I thought the idea of a mystery and a matchmaking business sounded great. I found the first half of the book to be slow and I struggled to stick with it. The second half was much better, but I was surprised that I’d correctly figured out the culprit by the second chapter. Thanks to Netgalley Galley for the ARC.

Like some other readers, I went into The Matchmaker thinking that it would primarily be a romcom, and boy was I pleasantly surprised to find that it was more of an action packed mystery/thriller centered around a Desi matchmaker (Nura) and her matchmaking business! But don’t you worry, there was still romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

**Read If You Like:**
- Mystery with a touch of romance
- Cultural traditions and family expectations
- Strong female protagonists
- Slow-burn relationships
- Lighthearted yet suspenseful storytelling

Nura Khan has built a thriving career as a matchmaker, helping couples find their happily ever after. But when a string of wedding disasters threatens her reputation, she realizes someone is deliberately sabotaging her business. Determined to uncover the truth, Nura teams up with Azar, her childhood friend and pretend fiancé, to investigate. As they follow the clues, their fake engagement starts to feel more real than either of them expected, complicating an already high-stakes mystery.

This novel strikes a balance between romance and suspense, delivering a charming yet intriguing story. Nura is a compelling protagonist—smart, independent, and deeply connected to her South Asian heritage. The chemistry between her and Azar adds warmth to the unfolding mystery, though the investigative elements remain light and secondary to the emotional journey.

While the plot’s twists may not be overly complex, the novel shines in its portrayal of cultural traditions, family expectations, and the complexities of love. Readers looking for a cozy, engaging mystery with a heartfelt romance at its core will find much to enjoy.

Thanks to the publisher for my gifted arc!

Nura has inherited her aunt's matchmaking business, and she runs it well. It's grown more than ever expected, and while they do have a dating app that anyone can use, there's still the personal service. For those who can afford it. But the people who use Piyar need to be open to love from anywhere - wealth and social rank are not considered in a match, which can be met with resistance. And sometimes working on yourself is required before you're ready to find your right match as well.

All in all, while Nura has many people singing her praises, she has just as many who want to bring her down. When she starts getting negative reviews, it's only the beginning of her problems. One wedding is brought to a halt when a false mug shot leads the family to believe the fiance hadn't been truthful about his past. When another couple is kidnapped, Nura has to face the fact that someone is blatantly sabotaging her weddings. Their sights soon turn more personal, and Nura is targeted directly.

Is this all because she refused to match someone with unlimited resources? Or could the source be even more personal?

With a good balance of mystery, plot twists, and romance, Aisha did a wonderful job of moving the story along and keeping you on your toes. Friends to lovers can drive me crazy at times (which is why I'm personally labeling this trope as "friends to misunderstanding") but the payoff is sweet, and comes a little earlier than I thought it might, which was nice. I hate waiting until 85% of the book for them to get together, only to have another obstacle come up. But there was so much more going on in this book, that I was able to get past the yearning and disappointment! I'll definitely be looking forward to her next book!

3.5 stars
This was an interesting book. Nura has learned the skill of matchmaking from her aunt. She is the best in the business but something seems to be wrong when a wedding gets called off which hurts her reputation. As they are discovering someone seems to be trying to ruin her business but why?

As most of you know, I usually don’t read anything in the romance category, but I’d seen so many good reviews for this book that I went ahead and tried it out. There is some romance in it (it’s about a matchmaker, after all) but this is definitely more of a mystery book. I just wish it had a little more grit…

Nura Khan is our matchmaker, and she runs a successful agency that has been around for three generations. Her auntie Khala was running the business, but after she had a stroke and was diagnosed with early stages of dementia, Nura took over. She has a small but dedicated staff, and her best friend Azar pretends to be her fiancé when they are at her public events. (Nura doesn’t want the world to know that she can’t find a match for herself!) Everything is meticulous, until it isn’t.

Things start to unravel when the night before a wedding, the bride’s family says the relationship is done and the wedding is off. They were given a mug shot of the groom-to-be, and proof that he’d been incarcerated for assault. Nura is perplexed - she has a private investigator who checks out every single person they deal with. None of them should have criminal records or anything untoward in their background. Soon, she realizes the mug shot and police record was a lie, made up to ruin a wedding, and her business.

Then, an unknown podcaster starts talking about the Piyar Matchmaking Company, and not in a flattering light. Rumors begin to swirl online, and soon, people Nura has been working with suddenly want no part of her services. The mystery in the book is who is trying to sabotage her business, and why?

