3.5/5

Very enjoyable, though I could really tell it was a Wattpad story before it turned into a book. 

I liked Lila and Cupid together, but for some reason, I also felt like it was too good to be true. I'm not the biggest fan of Insta-love and that's exactly what this book is about. The premise was good, but the execution lacked a little. Like I said, I can really tell it was a Wattpad story before.

I can't say I completely agreed with the entire mythological aspect of this book, but then again, I'm a really big mythology nerd and I happen to know the myths that were used in this book. It wasn't all that accurate, but it's not overly disturbing.

It was a fun read overall and I definitely recommend if you're looking for a light, summery read about Cupid and insta-love.

Thanks to NetGalley, I received ”Cupid’s Match” in an kindle book format to give my honest opinion on it! 
I won't be giving spoilers just because I want everyone to enjoy this book just as much as I did. 
Cupid’s Match is a Wattpad original and I had the pleasure to read it before Lauren was published! But I wanted to re-read this ”Wattpad Classic” and see if it still remained one of my favorites now that it's being published. 

First off, the synopsis!
”When seventeen-year-old Lila Black goes to the LA based Cupids Matchmaking Service it is to tell them to stop spamming her. Instead she finds out that cupids are real, she has been identified as the ‘match’ of the banished, dangerous (and irresistibly attractive) Cupid himself, and that due to an administrative error he will be arriving at her high school tomorrow.
The organization assigns one of their Matchmaking Agents, Cal, to hide her from him, but despite his efforts she finds herself increasingly drawn to her match. And though Cupid may be reckless and arrogant, he doesn’t seem nearly as dangerous as people have been telling her.
She soon discovers that the Matchmaking Service will go to deadly lengths to make sure the match doesn’t take place, that Cupid may have a secret agenda, and that she must fight her growing feelings for him; because if the two get together, Lila may not survive the consequences.
When the inevitable happens Lila finds herself caught alongside Cupid and Cal, in a fight for her life, on one side of an Ancient battle over Love itself.”

Going into this book not so blindly, I knew what I was getting myself into. Believe it or not, I think rereading this book rekindled my love for it. 
I use to be such a Cal girl for the longest time and had a love/hate relationship with Cupid. BUT, I can now say I'm a Cupid girl!
For sure, like from another review I saw just recently, Cal and Cupid are the new Damon and Stefen from the Vampire Diaries.
And I HATED The Vampire Diaries books. (the show was actually better.) 

I DO however hated the whole high school scene. I find books that take place in High School to be rather annoying, but I can't put that as a con for reading this book.
A con I would have to say, is I wished Lauren took a little more time on this book. It was fast paced and I found myself lost sometimes. Other than that, this was a great second AND edited reread. I still can’t find much to tell you what’s bad about this book. I just loved it that much, in fact, I think the characters are even making me say love a little more than usual. I love (well there it is again!) supporting my fellow Wattpad authors, and Lauren did such a great job getting to this point and I'm extremely happy for her. 

Cupid's Match hits bookshelves this October 1st, 2019. I highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoys romance and mythology. Congrats on your new published book Lauren Palphreyman! And have a great time reading this one folks!

I remember reading this on wattpad and falling in love with the book, now rereading this book I fell in love with it again. There is the perfect amount of action and intrigue with a mix of romance. The plot is original and the characters are very likeable. The only problem I had with the book is that sometimes it felt rushed, especially at the end of the book.

Lila is “matched” to the one person she can never be with; Cupid. There are laws forbidding those who create mortal love matches. Lila’s match with Cupid is the catalyst to events that could lead to the end of the known world. This match also sets events in motion within Lila’s own personal life, and she’ll have to face what love truly means while navigating this new mythological world.

I found this book enjoyable and fun. There are not enough Young Adult Greek mythology books out there. This book captured the drama of Greek tragedy and romance. I’m a sucker for romance and mythology so this book was destined to be on my shelf. The mythology was good, staying true to the roots of the myths, while still bringing a new perspective that was fun. People who know their myths, as well as newcomers, will enjoy the contemporary qualities set to classic stories. Hopefully, it will also pave the way for more Young Adult mythological retellings.

I found the concept of a Matching Agency intriguing considering the way online dating affects how we enter relationships. It seemed to combine compatibility concepts as well as the element that only love seems to both contain and need. The disciplined agency, and the wanton gods of love in classical mythology made for a wonderful contrast that shows how many facets love has.

