Take a photo of a barcode or cover
lenina's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
erica_reads_itall's review against another edition
4.0
In this Emma retelling set in contemporary Mumbai, wealthy fashionista and self-styled relationship guru Jia challenges herself to find love for her naive new coworker, Charu. She's certain she knows all about romance and love even though she's never experienced it herself. Meanwhile, her lifelong friend Jaiman is ready to give up on Mumbai: his business is struggling, his college nemesis has come to town, and the woman he's loved his entire life has forbidden him to mention his feelings. If only Jia could turn her relationship expertise on herself...
The first half of Match Me If You Can was delightful, with an ensemble cast just as varied and interesting as the original Emma's. But Jaiman, with his failing business and emotional neediness, was an odd update for the Knightley character, and his helplessness seemed a poor match for Jia's ambition and arrogance. I kept waiting for Jia's "Badly Done, Emma" moment (in the original, Emma insults Miss Bates in front of their friends, and Knightley reprimands her, causing her to examine her interpersonal responsibilities for the first time) but it never really came.
Fortunately, much of Emma is about other people's relationships, and Match Me If You Can is faithful enough to keep Austenites satisfied (although the Frank Churchill plotline is abbreviated) with a unique setting and milieu that will keep general readers interested. Despite its uninspiring central pairing, it's a good Match for rom com lovers of any stripe.
[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley. Opinions are my own.]
The first half of Match Me If You Can was delightful, with an ensemble cast just as varied and interesting as the original Emma's. But Jaiman, with his failing business and emotional neediness, was an odd update for the Knightley character, and his helplessness seemed a poor match for Jia's ambition and arrogance. I kept waiting for Jia's "Badly Done, Emma" moment (in the original, Emma insults Miss Bates in front of their friends, and Knightley reprimands her, causing her to examine her interpersonal responsibilities for the first time) but it never really came.
Fortunately, much of Emma is about other people's relationships, and Match Me If You Can is faithful enough to keep Austenites satisfied (although the Frank Churchill plotline is abbreviated) with a unique setting and milieu that will keep general readers interested. Despite its uninspiring central pairing, it's a good Match for rom com lovers of any stripe.
[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley. Opinions are my own.]
the_l0st_b00kmark's review against another edition
5.0
Overview:
Swati Hedge’s Match Me If You Can is a contemporary love story that combines humor, emotional depth and the intricacy of modern dating. This novel tells the story of Jia Deshpande, a journalist for a Mumbai lifestyle magazine who dreams of owning her own contemporary matchmaking company. However, this is no easy journey as she faces several obstacles including disbelieving boss and lack of any serious relationship experience.
Plot:
Jia’s personal life and professional growth constitute the plotline. Contrary to her work, where she writes more sensational content, she runs an anonymous blog “Love Better with J” where she offers realistic and relatable advices about dating. Hoping to create real connections for their readership, Jia suggests introducing a new column on matchmaking to her boss. At the same time, Jaiman has always been around visiting her family very often appearing to have that special place in her heart.
Characters:
Jia Deshpande is well fleshed out as a character with ambitions, insecurities and determination that make him seem like a relatable person. There is tension in the narrative through Jaiman Patil who acts as the charming and supportive love interest.Secondary characters, like Monica who is Jia’s boss and Damini her intern provide some conflict and camaraderie in the story.
Themes:
In the novel, love ambition and search for authenticity amidst superficial ties are discussed. Jia tries to find a way to be both sympathetic with her workmates and true to herself, but she discovers that it is impossible to balance the two. Furthermore, there is a sense of family obligations as well as cultural expectations involved in one’s identity formation.
Writing Style:
Swati Hegde has written an engaging book with a witty style that shows how relationships are complex things which are common in our lives. This comes about due to dialogues that are precise and natural while narratives have been done in good timings thus readers remaining committed till they see how far this lady can go. It combines humor with serious ruminations on romance and ambition.
Conclusion:
Match Me If You Can is an adorable heart-warming book that will appeal to fans of contemporary romances with depth as well as humor. Swati Hegde tells us an interesting story about a young woman looking for success in her professional life and true love at the same time.
Swati Hedge’s Match Me If You Can is a contemporary love story that combines humor, emotional depth and the intricacy of modern dating. This novel tells the story of Jia Deshpande, a journalist for a Mumbai lifestyle magazine who dreams of owning her own contemporary matchmaking company. However, this is no easy journey as she faces several obstacles including disbelieving boss and lack of any serious relationship experience.
Plot:
Jia’s personal life and professional growth constitute the plotline. Contrary to her work, where she writes more sensational content, she runs an anonymous blog “Love Better with J” where she offers realistic and relatable advices about dating. Hoping to create real connections for their readership, Jia suggests introducing a new column on matchmaking to her boss. At the same time, Jaiman has always been around visiting her family very often appearing to have that special place in her heart.
Characters:
Jia Deshpande is well fleshed out as a character with ambitions, insecurities and determination that make him seem like a relatable person. There is tension in the narrative through Jaiman Patil who acts as the charming and supportive love interest.Secondary characters, like Monica who is Jia’s boss and Damini her intern provide some conflict and camaraderie in the story.
Themes:
In the novel, love ambition and search for authenticity amidst superficial ties are discussed. Jia tries to find a way to be both sympathetic with her workmates and true to herself, but she discovers that it is impossible to balance the two. Furthermore, there is a sense of family obligations as well as cultural expectations involved in one’s identity formation.
