Brilliant. This was a well written book that I greatly enjoyed and already plan to recommend. Believable characters and an inticing setting. Some parts were perhaps a little lengthy, but maybe because I was impatient to reach the novels conclusion! Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will struggle to write this review without giving away spoilers. This book is marketed as chicklit and, while there are solid elements of this, the book isn't the entirely uplifting read that one would think from the blurb. I was hoping for and expecting a lighter hearted but this wasn't that. The characters were all a little too "in their own box" and I didn't get a fantastic level of depth with them. That being said the book did have some funny first date moments which did make me smile.

This story isn't as lighthearted as either the blurb or the cover suggests, and in my opinion it certainly isn't a romcom. There is nothing humorous in this hook, and it's definitely not a romance.

It is, however, an emotionally charged love story, is gripping, has a huge plot twist, and it kept me turning the pages to the very end.

I'd definitely recommend it, but this book is not a chick lit in the accepted UK sense, and if you prefer a uplifting read, this probably isn't the story for you

Not my usual type of book, I could have easily overlooked this as the cover and title would have made me think it would be a run of the mill romantic light read. It is of course a romantic light read, but it’s also so much more than that- it’s a fast read but it has more depth to it than your usual fluffy romance. Caitlin runs a matchmaking service, a business she started after her impossibly perfect wedding went viral. She is instagram obsessed and very conscious of the image her brand projects, the perfect couple etc. However, it is all a lie. I won’t spoil it (although admittedly I did guess very early on) but this story is full of heart, humour and heart wrenching moments. The family and friendship relationships angle was beautifully explored, showing it’s not just romantic love that matters. A great read.

I didn't end up downloading this in time so I ended up buying it because I really wanted to read it.

In the end I found it to be 'okay'. I loved the sound of it from the blurb but it didn't end up gripping me at all and although I finished it I wouldn't re-read it when I am a serial re-reader.

It certainly wasn't a bad book, but it just wasn't as good as I expected it to be which is a shame.

Thank you for approving me to read this and I am sorry I didn't manage to download it in time.

This book started off as a bit of light relief after reading some intense (but brilliant) crime and psychological thrillers. It soon became apparent that this book was much deeper than I realised and the emotional narrative of love and loss took centre stage.
Caitlin is a professional matchmaker, building her fame and reputation on her ability to find perfect relationships just like her own with Harry. Gradually, little clues are dropped that Caitlin’s life is not so picture perfect and her marriage is full of secrets.
The reveal half way through the book is heartbreaking and raw. Author Catriona Innes’ writing is impressive in the way it changes direction.
Caitlin is an interesting character to review as she has worked hard to create a social media identity, but reality is very different. As an influencer, content creator, blogger (whatever I am!) I try to present my real life on my blog and social media but most of the time it is only the best photos that end up on there and there may have been ten or more attempts to get the kids smiling. Plus the difficulty of capturing our experiences to put on the internet means that some of the pictures are slightly staged (and I try to cut out a lot of the mess in our house!)
There is plenty of humour in The Matchmaker which softens the intensity of the emotional narrative in the second half of the book. Overall, this is a real rollercoaster of a book in terms of the hope and heartache, drama and mystery, laughter and tears.

Caitlin Carter loves her job, but lately it seems that she is living only to work… she is married but no one has seen her husband for a while, is she still married? Her job is not working as well as she wants but she is ready to do anything she can to help it; a strong advertisement, a famous client… but before everything starts to work she will have to solve some personal problems that she has been postponing for a while. Ready?
This had been a refreshing but deep read, with humour and touching characters you can not stop reading till the last page!
I was totally surprised with this book, is Christmassy, funny but it felt so real and charming that I felt part of the Cait family since the beginning. Because she is not perfect, she has some very good friends/co-workers but is so scared to deceive them that she is keeping all her feelings hidden from all of them. But this was one of those times that you could totally relate with the main character, I could understand her fear and pain; but she knows too that sooner or later the truth will be revealed, with consequences, of course.
There are some really hilarious situations in the book, because you’ll be able to read some of the first dates that Cait arranges as a Matchmaker, with the funny situations and sparkles too! Because we can’t never forget that the first date can go really well or really bad! But don’t worry, Cait is really good in her job, so having a bad date is not something that happens often on her dates!
This is a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to enjoy a few hours surrounded by love, friendship and humour; because what’s more important during Christmas that your loved ones around you?

unfortunately, I just didn't get the gist of this one. The blurb appealed, but the book seemed to be very different.

Caitlin has her own matchmaking business. She has had successes, but none so great as her own marriage to Harry. She doesn't invest in modern methods, believing in the old fashioned way and trusting her gut instincts. The business is going from strength to strength, and is even attracting celebrities. How much better could life be?

I'm not sure what I expected from this novel but, in all honesty, I found it hard going. I'm sure there are others who will find the wit and cleverness referred to in the blurb, but it's not one for me. Right from the beginning, there was something missing in the story and it was fairly obvious things weren't as they seemed - it just took an awful long time to get there. I struggled through it but was relieved to reach the end. I'm fairly certain it just wasn't for me - we can't all like every book, after all - and that other readers will 'get it'. Sadly, it's two stars from me.

