Book Review – The One by John Marrs

The One
How could I POSSIBLY resist this one?!!! Don’t let that sinister cover fool you (although of course… that alone pulled me in). This IS a story of love, falling in love, and the dream come true. Well… except for the ones that are NOT “the one”.

It sounds too good to be true, and for many, it proves exactly so. In theory, this should be the answer to the perfect life. No more divorce (or painful breakups), deep love through and through from start to end, your perfect partner. Your proven soulmate backed by science.

“I read something online that said Match Your DNA is going to break up around three million marriages. But within a generation, divorce will barely be a thing anymore,” Sumaira said.

“That’s because marriage won’t be ‘a thing’ either,” Deepak retorted. “It’ll become an outdated institution, you mark my words. You won’t need to prove anything to anyone because everyone will be partnered with who they’re destined to be with.”

But oh boy, does reality and the human condition sure put a monkey wrench into our hope for romance utopia.

Okay so what exactly am I talking about?

Science has been able to identify, via DNA testing, exactly who your perfect love-match is (this is explained in further detail, but not too heavy to understand. Pretty clever, in fact… and I can’t help wondering if there’s truly something to this ). There’s only one soulmate out there (at least so far) for each person. They could be across the country, the other side of the world,

…from the moment they’d first spoken on the phone and Jade had experienced the shiver she’d read about in magazines, she was sure there was no man on earth better suited to her.

Fate could be a bastard, she decided, having placed her Match on the other side of the world in Australia. Maybe one day she might meet him, if she could ever afford it.

they could be in your very own city. They could be of a different racial or religious background, or even same-sex (even if they considered themselves heterosexual). It does not matter. Your soulmate is almost insta-love (mutually) once you meet them, and no matter what preconceived notions one might have had, true love, soulmate loves conquers all.

I LOVE IT.

Except… reality truly hits the fan with this one. What if your love match is not the actual partner (spouse) you are with? What if you’re already in a committed, loving relationship, and suddenly you receive that email that has finally found your match?

“You know that I love you with all my heart and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but…what if we aren’t actually soul mates?”

Nick frowned. “Where’s this coming from?”

“Oh, nowhere, don’t worry. I’m not having second thoughts or anything.” She gave him a reassuring pat on the arm. “It’s just that I was wondering are we happy to just think we’re right for each other or do we want to know for sure?”

OMG the backlash and consequences are great, and devastating.

What if your perfect partner is a serial killer? What if your perfect partner has psychological issues that put your life in an uproar?

“I joined to find the other half who would make me whole,” he began, and held her gaze as the books instructed. “I wanted to meet the one who accepts me for who I am, who loves me for all my faults and my quirks, and who will be there by my side for whatever challenges come our way.”

Oh… the challenges.

So many “what-ifs” (trust me on this) as we follow about 5-6 potential “couples” and the side-characters that make up their lives. Some work out… some crash and burn. Some with so much potential, that develop in… other ways.

Mandy’s greatest fear was being realized—that she would remain where she had been since her divorce: alone, stagnating and washed up at thirty-seven.

She paced around her living room, wondering whatever she was supposed to do with her life now. She wasn’t ready to accept what had happened.

Even the scientist that discovered this whole system finally meets HER match.

I’m going to let you discover this one, each story at a time. It’s all intermingled, we jump from one, to another to another and back again, and each time, each one builds and builds and builds.

It’s pretty fantastic. And pretty crazy. And while initially I thought this would be the perfect solution to love (and couldn’t even fathom what issues there would be)… I wonder if just letting life happen is the way it was always meant to be?

4 stars!! <— Some of the love stories were a little over-the-top and the ending left me a little perplexed and… well. I’m wondering…? But still, a thought-provoking, emotion-provoking read that left me satisfied. This one is definitely unforgettable (and would make for an awesome movie, or series)!!!

Tagged as: 4 stars, sci-fi, science fiction