4.5

i just loved this one! the narrators were perfect and made this story even better! Jack and Evie were so good together, i loved their dynamic and how much they truly loved each other. Seeing Evie and Sam bond was so sweet and melted my heart. This story was so sweet and i highly recommend picking this one up if you love a sweet, closed door single dad romance!

Sarah Adams never fails to leave readers feeling as if they have just read a comforting love story in her books. The Match is no exception. I loved that the service animals were what brought everyone together. Without her service dog, Evie would not have had her independence, nor would she know her best friend or be introduced to Sam and Jake. I really enjoyed the growth that Evie showed in standing up to her family, and the confidence that she found throughout the story too!

This is an expanded edition of a previously published book. I have not read the original edition, so I don't know which chapters or segments have been updated.

I don't often have occasion to read books that include disability representation. I appreciate when books expand representation for an underserved population—it's important for all people to see themselves in art and entertainment.

While not my favorite example of the genre, this could be considered a rom-com, with some amusing banter. It's at least primarily a closed-door romance. I found some of the “sexy talk” to be silly and decidedly not romantic—maybe this is part of why I don't read a lot of romance.

Because of the book's focus on romance, young Sam is not a main character, even though her needs spur and drive the storyline. As so many parents of resourceful children have lamented over time, Jake hopes that his childrearing methods will help Sam use her powers for good—not evil—as she matures.

Evie's mom is a passive-aggressive, manipulative woman [not the word I used in my personal notes]. She serves her purpose in Evie's character development and in parts of the story's advancement. Jake's family adds a lot humor to scenes in which they appear.

In the audio edition, male narrator Rusty Mewha sounds funny as a woman—not unexpected; I'm just making an observation. He immediately brings to mind Dustin Hoffman's movie performance as Tootsie—soft-spoken and somewhat breathy. On the plus side, Mewha at least approaches a Southern accent as indicated. Female narrator Leanne Woodward doesn't use a Southern accent, which is completely weird given how often characters' accents are brought up in the text.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and recommend it for avid and occasional mild romance or rom-com readers.

This is a super cute novel that will surely tug on your heartstrings. Evelyn goes to meet Jacob and his daughter to discuss matching with a service dog as his daughter has epilepsy. The meeting goes decidedly poorly, partly due to the fact that the daughter is the one who set up the meeting, unbeknownst to Jacob. Thinking they will never see one another again, they part with harsh words and without Evelyn sharing with Jacob that she, too, has epilepsy. However, because they are in a Sarah Adams novel, these two definitely cross paths together and the interactions are delightful.

I have really enjoyed Sarah Adams's books. This one is not as good as her later works, but is still quite enjoyable. I loved the disability rep and the open conversations between Evelyn and Jacob. The way in which they just couldn't help but like one another was endearing. Evelyn's parents and ex were great to hate and it was sweet seeing Jacob manage life as a single father and all the worries that go with parenting. There was chemistry and banter and scenes that made me smile. This is a perfect quick read for when you want something lighthearted and fun to escape into without too much drama and angst.

I listened to this one on audio. There were two narrators. Each did a good job of portraying both Jacob and Evelyn, although I didn't always like the voices for Jacob's daughter and some of the other side characters. It didn't take me out of the story though and I appreciate the casting with the dual POV.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"They'll find a new normal."

Thank you! In the charming feel good The Match by, she knows the assignment and she gets it done, RomCom author Sarah Adams (see The Cheat Sheet), I laughed, I cried, I swooned and finished listening with a smile and a feeling of satisfaction.

Last month most of the RomComs I experienced were more coming of age stories from the female POV. There's nothing wrong with these stories, in fact they were quite enjoyable; but they were sold as romcoms and often had little romance or funny moments or a male POV. Luckily, The Match is the definition of a RomCom.

Evie works at Southern Service Paws matching service dogs with clients. Charlie, her own service dog has changed her life, giving her independence after a diagnosis of epilepsy. She rushes to meet divorced Jacob, looking for a dog for his too cute 10 year old daughter Sam. What neither of them knows is that Sam set up the meeting via email to convince Jacob that a service dog would help after her own epileptic seizures.

