Book Review: Perfect Match

By Sara Steven

Sophia Jones is an expert in all things online dating: the best sites, how to write a decent bio, which questions to ask and the right type of photos to use. The only thing she’s not so great at? Picking the guys…

After sitting through yet another dreadful date with a man who isn’t quite what she expected, Sophia is just about ready to give up on the whole dating scene. But her flatmate, Kate, persuades her to give it one more chance, only this time she must create a profile describing her ‘perfect’ man.

Yes, he must look like Robert Pattinson and needs to own a multi-million pound business, but there are a couple of other deal breakers, too! So, when a guy comes along who ticks every box, surely there’s got to be a catch? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

I think it’s funny how the synopsis states that Sophia is an expert in online dating, given she seems to have zero luck in finding anyone worth her time. There’s even a scene where her best friend attempts to assist her in creating a better dating profile that will really reel them in, and even that turns comical. I don’t really have any personal knowledge of what it’s like to online date, but many of the responses Sophia receives really cracked me up! And I have to assume similar responses happen out in the “real world”, adding a fun and realistic element to what she experiences.

But when the Robert Pattinson look-alike responds to Sophia’s profile, I felt much like she did: is this too good to be true? A classic tale of two individuals from completely opposite sides of the tracks ala Pretty Woman, it was hard not to be enthralled by the lovely dynamic between Sophia and Daniel- the Pattinson look-alike. Suddenly, she’s whipped into a frenzy of fancy restaurants and the opera, nights spent in his quite unattainable penthouse in the sky. During moments like this, the reader begins to see the cracks in this relationship, and the distance between two opposing lifestyles can really be felt.

So much of what we see in media often comes with a tagline that signifies, “love can conquer all.” No matter what. I didn’t get that tagline from Perfect Match. What I saw was an honest look at two people who are making a go of things in spite of their differences, and we’re not sure of the outcome or in which direction we want it to go along the way. I really liked that. It kept me wondering. Along with that are decisions Sophia has to make in order to find happiness, in spite of what others think. In many ways there was a lot of growth, considering some of her preconceived notions on what’s acceptable, and who’s acceptable. It’s not so much about a perfectly written profile to attract “the perfect man”, but about finding someone who is perfect for her. Along the way we’re greeted by some standout characters, like her boss Ted and Sandra, and her close friendship with Lyn, an unconventional friendship with an older woman who lives close by. More groundwork that sets the stage for who we discover Sophia to really be, and what (and who) she needs.

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK * Amazon US

Zoe May lives in southeast London and writes romantic comedies. Zoe has dreamt of being a novelist since she was a teenager. She worked in journalism and copywriting before writing her debut novel, Perfect Match. Having experienced the London dating scene first hand, Zoe could not resist writing a novel about dating, since it seems to supply endless amounts of weird and wonderful material!

Perfect Match was one of Apple's top-selling books of 2018. It was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association's Joan Hessayon Award, with judges describing it as 'a laugh out loud look at love and self-discovery - fresh and very funny'.

As well as writing, Zoe enjoys walking her dog, painting and, of course, reading! She adores animals and if she's not taking a photo of a vegan meal, she's probably tweeting about the dairy industry. She is half Greek and half Irish and can make a mean baklava. Zoe has a thing for horror films, India, swimming, hip hop and Radiohead. She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of handbags having spent several years working in fashion copy-writing and could probably win Mastermind if this was her specialist subject!

Zoe loves to hear from readers. Visit her online:
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