In my opinion, this is the kind of book that you want to read all in one cozy rainy afternoon sitting. Grab your warm beverage and you blankie and snuggle in for a not too threatening mystery with a side of romance. I was attracted to this book because she is the author of Amal Unbound which is really great. I was also interested in reading it because the main character is an "old fashioned" (but not) Indian marriage matchmaker.

the matchmaker is a fast-paced and dramatic story about an incredibly successful matchmaker. this book was well written and decently entertaining. there was romance, drama and betrayal. this felt a little like a soap opera, in a very good way. if you’re looking for a fun and quick read, i’d definitely recommend this. i loved the topic, the setting and how familiar this story felt at times as a desi person myself. there is romance in ‘the matchmaker’ but it falls second to the overall plot. (it’s a clean romance). overall, i had a good time and i look forward to this authors future adult publications!

Sometimes when a YA author sticks their toes into adult fiction water, I just want to tell them to go back to the kiddie pool. That was absolutely NOT the case for Aisha Saeed. As a longtime fangirl of Saeed's YA novels, I was a little nervous, but this book 100% feels like it was written for adults but could also be enjoyed by YA fans (which I also am) .
I expected this to be more of a romance just from the title and cover, but it was definitely a mystery with some twists and surprises. I do what I always do and made it to a scene roughly 20% in, where I thought I had the whole thing figured out and had to jump to a spot near the end to see if my guess was right and it was so far off haha.
Overall I loved the book, I wish that there was a little more detail at the end when the story wraps up but it's still a good ending with no loose ends.

This is a 3.5/5

A fun book, with a healthy dose of mystery and family dynamics. It's not a romance per se, since it's not the central theme.

Overall, I found it a bit challenging to follow the narrative as there were too many characters, with detailed back stories for many of them. Mostly, I wish the mystery was solved by Nura with only a bit of help from the side characters, since IMO that would have helped with the story flow better.

If you like books by South Asian authors, with modern matchmaking elements, this one is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#TheMatchmaker

In all honesty, I found this book to be mediocre. The plot, in my opinion, was a little disorganized, but I must admit that I was completely surprised by the resolution, which was masterfully done! Overall, I enjoyed reading it and thought it would be interesting for those who enjoy mysteries and thrillers as well as learning more about the matchmaker concept! There were a few characters that I wished we had gotten to know better and I also thought the romance element should have been developed more!

The Matchmaker combines romance and mystery in a fun fast paced novel! If you loved Indian Matchmaking on Netflix this is the book for you!

I was hoping for a bit more from this book. It was an easy and fast read and I liked the family dynamics.

The mystery felt a bit forced and I didn’t really believe the conclusion. I also wanted the main character to be a bit more involved with solving the mystery. I felt like all of the side characters were trying to solve it for her.


Then, the romance has potential but I didn’t feel any chemistry. It was sweet, but I didn’t feel the romance. Plus, he was in another relationship the majority of the book which I’m just never a fan of.

3.5/5

Honestly this book was just okay for me. I think the plot was a bit all over the place, although I will say I did not see the ending coming at all so that was really well done!! There were a few characters I wish we got to know better and I wanted the romance element to be developed further but overall I enjoyed reading it and it would be fun for people who like a good mystery/thriller and learning more about the matchmaker concept!

Interesting story, great info into the Indian culture. Took a while to get into the book. Enjoyed the details of the garments and the venues.

This was such a good book, I couldn’t seem to put it down. I was hooked pretty quickly! I loved the detail into another cultures customs as well. The mystery was addicting.

PLOT: Slow to Start with Good Ending
POV: Single Character
TIMELINE: Linear
LEVEL: Adult
MISC: I really enjoyed the author's writing style.

This book is about a matchmaker whose recently matched couples begin to be sabotaged.

The Matchmaker—Aisha Saeed’s first adult novel—is a wonderful romp through the trials of finding love, and a look at the dark side of jealousy and longing. Protagonist Nura is a top-notch matchmaker and running a successful business…until she finds her livelihood, and her life, threatened by a force she cannot identify. I loved that this book is part romance and part mystery. The glittering world of making love matches among Atlanta’s elite provides a wonderful backdrop to the vicious attacks on Nura and her company, and her attempts to root out the threat. I read this book quickly; it is fast paced and a lot of fun. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

I've read all of Aisha Saeed's books and was excited that she ventured into adult fiction. A quick and engaging read. I read to escape and to learn new things and this one filled both of those buckets; I especially appreciated the exposure to desi culture.

4 stars- Devoured this on my beach vacation! Perfect cocktail of suspense without keeping me up with nightmares :) thanks netgalley & the publisher for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This was a super interesting premise I was excited to get into, part romance, part mystery in the setting of a matchmaker business. It was a quick light read, I wish it had been a little…more? It feel like every scene was short and wrapped up quickly, and we moved on to the next bit right as I felt we could settle in. A very fun setting, but just a bit lighter than I expected!

a nice unique blend of ideas and good execution! the matchmaker is a mystery novel with romance and family emotions, involving the successful matchmaker nura and her matchmaking company, piyar. one first glance, you would stop and wonder if you heard it right 😂 yes it is indeed a mystery novel a typical romance type of setting. the idea was so damn cool and aisha saeed weaved the threads well enough to make it a decent read with all the entertainment portions of family and romance thrown in.

I've read all of Aisha Saeed's YA/JF books and I was so excited for her adult debut- and it did not disappoint! I love her style of writing and the mystery/romance had me hooked from the beginning. I definitely did not guess the twist at the end! Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This has it all - romance, family, drama, and mystery. It was fun reading about the lavish weddings and desi culture as well.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Romance + mystery is in the air in this one! It was a fabulous read and I was hooked from the first page! It really has something for everyone and I had to know how it ended and what was going on with all her matches. I really enjoyed the authors writing style as well!

Goodreads review:

Thank you for Netgalley the advance copy!

First, I loved the authors writing style. It was beautifully written. I went into this blind and wasn’t really sure what it was about but couldn’t put it down once I got into it. Nura is a matchmaker & interesting things start happening surrounding the couples she has matched. I was on the edge of my seat at the end! Amazing first adult novel!