this was a cute quick read that I enjoyed. Never read this author before but will look forward to more. Will be gifing this one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

The Referral Program by Shamara Ray is such a fun and light read. Plus, who doesn't love the idea of a referral program for love?

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This was such a fun, quick and easy read. The intro chapter dove right into the drama and I love that for us as readers.
I enjoyed the plot/idea of referring your friends to good people in your life that they would work well with. It’s true it worked in the past why do we need apps?? I also liked the rules that were set in place and going through their dating phases. In the end I liked everyone’s matches but really disliked the third act conflict, while realistic it was so stupid. I’m glad it resolved rather quickly but I see how it was the only one that worked for the story. This was overall a great read and can’t wait to see it find its fans

I wanted to love this book but it just wasn’t meant to be. I thought the plot was really fun and unique but the story just wasn’t there. Maybe with a little more editorial guidance this one would’ve been a 4 star read but for now I’m keeping it at 3.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

The plot of the book was great, but repetitive. It could've been better and wished for more. Took me a while to read.

Shamara Ray's "The Referral Program" focuses on three single friends in their 30s who agree to act as each others' matchmakers and set up dates for one another, e.g. a referral program.

While the idea for this plotline had potential, the execution fell flat. The writing felt awkward with dialogue that often felt unnatural, such as the excessive use of character names, and frequent descriptions of background scenes that disrupted the pacing. This made the prose feel clunky, pulling readers out of the story. Additionally, there was not enough description to distinguish the three main characters from each other, making them feel interchangeable. Unfortunately, the repetitive nature of certain scenes and dialogue didn't help in this aspect.

Unfortunately, this book didn't quite hit the mark for me personally. However, I don't typically gravitate towards romance novels, so this may be a case of "right book, wrong audience." Avid romance readers may connect with this book and have a different experience.




Overall, I struggled to connect with the characters and found the book lacking in depth. While it may not have been the right fit for me, it may appeal to readers who enjoy a lighter, more fast-paced romance.

Was a good read with a good premise but i wasn’t totally invested in the book it felt as if something was missing. I can’t say i enjoyed the read but I read it. Thanks to Atria Books, Strebor Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is my 1st time reading a book by Shamara Ray and I enjoyed reading “The Referral Program.” Brooke, Dylan and Ivy are best friends from college and are now working and in their mid-thirties growing tired of always finding Mr. Wrong. I’m not a fan of meeting significant others via my friends because for me we definitely do not have the same taste in significant others. One day when Brooke, Dylan and Ivy are meeting over brunch and having a conversation about being in serious relationships. Dylan comes up with a plan that is referred to as the referral program where each of the ladies comes up with candidates that neither of the women have dated before. Sounds like a plan right. This is an entertaining read that I enjoyed reading about Dylan’s referral program. These three ladies are great and for answers as how the referral plan worked out for them, I suggest that you pick up your copy and I hope that come to enjoy “The Referral Program” just as much as I did.

I received an ARC via NeGalley and Atria Books, Strebor Books and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

fun premise, not so fun execution. there wasn’t nearly enough drama for a situation that could have produced up to 18 first dates. give me a love triangle between any of the women and their matches, give me “i’m secretly in love with one of the friends i set you up with,” give me something!

the plot left much to be desired and unfortunately, that was only exacerbated by the authors tendency to set up a plot line and do nothing with it. why place so much emphasis on how disastrous it would be for the men to find out about the program if they never do? why introduce a celibate love interest and have them in a sex scene the very next chapter? (and on the topic of open door scenes, the “flower” and “kitty” euphemisms were distracting.)

Ray lost me at the end with the miscommunication trope (not once but twice!), but I’d still pick up another one of her books. the fast pace made it a quick read & the larger themes of sisterhood and leaning into vulnerability were sweet.

thank you to NetGalley and Strebor Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I really liked the premise of those story: three women struggling to find “the one” decide to start a program to meet new men. It got a little over complicated though, because honestly it’s just friends setting up each other with old friends, coworkers, acquainted, cousins etc. That’s pretty common.

I was expecting the big conflict at the end to be that all the men found out about “the program” and got upset and confused about what it really was. I was so shocked the conflict was over an insignificant new year’s eve kiss five years ago. I was so angry at Brooke for ignoring Dylan and automatically calling her man to tell her what happened when she actually didn’t even know what happened!

Also it was sometimes hard to follow with the three POVs. The women seemed similar and I wanted more scenes of them hanging out so I could learn more about them and see them as individuals. I was expecting more cute brunch scenes since they supposedly do that frequently.

I would give this author another chance though and read something else by them.

Unfortunately this one was a DNF for me at about 20%. I didn’t connect with the characters or premise like I would have liked to.

When I read the synopsis of the book I was intrigued but all in all it was missing potential. Unfortunately I felt it just did not hold up to my expectations. In my opinion the three FMC’s were way to similar to the point I got confused too easily.

I loved the concept of this book and I really wanted to like it, but I couldn't get into it for some reason. DNF

Dylan has been single for a couple years now and is looking to find someone to spend her life with, but how to find men who could be marriage material? Her friends, of course. Her friends are also single and so she pitches the idea of a Referral Program. Her friends would set each other up on dates with eligible men in their lives. Through the ups and downs of the program, the three friends try to find their one.

I really didn't like this. It felt like an early draft or an outline that could been improved with further editing. The writing was very formulaic, with the exact same sets of things playing out for each woman and the POV seemed to switch at times between the women and their dates somewhat randomly. As a result of focusing on three different love stories at the same time, it was easy to get the women confused and it was hard to get attached to any of them. The reaction to the major conflict felt over the top and the book felt preachy at times. While the premise was good and there were some parts I thought were engaging, overall, unfortunately, not for me.

Thank you to the author and Atria Books and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

This was such a fun, fresh romance—I loved the conceit of women having to recommend men to date and wish it really existed! I loved the characters and voice. A great feel-good read.

Overall this book was super cute. I loved the sisterhood between the three girls...even though they did show a sign of weakness by almost letting a man get in the way. They're strong and they're independent and they're the kind of powerful women that I love seeing represented in books.

Ray also basicallg wrote up the perfect men. We love a man who isn't afraid to go all in on his emotions. A freak in the sheets and a gentlemen in the streets 🤤🤪

If you're a romance lover - you get three love stories in one book so you literally can't go wrong ♡

My ONLY complaint about this book is some of the verbiage. Like it was a book for mature adult women but it felt childish at times. I mean calling a woman's vagina "her flower" multiple times makes me want to vomit.

Firstly, the premise of the referral program is something I love. Talk about a modern solution for dating. For these friends, at the end of their patience, they decide to set each other up with a series of friends and family members. But what they quickly learn is that there can be downsides to setting someone up with someone we know. That people can really get hurt. The narration style of The Referral Program allows little glimpses into all of Dylan's friends with a few moments of their date's thoughts.

But unfortunately this combined made it feel fast paced, but also a bit shallow. I wanted to sink deeper into the perspectives of each of Dylan's friends to see a bit more introspection. Maybe that's just a personal preference of mine, but I connect better to characters with a bit more introspection so I can put myself in their places. There's also a whole host of side characters and these glimpses tended to detract a bit from my main focus.

This was such a fun concept. Imagine - your bffs find your perfect match! That should definitely work, right? What could go wrong?

I really liked Brooke. Dylan and Ivy took some time, but I like them fine by the end.

Did the referral dating system actually work? Not really. I just couldn't get my head around the plan being plausible. And honestly, it doesn't really work in the book, either.

This book was not for me. I didn’t connect to any of the women, the conversations were awkward, and it was all very boring.