Thank you Netgally for the opportunity to read and review Aisha Saeed’s debut adult novel.
Nura Khan is a third generation matchmaker who finds herself caught up in a dangerous mystery game of chase. All while trying to navigate her thriving business, her family, and a complicated little love story. I really enjoyed the mystery of finding out what was unraveling and the blossoming of Nuras own match made for herself!

This story was wild. I never knew what was coming. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I found it a bit slow at times but that was all apart of it. Not my favorite but also not the worst.

This was really compelling and I honestly didn’t want to put it down. This book has it all - lavish desi weddings, romance, characters that are well-imagined, and a twisty mystery that gets your heart racing. It’s definitely way more of a mystery than a romance but I liked both plotlines. I

a really nice mix of cozy mystery and romance with quirky characters which makes for an engaging and enjoyable read. The authors writing really brings the characters and setting to life

The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed was such an interesting and fun mystery - while not quite a "cozy" mystery, it was definitely on the lighter side as far as mysteries go. Perfect for a more casual read when you want something unique but not heavy or too twisty. Aisha Saeed was so masterful in building the vibrant world of The Matchmaker - with an intriguing cast of characters that I was completely invested in very early on in the story, no matter how large or small their role in the plot was, and a diverse lineup of expensive Atlanta socialite weddings ranging from desi to german/italian.

Nura Kahn, our main character, is a driven, hyper-focused woman using her work to avoid her very deep feelings - whether that be her sadness about her Aunt's health deteriorating, her anger at her cousin, or her love for her childhood best friend. I loved that she was a self-aware enough to know that there was an imbalance in her relationships and that she wanted to fix it, and I really enjoyed that larger journey alongside her desire to unravel the mystery around her matchmaking agency. While many characters with this workaholic quality tend to fall into selfish or unlikable behavior, Nura was immediately endearing as she quickly began to take stock of her life and how she wanted to change her habits so she could be a better niece, cousin, and friend.

I felt that Azar's plotline was not just an added on romance, that his story overlapping with Nura's played a significant role in both her mental state and the plot at large, and I was very appreciative of that. The relationship between Nura and Azar was well developed and I could feel the history behind their friendship and what Nura felt was at risk. Also, Azar's new relationship happening at the same time as the wedding mishaps really leant to the feeling of everything happening at once and overwhelming Nura, leading her to take a look at her life and what she really wanted for herself. While I wish the confession moment had a bit more space to breathe, and that the new relationship had continued to get more development and attention after that, I acknowledge that is my own personal preference as someone that reads a lot of romance. If you are partial to romance staying a subplot, this may be the perfect balance for you!

The pacing was the only real downside to this reading experience, the first half dragged a bit while the second half was full of quick resolutions to the different subplots, as well as plot twists that could have been developed further. I wouldn't have minded the slow pace if it had stayed consistent throughout, but contrasting it with the sudden answer to the whodunit and a quick spiral into a plot twist, it felt very off balance. The story behind Nura's mother and the family business could have also benefitted from a little more development and resolution than just acting as a possible answer to the whodunit - but I appreciated the way it really added depth to her relationship to her cousin and aunt, and gave insight into the matchmaking agency's history back in Pakistan.

I rated The Matchmaker 4 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I do recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was such an interesting read. I loved Aisha Saeed's writing style and we really into the story until about half way through where I started to get a bit antsy for the plot to pick up more (& it did tbf), just not in the way I was hoping. You get the start of the story unraveling about half way and I remember thinking <i>"okayyy but what's the rest of the book then?"</i>, just for the rest of the book to feel like forced twists and turns.

It is definitely far more heavy on the family drama and mystery than romance. In all honesty the romance aspect felt like more of an after thought and the obvious choice. And the family lore that gets dropped in there but doesn't really provide value outside being a bridge for better communication between the cousins. As far as the mystery aspect, I think the <i>who dun it</i> felt pretty well foreshadowed without being too heavy-handed.

This last bit could be considered spoilery, so stop reading if you don't want anything close to a spoiler... I think when reading the synopsis, I expected the wedding sabotages to start off as smaller things and we'd get more build up. But the second incident is a kidnapping and you find out the kidnapper 10 or so pages later. Very much a <i>'well that escalated quickly'</i> moment.

Overall, an alright read. I'm looking forward to seeing what the author writes next!

<b>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review! </b>

This story revolves around a family owned matchmaking business in Georgia now run by Nura Khan. She has a lot on her plate handling large weddings and I really enjoyed learning about the culture around the matchmaking business and weddings. Nura starts having things go awry at some of the wedding events and it becomes apparent her business is being sabotaged. There's family drama, a love interest, a mystery - all good things to keep you intrigued. I wish NetGalley had half stars as I would give this 3.5 stars so I'll round up to 4.

