Match Me if You Can: When Cute Matchmaking Goes Wrong!

ABOUT the BOOK
Author: Tiana Smith
Publication Date: 2019
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Genre: Fiction; Contemporary YA Romance
Source: publisher provided ARC – thank you, Swoon!
FIND the BOOK ELSEWHERE: Goodreads
FIND the REVIEW ELSEWHERE: Goodreads 
Rating: ★★★★

Match Me If You Can by Tiana Smith | Book Review

THE STORY | When you’re best friends with the girl who has a talent for matchmaking, finding a date for homecoming is a breeze. Or so Mia mistakenly assumes. Turns out, her best friend Robyn isn’t going to pick favorites for her bestie, and match her with Mia’s crush, Vince. This causes Mia to take matters into her own hands and make the match behind Robyn’s back.

But what she doesn’t realize is that Robyn does have someone in mind for her best friend, it’s just not the boy of her dreams. Enter Logan. Logan, like Mia, is on the school newspaper, only he isn’t exactly the boy Mia pictures when she enters the homecoming dance; in fact he’s the polar opposite of perfect. But because of choices, misunderstandings and broken friendships, Mia is about to have a crash course in matchmaking 101.

REVIEW | From the moment I first read about this one, I thought it sounded adorable. Though I have bought and own a few books from Swoon publishing, I think this is the first one I’ve read. Its cover art is cute with a gorgeous color palette, and those of us who enjoy a lighthearted romance will find an equally sweet story inside.

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Although the story inside doesn’t quite live up to the expectations I had made for Match Me If You Can, there’s still plenty of romance hijinks and cuteness involved. The leading couple is really cute in this one although its heroine will rub you the wrong way a time or two. Her silly choices are the kind that come with a glaring red light while its main male lead is actually quite likable despite Mia’s perception of him.

What I do like about the romance is that there is actually a relationship before the end-of-the-book “breakup” occurs. This helps to sell the idea that there can be a parting of the ways over the idea that there’s really no reason for this dissolution. How the romance develops is also a kind of sweet story, and one I’d have liked to spend more time with. Of course, the story is about more than cute romantics. It’s about a girl who has lessons to learn, and as part of this, must learn how to repair the fragile relationships of the people who love and know her best.

Match Me if You Can is a quick, easy read that is sure to please anyone who likes contemporary romance. Whether you enjoy Kasie West novels or the Geek Girl series, this one too might be worth adding to your TBR. I know I’ll certainly be on the lookout for more books by this new-to-me-author.

Content: apart from a few minor instances of innuendo, make out scenes or minor profanity, this one is clean.

Sincere thanks to the publisher for providing a complementary ARC copy of this novel for review; all opinions are my own.