid fascination with books that involve cults or cult-like groups, so obviously I had to read this book. It was a given The Pact wasn’t going to be a nice group to be involved with, and trouble was bound to come in a hurry when Jake kept putting off reading the entire manual, as he was meant to do. (Dude… hello? You’re definitely going to break rules if you don’t bother to read about all of them!)

Jake and Alice both end up breaking the rules (at different times) and find out the hard way why that’s a bad thing to do… and the reader finds out just how twisted this little group can be. Some of the consequences they were subjected to were more upsetting than others, but there were a few that inspired me to shout at the book when I read about them. (Anything that gets a loud reaction out of me is well written, in my opinion; kudos to the author for making it happen!)

This was a gripping read, with an ending that I found to be very satisfying. I really enjoyed this book, and definitely recommend it!

I received an advance review copy of this book from Bantam via Netgalley.

Psychological suspense and romance permeate the pages of Michelle Richmond’s THE MARRIAGE PACT, a novel that could easily have been culled from the combined brains of the likes of Ira Levin, Thomas Tyron and John Grisham with a little Nora Roberts thrown in for good measure.

The promise of the organization known as The Pact, where all the members are referred to as “friend”, is a marriage that will be kept protected, happy and intact “till death do us part” if all its rules are followed. The consequences of not adhering to the rules can be significant and once you commit to the organization, it too is for a lifetime.

Richmond provides readers with feeling of dread that has the power to hold you trapped in the lives of picture perfect newly- wed and upwardly mobile protagonists Jake and Alice as they come to understand the horror they welcomed into their lives by joining this diabolical organization that thrives on exclusivity and secrecy as well as control over its members. Tantalizing and twisty, The Marriage Pact is both a spider’s web of a thriller and a moving exploration of the deeper mysteries of marriage as well as the lure of organizations that promise benefits guaranteed to make ones’ life happier and more meaningful IF you just follow their rules.

Filled with compelling and intriguing characters and a fast paced plot that is ingeniously crafty, this is a page-turner that will seduce you and keep you reading into the wee small hours.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than any other book or story I have ever read. It is a thriller that hooks you so you want to keep reading to find out what is going on and what will happen. But there is also a lot of wisdom to be picked up from The Marriage Pact. As one of the main characters is a marriage counselor and the book is obviously about a "marriage pact" there were parts of the story that made me really think about my marriage and question if I am doing everything I can to have a successful relationship. The characters are very likable and easy to relate to. Michelle Richmond did a wonderful job examining the marriage relationship while still leading her readers through a twisting thriller. I have already suggested this book to several people. Well done Ms. Richmond!

A psychological suspense thriller this certainly is. The plot is ridiculously implausible, but okay, it’s fiction, slack must be cut, but I found myself wrestling with its increasing implausibility as it went on.

Jake and Alice are very much in love, and when they marry they're given the most unusual wedding present: membership to a club which ensures their marriage will be long and strong. Seems like a bit of fun, so why not? And they sign on the dotted line. Little do they know, however, that they're signing themselves into a living nightmare.

The club….’The Pact’…is based on a manual of encyclopaedic proportions listing the dos and donts of marriage. That right there started my cynical clock ticking…some ridiculous rules and regulations. Failure to adhere result in barbaric…and disturbing…punishment. So why don’t Jake and Alice leave, you may ask? One doesn’t. One does not leave The Pact.

It was very well written…in a style that ensured gripping suspense. There were definitely a few matchstick moments late at night as I eagerly turned the pages, and despite having to suspend disbelief, this isn't far off being a first-rate thriller, but the ending was a let-down. I was niggled by the present-tense narrative of the story; it just didn’t work, and that was endorsed by the inconclusive ending.

Can I recommend it? Despite my misgivings, yes, I think I can. It’s taut, it’s tense and I have to say it’s addictive. Try it and tell me what you think!

The Marriage Pact is a great psychological thriller. The story opens as Jake and Alice are getting married. Alice is an attorney and develops a new friendship with one of her clients, whom she invites to the wedding on a whim. The client, Finnegan, attends the wedding with his wife and gives a strange wedding gift to Jake and Alice.

The wedding gift was somewhat of a Pandora’s box for the newlyweds. Their curiosity and their desire for a happy marriage prompted them to open the box and enter into the “marriage pact.” But instead of the key to a happy marriage, the marriage pact ended up being like Hotel California--you can never leave.

Once the premise of the story was set, it just picked up momentum. What the couple went through was horrifying and humiliating. I found myself thinking there would be no way to get out of it alive. With Jake being a 39 year old counselor, I was a bit surprised that he even agreed to the pact in the first place, but again, curiosity and a desire for marital bliss were what drew him in.

In spite of the story being somewhat of a newlywed’s nightmare, there were some great points to be made for how to have a happy marriage. It was also heartwarming to see how Jake and Alice rarely let the stress of the situation affect the relationship they had together.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the opportunity to read an advanced copy and give an honest review.

I absolutely love the concept of this book. I love it when weird, life-altering, mostly catastrophic things happen to normal, run-of-the-mill people. Just me then? Oh… Anyway, the thought of a newlywed couple suddenly being trapped in a pact with a group of controlling strangers, having to live by the rules of the group (no matter how humiliating or demeaning) and managing to break the rules without even trying was something I had to read about. I’ll admit, the plot is a little far-fetched but d’you know what? I was just after an entertaining read, something a little different to my much-loved detective fiction and that’s exactly what I got with The Marriage Pact. A highly entertaining read.

When I was able to find time to sit down and read The Marriage Pact I found it an incredibly easy read, flying through the pages in great chunks and not realising that hours had passed. I was desperate to see what awful predicament Jake and Alice were going to find themselves in and what terrifying punishment they were to be subjected to. At times I found myself feeling really quite uncomfortable; as though I was intruding on a young couple’s most personal moments. I was also irked that many of the odd punishments were meted out to Alice, the wife, where little seemed to happen in the beginning to Jake, the husband, (he doesn’t get away scot-free but I do believe Alice suffers a lot more than her husband). I’m a huge fan of a strong female lead in my novels and Alice had so much potential with her punky, free-spirited background but she never really got going in my eyes. Was she diluted because of her marriage to Jake or was the pact to blame? I guess we’ll never know

I’m afraid I really struggled with the ending of The Marriage Pact. Things were going great guns and I was engrossed in the terrible punishments The Pact were dishing out to our beleaguered couple, but then the ending happened and I had a bit of a ‘huh?’ moment. For a thriller, the ending is quite sedate and I will be totally honest here and say I was a little disappointed. I had an inkling that the story was building up to ‘that ending’ but had hoped the author would pull something utterly mesmerising and unexpected out of the bag. It’s a well-written book with a nice ending. My black heart, unfortunately, wasn’t quite satisfied with a nice ending.

