Evangeline Kelly might not be romance heroine material thanks to her alopecia (name one romance lead, female or even male, without hair. I'll wait), but she has main character energy...if that main character is Emma (Jane Austin), that is. Throwing librarian ethics to the wind, Evangeline proceeds to violate her patron's privacy in an ill-advised and highly unethical attempt to matchmake.

Luckily, her co-worker's tattoo artist cousin, Tai, prevents her from setting up an engaged man with another woman. And, if she agrees to go on a date with him after she turned him down, he'll not only not out her matchmaking schemes, he'll give her a hand.

Full disclosure: I am a librarian. Just as I'm sure people in law enforcement have aneurysms over the unethical stuff their fictional counterparts do, I just about had one with the whole patron check out history thing. It's one thing if she just observed "Hey, he's always asking for history books and she's into historical romance" to herself...it's another thing for her to print out their check out history! And then carry it around! and then share it with other people! It violates the ALA code of ethics! Even law enforcement need a subpoena if they want a patron's check out history!

Okay, rant over.

Overall, I found this to be a sweet, faith-focused romance with some humor thrown in. There were a few more steamy kisses than I've seen in other inspirational romances, but nothing more than that. The characters discussed their faith a few times, and there were plenty of references that anyone raised in the church (or probably the South) would find familiar.

Tropes:
He falls first.
Who hurt you?
"Bad boy"
Sexy librarian (sorry couldn't resist!)
Best friend's sibling (technically cousin)

Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!

REVIEW: What really drew me to this book was Evangeline's job in the library. I was interested in her views on library patrons, books, late fees, and proper book management, and so much more. I found this fun to read because I used to work in a library. This narrative provided me with new perspectives on treating people with medical challenges. It touched me deeply. I felt the ups and downs of many of the major and minor characters, including protagonist Evangeline Kelly. I was inspired by Evangeline's bravery to be herself (in spite of her physical challenges, regardless of what people thought), how she faced her fears, and what she went through to let people love her.

I was proud of how tattoo artist Tai Davis overcame his fears, health challenges, and physical restrictions to become the person God intended for him to be. I don't know many people that handle life and show love to those around him, like Tai.

I adored how the author talked about the written word. "Life exhaled into every word and then breathed into each reader,"

"Thus, books are alive in two ways: first, they contain life within them and second, they impart life to those who read them. 'That was a new perspective on books for me.

Besides all the library fun, talk about books, and how to treat others with respect. The beautiful love story in this novel touched my heart, made me smile, and brought tears to my eyes. I loved the natural spiritual thread and how I liked hanging out with these genuine characters.

This story and cast are still with me days after I’ve closed the book. It’s perfect for your next book club pick. This debut novel is a must-read. This author is one to watch.

If you're in the mood for a charming, heartwarming romance, I highly recommend An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon. It’s about Evangeline Kelly, a librarian who’s been through some tough times—especially after her fiancé calls off their wedding when she loses her hair to alopecia. Instead of giving up on love, she decides to use her library's check-out histories to play matchmaker and make at least one love connection.

Then there's Tai Davis, a tattoo artist with a bad-boy reputation, who isn’t thrilled when Evangeline assumes the worst about him. But when he finds out about her matchmaking scheme, he proposes a deal: one date for every time she uses his local knowledge to set someone up. As they work together, sparks fly, and they both realize they might have misjudged each other.

It’s a sweet, funny read with great disability representation, and if you love stories about books and opposites attracting, this one’s definitely worth checking out!

An Overdue Match is the start of a contemporary Christian romance series set around a library and the quirky librarian named Evangeline.
Evangeline has alopecia and her previous relationship ended because of it.
She has sworn off dating but wants to match make her library patrons because she is still a hopeless romantic.
Tie notices her doing this and finds it endearing, so he kinda blackmails her into letting him join her.

I loved the set up and first few chapters of this book!
It was so cute watching Evangeline stalk Tie at the beginning over how he treated the library books. We love a girl who values the integrity of books!

I also enjoyed seeing the unique representation of alopecia through Evangeline. I didn’t know much about it, so it was enlightening to read through Evangeline’s struggles with self image and identity.

The overall message was about self acceptance, believing in God’s value of us, and accepting love from others. They were delivered well.

I found the romance very cringey for the most part. Tie was perceived as a bad boy player by Evangeline which he was hurt by, and yet the lines he would spew to her pretty much lined up with that image. He expressed his feelings for her openly and flirtatiously which made Evangeline uncomfortable. She was resisting him because she wanted to hide her condition, but he kept pushing which I just didn’t like. He was trying to respect her I think and express his care but it felt forceful and suggestive, which was a turn off for me.

