I tried several times to get into this but it seems it just isnt for me. Sorry, we are not a match.
I won't review on any sites as I ended up DNF at 20%.

Ok this didn’t do it for me. It was all over the place and honestly? The moms annoyed me a lot and it was kind of ridiculous how they were trying to control their grown ass kids. It was also too insta love for my taste but I was willing to overlook that because the beginning started promising but the rest of the book didn’t deliver.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review

I was so looking forward to this book. The premise really intrigued me with the two moms not wanting their children to be together, however the book fell short.

Firstly, the insta-love trope did not do it for me. The whole story took place over a week and suddenly the two main characters were in love? Personally, I need more time in a romance for it to be a more compelling story. Time for the two characters to form a strong connection. Yes, I understand that they knew each other growing up but they haven't seen each other in 10 years! A lot can happen and change in 10 years. This is why I thought The Unmatchmakers was quite unrealistic.

Secondly, the writing didn't flow. I can't put my finger on it but I think it might be because a complete and fulfilling romance cannot take place in less than 200 pages. This resulted in everything feeling so rushed. I formed no connection to the characters. I didn't know much about the two main characters, Leora and Neil, beyond basic facts. Overall, this book was just not for me.

Short, sweet, and occasionally very funny, this s'more of a summer romance is classic Jackie Lau. A very pleasant afternoon's read. I'm grateful for Lau's extensive backlist, as I'm always eager for more after finishing one of her books!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Leora is a little apprehensive about spending a vacation with her mother and her mom's best friends and their kids, including Neil. Her mother and friends bought a vacation home and wanted to gather everyone together. It's the first time in years she's seen Neil and something starts to bloom between them.

I thought this was a sweet and fun novella with plenty of moments that made me laugh. I could even relate to Leora daydreaming about romance and relationships. The main thing I was looking for more of was the chemistry between her and Neil. I could get hints of their attraction as I read but he's fairly quiet and serious so I just didn't see the sparks.

I still enjoyed the book, though, and Jackie's writing was easy to read and kept my attention. I am looking forward to reading more of her books!

Elementary school teacher Leora Leung's mother, Henrietta, recently purchased a lake house with her two best friends, Dee and Tanya, a few hours outside their home in Toronto, and she's looking forward to spending a week of her summer vacation there - even if it means spending the week with her mother, who makes no secret of the fact that Leora is far from her ideal daughter. Tanya and Dee's adult children, most of whom Leora hasn't seen in years, will be there too, including architect Neil Choy. As soon as Leora sees Neil again, she realizes that her feelings for him are very different (and much more mature) than they used to be, but she fears that acting on them would create conflict between their mothers. Neil appears to reciprocate her feelings, but can they find a way to overcome the machinations of their mothers, who seem determined to keep them apart?

I really enjoyed this cute, funny, and original opposites attract romance. Leora and Neil's mothers' behavior was pretty over-the-top at times, but it came from a place of love, so it wasn't too difficult for me to forgive them in the end. Neil and Leora themselves were quite likeable, and even though their relationship moved quickly, it never really felt like insta-love to me. Even though they had both changed a lot, their childhood acquaintance established a good foundation for their adult relationship, and they also bonded over their mothers' efforts to keep them apart.

I'd recommend "The Unmatchmakers" for all romantic comedy fans. It was the first book I've read by Jackie Lau, but it won't be the last.

*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Valentine PR for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

2.5 stars

Leora has a meddling mom. But unlike typical Asian mothers, Leora's mom is against relationships and happily ever afters. During her summer break from work, Leora goes to the vacation home her Mother and her mother's 2 best friends (her Aunties) recently bought. She goes there with the intention of relaxing but knowing her Mother, this will be anything but.

Along with her mother and "Aunties" are their children, whom Leora has known since she was little. On her first day, Leora walks to the dock and sees Neil coming out of the water. Instantly she thinks he is hot and is basically in love. She has known this person her whole life, even if she hasn't seen him for 10 years. All of a sudden she has these feelings for because he's hot? Throughout the book, Leora's mom is overwhelming, she hides her bikini, and she sends her on a S'mores run all so Leora wouldn't be near Neil. Her mother even makes a comment that she paid one of her boyfriends $200 so he wouldn't date Leora anymore.

Her mother was loud and obnoxious, always talking over everyone. Not letting Leora think for herself or be herself. All because of her insecurities and her past issues with men. She wouldn't even let Leora play with dolls or Princesses because it gave unrealistic expectations. She even put her best friend's sons down because she didn't want Leora to date.

I wanted to like this book but it just wasn't for me. I honestly wanted to DNF it twice but kept pushing forward hoping it would redeem itself, but unfortunately, it didn't.

The Unmatchmakers was a cute contemporary featuring a childhood friends to lovers romance.