Would I recommend this book? I enjoyed 90% of The Marriage Pact and it’s only because I’m a fan of the darker side of fiction that I think I was a little disappointed with the ending. I would recommend this book but to readers who maybe err towards the gentler side of thriller fiction. It’s well written with a really interesting concept (although a little far-fetched at times) but most of all, I found this book entertaining and that’s exactly what I was after. I liked it!

Three out of five stars.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Marriage Pact. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

A couple enter into a covenant with a mysterious organization that promises to help the newlyweds with their marriage. When members of the group begin putting pressure on the husband and wife to conform to the agreement’s stringent ways, they find themselves squirming under the intense scrutiny. Author Michelle Richmond manages to keep readers flipping pages through a novel that can’t stand up under closer examination in the breakneck-paced novel The Marriage Pact.

After living together for two years, Jake and Alice have finally decided to take the plunge. They’re getting married, and Jake can’t wait to start their life as a married couple. He loves Alice more than anything else, but they’re both feeling a bit of strain from their careers. Maybe getting married will offer them mini reset.

As a founding partner of a new psychology practice in San Francisco, Jake has spent a lot of time in the office. Alice has been burning hours as a new lawyer in a large firm. She wants to make a good impression at the firm, so when big-shot client Liam Finnegan visits the office Alice invites Finnegan and his wife to the wedding.

Finnegan sends Alice and Jake an unusual present that shows up on their doorstep days before the wedding with a note that states, “The Pact will never leave you.” The goal of the Pact and all Pact members is to uphold, support, and help develop marriage as a sacred union between two people. There are rules to follow, of course, but Jake and Alice don’t seem to take that part too seriously. All clubs seem to ask for some level of commitment from their members, right? How could the Pact be any different?

But it is different, which they find out the hard way. The leadership demands strict adherence to the Pact’s bylaws, including reading and memorizing its hefty manual. Alice seems to get on board with the entire concept, but Jake can’t help feeling a little frustrated by the entire venture. On the surface, the Pact preaches the very things he tells his marriage counseling clients. Inside the group, it’s another matter entirely. Before long Jake begins to wonder whether joining the Pact was a mistake, but regardless of what he thinks the Pact doesn’t seem quite so ready to let go of him and Alice.

Author Michelle Richmond manages to accomplish a puzzling feat: she writes a novel with a relentless pace that will make readers moving through the entire book, but the plot’s main turning points don’t stand up to closer analysis. Alice seems to have no problem accepting the Pact’s ways. Jake is more resistant to the Pact, especially when he discovers that an old college friend is also a Pact member but wants to get out.

The friend’s ambivalence about the Pact makes Jake suspicious, but at a key moment in the story he does what looks like an about face. In a follow-up scene, Alice reacts in a way that doesn’t keep in line with her character to that point in the novel. The rest of the book will certainly engage and maybe even shock readers, but the events that follow and the end don’t line up with the first part of the book.

At one point a character states that Jake and Alice are in a position to upend the entire Pact, but nothing in the story really explains how or why. In fact, in the larger narrative of what the Pact is trying to accomplish, Jake and Alice’s transgressions don’t come across as that egregious. It doesn’t make sense, then, why the Pact targets them in particular, and in hindsight all of Richmond’s devices to build up the suspense feel weak.

Readers who don’t mind a fast read without gravity may want to check this book out; otherwise, The Marriage Pact Borders on Bypassing it.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Michelle Richmond and the publisher for the chance to review this book. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into when I first started this book as to me it was a bit slow going but eventually picked up the pace and left me questioning the characters of the story on who might have done what. The only thing I really didn't like was that it seemed to start out a little to slow and at times I felt like maybe there was a bit too much detail going on. Another thing that kind of got to me is Jake and Alice are both supposed to be intelligent people but really I guess you can say they lack common sense, which you will understand what I mean as you read the rest of this review. Newlywed's Jake (psychiatrist) and Alice (lawyer) sign a contract for The Pact without reading the fine print so to speak, but they both feel like they can use the support for their marriage as they both want it to last forever. The Pact believes in supporting one another, keeping the marriage intact and happy. Of course, everything sounds like a good idea till they realize that like marriage you can't ever leave The Pact and some of the rules are just a bit too much, while other ones make sense. Once every quarter you need to take a vacation, every month you need to get each other a thoughtful gift, must answer all calls from one another, attend these lavish parties getting to know the other members and oh surprise weigh-ins. If it seems like you are putting work before your spouse you get stuck wearing some device that they monitor to make sure you are putting more effort into your marriage. Also NEVER mention The Pact to anyone.

What Jake and Alice thought was going to be the "perfect" marriage turns into a nightmare they want to escape, but have no way to. When rules aren't followed things take a darker turn and of course there are some twists along the way that are thought-provoking. Jake and Alice just want out but is there really a way out or will they end up just disappearing as well. ©Liz R

The Marriage Pact, Michelle Richmond

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Women's fiction, Mystery and Thrillers

My first book by this author so I didn't really know what to expect. Its a curious novel, if I'd read the sample I'm not sure I'd have requested it.
It does drag at times, with so much inner thinking from Jake. There was lots of detail too about his various patients ,and stats and data connected with his job. I found that part was interesting in very small doses but in great detail it made me skip sections, unable to face more of it....

I did like both Alice and Jake, but found, especially given their professions, it incredible they jumped right in without even checking what they were getting into, without questions, without reading what they signed.
Blithely they just thought it was a bit of fun and I guess I could see that in a way, they thought nothing unpleasant could happen, and they could leave if they didn't like it. But the Pact has a long reach and that part was chilling. Its not too far fetched to see how it could happen.
Its a weird novel, I didn't like what was happening, was so cross at Alice and Jake at times, and yet it was strangely compelling and I just had to keep reading.
I had to see how it ended despite not really enjoying the story...and TBH I felt the ending was anti-climatic, a cop out. I felt cheated, wanted something more concrete. I have a real dislike of ambiguous endings, where the reader has to decide what comes next – I'm a reader not a writer, I can't make up stories, that's why I read them and I Want Them to Finish Properly, not just fizzle out leaving me dumbfounded about what happens next.