When their feelings for each other finally lined up, it was sweet to see them be together. The development of these feelings is what missed the mark for me.

One minor detail is that there were some literary references to pop culture that brought me out of the story. One about I Kissed Dating Goodbye and the other about The Hunger Games. They were unnecessary and oddly used. The Lord of the Rings ones worked.

Overall, I do think a lot of people will like this book and find the romance light hearted and swoony.

Tropes & Triggers: library setting, nerdy girl, he only has eyes for her, alopecia rep, only kissing, no language

Little Creek librarian Evangeline Kelley has given up on love—for herself. After developing alopecia and being left by her fiancé, she learned the hard way that she’s no longer a heroine/main character. She’s also learned to hide—and she’s totally fine with it.

But Tai Davis sees her. Often misjudged himself, he can tell there’s more to Evangeline than meets the eye. He can also tell she’s hiding and he’s determined to find out why so he can change that.

After finding out Evangeline is trying to matchmake the town’s residents using their checkout histories, Tai agrees to help Evangeline—if she agrees to go on dates with him in exchange. Will she be able to resist the charmer who truly sees her?

I’ve been anticipating a release from Sarah since reading All’s Fair in Love and Christmas in 2022. And I absolutely LOVED this book! I identified with Evangeline on so many levels. And Tai was such a swoony MMC.

I enjoyed how bookish, quirky, and funny it was, but I also appreciated the depth with Evangeline’s struggle and the faith thread. Looking forward to Halley’s story this fall!

Grateful to the publisher for providing me with a free copy to read and review! All opinions are my own.

An Overdue Match is a lovely and very sweet read! Faith is super important to both Evangeline and Tai, and it plays a key role in their relationship. I loved how Tai, a tattoo artist, is very much seen as a bad boy around town but is actually a sweetheart. There was so much to love about this book and its gentle sweetness.

One of the things that was so entertaining about this read was Evangeline’s obsession with creating a perfect match for others while ignoring her own love life. She’s so disappointed when her staged meet-cutes don’t work out, but she fails to see why she cares so deeply.

Evangeline’s journey with her alopecia is so powerful. It’s clearly something truly painful to her at the onset of the book, but the more she shares her story, the more she grows in comfort and love for herself- with or without hair. Reading stories like An Overdue Match are so powerful and I know that Evangeline is a character who will resonate with me long after I’ve finished this book.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

An Overdue Match is a sweet small-town romance with a beautiful underlying message. The Christian influence is woven in a way that feels warm and comforting, and not overdone, which I really liked.

One of the standout aspects for me was the alopecia representation—I’ve never read a book featuring it before, and it was incredibly refreshing to see. The way it was handled felt thoughtful.

I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Tai and Evangeline. His constant reassurance and genuine care for her made their relationship feel both tender and heartwarming.

The only thing that took me by surprise was the narrative style—Tai’s chapters are in third person, while Evangeline’s are in first. It was a bit jarring at first, but overall, this was a lovely, comforting read that I truly enjoyed.

All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book.

Evangeline's self-confidence took a hit when her ex broke up with her due to her health issue of losing her hair. She does not believe anyone can find her attractive and sets out on mission to matchmake strangers based on their library check out histories. Her first attempt doesn't go well as she is new to town and doesn't know much about the people she is trying to set up. Tai pursues Evangeline and when he finds out about her matchmaking attempt he convinces her to go on dates with him under the agreement of him helping her get to know her targets. I grew to really like Tai and how determined he was to show Evangeline that she was attractive to him and help her see herself as loveable. I didn't the matchmaking theme but thankfully that was more in the background and more of the focus was on the various characters interactions and Evangeline becoming more comfortable with herself. I felt like there were too many pop culture references and feel this could very quickly date the book. I also don't find tattoo's attractive so this aspect of the book turned me off a bit. However I really enjoyed the interactions between the characters and how there was no big third act breakup thrown in. I am interested in continuing the series as I liked Haley in this one.