Overall, this book was entertaining, but not exciting. The story was relatively benign and I think there definitely could have been more suspense. It was still an enjoyable read though, and this is the author’s adult fiction debut. Going from writing books for younger readers to writing an adult mystery novel can’t be easy, but this turned out okay. I thought this was a bit too cutesy, but if you like cozy romance/mysteries, this one is for you! 3.5 stars.

(Thank you to Random House - Ballantine, Aisha Saeed and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on April 8, 2025.)

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

The MatchMaker was an incredibly enjoyable read! A society matchmaker discovers she’s in peril as her clients' weddings are sabotaged in increasingly unsettling manners—an entirely unique mystery. I adored the vibrant culture, charming romance, family dynamics, and cozy mystery woven throughout this book! I simply couldn’t set The MatchMaker aside! The characters were delightful and endearing, and the narrative unfolded seamlessly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"The Matchmaker" by Aisha Saeed follows Nura, who owns a matchmaking agency in Atlanta, as she deals with an escalating series of strange occurrences related to her business. I went into this thinking it was supposed to be a cozy mystery, but it's more of a light thriller with a slight romantic undertone. I struggled with the structure of the book, because it seemed like it vacillated between thriller and rom com in a way that didn't make much sense. The main character, Nura, was a tad one-note so I never really felt connected to her. The pacing was very quick; this could easily be read in one day.

I really enjoyed that this book was not only a mystery, but so much more than that. It’s heavy on family and the history of the matchmaking business. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but the author did a really good job. I felt this was a really fun read and would recommend it to anyone that likes cozy mysteries.

Cozy mystery books with a dash of romance are truly having a moment in publishing!

This is Saeed’s adult debut, and I really enjoyed this mystery, family drama, and dash of romance mash-up. Nura Khan is a 3rd generation matchmaker with a referral only thriving business. She has worked incredibly hard to continue her family’s legacy, and when a series of tragic disturbances ruin several of her clients’ weddings, she must work to discover who is trying to sabotage her before anyone else gets hurt. Nura is a relatable heroine: she’s dedicated to her career, loyal to her family, and doesn’t have time to date so she relies on her childhood best friend, Azar, to be her forever wedding date. I enjoyed learning more about the matchmaking industry, experiencing gorgeous weddings, and working with Nura to solve the mystery. The stakes/danger did rise pretty high in the 2nd half of the book, so I would call it ‘medium’ cozy, but with a great pace, unique plot line, and enjoyable characters with depth, I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you to Ballentine for the digital ARC, and PRH audio for my complimentary audiobook. Narrator, Tiya Sircar, did a wonderful job capturing Nura’s smart and confident persona, while creating palpable suspense during the more high stakes portion. Her nuanced and emotive performance definitely enhanced my reading experience!

This was a fun cozy mystery/romantic comedy mash up. The pace was just right and the characters likeable. The only disappointment was I had the antagonist pegged very early.

This book was a surprisingly good read.

I expected a rom-com, but instead found a delightful mystery, family drama and rom-com all rolled into one.

Nura, who's family are originally from Pakistan, inherited a matchmaking business from the aunt who raised her. She now runs the highly successful business in Atlanta, backed by a team of people who have developed an algorithm and an app to provide matchmaker services. Very wealthy clients choose the personal service of Nura, to facilitate both the match and then the weddings of their sons & daughters. When a couple of weddings are sabotaged, after a break in at Nura's offices and threatening notes are delivered, she is fearful that someone has a personal vendetta against her and is out to damage her reputation - which her business relies on. But who?

I loved the characters in this novel, from Nura and her aunt, and cousin, to Azur her long time friend and plus one at the weddings and the people who work for her who are like family. I was fascinated by all of the traditions and flair of the desi weddings, the expense and the grandeur, along with the glitz and glamour of the wealthy clients.

I can't wait for more from this author, whose writing flowed seamlessly and made for an easy quick read.

Excellent mystery and romance wrapped into one! I loved the inspiration for the book and the cat and mouse chase of it all. Elite matchmaking and stalking is one mix that will keep the pages turning.

I LOVED this book. Although it's probably closer to 4.5/5 stars due to a couple things that seemed unbelievable, I really resonated with Nura and her drive to succeed as a matchmaker and think the best of everyone around her. This was a fun romantic romp with a few unexpected twists.