Couple of things I felt were off. I felt given the long arms, the reach and the money the Pact clearly spent I'd have liked to know more about how it was funded, not just a couple of lines about top investment guys doing well. Even the best guys need money to invest with and I didn't see where it came from.
I felt too that a membership of 12,000 wasn't enough to sustain the kind of practices and close observation of members that was actually in place. It wasn't just eyes on them but hidden cameras, audio, tech interference, they really were Stalked in a big way. That takes serious money and big manpower.

It's a chilling novel, creeping forward from a bit of fun to something they were desperate to get out of but were stuck with.
Curiously compulsive reading but yet I can't say I actually enjoyed it.

Stars: Three, an interesting book, lots of food for though, some scary possibilities but ultimately not one I actually enjoyed ;-)

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

Okay I admit I thought the premise was fascinating. Not just because it is messed up in a culty oppressive kind of way, perhaps more so because it is a feasible premise. It is exactly the kind of big brother organisation people like to be a part of, especially if it makes them feel elitist.
Cults like Scientology spring to mind when I read books like this. Their self anointed title of omnipotent makes them believe they can do and say anything they want to. Abuse, torture, maligning reputations are right up their alley, and all whilst making their sheople pay for the privilege of being played for a fool.
It has both a masochistic and sadistic streak all the way through it. Alice almost seems to enjoy or thinks she deserves the punishment she receives. She also appears to want Jake to feel the same way. Take your punishment, enjoy it and learn from it. Talk about messed up brainwashing and playing on the vulnerabilities of people.
The goal of The Pact is to keep marriages sustainable, intact and supposedly happy. The Pact comes with a whole manual full of rules and punishments. You break a rule and you get treated to the equivalent of justice via cult dictatorship.
Richmond doesn’t just question what makes a marriage work long-term she also shines a great big spotlight on groups, religious or otherwise, masking as havens for those who need to feel as if they are more important than others and those who just want to belong.
It’s a compelling thought-provoking read.
*I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.*

Now, this was a strange one, interesting but a bit wacky in its concept.
The marriage pact by Michelle Richmond was surprisingly good, The author has found a unique idea and evolved it from there.
With some surprising twists and turns that I didn't see coming this was a refreshing contribution to the psychological genre and I only had minor issues and niggles that pulled this down slightly for me.
So the marriage Pact involves newlywed's Jake and Alice who receive an enticing gift from one of Alice's Clients at the law firm she works at.
"The Pact"
designed to keep couples happy and fulfilled in their marriages, the rules seem to make sense and The Pact seems harmless in its intentions.
Initially impressed Alice and Jake start to realise there is more at stake than they realise as their dreams start to evolve into nightmares.
And no one leaves "THE PACT" ever.
So let me break this down for you first three-quarters of The Marriage Pact I loved, the story flowed, it was well written and my only minor criticism would be sometimes Jake could waffle on a tad too much with his inner monologue and I found this a touch irritating and longwinded.
Then came the last quarter, not sure what happened here but I really was not feeling it, the whole visit Orla at her home seemed unnecessary and a bit boring to me.
I would have really preferred another direction to be taken and a bit more of a pro-active stance applied here rather than talking.
Then came the ending, this is where my main issue lies, it was just so anti-climatic and blah and after all Jake's moralistic stances he just walks away, leaving the corruption behind for someone else to deal with.
I'm not saying he's wrong to do this, I just find it mildly surprising after listening to Jakes Inner moral compass throughout The Marriage Pact that he just abandons all his principles and jumps ship.
I would also have liked to see inside Alice's head as well, she was such a diverse character with so much to offer and I felt we didn't get to know her properly in her entirety.
So this was such a page-turner and even with the issues I've described, I have to give this a Four star as It was such compelling reading.
This was such an interestingly unique story that I would definitely recommend Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the Author Michelle Richmond for providing me with an Arc of The Marriage Pact, this is my own honest unbiased opinion.

A psychological suspense thriller this certainly is. The plot is ridiculously implausible, but okay, it’s fiction, slack must be cut, but I found myself wrestling with its increasing implausibility as it went on.

Jake and Alice are very much in love, and when they marry they're given the most unusual wedding present: membership to a club which ensures their marriage will be long and strong. Seems like a bit of fun, so why not? And they sign on the dotted line. Little do they know, however, that they're signing themselves into a living nightmare.

The club….’The Pact’…is based on a manual of encyclopaedic proportions listing the dos and donts of marriage. That right there started my cynical clock ticking…some ridiculous rules and regulations. Failure to adhere result in barbaric…and disturbing…punishment. So why don’t Jake and Alice leave, you may ask? One doesn’t. One does not leave The Pact.

It was very well written…in a style that ensured gripping suspense. There were definitely a few matchstick moments late at night as I eagerly turned the pages, and despite having to suspend disbelief, this isn't far off being a first-rate thriller, but the ending was a let-down. I was niggled by the present-tense narrative of the story; it just didn’t work, and that was endorsed by the inconclusive ending.

Can I recommend it? Despite my misgivings, yes, I think I can. It’s taut, it’s tense and I have to say it’s addictive. Try it and tell me what you think!

The Marriage Pact is a great psychological thriller. The story opens as Jake and Alice are getting married. Alice is an attorney and develops a new friendship with one of her clients, whom she invites to the wedding on a whim. The client, Finnegan, attends the wedding with his wife and gives a strange wedding gift to Jake and Alice.

The wedding gift was somewhat of a Pandora’s box for the newlyweds. Their curiosity and their desire for a happy marriage prompted them to open the box and enter into the “marriage pact.” But instead of the key to a happy marriage, the marriage pact ended up being like Hotel California--you can never leave.

Once the premise of the story was set, it just picked up momentum. What the couple went through was horrifying and humiliating. I found myself thinking there would be no way to get out of it alive. With Jake being a 39 year old counselor, I was a bit surprised that he even agreed to the pact in the first place, but again, curiosity and a desire for marital bliss were what drew him in.

In spite of the story being somewhat of a newlywed’s nightmare, there were some great points to be made for how to have a happy marriage. It was also heartwarming to see how Jake and Alice rarely let the stress of the situation affect the relationship they had together.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the opportunity to read an advanced copy and give an honest review.

I absolutely love the concept of this book. I love it when weird, life-altering, mostly catastrophic things happen to normal, run-of-the-mill people. Just me then? Oh… Anyway, the thought of a newlywed couple suddenly being trapped in a pact with a group of controlling strangers, having to live by the rules of the group (no matter how humiliating or demeaning) and managing to break the rules without even trying was something I had to read about. I’ll admit, the plot is a little far-fetched but d’you know what? I was just after an entertaining read, something a little different to my much-loved detective fiction and that’s exactly what I got with The Marriage Pact. A highly entertaining read.

