I could not stand this novel. There was WAY TOO MUCH going on. I think if the author took away a couple of sub themes, it might have made the mystery more prominent. As it was, I was uncertain if I should be following Nura’s angst with her family, the mystery, or her relationship with Azar.

Then there was the motivation of the stalker/saboteur. I’m still not sure I actually understand that.

Overall, I rate this novel 2 out of 5 stars.

Nura's talent for matchmaking the elite is notorious. But when her recent matches are imploding, is she wrong or is someone sabotaging her business? Besides the mystery and suspense, there is a delightful romance storyline too! This is my first book by Aisha Saeed, but it won't be my last. Fun read!

The Matchmaker is like 3 genres in one- romance, women’s fiction and mystery/thriller. It bounced around a lot and at times it was just too much going on at once. I didn’t love the lead female character, I didn’t see a lot of growth in her. It kept my interest though and I did read it very fast.

Unfortuneately this book is just not for me. I could not connect with the main character and it felt like the plot was trying to do too much. Is this a romance, a thriller? I couldn't tell. Felt very bland and uninteresting.

A matchmakers business begins to go downhill when a note is left for a couple about to get married and another couple is kidnapped. I was able to figure out who was sabotaging her business but still a fun read.

I’m almost positive I say this with every single book, so if you’re not new here forgive me lol But I REALLY need to start reading the synopsis. If its a trusted author why in the world would I do that? I know I’m going to read it anyway. And usually I do lol And this was the case with this one. So basically when things got so unhinged I was gobsmacked in the best way lol

This was so good! I have never really thought twice about arranged marriages and how those families find each other, but this book put that process in a whole new light. I can’t imagine the way these things could actually happen. And for the person it ended up being? Lordt that was a lot. I also thought this was a really cool idea for a thriller too. Literally everything that happened in this book could actually really happen in real life. People are cruel and weird and would absolutely make up stuff to ruin businesses and would also get mad because THEY broke her rules even tho she told them they couldn’t do it. I was scared for her like this book wasn’t fiction.

The mystery part wasn’t really hard, but to me it was still good. Usually if I guess the person who did it, I automatically take a star off the rating, but I didn’t for this one because that person ended up being unhinged. I was literally grabbing at my hair telling them who not to trust and at that last scene, I was basically pacing. I was stressed. Add on to the fact that there were d*ugs involved and I was scared af. I just knew things weren’t going to go the right way.

The romance was weird. I really didn’t think it needed to be in there? He could have been the bestie for real for real. I don’t feel like this romance really brought anything to the story. Hell if they can change the person’s character and it still makes sense to the story, they weren’t that important. Idk it was weird

I will say I was upset at the closure lol This was a really great story and I wanted more! The premise of this was so good and the execution was also good. I really want another in this universe. But as for now, I think it’s time for me to just occupy my time with some re-reads.

Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for this copy of The Matchmaker! I thought the premise of this book sounded great so I was a little disappointed that it fell a little flat for me. I was not expecting the mystery component in the way it unfolded, so I think that through the book off course for me as I was expecting more romance. Still a fun read though.

This was good! I love the mystery and the romance all mixed together, it's nice for when you can't decide if you want to read a mystery or a romance book!

This story immediately caught my attention. It was such a fast paced story with a steady build that kept me reading. I really loved the mix of background and current story for Nura.

Nura takes over her aunts matchmaking business after she retires due to health. She was raised by her aunt after her mother tragically died when she was young. About mid way you learn more about the reality of this and how it ties into her current situation. Her mother was set up but her father was a bad guy but the extend of that wasn’t fully know to Nura growing up.

Currently she’s growing more aware of her single status while warming up to her long time friend, Azar. There are also a physical threat that’s following her and couples she’s matched ruining her reputation and safety. She begins to untangle who could be doing this and their motives.

I even bought this in paperback after.

#BookReview
🎧 The Matchmaker (#99)
3.5⭐️/ I liked it!
Swipe for @goodreads synopsis

🥰 This was a genre-bender of a novel! Don’t let that cute cover fool you— that’s a target over our MC’s figure. Thank you to @randomhouse for the sneak peek— it’s out now.

🥰 This book is part romance, part cozy mystery and it was just ok for me— which is on track for me and any cozy mystery. It’s just not my favorite. I think if that genre is your jam, then you should definitely check this out. Meanwhile, I probably need to stop trying to force it. 🤪

🥰 This is centered around a Palestinian-American matchmaker whose services are extremely exclusive. Suddenly, her matches start falling apart and she’s getting threats. So who’s behind it all?

🥰 The writing was great, the romance elements were cute and I definitely loved the cultural elements including knowledge of the Desi culture and its wedding traditions. Overall, it was an entertaining listen!

🥰 Have you ever used a matchmaking service? Would you consider it if you were single?

This was fun! But not something that it going to stay in my head long term. Easy and cute with some spice. Great pallet cleanser.

A matchmaker becomes the target of an unknown adversary who keeps sabotaging the weddings of her matches.

I really liked how unique this book was. It wasn’t your typical matchmaker story. The mystery aspect was compelling and fit the story well.

Nura was a great character; however, there were times she felt older than she was supposed to be. I think it helped lend credibility to the amount of pressure she was under but at the same time I kept questioning what stage of life she was in.

The will they won’t they between Nura and Azar was addicting! I really had no idea how it was going to go for them throughout the majority of the book.

Also, this book painted a vivid picture in my mind. Visualizing the extravagant weddings was really easy.

