I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, Bethany House, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a cute and sweet story! I truly enjoyed reading this contemporary romance. The female main character, Evangeline, is a librarian and there are little references to literature sprinkled throughout the book, which I loved.

I really appreciate the thought that went into this story. I learned a lot about alopecia, which I'd formerly not known much about. Tai and Evangeline are both amazing characters, and the growth that Evangeline made throughout the story was really inspiring.

Tai’s character really brought out the best in Evangeline and helps her (and the reader) understand that how we see ourselves isn’t how others see us, and most importantly not how God sees us.

Wow! What a fun, swoony story this was. I knew this was going to be a good one with the cover and title alone, and I was right. This story has themes of not judging others, loving oneself, and unconditional love tied up with great banter and dare I say kisses.

Evangeline Kelly is a librarian who is hiding a big secret. She has alopecia and has even moved from her hometown to get away from everyone she believes is pitying her. Especially the man who broke her heart into a million pieces. Now with a wig, fake eyelashes, and temporary eyebrow tattoos, Evangline is ready to face the world but never love again. No, she decides that being a secret matchmaker is her calling now since no one could ever possibly love her.

Enter Tai Davis who has the profession of tattoo artist and in Evangeline's eyes, bad boy who needs to be avoided at all costs. Well, Tai wonders who Evangline is to judge a book by its cover without getting to know him. Besides, she intrigues him, and he just can't ger her out of his mind. So what entails is somewhat of a comedy with romantic gestures of epic proportions along with deeper truths we all could take a lesson from.

I really liked how the author really got us in both of the characters heads. Evangline's condition was explained so well and Tai, well Tai is definitely a book hero I will not be forgetting soon. I will be rereading this one again and again.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

This story made me both laugh and cry. I loved the fun romcom scenes and loved how Tai and Evangeline finally fell in love. It is a sweet story that shows how everyone is lovable no matter what they look like or the struggles they have. This book made me cry because as someone who has Alopecia and has had it most of my life and could relate to Evangeline and the feelings she was having. This book reminded me of my own feelings as I have dealt with this condition. I loved how sensitive the author was and how compassionate she was. I will definitely recommend this book to others who are struggling with feeling like they are lovable. I appreciate this author writing this story and having her main character suffer from hair loss since it is not seen in fiction very often. Thank you to the author for writing this book.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

So fun, so unique. This book definitely made me smile. I really like the focus on a person with a rare condition and all of the implications and interferences that the condition causes in ones life. I read fiction because I want to get a glimpse into other's worlds. I want to put myself in different shoes and better understand various viewpoints, behaviors, emotions, etc. This book gave me that in the life of a woman with alopecia. It was beautifully written with great, loveable characters and a strong theme of hope, growth, and love. Quick and easy read that you will not regret picking up!

This book started out so fun!! I loved all the bookish references and it made my readerly heart sing. So cute! But after several chapters it quickly felt overdone.

The characters were my favorite aspect of this book. They were all sweet and real and believable. And I loved the added layer Evangeline's condition added. It was all super fun! Ty wasn't my favorite however and I never cared for the two of them together... just me?

This book is perfect for the romance readers in the crowd who want nothing more than to cozy up with a sweet read!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

A beautiful, engaging story of triumph over adversity! An Overdue Match is my first book by Sarah Monzon & definitely won’t be my last. I absolutely adored this heartfelt story! I cried. I laughed. And fell in love with these amazing characters.

Evangeline Kelly’s a librarian who has given up on love for herself but vows to help others find love. She’s been diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder, alopecia, which caused her to lose her hair. Abandoned by her fiancé after her diagnosis, she determines she’s not heroine material.

Tai Davis is a tattoo artist who’s used to being misjudged as a bad boy. When a cute new librarian moves into town, he’d like to get to know her despite her pushing him away at every turn. When he discovers her matchmaking scheme, he strikes a bargain with her to go out with him in exchange for information about her potential matches.

Evangeline has my heart. In many ways, I can relate to her & I was cheering her on to fully embrace herself & not care about what others think. Tai is an absolute hero in every way. He’s lovably persistent & doesn’t let Evangeline hide herself away or give up on love. He definitely raises the bar as the perfect book boyfriend.

There were so many moments that touched my heart & also made me laugh. The author expertly captures the devastation of permanent hair loss, especially for women, but tempers the sorrow with humor, faith, an amazing romance, & lovely messages of embracing who you are. I loved the witty dialogue, the baseball game, all the embarrassing wig issues she faces, the squirrel marriage, & the phoenix.