What follows is comedy gold, heartfelt let the tears fall scenes and some swoon worthy romance. Voice actor Rusty Mewha was perfection. When he tells Sam, "I am so honored to be your Dad," I lost it because he made me believe it. Voice actress Leanne Woodward was her usual brilliant self giving Evie extra emotional depth.

Two leads, dual POVs, both scared to be hurt again, a protective father, an adorable little girl, two angelic service dogs, some angsty relatives, an evil ex wife, an hilarious tampon scene, some mistaken thoughts (see angsty relatives and ex wife) and a few make me sigh romantic moments makes this one The Match for a RomCom.

*Book 1 of It Happened In Charleston revised duology*

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book pulled on every heartstring. I was drawn to this book because of the disability representation. Evie has epilepsy and owns a business where she trains dogs to become service dogs and assist other individuals that also have epilepsy. This is where she meets Jacob and his daughter Sam. Sam is a young girl who also has epilepsy and is wanting a service dog to help her throughout her daily life. Evie is such a genuine good person, and has created her own family with Jo and her dog Charlie. Evie comes from the richest family in their town, but doesn't like to claim her family and live by their standards. I really felt for Evie with all the interactions she had with her mother and family. But it spoke to her resilience to sticking to herself and living the life she wants to. Jacob is a single dad who is trying to get by. The insta-love here wasn't my favorite, he definitely is the insta-lover first although they both are attracted from the beginning. But their relationship is so cute, i did overlook it haha. This book is so much more than a love story, as you see a little family form with Evie & Sam's relationship too. This book was super cute.

This was such a sweet and heartfelt book. I really enjoyed the audio version and dual POV. I loved the epilepsy representation and the cute service dogs that were in this book. Evie is a sassy, capable and caring female main character. I loved Jake as the single dad, who tries his very best to do everything he can with his daughter. I loved Sam’s character as she navigates her new normal.

The Match was such an adorable rom-com filled with Sarah Adam’s signature cuteness and cheese. I simply loved the characters of Jacob and Evie and the family they built together with Sam, Charlie and Daisy 🦮

This was the type of book that you can’t help but have heart eyes over the whole time while you’re reading it! It was just a pure, feel good romance and exactly the type of lighthearted read I needed.

I also loved that while this book was fun, it still dealt with some more serious and sensitive topics and I thought the epilepsy representation was done really well. It brought awareness to what can be a life changing illness while making you feel so much more connected to Evie and Sam. Highly recommend!

I enjoyed this book and the narrators were great and did a good job with the voices and making them unique, but not weird. I loved the setting of Charleston. My only complaint is that it seemed a little too "insta-love" for me. I like some swooning and pining in my romances, and the couples seemed to get together fairly quickly.

I adored this book. The epilepsy representation is EXCELLENT, and while illness sometimes feels like an unnecessary addition to a love story, in this case it adds something special to the plot. Jake and Evie are a wonderful pair, with just the right amount of miscommunication and excellent longing and desire. I loved the inclusion of the dogs, the villainous family, and Sam. My only criticism might be to resolve Natalie in a different way, as her twist seemed a bit off with just a little bit of the story to go, however, she served the purpose of highlight found motherhood as opposed to biological motherhood. I will absolutely recommend this expanded edition of The Match.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book is probably closer to 5 stars than 4 so let's call it 4.5
🌶🌶 this gets a 1-2 chili pepper depending on how to judge. It's a closed door romance.

It's the first Sarah Adams book I've read, even though I have a ton of her books on my TBR. It makes me want to read them sooner rather than later because I really like her writing style. This story was overwhelmingly sweet. Even though our main character suffers from a life altering disability she takes life in stride and is more positive than one would expect in her circumstances. Her family dynamics remind me a lot of Lorelai Gilmore with her parents. (if you are a Gilmore Girls fan and have read this let me know if you feel the same) I also love that the beginning and end had this mirror effect, with slight differences, but it was really cute. The ending was adorable.