When I was able to find time to sit down and read The Marriage Pact I found it an incredibly easy read, flying through the pages in great chunks and not realising that hours had passed. I was desperate to see what awful predicament Jake and Alice were going to find themselves in and what terrifying punishment they were to be subjected to. At times I found myself feeling really quite uncomfortable; as though I was intruding on a young couple’s most personal moments. I was also irked that many of the odd punishments were meted out to Alice, the wife, where little seemed to happen in the beginning to Jake, the husband, (he doesn’t get away scot-free but I do believe Alice suffers a lot more than her husband). I’m a huge fan of a strong female lead in my novels and Alice had so much potential with her punky, free-spirited background but she never really got going in my eyes. Was she diluted because of her marriage to Jake or was the pact to blame? I guess we’ll never know

I’m afraid I really struggled with the ending of The Marriage Pact. Things were going great guns and I was engrossed in the terrible punishments The Pact were dishing out to our beleaguered couple, but then the ending happened and I had a bit of a ‘huh?’ moment. For a thriller, the ending is quite sedate and I will be totally honest here and say I was a little disappointed. I had an inkling that the story was building up to ‘that ending’ but had hoped the author would pull something utterly mesmerising and unexpected out of the bag. It’s a well-written book with a nice ending. My black heart, unfortunately, wasn’t quite satisfied with a nice ending.

Would I recommend this book? I enjoyed 90% of The Marriage Pact and it’s only because I’m a fan of the darker side of fiction that I think I was a little disappointed with the ending. I would recommend this book but to readers who maybe err towards the gentler side of thriller fiction. It’s well written with a really interesting concept (although a little far-fetched at times) but most of all, I found this book entertaining and that’s exactly what I was after. I liked it!

Three out of five stars.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Marriage Pact. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

A couple enter into a covenant with a mysterious organization that promises to help the newlyweds with their marriage. When members of the group begin putting pressure on the husband and wife to conform to the agreement’s stringent ways, they find themselves squirming under the intense scrutiny. Author Michelle Richmond manages to keep readers flipping pages through a novel that can’t stand up under closer examination in the breakneck-paced novel The Marriage Pact.

After living together for two years, Jake and Alice have finally decided to take the plunge. They’re getting married, and Jake can’t wait to start their life as a married couple. He loves Alice more than anything else, but they’re both feeling a bit of strain from their careers. Maybe getting married will offer them mini reset.

As a founding partner of a new psychology practice in San Francisco, Jake has spent a lot of time in the office. Alice has been burning hours as a new lawyer in a large firm. She wants to make a good impression at the firm, so when big-shot client Liam Finnegan visits the office Alice invites Finnegan and his wife to the wedding.

Finnegan sends Alice and Jake an unusual present that shows up on their doorstep days before the wedding with a note that states, “The Pact will never leave you.” The goal of the Pact and all Pact members is to uphold, support, and help develop marriage as a sacred union between two people. There are rules to follow, of course, but Jake and Alice don’t seem to take that part too seriously. All clubs seem to ask for some level of commitment from their members, right? How could the Pact be any different?

But it is different, which they find out the hard way. The leadership demands strict adherence to the Pact’s bylaws, including reading and memorizing its hefty manual. Alice seems to get on board with the entire concept, but Jake can’t help feeling a little frustrated by the entire venture. On the surface, the Pact preaches the very things he tells his marriage counseling clients. Inside the group, it’s another matter entirely. Before long Jake begins to wonder whether joining the Pact was a mistake, but regardless of what he thinks the Pact doesn’t seem quite so ready to let go of him and Alice.

Author Michelle Richmond manages to accomplish a puzzling feat: she writes a novel with a relentless pace that will make readers moving through the entire book, but the plot’s main turning points don’t stand up to closer analysis. Alice seems to have no problem accepting the Pact’s ways. Jake is more resistant to the Pact, especially when he discovers that an old college friend is also a Pact member but wants to get out.

The friend’s ambivalence about the Pact makes Jake suspicious, but at a key moment in the story he does what looks like an about face. In a follow-up scene, Alice reacts in a way that doesn’t keep in line with her character to that point in the novel. The rest of the book will certainly engage and maybe even shock readers, but the events that follow and the end don’t line up with the first part of the book.

At one point a character states that Jake and Alice are in a position to upend the entire Pact, but nothing in the story really explains how or why. In fact, in the larger narrative of what the Pact is trying to accomplish, Jake and Alice’s transgressions don’t come across as that egregious. It doesn’t make sense, then, why the Pact targets them in particular, and in hindsight all of Richmond’s devices to build up the suspense feel weak.

Readers who don’t mind a fast read without gravity may want to check this book out; otherwise, The Marriage Pact Borders on Bypassing it.

The Marriage Pact by author Michelle Richmond held my interest from beginning to end, it's intriguing! I totally ENJOYED reading the book. Although the book is a novel, the underling principals of a successful and balanced marriage are true. Also there are some very wonderful realizations by Jake as he ponders his motives with Alice in their marriage. These are some of the reasons I am giving the book a 5 star rating. It was not just a suspenseful story.
The main characters of Jake and Alice are young professionals who are getting married. This will be the first marriage for each and although they have vastly different backgrounds, they are in love. Before the wedding they are given a mysterious gift, part of the gift can only be opened after the wedding by a representative of “The Pact” with a key. As Jake and Alice sign the documents agreeing to the terms of marriage according to “The Pact” they have every intention of their marriage being forever. The Pact must be a wonderful club of like-minded couples who will support and befriend each other through the years, right??
What they do not realize is, they must live each day of this marriage according to the strict rules outlined within The Manual. It is all legal and binding, and ….terrifying! Free will is no longer an option for Jake and Alice as they come to terms with “The Pact”. The psychological and physical punishment for failure to meet the laws and conditions of the “The Pact” is fearfully horrible.
There are times in the story when I think Alice is "in" on what is happening, for some unknown reason. But then again...maybe not!?!?
Can they escape it? Should they surrender themselves and try to just stay below the radar of the “The Pact” enforcers?

For me, the ending leaves questions, which may be intentional by the author. Just remember as you read the book…. “ You don’t leave The Pact, and The Pact doesn’t leave you”… “No one Leaves alive”!
If you are married or considering marriage, You need to Read this Book!

Once you buy into the ridiculous premise, this book takes off and is one you just want to keep reading. I had a hard time for the first two chapters with the idea that two highly educated, intellectual and mature adults would blindly sign contracts to join a cult they had never heard of. It is just patently absurd on the face. However, just accept this as a normal thing and you will enjoy the story.

