Thứ Ba, 22 tháng 1, 2019

The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli | Review

Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: February 5, 2019
Source of my copy: publisher
Series: standalone
My rating:

Synopsis
One devoted modern girl + a meddlesome, traditional grandmother = a heartwarming multicultural romantic comedy about finding love where you least expect it

Raina Anand may have finally given in to family pressure and agreed to let her grandmother play matchmaker, but that doesn't mean she has to like it--or that she has to play by the rules. Nani always took Raina's side when she tried to push past the traditional expectations of their tight-knit Indian-immigrant community, but now she's ambushing Raina with a list of suitable bachelors. Is it too much to ask for a little space? Besides, what Nani doesn't know won't hurt her...

As Raina's life spirals into a parade of Nani-approved bachelors and disastrous blind dates, she must find a way out of this modern-day arranged-marriage trap without shattering her beloved grandmother's dreams.


The Matchmaker's List, the debut of Sonya Lalli, was a surprising read. It didn't meet any of my expectations, but I enjoyed it anyways.

Beginning Ms. Lalli's novel, I expected a light, easy read with a second-chance romance, but the novel turned out to be a more serious novel. There was a lot going on: not only a modern girl and her meddlesome, traditional grandmother but also a headstrong mother, a stressed out best friend, aunties, uncles, and cousins—each with their own story. There was much discussion about culture clashes, traditions, and generational gaps between the characters. There were so many conflicts and so many twists and turns. For a while, I didn't warm up to this heavier read, so taken by the cover and synopsis, but as I kept going and forgot about my initial expectations, I ended up really liking The Matchmaker's List.

One of the reasons why I didn't warm up sooner to The Matchmaker's List was that I had a difficult time hearing Raina's voice. Going with my first expectations, light romances usually have strong character voices, even when written in third person. Yet, I couldn't hear Raina's voice, couldn't see her character shining through the first person narration, so I didn't know what to make of her or the novel for a while. But then, as I got to learn more about Raina, I realized that maybe it was because she didn't know her voice just yet either. The synopsis gets it right: Raina is a devoted and modern girl. She is also sassy, smart, cocky, and very insecure. Occasionally in the novel, there are flashbacks to her past, and in those scenes we learn the most about her: her relationship with her grandmother, mother, best friend, and ex-boyfriend. Learning about her baggage, I came to really empathize with Raina and admire her so much. She had much to learn throughout the novel, and although she may have taken longer than most to get to where she did in the end, I rooted for her every step of the way. I'm glad she found her HEA.

I loved Raina's relationships with her Nani and her best friend, Shay. I even loved the aunties and girlfriends in the background. I appreciate any story with strong female relationships, and The Matchmaker's List is definitely up there because they're pretty much half of the novel. The ups and downs between these women were natural and true-to-life. I could easily see me and the women in my life acting the same way with the same results, and the characters' interactions were as amusing and frustrating as they would be in reality.

There was so much drama. Every time I thought we were finally going to get to the bottom of something, the tail end of a different conflict is brought up, and we have to focus on that for a bit. It was like watching a soap opera, sans the cheese because I was really impressed by how everything flowed quite naturally. Then the ending—so simple. Admittedly,  I felt a little cheated because I wanted the OTP to have one more scene together of just being happy (especially since this romance novel is of the less steamy kind), buuuut it's okay. Much had already been said, and, so, all that was left to do was imagine the rest.

The Matchmaker's List was surprising, relatable, and enjoyable. I recommend it when you're in the mood for a more serious but sweet romance. If you're Asian American, you'll appreciate this novel that addresses culture clashes and generational gaps so honestly and authentically.

Ms. Lalli clearly has much to offer. I look forward to reading more from her.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40061992-the-matchmaker-s-list

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