The arrangement: A missed opportunity

I'd never heard of author Robyn Harding when I picked up The arrangement at my local library. The premise sounded interesting! Let's see what I thought of the novel...

The arrangement | Published July 2019 | Read April 2022

The arrangement explores the world of sugar babes, where women are paid companions of (usually older) wealthy men. Natalie finds herself in this world as a struggling student in New York.

The premise for the novel had me intrigued. I like the way the author explores Natalie's initial struggle with her choices and then her obsession with her sugar daddy, Gabe, and his later betrayal of her. However, there is something missing for me in this book. It isn't that the characters are unlikeable, as I don't need to like them to enjoy the story, it is just that they seem a bit flat and cliched.

Natalie and Gabe also lack chemistry so their relationship doesn't ring true. Mind you, that could have just been the lack of character development. The ending of the novel is clever, though, but rushed in its explanation and presented in the 'tell' mode rather than 'show'.

The book is not a bad read if you want to wile away time, but there could be so much more to it. A missed opportunity, really.

Rating: ⭐⭐