L'Arrangement

by Sarah Dunn, Anne Le Bot (Translator)

Quand la vie conjugale redevient sauvage !



Le mariage de Lucy et Owen est en danger. Après quelques années de vie commune, les doutes et les tensions s'accumulent. Chacun a besoin de respirer. Aussi, même si cela n'est guère dans leurs mœurs, ils décident de prendre modèle sur un couple de leurs amis sexuellement libérés et de vivre pendant six mois des expériences chacun de son côté. Les règles sont simples : on ne couche pas avec des connaissances communes, on ne tombe pas amoureux, on n'en parle pas, on n'espionne pas et on ne change rien à la vie quotidienne. En théorie, tout cela a l'air formidable. En théorie, seulement...



Comment revitaliser le mariage traditionnel ? aller au-delà des frustrations inévitables du couple ? Jusqu'où reste-t-on fidèle à soi-même si on se refuse à être infidèle à l'autre ? Scénariste de séries télé cultes, de
Murphy Brown à
American Housewife, en passant par
Spin City, Sarah Dunn répond à ces questions avec un solide sens de la provocation et un humour décoiffant.



" Tous les lecteurs ne peuvent que se reconnaître dans ce roman éblouissant de drôlerie ! " Candace Bushnell

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Humor

297 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 21, 2017

About the author

Sarah Dunn (born 1970) is an American author and television writer. She was educated in the University of Arizona.

Coming to prominence in 1994 with her book Official Slacker Handbook, Sarah Dunn went to Hollywood, where she wrote for such series as Murphy Brown, Veronica's Closet and Spin City.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

The arrangement was made for six months. Lucy and Owen set rules for their open marriage.
Had they taken six months discussing their rules -- evaluating them -- doing a little more research and consulting with other couples who have explored open marriage - they might have learned a few more basic fundamental useful tips.
For example... one of their rules was that they were not going to talk about their individual private affair with each other. They didn't even 'explore' their reason for the rule.
If they had done more research- they might have discovered that couples in open marriages who NOT ONLY shared about their sexual shenanigans with each other -- but had met each other's lovers in PERSON -- might have found the entire experience a little more satisfying- inclusive, rather than exclusive. With the idea of bringing joy -excitement-and freshness back to their marriage as partners.
Or......
Lucy and Owen might have discovered that open marriage was ultimately just going to be a distraction for what their real purpose was... which was to feel desired sexually... to feel those butterflies again once in awhile and feel their own genuine desire to have sex again with each other!!!
.........but Lucy and Owen didn't take time to explore and research their purpose for trying out a 6 month arrangement-- they simply made their rule list one evening - went over it one more time ( another evening), and they were off and running.

Most couples take longer in deciding what bed to buy - than Lucy and Owen took in choosing whose other bed's to muster in.

So.....Owen begins having sex with Izzy. Izzy is exactly the type of female that I detest.
Her own husband- ( ex husbsnd)- cheated on her during her marriage – – so she doesn't feel any loyalty, what-so-ever to women who are married. She is the type of female who would go out of her way to seduce a women's husband if she wanted to have sex with him. In fact she's on a mission to do so. I've met women like her.
There are women who go to bars with the intention of picking up married men hoping to hurt his wife sitting at home like. The guy is an asshole too if he cheats .... but....THE AUTHOR GOT Izzy's character RIGHT!!! It STINKS.... but author Sarah Dunn knew the truth about this type of slimy female!!!

The problem of - NO COMMUNICATION- about the arrangement for Lucy and Owen begin to show up quickly. When Owen breaks an Air Conditioner of Izzy's ..... one of Lucy's friends spots Owen at Home Depot buying a new one. This odd purchase --OF COURSE drove Lucy batty!!! She was with wonder- doubt- suspicion - and worry.

Owen started having his 'own' independent problems with his "Izzy-arrangement". She was a handful. At one point --he was concerned that his sex girlfriend was more work than the enjoyment he signed up for. He was dreaming for his sweet wife!!
In a funny scene --- Izzy's ex husband breaks in the house trying to take back a family heirloom--his great grandfather's desk..... that he lost during the divorce....
Owen was over for a 'sex go-around' that afternoon -- so Owen meets the ex-Christopher face to face.
Christopher says to Owen: "I don't know you, dude. And believe me, I don't care what's going on with you and Izzy. But here's a friendly heads up. She's five kinds of crazy". HE GOT THAT RIGHT!

