This book was a surprisingly good read.

I expected a rom-com, but instead found a delightful mystery, family drama and rom-com all rolled into one.

Nura, who's family are originally from Pakistan, inherited a matchmaking business from the aunt who raised her. She now runs the highly successful business in Atlanta, backed by a team of people who have developed an algorithm and an app to provide matchmaker services. Very wealthy clients choose the personal service of Nura, to facilitate both the match and then the weddings of their sons & daughters. When a couple of weddings are sabotaged, after a break in at Nura's offices and threatening notes are delivered, she is fearful that someone has a personal vendetta against her and is out to damage her reputation - which her business relies on. But who?

I loved the characters in this novel, from Nura and her aunt, and cousin, to Azur her long time friend and plus one at the weddings and the people who work for her who are like family. I was fascinated by all of the traditions and flair of the desi weddings, the expense and the grandeur, along with the glitz and glamour of the wealthy clients.

I can't wait for more from this author, whose writing flowed seamlessly and made for an easy quick read.

Excellent mystery and romance wrapped into one! I loved the inspiration for the book and the cat and mouse chase of it all. Elite matchmaking and stalking is one mix that will keep the pages turning.

I LOVED this book. Although it's probably closer to 4.5/5 stars due to a couple things that seemed unbelievable, I really resonated with Nura and her drive to succeed as a matchmaker and think the best of everyone around her. This was a fun romantic romp with a few unexpected twists.

Arranged marriages as a business? Surely not! But, in this book it is a very successful business.
Nura enjoys her work and looks at it as her calling. Taught by her Aunt, she has the uncanny ability to pick the right person for her clients to find their ever after spouse. That is until someone is not happy that Nura has refused to find a special someone for them. From online bad reviews, stalking, kidnapping and murder, Nura and her friends desperately try to find who is trying to destroy her business.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing, Ballentine Bantam Books for the early copy of this delightful, enjoyable, light mystery!
I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nura is a matchmaker. She matches the rich and wealthy and attends some lavish Georgia based weddings. This book is about family, friends, and deception. What I didn't know is that it was not just a cozy mystery but instead something so big and powerful that my head is still spinning. Lord, I was so off base on the person who was causing all the problems. What a great read and debut novel from this author. I definitely can't wait to see what else she has in store.

Aisha Saeed’s debut adult fiction novel, The Matchmaker is equal parts family story and mystery.

Nura Khan is a renowned matchmaker and her agency Piyar has made waves in the matchmaking industry but at its inception and core, it is a family business founded by Nura’s aunt, Khala (the Urdu term for aunt).

Nura lives the life of a boss woman, complete with its trials and luxuries. Her work and her Khala’s legacy are her whole life leaving no room for love or even family.

Then enters a creepy podcaster, ominous voice notes, serial killer style notes, kidnappings, and smear campaigns leading Nura and her close knit team to take the threat of violence against Nura and her business seriously.

Who is after Nura? Is it a match gone wrong? Is it someone Nura rejected from taking on as a client? Is it someone from her past, because everyone has a past or someone from her present?

The cast of characters guide the reader through weddings and matches made, family dynamics and hostilities with the thrilling mystery of who is after Nura casting a web over all of it.

This story is binge-able and exciting! It is reminiscent of the “hating aunties” or “matchmaking aunties” stereotype in an engaging and playful way with lots of sprinkles of desi culture which I loved!

This is a great read for when you are looking for a mystery on the lighter spectrum of thrilling, some swooning and a lot of theories.

4 🌟

This was such a great debut.