I felt that there were some underdeveloped parts of this book, which I found to take away from the book, however, I didn’t know that this was to be a trilogy. That changes some of my thoughts about the underdeveloped aspects. It being a part of a trilogy means that there is going to be more growth in the world, the plot, and the characters. To not spoil the book, or to cast judgment when there are more books to offer development in areas I noticed, I will wait to see how the next books develop.

Overall, this book is a whimsical while also brutal take on classical Greek myths that I believe is needed in the Young Adult genre. I look forward to the sequel and seeing these new characters and all the challenges they have yet to face.

Solely based on its blurb, this book could’ve been great. And while “Cupid’s Match” wasn’t horrible per se, it wasn’t good either.

Part of my problem with this book was the writing. It felt juvenile and fanfic-y, and overall, it just wasn’t what I’d expect from a published author.
My other issue were the characters. I wasn’t a big fan of any of them, but I strongly disliked Cupid. I found him to be especially unlikable. And not in a good way where the character acts like a "badboy“ but is secretly quite nice. Just unlikable.

Overall: interesting idea, but flawed execution.

**I received an e-ARC of "Cupid's Match" from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review--all thoughts and feelings expressed are my own.**

" 'I think you have a wild and reckless heart Lila,' he says, finally. 'Like your mom.' " - Lauren Palphreyman, "Cupid's Match"

---------------------------------------------------

I was really intrigued when I saw this book available on Netgalley--I've never read a book about cupids and I love mythology! Knowing it was a Wattpad book, I came into this with low expectations for the writing/execution & because of this I think I enjoyed the book. 

Describing this book in just a few words I would say: highschool rom-com with mediocre world-building & rushed plot. BUT, despite these downsides, I was able to enjoy this book simply for what it is, a silly supernatural romance. Which is why I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars--it really brought me back to my high school & middle school days when books like this were my obsession (so obvi an extra point for nostalgia's sake). 

Honestly, I just had a lot of fun reading this book--it was silly & fast-paced (wayyy to fast sometimes). Cupid's Match is essentially the same as other Wattpad stories--simple writing, fun premise, and a super quick read. Anyways let's get into this, my dudes!!



// so what its about? 

Cupid's Match tells the story of Lila Black, a young woman, who begins receiving unwarranted messages and emails from the Cupids Matchmaking Service. At the matchmaking headquarters, she discovers that her one & only match is Cupid (ya know...the mythical arrow shooting love god). However, Cupid is dangerous and their love is forbidden...she must avoid matching with him at all costs. 

Of course, things don't go quite to plan and Lila soon finds herself immersed in the world of matchmaking cupids and other mythological creatures--who, incidentally, are trying to kill her & Cupid. 

Okay--no more plot information for you, if you want to know more you're gonna have to read the book yourself! 

"I am contacting you on behalf of the Cupids Matchmaking Service. You will not have heard of us but we are an organization that works behind the scenes of society, identifying each person's perfect match."


// worldbuilding + magic/mythology 

I was very curious to see how Palphreyman would represent myths in the modern world & I was honestly a bit disappointed. It reads like a fanfiction & the worldbuilding + magic system is at that level (although it does read like a really good fanfiction. The concepts were great & could've been crafted into an amazing modern mythological tale...but it definitely fell short. Also, there are many inconsistencies with the mythology...so don't pick this book up if you're expecting something following the history. 

The world and mythology Palphreyman crafted/incorporated was fun & simple (even if the execution was a bit sloppy). As I said, it's a fun book & reads like a stereotypical rom-com! Overall, I would rate my enjoyment with the worldbuilding a 3.5 out of 5 stars but the actual quality of it 2 out of 5 stars. 

// characters 

The main characters in this story: Lila, Cal, & Cupid are nicely written--I would've preferred if they'd been a bit more fleshed out & had actually grown throughout the story. All of the characters are flawed in this story--but we really only explore "the why" for Lila. In this book, we are left in the dark about Cal & Cupid's backstory. All the characters personalities were very clear & I enjoy how they all interacted...especially the banter between Lila & the boys. 

Cal is super reserved and doesn't share much of anything about himself. You can tell he isn't used to having people care about him & he seems really lonely. He is portrayed as Cupid's opposite--reserved, rule-follower, and responsible. (I really liked his & Lila's relationship--I felt at times they had a more genuine connection. Cupid and Lila's relationship seemed to be driven by the Match as opposed to an actual connection). Do I smell a love triangle?

