I will start this review by saying that this is my first McCall Smith read, and probably landing in book 2 of a series is maybe not the best way to get introduced to the author and their work. I felt that Looking for You could probably be read as a stand along, but it is really not set up that way or at least, I feel like reading the first book would have helped me to enjoy this one more.

The writing is excellent. The character development is solid for Katie - I feel like book one gave us more Ness and even more Katie - but there was just too much. There is really no story, and after talking to my dad who is a McCall Smith fan, I realize that this is not unusual for him. And it is definitely not for me. I didn't dislike the book, but I wanted something to happen. Anything really. The result of having this be focused mainly on developing Katie a bit more is that the story was disjointed and there were times when I was thinking that Katie or the author were rambling and not staying on purpose. If there had been one couple for Katie to match make, that could have driven things, or more couples and then less focus on Katie. Knowing that this was a book two also made me feel like I was in the book in every series that kind of takes place before the action. That quiet lull .... Just not sure that there will be more action.

I think that, if this is McCall Smith's style and you like that, then this will be a good book. If you are more interested in a story with, well, plot or more plot than character study, you may want to skip it and try something else.

Will I read more? Maybe. I am on the fence. I do want to see what happens with these characters and the ending left enough unresolved (most unresolved) to make me wonder. Will it be enough to bring me back? Only time and a book three will tell.

I received this sweet romance as an ARC from NetGalley. The author almost always includes ethical dilemmas in his books. The main character, Katie, is running an “Introductions Agency” in Edinburgh as a favor to her aunt who has taken a gap year in Canada. It happens that the shop next door is let to William, a temporary resident from Australia. The two have developed a friendship but it hasn’t gone any farther. William helps Katie with a couple of troublesome matches.

I thought this was a nice, soothing book. It would be the right choice for the end of a rough day. It has matchmaking, accidentally finding love, and wishing for love. But there is no smut at all.

The second installment in the Perfect Passion Company series is a gentle cozy read with a little bit of angst and a generous helping of kindness. As Katie grows into her role of introductions-maker and dispenser of relationship advice for other people, she has to face the reality that her own emotions are far from settled when it comes to her neighbor/assistant William. Meanwhile, they work together on some tricky match-making cases: a man obsessed with family heritage looking for a woman with "background", and a woman convinced that she met the love of her life a year ago at the supermarket but was too scared to give him her name or number, or to get his. Lots of meandering thoughts and conversations along the way. If you like that about Alexander McCall Smith (and I've grown to), then you'll enjoy this one.

DNF’d at 31%.

The writing isn’t bad, but it’s not holding my attention AT ALL. I’m only ⅓ of the way through, and NOTHING has happened yet. I’m not invested in the characters enough to even want to find out what happens.

It’s clear from other reviews that this is a wonderful book for the right audience. It is clear, though, I am not part of that audience.

•𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘧, 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘯, 𝘝𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.•

I am new to this author although I know he is prolific. This book is not my typical read and I found it kind of twee for my taste. The style reminds me a bit of Barbara Pym. There are small actions in the day to day life of the characters that add up to a plot line. This is book 2 of a series and you are left to figure out who Ness is and why this guy William has so much time on his hands. You can get enough from context clues to motor along. The description of the region is very good and I found myself liking the characters. If you like homey cozy books with people finding love, this might be a good read for you. .

I’m loving this new McCall Smith series about the Perfect Passion Company — an old fashioned matchmaking service based in Edinburgh. This is book number two. On the surface, it is a story about a variety of characters and how the matchmaker — Katie — works to find the perfect match for them. But as with all McCall Smith books, it’s teeming with hidden depth as it explores life, love, and the pursuit of happiness (liberty isn’t really an issue here).

The writing is lovely — McCall Smith never condescends and he can make the most exquisite sentence out of utter mundanity. I couldn’t exactly explain why, but he is the only male writer whose female characters I absolutely love. He explores individuals, relationships, and various social and cultural milieus with a process that seems to incorporate detailed observation, in-depth reflection, multi-faceted synthesis with an output of clear and tender explanatory prose. He has written over 40 books and still manages to include “musings” that either teach me more or brings me fresh insight. What appear to most to be light and accessible novels, are for me books of rich meaning.

In this episode, the relationships barriers explored include missed opportunities, poor timing, external expectations, and reevaluation of one’s own criteria. So many different forms of love, so many different people trying to understand their own relationship to happiness. As always, we are treated to many interesting asides on poetry, music, art, and other intellectually spicy aspects of life.

Some Quotes:

“She cherished this too, the place in which she lived and worked, and the land beyond its bounds, because love spilled over from one person, one object, to embrace so much else. Love spread.”

“This is an achingly, beautiful city, he thought, and I fall more in love with it every single day. I still love, Melbourne, of course, but the heart is large enough, has enough chambers, to allow for more than one love. Not everybody knew that, he said to himself, but he did.”

“What a strange, frustrating, mysterious thing was love. In a world in which there would never be enough of everything, in which not all desires could be met, love was rationed, just as happiness was. Some were perfectly happy with the share they were allocated; others felt they got too little And then there were some who failed to grasp a fundamental truth about the way love worked, which was that you got back roughly the amount you put in. That was so basic that you would think that everybody would understand it, But they did not, for some reason, and had to learn the lesson — if they ever learned it — the hard way.”

Looking for You is a cozy read to pick up when you’re looking for an easy, fast read. The writing is good, and the characters are likable, but occasionally, the dialogue is heavy on advice/messaging regarding relationship topics, like a self-help book. The characters were interesting, and as they developed, I found I was interested in everyone's future outcomes. Though this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Vintage for this ARC. This is my honest review.

I was delighted to find this new series by Alexander McCall Smith. I read the Sunday Philossophy Club books and these were very similar in style and feel. I thought the main characters from one might run across the other, in fact. Overall, a good read for fans of the Isabel Dalhousie series and one I will keep reading. I'm already working my way through the preceeding titles too. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

Looking for You has all the charm and beauty one can expect from McCall Smith (even if the setting and stakes for searching are quite different from The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency). The writing is occasionally heavy-handed in its messaging or pretentious in its allusions. The characters, though, feel drawn directly from the earth: real, flawed, complex, lovable. I wasn’t expecting it, but Ness’ story became just as compelling to me as Katie’s and William’s. I adored all three of them - and Herb most of all! - and hope to read more about them in a future installment. While this is the second book in a series, I read it as a standalone with no problem. Reading this book was as cozy as curling up with a hot tea and soft blanket, and while the ending felt just right, it left me eager to read more! Five stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions. This review is cross-posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon and Instagram upon the book’s publication.

A truly enjoyable read, blending sweetness with a heartfelt storyline. While some of the dialogue may feel lengthy, it’s well worth the investment, offering valuable insight into the characters and enriching the overall experience.