I really enjoyed this! It was a compelling book that I didn’t want to put down. I found the matchmaker history and “Desi” culture fascinating. (I always do.) The characters are very likable and the mystery kept me guessing. The added romance was just right and not cheesy.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

Love love loved this 5 star read! I couldn’t put it down and was hooked immediately! Worth the read and recommendation- 100%!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this awesome book in exchange for my 5 star review!!

I got an ARC of this title from NetGalley and I’m honestly saying that this is NOT what I was expecting at all. I thought I was getting a fluffy little Desi romance, but it was not that in the least. It was actually a mystery wrapped up in a matchmaker’s business which, it turns out, was almost her entire life. I very much enjoyed reading about the business, as it was so much more involved than I understood. And I always like to learn more about other cultures. It was a very quick read and I liked it. 💜📚

I reviewed this book through Library Journal. They ask that reviewers do not repost the review itself in full or in excerpts. Link available here: https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/the-matchmaker-1811647.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would be excited to see future adult titles from this author.

What a pleasant surprise! I very rarely tiptoe into the romance genre, but I am so glad I took a chance on this book. There is a romantic story thread, but the main plot focuses on Nura, her family & friends, and some very mysterious things happening in her business. There were several plot twists that really kept me guessing! Who knew matchingmaking could be so dangerous...

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC of this book!

A third generation Pakistani matchmaker and her successful business of matchmaking is at the center of this intriguing mystery. The Matchmaker is a refreshingly distinct mystery novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. Special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

THANKS TO THE NETGALLEY AND PUBLISHER FOR THIS DIGITAL ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR A HONEST REVIEW.

Nura Khan is a third-generation matchmaker. Her grandmother started it in Pakistan and her aunt continued the legacy after moving to the USA, Nura is natural in matching people and joined her aunt after her mother passed away. She put all her efforts into agency, it is not typical matchmaking anymore. She has her team who developed an algorithm, their app, a tech guy, a PI, and a marketing team. She is a big name, but handling things like this is hard. You can't always help anyone. Negative reviews and conspiracy theories regarding the agency are not new things for them but it all got serious when back-to-back two marriages set by Nura went awry. Someone is after her and the agency with an agenda, She can't let anyone destroy her family business.

The story was new, unique, and definitely fresh. It is the first time, I read a Pakistani/desi mystery. It was a mixture of romance and mystery, though romance wasn't that much. I really enjoyed the mystery element and couldn't guess the ending which is a positive thing. In all of the small details, Nura's dynamic with her family and colleagues was well developed. Though Azar and Zaynah's part felt a bit bland and filler to me. The book was definitely a good read and I had fun. As usual, the thing that didn't sit well with me was picking half culture and leaving half behind. In simple words, it wasn't a halal romance. I am so done with this narrative of using culture to attract a certain demographic. Don't make characters Muslim if you can't handle halal romance.

A little bit of mystery, a little bit of romance. I found them both a tad too predictable, but it was an enjoyable book! I would recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for a copy of the arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is one part rom-com and a truckload of mystery suspense, which I didn’t see coming, but I’m so here for it. Don’t go into this expecting romance fluff. The mystery had me literally guessing right up until the very end. Super fun read!

A little matchmaking, romance and family relationships. The story flows well and the intrigue increases as bad reviews are posted and weddings are called off. A good mystery as to who is behind it all. A surprise who- done- it and a happy ending.

This book combines romance, family drama and mystery. While this was mostly a light read, I appreciated that the matchmaking service at the heart of this story focused on the importance of becoming your best self before finding a perfect partner. I also appreciated the messages around the cycle of abuse involved in domestic violence.

I knew I was going to love this one and I did.

I have no notes, this was perfection.
I will be shoving this down everyone’s throats for the foreseeable future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for ARC of The Matchmaker by Aisha Saaed, I loved this book!
Nura Khan is a matchmaker, charging enormous amounts of money to Atlanta elites to set people us with their perfect match. She is wildly successful, at the expense of having a real personal life, and her business is booming, when suddenly she realizes that someone is trying to sabotage her. There are threatening voicemails, bad reviews that can’t be substantiated, and weddings going wrong, and soon Nura is fearing for her safety.
I wasn’t fully sure what this book would be about, but it’s a good mixture of mystery, thriller and romance and I read it in about a day. The Matchmaker will be published in April of 2025 and I highly recommend it.