Cal & Cupid's relationship reminds me-a lot-of Stefan & Damon from The Vampire Diaries. Cal is Stefan & Cupid is Damon 100%! 



Cupid is a very odd character in my opinion--everyone says he's so dangerous & horrible, but that doesn't turn out to be true at all. He is definitely reckless and a bit wild, but when it comes to Lila he is a complete softie. For being THE CUPID, I thought he might be a bit smarter about love & matches--but wow he was a bit of an idiot. But he is funny & is essential to this book, in order to contrast Cal's seriousness. Part of me loves him & finds him swoon-worthy, but another part of me is completely ambivalent towards him. 

"He is the original. The most powerful of us all. He is Cupid himself. And he has been matched...with you."


Lila is a fun character, but she does struggle with love & allowing herself to love. In this book, she does grow & allow herself to love which was fun to watch. However, it does seem mainly driven by the 'match' & a bit insta-lovey (which I am NOT a fan of). I also enjoyed how brave she was and willing to do a lot for those she cares about. & I'M SORRY, but I ship her & Cal--I could really see them growing love with each other & pushing each other to grow & change. 

// writing style 

There are many flaws in this story, but it was such a fun read I found myself able to overlook them. The writing style is very immature & there are wayyy too many descriptions of clothing. I don't need to know that Lila is wearing black converse & skinny jeans. More show, less tell! 

The pacing was a bit odd and many things felt a bit repetitive/unnecessary. I don't think there was enough time put into developing the characters and their relationships. The second half of the book is much better than the first half, which is a bit difficult to get through. 

This book is a really really immature YA & very light--I wouldn't recommend it if you enjoy darker & more mature YA. 

I think this book could make a great TV show or movie, it would make the cutest rom-com with a supernatural twist! All in all, I had a lot of fun reading the book & it brought me back to my fanfic & paranormal romance loving days. If you've enjoyed both those things at any point and want a fun story that will make you feel nostalgic I would 100% recommend Cupid's Match. I'd also recommend it to younger readers in middle-school or early high school, it seems to be at the perfect maturity level for that age group! 

**I received an e-ARC of "Cupid's Match" from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review--all thoughts and feelings expressed are my own.**

I had a hard time with this. It’s supposed to be a romance ... but I couldn’t stand Cupid. He was just so full of himself and for someone who came to an place because he knows his ‘match’ is there but then proceeds to ‘hook up’ with all the females in the high school basically, he just read as a dog. Maybe he gets better as the series progresses but for me he just read as such a man whore I didn’t really care about him getting a hea.

I really really enjoyed this book. It was quick, interesting, and well written. It had all the feel good feelings and some good fantasy and mythology as well! it was the perfect book to read when needing something easy and entertaining. I loved the characters and definitely hope to see more of them! if you liked the sweet evil series by Wendy Higgins you may love this one too!

4.5. Wow there are a lot of passionate opinions about this book. I thought it was a great YA read, especially considering it came from Wattpad, and I really enjoyed the fresh take on love, cupid, and other figures from myth. Essentially, Cupid is a real being, and is the original of a "dating" service that sends cupids everywhere to make matches happen. But there's a rule. NO CUPID CAN EVER BE MATCHED. And of course, our protagonist, Lila, is Cupid's match. There's action, a potential for Lila caught between Cupid and his brother (which I'm really hoping leads to a second book, possibly even a third if we get Crystal and the Minotaur's story), steamy romance (although tame enough to be considered YA still), and a climactic end scene that neatly wraps up the story. I really enjoyed this for what it was, and would definitely read more by this author.

Once a week I scroll through Netgalley to see what titles they're offering and then I allow myself to request one title. (Unless I still have books from Netgalley to review, of course.) And after scrolling past this title for a few times, I noticed that it kept on drawing my attention. So, last week I requested this book and a few days later I already got the e-mail telling me that I got it!

And this morning, when I started reading, it felt like love at first sight. I read half of the book in one go, then took a short break and then read the rest. That was partly possible because it's very nicely written. The English is easy, but never become childish, and flows nicely and the writing style really fits the characters.