I got this book pushed to me on Netgalley and wasn't sure if I should read it or not - I'm so happy I did! This was such a good cozy mystery that had me guessing the whole time who was after Nuna and why?! Also, loved the relationship she had with her aunt and best friend.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Nura Khan is a successful matchmaker and her Atlanta based business is thriving. Working with high-profile clientele, Nura is a pro at getting the deal sealed and wedded bliss celebrated. However, what would her clients say if they knew that the matchmaker extraordinaire was single herself? Luckily, childhood friend, and all-around catch, Azar is ready to be her plus-one to all the wedding festivities Nura is invited to. But Nura has recently been receiving some nasty hate mail, and one of her most high-profile matches has stalled at the altar. Who could be behind the sabotage? And what happens when Azar decides he doesn‘t want to play at being a plus-one anymore? Aisha Saeed has written a fast-paced, original mystery/rom-com that takes the reader on an adventure through the traditional inner workings of matchmaking. The characters that Aisha creates are interesting, vulnerable, and relatable. The suspense builds throughout the novel, and you will second-guess yourself along the way. The ending is not „gasp! I had NO idea!‘, but it is very satisfying. Highly recommend for anyone looking for something a little more tense than a run of the mill rom-com, or a suspense with a bit of heart.

4/5 ⭐️
0/5 🌶️

Stayed up all night to read this. I told myself you don’t handle thriller and mystery well you should wait until the weekend to read it. But noooo I got sucked in on a Sunday late night right before bed and ended up staying up to finish it all. Thankfully it was a well paced “small-ish” book that didn’t feel like it dragged.

This was a great thriller/mystery about who is sabotaging and threatening the matchmaker. It was well thought out and unexpected with several twists I did not see coming. The motive was also subtle but pretty well thought out.

Left a lot to be desired in the romance department but that wasn’t the focus on this book so I get it.

Overall great read, could have used a bit more to flesh out the details and give it more depth - the MC lacked character development arc imo. It felt like the story was just being unfolded, not like the book was following MC character growth nor was she the one to really uncover the whodunnit. It was group effort (we all need help$ but it was more than help it was really truly group effort didn’t feel like MC stood out in the mystery solving. Tone, pacing, plot, the plot twists, were all great!

Good mystery thriller read!

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-Arc.

I enjoyed this read more than I predicted. Although the brief prologue wasn't to my taste, I enjoyed the reviews for Nura Khan's matchmaking. It sets the expectations for her reputable skills.

The beginning numbered chapters waste little time preparing the risks that Nura Khan must combat. Whether it's ensuring that events go smoothly, enduring criticism, navigating her complex family relationships, or handling the aggressive rejections from wannabe clients, our protagonist maintains her mask of professionalism. Which is why her inner emotions intrigue me the most. To others, she is infallible, yet she retains insecurity. Her character is not perfect, and that is why I was pleasantly surprised.

I really enjoyed “The Matchmaker”, a mystery with romantic elements about Nura, a third-generation matchmaker running her family business who is suddenly inundated with threats to her business and her life.

The book was set in my home and hometown of Atlanta, GA, and Nura and her best friend Azar are alums of Emory University where I work, so I loved the sense of place that this book had.

The mystery seemed like it was solved halfway through the book so it made me curious as to what would happen in the second half. It was twisty and turny and I could never have guessed the ending.

I also liked that even though there were guns and a kidnapping and other criminal elements, the vibe of the book never felt that stressful to me. There was still plenty of attention dedicated to Nura and Azar’s relationship was well as her relationship with her family. I’ve never really been into “cozy mysteries”, but if that’s what this was I may need to check out more of them.

I recommend this book to Atlanta based readers and anyone who likes the sound of a cozy romantic mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for letting me read and review this novel.

I thought this was a fun quick read with a good amount of mystery and romance. I loved the overall vibe of the matchmaking agency and all of the characters and culture intertwined in the story.

The ending wasn’t expected it kept me guessing til the end.

