Thank you for the ARC!

This book was very enjoyable to read. I loved the characters, the romance and the whole vibes of the book. I would definitely recommend this to others looking for a fun rom-com read!

Thank you NetGalley Jackie Lau, and Valentine PR & Literary Management for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Unmatchmakers is a fast-paced book about two Asian best friends' children, Leora and Neil. They haven't seen each other in a while and only reconnected when they all get together for a week for vacation. But, here's the catch: unlike other Asian mothers, Neil's and Leora's mothers are anti-relationship so Leora and Neil try to hide their romance from their mothers because they wouldn't approve.

I really didn't like the style of writing. Despite how short the book was it took me two days to finish it, usually it'd take me one sitting to finish a book like this. The dialogue, especially in the beginning, was very meh. The main characters, Leora and Neil, were so bland. They didn't have much chemistry, either.

Another thing that I didn't like was the inner "thoughts" of Leora, the whole romantic fantasies and such. Yeah, I have them too, but it just felt way too over the top with the amount of times she kept mentioning it every other line.

The whole mothers-hating-their-children-together plotline wasn't really developed well, in my opinion. The conflict just seemed to happen so quick and they also resolved it so quickly.

Overall, the writing style isn't for me and the plot and characters fell a little too short.

- [ ] I loved this twist on the managing, matchmaking Asian mother stereotype so often seen in books and movies. Instead in The Unmatchmakers, we get two mothers trying to keep their perfectly matched adult kids apart from each other. It was very easy to root for a Leora and Neil while laughing at their mothers antics to keep them unhappily single! I’ve been a fan of Jackie Lau for a long time and this Kobo original was just delightful!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Loved how the author flipped the stereotype with the mothers trying to keep the kids apart! I enjoyed the premise and the characters though I feel it could have been fleshed out a bit more if the book were a bit longer. This as a super quick read and things seemed to resolve very quickly.

Leora and Neil's moms are jaded by love. They encourage their kids to NOT fall in love, but Leora is a romantic at heart and when her and Neil reconnect at their parent's new vacation house, it's an instant attraction.

I loved the plotline of this and thought the juxtaposition between Leora and her mom was interesting, but ultimately this book fell flat for me. I think the book was too short - averaging around 180 pages - and tried to cram a lot in, so it felt like the motivations between the characters was too fast to feel real. The fights between the characters felt forced and what I would consider major plotpoints were dropped fairly quickly. I also thought there wasn't much chemistry between the main characters and their main relationship centered around how attracted they were to each other.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Unmatchmakers is a fun reverse tale on the meddling, matchmaking Asian mother trope, in that the mothers of the lead, Leora, and her love interest, Neil, are determined to keep them apart. It’s an intriguing dynamic, especially given the mothers are longtime friends.
I was a bit confused as to the direction this was going at first, as while the blurb indicated Leora would be the primary perspective, I wasn’t sure how the mothers’ meddling would come through. However, it became more apparent as I kept reading, and I liked witnessing the mothers’ antics from Leora’s perspective, as well as feeling like the reveal of the mothers’ own romantic woes was well-earned.
And that juxtaposes quite nicely with the growing relationship between Leora and Neil. Their romance is largely built on a recognition of how much they’ve each respectively changed since they were kids, and while the focus is largely on physical attraction, there’s a lot of potential there once they get past all the family drama.
This is a charming read, and while not my favorite of Jackie Lau’s, demonstrates her continued success in the multicultural romcom sphere. If you’re looking for a fun, fast read with focus on family as well as romantic love, I recommend picking this one up.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

I thought it was very entertaining. Very much enjoyed it.

Despite being raised by a single mom who lost faith in marriage and fiercely believes a woman doesn’t need a man, Leora is a hopeless romantic. While she is apprehensive about spending a week with her mom and mom’s best friends, she is looking forward some down time on the lake, even if her mom will criticize her frilly pink shirt and polka dot bikini. But when Leora reconnects with childhood friend Neil, sparks fly. Now if only their mom’s would get behind the connection.

Shared in the first person POV of Leora, The Unmatchmakers is a delightful summer romp about friendship and love. Neil and Leora haven’t seen one another in ten years, but their mutual attraction is immediate. Since they are staying with their mothers and families, they can’t run off and explore the attraction, which allows them to get to know one another as adults. I love how they are opposites yet perfect for one another. I appreciate that the author doesn’t make them frenemies or constantly bicker, even though they are different. I appreciate that Lenora hasn’t given up on romance like her mom; that she enjoys being feminine and frilly, while simultaneously strong. She does her own thing, but still bows to her mom out of guilt.

While the romance is a big part of the story, connecting with family is equally important to the plot. The meddling moms act a bit strange, which makes for laughs, and I like how Neil and Leora deal with their moms. The author does a great job with the family dynamics and expressing feelings and intensions.

The Unmatchmakers is a summer romance, perfect for a summer read. I vacation on a lake each year, so the imagery felt very familiar, friendly, and real. The story is entertaining and fun. I highly recommend.