The anxiety & creepy factor slowly amp up with every encounter they have with the Pact organization. Jake and Alice sort of slide into this weird pattern of subservience to the Pact and neglect the rest of their responsibilities. Honestly, I found Alice weak and cowardly throughout the book. Jake was so busy being secretive that he didn't feel like a happily married man. Despite that, the plot moves along at a crisp and compelling pace. Until the end.

The ending just felt false and rushed. It totally didn't fit with the story that the previous 300+ pages had set up. The very character of the Pact organization and the leaders was suddenly different in the last few chapters. It just didn't ring true for me. Normally, this sort of disconnect would drop a book to three stars for me, but the author's skill with words and the other 85% of the plot is really good.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Michelle Richmond and the publisher for the chance to review this book. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into when I first started this book as to me it was a bit slow going but eventually picked up the pace and left me questioning the characters of the story on who might have done what. The only thing I really didn't like was that it seemed to start out a little to slow and at times I felt like maybe there was a bit too much detail going on. Another thing that kind of got to me is Jake and Alice are both supposed to be intelligent people but really I guess you can say they lack common sense, which you will understand what I mean as you read the rest of this review. Newlywed's Jake (psychiatrist) and Alice (lawyer) sign a contract for The Pact without reading the fine print so to speak, but they both feel like they can use the support for their marriage as they both want it to last forever. The Pact believes in supporting one another, keeping the marriage intact and happy. Of course, everything sounds like a good idea till they realize that like marriage you can't ever leave The Pact and some of the rules are just a bit too much, while other ones make sense. Once every quarter you need to take a vacation, every month you need to get each other a thoughtful gift, must answer all calls from one another, attend these lavish parties getting to know the other members and oh surprise weigh-ins. If it seems like you are putting work before your spouse you get stuck wearing some device that they monitor to make sure you are putting more effort into your marriage. Also NEVER mention The Pact to anyone.

What Jake and Alice thought was going to be the "perfect" marriage turns into a nightmare they want to escape, but have no way to. When rules aren't followed things take a darker turn and of course there are some twists along the way that are thought-provoking. Jake and Alice just want out but is there really a way out or will they end up just disappearing as well. ©Liz R

The Marriage Pact, Michelle Richmond

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Women's fiction, Mystery and Thrillers

My first book by this author so I didn't really know what to expect. Its a curious novel, if I'd read the sample I'm not sure I'd have requested it.
It does drag at times, with so much inner thinking from Jake. There was lots of detail too about his various patients ,and stats and data connected with his job. I found that part was interesting in very small doses but in great detail it made me skip sections, unable to face more of it....

I did like both Alice and Jake, but found, especially given their professions, it incredible they jumped right in without even checking what they were getting into, without questions, without reading what they signed.
Blithely they just thought it was a bit of fun and I guess I could see that in a way, they thought nothing unpleasant could happen, and they could leave if they didn't like it. But the Pact has a long reach and that part was chilling. Its not too far fetched to see how it could happen.
Its a weird novel, I didn't like what was happening, was so cross at Alice and Jake at times, and yet it was strangely compelling and I just had to keep reading.
I had to see how it ended despite not really enjoying the story...and TBH I felt the ending was anti-climatic, a cop out. I felt cheated, wanted something more concrete. I have a real dislike of ambiguous endings, where the reader has to decide what comes next – I'm a reader not a writer, I can't make up stories, that's why I read them and I Want Them to Finish Properly, not just fizzle out leaving me dumbfounded about what happens next.

Couple of things I felt were off. I felt given the long arms, the reach and the money the Pact clearly spent I'd have liked to know more about how it was funded, not just a couple of lines about top investment guys doing well. Even the best guys need money to invest with and I didn't see where it came from.
I felt too that a membership of 12,000 wasn't enough to sustain the kind of practices and close observation of members that was actually in place. It wasn't just eyes on them but hidden cameras, audio, tech interference, they really were Stalked in a big way. That takes serious money and big manpower.

It's a chilling novel, creeping forward from a bit of fun to something they were desperate to get out of but were stuck with.
Curiously compulsive reading but yet I can't say I actually enjoyed it.

Stars: Three, an interesting book, lots of food for though, some scary possibilities but ultimately not one I actually enjoyed ;-)

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

Okay I admit I thought the premise was fascinating. Not just because it is messed up in a culty oppressive kind of way, perhaps more so because it is a feasible premise. It is exactly the kind of big brother organisation people like to be a part of, especially if it makes them feel elitist.
Cults like Scientology spring to mind when I read books like this. Their self anointed title of omnipotent makes them believe they can do and say anything they want to. Abuse, torture, maligning reputations are right up their alley, and all whilst making their sheople pay for the privilege of being played for a fool.
It has both a masochistic and sadistic streak all the way through it. Alice almost seems to enjoy or thinks she deserves the punishment she receives. She also appears to want Jake to feel the same way. Take your punishment, enjoy it and learn from it. Talk about messed up brainwashing and playing on the vulnerabilities of people.
The goal of The Pact is to keep marriages sustainable, intact and supposedly happy. The Pact comes with a whole manual full of rules and punishments. You break a rule and you get treated to the equivalent of justice via cult dictatorship.
Richmond doesn’t just question what makes a marriage work long-term she also shines a great big spotlight on groups, religious or otherwise, masking as havens for those who need to feel as if they are more important than others and those who just want to belong.
It’s a compelling thought-provoking read.
*I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.*

Let me say...holy crap. This book was suspenseful. There was question after question lined up. Then the escalation started, things got worse and worse for Jake and Alice, and I was on the edge of my seat. The Pact was definitely creepy and intense. I liked how Jake and Alice saw the enticement at times. For me, it made the whole situation much more believable.

Besides the suspense, which kept me glued to the pages, I loved how marriage was such a big theme throughout the novel. Jake was a therapist and it was interesting to see his insights into marriage and the indicators and research of success, as well as how others deal with divorce. The novel was entirely in Jake's POV, but we did get peeks into how Alice felt about marriage as a whole and how Jake envisioned bits of their future.

The last part of the novel was surprisingly more slow paced. There's a bit of open-endedness, but the biggest question was answered and I was left satisfied.

I received a review copy.

