After enjoying Roselle Lim's previous novels, I was excited to read Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club. I can easily tell you that this is her best one yet. This is also the second book I've read about matchmaking this year that I've fallen in love with. (The first being The Matchmaker's Gift.)

The story was just fantastic the whole way through. I loved Sophie's relationship with the Old Ducks and how they looked after her. Sophie's mom was so frustrating and borderline abusive. She was definitely the conflict in the story, since Sophie would have been on the road to success if not for her. Even so, she did her a favor because Sophie might not have met the Old Ducks otherwise. In any case, I just wanted Sophie to just cut her mom out of her life without any regrets.

I like how Sophie went about making the matches. She was so genuine and thoughtful about each one. The nicknames she gave everyone were great, even though I ended up forgetting why some had the nicknames they had earned. Confession: I almost confused Mr. Particular and Mr. Porcupine a couple of times. However, Mr. Particular was a lot easier to warm to...

The story just felt so honest and earnest. There were also great descriptions of people, settings, and even food. It made me wish I could go to Toronto right now! I encourage you to check it out as soon as it hits shelves this month. It's a sweet and unique love story that will get you teary-eyed at times!

Movie casting suggestions:
Sophie: Adeline Rudolph
Mr. Particular: Ludi Lin
Sophie's mom: Kelly Hu
Yanmei: Leah Lewis
Mr. Durian: George Takei
Mr. Porcupine: Tzi Ma
Mr. Regret: Chow Yun-Fat

Sophie is all set to start making use of her matchmaking expertise but due to certain circumstances fails to get the required license. But when she does find some clients, she is ready to take a go even though it happens to be a group of old men dealing with loneliness at their advanced age. It was heartwarming and also very sad. There is also magical realism with how matchmaking is based on some red threads and how they carry so much meaning. The group Old ducks were funny and their behavior was really cute at times. Sophie's parents were absolutely horrible to her and it was infuriating to read their interactions but Sophie finds herself a new family where she finds warmth. It is perfect for readers looking for a cozy read!

I liked this one. I thought it was really cute, but also a little sad.

This is a magical realism story about matchmakers who can see the red strings that tie people together. It’s about love, but I wouldn’t say it’s a romance novel. There is a little bit, but it’s mostly a found family kind of love story.

The book was well written, and you could really empathize with Sophie and all her struggles. Trying to set up her matchmaking business with a looming deadline and dwindling finances. Dealing with her terrible parents and all the self-esteem issues that come from them. She really needed a break.

I thought Sophie was a really interesting character with some silly quirks, but not so many that she became annoying. All the Old Ducks were the best, and I was really pleased with how their stories wrapped up, mostly. Sophie’s parents were horrible. Her mother was especially abusive, and anytime she showed up, my stress levels would skyrocket. Then again, maybe her dad was the worst with his passiveness, because he never stopped his wife. I really hated both of them. Sophie’s friend Yanmei was great, and Mr. Particular was lovely.

I loved the idea that it’s never too late. No matter how old you get, you should never give up because going for what you want is always worth it.

It has a happy ending, but it does get pretty bittersweet at times.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

Sophie went against her parents’ wishes when she quit her job at the bank and decided to pursue matchmaking instead. But her parents never really understood that she didn’t just choose to be a matchmaker, it was meant for her. The red threads she’s seen her whole life, binding couples together, are a sign that this is what she’s meant to do. Upon her return to Toronto, she’s ready to start her new business. But when her mother ruins her introduction to society, Sophie finds herself in desperate need of clients. Luckily, the building she just moved into has a group of single men. The only problem? They’re all in their seventies. But love doesn’t have an expiration date, and Sophie knows if she can find matches for this group, she’ll finally be able to achieve her dream of being an actual matchmaker.

I received an advanced reading copy of Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club is a novel by Roselle Lim, a name that might sound familiar if you’ve been following my blog for a while. I’ve been a fan of Lim’s since I read her debut, Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck & Fortune. The story of family warmed my heart, and all the descriptions of food increased my appetite! I was so excited to get an advanced reading copy of Lim’s newest book, and couldn’t wait to dive in.

From the very beginning, I was struck by the quiet magic of this story. It’s a theme with Lim’s other books, but there’s always magic imbued in some element of the story. It’s not world-ending magic, or something that could really change the world, but the way Lim crafts the magic, it still affects so many of the characters in these stories. Here, we get to see the red threads of love and connection through Sophie’s eyes, and I cheered with every new connection formed.

Being a matchmaker is not easy, and I think Sophie proves this! All the characters in this book are incredibly flawed, and more difficult to match. Sophie herself has many flaws as well, from her over-eagerness to please to her impulsivity. Every character in this book felt incredibly human, even as Sophie gave many of them entertaining names that worked well to keep them in my mind as Lim switched scenes and characters. That was a very clever move!