But, it's mostly because the plot is just very amusing and well done. The main characters, Lila, Cal and Cupid, are very nicely written. They're flawed, have personalities and Palphreyman really takes the time to build their relationships, to connect them, to click their personalities. I would have loved to see a little more of Cal, but I guess that him being slightly reserved is a big part of his personality. With Cupid it was sort of love at first sight, especially because he has this little bad boy vibe, without actually being one.

And then there's the plot. The plot has a lovely pace. We enter the story straight into the action and just like Lila we discover bit by bit what's really going on and what's really happening. Every new piece of information gets the time to sink in, but Palphreyman keeps adding new twists and turns and has a nice mix of emotional and calm scenes and more action driven ones.

In the finale there's more mythology thrown into the mix. For me that could have come earlier, especially because it's very well done, and I would have loved to see way more of all those well known creatures and monsters and anti-heroes. But, there will be more books, so maybe those will satisfy that need! I can't wait to read them!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis of this book sounded promising and the story line had a lot of potential, but the execution left me disappointed.
If I had to describe this book in one single word, I would use 'rushed'. From the romance, to the plot, to the world building, to the conclusion, everything simply felt hurried.

The world building was weak. I was constantly filled with questions and confusion as to how the world of cupids worked. By the end of the story, I still had many questions left unanswered. Perhaps there will be a sequel that will fill in all of these gaps, but I think the first book should have wrapped itself up nicer on its own. 
The ending as a whole was too abrupt. They were in the middle of a battle and then Lila suddenly blacks out as she makes an attack, and when she wakes up, everything is fixed. And then the book is just over. Again, perhaps leaving the reader hanging was intentional if there is a sequel coming out and the author wants us to be left with questions and curiosity to continue reading the series.

The romance between Lila and her boyfriend at the beginning of the story felt weird. She seemed to be in love with him, but within a couple of days of meeting Cupid, she never wants to see him again. It made sense to end their relationship based on the recent events, but ending their long-term friendship seemed unnecessary and unrealistic to me.

Cupid's character honestly felt a bit inconsistent to me. When we were first introduced to him near the beginning of the novel, I was certainly intrigued. He was hilarious, mysterious, and very attractive. He reminded me of the typical "bad boy" love interest from paranormal YA fiction, which I liked. I was so sure that I was going to fall in love with him and I began to, with dialogue like this: 
“You didn’t sleep much?” he asks as he swaps in another mug and presses the button again. When I shake my head, he nods knowingly. “Too busy thinking about me, I’d guess,” he says. “I don’t blame you, I am pretty dreamy.”
Unfortunately, it didn't last all that long. His lines quickly became painfully cheesy and he somehow often felt like an entirely different character.
He looks at me intensely. “I’d battle a Roman legion to get to dance with you.”
Cupid and Lila definitely has some chemistry when they first met, but after that their relationship felt extremely rushed and unbelievable. I think that a few more scenes between the two of them could have added a lot to the story.

There was also a love triangle sort of thing in the book that felt really random to me. Lila suddenly seemed to have feelings for somebody other than Cupid, and it just didn't make sense, in my opinion.

However, all these things aside, the book was somewhat enjoyable. It was entertaining, even if confusing and rushed at times. The mythology aspect was interesting and there was some fun banter between characters. I think the premise was really cool, but it could have used another round of revisions for a stronger story. 
If you're looking for a really well developed paranormal story, this probably isn't the one of you. If you simply want a a quick and entertaining story involving mythology and cupids, you might want to give this one a try.

Cupid’s match follows Lila Black in LA who has been receiving mail from a dating agency called Cupid’s Match Services, she already has a boyfriend called James. She has been matched with Cupid himself - an actual paranormal being, the God of Love. 
She then finds out Cupid is starting the same high school as her so there’s no avoiding him. 

I like Lila as a character she seems to have a good set of morals. My heart went out to her what she’s been through loosing her mother & her having to care for her father. 
Cupid was sexy, mysterious and mischievous. I loved the way he protected and cared about Lila. The way he was physically described meant I could picture him as a totally handsome guy. 

Good descriptions of the scenery and surroundings. Like the way the author mixed Lila’s feelings of anger and desire. The romance wasn’t insta-love despite being matched together the tension built up slowly. 

High school romances always seem to get me out of a reading slump, but with the mythology twist this was unlike anything I’ve read before and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  

Thank you to netgalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

I first read Lauren’s Book when I was on Wattpad, a few years ago and I fell irrevocably in love with all the characters. 

