The Arrangement
by Robyn Harding
A Pretty Woman tale turns toxic and deadly in this provocative thriller of sex, obsession, and murder from Robyn Harding, the “master of domestic suspense” (Kathleen Barber) and the USA TODAY bestselling author of The Party and Her Pretty Face.
Natalie, a young art student in New York City, is struggling to pay her bills when a friend makes a suggestion: Why not go online and find a sugar daddy—a wealthy, older man who will pay her for dates and even give her a monthly allowance? Lots of girls do it, Nat learns. All that’s required is to look pretty and hang on his every word. Sexual favors are optional.
Though more than thirty years her senior, Gabe, a handsome corporate finance attorney, seems like the perfect candidate, and within a month, they are madly in love. At least, Nat is…Gabe already has a family, whom he has no intention of leaving.
So when he abruptly ends things, Nat can’t let go. But Gabe’s not about to let his sugar baby destroy his perfect life. What was supposed to be a mutually beneficial arrangement devolves into a nightmare of deception, obsession, and, when a body is found near Gabe’s posh Upper East Side apartment, murder.
Emotionally powerful and packed with page-turning suspense, The Arrangement delves into the sordid, all-too-real world of shadowy relationships between wealthy, powerful men and the young women who are caught in their web.
Momma Says: 3 stars⭐⭐⭐
The Arrangement pulls us into the world of sugar daddies and sugar babies, and no matter how you color it, it still boils down to being paid for dates/sex. Pretty sure that's still considered prostitution. Nevertheless, Robyn Harding has created an intriguing story with Natalie and Gabe. The blurb mentions Pretty Woman, but I was reminded more of a Fatal Attraction situation. Minus the boiling bunny, but you get the gist. Also, the more I read, the more I realized that there really aren't many likable characters in this one. I felt sorry for Nat in the beginning. She's young, impressionable, and broke, and she doesn't think she has anyone to turn to. It's easy to see how Gabe takes advantage of her, but as things progress, she's not exactly innocent either. There is a decent twist toward the end, it isn't hard to figure out, but it's still pretty good. All things considered, I wouldn't consider The Arrangement a thriller, at least not until the last handful of chapters, but it is an interesting and entertaining story nonetheless.
The Arrangement pulls us into the world of sugar daddies and sugar babies, and no matter how you color it, it still boils down to being paid for dates/sex. Pretty sure that's still considered prostitution. Nevertheless, Robyn Harding has created an intriguing story with Natalie and Gabe. The blurb mentions Pretty Woman, but I was reminded more of a Fatal Attraction situation. Minus the boiling bunny, but you get the gist. Also, the more I read, the more I realized that there really aren't many likable characters in this one. I felt sorry for Nat in the beginning. She's young, impressionable, and broke, and she doesn't think she has anyone to turn to. It's easy to see how Gabe takes advantage of her, but as things progress, she's not exactly innocent either. There is a decent twist toward the end, it isn't hard to figure out, but it's still pretty good. All things considered, I wouldn't consider The Arrangement a thriller, at least not until the last handful of chapters, but it is an interesting and entertaining story nonetheless.
❃❃ARC provided by NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press
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