Now, this was a strange one, interesting but a bit wacky in its concept.
The marriage pact by Michelle Richmond was surprisingly good, The author has found a unique idea and evolved it from there.
With some surprising twists and turns that I didn't see coming this was a refreshing contribution to the psychological genre and I only had minor issues and niggles that pulled this down slightly for me.
So the marriage Pact involves newlywed's Jake and Alice who receive an enticing gift from one of Alice's Clients at the law firm she works at.
"The Pact"
designed to keep couples happy and fulfilled in their marriages, the rules seem to make sense and The Pact seems harmless in its intentions.
Initially impressed Alice and Jake start to realise there is more at stake than they realise as their dreams start to evolve into nightmares.
And no one leaves "THE PACT" ever.
So let me break this down for you first three-quarters of The Marriage Pact I loved, the story flowed, it was well written and my only minor criticism would be sometimes Jake could waffle on a tad too much with his inner monologue and I found this a touch irritating and longwinded.
Then came the last quarter, not sure what happened here but I really was not feeling it, the whole visit Orla at her home seemed unnecessary and a bit boring to me.
I would have really preferred another direction to be taken and a bit more of a pro-active stance applied here rather than talking.
Then came the ending, this is where my main issue lies, it was just so anti-climatic and blah and after all Jake's moralistic stances he just walks away, leaving the corruption behind for someone else to deal with.
I'm not saying he's wrong to do this, I just find it mildly surprising after listening to Jakes Inner moral compass throughout The Marriage Pact that he just abandons all his principles and jumps ship.
I would also have liked to see inside Alice's head as well, she was such a diverse character with so much to offer and I felt we didn't get to know her properly in her entirety.
So this was such a page-turner and even with the issues I've described, I have to give this a Four star as It was such compelling reading.
This was such an interestingly unique story that I would definitely recommend Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the Author Michelle Richmond for providing me with an Arc of The Marriage Pact, this is my own honest unbiased opinion.

*** NEW *** NEW *** NEW ***
From now on, in every book review, I will include the one single idea that stood out the most for me in that book. Every book has one. I’d love it if you shared yours with me from the same book.
I loved this while I was reading it; couldn’t put it down! But then afterwards, when I gave it some thought (and I suppose that is a plus: that I was still thinking about it for a while afterwards), I started thinking about how much of the story was so highly improbable. Yes, I know it’s fiction, but there does still need to be a certain measure of belief and sustainability to keep a story within the realms of possibility, especially when it’s meant to be happening in the here and now. If this had been set in the near future, I think it would definitely lend more plausibility.
So … the premise is that Jake and Alice are newly-weds. They’re not young or naïve. She is a lawyer, he’s a psychologist. They receive a mysterious wedding gift from one of Alice’s clients – actually he’s a client of the firm that Alice works for; a very prestigious client, and she was instrumental in winning his case. On a whim, she invited him to their wedding and was surprised when he accepted. In hindsight, it’s an invitation she wishes she never extended!
The strange gift turns out to be an offer to join a covert club known as ‘The Pact’. Members of this fellowship are couples who are extremely devout (to the point of fanaticism) about their marriages, and the marriages of all others who are part of this organisation with them. There are rules … oh so many rules! The main ones being that you do not mention The Pact to anyone outside it, and once you’re in, you can never, ever leave! It’s a bit odd that Alice, a lawyer doesn’t seem to grasp the ‘small print’, or even fully read it before agreeing to enter into The Pact.
The amount of time this couple takes of work throughout this book was one of the things that I found myself constantly shaking my head about! There’s a vague reference once or twice to Jake’s colleagues questioning his increasing absence, but other than that, everyone seems pretty accepting of these unaccountable lapses in being present at their places of work.
The concept of this ‘Marriage Pact’ is an interesting one, and I suppose that’s what makes the book highly readable. The execution of the actual idea itself is sometimes a little off kilter though. Clearly the membership is made up of an intricate network of friends in high places, well connected, and well versed in the art of manipulation. Just how are the powers that be so all-knowing and all-seeing?
This book really had me hooked, but my suspension of belief was stretched to its limits so I’m giving it a 3.5. You need to read this one for yourself and decide.
STAND-OUT IDEA: “Answer the phone when your spouse calls. Every time. No exceptions.” While this stood out for me like many other concepts in the book, and the overall notion of the Pact itself, I found myself questioning whether this is actually possible? Jake is a psychologist – surely he can’t answer the phone during a session with a client? Alice is a lawyer – if she’s in court, she wouldn’t be able to answer the phone, would she? Similarly in our everyday lives, while theoretically the idea might be a good one to try and implement wherever feasible, it’s not always going to be achievable. I guess we can try our best though, right?

I can honestly say this is a totally different book to any other I’ve read – and I’ve read a lot! It reminds me both of the Stepford Lives and a Michael Douglas film titled The Game. Although quite dissimilar to both of these, it’s in that strange ‘removed from real life’ category.

Alice & Jake, newly wed, receive a one-off wedding gift which turns out to be an invitation to join a secret group of people with the aim of conducting their marriage by a set of rules and regulations set out by the founder of ‘The Pact’. Followed up by a personal visit they sign on the dotted line – and I spent much of the book asking myself why? I wouldn’t have signed it – I don’t think many would, at least not without doing full research into what they were signing up to – but they did and here the story begins.

I don’t think enjoyment is a word I would use in relation to this novel, but it is a strangely compelling read. Creepy, weird and quite shocking at times but once you begin you have to keep going to see what happens next. The end arrives quite abruptly and I wonder if the author planned it that way or just ran out of ideas? Either way, if you are looking for a very different kind of novel to absorb you, don’t pass this one by.

My thanks to publisher Penguin for approving me to read this one via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Bantam and NetGalley provided me with a copy of The Marriage Pact and I also won the book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I was under no obligation to review the book and my opinion is freely given.

As a wedding gift, Alice and Jake are given entry into The Pact, an exclusive marriage club that rivals no others. With the goal of happy and fulfilling partnerships, the members are required to follow a specific set of rules. After the couple realizes that they may be in for more than they bargained for, will Alice and Jake be able to extricate themselves from the group unscathed?

The psychological aspects of the book help to boost the suspense, making The Marriage Pact feel more like the plot to a movie. I definitely liked Jake more than Alice, as the story almost demanded that I would. The book flowed nicely until the last few pages, which I thought were a cop-out. The story ended so abruptly and was not as successful as the rest. Readers who like psychological thrillers and suspense will like The Marriage Pact for its fast pace and thrilling twists. I found the book to be entertaining overall and look forward to reading more by author Michelle Richmond in the future.

Alice and Jack have the perfect marriage. They are so well suited that their love is easy to see. Alice is a successful lawyer (formerly a singer with a rock band) and Jake a psychologist and partner in a practice.

They each embarked on marriage with very different perspectives. Jake's childhood was secure with his parents very much a couple. Alice had never experienced this, so was seeking what Jake had always had. Security.