In the meantime....
Lucy was naked with Ben. She was his 'girl-Thursday'. She was out feeling 'adorable'... smiling ear to ear! She lost weight... and was riding high. Her endorphins
were turned on!! As an aging female myself - married 39 years - I can definitely imagine Lucy's heightened sexual excitement. When women begin to feel desired - a little sexy - or adorable - lose a few of those extra pounds- it's like feeling on top of the world. ---

So... Lucy and Owen 'were' basically a normal happy married couple. The haggard parents were both exhausted and drained from parenthood with a challenging- precious - adorable - but challenging child....they had lost interest in sex with each other -- but they wanted to want to have desire for each other: A VERY COMMON FEELING WITH COUPLES WHO LOVE EACH OTHER.

Throughout this story - Sarah Dunn writes about several other couples who also don't feel lust for one another any longer either. One of the questions that lingers in the air is if both partners of a couple are fine about not having sex together--- is the relationship 'really' ok? Perhaps!!! ....... however.... it's also true that most people are having sex with somebody! --- and if this is so --- it raises questions on the vitality of a marriage without sex-- even 'if' both partners say they are fine without.

There are several other themes running throughout the story besides open marriage.
A kindergarten teacher was in the process of transitioning from a male to a female in front of her students as a teacher. When children came home and told her parents that their make teacher was now wearing a dress --One of the parents in particular went crazy. He wanted the teacher fired.

You know the old saying "rules are made to be broken"?..... well, I'm not sure Lucy and Owen intentionally went out of their way to TRY and break the rules that were set.... but the rules did get broken ---even though they're shady contract was not the best to begin with.

This is a very compelling read--- one of the BETTER BOOKS I've read on the topic of open marriage and or swinging. It shows many of the pitfalls of open marriage - yet the author paints a very real scenario of the process into the exploration of how a normal -overwhelmed - couple may find themselves experimenting. Adult sexual - choices - swinging - open marriage - polygamy -are more openly talked about - since the Internet. And books like this give readers an inside look into the organic development of why some couples risk what they have to explore the unknown.

I like it! Well written!!
Thank You Netgalley, Little Brown and Company, and Sarah Dunn

[Carol]

The Hook - I’ve got to ask myself “Why am I reading this book?” If I don’t know why how are you supposed to know.

The Line - Lucy explains how children change your life
Shoes that tied were the first thing to go.“

The Sinker - A basic definition of sinker A weight of lead or other metals designed to sink a hooked bait or lure.

A couple decide to embark on an experiment to spice up their marriage. What could possibly go wrong?

Ugh-hah? You think? Hmmm…can this really work? I was determined to find out.

I’ve always been interested in stories that explore marriage. Lucy and Owen, a married couple with a child “on the spectrum” jokingly outlines an open marriage, writing down the rules on a yellow legal pad.

”Rule number one: “No one can ever know,” Lucy called to him.”

laughingly sketching out five rules to stray by. Be careful what you joke about, as soon the joke becomes a reality as Lucy and Owen dip their toes into adultery. Is it adultery if you both approve?

This is perhaps the most irreverent domestic fiction I’ve ever read. I’m almost ashamed of myself for laughing my fool head off while reading The Arrangement. Not just quiet laughter but the boisterous kind. It’s not just the open marriage, there are some really strange characters here saying the most awful things. One of these involves a transgender teacher and it just seems wrong to laugh at that. And Wyatt! He’s precious and precocious and he says the darndest, funny things that bring a smile to my face.

But you can’t blame me. I can’t take blame for really enjoying this book about Lucy, Owen and their child, Wyatt. “It’s not my fault”. It’s Elyse’s, whose review I read, which hooked me; the one who made me read this book. Blame her!

Elyse’s Review

[Tooter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I was afraid that it would be silly and predictable but I ended up really enjoying the story and the author. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a well written, light read.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

“How is it that as a culture we've decided that it's completely rational to break up a nuclear family because one of the parents has sex with somebody else, even if it's only one time, or a minor fling, or whatever, but it's shameful and perverted to make some temporary accommodations inside a marriage so all parties can get their needs met while doing their primary job, which is staying together and raising their kids as an intact family unit?”...
“Yeah, but I'm not sure marriage should be like dating. Where you're always looking for someone to hook up with.”
“Not looking for it, necessarily. Just, not having to shut it down if it happens. Being able to feel like a sexual person walking through the world again.”
“I barely feel like a sexual person when I'm actually having sex.”

Say hello to marriage after children. After reading the quote above, an open marriage sounds like a sensible solution if all parties are on board, right? My God, it's a fantasy to most people anyway. Well Sarah Dunn explores a fictional couple's relationship during their experimental six-month-long open marriage. They're not allowed to talk about it. They can partake or not. They're giving each other permission, for six months, then it's a closed book forever. Why not?

