BOOK REVIEW: Match Me If You Can by Michele Gorman ★★★★☆

WARNING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

Ever thought about recycling your ex? (In my case it’s a no LOL.)

Meet three housemates and best friends, Catherine, Rachel and Sarah who are unique in character (except for the fact they’re single white ladies). It’s narrated in third person from their point of view.

We first meet Catherine, a thirty-something, elegant brunette and fabulous entrepreneur who runs a very successful online dating agency RecycLove, but with a twist. Just sign up with an ex (you are on good terms with) and assess each other as a potential partner for someone else. She co-owns this matchmaking service with her ex-husband and ‘best friend’, Richard. With no regrets to their divorce, she’s displeased to learn that he has sold half of the business to his hot and younger fiancé Magda. Not only does she arrive on a daily to the business, demanding changes to the service, but she also forces Catherine to choose the napkin colours for her wedding and basically rubs her face in. This, in turn, causes Catherine to reflect on her relationship with a man she thought she knew.

Then there’s Rachel, a fun and dynamic young architect in her early 30's. With an incredible career in an architect’s thriving firm, she works alongside colleague and ex-boyfriend James. Whilst working with him on a serious and major project, Rachel decides to join Catherine's matchmaking site. With auburn hair and callipygian figure, it’s not hard for her to find dates. But when she joins up with James and they fill out The RecycLove Relationship Assessment form, let’s just say he gave her the thumbs up and she gave him the thumbs down. Ouch! It not long before James starts dating other women for Rachel to really think about what she had with him, coming to a startling realization about herself.

And finally, Sarah, our blonde baker in her late 20’s, with a down to earth spirit and work from home wedding card illustrator. Since her mother’s death, Sarah doesn’t go out that much let alone go on dates. She likes staying at home or visiting her teenage Downs Syndrome sister or even going out for a jog (got to keep in shape because damn those carrot muffins!). As her friends worry about her hermit ways, Rachel sneakily put Sarah's name forward for an audition to the Great British Bakeoff, because the woman is passionate and talented. Then Catherine gets her to join her matchmaking site. Poor Sarah gets awful feedback from an ex (he calls her boring) but this awakes something her. Soon, with Rachel's fashion advice; she steps out of her bubble, goes on dates and discovers more about herself.

With a strong friendship that bonds them together, they live in a large house that’s in the process of renovation into three separate flats for them. So expect some clumsy workers and more damage to walls than actual fixing.

Michele Gorman is the USA TODAY and Sunday Times bestselling author of ten romantic comedies including The Curvy Girls Club and the Single in the City series. Match Me If You Can is quite a recent book and I gave myself eight days to read this. (You know by now, a 400-page novel and I’m a slow reader.)

Can I just start off by saying I absolutely adore the book covers. Both of them in fact. I usually don’t comment or compliment the cover really but I have to in this case. The Avon publication (on the right) is the one I got but the other just as good. Clearly, just by looking at the cover, it’s contemporary chick lit. Anyway, this was a good book. Gorman really has a way with words, with her flowing writing style and witty dialogues. It’s a well written, fresh and funny chick lit. All three women are perfectly imperfect with their quirks and shortcomings that make them realistic and appealing. Plus with interesting, resonating background stories seemliness working into the present was done well as Gorman created altering chapters between all three women.

Although there were minor characters, I did like Sarah’s sister Sissy, even Magda in a way. They’re not just characters to fill the pages, but they have a substance which I couldn’t overlook as minor traits.

But... BUT I'm not sure how many exes actually remain friends. Would they agree to sign up with each other to a dating website? I don’t know if the idea would work in real life. I personally didn’t like Rachel and James relationship. Fair enough, she convinces him to join the dating website and he betters himself after reader her horrid evaluation. I mean, it’s predictable they’d get together, but I think it’s the way it’s done is a bit cheesy. Nonetheless, I love Catherine’s surprise (not really her ideal man but they really do work well) man in the end.

I was really going to give this a full five star but with a few dislikes here and there, it’ll have to be four and a half. It’s a good chick lit book, better than most ones I’ve read. I’m eager to read her other works. Plus I could see another series coming up. I would love to know more about Catherine, Rachel and Sarah.

Rating 4.5/5
First Published: January 2nd 2016, Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Second Publication Date: January 14th 2016, Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance /Chick Lit