My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot

Man….. this book was so much fun. Honestly? It was sweet, it was a quick read, and it just was the perfect amount of fluff. I appreciated that it wasn’t a slow burn. I really liked the characters of Leora and Neil. I like that they were so opposite but complimented each other well. I thought there might be too many characters in the book and it would be hard to keep up but that wasn’t the case. Excellent read and perfect if you’re looking for something you can finish in one sitting. Great fluffy read.

I loved Donut Fall In Love and I was so excited to read The Unmatchmakers! I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it quite as much. Leora and Neil grew up together as their mothers are best friends. They haven’t seen each other in 10 years when they spend a week at their mothers’ new beach house. Their attraction is instant, but they try not to give in because their mothers are clearly against the relationship. There were lots of little moments of their attraction/friendship as they deal with their moms’ antics. I loved how they were together. I struggled with how much their moms attempted to keep them apart even at the detriment of their friendship and then how quickly it was resolved at the end. Overall it was a great novella and I can’t wait for more books by Jackie Lau!

The Unmatchmakers a summer vacation romance between a woman and her mother’s best friend son misses the mark for me. When I first saw the cover reveal for this novel I was excited. I was expecting stolen kisses, summer hijinks and two friends trying to stop the budding romance between their children. What I read fell short of those expectations. First I will start with what I liked. I enjoyed reading from Leora’s prospective, homeless romantic who isn’t afraid of love despite her mother’s objections. I related to the main character, I loved that she daydreamed, I love reading romance and seeing someone else who reads romance and daydreams of their happily ever after on the page was refreshing. I also loved the awkward relationship among the children. They were people brought together by their mother’s friendship and even though they weren’t super close, I enjoyed reading about some of their past. The unmatchmakers was not a poorly written book but I was disappointed. I understand the motivation behind this story was to write a story revolving around the opposite of a matchmaking mother but here are a few reasons it fell short.
Spoilers Ahead

Leora deserved much better. Leora, a hopeless romantic school teacher, falls for her mother’s best friend’s son Neil Choy a hunky Architect whose quiet and mysterious. Neil did not appear to like Leora it felt very one sided in the beginning and he didn’t steal enough kisses from her for it to be hidden romance. Everyone figured out they liked each other. What drew me to this romance was the idea that two people were going to fall for each other and hide it. Maybe it was the marketing or the an assumption by the cover but this wasn’t it. I find it hard to believe that someone who loved the idea of romance would be content with sex in a bed and breakfast without more romance. I wanted Leora to be surprised, even if it wasn’t with extravagant gifts but Neil had opportunities to turn the vacation around when they wandered off on their own.
I gave this book three stars because even though it missed the mark it was still an enjoyable read. I wished their was more covert pranks by the way of the mothers and more hidden kisses and steamy moments. I got a copy of this ARC from the publisher and the review is my own thoughts about the book.

I LOVED this novel! The Unmatchmakers is probably my favorite Jackie Lau book, now. The different aspects of the novel--the tension between Leora and Neil, the slowburn romance, the meddling mothers, the unsolicited auntie advice--was blended together so seamlessly and I enjoyed every aspect of it. Leora and Neil's mothers, as invasive as they got at various points throughout the novel, were super funny to follow along and felt very accurate as the daughter of Asian parents myself. The slowburn, childhood-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance between Neil and Leora was incredible. I was on the edge of my seat for every single interaction between the two. I loved the discussions of Neil's autism as well. Overall, I cannot recommend this novel enough for romance lovers, and of course for Jackie Lau fans!

This was so cute! Jackie Lau does not disappoint in giving me what I want: fun Chinese love stories with crazy shenanigans. If you're looking for a short read that is funny with hints of steam, this is a perfect book to read. I loved reading about Leora and Neil's reconnection, the tension, and trying to sneak those special moments with each other while trying to keep quiet from their meddling parents. I had a fun time reading this book and think its a great read for anyone who's looking for something quick yet fun.

Cute romance about Leora and Neil whose mothers are best friends and who are childhood enemies turned love interests. I really found the story adorable if seemingly young in terms of how the characters came across. I loved the idea of an Asian couple and the mothers were amusingly characterized- I nodded multiple times because I recognized my mother sometimes. However, the characters were a bit like caricatures- a little too- well, TOO crazy and while I love the wacky characters, I also sometimes that it was a bit overdone. That said, I smiled a lot and enjoyed the romance and the supporting cast.

Leora's mother had a terrible relationship, and her two best friends when Leora was growing up also were single mothers. Years later, all three women pooled their money to buy a home as a summer vacation home. Leora and the other grown children are all visiting, and she's struck by Neil Choy. He's handsome, well mannered and a great cook. The two mothers, however, don't want them involved with each other at all.

Most Asian moms in romcoms are scheming to get children together with choice matches. Not in this one! Here, Henrietta and Tanya scheme to keep Leora and Neil apart, which involves increasingly comical plans. If anything, it seems to draw Leora's attention to Neil and vice versa. They get to know each other, which is fun to see, and the biggest hurdle was their hope to keep their mothers' relationships intact. This was especially the case when the two mothers begin to argue, and their third friend Dee is all but driven away for encouraging it. I was sad for Dee, and even for the mothers. It's fear that keeps Henrietta stuck in an anti-girly and anti-romance state of mind. Otherwise, she has been a caring if overbearing mother, hoping that Leora would want to be more than elementary school teacher. If anything, that helps bring out her flamboyant and playful side, which is a fun contrast to Neil.