Before their marriage, Alice wins a legal case successfully for Finnegan and his wife. In the afterglow of the win, she invites them to their wedding. The present they give to the couple is an entry into The Pact. A way to establish and keep a successful marriage. Through this fellowship, they meet others and attend parties etc. Following The Pact is easy, to begin with anyway.

As Alice's workload increases, her time at work does as well. They begin to realise that this is not so easy after all but no-one leaves The Pact. It will not let you go and will go to any lengths to ensure a solid marriage. I do not wish to give away more at this point, but it is a good read. The characters are solid and the plot keeps up your interest.

I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.

This book was a complete page turner. I loved the mood, I loved the atmosphere and the tension that was prevalent throughout nearly the entire novel. It was such an excellent read I had to put aside everything else so that I could progress further until I finished.

Jake and Alice were great characters to follow through. It’s a bit hard to see how they both connect and have that chemistry (they’re very opposite of one another) and you don’t really see it between them but somehow their personalities are likable and they just seem to fit well together. Jake is very analytical - his random facts about marriage can attest to that. Also his methods of reading other people is one of the most interesting aspects of his character. Alice on the other hands, is a rock star turned lawyer which is a very odd mix, but you have to pay the bills somehow right?

Onto the plot. The Pact sounds pretty like a harmless group to join doesn’t it? But man oh man does it ever take a twist to the dark and ugly. I love how the dark twisted side of the Pact comes out slowly as you progress throughout the book. The suspense is really tense and you can feel it as Alice and Jake experience the bad side of things - oh but the feelings of paranoia. Those feelings are so strong you yourself feel as if you’re being watched and monitored. Every time you think ‘it’s ok we got this all under control’ nope another big surprise happens around the corner and not everything is going to be okay. You then start to question their trust, and their fidelity and that’s where the mind plays ugly tricks on both Alice and Jake and on you.

I found this book immensely enjoyable and it was a thrill to read. When you feel and start emulating the same way the main characters feel in the book, you know you’re in for a good one.

THE MARRIAGE PACT defies easy categorization. One should not be surprised. Author Michelle Richmond’s previous novels (not to mention THE GIRL IN THE FALL-AWAY DRESS, her award-winning collection of interconnected short stories) slip and slide across genre lines while providing a feast for those who are looking for something engrossing, challenging and thought-provoking in their reading material. THE MARRIAGE PACT doubles down on the promise of Richmond’s previous works in a tale that is by turns cautionary, parabolic and metaphoric.

The story is narrated in the first person by Jake, a thirty-something marriage and family counselor who is married to Alice, an associate in a high-powered law firm. The opening scene jumps ahead through a third or so of the book before things settle down, as Jake discusses wooing and then marrying Alice, with the two of them combining their lives against the backdrop of San Francisco, where they engage in their respective professional practices. Of the two of them, Alice is by far the more complex figure, at least in Jake’s eyes. Before she attended law school, Alice was a singer-songwriter in a rock band that one could classify as faintly reminiscent of Robin Lane & the Chartbusters. While her present focus is on the law, Alice likes to keep her hand in her creative endeavors. Jake is content to admire her art, though her past artiste lifestyle causes him a bit of quiet insecurity, as opposed to the out-and-out jealousy that Alice experiences.

The jumpstart of the novel occurs when Jake and Alice receive a book titled The Pact as a wedding gift. As they quickly learn, it is neither light reading nor is it a “guide” to marriage for newlyweds, though it does begin with a set of guidelines. These are very easy: 1) Always answer the phone when your spouse calls; 2) Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly; 3) Plan a trip together once per quarter; and 4) Never mention The Pact to anyone. The devil, of course, is in the details, and it is the fine print that increasingly causes Jake and Alice surprising and frightening difficulty, given that it transforms The Pact into something more akin to a state’s revised code than a 12-step program. Jake and Alice are gently pressured into signing on --- anyone who has ever sat in a car dealership sales office or through an Amway presentation will sympathize --- but quickly come to realize that they have made a terrible mistake with the best of intentions.

Members of The Pact are seemingly everywhere, observing members’ every move. When there is a transgression, such as one partner working too late too frequently, the reaction of The Pact is swift and sure. We’re not talking about something relatively mild, such as shunning. Actual punishment is meted out. Every aspect of Jake’s and Alice’s lives seems to be controlled. The two discuss quitting The Pact --- agreement be damned --- but it’s not that easy. Members, who address each other as “friend,” can influence everything from getting a loan to, say, taking business away from the high-powered law firm that employs Alice. Jake finally takes a daring step to remedy the problem, but there is a significant question as to whether or not it will be enough. Or if it will make matters even worse.

Elements of THE MARRIAGE PACT faintly reminded me of a number of literary works --- from Ira Levin’s ROSEMARY’S BABY to “Quitters, Inc.” by Stephen King --- but it is very much its own story. One might find their suspension of disbelief challenged, wondering why Jake and Alice don’t just quit and fight the consequences. There is a certain personality, though, that actually welcomes the sort of authority that The Pact provides --- look at Jim Jones’ followers --- and when that factor is considered, what occurs here doesn’t seem too far-fetched at all. After reading THE MARRIAGE PACT, you may not be inclined to sign anything without a lot of thought, and without reading the fine print. All of it.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

This seemed like something out of a Showtime conceptualization such as The Affair or maybe HBO since they’re doing the Big Little Lies series right now. Either way it’d make the perfect mini-series for a cable movie channel.

It’s a very intense and suspenseful story that can easily be read and finished within a day thanks to the fast pace and chapters that just seem to melt one into another. Each chapter will pull you into the next with no place where you feel safe putting it down. Richmond knows how to write dialogue, probably why I could see this being easily turned into a screenplay with few changes. Even though you’re reading it with your eyes her words flow so well you might as well have been listening to an audiobook; you can just hear the characters having these conversations in your head.

As far as the storyline goes I found it well-written, intriguing and an interesting take on relationships. I did find some of the subject matter and characterizations a little hard on the realism side because the main characters are supposed to be well-educated but somehow they fell into this odd Pact. Since the Pact seems to mirror Scientology in ways, something many others have picked up on, and we all know seemingly intelligent people who are involved in that it did help mend some of the confusion as to why smart people do dumb things.

Overall Richmond is an excellent and talented writer which shows through everything she does especially when she adds bits of pop culture to her books by name dropping bands and or songs and real places around the Bay area (I so want to go visit there now with this book in hand).