With humor, flawed characters, complicated parenting issues, and even more complicated partners, The Arrangement was a surprisingly fun, engaging, and thought-provoking read in my opinion. It made me think that when you partake in something like this, it's not only about you and your marriage, but it's also about the people you pick outside of your marriage too. Is there really any such thing as no-strings-attached sex?

I foresee this novel potentially being one that receives mixed reviews, but personally, I really enjoyed it. The main plot is about this one couple but Ms. Dunn also incorporates smaller, brief explorations of the marriages of various neighboring couples. After being married for a number of years myself, I could relate to many of the relationship stressors in this book. Yes, it's fiction, but don't think for one second that a variety of options won't flutter across your mind when thinking about how to breathe fresh life into a marriage. Some you might consider and some you'll toss aside. Some will work and some will be an epic fail. But the point is you're trying. Check it out!

My favorite quote:
“Marriage doesn't hurt the cuddling or even change the sex all that much, but it does do something very bad to kissing. It does. And it's a shame.”

[Eva · Rating 1 out of 5]

To any friends or family who wonders why I prefer being single, why I have so many reservations about being in a relationship, why I have trust issues, why I doubt a man's capability to be both physically and emotionally faithful....THIS IS THE BOOK TO BLAME.
This is what happens when you go out of your comfort zone.
So this book started really well..speaking out against slut shaming, heroine being fairly sexually experienced (slept with around 35 men before the hero) and a couple who seemed to be happy, in love and faithful.
Then for some unfathomable reason (just because their friends have opened thier marriage and seem to enjoy it) the heroine suggests they have an open marriage for 6 months during which they can sleep with whoever they want and after that period they will be back to being faithful. Hero gives a weak-ass, obligatory protest but then agrees easily enough.

From there on everything goes downhill.

SPOILERS AHEAD...basically I am going to recount the main plot of the story and how I feel about it. If you don't want to read the spoilers then please skip to the end with bold writing where I have summarised the main message of the book.

The hero, of course, immediately finds a woman and has hot, great sex with her the very next day. Absolutely no guilt. Absolutely no regret. Absolutely no feeling weird. Absolutely no feeling this-is-wrong. HE FREAKING LOVED IT, LOVED HAVING SEX WITH OW AFTER YEARS OF ONLY HAVING SEX WITH h. He thinks about how much more adventurous OW is and this is compared to his wife who (after they had a autistic kid) was too busy looking after him to be care much about appearance, to care much about being good at sex. After having sex with OW, he comes home all giddy and happy like a freaking teenager who just lost his virginity. h can tell he probably had sex with OW. H & h then have sex-much hotter than in the past yet they of course continue with the arrangement. The OW is freaking evil, she is a total bitch who only sleeps with married men and tries to ruin marriages (because of some sob story about how her husband cheated on her. WTF!? So because your husband cheated on you now you want to ensure other husbands also cheat on their wives!? Yeah makes total sense. Not. ) OW constantly makes excuses to get H to spend more time with her and causes a lot of drama, even ends up going to H's house and making a scene.

While all this happens our lovely h is all chaste and celibate. WTF? What is the point of you suggesting an open marriage and allowing your hubby to sleep with OWs if you ain't gonna get laid yourself! DUMBASS. Apparently knowing she can sleep with OM if she wants to is good enough for her. Thank god for H's bff who sets her up with a OM to make things more fair after the bff hears about the open marriage situation. h FINALLY has sex with OM. Although it is weird, she likes it. She lies to her husband saying she is going to french classes (this is a open marriage so why you gotta lie and pretend like you are not having sex with OM??) when in reality she goes to see OM to have sex with him. Finally our girl is getting some too.

Meanwhile, our H is totally blissfully oblivious and ignorant. He never considers or thinks about who his wife might be sleeping with. He believes her lie about taking french classes and is too busy trying to get laid to really care. When OW 1 is getting too crazy, too impossible to handle so our amazing, absolutely lovely (please note the sarcasm) H decides to ditch OW 1. Why should he limit himself to only one woman? This is his once-in-a-lifetime-oppurtunity to sow his seeds again. He should be having sex with many women as possible before the time runs out and he has to be faithful again I kid you not, this is actually his thought process.

So he sets up a meeting with OW 2, a women from his past who is so gorgeous, apparently every man wants to fuck her, even the married ones, especially the married ones. How is she every married men's nightmare as well as wet dream because she is so sexy, she makes every guy want to cheat on his wife, makes every guy wish they weren't married. The hero goes on to talk about how stunning she is, how amazing she is in bed, how she never becomes emotionally attached and is always up for casual sex. Blah blah blah. So imagine his shock when OW 2 turns him down because OW 2 now has a boyfriend she loves. He never thought OW2 would ever be in a monogamous, committed relationship.