My thanks to publisher Trapeze for my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

A Breath of Fresh Air in a Tinder Obsessed World

This book is a perfect example of why I love to take part in blog tours. I have come to enjoy reading books outside of my 'norm' and discovering new authors that will become firm favourites in the future. I can honestly say that not only will this book be one for recommending to many others, but Catriona Innes will also be an author to keep my eyes open for in the future.

When I first read the blurb, I expected a nice easy 'sunday morning' style novel. One where I got the warm and fuzzies and could whip through the pages feeling satisfied by a happy ever after, but I think the blub is a little deceiving.

The Matchmaker has more depth than I expected. More emotion, more roundness of character and much more heart. Catriona Innes writes with such heart and emotion and truly makes you feel for the characters on the page. Her descriptions and small but perfectly places observations paint the world on the page and carve Catriona's secrets right onto your heart.

Without giving away any spoilers, I truly feel Innes tackled the issues in this book with such sensitivity and truth. I felt all the emotions alongside Catilin and championed until the very last page. Although the 'twist' was fairly obvious early on, it did not stop the tear from prickling, or the ball from forming in my throat. There were no big surprises, no big 'what?' moments, but the charm of the book meant I did not once miss a shocking twist. Instead, I allowed myself to simply enjoy being on the journey with Caitlin.

Innes reminds us that in a world where we are so obsessed with social media apps, finding our 'mate' by swiping left and right, it's reassuring to know that deep down in our souls, if we listen we can still hear that whisper, and feel that 'kick'.If you are a fan of David Nichol or Nicholas Sparks, The Matchmaker will see you adding Catriona Innes to your list of favourite authors. Heart, soul, love, and pain. The Matchmaker has it all.

Reviewed by Emma-Claire Wilson for The Glass House Book Club

This was a surprising gem of a book, it sounded interesting from the blurb however the story was far better than I anticipated and well told from the perspective of Caitlin who is the Matchmaker of the title. The concept of a matchmaker in the era of Twitter was quirky and Caitlin operates in an unusual way, mostly relying on her own gut instinct and supporting the dates during their initial interaction. The cast of characters were all delightful and the story unfolded well, there were no real surprises for me however I really enjoyed this gentle and heartfelt tale.

BOOK REVIEW: The Matchmaker by Catriona Innes

2 stars

I was excited about this book as I had never read one about a matchmaker before and thought it was a really unique idea.
Firstly, the things I liked. I thought the best scenes had Verity (the main character's best friend), because she added another dimension. I also liked the general storyline.
Unfortunately, I just didn't click with the other main characters as I found them rather 2D and the writing wasn't quite as good as I hoped. I also guessed the big shock from quite early on as well.
The main female lead Caitlyn wasn't as I had expected. It was all too cheesy and corny and felt really fake, especially the parts with the instagram influencer which were over the top and bizarre. Sadly there was a depth missing that considering the subject and twist to the book, should have been there. It also lacked any real humour and so I got bored at many points. Sadly it just wasn't for me!

I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This book is published on the 28th November.

This was a nice, light romance read, but if I'm brutally honest it didn't wow me. I struggled to connect with the central character for the first half of the book, and it was only after this point that I started to get more interested. I've seen lots of really positive reviews though, so maybe it was just me.

A really nice, light romantic read perfect for curling up on the sofa on a wintry sunday afternoon. The Matchmaker explores some great themes: friendship, love, romance and how it all looks through the filter of social media and the need to live your "best" life online.

I wasn't captured by the plot and therefore couldn't continue with the book. Perhaps it is for an older audience but I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters and wasn't gripped by the story line unfortunately. However, I found that it was well written and there were some incidents that made me laugh out loud which I really enjoyed.

Chick-Lit and Romance aren’t normally the genre I read, I prefer a dark gritty crime thriller, but something about the blurb above really interested me so I jumped at the chance to read it and take part in the blogtour to celebrate the publication day on 28th November.

The Matchmaker starts off in the usual rom-com way (light-hearted with some slapstick situations) and I must admit that for the first several chapters I was wondering if I had made a mistake and should stick to the gore and murders, however I carried on and I am so glad I did.

Caitlin Carter is a matchmaker, she finds love for other people, she has a gift of finding the perfect match and all she wants to do is share the happiness and love she has with her husband Harry with her clients to ensure they find their significant other. However Caitlin is hiding the truth about her marriage and eventually the truth has a way of coming out which potentially could ruin her business and reputation.

It’s difficult to review this book without going into too much detail and giving away spoilers, so all I can say at this stage is that The Matchmaker is more than a rom-com/chick-lit book, it’s about love and hope, loss and grief, friends and family and at the heart of the story is the wonderful, brave and caring character, Caitlin Carter.

Yes, I cried (can’t believe I just admitted that in public), yes, I got emotionally involved and attached to the characters and storyline, yes, I definitely recommend it and yes, I will be reading more by this author.