The premise of this novel is intriguing - 3 friends create a list of curated referrals for dating. The rules are clearly laid out and the dating begins. Unfortunately, the dialogue is stilted and unnatural. It gets a bit preachy at times and these women have a bit of a "holier than thou" attitude. In the end, I finished it just so I could write a review and probably would have abandoned it halfway through.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Shamara Ray, and publisher Strebor Books for providing this eARC. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
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I wanted to love this book. I saw the low ratings, and thought, "How bad could it be?" and boy did I find out.

The three POV characters, Dylan, Ivy, and Brooke, were shallow at best. I sometimes got lost in who was speaking when or which POV I was reading. They way I kept them apart? <i>Their men</i>. Sebastian (Brooke's), Barrett (Dylan's), and Daveed (Ivy's) were more varied, complex, interesting, and compelling to read about.

While the premise was cute, the execution was not. What was the point in having a list of six men for each girl to date, if she was going to stop at Man Number One, or Man Number Two? The potential for awkward dates was through the roof, but we get one cringey date, and a second that is just kind of... pitiful. There could have been up to 15 bad dates! Or hell, add some *spice* and one of the girls could have liked three of her six picks and had to pick one! And why make a rule that the ladies couldn't talk about the program, but then never have the program accidentally get revealed? Why mention the ladies meet up monthly for brunch, and only show brunch happening twice? I'm pretty sure this book goes over the course of about six months. There's a pattern here of plot devices being added to the plot and then not being used in the plot!

The book ends with one of the girls getting engaged, and calling an end to the referral program officially, declaring it "a success" because if you're over 35 and single, that's (somehow?) a problem. This feels almost like an attack on feminism: she's got the job, the car, the house, but no man, and therefore, her life isn't good enough.
Disclaimer: I know it's just a book and it ain't that serious. Let me be salty.

I Loved this I was intrigued from page 1 all the way till the end. It definitely was given Run The World vibes.

The Referral Program by Shamara Ray is my first read by this author and I’m very happy I was able to be drawn in the the way that I was.
This book drew me in and the main characters were likable and totally engaging.
I enjoyed bring with these characters.
It made me smile and it kept my attention the entire time.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Atria Books & Strebor Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I wanted more to love this book. The premise of the book sounded so good but the execration of this book fell flat. There was too many characters in this story there was way too much going on. I wish there was more development in the ideas of this book but in the end it just didn't do it for me.

Just not good overall. Too many characters and none are described physically or with distinguishing personality. You could switch any of the women and any of the men and nothing would change. I couldn’t keep the couples and women apart because they were all so similar. There is also a lot of strange misogyny and negative social commentary that is out of place. The largest conflict was something that would upset a middle schooler. I’m sure some will like it but this is not a quality romance novel for me.

Three friends, Dylan, Ivy and Brooke cook up a plan to inventory all the men they know -- friends and co-workers -- and create a list of six eligible bachelors to set the others up with. Each woman is responsible for finding six men; three for one and three for the other; that way in the end, each woman has a list of six guys to date. They start at the top of the list and if it doesn't seem like a match with that guy, they move on to the next. Simple enough right?

Dylan's last relationship ended badly after, what she thought, was going to be a loving proposal on Christmas Day with her entire family around. Even though that relationship went sour, Dylan did not give up her quest for companionship.

Brooke, on the other hand, has seemingly given up on this idea of Prince Charming. She has put her head down and worked her butt off and considers her professional successes all that she needs to sustain her. Brooke has her walls all the way up.

Ivy is somewhere in the middle of the two. She's not indifferent to a relationship but she's not super open either. She goes into the Referral Program with an open mind -- not too eager, but not too closed off either.

The concept of the "referral program" is cute, if there were more eligible men to date, I think women all over would do this. My only complaint is that I have a hard time coming to the reality that some of these men have never met these women before! Not to spoil it but, one "eligible man" is literally childhood friends with one of the women, how has he never been to a housewarming or birthday party? How have they never crossed paths before -- do people keep their different friend groups separate?

Another "eligible man" is one woman's neighbor. You can't pay men to believe that he would have never met any of her other friends.

This was a quick read. The dialogue and writing were not terrible. I do feel like the main characters' development was lacking: To me, the men had more personalities than the women. Two of the three men were more emotionally mature than their women counterparts. And the big 'TO DO' that comes out as the "plot twist" was boring and over-blown. At their big age and with their long-standing friendship, they all should have behaved better.

