What I thought started as a general fiction, maybe romance, took a wild twist and became a "I can't put this down" thriller! The ups and downs of Nura and her family relationships and work relationships and just her life in general! What a whirlwind!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Matchmaker offers a fresh mix of mystery and romance as it follows Nura Khan, a dedicated matchmaker who’s built her career and reputation on helping others find love. With charmingly witty dialogue and plenty of chemistry with her "pretend" fiancé, Azar, Nura's story had me rooting for her at every twist.

As the stakes rise with a series of sabotaged weddings, Nura faces real threats to her livelihood and her safety, turning what could have been just a cozy romance into a suspenseful journey. The tension builds well, though some of the stakes felt a little low compared to the mystery’s setup. That said, Saeed keeps it all engaging and balanced with heartfelt moments that spotlight Nura’s dedication to her work, her family, and her complicated feelings for Azar.

All in all, The Matchmaker is an enjoyable read that’s full of charm, with just the right touch of intrigue and romance. A great pick if you’re looking for a mystery with a heartfelt twist.

So enjoyed the writing & storytelling as well as the culture.
Part romance, part family/relationship saga, part mystery--enjoyed it all and the multi-dimensional characters & dialogue too.
For me the ending went a bit off the rails.

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this e-ARC.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

Nura Khan, a third-generation matchmaker in Atlanta, finds plenty of work, thanks to her Piyar app. She loves matchmaking almost as much as she enjoys working with her dedicated staff.

But suddenly she finds herself caught up in a flood of threatening messages and suspicious events, including a wedding gone horribly wrong. Someone is trying to ruin her matchmaking business.

And someone wants her dead.

=========

This cozy mystery/romance/family drama keeps readers guessing as the unfolding story touches on several genres. Unexpected revelations and plot twists build suspense and keep the pages turning. Readers are sure to appreciate the insights into the Indian culture and customs.

This unique story moves along at a brisk pace as it touches on trust, friendship, family issues, and the frustrations involved in the running of a business. Nura isn’t always likeable, but she’s believable and does not always behave predictably. There are some dark moments in this narrative, but it keeps readers engrossed in the telling of the tale.

Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries will find much to appreciate here, especially in the unexpected denouement.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley
#TheMatchmaker #NetGalley

class-consciousness, domestic-violence, family, family-business, family-drama, family-dynamics, friends, friendship, kidnapping, matchmaking, mysterious-character, mystery, no-gratuitous-erotica, quirky, read, relationship-issues, relationships, relatives, romance, sabotage, small-business, stalking, threats, triggers, unputdownable, wealthy, witty, contemporary****

Nura Khan is a third-generation matchmaker in Atlanta whose clients are both class conscious and wealthy. Her business is booming and she seems to be doing well, but her personal life is a bit disappointing in that she has had to ask her childhood best friend, Azar, to pose as her fiancé in social situations. The business is working well.
Then things start to get murky as there are more problems and bad press than she has ever had to deal with. The mystery is about finding the culprit before her business is destroyed. The slow burning romance is between Nura and Azar. There is an abundance of plot twists!
I think it's a great story and a peek into a lifestyle different from mine.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected ebook file from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam via NetGalley.
Pub Date Apr 08, 2025 #TheMatchmaker by Aisha Saeed @aishacs @randomhouse #Ballantine #Bantam #NetGalley @bookshopsindia @AusIndieBooks @chaptersindigo

I really enjoyed this! The plot was mostly mystery based but I loved the matchmaking aspect of the book and trying to figure out who was behind everything. My only note would have been that it would have been nice to develop the romance a little more/see a little more of that.

A fun story of a professional matchmaker with charming characters and love stories woven, this novel also has a dark thread that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bantam Books and Aisha Saeed for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Enjoyed reading this romance/mystery story with a nice twist at the end. I did find it to be a bit wordy at times which seemed to drag down the storyline at times. The main character Nura wasn’t as likable as I would have wanted but all in all this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend. Really a 3.5/5 rating for the good writing and interesting story.

Nura is a successful matchmaker whose business is doing better than ever, when she starts receiving threatening messages. Chaos ensues, leaving her business at risk.

This book kept me captivated from start to finish with the twists and turns. It was a perfect cozy mystery to read on a blustery fall day.

While they personally did not bother me, trigger warnings may be helpful as multiple heavy topics were discussed.

I was hoping for a touch more romance, as it seemed like it was building up to more.

I loved the freshness of the story, and the way it delved into family dynamics. The characters were well thought out and the twists kept me on my toes throughout.