Full of sweet tender romance, laugh out loud moments, & heartfelt faith, this is an absolute must read! Highly recommend to clean romance & sweet romcom fans. Looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher but also purchased the audiobook version. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.

Librarian Evangeline Kelly has sworn off love since her fiancé dumped her after she was diagnosed with alopecia—in her case, total and permanent hair loss. She has now moved to a new town where no one knows her or her diagnosis, where she can start again. Evangeline meets Tai in the library after he returns a book full of dog-eared pages. Her librarian heart is appalled, then intrigued with the town bad boy and tattoo artist.

Tai is a fabulous hero. Sure, his visible tattoos, penchant for wearing black, and constant flirting combine to give off a bad-boy impression, but first impressions aren’t necessarily correct. As the story progresses, we see his insight and his heart, and I loved the way he was able to show Evangeline respect and love in action.

I could see why Evangeline thought Tai was a bad boy, what with his black leather jacket and almost-unforgivable action of folding down the corners of library books. However, An Overdue Match is a lesson in not jumping to conclusions. I could also see why Evangeline thought he was a flirt—she has such low self-esteem that she figured any man who flirted with her must flirt with every woman he sees. After all, who could possibly find her attractive? Her ex certainly hadn’t.

Evangeline was likeable, admirable, and a little annoying. A hopeless romantic and rom-com fan, she decides that given she will never experience romance for herself, she will play matchmaker to the patrons of the library where she works. Her first attempted match almost becomes a spectacular failure when Tai tells her the man she is trying to match is already happily engaged. Oops.

An Overdue Match starts in first person point of view. My first thought was that annoys some readers, although I enjoy it. Somewhere close to halfway, I realised that while Evangeline’s scenes are written in first person, the scenes from Tai’s point of view were written in the more normal third person. I usually find the switch between first and third person point of view jarring, so well done to Sarah Monzon for making An Overdue Match such a compelling read that I didn’t even notice!

I also got to that halfway point before I realised that while I thought the story was contemporary Christian romance, there hadn’t been anything to point toward the Christian element of the romance. Sure, there hadn’t been any sex or swearing, but there also hadn’t been any references to church or faith or God. Rest assured, there is a lovely faith arc, although it doesn’t become apparent until well into the second half of the story.

Overall, An Overdue Match is a wonderful romance featuring a heroine with an embarrassing condition, and a hero who works it out and loves her anyway. Recommended for fans of contemporary Christian romance and rom-coms.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Sixty-four. That's how many quotes I highlighted in my Kindle. Sixty. Four. You guys. If you need the mark of a great book, that should be a start.

But besides the number of quotes...

It took me WAY too long to figure out who the cat was named after. What can I say? I have almost no knowledge of pop culture. But it's cute! And tattoos? If you've followed me any length of time at all, you know I have a thing for tattoos. And they play a big role here.

In addition to, I love how Evangeline related EVERYTHING to books. It's like I was looking into my own soul!

But you know, even with all of those things, this book was so much more. This book is about a journey to finding your worth in who God says you are. And loving and accepting that uniquely beautiful, beloved human. I fought so many tears while reading this. It's deep, beautiful, and wonderfully written.

I want to start it all over again.

this started off so cute and i really thought this was going to be a winner, but at the end of the day a few things bothered me. the first is a personal preference and a toxic trait — i don’t like short heroes. tai is 5”4’ and i just can’t. i’m 5’6” for reference. 😂 i loved the alopecia rep and thought the way evangeline dealt with it was handled very well. but for someone who didn’t want to be judged for her alopecia, she was really judgy, especially when it came to tai and it just wore on me after a while. i also love pop culture and literary references, but they were soooooo overdone in this book. you really can have too many. i wanted to love this so bad because you can tell it’s an ode to book lovers, but this just didn’t hit the way i was expecting it to.

thank you to bethany house for a gifted copy. my thoughts are my own.

Evangeline came to a small town to hide when her old life imploded after she lost her hair. But though she's given up on romance for herself as a result, her love of romance in general starts her looking outward - and she decides to try her hand at matchmaking based on people's library reading habits. When her first attempt goes awry, though, she realises she needs help from someone local. Tai has been intrigued by the new librarian ever since he noticed her stalking him to make sure he wasn't damaging the library books - but she's built walls he can't easily penetrate. Catching her attempting to matchmake, he uses an offer to help as a way to induce her to spend more time with him, in the hope of scaling those walls. Will he be able to convince her that she is still loveable, and that he's no villain?