Growing up, Leora's mother always told her not to believe in fairy tales and that she doesn't need a man in her life. But Leora ended up turning into a complete romantic much to her mother's chagrin. When Leora arrives at her mother's new cottage for a summer vacation, she's surprised to see one of her childhood friends, Neil Choy. As the two become reacquainted, Leora quickly starts to fall for Neil. But with both of their mothers being so anti-relationship, could any relationship between them work?

Leora struggled with her mother's anti-relationship attitude as it extended beyond just relationships and Leora wasn't allowed to do things considered stereotypically feminine. Despite her mother's attitudes, Leora is a romantic and loves the idea of love. Neil is more practical when it comes to romance and simply hasn't had the time to devote to relationships due to his work. He's also quite serious in general which made him a fun match for Leora's more whimsical nature.

Leora is immediately attracted to Neil although she's determined to ignore her attraction as she doesn't want to cause issues in the friendship their mothers share. But when her and Neil strike up a friendship, their mothers are immediately threatened by them spending any time together and try to keep the two apart. Leora and Neil are somewhat annoyed by this and find time to sneak away leading to their eventual romance. The romance is definitely a slow-building one with the steamy scenes coming near the end of the book. I did enjoy their romance overall but I definitely got frustrated with their mothers and how interfering they were. Eventually they manage to work things out but if you're not a fan of interfering families then this may not be the book for you.

Overall The Unmatchmakers was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it if you're looking for a cute contemporary.

Leora’s mother is not your typical asian mom. While every asian mother dreams of marrying her daughter as soon as possible, Leora’s mother has always wanted to keep Leora single and as far away from men as can be due to her failed past relationship. So when Leora is attracted to her mother’s best friend’s son, her mother and her equally determined best friend tries their best to keep them apart.

This was something interesting as we are all used to seeing asian mom’s matchmakings but this unmatchmaking was just as fun! This book shows how a parent’s trauma can affect their children’s lives. I really liked the moms and their bickering. Their friendship was exactly how we asians are. I also liked the way Leora and her mom was depicted. The way Leora didn’t agree with her mom but respected her and tried her best to please her was something I could relate to.

What I didn’t like at all was the romance. It was a case of insta love and it didn’t grow at all. Neil had next to no personality and I didn’t like the way Leora behaved with him either. But if you like to see some Asian shenanigans and craziness then you should definitely pick this one up!

(Thank you Valentine PR & Literary Management, Netgalley and the author Jackie Lau for the eARC in exchange for a honest, spoiler free review)

Thoughts:

This is my first book from Jackie and I requested for the arc because it was described to have an Asian representation from the blurb and also because of the tropes (friends to lovers, forced proximity).

Given the length of the book (180+ pages) I didn’t expect a heavy romance and it did fulfil a quick, light read. I read it in about 2 hours.

But I found the book quite difficult to stay interested in. The pacing was slow and fast and the side characters had so much emphasis I felt the main characters couldn’t develop their connection. Their chemistry seemed to be more insta love than childhood friends to lovers. Both the main characters were a little boring and bland. I really didn’t like the mothers’ plotline because it felt too controlling and unnecessary, although relatable.

I gave this book 2 ⭐ because there was a lot of telling through the words but nothing really happened, the actions didn’t match up to the telling. I couldn’t find the romcom aspect in the book as well.

I did not enjoy this book very much. What I didn't like was how short it was and how little focus there was on the relationship. For a romance novella, the relationship needs to be the focus to create that chemistry between the two leads. This had too many side characters and things going on. I want a swoony romance and this was not it.

This story is centered on childhood friends who develop a liking for each other but face some obstacles from a couple unlikely sources.

I love that the novel has short chapters. My issue is that these over 25s read as a bit juvenile which was disappointing. I think more character development was needed for the two MCs because I didn’t connect with them much and wasn’t truly invested in their relationship. The mothers did bring a nice conflict to the storyline but were way too overbearing. At first it was a little cute but then it became annoying. I think the author could have made the mothers ‘come to their senses’ a bit sooner. Nevertheless, this was a quick and sweet read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Unmatchmakers by Jackie Lau was so much fun to read! I finished reading this book before the TV show "The Summer I Turned Pretty" came out and it gave me very similar vibes. Two mothers and their children come together for a vacation. Overall I loved it!

Full review will be on my Goodreads, but I highly enjoyed this book!

I enjoyed the characters and building world they are within. That being sad, I feel like there was some rushed spots within the plot and character development.

“Other people’s feelings aren’t your responsibility, "

The Unmatchmakers by Jackie Lau

📚REVIEW 📚
A rom-com about 2 Asian - Canadians kept apart by their mothers and the extent at which they will accomplish this task. Nothing will keep Leora and Neil apart especially if it means standing up to their mothers.

This book in all honesty fell flat for me, it was rushed, some aspects of the story didn't meld into each other and felt rather thrown into your face. The Aunties were hilarious especially the constant yelling, squabbles and interference in just about anything that doesn't concern them.