As with every romance novel, there is a moment when everything falls apart before it all comes together, but it's not because of Leora or Neil. They're both open with each other, communicate needs, and see each other for who they really are. That's a strong foundation in any relationship, and one that I truly enjoyed reading about.

It was okay, a short and quick novel about Leora & Neil who knew each other since their childhood because their mothers were friends. They reconnected at a vacation home which their mothers bought in Ontario and were instantly attracted to each other, that was partly because they thought that the other person had a "glow up" and not enough connection was developed between them which I wasn't a big fan of. The concept of the mothers not wanting their children to get together was really fun when I read the blurb but turns out it had more depth because both of their mothers had real bad past relationship trauma. But that shouldn't have given them a reason to sabotage their own children. Leora's mom especially got on my nerves so much when I got to know that she didn't let her play with dolls and lots of other horrible things she did behind Leora's back. On top of that I felt like I knew nothing about Neil. In fact both him and Leora's characters didn't have much depth. The plot line seemed well constructed and I loved some banters between Neil & Leora but other than that everything was a mess and so different than what I had been expecting tbh.

Thank you Netgalley and Kobo for providing the ARC in exchange of an honest review

Thank you to Kobo Originals and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Unmatchmakers by Jackie Lau is a fun #ownvoices rom-com featuring characters of Chinese descent. The story revolves around Leora, who is a typical daughter of Chinese immigrants. She hasn't seen her childhood friends, brother Robbie and Neil, for a long time. When she goes on a cottage vacation with her family and Neil's family, she's suddenly forced into close proximity with her childhood friend. And Neil has really changed. He's more handsome than ever before. Soon, Leora is fantasizing about becoming more than friends. But can the pair hit it off with their families nearby and constantly interfering?

Here is a romantic excerpt from Chapter 1:

"I smile as I drive the fancy red convertible toward our romantic getaway. I love the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair, which I've tied up with a sophisticated scarf so it doesn't get too wild. The scarf complements my summer dress - and the car - just perfectly.
The weather is also perfect, not too hot or too cold, and the sun warms my bare shoulders. I can feel the air getting fresher away from the city.
And then, of course, there's the handsome man sitting next to me - the love of my life. Our first meeting was the stuff of fairy tales, and everyone says we're a great couple. I can't wait until tonight, when we'll drink champagne in a hot tub together under the starlit sky."

Overall, The Unmatchmakers is a wonderful #ownvoices rom-com that will appeal to fans of Lily Chu or Lauren Ho . One highlight of this book is how it features Chinese-Canadian characters. I loved the conversations about Toisanese vs Cantonese. As a Cantonese speaker, I always love seeing my home language being represented in books. I also loved the reference to Chinese school on Saturdays, which many children of Chinese immigrants will relate to. Another highlight of this book is how funny it is. There were moments I laughed out loud at the humor. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of rom-coms in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in June!

Thanks to Kobo Originals, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.

This is the first book by this author I have read and I really enjoyed it. This is a contemporary grumpy/sunshine romance but I think it's the complicated family dynamics that make it something more. Lenora's mother has had a bad romantic experience in the past, and despite Lenora being a complete romantic, actively discourages her from falling in love. So when Lenora reconnects with Neil, her mother's best friend's son, things get a little complicated.

Neil is so dorky it's cute. Initially Lenora comes across as a bit of a ditz and I found myself sometimes sharing her mother's opinion that she could be less easy-going. But in the end I appreciated the strength of character that it took for her to own her personality and attributes unapologetically.

There's some pretty funny moments in this book - I particularly identified with a bunch of older relatives and family friends bringing up embarrassing stories about one's childhood without reading the room.

Overall a fun read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

I unfortunately read this one after another Lau book which I thoroughly enjoyed and this one suffered in comparison. I'm not sure if it's because it took so long for the romance to really begin or because we never really got to know the main character because she spent so much time describing other people but I didn't really click with this book.
Leora grew up with a number of aunties. Women who, like her mother, were disappointed by love. Now they are all gathering for a summer vacation together again but as adults. And Leora is discovering that Neil grew up to be a fine man indeed. All might be peachy except that both her mother and Neil's are actively working to keep them apart.

Three stars
This book come out June 28, 2022
ARC kindly provided by Kobo Originals and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A book that explores important family bonds and friendship is a book that teaches a lesson. With the friendship between 3 moms being on the brink when their kids starts dating, we can only hope it doesn't shatter. I felt that this book addressed that. Neil stood by Leora when he was supposed to and that addresses loyalty. He made sure that he was always there for her ❤️. There was one fallout that broke my heart, Leora and her mom. I felt that Leora's mom should have kept her insecurities aside and been there for her daughter, but she did try the best she can. Leora should have tried understanding her mom. But it all worked out in the end 😊. Loved this story to bits 💖.