I have read a couple of Aisha Saeed’s YA novels and really enjoyed them, so I was pleased to get my hands on a digital copy of her first adult novel. I really enjoyed reading about the main character’s connections with her family and friends.
The Matchmaker is a cozy mystery that all can enjoy. It is a fun and gently suspenseful read, but it also doesn’t offer any major surprises to those who are well versed in mysteries. However, the exploration of relationships between the family and friends is heartwarming…and a bit crazy. (You’ll know what I mean after you read the book.)
I enjoyed reading this story.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I just loved it! 5 ⭐️

I can't really explain why, but this cozy mystery just made me feel so good, I didn't want it to end.
I loved the characters, the relationships, the settings, the twists and turns. It made dream, and I truly got immersed in their world. It felt so fresh.

I must say, this has a strong romance plot (which was definitely a plus for me), on top of the mystery. So if you like both, you're in for a treat!

Thank you, NetGalley, Aisha Saeed, and Ballantine Books for the e-Arc.

Are you going to find your match or meet your match?

Nura, an overworked matchmaker business owner, with seemingly everything going right in her professional and a perfectly good fake fiance in her best friend since childhood.
What's not to love about finding love? All is comfortable in Nura' world until one of her clients wedding is canceled due to false allegations and the blame is placed on Nura.
The further Nura and her team look into someone determined to ruin her reputation (and maybe her?), the more Nura's life is thrown into chaos.

This book was an amazing story that talks about the challenges of being 31 and not partnered up and the pressures that come with that in desi culture. I enjoyed the side plot of romance where Nura explored what it meant to love someone and maybe never have it reciprocated by them. The mystery while I was able to guess right near the end kept me engaged and captivated in finding out what would happen. There were a few plot points that I would have wished to dive deeper into, but I understood their addition in making reader guess who was responsible for trying to ruin Nura's business and life.
This is a great book for fans of romantic suspenses and Nisha Sharma!

Thank you to Random House Publishing via NetGalley for this arc 🫶

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Nura runs a matchmaking agency based in Atlanta and focused on the desi community. Her business has been thriving until she begins to get threatening messages. Someone is out to sabotage her success, the question is who?

I thought this book was very entertaining and full of twists and turns that I was not expecting. There was a lot going on but I did always find myself wanting to read more. I thought the character development was great and I enjoyed following Nura's personal, romantic, and professional life! I do think there was a lot going on and the overall motive for the villain was a bit weak but I still really enjoyed the book!

I also loved the playlist included in the back of the book! I thought that was a fun touch. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by Aisha Saeed!

I wish I had better things to say about this book, but ultimately, it fell flat for me.

Plot summary: Nura runs a matchmaking agency for the desi community. She is threatened, and bad things start happening to some of her couples. Who is out to get her?

I love the idea of a culturally-focused matchmaking agency with a mystery. It started out strong, with a wedding and a death threat. The tone was a black comedy of sorts, a little dark, but with the focus on the dating app and weddings. What fun!

Well, that's not what ensued. It couldn't decide if it was a romance or a thriller, and while there are many books that can combine both well, both parts didn't take off here. The romance was ridiculous and predictable, and the huge twist at the end was underwhelming. The plot suffered from a lack of complexity and red herrings.

There were three separate times where the plot device used was that someone just couldn't bring themselves to say something hugely important, I mean for years and decades. Instead of moving the story along, it just made me want to shake them.

It also used the word "desi" way too many times. We all get this is the focus. There was too much "tell" in the showing.

2.5 rounded up to 3.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

I stayed up until 2 AM to finish this book. I was engrossed in the unique premise, and I liked the combination of mystery, family drama, and romance. It was very suspenseful with many twists and turns, and I was surprised by the ending. I think the author did a great job bringing the characters and their complex situations to life. With the title and cover, one would expect the book to be chick-lit, but it really is more of a mystery/thriller. I think it would be a great vacation read. Highly recommended!

I did not like the author’s choice of villain. It was not an unreasonable choice, and the motive was understandable, but it was a character I liked. That being said, The Matchmaker is a very enjoyable book. There are plenty of surprises, and the author has secrets revealed that raise numerous possibilities for the person or persons out to destroy Nura.