ANOTHER SECRET REVEALED which really pissed me off. So when h and H were engaged, H went to a party where he full on made out with OW2 and was really turned on but stopped it from going further. And he never told his wife. Wife never finds out. I am actually surprised he stopped himself before they had sex. You know what, I am actually surprised this guy has never cheated through out their marriage, well physically anyway.

So he moves on and finds OW3. He has sex with a young college girl who lied about her age or something. This is where the double standards become very apparent. This despicable asshole is outraged at the young women's such casual outlook towards sex and she sleeps with random men for fun and her ultra modern values. H rejects new values and thinks he is very proud of being traditional. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??? You are in a open marriage, you want to cheat on your wife, you have absolutely no respect for the sanctity of marriage or love and you think you are traditional?? You are here having sex with random women while you are married, at least OW3 is single.

So back to h, while H is enjoying his sexual exploits, h is falling in love with OM. Yes I 10000000000000% preferred OM over shitty H. OM was nothing really special but honestly at this point I was in the anyone-but-H camp.

So this is the best part...
H finally finds out about OM. This is simultaneously the most satisfying and frustrating part of the book. So H is outraged, completely shocked and in complete disbelief!
SAY WHAT!? BITCH PLEASE. I thought this was an open marriage meaning BOTH spouses are allowed to have sex with OPs. But subconsciously H thought h was just giving him a free pass to cheat, he deep down thought this was a situation where women say they will turn a blind eye to husband's cheating. He thought he can sleep with whoever whilst h will be all chaste and celibate because women apparently don't have any sexual needs. Poor guy's bubble totally shatters! HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH

Now this utter piece of crap decides to end this open marriage nonsense. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? It only took h also having sex with OM, to make you realise you suddenly want to be faithful. Well too bad. To my delight, h refuses! Lolololol. h continues to see OM. h moves out, asks for a divorce as she wants to be with OM.

At this point, I was crying out of sheer joy, dancing in delight, sighing in utter relief. But atlas....little did I know.

So this is the most depressing, non romantic, pathetic bit of the story. h goes to visit that friend who first opened their marriage. The wife absolutely hates the open marriage and thinks it was the worst idea possible. Husband fell in love with another women and wanted to cheat with this girl he really liked so he convinced his wife to have an open marriage and made her think it was her idea. Wife had sex with other men but realises she actually dislikes sex a lot- she is most likely asexual. H left and totally discarded wife because of course he wants the younger, prettier woman. But wife is waiting for the novelty to wear off and for him to come back. She is sure he will come back when he gets tired of the new woman and she will welcome him with open arms. Why? No, not because she loves him. Because she is too old and can't be bothered to start over again. She doesn't want to leave a nice comfortable house with a comfortable life to instead live in small studio apartment with a crappy job. Wow how romantic indeed. This is such depressing shit. I can't believe women have to do this.

Anyway h's bff is shocked that her setting h up with OM resulted in the breakdown of their marriage. So bff tries her best to stop h from leaving H for OM. Something about OM cheating on his wife when he was in med school cuz they had drifted apart. But it looks like she is gonna leave H.

H is shocked about the divorce. He thought they would never get divorced. H said he had fantasised about h dying a painless death and him grieving her for an appropriate time and then moving on to fuck countless women. He even had a list of women he would fuck if his wife died...apparently this is a common practice. But he never ever, in his wildest imagination thought they will get divorced. Okay, so you would rather your wife die than being divorced??? Wow how romantic. At this point I was totally disgusted and was crying because I realised I never want to get married.

In epilogue we are told h moves back in with H after months because.....whatever I don't really give a shit at this point. And h & H decide to give their marriage another shot. Apparently OW1 (because she actually fell in love with H) wrote some letter to h, urging her to give their marriage another try.

Excuse me while I go barf my heart out.

End of spoiler

So the message No. 1 of the story: women are incapable of having sex without falling in love. This was actually stated in the book towards the end. I can give countless evidence and examples to prove you wrong but I am not gonna try. But I will just say this doesn't make any logical sense- no guy has such a wonderful, amazing, magical penis that the women will be automatically overcome by a tidal wave of irresistible romantic feelings and would never be content with anything less than complete, eternal and 100% monogamous devotion. Sex never equals love. By definition feelings based on just sex is LUST NOT LOVE. By definition of the word, love can't be based purely on sexual desire. You can't actually love in fall with a person by just having sex, you have to actually know them, spend time with them doing other things, have to have intense, deep conversations and many other complex factors.

Message No.2 : men are incapable of being both physically and emotionally faithful. Even if a guy is physically faithful, he doesn't want to be faithful. The man will still lust after other women, wish you were dead so he can fuck them. Nice. If that's what marriage entails then I never want anything to do with it. I want a guy who is faithful because he actually wants to be faithful not secretly fantasizing I was dead so he can fuck countless women.

