This was the perfect book for me to read after my previous read had been intense and emotional. It was light relief and fresh.

Hannah and Jess have been best friends since childhood and they could not be more different. Hannah is always off on adventures and living life wildly. Jess is married to Tom, her childhood sweetheart, and together they have 8 year old twins. She also run her own business, a dating app called 'Save the Date', for those looking for long term relationships.

To the outside world, and to Hannah, Jess has the perfect life. However, she has come to a point in her life where she can't keep all of the plates spinning. And 'Save the Date' is failing. To drum up publicity in an attempt save her friend’s business, Hannah, unlucky in love, suggests she gets married to a man she meets for the first time at the alter.

Married at First Swipe isn't the sort of book I would normally read but I was intrigued by the concept. There are many tv programmes about marrying at first sight, and in some cultures, arranged marriages are normal. I have to say though the thought of it absolutely terrifies me but I am sure it works for some. The idea of 2 people being the right match on paper should in theory work but when human nature comes into it, how successful is the relationship?

In Married at First Swipe, Jess whittles down the list to Toby, who is the perfect guy for Hannah on paper. The only contact Hannah and Toby have leading up to the wedding are weekly blog posts shared on the 'Save the Date' app. It was interesting to see how their relationship developed through these. I liked reading the posts. They were honest and true to life - there are other parts in the book, that are like this and Claire Frost could have easily gone in another direction - I am glad she didn't.

Although the story is told alternately from Hannah and Jess's points of view, there are a whole cast of characters, each with their own opinions to Hannah's forthcoming wedding. I have to say I found it hard to warm to Hannah - you'll have to read the book to find out why and see if you share the same opinion. I thought Hannah's grandmother Vera was a lovely character and a good choice as Hannah's voice of wisdom.

As well as looking at finding love in a digital age, Married at First Swipe explores lasting female friendships, choosing different life paths, the importance of communication in any relationship, and being true to yourself.

Unfortunately I just could not get into this book. It may be one for other readers, but I was unable to finish it.

The plot didn't move very fast for a book about a quickie blind date marriage. The wedding itself is hardly a thing and then suddenly it's here and gone. The pacing was just plain off throughout.

It was just a very bland book. Trite is the word I would use to describe this book on a whole, especially the dialogue of which there was an overabundance. It felt like try-hard conversation where the outcome was determined before the dialogue was written, meaning it didn't feel natural and just did not flow. Exposition was also shoved awkwardly into dialogue, which made the conversations stilted between all characters. This was especially obnoxious between our two main characters who'd supposedly been friends for 20 years but acted like this was the first time they'd ever spoken to each other. It didn't convince me in any way that these characters are real humans or even that the author has ever met any real humans, or even read a book before.

And there was so so much dialogue. Not much describing at all otherwise. Constant exposition and moving the plot forward through dialogue. Also, there was so many exclamation marks! All the time! Everyone was constantly having entire conversations by exclaiming at each other!

Plot points just appeared. When we suddenly need to remind Hannah that marriage is hard work, her mum gives her some of her old school books where she interviewed her grandmother about her marriage. When we need strife between Jess and her husband, we make their child have a sick-day from school that we casually bring up mid-conversation and the husband falls asleep instead of looking after the kid. It was just constant stuff like this, where things weren't a big deal and then suddenly were because they needed to be.

I wasn't entirely enamoured with the dual protagonists in this. Maybe it's because the title had me thinking the book would be more romance-y. And it's not like we got an insight into anything relating to Hannah's plot from Jess or vice-versa: Jess picked Toby for Hannah and I had no idea of the motivations involved, and Hannah had literally no idea that Jess's relationship with her husband was on the rocks. It was a story about two separate, selfish people, too self-involved to see past the ends of their noses.

Jess saying she created the app because there was a "gap in the market" and being entirely willing to sell the app regardless of what it would do to Hannah just straight-up proved it. You cannot convince me these two people had actually known each other for 20 years, or that they cared about each other one iota.

As a fan of the Married at First Sight tv shows, this story appealed to me. It follows Hannah, a free spirit who loves to travel, and Jess her best friend who is juggling married/family life with running her business, a dating app.

Hannah finds herself agreeing to let Jess find someone on the dating app and meet them at the altar.

I liked the way in which the groom was selected and I loved the public blog posts that allowed the bride and groom the chance to get to know one another.

I did lose my way slightly in the middle of the story, but it did pick up. This was a story about communication and how important it is to relationships, but it is also a reminder that the grass is not always greener.

Unfortunately I really didn’t love this book.
The premise was interesting but the characters didn’t click for me and I wasn’t rooting for them.
It was an interesting idea but clearly just not right for me.

I tried so hard to like this book but it was just not working for me. I don't know if it's because I had high expectations especially considering being a fan of the tv show 'Married at first sight'. The premise of this book was so alluring but the delivery wasn't.

The characters were unlikeable, the story just kept dragging and I just wanted it to over.

I don't know how I feel about this. I liked the premise but I just couldn't find it relatable or believable? I love my friends but I couldn't see me giving up my potential at a happy future just for them? The characters were interesting but overall just a bit unrelatable and I think it just wasn't a book for me but I'm sure others will love it!

Hannah works for her friend's dating app, and when Jess admitted that things weren't going well, they come up with a plan. To find Hannah a husband, and one she will meet for the first time at the altar. But as the plans come together, Jess's world is falling apart.

Married at First Swipe is an amusing story, as the two friends struggle to keep everything together. I did find the whole concept a little hard to believe - would anybody really want to risk their future happiness in this way? That aside, it was an enjoyable read, without challenging the mind too much.