Rating
3/5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Valentine PR and Jackie Lau for the ARC. All opinions stated in this review are entirely my own.

Leora Leung is ready for a vacation…but spending a week in a gorgeous cottage with her mother might not be what she had in mind. Leora’s a romantic, but her fiercely independent mother is not, and has drilled that sentiment into her since she was a little girl. She’s not expecting much from this vacation, until she sees an old childhood acquaintance: Neil Choy. Neil isn’t the little boy she used to know, and it doesn’t take long for them to give in to their attraction towards each other. If only their mothers weren’t set on keeping them apart…

I loved reading this fun summer romance from Jackie Lau. With its multi-family cottage vacation plot, fun banter between our main characters, and important family discussions, I couldn’t put it down! Leora was such a fun character to relate to, and her sunshiney-ness next to Neil’s grumpiness was perfection. I loved reading their relationship from when they knew each other as kids, and how their attraction has grown now that they’re adults. Between coming to terms with their emotions and fighting off their meddling mothers, I loved seeing their journey to one another.

Both Leora's and Neil's moms—who have been best friends for decades—were such a hoot. They are the epitome of meddling mothers! If your family is Chinese like mine, you will definitely resonate with what Leora, Neil, and the rest of the group goes through during their vacation together. From answering questions about significant others and jobs and living up to familial expectations, the family and cultural dynamic was captured perfectly. I also loved how Leora and her mom finally have a turning point in their relationship and that she voices her concerns and opinions on how her mom has talked about relationships in the past. In many families, children don't typically question their parents, but I was so proud of Leora for finally putting her foot down and really opening her mom's eyes to how her actions have affected her. It truly paid off in the end!

I also want to highlight that Neil's family speaks Toisanese in this book! This is actually the dialect that my family and I speak and I have never seen it referenced in a book before. Imagine my surprise when I saw it on the page! It’s details like this that make me so happy that authors are representing so many diverse backgrounds, and to see my own culture reflected in stories means so much.

A big thank you to the author, Valentine PR, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of THE UNMATCHMAKERS! It is out now through Kobo and will be available to request through your local library soon. If you want an escape to a charming cottage vacation with plenty of sweet treats, this book is for you!

Neil and Leora battle their jaded mothers in this delightful rom-com.

Friends since childhood, Neil and Leora haven't seen each other for years as their careers took them in different directions. Now their mothers have arranged for a week-long holiday for themselves and all their children, not expecting any of them to see their friends with new perspectives.

Both Neil and Leora's mothers have been disappointed by men in the past, so they've gotten really good at projecting their anti-romance stance to their children. It's equally hilarious and heartbreaking to see the moms go to such lengths to keep their children from connecting on a deeper level.

The author mines a lot of humor from this situation, capitalizing on all the familiarity between the characters and their extensive history, while keeping the focus on the deep emotional connection between the main characters. It wouldn't be a Jackie Lau book without copious references to food, so make sure you bring your appetite, too. The year-later epilogue really cemented the HEA.

I really enjoy this author's writing style and the relatable, authentic characters that she creates. This may be one of her shorter books, but it still packs a solid punch. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This was a fun read. I loved the setting, a Canadian cottage! This book is relatively short, so while I would have liked a little more to the story, this is the perfect book to pick up if you want to escape in a book that isn't too long. The characters were enjoyable, their connections were real, and the storyline was great. All in all, this is a wonderful read!

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Unmatchmakers by Jackie Lau is a KOBO original. Spending a week in cottage country with her mom and her mom's best friends and their now-grown children may not be Leora Leung’s ideal, but it's so lovely to get out of the city in the summer she's decided to go for it. She's pretty shocked to discover that Neil Choy, once the bane of her existence, has grown up quite nicely, very nicely, and it's kind of fun to tease him out of his stern grumpiness. What's even more surprising is that both their mothers are dead set against any signs of romance between them. Will their budding romance hold up against all that parental opposition and, of course, the real world waiting for them back in Toronto? Jackie Lau always delivers with well-written characters, both primary and supporting, complicated though caring family relationships, romances that are low on angst with the perfect amount of steam and amazing food. This book is an ideal hammock read. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend reading it. #TheUnmatchmakers #JackieLau #Kobo #NetGalley #KoboOriginal #ContemporaryRomance #CanadianRomance #ContemporaryRomanceReader #RomanceReader #NetGalley

This book is an extremely quick read! It kept a steady speed that never faltered and did a good job at it. No angst, no major drama, definitely a found family vibem

That being said, I wished it would have slowed down. There were so many opportunities for better character development, a building of character for Neil and some maturity in Leora as well as their parents. It lacked all of that and honestly, Neil to me felt like an outline of a character but never a main one. That was disappointing. The speed mace any relationship building lackluster and I guess I just expected more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
.5🌶