A deeply touching read that combines meaningful discussions and relationships seamlessly with light moments of fun (matchmaking based on reading habits? hilarious!). I really felt for Evangeline with all she's been through, and was thrilled to see Tai being willing to do what it takes to reach her in her self-imposed prison. He does potentially waver on the border of being inappropriately pushing in forcing his company on her, but I felt that he always stayed on the right side and was in a position where he was dealing with someone who actually needed that. And Evangeline's friends are also a wonderful part of the story, in supporting her. Though still not a fan of tattoos, I did think they fitted into the story beautifully and provided an amazing symbol. And as for the ending - it's perfect. This is a story I can see staying with me and I'd love to come back and reread. Highly recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

I enjoyed this book. It was incredibly engaging. The representation of alopecia in the story was truly important, and by the end of the book, I was in tears — tears of happiness. I think it’s a sign of a great story when the characters can evoke such genuine emotions from the reader.
That said, paradoxically, I found myself dozing off a few times while reading, not because I was bored, but because the story had such a calming effect on me. But even that didn’t take away from my overall impression of the book. The narrative follows a clear and simple structure, and I think that’s part of its charm. The simplicity doesn’t make it dull; rather, it makes it more immersive and easy to connect with.
I also loved all the bookish references! There were so many nods to literature, jokes that only the book community would truly appreciate, and clever mentions of tropes and well-known stories. That aspect was a real treat.
As for the main characters: both Evangeline and Tai completely won me over. Tai is our Short King, our Green Flag, he is a wonderful guy whose love helped Evangeline believe in herself and in love itself. And I believed in them too. His sincerity, her journey, their emotional growth — it was beautiful. I felt every moment of their struggles and triumphs, and yes, I cried again while reading the acknowledgments.
Sure, the book may have its minor flaws, but within its format and style, it felt cohesive and well-executed. It may not be the most life-changing book I’ve ever read, but it was a good one. I’m so glad I picked it up, and I sincerely hope it gets translated and published in other countries so more people can experience this story — and others like it.

4 1/2 stars

This story packs so much heat into this sweet romance. Evangeline fought it every step of the way, but the way Tai wooed her made my heart beat faster with every turn of the page. There were moments of swoony romance, warm tenderness, and times that I laughed out loud. But even more intriguing was the struggles that Evangeline lived because of her difference from others. I loved the inspirational message how Tai not only covered Evangeline in his love but pointed her to God’s unfailing love as well. The only hiccup for me was adjusting to the change in POV’s between the heroine (first person) and the hero (third person) but I really loved the characters and the theme of this story.

I received this book complimentary as a participant of the JustReads reviewer tour. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are honest and my own.

Dnf at 51%

- Evangeline sounds borderline judgemental if not sheltered at times. I get that she's wary of being hurt again once Tai knows about her alopecia, but for someone who has been judged or looked down upon for her outward appearance, she sure does have a load of judgement to release on Tai based on his appearance (tattoos) and his past. Kind of hypocritical.
- Of all the nicknames to get from her name, he just had to go with Angel 🙄 I couldn't get over how cringy that was the first time he did the pickup line.
- Switching from Evangeline's 1st person to Tai's 3rd person POV was a bit confusing as well.
- I really wanted to like this but at the halfway mark I didn't have much keeping me invested.
- Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It's out now.

I really loved this story. I want sure how I was feel about this one but it did an amazing job being a fun, cute, Christian romance without being preachy. I really loved the characters too.

Upbeat opposites attract romance, with a touch of matchmaking, and a swoony heartfelt story.

Evangeline doesn't see herself as the the protagonist in any great love stories, but little does she know that her great love story is on its way. Evangeline is an unassuming librarian, working to find her place in a new town. Tai is a tattoo artist, used to people's assumptions, but he is drawn to the quirky new librarian. I liked how observant he was, and how he was clear that he was interested in Evangeline specifically.

This is such a charming read, with great banter, plenty of chemistry, a lot of heart, solid faith, and characters you can cheer for all the way through. I liked how Tai helped Evangeline see herself the way that he does.

Overall, this was such a wonderfully satisfying read from beginning to end with everything that I could want in a faith-filled rom-com. Great characters and interaction, riveting plot, heartwarming, and great comedic timing. Highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I unfortunately DNFed this one. I wasn’t very hooked and had to stop once I realized I started skimming the pages instead of reading them. I wish I could have bought into it because the premise sounds up my alley however it just wasn’t for me.