[Brandice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of The Arrangement was intriguing, the execution so-so. I stayed intrigued but I wasn’t blown away. Didn’t love the ending but definitely didn’t hate it.

Owen and Lucy are a married couple living in the suburbs outside of New York City, with their autistic son, Wyatt. After a conversation with a couple who came over to their house for dinner one night, Owen and Lucy decide to partake in an “arrangement” - an open marriage for a set time frame of 6 months, complete with rules including “Don’t fall in love.”

Their different decision making processes, selections, and thoughts were interesting to read about during the 6 months, although I definitely didn’t personally agree with some of them. This isn’t unique to this story though - it’s always interesting to me to see decisions people make, in general, but particularly in relationships especially the “why” behind ones that are so far from what I myself would do or choose. Anyway...

I also felt some of the things Owen and Lucy got mad at each other for were extremely trivial and irrational while they let a few other more drastic things just slide by. I didn’t love either of them as characters, but I also didn’t dislike them, or like one more than the other. My feelings about them generally shifted throughout the story.

There were a lot of side stories with neighbors and other people in the community but they seemed to all circle back together toward the end of the book, although I’m not sure the amount of time devoted to all of them was worth the late tie-in.

I didn’t mind the book - I’m glad I read it, just likely won’t be recommending it wide and far.

”Growing up meant saying no to some things. Life was a series of losses, some big and some small, and trying to imagine it was something else was folly.”

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I write this review on my 18th wedding anniversary. I really loved this novel. I couldn't look away! I could never do what Owen and Lucy did by having an open marriage, but I've heard stories by some that have. I liked the passages at the beginning of each chapter that gave me pause. Parts were funny at the calamity of keeping secrets and I especially liked the character of Owen. I saw a growth in him as he came to certain realizations and the tenderness and understanding he had for his son who was "spectrum-y" was heartwarming. I teared up a little at the end...not sure why, but there you have it. xo

[Crumb · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a deliciously scandalous book! This book was about a couple, Lucy and Owen, making a joint decision to try an open marriage for a period of no more than 6 months. This is what they call "the arrangement." These are the rules of the arrangement or what they cheekily refer to as the "fight club" (in reference to the movie). First. There is no fight club i.e., no talking about it. Ever. 2) Always use protection and 3) the singular, most important rule.. Never, ever fall in love.

They think they have it all figured out! They are more happy than they have ever been. So, what can possibly go wrong?

This was such a fun, light, perfect end of summer read. There were a couple things about the book that I didn't like, however. There were a few stories off in the peripheral of the book that didn't really hold my interest. In addition, I found it to be fairly predictable. However, for the most part, this was a good book that I would definitely recommend for fans who enjoy smart chicklit.

[Jennifer Blankfein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visit https://booknationbyjen.wordpress.com for all my reviews and recommendations.

Suburban young couple, Lucy and Owen are looking to feel energized and happy in their relationship, to bring back the butterflies, so their exciting but not so well thought out solution was The Arrangement. An open marriage for six months. Break all the rules. Do what you want. With whomever you want. No discussing anything with each other. They wrote out a handful of rules and agreed to follow them. This could be just what they need, right?

The freedom is refreshing. No trapped feeling. A reason to get dolled up. A feeling of less responsibility. So Owen gets caught up with Izzy, a crazy woman who’s husband cheated on her. She regularly seduces him and then asks him to do annoying chores around her house and although the sex is good, he starts to wish he never agreed to get involved with her or the Arrangement. On the other hand, Lucy finds Ben, a nice guy who she schedules a weekly rendezvous with and starts to develop feelings for. Thinking of Ben when she is not with him is nice, positive, and happy…the feeling of falling for someone. Then when she can’t make it to see him one day she has this burning desire to talk on the phone and realizes this may not just be a sexual fling. With a child in the mix and the lies told to cover up what was agreed to be kept secret, Lucy and Owen’s relationship complications multiply, and here you have the experiment called The Arrangement!

Sarah Dunn gives us an extremely humorous and well written tale of a typical young couple in the suburbs trying to reignite the lost passion with an unconventional Arrangement… a little sexy, a little daring, a little disastrous and a hilarious and accurate depiction of marriage, family and community. So enjoyable and quick – you should not miss it!

[Lisa Steinke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't laughed out loud this many times while reading a book before this one. I LOVED IT. It is funny, well paced, interesting (you get snippets of back stories on everyone) and just damn good. She's a TV writer and it shows here--especially in the smart and very real dialogue. She knows how people actually talk! Plus she nails motherhood, marriage and the suburbs like no one else.

