Review: 'Match Me If You Can' by Michele Gorman (2016)

Ever thought about recycling your ex?
Best friends Catherine, Rachel & Sarah are fun, smart, successful and single – just like millions of women with a low tolerance for idiocy in their dates.
Mr. Right hasn't turned up yet, and Mr Right-Now isn't worth booking a wax appointment for. So when Catherine, London’s finest matchmaker, gets Rachel and Sarah to join her dating site where they can recycle their ex-boyfriends in exchange for an upgrade, they soon realise that anything could happen…
I’m really quite excited about the review I get to share with all of you today! One of the very first chick lit novels I clearly remember reading is Michele Gorman’s ‘Single in the City’; I still have the old paperback copy on one of my bookshelves at home somewhere. I really enjoyed the book and since then I’ve had a soft spot for Michele’s novels and try my best to read all of them. Now, numerous years and many many chick lit novels after that very first Michele Gorman read, I got the chance to review Michele’s latest release, ‘Match Me If You Can’, which was released by Avon on January 14th. I immediately loved the title and description of the book and was really excited to have a new novel by this author to check out!
Best friends and housemates Catherine, Rachel, and Sarah are all single, but not too sure whether they’re really ready to mingle. Finding Mr. Right isn’t an easy task and there are quite a number of strange guys out there. So, when Catherine convinces her two friends to join her own matchmaking website, RecycLove, Rachel and Sarah are curious to see what it will bring them, especially since you can only sign up together with an ex... While Catherine is dealing with her ex-husband Richard and his new, much younger, fiancée Magda, Sarah is too busy worrying about her younger sister Sissy and would rather stay at home baking than go out and meet eligible bachelors. At the same time, architect Rachel is competing against her colleague and ex-boyfriend James for the same project and can hardly find the time to think about the other sex. Will the three friends be able to find their match or does life have other things in store for them…?     
I think ‘Match Me If You Can’ is probably my favourite Michele Gorman novel so far! The book ticks the box for numerous things I personally look for in an entertaining romantic comedy novel such as great characters, several interesting storylines, a comfortable and well-paced writing style, and of course a lovely dose of romance! I really like the fact that the book focuses on three main female characters; each of them with her own personality and her own story to tell. Catherine runs a matchmaking business but hasn’t been too lucky in love herself since the divorce from her husband Richard; Rachel is trying to focus on her career which is a bit tricky since she is directly competing with her ex-boyfriend James, and Sarah wishes she could just stay inside and bake all day long instead of having to go out and be less introverted. I loved all three female characters (I developed a bit of a soft spot for Sarah, though!) and really enjoyed their storylines.
The chapters in the book are told from the different perspectives of the three main characters which really provides the reader with an insight into their lives and thoughts. Catherine, Rachel and Sarah are relatable and realistic female characters, and I think many readers will be able to recognise certain situations or feelings, just like I did. I have to admit both the title and the description of the book resulted in me expecting a bit more focus on the matchmaking aspect (and the original idea of ‘recycling’ your exes) but I certainly wasn’t disappointed by how the story turned out instead. Overall, ‘Match Me If You Can’ is another fabulous read by author Michele Gorman; a relatable, fun, amusing and light read that will be enjoyed by any chick lit/rom com fan out there!

Rating:9,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.