I usually love this author's books and her compassion for characters with physical or mental struggles. However, this book left me feeling unsettled and I had a difficult time enjoying the main character and the romance (which made me super sad! That cover is just adorable!) Librarian Evageline has alopecia and alternates between feeling wounded for the behavior of others and having a massive chip on her shoulder. She doesn't want anyone to pity her or judge her, but those are characteristics I saw the most strongly in her- she is very judgemental of others (and if they give her what she emotionally needs), and she pities herself to the point of victimhood and martyrdom. There were times the narrative veered into woke preachiness, for example- Evageline mentally calling a library patron a racist and microagressor after he had a discussion during their book group, although the content of the discussion wasn't made known to the reader. She is purposefully careful not to judge Tai's tattoos, but it came across as supercilious since she compared herself to others who she assumes would judge him. She is negative and mean to Tai- for one brush-off she purposefully used his shared vulnerabilities against him- so I'm baffled why he pursues her and so quickly falls in love with her. I understand the "she's a challenge" trope, but usually there's some level of reciprocation, or he comes off as a stalker or masochist. The characters even had to do some metal gymnastics why their deal to date wasn't coercion. It took a man falling in love with Evageline for her to realize her own worth, yet he was the one who needed to point out that God wants and loves her (I'm surprised she didn't get mad at him for mansplaining). By the end, Evageline improves in emotional intimacy and gains the courage to not hide her appearance, but I still struggled with some vital plot points, including the matchmaking which took an early backseat to Evageline's personal struggles. Fans of culture, movie, and literary references should have fun with this book- I counted at least fifty. I get that I'm in the minority as most of my reader friends loved the book. It was just a miss for me.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

I really enjoyed reading An Overdue Match. It was so sweet and meaningful. There were real struggles and they were depicted in such a caring way. I also loved the message and the Biblical values that were represented so well in this book. I really enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!

I was given a review copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

I loved this book. Tai may be my new favorite hero. He is selfless and funny. He flirts with Evangeline mercilessly. He sees beyond how she presents herself to what's underneath and appreciates her for who she really is. Evangeline has alopecia and thanks to her jerk ex-fiancee, can't believe anyone would find her attractive. So she takes to matchmaking for others. I thought the idea of matchmaking off of library books checked out was a fascinating idea. Her efforts were a little pitiful, but it just made it funnier to me.

Besides the undeniable chemistry between Evangeline and Tai, I was drawn into the book by the writing. "His mom's disapproving tone filled the dining room like it was another member of the family...He'd lived with that disappointment enough growing up that the sentiment should probably have its own room in the house" (location 1145). There were poignant reminders of God's love and grace. Tai tells one client, "Bravery isn't the absence of fear...Bravery is just the voice telling fear he can't win today" (location 614).

It was interesting learning more about alopecia. I hadn't thought much about how losing one's hair could impact a person both in terms of other peoples' reactions and in your own self-esteem or identity. It was beautiful seeing Evangeline grow and embrace her beauty.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. I'd highly recommend it and can't wait to read the next book in the series. All opinions are my own.

what a story!! Full of fun and …. Some Heat!! (Be warned! ;) )

the sweet heroine of this story, Evangeline, has been badly burned in the past and has decided to give up on finding love. This means she put herself into matchmaking.

but then… she meets tattoo artist Tai. And the fun begins!! Tai is immediately drawn to her, while she is determined there can’t be anything between them. This story showcases the beauty of alopecia and hair loss.

it is fun and also humorous

I really enjoyed watching their relationship progress, and seeing Evangeline grow as a person.
this story has many lessons, learning self-acceptance is one of the main ones.
I highly recommend this to anyone enjoying a good romance.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I adored the way Mrs. Monzon wove her words together, drawing me into the story and the hearts of the characters. I was hooked from the first few lines and discovered that Evangeline is my kind of lady, for sure! “...for to mistreat a book is most certainly a punishable crime.” I could easily see her as a friend. I kept wanting to give her a hug and encourage her as she struggled with her doubts and fears. I loved that Tai did that for me! Goodness, he has to be one of my very favorite book heroes as of late. His kindness, his teasing, his continued pursuit of Evangeline, his nickname for her. Cue the swooning!
What I didn’t really like was the matchmaking plot. Using patron’s checkout history at the library to matchmake seemed a stretch (and felt a little uncomfortable to me) and it seemed as though Evangeline didn’t really think it through. What did she think was going to happen with her first attempts? Then there was her much more discreet attempt with the couple at the coffee shop, as though the author remembered that part of the plot and needed to add something back in. I loved the characters and I really enjoyed the parts of the story that didn’t involve the matchmaking scheme.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book if you really enjoy rom-coms and are looking for a clean and swoony read with lovable characters. Maybe just enjoy the characters though and don’t take all of the plot too seriously?