💋 Romance
🔎 Mystery
🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Family
🤗 Found Family
💛 Desi Culture

⭐️: 4/5
🌶️: 2/5

👉🏼 #bookstackcityreviews

🙏🏼 Thank you @penguinrandomhouse for the #gifted copy of #thematchmaker !!

Aisha Saeed's The Matchmaker is a compelling blend of romantic suspense and cultural exploration, marking her adult fiction debut. Set in Atlanta, the novel follows Nura Khan, a successful third-generation matchmaker whose thriving business faces sabotage through a series of unsettling events. As Nura navigates these challenges, she also grapples with her complex feelings for her childhood best friend, Azar, who poses as her fiancé at client weddings.

This was fun! I got this ARC a while ago, but never got to read it. When I saw it was a book on the AAPI rec list, I figured now was as good a time as any to finally check it off my TBR!

Nura Khan is the head of a matchmaking service to the elite desi society members (and others) in the Atlanta metro area. She has a great track record and a small but mighty staff on her side. She attends many of her client's weddings, as she prides herself and her reputation for staying with them from the beginning to the very end of the matchmaking process. However, one day a podcast is published that slanders Nura and her business, kicking off a mysterious and dangerous series of events that happen both at various client weddings and in private, personal settings with Nura and her friends and family. Then, just when you think the mystery has ben solved, there's even more to unpack and figure out!

This was a fun book, but not a favorite of mine. A lot of reality had to be suspended for me to buy into the story, but I think it was really well-written, especially for a debut!! I'd recommend this to anyone that likes romances, but is looking for something a little different to change things up. There are definitely aspects of a romance novel in here (Azar, Nura's long-time bestie and crush is present throughout) but I wouldn't say that it feels like a super central focus of the book. This book is about Nura saving herself and her business with little flecks of romantic notions throughout. 😊

The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed was so good…I loved it! If you’re into romance with a twist of suspense and mystery, family drama, secrets and lies, friends-to-lovers, fake fiancé tropes, and beautifully written stories rooted in South Asian culture, then you will love this book.

This was my first book by Aisha Saeed, and it definitely won’t be my last. She did such a great job with the plot, pacing, and well-developed characters. Nura Khan, a third-generation matchmaker, takes over her aunt’s elite matchmaking business. But things get complicated when she starts receiving threatening messages and high-profile weddings are getting cancelled. On top of the professional chaos, her love life is a mess—she’s secretly in love with her best friend Azar, who pretends to be her fiancé at events.

As Nura tries to save her reputation and her company, she begins to uncover family secrets that change everything she thought she knew. The layers of mystery, culture, romance, and personal growth kept me hooked. I also purchased the audiobook, and Tiya Sircar’s narration was fantastic!Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As many other reviews share, this book is half romance and half mystery. I thought the cover looked cute and I like AAPI own voices stories, so I requested this book. I also in general like matchmaking, and thought this would be cute. Nura, our main character, is sharp and runs her own matchmaking firm in Atlanta, GA (I love when books are in GA)! This story follows her, her family, her friendship/crush on her college bestie, and also a stalker and sabotage of her business.

Things I Liked: being set in Atlanta, Learning more about Desi culture, references to amazing yummy sounding food, thunderstorms, and the cat

Things I didn't like: I kind of wish this had just been a mystery without the romance.

I enjoyed this overall and would read something else from this author.

This book was charming and full of potential—matchmaking, fake engagement, and a will-they-won’t-they friendship-turned-romance. However, the story doesn’t quite deliver on its emotional depth. The romance feels a bit too predictable, and the chemistry between Nura and Azar could’ve used more spark. It’s a sweet, easy read with some heartwarming moments, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Overall, this was just a fine mystery. Entertaining enough for me to read quite quickly, but not something that I was dying to finish either. I did also enjoy the general plot of the book and the inclusion of Desi culture, along with the commentary made about abusive relationships. However, the main thing that took stars off this book for me is the romance. For the first 70% or so into the book, Azar feels like a side character and not a final potential partner for Nura. Azar is literally in a relationship with another woman for more of the book than he's with Nura. I of course know that Nura has feelings for Azar, but because he's hardly in the first 70% of the story, I don't really see tension between the two of them to show me why they should end up together at the end of the book. So when Nura and Azar do confess their feelings for one another and start dating and eventually get married, it doesn't have the same satisfying feeling that a childhood friends to lovers should have because Azar isn't really present in the book for the majority of it. Besides this, I am also a little confused about Darcy's motive. Her reasoning for doing what she does is to gain money, but isn't Nura's matchmaking service making tons of money? I would understand if Darcy was a regular disgruntled employee, but she's working directly beside Nura wouldn't she be getting paid more? But maybe that's just me being ignorant.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The title is misleading at first, and has the reader thinking it would be a lovely little rom-com. What it truly is is a fun, fast-paced, and entertaining family story. Some key themes are secrets, fake dating, friends to lovers, stalking, and a dash of mystery. All around, it was good!

This was such a fun read. I love how it seems like a romcom but is actually a mystery (with romance!). It's about Nura, a selective matchmaker unlucky in love -- and the stalker who is following her. There's also a family secret! The story was fast-paced, and the voice was fun and engaging. For a mystery, this is lighthearted. For a romance, it's dark. I really enjoyed following the dynamics of the family and Nura's colleagues. This is a fun crossover read that made me want tor read more Saeed!