Review: The One by John Marrs

Rating: 8.5/10

Synopsis

How far would you go to find The One?

A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner—the one you’re genetically made for.

That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.

Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…

A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.

Review

Thanks to Audible for a listening copy of The One for review consideration. Receiving this listening copy did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

The One is an unputdownable, multi-layered love story turned psychological thriller that will give you second thoughts about finding the love of your life. Marrs creates characters you will genuinely care about and want to see succeed in finding their true soulmates. This is going to make an excellent Netflix Original Series.

When asked “What are you looking for out of life?”, a vast majority of people would say that they are looking for someone to spend the rest of it with; a soulmate that completes them. A partner who will stick with them through thick and thin, ups and downs, until death do them part. Well, what if that could be given to you? A simple mouth swab and away you go to endless happiness.

Too bad the road to happiness isn’t paved in gumdrops and butterflies. That would actually be pretty messed up if you think about it. Those poor butterflies. But you get the point. Anyone who has ever been in love / is currently in love knows that it isn’t always perfect. You try your best and hope everything works out.

The five (5) different story-lines we follow along do not intertwine, but they do all have one thing in common: secrets. Secrets that are slowly revealed as you progress along, leading to a rip-roaring climax that I am still wrapping my head around. We aren’t talking about your everyday white lies. These are secrets with consequences; some that will completely change the protagonists forever. My only gripe would be that I could never leave my pregnant wife of five (5) years for someone else simply because of a DNA swab. I find that a bit outrageous, but hey, people are crazy and do more inane things than that on a daily basis.

Normally, this type of type of read wouldn’t be my cuppa, but I have become absolutely enamored with Marrs’s novels. He has a penchant for writing engrossing plots with believable characters; slow burns that hit at just the right moments to have you reading into the night. Though I have only read two (2) of his novels, I believe he has a new reader for life.