You’ll never see anything like this anywhere, it’s diverse and unique to the point where you find yourself in a reading slump afterwards, wanting to read more stuff that’s somewhat similar but you just can’t because it can’t be found—it doesn’t exists! Lolol 

The main characters had explosive chemistry and the heroine had such a charming personality. Firstly and strong! 

Lauren creates a mythical world that in unmatched, not many can achieve such a glorious YA book making 50million readers fall in love, including me. 

Can’t wait to get this in print.

The buildup to this book was 90% of it and then the action was lack-luster at best.  There was so much more that could have been done in the labyrinth part as well as the final action scene.  I got really bored at the first parts of this book and then towards the end I was hoping for more and didn't get it.  I appreciate the time and effort that goes into writing a book.  However, I just expected more from it than what I got.

When high schooler Lila starts receiving letters from a matchmaking service that she never signed up for she goes to the service headquarters and finds out she’s been matched with Cupid himself.  Cupid’s Match definitely sounded fun to read from the synopsis and a little different from all that is out there in the YA world but, overall the execution was lacking. There were parts in the story that where great and then there were parts that felt choppy.  The story has so much potential but the characters did not develop and there is so many questions left unanswered at the end, so I guess it’s a good thing there are more books to come in the series. I give this book 3 stars.  
I was provided with an electronic ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

I really like mythology, so I had to read this book. It is very original and the characters are great.
I was slightly disappointed by the ending for several reasons:
- We only then saw Medusa, Pandora etc. but I feel like they could've done more for the story. 
- Suddenly everyone can get a second match, which wasn't before, but it isn't really explained how and why. I mean, I think it's because of Venus being gone, but I would've liked to hear more about that.
- We don't know who Lila's going to end up with. 

Favorite line:
''What is a fairytale without a monster to defeat?'' 

Overal I really enjoyed reading this book, but it's a 3-star for me.

Thank you  net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel.   This was a contemporary romance with elements of greek/roma N mythology.   I enjoyed this book overall and can see the appeal to percy Jackson fans.   I did find the storyline a bit difficult to follow and felt there were points of dialog or plot reveal moments that were missing.    The ending felt a bit rushed and open ended for Lila and Cal. Overall a decent read.

I was lucky enough to be able to read an ERAC of this story from Netgalley. What a really unique and interesting novel. 

Cupid’s around the world are running a lovematching service and helping humans find their true love. But what would happen if a Cupid was matched with a human-especially when it is THE Cupid? 

Well if you would like to know, read this story. I love how the author incorporated many other myths into this as well as all the twists and turns the characters took. 

My only slight disappointment of this book is that a bit more details and side stories could really help it flow a bit more smoothly.

I was given a digital copy of Cupid's Match via NetGalley.com for an honest review prior to the book's print release. Thank you!

Cupid's Match follows the life of Lila Black after she learns that not only are cupid's and other mythological beings real, but she has been "matched" with the original Cupid. Being matched means that Cupid is her one and only true love. This doesn't sit well with her though as she currently has a boyfriend and is quite happy with him! But when Cupid, and Cal, Lila's liason with the Cupid Matchmaking Service, enroll at her high school it's not so easy for her to stay away from him. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book, and hope that the author has more she plans to publish! I did a little research and it appears that Lauren Palphreyman originally posts her books on Wattpad, and they have done very well on there. I will definitely be looking her up to see if there is more to this story, because it definitely leaves it open to continue. 

My biggest complaint though, and the main reason(s) I cannot give this book 5 stars, are with the formatting. The sentences, words, and chapters all start or are split up in the weirdest ways on the Kindle and do not promote easy reading through the entire first half of the book. It was rather difficult to follow what was going on sometimes and I was left wondering why the characters were in certain situations. It was much better formatted in the second half of the book and made finishing the story much more enjoyable. I would highly recommend this story, but maybe give it some time on the Kindle version.

So this book was amazing! The characters were great and can I just say that Cupid is that one hot guy in high school that everyone wants to date because is just a little mysterious. Cliche I know but it totally worked in this book and you don't even mind it. The way the myths were represented and how they all meshed together was definitely unique and I loved reading this book. I love how this isn't your typical girl meets bad boy and falls in love. This story while there is romance, it has way more action/fantasy/ adventure than romance is truly different from a lot of mythological retelling books that I have ever read (and I've read alot of them).