Wow! What an emotionally charged story! Yet, there were moments of humor and sweetness mixed right in with the deep issues.

This book deals openly with judging people based on their looks and the impact it can have on their lives.

I really felt for Evangeline. Not only had she gone through the traumatic experience of permanently losing all of her hair, she lost her fiancé, as well. And through his callous words and actions, she gained a new reality, which was the impossibility of finding love again.

Of course, that was before she met Tai. I loved the way these two were drawn to each other. Tai was, quite simply, an amazingly deep person. Even though Evangeline was captivated by him and his intricate tattoos, she tried to keep an emotional distance between them. But Tai was much more than she ever expected and I absolutely loved their beautiful story!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

An Overdue Match is such a wonderful and heartwarming story! What first captured my heart was all the pop culture and literary references. It added such a charm and fed my bookish soul, but this novel is so much more than that.

This story hit so close to home for me since I also have alopecia and struggle with feeling beautiful as I am losing my hair. Our society puts so much emphasis on beauty, and hair is a huge part of that, so when a woman is losing all of her hair, it’s easy to lose part of herself in the process. I am so thankful that I got to see a heroine that understands my personal struggles and overcomes the insecurities and mental gymnastics that go along with hair loss and raises triumphant. Very empowering, and to see someone be so brave and put herself out there was truly inspiring.

It’s clear that Tai is a good soul, despite what many in the town believe him to be. Tai wanted Evangeline to see herself as he sees her, and I love that he never gave up on her even when she wanted to give up on herself. This is how all heroes should be.

Thank you, Sarah Monzon, for giving others like me a voice and reminding us that we deserve to be “heroines of our own stories“.

'I'm a secondary character. For reasons that shall not be named at this time, I will likely never fit into the heroine role. Not in my own story. Not in any story. Which is fine by me. Everyone loves a good sidekick.'

Okay, this book is so much more than you will ever imagine!

People get turned off these days by the world wholesome, but it's one of my favorite words and describes how good you'll feel after reading this one-the world will instantly be a brighter, better place. Seriously, everything about this book is feel-good, cheer for the underdog, round up some courage, face your fears, never give up vibes, and face today like a boss kind of book.

HERE. FOR. IT.

There is so much representation going on that this book may cause you to go out and hug every person you see. Wouldn't that be a wonderful kind of world? Where we all cheer for one another, look out for one another and see the innate goodness inside?

This is a book that will give you hope, make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.

These characters have become a part of my soul and have made me want to be a better version of myself and look out for everyone around me.

If you like feel-good stories, romance, unlikely heroes and heroines--then you should ABSOLUTELY pick this one up!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Content: autoimmune representation, death of loved ones (off page), romance-kisses only.

“God is the lover of your soul, Evangeline. He woos you every single day of your life, wanting you to fall in love with Him over and over again the way He loves you. He calls you beautiful , beloved, and lavishes you with more tenderness and affection than a groom does a bride on their wedding day . And nothing can change that. Not an autoimmune disorder or physical changes in appearance. Certainly not hair loss. He loved you from the beginning, and He’ll love you for all time.”

Thank you @bethanyhousefiction for an advance copy 🫶🏽

An Overdue Match was a delightful surprise, as it was my first read from the author, though definitely not the last!

If you are into romances that are light, fun, romantic yet full of depth, then this is definitely for you.

Evangeline Kelly is still healing from her broken engagement after developing alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that caused her to lose all of her hair. A lover of love, she decides to partake in love from the sidelines - and try to matchmake her library patrons. To do this successfully, she needs Tai Davis' insider information about the town she just recently moved in.

Tai is a new top-tier book boyfriend! Previously misunderstood because of his tattoos, he's determined to make Evangeline recognize that he's more than his tough exterior. Through a series of dates, they get to know each other better, and reveal their true, vulnerable selves. I love how Tai treats Evangeline - he builds up her self esteem, making her remember that she IS loved and has ALWAYS been loved 🥹

Their chemistry was so cute 🥰 And I just loved following along as they learned to accept and love each other, especially Evangeline, who struggled with accepting her condition, and accepting love freely given in spite of.

Read if you like:
Chronic illness / disability representation
Inspiring and healing romances
Boy obsessed
Small town romances
A plethora of literary references

Other details and mild spoilers:
Closed door, kissing only
Dual third person POV
CW: alopecia, broken engagements, emotional abuse