This book made me happy in some instances, and absolutely furious in others. But good furious, I promise! I always appreciate when a book gets me to feel emotions, particularly negative ones, since it means I end up caring about the characters. Here, there was a particularly infuriating plot thread, but one I was happy to see come to the end it did. Of course I can’t tell you what that ending was, because I’d spoil it!

But to counter that anger, there was the Old Ducks. This group of elderly characters was charismatic and wonderful, and they worked their way into my heart as they did Sophie’s. Definitely the best part of this novel, hands down!

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club was another great addition to my Lim collection, and it’s a book I’d recommend for someone seeking a quiet and easy read, something that will leave them with a smile on their face before they head to bed.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club will be released on August 16. You can preorder your copy from Berkley here.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭑
Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim is a heartwarming story of love, loneliness, and the power of love to heal.

Sophie Go is back in Toronto after attending a matchmaking school in Shanghai. She’s ready to take on the Toronto matchmaking scene with her new skills. However, her own mother outs her at a large party as a fraud. Her mother is partially right, she did fail to graduate from the matchmaking school, but all she needs are a few clients to prove herself and she’ll be able to petition the school to get her qualifications.

Sophie, now unable to find any clients due to her mother’s interference, is determined to prove herself as a matchmaker. She stumbles upon a group of older Chinese men who meet regularly in her apartment building and they call themselves the Old Ducks. She overhears them discussing their loneliness, and decides to make a deal with them to find matches for them.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club is a very heartwarming story. Sophie has a terrible relationship with her family, especially her mother, and only has her best friend, who still lives in Shanghai. Her mother is horrible, and a bit over the top terrible, and I never did understand her relationship with her parents.

The romance was pleasant and I was rooting for both of them to figure it out. Sophie doesn’t believe that as a matchmaker, she can be matched to anyone. But, the romance was definitely the second place to Sophie’s own growth and realization of her own worth. Working with the Old Ducks and finding clients, and making impossible matches does more for her self-esteem than anything else.

There is a bit of magical realism which just added to the beautiful story. I loved how Sophie could see the red threads and know who was destined to be matched and to whom. For me, it added a bit of whimsy to the story that I just loved.

I highly recommend Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club to anyone who enjoys Women’s Fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I've read two of Lim's other books and really loved them so I was super excited when I saw her new release. Overall, I enjoyed this book but certain aspects made me really frustrated and kept me from wanting to love this book.
Pros:
Sophie was such a genuinely nice character and her desire to match people was so pure. I also loved her nicknames for everyone that ended up being one of her clients.
The Old Ducks were fantastic. They were funny and I loved how supportive they were of each other.
The representation of LGBTQIA+ characters was great to see, especially among seniors where you normally don't see that portrayed in books.
I liked that there wasn't a resolution between Sophie and her parents. That was a horrible situation she was forced to deal with and I think it would've been completely inappropriate to have there be a reconciliation since people like that would never see that they did anything wrong and therefore, would never apologize and try to build a healthy relationship with their child.

Cons:
I HATED Sophie's parents so much. I understand that these characters were purposely written to be so despicable, but it was to the point that I honestly didn't know if I would be able to finish this book because the way Sophie just allowed her mother, especially, to walk all over her and continue to abuse her even though she was a grown adult was vile to read. I can't imagine having to grow up in such a toxic environment and I understand cultural differences mean that some people might not be raised to be able to stand up to their parents, but Sophie continued to believe that her parents must love her because that's what parents do and it was so difficult to not scream because sadly love isn't a given between parents and their kids. Yanmei was right and Sophie refused to listen to her. Instead she would get upset and continue to give her parents everything they wanted instead of saying no. Her parents weren't supporting her financially or in any other way so it was hard at many points to empathize or sympathize with Sophie and not just view her as a coward. There was no reason aside from fear for why she shouldn't have simply told her parents no. She didn't need to be disrespectful about it, yet she continued to allow them to abuse her when she had the power to stop it sooner by cutting off contact. Abuse isn't the victim's fault, but Sophie was written in a way that at many points made it feel like it was her fault because she had the power to improve her situation and simply chose not to which made it difficult as a reader and person.
This made it difficult, especially towards the end of the book to continue to feel bad for Sophie when it felt like she was intentionally keeping herself in a bad situation. It's a hard situation and she was in a very abusive relationship with her parents, but at a certain point it goes too far for the reader and you can't help but stop feeling bad for Sophie because she waits until the absolute end to stand up for herself and didn't even really do it because she wanted to but more because she had support from others around her so she didn't feel as small.
This was the biggest issue with this book. If Sophie had stood up to her parents sooner and had done it all on her own instead of almost giving into them yet again before other people stepped in and pretty much forced her to do otherwise. It made so much of this book difficult to deal with because even when you are raised to do as your parents say, you have to be able to recognize when they were taking advantage of you and turning the relationship abusive.