Arranged marriages as a business? Surely not! But, in this book it is a very successful business.
Nura enjoys her work and looks at it as her calling. Taught by her Aunt, she has the uncanny ability to pick the right person for her clients to find their ever after spouse. That is until someone is not happy that Nura has refused to find a special someone for them. From online bad reviews, stalking, kidnapping and murder, Nura and her friends desperately try to find who is trying to destroy her business.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing, Ballentine Bantam Books for the early copy of this delightful, enjoyable, light mystery!
I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nura is a matchmaker. She matches the rich and wealthy and attends some lavish Georgia based weddings. This book is about family, friends, and deception. What I didn't know is that it was not just a cozy mystery but instead something so big and powerful that my head is still spinning. Lord, I was so off base on the person who was causing all the problems. What a great read and debut novel from this author. I definitely can't wait to see what else she has in store.

Aisha Saeed’s debut adult fiction novel, The Matchmaker is equal parts family story and mystery.

Nura Khan is a renowned matchmaker and her agency Piyar has made waves in the matchmaking industry but at its inception and core, it is a family business founded by Nura’s aunt, Khala (the Urdu term for aunt).

Nura lives the life of a boss woman, complete with its trials and luxuries. Her work and her Khala’s legacy are her whole life leaving no room for love or even family.

Then enters a creepy podcaster, ominous voice notes, serial killer style notes, kidnappings, and smear campaigns leading Nura and her close knit team to take the threat of violence against Nura and her business seriously.

Who is after Nura? Is it a match gone wrong? Is it someone Nura rejected from taking on as a client? Is it someone from her past, because everyone has a past or someone from her present?

The cast of characters guide the reader through weddings and matches made, family dynamics and hostilities with the thrilling mystery of who is after Nura casting a web over all of it.

This story is binge-able and exciting! It is reminiscent of the “hating aunties” or “matchmaking aunties” stereotype in an engaging and playful way with lots of sprinkles of desi culture which I loved!

This is a great read for when you are looking for a mystery on the lighter spectrum of thrilling, some swooning and a lot of theories.

4 🌟

This was such a great debut.

I got this book pushed to me on Netgalley and wasn't sure if I should read it or not - I'm so happy I did! This was such a good cozy mystery that had me guessing the whole time who was after Nuna and why?! Also, loved the relationship she had with her aunt and best friend.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Nura Khan is a successful matchmaker and her Atlanta based business is thriving. Working with high-profile clientele, Nura is a pro at getting the deal sealed and wedded bliss celebrated. However, what would her clients say if they knew that the matchmaker extraordinaire was single herself? Luckily, childhood friend, and all-around catch, Azar is ready to be her plus-one to all the wedding festivities Nura is invited to. But Nura has recently been receiving some nasty hate mail, and one of her most high-profile matches has stalled at the altar. Who could be behind the sabotage? And what happens when Azar decides he doesn‘t want to play at being a plus-one anymore? Aisha Saeed has written a fast-paced, original mystery/rom-com that takes the reader on an adventure through the traditional inner workings of matchmaking. The characters that Aisha creates are interesting, vulnerable, and relatable. The suspense builds throughout the novel, and you will second-guess yourself along the way. The ending is not „gasp! I had NO idea!‘, but it is very satisfying. Highly recommend for anyone looking for something a little more tense than a run of the mill rom-com, or a suspense with a bit of heart.

4/5 ⭐️
0/5 🌶️

Stayed up all night to read this. I told myself you don’t handle thriller and mystery well you should wait until the weekend to read it. But noooo I got sucked in on a Sunday late night right before bed and ended up staying up to finish it all. Thankfully it was a well paced “small-ish” book that didn’t feel like it dragged.

This was a great thriller/mystery about who is sabotaging and threatening the matchmaker. It was well thought out and unexpected with several twists I did not see coming. The motive was also subtle but pretty well thought out.

Left a lot to be desired in the romance department but that wasn’t the focus on this book so I get it.

Overall great read, could have used a bit more to flesh out the details and give it more depth - the MC lacked character development arc imo. It felt like the story was just being unfolded, not like the book was following MC character growth nor was she the one to really uncover the whodunnit. It was group effort (we all need help$ but it was more than help it was really truly group effort didn’t feel like MC stood out in the mystery solving. Tone, pacing, plot, the plot twists, were all great!

Good mystery thriller read!