Excelllllllent! What a cute storyline with an even better set of characters. I loved the various POVs that not only help move the story along but add to its richness. And the change in who was sharing their POV was never confusing. You felt like you were watching a movie versus reading a book. Each characters personality was unique and complimentary. No one over/under shines. It allows for the reader to find her/himself in a character. I loved the romance and how the relationships developed and each at their own pace. Great book! Great beach read! Heck, great year round read!!!!

This book was a good time! It is written from a few different perspectives and at some points I was having a hard time keeping track of everyone, but I think that's a me problem! It was an enjoyable romance that I liked reading but isn't too memorable for me. I would recommend for anyone who likes match-making tropes!

First, thank you to Atria for the ARC! Unfortunately, this was not for me. I am not usually a romance reader, but sometimes I like to try them out because there are romances I enjoy... this wasn't one of them. If you're a romance reader, you would probably feel differently than me.

The premise is fine - three women "referring" men they know to each other is interesting and honestly doesn't sound like a bad idea - but the execution felt flat. The writing is awkward. The author uses character names excessively (on one page I counted TEN uses of the same name. It just feels clunky). The dialogue made me think "people don't talk like this" more than once.

I'm a reader who likes to skip the "background" bits. This book had a lot scene setting background moments, like driving to a restaurant and getting stuck in traffic. Instead of sitting there with the character, this could have been mentioned during brunch. There are long descriptions of things like an afternoon spent gardening. Scenes like this really messed with the pacing and my enjoyment. I think this could have been tidied up quite a bit. This is definitely a "me problem."

The three main women all felt very similar. Without the author name dropping them constantly I genuinely would have mixed them up. A lot of scenes are really similar and happen back-to-back. There are scenes that are repetitive - more than once a man tells one of the women "you're exactly like x described you" and I just. I don't know. I don't like a lot of repetition.

Also. Referring to a vagina as a "kitty" DURING A SMUT SCENE really bugged me?? Again, another "me problem."

The relationships felt a little rushed and I didn't connect to any of the characters, so I really struggled with this book.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! I was really excited about this one! It sounded like a fun premise; three friends starting a referral program to set each other up on dates. It fell short for me though. There were so many characters and relationships happening all at once, it was hard to keep them straight. I also didn’t find the characters too likable or find much connection to them. Emotions in this story just seemed kinda all over the place. I love a happy ending in a book, but the journey to get there in this one was not super enjoyable for me.

I loved the premise of this book, which is three friends who have been unlucky in love, who have male friends, that they think would be perfect for each other.

However, I almost didn't finish this several times. This reminded me of what I always think those reality dating shows are like, where people sit around and talk and talk and talk about feelings, and process and all that stuff. That is not what I want in a romance. I was looking for a rom-com, or perhaps something thoughtful, but this just had people talking and having sex, and talking. The dialogue wasn't even stimulating.

So, this book was not for me. Perhaps those who like reality dating shows would love this.

Thanks to Netgallely for making this book available for an honest review.

This was so cute! I really enjoyed this and it was highly entertaining. I loved the story line for this book!
I just reviewed The Referral Program by Shamara Ray. #NetGalley
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Thank you for sending me this amazing Arc. I have been introduced to a new author and the description got me immediately. I loved the idea of sister friends, it reminded me of some of my favorite black friend/sister movies. I loved that the characters were older too and honest about what they look for in relationships. I think some of the extra characters got me lost; like some of their dates that didn’t go well. I kinda felt bad for Dylan’s first referral! That’s just me. I also would have loved a sentence or 2 of consent especially when they were intimate. It kinda just went which wasn’t bad but I would have appreciated a head nod or something like can we do this unprotected? In some of those moments but I kept reading regardless. I get they’re grown and clean but that’s just my preference. I think this story has something really great to take away from reading it. I loved how their friendship was the most important relationship of them all. Love love love !

I DNF'd this at about 5% in. Not only was the intro lacking depth, it just wasn't written well. It kept explaining what had happened with little to no detail and the dialogue was weak. I really wish the writer/editor could sit down and do a strong rewrite overall because the plot sounds, good, romantic and funny and could possibly spur off more sequels among the group of friends. Too bad.

I’d like to thank Atria Books for providing me with this ARC via NetGalley.

I knew I had to read this book just from the title and cover alone. I was even more excited when I read the description. Three beautiful, successful women find themselves still single in their mid-thirties. Tired of today’s dating culture and its misadventures, the ladies decide to go the way of the previous generations and introduce each other to eligible men within their own friend/family circles. Awesome; right?!