Really nice read and I picked this as it sounded different from the books I had been reading and glad it did.

I really was intrigued with this book and was not disappointed.

It deals with lots of elements of dating apps and friendships also relationships.

Hannah is a single woman who has travelled a great deal and never settled down for long enough. Finally she has a job with her best friend Jess who runs a dating company. Jess is married to Tom and have been together for 20 years with two children.

Jess is having financial difficulties and with running the house and looking after the children as Tom doesn’t quite pull his weight but is there a reason behind that. Hannah comes up with an idea to try and help Jess in which she has to choose a husband for Hannah through the dating app. Hannah only meets her future husband when she meets him on the day she marries.

I could not put this book down. Would recommend this book.

This book was a huge disappointment for me.

To help her BFF Jess’ dating app succeed, Hannah agrees to get married at first “swipe” to a man Jess will pick for her.

Sadly, I just didn’t enjoy this book. First of all, I didn’t appreciate the construction of the story which, to me, doesn’t follow any logic: it feels almost like a conversation, sometimes taking you on tangents that have nothing to do with the main storyline.

The synopsis is superficial, there’s no depth to it, no real character development and frankly, some of the interactions between them are just unhealthy.

Jess and her husband Tom are incredibly aggressive to each other and the verbal violence is just intolerable to read, borderline abusive.

What could be addressed in simple adult conversations turns into convoluted arguments where everything is thrown in: insults, shaming for being a bad parent, not making enough money...

I didn’t enjoy Hannah either and found her incredibly spoiled and shallow. She is lucky enough to have lived a wonderful life, to have traveled around the globe, yet she complains a lot about negligible problems and isn’t considerate of others.

Hannah is also the one to suggests on this “arranged marriage”, she plants the idea, agreed on the concepts, she insists, she pushes for it. And when stuff gets slightly more serious she makes a scene telling Jess: “you are supposed to be my best friend how can you do this to me?”

After considering not finishing the book, I decided to push to the end, hoping for a plot twist.... but there was none. Overall: a big disappointment.

Easy reading book on a subject that seems to be a fairly popular genre and subject this year. Enjoyed the book.

Thirty something Best Friends Jess and Hannah work together on a dating app business which was created by Jess called ‘Save the Date’. ⁣
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Jess, a mum of twins, has been with her Husband since she was a teen, whilst Hannah has recently returned from travelling the world and really craves what her friend Jess has and wants to find Mr Right and settle down.
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In order to resurrect the financially struggling ‘Save the Date’, they hatch an idea to find Hannah a husband using the app.
Two birds, one stone..... right?? ⁣
⁣
So Jess gets to choose Hannah’s husband, who she will not meet face to face until they are stood at the alter. They start to write to each other to kickstart their relationship and find a little more out about each other before they become Mr & Mrs, but they don’t actually see each other until the big day! ⁣
⁣
This book was told from the dual POV of Hannah and Jess which I enjoyed, each of them having alternating chapters.⁣
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It was a light, easy, modern romance which I have no doubt will appeal to plenty of people. For me though, the whole concept of being married at first sight was a little unrealistic (despite the popular TV show versions out there).

I enjoyed this, but I didn’t find it as fun as I was hoping too, it’s presented as Tom com from the synopsis and styling of the cover, but it really isn’t, overall not bad just not for me

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.
Always been a fan of romantic fiction. And this book delivers without disappointing. Dive into this amazing book for an exciting story.

It's well written, I laughed but somehow the story didn't resonated and it fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Modern day love story. Blind date meet tinder. A bit like married at first sight! Very enjoyable and very cute love story. Would recommend if you like romance books

DNF @ 30%

I really wanted to like this book. The cover and the premise made me think this was going to be a fun rom-com. I've since discovered that I was way off. Instead of a rom-com with a "Married at First Sight" premise we actually got literary fiction about communication in romantic relationships.

Now I have no problems with literary fiction, it just was not what I was expecting from the synopsis, premise and cover.

My main gripe is that the marriage doesn't take place until 56% in and we don't meet the love interest until the 50% mark. And then all of the important events, such as the marriage, the wedding night etc happen OFF PAGE.

And here comes my second gripe. There's just dialogue. There are minimal descriptions, we don't see any of the important events happening, the dialogue is super clunky and sounds like all of the characters word-vomit all of the time. We're told about all of the important events through dialogue later, which really detached me from the book.

I don't know if this was intentional or not, but this book tells, it doesn't show. And because of the telling and not showing, I could not connect to the characters or care about the plot.

This one just was not for me.

An easy enough read but I wasn’t a fan of Hannah and I felt like it ended quite abruptly without too much exploration. I think there was too much ‘pre’ wedding and not enough on the aftermath which is where my interest lied.

A group of singles agree to marry partners chosen for them by a team of relationship experts. Looking forward to a perfect match, they meet their mates for the first time on their wedding 👰🤵💒

First book I've read by this author & definitely won't be the last. Heartwarming, romantic, perfect escapism for a windy afternoon. I have never seen the TV show of the same name, but think I might have to give it a watch now, it sounds like fun!

Singleton Jen is using various dating apps to try find her Mr Right & isn't having much luck, as she's looking for more than a one night stand.
Her friend Hannah married Tom twenty odd years ago & has twins. The couple have just created a new dating app & keen to help her friends save their business/home she decides she'll find her husband using their app & for it to be publicised for promotion.

Would you meet your future husband for the first time at the altar having only exchanged blog posts between you?

Many thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