It’s one of those stories that draws you in and you want to keep reading if only to find out how this couple is going to fare through The Pact. Although some of the rules make sense, particularly if you’re newlyweds trying to avoid being part of the high American divorce rate, what will really make you curious is the cloud that hangs over their heads of what if you violate them???

3.5 Stars* (rounded down)

Could you imagine being married to someone and being obligated to stay with them forever with no way out ? Because you made a Marriage Pact to stay together? And you love each other and you were already making the commitment and it seemed fun, exciting, ominous and oh so mysterious? And heck, what could possibly go wrong, right?!

Jake and Alice are a happy couple about to get married. Jake is a Psychologist and Alice is a successful Attorney. Right before the wedding, Alice makes an impromptu decision to invite a client from her law firm, named Finnegan, to her wedding. Finnegan, immediately sends them a gift in a wooden box that can only be opened with a key that he, of course, neglects to provide. They are immediately intrigued. And so it begins.

After their wedding, Vivian, a Friend, explains the rules and regulations of the Pact to Jake and Alice. If they join, they can't ever leave and it is a bond for life that cannot be broken. They will become members of an elite society of Friends. The Pact will only enhance their marriage and their love for each other. They must do things: give small monthly gifts to each other, plan trips.. be invested in their marriage. If they fail to comply, there will be consequences. Penalties. Alice and Jake are intrigued and they decide to join and are excited to begin this chapter of their lives. And when one slips up, or seems less interested in the marriage or forgets to give a gift, what happens? Their Friends find out. Alice and Jake do not take this seriously - but believe me, they should. Penalties are assessed and some are severe. Quite severe. And unfortunately for Alice and Jake, some lessons are hard to learn.

Personally, I don't agree with being required to do specific things for a spouse in a marriage (and my ex-husband was vehemently opposed to doing anything out of obligation during our marriage (and no, that's not why we are divorced (lol)). And the fact of the matter is, I'm not into being punished because I didn't do "enough." I think a lot of people are with me on that, though you may disagree... but the only way to know for sure, is to read the Pact and roll the dice.

I have to say that I liked the premise of The Marriage Pact. I found the book to be freaky and disturbing, but in a good way. Further, I liked both Alice and Jake - though their actions frustrated me at times. All of their Friends were quite creepy. I hope I never make Friends like that. Unfortunately there were passages in the book that I felt were long and drawn out and neglected to hold my attention. In addition, the ending disappointed me. Had it been different, I would have rated this book higher. I had previously read Michelle Richmond's The Year of Fog and loved it and wanted to love this one. This book had potential but something was missing for me, that said, something about this is intriguing... intriguing enough that it is worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine and Michelle Richmond for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 5.21.17.

*Will be published on the store on 7.25.17.

Marriage is an institution ordained of God and is not to be entered into lightly or in jest and only after much consideration.
— Universal Life Church

We are gathered together here to unite this man and this woman in the bonds of matrimony.

Do you (Groom) take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?
If so, answer “I Do.”

Do you (Bride) take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live?
If so, answer “I Do.”

Ahhh . . . The Sanctity of Marriage.

While reading the eerie description for Michelle Richmond’s The Marriage Pact, I felt my sentiments heighten to a great level of excitement, as I immediately knew that the novel was to be one that I would find genuinely enjoyable—depending upon whether or not it lived up to its heart-pounding chronicle.

. . .It did not fail.

Set in San Francisco, the plot, narrated in the first person by its main protagonist, Jake Cassidy, orbits around both Jake and his wife Alice, newlyweds with what they perceive to be a wonderfully bright future ahead of them. That is until one of their wedding guests, a former Irish folk music star turned business man named Finnegan sends the blissful pair a wedding gift destined to change their lives. And man, did it ever. It was a small gift box etched with two simple words: The Pact.

Jake, a very empathetic therapist to both married couples in distress and troubled teens, and his new bride Alice, a former rock star turned attorney—who incidentally stands to gain a promotion for partnership at her law firm—initially overlook the “gift box,” which delivered to them equipped with two very expensive ink pens, as simply another of their many wedding gifts. In fact, a few days would pass before the freshly-wed Mr. and Mrs. Jake Cassidy actually got a chance to go through the gift box’s contents, laughing and making small light of it all. They call Finnegan to thank both him and his wife for the gift box marked “The Pact,” to which Finnegan replies and provides Jake an Alice with a brief pitch as to what The Pact is. Jake and Alice—together far too naïve for their own good—both agree to a sit down with a representative from The Pact named Vivian, who pretty much sweet talks Jake and Alice with a rehearsed biography on a woman named Orla who founded The Pact, and runs it (from her sprawling estate in Ireland) based on the principals of encouraging strong, healthy, and long term marriages. Notwithstanding, The Pact even has its own “Manual” which includes sections of how each husband and wife member must conduct their everyday activities around the other, and the penalties they stand to face should any of them fail to do so. Terrifying penalties unknown to the newlyweds because they couldn’t be bothered to read the fine print and every clause of the “Manual” at the time of Vivian’s initiation. Asking only a question or two concerning one of the sections, both Jack and Alice decide to just go along and sign on the dotted lines.
It proved to be a joint decision that the gullible pair soon began to bitterly regret. For as they would eventually learn, NO ONE escapes The Pact.

. . .At least not alive.

From there on out, The Marriage Pact will make its reader feel as though he or she were shoved into the pit of an asylum with the extremely maniacal, and left there with absolutely no way out. It is an emotionally gut-wrenching roller coaster ride through the trenches of madness.

Everything that you’ve ever heard about the deranged and demonic beliefs and practices of cults and sects can be summed up in this frightening page-turner. The chapters are short, straight to the point; and the premise, transfixing. Within The Pact, all of its members “lovingly” refer one to another as simply, “Friend,” yet their evil and menacing actions expose them as anything but.

Michelle Richmond’s The Marriage Pact is an arousing read that will indeed keep its readers up late—entangled in its lunacy.

Expect your emotions to run wild with this dreadful tale: Frustration, anger, fear, paranoia, anxiety, worry, doubt, and every other reaction in between.
I didn’t know where it would end, but in due time, it did. And on a note that will leave the reader both in tears and speechless.
Most deserving of five stars, The Marriage Pact is a skillfully-written work of excruciating suspense!

Do I, as a reviewer, acknowledge Michelle Richmond’s latest prose narrative as one of the most illustrative and petrifying accounts detailing the blind falsities of cultism to ever be published to date?

I Do.

• It is my kindly pleasure to thank both Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Bantam, as well as NetGalley, for the advanced copy of The Marriage Pact in exchange for my honest review.