Imagine my disappointment when it took me nearly a month to read. This book had so much promise and started out really well. Unfortunately it fell short a little less than halfway through. I found myself confusing the characters, their respective relationships and who introduced whom. There wasn’t enough distinction between the characters to set them apart from each other (the lines were blurred).

I will say that the writing was very good with very few grammatical errors.

I will post my review to other platforms closer to the release date.

I was super excited to get this book as I liked the premise of this. Three best friends in their 30's get together and decide they want to find Mr. Right. They all have male friends who they are close to but not right for them so why not introduce them to your friends and see if they hit it off. Dylan, Ivy and Brooke must refer men who they men who they think will be a match for their friends.

You will set up the date and if the first one doesn't work move on to next on the list. Hoping that you will find your match.

Everybody managed to couple up. The three woman's point of views were all very similar and seemed to blend instead of being distinctly different. Also I figured there would be some bad date horror stories to make this a little funnier and draw it out more.

Thank you to Netgalley for an arc of The Referral Program! Here is my honest review.

Rating : 1.75-2 / 5 (DNF)

DNF'd at 15% or around chapter 10. I was excited for this arc, found the premise very interesting but unfortunately this fell flat for me. I was having difficulties keeping up with the POV changes and the characters didn't feel fully developed to me. I truly wish I could've enjoyed this but as a fast reader, the POV switches were getting me lost.

Dylan: "Tell me, Ace, who has been making you feel that you're enough the way you are? That you don't need to have goals or strive for better? Was it whoever was texting you repeatedly yesterday?" (3%)

HOLY. A lot to unpack here. Dylan is allowed to feel angry Ace is breaking up with her. That said, she's asking for an explanation he doesn't want to give, he tells her he feels like he isn't ready for marriage with her and wants to end their relationship and let her find someone who is ready for marriage, and she goes off with the above accusing him of cheating and pointing out that no, he isn't enough. She is just mean, and I don't want to root for her. Have a bit of grace for someone you were ready to marry yesterday. Just say goodbye.

Not rooting for her. Not interested in reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

Hey there, bookworms! Today, I'm here to share my thoughts on "The Referral Program" by Shamara Ray, a novel that promises a fun and engaging story about a group of single ladies trying to find Mr. Right. Buckle up and let's dive into it!

At the heart of this book are Dylan and her best friends, a trio of single ladies in their mid-thirties who are facing the harsh reality of not having found their perfect match. They reminisce about their college days when love seemed so much simpler, and now they find themselves pondering the daunting possibility of being alone forever. Cue dramatic music

During one of their regular get-togethers, fueled by wine and girl talk, the ladies come up with a brilliant plan: The Referral Program. The idea is simple yet intriguing. Each woman must refer a potentially good man for her friend to date. It's like a matchmaking adventure, full of laughter, surprises, and perhaps a little bit of chaos.

Now, this is where the story lost me a bit. I managed to reach 43% of the book before deciding to put it down. While I initially thought it had loads of potential, it ultimately fell flat for me. Why, you ask? Well, let me tell you.

The novel employs three different points of view, each representing one of the three friends. At first, I was excited to delve into the unique perspectives of these women and witness their personal journeys unfold. However, I quickly realized that their voices weren't as distinct as I had hoped. Instead of experiencing diverse personalities, it felt like I was reading the same point of view over and over again, just with slightly different contexts and men. It became a bit repetitive, and I longed for more variety and individuality among the characters.

On the positive side, I must acknowledge the author's exploration of different aspects of relationships through each protagonist. They touch on various themes, from trust and compromise to personal growth and self-discovery. I appreciate how the book addresses these important elements, as they provide food for thought and give the story depth.

Despite my reservations, I believe "The Referral Program" could still be an enjoyable read for those who crave light-hearted romantic adventures. If you're in the mood for a book that delves into the ups and downs of modern dating, sprinkled with friendship and a dash of self-reflection, then give it a try. Who knows, you might find yourself more captivated by the characters than I was.

While this book didn't quite hit the mark for me, I encourage the author to further develop the distinct voices of the characters in her future works. Adding more individuality and uniqueness to their perspectives will undoubtedly elevate the reading experience.

That's it for today's review, my book-loving buddies! Remember, even when a book falls short of expectations, there's always something to take away from the reading experience. So, grab a cup of tea, cozy up with a new novel, and keep exploring the vast literary world. Until next time, happy reading!