Overall, this was an engaging read that I would recommend to lovers of cozy mysteries and closed door romance. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A beautifully haunting blend of slow burn romance and thrilling mystery that follows esteemed matchmaker Nura Khan as she is quickly thrust into a dangerous game of cat and mouse to fight for her business, her family and herself.

Aisha Saeed did a fantastic job balancing these two genres to create a masterpiece in suspense and slow burn. The romance was full of pining and stolen glances that kept me fed throughout the sabotage, intrigue, questions and dead ends. The plot twists were excellently timed, keeping me invested from the very first page until the literal last word.

Absolutely recommend for anyone wanting an intriguing mystery, friends to lovers romance, or overall impeccably written book.

A huge thank you to Aisha Saeed, Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC <333

This was such a fun mystery. I loved the look into matchmaking for the wealthy, the discussion of class, the hints of romance, and the slow reveal of so many secrets. I love Aisha Saeed as a middle grade writer, and I love her as an adult writer too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. This review may be short, but don't mistake that for not enjoying this; it was a delight!

Nura Khan runs a highly successful matchmaking business catering to Atlanta’s elite. Everything is going along smoothly until strange things begin to happen apparently aimed at killing the business and possibly Nura in the process. While I thought I’d figured out the perpetrator early on I was totally wrong resulting in a marvelous twist ending. But as I thought back I could see how there were little hints along the way which made the surprise ending totally work. The romance between Nura and Azar was totally predictable yet added nicely to the story. A satisfying story centered on friendship, love, trust, and betrayal, this is a recommended read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a lovely yet complicated story of a matchmaker as she revels in finding the perfect person for her clients. Nura runs the agency and her best friend and pretend-fiance, Azar spend free time together. But even as she amasses hundreds of clients and rave reviews, suddenly odd things begin happening: she receives notes that are warnings, weddings suddenly get called off, and a podcaster warns that she's in danger, and a couple is kidnapped. How are all of these connected and who would want to harm her or her business? It's a great family drama, love story, and a tale of the lengths people will go to when feeling threatened or power-hungry.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

ARC Book Review: The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed: 4⭐️

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕: “Business has never been better for Nura Khan, a third-generation matchmaker in Atlanta. Her exclusive clientele benefits from her impeccable track record. And while a single thirty-one-year-old matchmaker would normally raise some perfectly threaded eyebrows in the community, Nura’s childhood best friend, Azar, is willing to double as her pretend fiancé at her clients’ weddings—even though Nura's feelings for him might not be so pretend. But all that glitters isn’t gold. While it’s not uncommon to get occasional hate mail from rejected prospective clients, Nura is blindsided when a couple’s carefully constructed wedding implodes, the first in a cascading chain of suspicious and increasingly terrifying events. Someone is taking things too far, and with Azar and her matchmaking team by her side, Nura embarks on a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that threatens not only her safety but everything she’s worked so hard to build.”

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: This cozy mystery kept me on my toes the whole time! I was so surprised to find out who was responsible for all the hate mail and sabotage to Nura’s business. I loved the different relationships throughout the story: romantic, platonic, and family. Nura has an amazing support system that worked together to figure out the identity of her stalker. Without the help of her friends and colleagues I believe it could have ended horribly for both Nura and her family. If you’re looking for a fast paced mystery you will want to pick this one up when it releases on 4/8/2025.

Thank you netgalley and publishers for providing me with this eARC.

I really enjoyed this. I liked the mystery aspects as well as the subplot of the romance. However, I do think that the flow of the novel wasn't as smooth as I had hoped for and many times I was taken out of the story just because too much was happening at once. I think people should read this if they like the movie The Wedding Planner or anything that has to do with "oldest immigrant daughter syndrome".

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Aisha Saeed’s The Matchmaker is a delightful blend of cozy mystery and romance, offering readers a captivating story filled with suspense, humor, and heart. This novel introduces us to Nura Khan, a third-generation matchmaker in Atlanta, whose impeccable track record is suddenly threatened by a series of sabotaged weddings.

Nura Khan’s life as a successful matchmaker is turned upside down when a couple’s wedding, meticulously planned by her, falls apart in a spectacular fashion. Nura engages the help of her childhood best friend, Azar, who poses as her fiancé at weddings. As the stakes rise, Nura must navigate threats to her safety and the unraveling of her carefully constructed world.

Nura Khan is a compelling protagonist—intelligent, resourceful, and deeply committed to her clients. Her relationship with Azar adds a layer of romantic tension that is both sweet and complicated, as Nura grapples with her true feelings for him1. The supporting characters, including Nura’s matchmaking team and the various clients, are well-developed and add richness to the narrative. Each character brings their own quirks and motivations, making the story vibrant and engaging.