Overall, I liked this book but I would say that for anyone who has dealt with an abusive home life and any type of gaslighting, emotional and mental abuse, you might find a lot of this book difficult to read.

Roselle Lim does it again! Her books just have a way of wrapping my heart in a big fuzzy blanket!

The way that this author writes about matchmakers is so magical. The red threads carry so much meaning and heart some with a bit pain! I love when you learn about the connections and the knots. It brings the reader into a place of relatability. As each reader is at their own point in traveling the world for love.

Sophie has a bit to learn but more to give in this novel. I adored her determination and heart to keep going. Sometimes we need to take a step back take a deep breath before we can move forward. The world is just waiting and it’s full of threads blowing in the wind hoping to grasp hold of another.

Let’s be transported into this world of magic realism.

In short:
Did I like it : Yeah.
Would I recommend it? Yeah, to fiction lovers looking for a cozy read.
Would I read more by this author ? Yup!

...a lovely story about courage and found family.

Going into a Roselle Lim book, I know to expect food, family and a dash of magical realism. But what I wasn't quite expecting this time was Sophie Go's quiet melancholy. A not-quite-accredited matchmaker, Sophie is back in Toronto looking to get her business off the ground while she completes her last steps to certification. In the process she hooks the older gents in her building as clients.

The joy in this story is in Sophie’s developing relationships with the Old Ducks (her clients).. Some are old softies, some are cantankerous. Each duck has a codename by their defining characteristic -- Mr. Regret, Mr. Porcupine, Mr. Durian (lol), etc. so it has a little bit of a Snow White feel. But even as Sophie is doing good work and matching her clients, her relationship with her parents is a disaster. Sophie is hamstrung by filial piety and the desire to be "a good daughter.” It’s a dynamic that’s sure to hit home for a lot of readers. You'll either identify with Sophie's situation or want to tell her mother off, or both.

Ultimately, this is a lovely food-filled story about courage and found family. Worth a read.

CW: suicide of a past client, narcissistic /abusive parent

I was invited to read this for which I'm very thankful. I loved the Old Ducks. Unfortunately , they're pretty much the only thing that I loved. There was too much angst in the subplot with Sophie's mother and it cast a dark shadow over what could have been an absolute delight.

Sophie is hoping to establish a matchmaking business in Toronto. However, she never actually graduated from the matchmaking school in Shanghai. When her lack of credentials is revealed, she has a tough time attracting clientele and offers to work with a group of seven seniors living in her apartment complex.

There's some interesting magical realism in how matchmaking works. Matchmakers can see the threads between people and whether they will join in a good match. This leads to really interesting conversations about soul mates, love, and whether people can have more than one match in a lifetime.

I enjoyed the nicknames Sophie used as codes to keep people's identities secret. They helped me to keep track of each of the different characters, many of whom added great texture to the story. However, Sophie's mother was awful, so much so that she read more like a caricature than a person.

The narration was done by Annie Q. While she did a great job with Sophie's perspective, she didn't do as well in creating distinct voices for each of the seven old men in the book. It was hard at times to tell who was speaking.

I recommend this for those who enjoy fiction and magical realism. I've seen people refer to this as a romance, but I wouldn't describe it as such, and that's not how it's being marketed.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club is sheer magic. In Sophie, author Roselle Lim has created a narrator that is at once awkward, endearing, and relatable. Surrounded by the Old Ducks club, a group of elderly men who become her clients and the start of a found family, Sophie struggles to overcome the past and build her Toronto based matchmaking business despite pressures from her parents and the slow fading of her ability to see the red cords that spark and intertwine when a new match is made.

What starts as a typical sort of chick-lit story builds into something so heart-warming as the Old Ducks begin to find - or re-find - love. With elements of magical realism, there is such a sweetness to this story, tempered by scenes that hold frustration and heartbreak.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club is a delight to read and has left me wanting to read more from Roselle Lim.

Highly recommended.

This review refers to a temporary digital galley I voluntarily read via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

Sophie Go is working to establish herself as a professional matchmaker in Toronto, but a past mistake is standing in her way: she failed out of matchmaking school in Shanghai. Determined to prove herself, Sophie finds a club of seven elderly Chinese bachelors who live in her condo building and decides they’re the perfect group to help her prove her skills.