I feel like the only parts that have any negatives, it's a tiny bit insta-love but not too badly. Also, there was a scene in particular with some miscommunication and I had to pause the audiobook and yell at no one because I was in the car alone. To be fair, Jake did try to fix the mistake right away, so props to him, but it was still there even if it didn't last long.

Thanks to #netgalley for a copy of #thematch by Sarah Adams to read and review.

I enjoyed this book so much! I thought the story was so adorable , I loved Evie as a main character and I thought Jacob was a great romance interest.

The banter between Jacob and Evie is so dang cute, especially on their first meeting when they realize Sam tricked them into meeting because she was interested in a service dog. I thought the relationship between Sam and Evie was great and I appreciated that they connected over a shared experience with epilepsy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me listen to the audiobook.

4,5 ⭐️

This book was so adorable!! It was my first book by Sarah Adams and it’s definitely not my last. This book follows Evie, who’s working at a company that provides service dogs for people who need one. She, herself, also has a service dog named Charlie, who helps her with her epilepsy. One day she meets a father and a daughter for an appointment to give information about the company and what a service dog might do for the daughter, Sam, who also suffers from epilepsy. However, the dad, Jake, wasn’t aware of this appointment being made by his little girl pretending to be him 🦮

Their paths obviously cross and Evie helps Jake and Sam handle her epilepsy with the help of a service dog. There’s some really cute tropes in here and great representation. The one thing that made me take off half a star was the third-act conflict. That being said, the rest of it was so cute.

I listened to this book and the narration was amazing. It’s double POV and there’s also two narrators, which I thought was really nice. I had a great time listening to this and I thoroughly enjoyed this story 🫶🏼

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this audiobook in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own 🩷

hank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This book was so cute and is definitely going on my top books of 2024. I know this book is a reprint/special edition, so being that I enjoy Sarah Adam's books I am not sure how I haven't read this book yet. I enjoyed the narrators of the audiobook and I thought there voices went well together. I also thought the chemistry between the two main characters was amazing. However, what I really loved about this book was the service dog element. As someone who lives with multiple disabilities, I love when a book includes disability representation. I also have a service dog of my very own. Her name is Pretzel and she is a golden retriever. She helps me with my diabetes. I love how Sarah Adams includes characters with disabilities in her books and I hope she continues to do this in the future.

I seriously couldn't love this book more! All the stars!!!

Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

This story truly captured my heart with its touching storytelling. The author's words evoked a range of emotions—nostalgia, happiness, and at times, a hint of anxiety—yet throughout, there was a comforting assurance that everything would unfold beautifully in the end.

The narration was captivating, skillfully bringing each character and scene to life with every spoken word. It felt as though the narrator not only conveyed the narrative but imbued it with depth and emotion, enriching every chapter.

What I found most compelling about the author's writing was their ability to delve into the complexities of human emotions. I found myself deeply engaged, laughing with the characters' quirks, empathizing with their struggles, and celebrating their triumphs. The narrative's ability to evoke such a wide range of feelings is a testament to the author's storytelling prowess.

As the story drew to a close, I felt a satisfying sense of closure. The conclusion was impactful and left a lasting impression, reminding me of the beauty in life's journey and the power of a well-crafted narrative.

This work is a true gem that lingers in the mind long after the final chapter. It exemplifies the transformative power of storytelling, offering both escape and profound insights into the human experience.

Another sweet, adorable book from Sarah Adams. Honestly, she has become a must read rom-com writer for me. This one was cheesy, sweet and left me feeling happy. Was it predictable, yes. Realistic, not really. But wonderful anyway. I love the characters - the main characters and support characters (2 and 4 legged!) They were a group of people that I wanted to jump into the story to meet and make a part of my life. I loved the happy ending, even if it felt a little forced. I just walked away from this book smiling - I listened to it on audiobook in a day and a half. I truly did not want it to end. If you are looking for the sweetest relationships - thrown in with some real life issues - definitely pick this one up! A perfect summer read.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced audio copy.

