I'll be shelving this book for now and hoping to come back to it in the future.

Thank you for the opportunity to read. Hoping to be at a better place to read this one.

The best part about this book is the descriptions of the food, because food is life. The real love story is between Sophie and food.

I feel like the relationship between Sophie and her parents was so toxic, they could never see eye to eye on anything. Her mother was one of the worst characters when it came to being judgmental and unsupportive of Sophie, that I almost didn't even finish reading the book.

The idea of matchmakers is interesting but I never know if it's really a career or just a hokes that people say is a career and make money off of desperate people wanting love

I did like the touch of magical realism that was throughout this book with the whole 'red thread', being open for a soulmate. But I also felt bad for Sophie because she would never have a love interest or a 'red thread' because she was a matchmaker.

This book was so different for me than the usual books I read. I (embarassingly) didnt know much about the culture... or about matchmaking and how serious it is. Overall, this was an emotional story and I enjoyed it. Thank you!

Sophie Go studied matchmaking in Shanghai and planned to start her practice in Toronto. She is able to see the threads of connection as actual red threads. But getting clients and bringing them together is another side of the business altogether.

Sophie decides to focus on senior citizens in an expensive condo complex. These Old Ducks are set in their ways but somehow prove willing to give Sophie and her suggestions a chance. As Sophie introduces Old Ducks to possible matches, we are charmed. Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club is a fun, heartwarming read.

Five stars. All the stars. All the TISSUES I WENT THROUGH on this one!!

This is a deeply emotional read about a woman learning her worth and teaching others to recognize their own as well. I just...it was a wonderful book.

Content warnings for emotional abuse, death of a character, neglectful/emotionally abusive parents.

In Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club, the eponymous Sophie is trying to get her matchmaking business off the ground in her hometown of Toronto. It's a highly respected career that requires a magical ability to see the red threads that can form romantic connections between people and then schooling and certification in Shanghai. Freshly returned from her time in school, Sophie has a scant few months to establish herself and get certified or she'll lose access to her matchmaking ability, that special sight she holds dear. Meanwhile, Sophie has complicated feelings about being back in her mother's orbit. Her dread is not unwarranted. Subject to her mother's emotional warfare at every turn, Sophie must even react to sabotage of her new career. After this maternal interference, Sophie's potential client list shrinks when she most needs it to grow. Desperate, she pitches her services to a club of elderly Chinese gentlemen in her building who go by the name "The Old Ducks." The Old Ducks are all unattached, and Sophie offers to find one a match for free in the hopes that the others will give her their business when they see her success. Starting with a taciturn cat lover, Sophie finds matches for each Old Duck, and they worm their way into her heart in the process.

Though this book is classified as a romance, I'd say it's more about the decision to pursue romance than the romance itself. Sophie's indecision about letting love into her life not only comes from the emotional scars from her childhood but also from the traditional rule that matchmakers can't be matched themselves. Though recently lifted, a matchmaker must petition to have her red thread restored, so Sophie would have to take uncharacteristic action on her own behalf. Instead of acknowledging her feelings, Sophie diligently works on finding her only young client a match even when she starts to notice the chemistry between them. Codename Mr. Particular, the client is a clear communicator who doesn't put undue pressure on Sophie or indulge in any brooding (refreshing). The love story's light and airy with minimal angst despite this rocky start.

This aroace reviewer appreciates that Sophie notes not all people need romance to have a healthy, happy red thread. It can be unattached and be enough. She also has queer clients and learns to see the potential for love and life in her senior clients, creating a niche for herself. The matchmaking follows largely similar mini-arcs. Sophie determines what her clients need and then matches them with relatively minimal fuss. The mlm friends-to-lovers plot between two Old Ducks after a lifetime of secret pining was my favorite match, but I didn't dislike any of them. More compelling for me than Sophie or the Old Ducks' romances was the found family Sophie finds with her new friends. It's especially touching given all the torment she experiences loving her biological family. Finding unconditional love in its many forms is just the medicine Sophie needs. I admit to ugly crying near the end.

This contemporary story features both a touch of magic and a sugary sprinkle of romance, showing us how to embrace the people who love you no matter what. Thanks to Berkley for my copy to read and review!

A magical and beautifully written novel about finding love later in life and dealing with emotional pain. Enjoyed this a lot.

I loved this, she was fighting for her career and reputation and then the interaction with all the elderly folks she matchmakes, is great.

Reading Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club was a delightful experience though I'd say this book isn't for me.
Romances are a hit or miss for me and unfortunately this one was a miss. It has nothing to do with the writing or characters, I find them quite charming. I loved the aspect of Sophie's relationship with The Old Ducks, the match making plot line was really nice, and overall I love seeing that the romance focuses on many characters and the different aspects of the romance trope.
But in the end I didn't find anything about the book memorable or impressionable. It was just a one time thing kind off book for me. It's not a bad book. Just wasn't for me.

I found myself engaged with Sophie Go from the beginning. She was a plucky new matchmaker who truly wanted to help those around her make their intended love connections. Against the wishes of her overbearing mother and father, she attended matchmaking school in Shanghai and was set to replace the matchmaker who used to service their area of Toronto.