Sarah Dunn has been one of my favorite authors since I happened upon a gem of a book called BIG LOVE many years ago. When I saw she had another book coming, I reached out to the publisher immediately and am thrilled I received an advance copy. I highly recommend this book! (Oh and there are chickens. A lot of them. Read it for the chickens!)

[Greta Samuelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down to 3 stars
Lucy and Owen are married, living in the suburbs in Hudson Valley NY and raising a young son who is on the spectrum.
They have dinner with some friends who share with them a counselor recommended a 6 month time period where they could sleep with other people/no questions asked to help their marriage.
Lucy and Owen decide to do the same thing (without any professional help). You can probably guess how wonderfully that works out…
There were some side characters that were fun to read about and I think the author did a pretty good job helping the reader understand the challenges of a 6 year old boy with Autism but the story was just okay for me.

[Tracy Fenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Arrangement is an original and cleverly written story about Lucy and Owen who decide to have a six month "open marriage - no questions" rumspringa where they can sleep around but obviously there are rules involved. No friends, no ex's and absolutely no falling in love!

This is a frank and often painful look at being married with some very funny observations about life, love and being parents.

Full of wonderful characters including their "spectrum-y" son Wyatt who wipes poop on the walls, Sunny Bang the best friend with an outrageous attitude, a transgender kindergarten teacher and a billionaire with a bee colony, this book kept me turning pages and laughing at their antics, but also thinking about the underlying message.

This contemporary novel made me laugh and smile and the authors skill of creating characters that were so realistic with their thoughts, feelings and concerns about marriage and sex that I was silently nodding in agreement throughout the book.

Highly recommended
Note. My thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.
PS. Despite nodding in agreement and connecting with the characters I will not be partaking in any threesomes or swingers partying.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Rule Number One: No one can ever know…
Rule Number Two: No falling in love…"

Rules for a temporary open marriage are excitedly scratched out on a legal pad, as a promising escape from, "the middle-aged, soul-killing part of married life." What follows is riveting and raw. It's impossible to look away. Oh, and it's funny too!

Lots to think about here- about the evolving nature of relationships, communication, slowly becoming invisible to your partner, the desire to be desired, and questioning "Is this all there is?". Very well done.

(Thanks Elyse for putting this one on my radar, you never steer me wrong!)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An ultra-high concept book about a couple who agrees to 6 months of an "open marriage." In and of itself, not really a storyline that appeals to me and combined with the vast amounts of hype this has received, normally I would've left this book on the shelf. BUT I am a huge fan of Sarah Dunn, from her first book Big Love, to her television show American Housewife, which is beyond clever and well-written (especially for a network comedy, where one must more closely toe the line). I'm so glad I went by the author not the subject because THE ARRANGEMENT exceeded all of my expectations. Dunn handled the hook with humor and grace and complete believability. I so completely bought into these characters it's hard to imagine they're not real. I loved the early days of their arrangement, the stinging tension of wondering what the other was up to. I loved the questioning of happiness, and the over-reading (or under-reading) of signs. I loved who the author chose for the husband. I think Sunny Bang and I could be best friends. This is just so well-written and hysterical and well-executed, I cannot say enough good things about it. Pick it up, even if the premise turns you off. Even if you think, um obviously a trial period of an open marriage is a horrible idea. It doesn't matter. So well done!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected this book to be a light read, something I could read on an airplane. I did read it as I travelled from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, and finished it the day after I landed, but it wasn't as light as I expected. It's about modern (perhaps, American) expectations of marriage as a source of endless romance and sexual fulfillment. And the fact that this is a fairytale. The way the story unfolds felt possible to me, and that is why I kept reading and really loved the story. There were times when I thought, "this is too much," and I thought about my own marriage, meeting in the early 70's, missing often as we tried to figure out who we were as individuals and a couple, and finally deciding that we would work things out together. I totally get that this might not have been the way our lives turned out. The main characters in this novel seem to understand that too. The unfolding of their lives together is the story. It feels worth reading. And actually, in spite of the "privileged" lives these characters live, fairly universal in terms of the myths all of us perpetuate about the possibilities of marriage.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Racism about 1/5 in made me put this down. “Sunny Bang narrowed her already narrow Korean eyes.” Okay, Sarah Dunn. You had to use her last name, because you wanted her to have the last name “Bang,” even though your other characters have no last name. The racial background of the characters isn’t mentioned, unless it is the alternate to the white “norm.” But narrow eyes? Casually dipping into the well of racist stereotypes used since the dawn of denigrating Asian people? You need a new hobby. You have some needed self-reflection before you’ll be ready for this one.