Everyone deserves the freedom to live their life the way they want, independence is important and Evie got hers later than most. With her service dog Charlie by her side she’s safe and now she dedicates her time training service animals to help others. When Evie meets Jacob for a consultation meeting there’s an instant spark. He’s reluctant at first, a dog can’t protect his daughter like he can. Sam is his everything and once they find her perfect match Daisy he starts opening up.

When it comes to romantic comedies I need three things for the optimal reader experience. Moments that make me laugh out loud, quirky lovable characters and an emotional element that pulls on my heartstrings. This one checks all those boxes, I’m obsessed!!!

Evie is so strong and I admire her for going after what she wants despite what those around her says. Jacob is the best father and loves his daughter Sam with his entire being, she’ll always come first. His wife left him to pursue a career in Hollywood but she always comes crawling back. What i took from that is if someone’s dragging you down it doesn’t matter who it is, cut them off until they’ve proven otherwise.

This is a revised and expanded edition of The match by Sarah Adams. Add this one to your tbr if you’re into the single dad trope and looking for a comforting summer read.

Read this if you like
🧑🏼‍🍼The single dad trope
🏡Small town
🦮Puppies
✨Found family
💜Clean romance

TW epilepsy, emotionally abusive parents, divorce

This book is a sunshiny, feel-good, closed-door romance. Evie works for an agency that matches service dogs with people who need them. She knows first hand the independence and security a service dog can provide, because her golden retriever, Charlie, is a service dog trained to assist with her epilepsy. Evie meets Jake when his 10-year-old daughter (who also has epilepsy) sets up a meeting with Evie to talk about getting a service dog of her own.

Evie is such a strong character, who fully lives her life despite a difficult family and the added challenges of having a disability. She is such a positive person, and I loved her relationship with her boss, Joanna. Evie and Jake have instant chemistry but their relationship building is a slow burn, and their story is captivating from the start. Jake’s daughter, Sam, added so much to the plot and I adored seeing Jake and Sam’s sweet relationship.

🎧The audiobook is dual narration by Rusty Mewha and Leanne Woodward. I loved their portrayal of Jake and Evie, as well as their added southern accents for other characters. It really brought in the southern charm of Charleston.

I loved this book and cannot wait for the re-release of the 2nd book in the It Happened in Charleston series, The Enemy (8/6/24). Thank you to Dreamscape Media, Sarah Adams, and NetGalley for the chance to listen to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

What a sweet lovely well narrated story. Evie is trying to live her life as she wants to. She was diagnosed with epilepsy and has a wonderful service dog that is giving her the confidence to do so. It’s a bit of a struggle as she’s though she is not only learning to be her own person in her own right, she is constantly under attack by her very wealthy parents who only see her as broken, doing a job they don’t approve of and only want to marry her off to someone who who she abhors and is an awful person. Her parents are incredibly wealthy, snobbier than anyone has a right to be, constantly belittling her each and every move and treating her as chattel. Her life is quite lovely, if not a little bit small as she has, based on her experience mostly given up on having a romantic partner due to her past experiences and her diagnosis. She has found her place with Jo, working for her company that raises and places service dogs with people in need of them. She will eventually take over the company that she loves and is excited, but cannot catch a break from the barrage of disdain, disinterest and manipulation from her selfish and very misguided parents. When she meets Jacob, through some very smart sneakiness of his adorable daughter, she is intrigued and hopeful. The author has written a wonderful sweet story of two people wary of trust and romance, but even with some miscommunications finding their way to a very sweet and satisfying happily ever after. I adored the listening experience. I needed something sweet and happy and thats what I got. Plus we got to meet Charlie her service dog. Service dogs and the people who raise them are amazing. These working dogs give people their autonomy and make heir lives better. I am in awe of them and respect everyone involved in helping people get these life changing dogs.


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator's were both great. The story was a little drawn out for me and at times flat. Conversely, there were some moments I loved, like jumping into the pool at the family BBQ. It was a solid 3.5 star read/listen for me.