I wanted to read this book based off the bright cover illustration and book description. What I got was a perfect gem of a book that had me looking forward to reading a little bit more every time I picked it up. Great characters and a great backbone of a story to keep you interested and rooting for all the characters to succeed. I loved it!

I really appreciate the story here — unique chemistry between two people with lots of depth. Love that shows you how to find yourself again. Embarrassing bullies, especially when they come in the shape of an ex. Tattoo appreciation.

Two things distracted me slightly, but they’re both personal.

1) I have always had a complicated religion, so it really is a testament to the strength of the story that I pushed through to the end. It comes with a lot of…history. But I loved the way these characters were so fully themselves, and treated religion almost like spirituality; a way to feel seen and held, rather than an omnipresent force of judgement. I also appreciated that most of the folks in this book were actually empathetic souls. Nobody’s perfect, but it’s the effort you make and the content of your heart that matters.

2) The second thing has to do with tropes. I’ve found that the continuous references to romance tropes distracts me from enjoying a love story. Especially when a character is reflecting on themself or their relationship through the lens of fictional characters with exaggeratedly perfect characteristics. It reminds me of a novel, Any Trope But You, which I read at the end of last year and completed with a similar takeaway about the mention of tropes within books.

All in all, I am obsessed with Evangeline. I so understand that moment when she is enjoying her date and the unthinkable happens. I have felt that panic and stress myself; I don’t have the depth of trauma though that would trigger a freeze response and I have grown out of that anxiety. But it was so precious to see her be loved in that moment, reassured, and cared for.

Tai is a brilliant character. They’re a pretty awesome pairing.

Thank you #NetGalley for this digital ARC.

"A love story that began ... with a matchmaker. My own history with romance leaves a lot to be desired and is more a cautionary tale than an advertisement for love, but if the old adage that "those who can't, teach" is true, then the same logic leads me to believe that being unsuccessful in my own relationship makes me the perfect candidate to set up other people to find their happily ever-afters. I will be Jane Austen's Emma but with better results for those I match and no Mr. Knightley in sight for me."

Evangeline is a librarian who is tired of waiting for her own story to happen. So she figures she will help others with their happily-ever-afters. Is it really meddling if she is looking after other's happiness? Maybe not, but perhaps she needs to research a bit better. (Sidenote: occasionally Evangeline's feistiness against Tai was annoying, but upon reading the whole book, I understood why she reacted so strongly.)

Tai watches Evangeline from afar and decides she is the one for him. Now to only convince her - especially when he discovers the major secret she is hiding. Can he convince her that he will care for her and even love her no matter what she really looks like?

This book demonstrates how far Christian fiction has come since I first read it as a teenager over thirty years ago. A tattoo artist is relevant and not predictable. Featuring someone who has an unusual health struggle is the most powerful part of the story. The author has woven together such a beautiful story.

The extra characters also make the book come alive. At first, I was not sure of all of the components, but I think the author did a great job of making all of the elements come together. The grandparents' love story was especially sweet. I am excited to read more in the series.

I did read a copy of this book through NetGalley, and I am so glad that I did. I wanted to read and review it. All opinions are my own.

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If my swooning into an incoherent puddle while reading An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon could be documented as a sound, that string of letters up there would be a close approximation. Be. Still. My. Heart. The kisses!! The sizzling attraction!! The incorrigible flirting!! I don’t think I’ll ever recover from Tai & Evangeline’s second kiss, which will be forever ranked as one of the best ‘find me a fan and oxygen and a freezer’ deliciousness I’ve ever read. And I’ve read some really yummy kisses. Also… all the guys currently occupying space in my book boyfriend collection need to move over and make room for the hero that is Tai Davis.

Because yes, he’s sexy with his bad-boy look and genuinely good-guy heart and drives-him-to-distraction attraction to Evangeline and ‘I need to kiss you more than I need to breathe’ energy. But it’s his single-minded pursuit of Evangeline, the tender way he truly sees her and values her and thinks she’s beautiful, that makes him the swooniest sort of book boyfriend. I was not prepared for how hard I would fall for Tai, to be honest, but oh my goodness he’s worthy of being at the top of everyone’s book boyfriend lists henceforth and forevermore. For all those reasons I already gave, as well as how much joy he finds in roguishly flirting with Evangeline, how deep his faith is, how intentional he is when it comes to caring for Evangeline’s wounded heart. I could go on and on… and on and on… but I think you get the idea.