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved this. It had its moments of laugh-out-loud dialogue, especially from characters who reminded me of the gossiping moms in Big Little Lies. But it also had poignant moments of truth-telling with regard to marriage, parenthood, and growing. The author's voice was so compelling and spot on that I guzzled this read down. An addictive book which would make a fantastic TV series or movie. Would also be a great beach read.

[Rachel León]

What a deliciously fun read! I gobbled up this novel about a couple who decides to open up their marriage for six months. It's funny, sexy, and has hints of a Tom Perrotta novel. In other words, an excellent summer read or reading slump buster.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well.... That was a bummer.

I'm not really sure how I feel about this. The story was unbelievably stressful (in a great way). The characters are all awful people. Except Sunny Bang. She's fantastic. I want a whole book from her POV. That would have been a funny story.

Also this is supposed to be funny?!

HAHAHA THIS MARRIAGE IS IMPLODING IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES THAT'S HILARIOUS!



The was only one funny part and that involved the unexpected murder of a chicken in a church. Which probably has more to do with me being a bad person than it actually being funny.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and mildly amusing family drama-lite about a happily married couple who somewhat impetuously decide to give open marriage a go for a six month period. Owen and Lucy have very different experiences with their experiment and complications ensue. (Duh.) A 3.5 for me, but.....I am rounding up to a 4 since it was good, well-written escapism with a number of interesting characters and smart dialogue. I was especially taken with the portrayal of Owen and Lucy's 5 year old, son, Wyatt, who is two-and-a-half handfuls of special needs, demands and quirky behavior. Owen and Lucy's relationship with their challenging son brought a sobering dose of reality and complexity to the story.

I recommend this if you are looking for a break and need something on the lighter side without falling into predictable chick-lit territory.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. LOOOOOOOOVED it. Might be my favorite read of 2017 so far. Everything about this book was pitch-perfect: the characters, the conflict, the dialogue (oh, the dialogue was SO good - there's a reason that Dunn works in television), the pacing... The pacing! I could not, literally, put it down. Read it in a day or so and didn't want it to end. I mean, just, have I mentioned how much I loved it? My next book touches on similar themes as Dunn's, and I can only hope that I do it half as well. She explored all the various emotions and highs and lows of marriage and love and aging and relationships, and every single one of them was perfect.

Please don't wait five years between books, Sarah! Write faster!

Really really loved this, in case that wasn't clear. :)

[Lisa B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy and Owen have dinner with another couple. The other couple mentions that they are going to have an open marriage. At first, Lucy and Owen think “no way”. But then they go home and start to think about it. Maybe if they set up some ground rules, along with a start and end date, it would be kind of interesting. What could go wrong - right?

Think what you want about the moral implications of an open marriage, I thought this book was pretty darn funny. How many times has someone carefully thought through something, said “what could go wrong?”, and then 6 months later find themselves slapping their foreheads and saying “what was I thinking?” This is what happens to Lucy and Owen.

I loved the character Ms. Dunn has given us - especially the mom group. I think she has the different personalities pegged - the over-achieving mom, the organized mom, the nosey/gossiping mom, the slacker mom, the power hungry mom. And don’t get me started on the blessing of the animals at church scene!

Lucy and Owen’s experience with the open marriage concept are as different as night and day. I was a bit worried about how it would all end, but felt the author brought this to a reasonable conclusion. This story was not without some sadness along with some fairly serious reflections on marriage. All in all, I thought it was very entertaining.

4.5/5.0

ARC from Little, Brown and Company, via Netgalley. Publish date: March 21, 2017

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reason I chose this book was because Sarah Dunn is the creator of one of my favorite sitcoms, American Housewife, and I was curious to see if I would enjoy her book as much as I like the TV show. Unfortunately, I'm not that wild about this novel. I couldn't relate to the characters and I don't like the whole open marriage idea. It's well written but I just can't recommend it.

[Heaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

"We all have a strong preference that life should be easy, comfortable, and pain free, but that doesn't mean there's something wrong with life when it isn't those things. It's just life. It's just life and it's not how you would prefer it to be,but that doesn't mean there's something wrong with it."

The premise of this book immediately caught my attention, a book about a couple who decides to try having an open marriage? This is definitely a topic that we don't read about everyday.

The story follows a Owen and Lucy who decide to try having an open marriage over the span of six months, they made a list of rules they cannot break, however, life can get messy and plans change.

I really did enjoy this book, it was a fun read and different from books I normally pick up, however, throughout the book I did have moments of confusion. I understand the story being told in the point of view of Owen and Lucy, however, out of nowhere, we get these random people's point of view. When this happened I would have to stop and think to make sure I understood what was going on. I enjoyed some of the other points of views to see into different people's lives, however, I wish it flowed better and a little less confusing.


Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle (The Blonde Likes Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Lucy and her husband Owen get a little drunk at a dinner with friends, they learn that their friends have opened their marriage. They claim that opening their marriage reignited the passion they had for each other that had long been lost, and that they were happier than ever. Lucy balks at the idea, but after thinking on it for a while, decides to give it a try in hopes that she’ll stop feeling so invisible. She and Owen set ground rules, and add a end date to the experiment – 6 months, no questions asked, and no falling in love. When Lucy realizes she’s broken one of these rules, she has to decide if she wants to stay in her marriage or if this new romance is more intriguing.

Overall, I really liked The Arrangement. It was definitely a premise that I’ve seen on Lifetime, and we know this story never ends well for our protagonists! This story was no exception, and there were definitely bumps in the road, however I did like the ending of the story.

One thing that was unique about the book was the fact that the chapters alternated perspectives through not just Owen and Lucy, but also from a number of other characters detailing their own marital problems as well. I definitely liked Lucy and Owen’s story the most and honestly, it felt a little random that all of a sudden we’d have some random character in the middle of Lucy and Owen’s story. While it was interesting to see from the other characters as well that just because a relationship looks great on the outside doesn’t mean it actually is, it felt unnecessary and didn’t add a whole lot to the plot in my opinion.

The two other things that bothered me a little bit were the fact that there were a number of sexist comments in the book, and that there was some hate/shaming of a transgendered character. I do think that the author tried to write the characters as sexist/transphobic and that she herself doesn’t actually hold these beliefs, I feel like it didn’t necessarily come off that way to me. The statements happened enough that it made me uncomfortable to read them at parts. For example, “The women in this town could take over the world, their husbands all thought as they sat on the sidelines, watching. Thank goodness they’re happy to raise our kids.” – it was comments like that one that rubbed me the wrong way, and ultimately caused me to lower my rating from a 5 star to a 4 star review.

Overall, despite my issues with some of the language, I did enjoy the book and had a really hard time putting the book down! I flew through it, and it was definitely a light read. This is a perfect beach read if you’re looking for a light romance that also outlines the struggles of a long term relationship and coming to terms with the fact that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty average.

Lucy and Owen have been married for a while. They still love each other but something is missing. One night they have dinner with friends and learn they are having an open marriage. An arrangement they call it. Lucy and Owen decide to give it a try. They come up with a list if rules and decide to try the arrangement for 6 months.

Things quickly become more complicated then either anticipated. Owen gets involved with an overly clingy women. Lucy breaks one of the rules and falls in love.

If this book was just about Lucy and Owen I think I would have rated it higher. There are too many side characters that don't add very much too the story:
- The transgender kindergarten teacher transitioning to a man. This character seems to exist just so the other characters in the book can talk about how enlightened they are
- The billionaire with a young trophy wife who of course does not think a transgender person should be teaching his child
- Susan Howard and her husband are in a sexless marriage. Susan is really into causes and organizes a protest to get the transgender teacher his job back that involves bringing a bunch of animals to church, because reasons.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 *s. The Arrangement is the story of a married couple who decides to have an open marriage for 6 months, following a set of rules that they developed together. As expected, things don't quite go as planned. This book is hilarious. I read it in a day and just couldn't put it down. I don't read a lot of books that I would consider humorous, so I think it says a lot that I enjoyed it so much. Although "the arrangement" itself may seem silly, parts of this book ring true for many of us who have been married for more than a few years.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. . . What a nice change from my usual. The Arrangement is smart, funny and endearing. . . I was so sad when I was near the end . . . 5 stars all the way!

[Suanne Laqueur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. Loved. This. Oh my God, I loved it. So smart, so funny, so thoughtful, so real. Not everyone will love it but I give it all the stars and thank it.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect from this book. It seems a little outside of my usual fare. But I will listen to anything read by Ellen Archer, my favorite narrator. I'm never disappointed.

This is a book about a married couple who are reasonably happy but slightly bored with life at this point. They're also pretty stressed from caring for their young autistic child. They love him to pieces but he is very demanding of their time, energy, and effort. Their answer to their situation is "the arrangement": a six-month free pass to sleep with other people, with a well laid out list of rules to follow so absolutely nothing goes wrong. lol.

Once the story starts rolling, it's like a snowball being pushed down a hill, picking up size and mass, and you're just waiting for that inevitable crash against the brick wall. I practically listened to this in one sitting. I had my headphones on in bed and played '20-more-minutes' until it was finally over at 3:30 in the morning. Worth it. 5 stars, and another excellent performance by Ellen Archer, narrator extraordinaire.