She gets a fancy apartment and embarks on single life, while knowing that being a 'good daughter' means she'll always be home for dinner when she's called. And despite following her own dream instead of continuing in the banking job her parents think is safe for her, she still wants to prove she's a good daughter.

What she doesn't expect is how close she quickly feels to her client group. She needs to prove her worth as a matchmaker in order to earn her accreditation, and once the Old Ducks social group in her building gets to know her, they can't help but love her. She makes lifelong friends in her first few months (heck, I haven't done that in 10 years in my new house!).

While I was engaged with Sophie's life from the beginning, about three-quarters through the book is when I couldn't put it down til I found out how it all ended. I don't want to spoil it for you, but this book stayed on my mind after earning its 4 star rating. It's a book about multi-generational friends, romance, and a dash of Chinese family culture, with a side helping of family drama and coming-of-age independence.

This was such a fun read. I loved Sophie's relationship with the ducks. Her mom, however, was just plain awful. I couldn't believe how nasty she was and how long it took Sophie to stand up to her. Overall I would recommend giving Sophie a go!

I absolutely adored this book - so much so that I pre-ordered a print copy as my teen was reading part of it over my shoulder on a flight!

Roselle Lim just gets better and better. Sophie Go's and the supporting cast of characters were so well drawn, and the story line just pulled me in. I could see the apartments, too - and confess I hit my local Asian market to try all the candy I could find that Sophie was snacking on.

This was just a fun read that pulled on my heartstrings. Looking foward to whatever Ms Lim has for us next

Really loved the concept of this book! The matchmaking aspect is so cute and I love the codenames that Sophie gave to all of her clients. All the members in The Old Ducks were just the cutest characters ever and it was really heartwarming to see people older in age find love. Also really appreciated that this book touched upon Asian culture and food. I didn't particularly care for Sophie's character, but did like the found family that she found and the LGBTQIA+ rep that was portrayed with some of members of The Old Ducks. Overall, I had a really fun time reading this!

Sophie has just returned from Shanghai after studying for three years to become a matchmaker. She is ready to start her career when the full truth comes out. Sophie did not graduate.
Now, she must prove herself as a matchmaker but nobody will hire her. When she comes across a group of Septegenarian Chinese bachelors living in her apartment complex she makes it her mission to find them love.
As she develops relationships with these lonely men, she comes to realize that family is not always the people you are related to. I loved this wonderful book about believing in yourself and the power of love and friendship.

I am all about messy characters in romance books. But Sophie takes the cake with being a messy main character. She is literally all over the place, and it's not a good look if she wants to be a matchmaker in her hometown city. And she has a lot to juggle when she is trying to help seven grumps bachelors. It's going to be a struggle with her. She is totally out of her element, but yet she has determination in proving herself. And along the way, she will discover more about herself than ever as she starts matching the seven grumps bachelor.

A lovely story about second chance at love, and not for just one person, but a whole set of elders in the Chinese community that Sophie Go stumbles upon when she moves into her building. As a new matchmaker, she is looking for a client base and also juggling the harsh expectations of her parents.

What she gets is a family of her own choosing and a chance at success and happily ever after.

The first thing you need to know about Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club is that it will make you hungry. Sophie is a matchmaker in Toronto, and she loves food even more than romance. Sophie and her clients eat their way across the city, evocatively describing curry buns, guava candies, duck egg congee, nasi goreng, fruity pavlovas, and Krispy Kreme donuts.

The second thing you should know is that while Sophie does get a HEA, this book is more contemporary magical realism than romance. Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club is a quiet book about building multi-generational friendships while eating yummy food. I loved the way it depicted the multifaceted lives of older people seeking love, but the romances felt too superficial to satisfy me as a romance fan.

I love this story! LOVED this one! I love Roselle Lim and all her books. If you haven't read any of her books, then you should check her out.
This is so full of heart and swoon-worthy romance. It's such an emotional read, and I related to a lot in this story with the family issues and how the main character, Sophie, is trying to find herself and establish herself and her independence in her life. Sophie decides on a career in matchmaking and moves to Toronto after being in Shanghai for 3 years. She isn't a fully accredited matchmaker because she didn't quite graduate and is trying to find clients and build up her clientele. She discovers a secret club in her condo complex called the Old Ducks, which is made up of seven septuagenarian Chinese bachelors, and gets them to hire her. She is able to find and help the 7 bachelors with love and in the process finds and works through a lot for herself and meets a swoon-worthy guy.
This is fantastic and I highly recommend it. If you haven't read it, then go check it out. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for letting me read and review this amazing story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was super sweet and all in all an enjoyable read. It was more a women's fiction than a romance, but all in all it was a moving story about finding your true family and learning to believe in yourself. I'm a sucker for a book set in Canada, and Toronto isn't far from home. Add in the touch of magical realism in this story that has Sophie gifted to see people's 'red strings' - the thing that indicates someone's potential for love matches and it's all combined to just be *chefs kiss*

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I have not read anything by Roselle Lim prior to this and was loved her writing style. This was a great book and I can't wait to read more by her. Thank you for the opportunity.