The Matchmaker explores themes of trust, resilience, and the complexities of love and friendship. Saeed’s writing is both witty and heartfelt, with a perfect balance of suspense and romance. The dialogue is sharp, and the descriptions vividly bring the setting and characters to life.

Aisha Saeed has crafted a novel that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The Matchmaker is a testament to her skill as a storyteller, offering a clever plot, engaging characters, and a charming setting. Whether you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, romance, or both, this book is sure to delight with its clever twists and turns.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy a good mystery with a touch of romance and a strong, relatable heroine.

Nura Khan has a thriving matchmaking business, however her clients' marriages start to go awry and she starts to uncover clues that suggest these may not be coincidences. Amidst the mysteries, Nura also has her own tangled romance to navigate. In this novel, we follow Nura and her friends and family as she discovers truths and lies that make her rethink her past and who can be entrusted.

Aisha Saeed explores a fresh concept in this novel, and created a three-dimensional FMC who learns and grows throughout the story filled with revelations, some expected and some not. Overall, a fun and quick read for fans of romance and mystery alike.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Nora es una matchmaker cuyo objetivo es emparejar a personas con los mismos valores, intereses y compatibilidad para lograr un matrimonio duradero. Es exitosa y todo parece ir bien hasta que comienza a recibir amenazas, sus clientes son secuestrados, la prensa la ataca y personas que nunca fueron sus clientes afirman haber contratado sus servicios y que les fue mal.

La parte del misterio, así como la dinámica y los problemas familiares, me gustaron, pero la parte del romance arruinó un poco la historia.


Spoilers ⚠️ ⚠️

Nura y Azar han sido amigos durante años; ella está enamorada de él, pero él no de ella, o eso es lo que ella piensa. Lo que me molestó fue que él tuvo innumerables novias, mientras que ella no salió con nadie por 10 años por sus sentimientosñor él.
Durante más del 65% del tiempo él estuvo en una relación seria y, además, la llevaba a todos los lugares favoritos de Nura. Al final, revela que también estuvo enamorado de ella todo el tiempo. ¿Cómo se supone que crea que siempre la amoó si sus acciones y palabras dicen otra cosa?

“You and me. We’re friends, right? But I need more. And I finally found someone I connect with. Zayna … she’s great. At the end of the day, you and I will always be friends, but there’s more to life. At least, for me there is, but I guess you wouldn’t understand that not everyone is like you, obsessed with work to the point where I have to come along to weddings to spend any reliable time with you. Not everyone is happy to be alone for the rest of their life.”
I can’t breathe. It’s like I’ve been slapped. He knows how important my job is to me. I thought he understood. And happy to be alone? How can he not see that I had found someone, too—but that someone wasn’t interested in me? Violins play Mendelssohn’s"




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Matchmaker.

I don't read much romance but the premise of The Matchmaker piqued my interest, a mystery involving a third-generation successful matchmaker?

Count me in!

Sadly, The Matchmaker wasn't a good match for me.

The plot was pretty formulaic, someone is making threats online, Nura is being tracked/followed and is dealing with personal family drama.

I wasn't a fan of Nura Khan. I didn't dislike her but I wished I liked her more.

She was a typical cliche; matching couples and finding love for others but not interested in dating herself, instead leaning on a BFF as her stand-in when she was invited to client weddings.

Naturally, her BFF is attractive and a great catch, and her love for him is unrequited.

There was no chemistry between them and just because this is a story about a matchmaker it doesn't mean a romance involving the main character is mandatory.

Third, I thought Nura was going to solve the mystery but others did it for her; they figured it out instead of her doing the legwork.

Events happened to her and moved the plot rather than Nura. She was written as more of a supporting character rather than the main.

The writing was good, but at the same time wordy.

There was not much suspense and typical misunderstandings with colleagues that led to Nura suspecting the wrong people, making assumptions, and the additional rom-com drama of her BFF dating.

This was a bit too cozy for me but I appreciate the opportunity to read it before publication.

3.5 🌟 Read

The Matchmaker
By: Aisha Saeed

Nura is a Matchmaker and a successful one at that. She's your classic workaholic,constantly burning the candle at both ends trying to juggle family, friends and her ever growing client list.
Her life is consistent and predictable until an article about her Matchmaking business goes viral and insights more than just hate mail. Someone is targeting Nura and is out to ruin her.

Had a lot of fun reading this book, it's a
mystery/thriller, with family drama and a sprinkling of romance. There are bunch elements at play, all enjoyable but I felt like I didn't enough of each. Aisha Saeed is such an engaging writer, I almost would have liked less side plots and a deeper dive into main story.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.