THE ONE

5 stars out of 5

At-home DNA test kits seem to be all the rage now - I admit to being tempted by them myself (and will buy one if the cost drops about half). For the most part, the results reveal ethnic background and/or health risks based on heredity. But if you could take a DNA test that would put you together with "the one" - your absolute soul mate with whom you have a forever-and-ever love bond - would you sign up? At my age, and nearly 56 years of marriage to the same guy, I daresay there isn't much point. But what If you're single, or already have found the person you believe to be your one and only? And more to the point, what would you do if you learn that your predestined mate isn't the one you're with?

Ah, the plot starts out thick, and trust me, it thickens from that point on. Readers are introduced to five people from different walks of life who accepted the challenge, available from a wildly successful company that researched and developed the process. Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Nick and Ellie- all have been notified that a "Match" has been found. And - for better or worse - each has paid for the opportunity to connect with that perfect person.

Chapters show the progress of each of the five matches from beginning to end as well as what's happening around them. Nick, for instance, is happily engaged to Sally. Ellie lives the life of a self-made and wildly successful, but lonely, entrepreneur; Christopher has a secret life that he's not eager to share with anyone else - until, perhaps, he meets his "match."

And so it goes, with each chapter revealing more details and adding complexity (and sometimes nail-biting action) to each person's story - and yes, there are some big surprises along the way. Once I reached the halfway point, quite honestly, I didn't want to put the book down. Yes, I suppose some of the outcomes stretch believability boundaries a bit, but on the other hand, when I really think about it, as comedian Judy Tenuta says, it could happen.

Perhaps more than anything, though, this is an insightful look into human behavior - a realization that what we do in one situation can impact, often irrevocably, what happens in another. Whether intentional or not, the book also touches on the moral and ethical ramifications of DNA testing, particularly as it becomes more detailed - and more readily available. Is there really such a thing as too much information?

In the end, it's a "Wow!" from me. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The One by John Marrs (Hanover Square Press, February 2018); 416 pp.)