It took me a little while to get into this book, and although it still didn't speak to me as much as Roselle Lim's first two books, I was very into Sophie Go by the end. Watching Sophie's relationship with her parents was really painful to watch, but I also think it's an important part of her story. Lim's ability to blend the everyday and the magical will always win me over — and of course I love the way her protagonists relate to food!

i really wanted to enjoy this book, but it did not work for me personally. i should have known better, but you live and learn. so thanks so much, netgalley for the chance to read this early!!

I went into Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club with only a vague idea of what it would offer and I'm glad to say this book warmed my heart through Sophie and the Old Ducks' characters. I love the found family and intergenerational relationships developed throughout the story. Sophie's interactions with all seven of them and how she matched them with their pairs were so wholesome and with their distinct personalities it was fun to read their stories. Love the vibes of the Asian community in the book. Also, the magical realism aspect, about the red threads of fate connecting the couples.

Where it lacked was probably the pacing because some of the side plots felt rushed and the stagnant (for lack fo better word) writing didn't deliver the emotional impact sometimes and a certain plot point by the end felt abrupt. Besides, Sophie's own romance was a very minor plot line and while this book is all about love and connecting with the feeling, I do wish we'd gotten more of her relationship with Mr. Particular.

This is overall, a fun, emotional book with enjoyable character interactions!

This was a sweet and sad story about a matchmaker who works to find matches for the septuagenarians in her building.

I liked seeing Sophie build her relationships with the septuagenarians and how she supported them and found their matches. I also liked seeing her relationship with ‘Mr Particular’ - going from his matchmaker to friend to more.

Another relationship I enjoyed was Sophie and her long-distance friend. It was nice to see them continue to support each other despite being across the country from each other. I also liked how Sophie’s friend encouraged her to have a balance in her life and to not do everything for her parents.

It was hard to see Sophie’s relationship with her parents. The need to provide for them but also not wanting to do it at the expense of her mental health. There were a few scenes between Sophie and her mother that were just so sad.

There were some cheesy moments in this story. But overall an enjoyable story. (3.75)

I liked most of this book and despised other parts.

I absolutely adored the relationships Sophie made with the Old Ducks. The magical aspect of the red threads made my heart happy. Sometimes you need to make your own family. Everyone needs to be loved and respected. Sophie was not getting this respect at home.

I despised her parents and the way they treated her. I found my blood pressure rising and my teeth clenching when I reached the chapters where she was interacting with her parents. I was hoping things would get better, but the restaurant chapter just about put me over the top. I was afraid my kindle was going to go through my front window.
I am glad Sophie got her happy ending but I would have enjoyed this book a lot more without her parents.

SOPHIE GO’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB by Roselle Lim is a delightful women’s fiction novel with a touch of romance. Sophie is trying to start a new life as a matchmaker. Things are very complicated with her overbearing parents, and the limited amount of time that she has to get accredited as a matchmaker.

This story was delightful, humorous, and whimsical. We are introduced to the idea that Sophie sees red threads in the people who she is trying to match. Her goal is to find someone to connect her clients’ red thread to. Sophie starts by working with a group of septuagenarian men in her new apartment complex to find them matches. I fell in love with the “Old Ducks” and rooted for all of them to find a happily ever after. The author uses Sophie’s parents to explore Asian culture and family expectations in such an interesting way. I appreciated her perspective.

I found this a delightful read, and appreciated the whimsical yet serious nature of the story. I recommend Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy, and I was not required to write a positive review.

I really enjoy this sweet relationship novel. The people that Sophie helps are so well drawn and I enjoyed this cozy book.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Women's Fiction
Pub Date: August 16, 2022

I went into this book with very low expectations because I didn't know much about the premise or the author...and I was definitely wow'd! This book was such a captivating story, and it pulled me in from start to finish. This is such an exemplary story of magical realism, Eastern symbolism, and romanticism. I found this to be more accurately described as a women's fiction than a romance, but it really had all the elements of both.

I loved Sophie! She was such a caring, kind, endearing character, and I was so invested in her. The supporting characters were also flawless in this story! I just thought everything worked in this book from start to finish, and I was just so pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it! As much as Sophie motivated me with her determination...her mother straight up vexed me, and not in the Anthony-Bridgerton-vexing-style. Her mother made me want to scream at times! I know that was the point of her character, but still. By the end, all was forgiven by not forgotten by me. 😂

This book was just magical and I cannot recommend it enough!

This book would make the perfect Hallmark movie. But so much better. It really pulled on my heart strings.

I loved watching Sophie progress as a woman and daughter. Her relationship with all of the “Old Ducks“ was just the sweetest. It really made up for the lack of love from her parents, which was heartbreaking. The writing in this novel kept me interested and also cheering for Sophie! What a sweet light read. I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of Sophie being a matchmaker. I fell in love with all of the Old ducks she set out to match.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club before the Pub date August 16 2022