And Evangeline!!!! Y’all, she is our people. She is all kinds of adorable in her innate bookishness and her not-so-innate matchmaking attempts, and she felt instantly like the dearest of friends. I couldn’t quit smiling at how relatable she was to all of us who share a similar love of all things story. Combine her endearing personality with Tai’s utter swooniness, and I basically grinned from the first word of this delightful novel to the last. That’s not to say that it’s all smooth sailing for Tai and Evangeline, because it’s definitely not. Evangeline struggles with self-esteem issues that has her reluctant to accept Tai’s attraction to her, thanks to an autoimmune disease called alopecia and a jerk of an ex who made her feel permanently unbeautiful and ineligible for romance & true love as a result. But even in these more emotional layers, Monzon expertly weaves in humor and sweetness and some smokin’ hot romantic tension without diminishing the importance of Evangeline’s journey to wholeness.

Bottom Line: An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon is the uplift my heart needed right now. The (chaste) sizzle, the hilarious humor, the grin-inducing flirting, the KISSES, the witty dialogue, the swoonilicious hero, the endearing heroine, the fun bookish references, the exquisitely tender faith notes… all of it made me smile from the inside out. Even considering the emotional aspects to Evangeline’s story and the scenes that made my eyes well with tears, I would still label this book as ‘joyful’. In fact, if ‘sheer joyful’ were a grammatically correct term, I would use that. The characters felt so real to me, and the story resonated in my soul. This is Sarah Monzon at her best, and I cannot wait for book two!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This is the sweetest RomCom with the most heartfelt moments! It has everything I love: books, treating books respectfully, references to books, a library, a librarian, and a cat. You, too? There is also kindness, snark, family, and even true crime!

This book is hilariously funny, yet I cried several times because I felt so much empathy for the FMC. The characters are so real to me, and I love how they handled struggles, weaknesses and conflict with love and grace. The bad-boy-turned-hero is so kind and swoony, and I just wanted to hug the support cast (aka family and friends)!

Excited to see this is the first in a series! Highly recommended!

A fabulous romance with heart, real-life struggles and hope.

I enjoyed Evangeline and Tai's unique love story. As someone who's only heard about alopecia, I appreciated the rawness of Evangeline's journey from soul-crushing heartbreak to embracing hope and reconnecting with God.

Loved Tai and his positive attitude (and deep insights!) despite the trials he'd overcome. Also enjoyed the banter between him and his cousin, and the familial scenes with Tai and Evangeline's loved ones.

A wonderful romance with all the feels.

I received an ARC of this novel.

THIS BOOK! BE STILL MY HEART!
Y’all it’s not often that I feel in my bones I was born “for such a time as this” but I truly feel that every moment of my life has led me to this, having the privilege of reading this book that felt like it was written just for me. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I think part of the reason I was put on earth is to recommend this book to you! This book seriously took up residence in my heart and I will never be the same again!
I seriously loved, loved, LOVED it with all of my heart!
Where do I even begin to gush about the masterpiece that is this book?!
As a small town librarian, and lover of all things romance I ADORE it when a book features a librarian character, because it makes me feel seen! And Sarah Monzon absolutely nailed what it’s like to be a librarian in a small town, so many times I felt like I was actually reading about myself!
In so many ways Evangeline feels like a bosom friend! I do not have Alopecia, but I have always had my own deep emotional struggles with body image, self-worth, and feeling unlovable so I could relate so much to the journey she went on, and I wish she were real so I could give her a hug! (I have a feeling we’d be the best of friends!)
And Tai, oh my goodness! What an incredible hero! *melts into a puddle*
Lord, please bring me a man like Tai! A man with a heart that is on fire for You, eyes that see others the way You do, and strong but gentle arms that love others the way You do! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
One of the things I love most about Sarah Monzon’s books is the beautiful way she writes stories that make me laugh, make me swoon, and make me think! Every time I read one of Sarah Monzon’s books I’m reminded of this quote from the live action Cinderella movie “Have courage and be kind.” because her books so beautifully spotlight the beauty of diversity, and gently remind the reader that we are called to choose kindness, always!
Sarah Monzon, thank you for being such a bright light in the Christian fiction world!
I absolutely adored this book with every fiber of my being! It is a six star read for me, and will be one of my top five favorite reads of 2025!
If you only read one book in 2025 please make it this one! You will not be sorry!
An Overdue Match is an absolute joy to read!
Be sure to check this story out (see what I did there?!)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher!
My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own