Welcome to my stop on The Matchmaker’s List blog tour!

I’m so excited to share my review of this book! It’s my first tour for Penguin Random House Canada and I am so proud to showcase this wonderful novel that not only takes place in my hometown (Toronto), but is also by a Canadian author. This made for such a special reading experience for me, and I am so happy to share Canadian content on Reads & Reels!

The Matchmaker’s List (Publication Date: February 5th, 2019)

One devoted modern girl + a meddlesome, traditional grandmother = a heartwarming multicultural romantic comedy about finding love where you least expect it

Raina Anand may have finally given in to family pressure and agreed to let her grandmother play matchmaker, but that doesn’t mean she has to like it–or that she has to play by the rules. Nani always took Raina’s side when she tried to push past the traditional expectations of their tight-knit Indian-immigrant community, but now she’s ambushing Raina with a list of suitable bachelors. Is it too much to ask for a little space? Besides, what Nani doesn’t know won’t hurt her…

As Raina’s life spirals into a parade of Nani-approved bachelors and disastrous blind dates, she must find a way out of this modern-day arranged-marriage trap without shattering her beloved grandmother’s dreams.

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My Thoughts…

What a delightfully funny, warm, and beautifully written book!

Meet Raina. She is a modern business woman who prides herself on her accomplishments, close relationship to her family and friends, and her culture. Raised by her very traditional grandmother, though perhaps not as close-minded as one would think, Raina is torn between her traditional upbringing, and the need to make her own decisions as an independent, and capable adult. Times are changing and her Nani’s old world values don’t really fit with this new generation of modern adults.

That said, she has been hurt by love in the past and doesn’t feel ready to pursue a relationship, arranged or otherwise, but is feeling the pressure from her family and the close-knit Indian community they are part of.

Keen to get everyone off her back and perhaps meet someone new, she allows her Nani to arrange dates with several candidates who could be husband material.

Date after horrible date, Raina shows us what it’s like in the modern dating world, and boy am I glad I’m not part of it anymore lol. And just when it can’t get any worse, Dev, the man who broke her heart, reappears in Raina’s life just to make everything more complicated.

This book offers so much. It’s hilarious and heart-warming, the writing is fantastic and the characters are larger than life. I loved reading about the traditional and cultural aspects of Raina’s life and learned a few things I hadn’t known, which made for a very rich reading experience. Really, it’s got a little of everything you want in contemporary fiction. Love, laughs, family drama, and friendship.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Sonya Lalli comes up with next. Honestly guys, I can’t recommend it enough!

Rating… A+

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the Author

Sonya Lalli is a Canadian writer of Indian heritage. She studied law in her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and at Columbia University in New York City. She completed an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing at City University London in 2015, and currently works as a journalist at a legal magazine in London. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and loves travel, yoga, piano, reading and cocktail bartending.

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*A big thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and Sonya Lalli for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review