Writing Style:
Swati Hegde has written an engaging book with a witty style that shows how relationships are complex things which are common in our lives. This comes about due to dialogues that are precise and natural while narratives have been done in good timings thus readers remaining committed till they see how far this lady can go. It combines humor with serious ruminations on romance and ambition.
Conclusion:
Match Me If You Can is an adorable heart-warming book that will appeal to fans of contemporary romances with depth as well as humor. Swati Hegde tells us an interesting story about a young woman looking for success in her professional life and true love at the same time.
revvalfisk's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. Cutesy, loved the setting in Mumbai, and the cultural references that helped me learn about a place I don’t know well in the world. But just kind of an okay plot line. No spice.
reading_everyday's review against another edition
4.0
Match Me If You Can is a debut desi romance following a young magazine writer in Mumbai who must prove her matchmaking skills and contend with growing feelings for her close family friend.
Local pub owner and cocktail genius Jaiman Patil can’t help but be enamored with Jia and her meddling spirit.Life with the Deshpandes is chaotic and loud, but it’s also more loving than anything he experienced growing up, and he wouldn’t risk losing that for the world. It feels manageable—until his pub begins to struggle and his long-hidden feelings for Jia grow deeper.
I loved this book so much. I am always finding new desi romance books to read and it was everything I could ever hope for. First of all the cover is so beautiful, when I saw it for the first time, I was in love haha. I knew I had to read it. Jia and jaiman both are stubborn which made the story more interesting. I was screaming for them to express their feelings for each-other halfway through the book. The slow burn was slow burning. Their banter was everything. and I loved reading all the diwali bits it had. It feels so good reading about your culture, festivals. JIA & JAIMAN are perfect together. Their chemistry was everything. I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a slow burn friends to lovers desi romance book
Local pub owner and cocktail genius Jaiman Patil can’t help but be enamored with Jia and her meddling spirit.Life with the Deshpandes is chaotic and loud, but it’s also more loving than anything he experienced growing up, and he wouldn’t risk losing that for the world. It feels manageable—until his pub begins to struggle and his long-hidden feelings for Jia grow deeper.
I loved this book so much. I am always finding new desi romance books to read and it was everything I could ever hope for. First of all the cover is so beautiful, when I saw it for the first time, I was in love haha. I knew I had to read it. Jia and jaiman both are stubborn which made the story more interesting. I was screaming for them to express their feelings for each-other halfway through the book. The slow burn was slow burning. Their banter was everything. and I loved reading all the diwali bits it had. It feels so good reading about your culture, festivals. JIA & JAIMAN are perfect together. Their chemistry was everything. I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a slow burn friends to lovers desi romance book
jens_shelves's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this book.
It comes out in June!
Update: I ended up skimming the whole rest of the book lol
It comes out in June!
Update: I ended up skimming the whole rest of the book lol
kendall_swans6's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this arc; I will be giving my honest review.
This is the first book I have read by Swati Hegde. I have to compliment the overall writing throughout this book. The first 20-30% were heavy on building the characters and setting. At first, I thought a lot was being introduced at once. I was struggling with keeping all the characters straight up until around 40%. Once I hit the 40% mark, the reading flowed easily, and I was very interested in the plot. The dialogue between the characters was realistic and well written. The conversational aspect of this book helped me understand the main characters more. There was quite a few misunderstandings, but it was due to the characters overthinking. I thoroughly liked Jaiman, the MMC. I also liked a few of the secondary characters due to their personalities. Hedge's writing skilled showed during romantic parts of this book. The romance and tension was very evident, and relatable.
"Loving someone means putting hope above fear."
This is the first book I have read by Swati Hegde. I have to compliment the overall writing throughout this book. The first 20-30% were heavy on building the characters and setting. At first, I thought a lot was being introduced at once. I was struggling with keeping all the characters straight up until around 40%. Once I hit the 40% mark, the reading flowed easily, and I was very interested in the plot. The dialogue between the characters was realistic and well written. The conversational aspect of this book helped me understand the main characters more. There was quite a few misunderstandings, but it was due to the characters overthinking. I thoroughly liked Jaiman, the MMC. I also liked a few of the secondary characters due to their personalities. Hedge's writing skilled showed during romantic parts of this book. The romance and tension was very evident, and relatable.
"Loving someone means putting hope above fear."
sofia_bookishwanderess's review against another edition
3.0
*3,5 stars*
I initially struggled with this book; despite her good intentions, Jia's meddling and misguided attempts at matchmaking were frustrating, and at times she seemed insensitive toward Jaiman. Also, the slow burn was way too slow at the beginning, especially on Jia's side, I was doubting if she had feelings for Jaiman.
That said, I truly appreciated Jia's growth over the course of the story, particularly as she began to recognize and take responsibility for her mistakes. Jaiman, by contrast, was lovely from the beginning, I loved how much he pined for Jia and I also appreciated his character development. In the end, I liked the way their romance developed and the friends to lovers dynamic worked for me. I also enjoyed the portrayal of female friendship and the resolution to Jia and her friends' storyline
poojasak's review against another edition
3.0
this book was definitely cutesy and i LOVE that it was set in mumbai!! but i thought Jia and Jaiman were so unlikable :// their constant miscommunications were hard to read about
cwf613's review against another edition
3.0
Embark on a captivating journey through a slow burn Mumbai romance with Swati Hegde's enchanting debut, "Match Me if you Can." Hegde weaves a heartwarming tale of love, friendship, and matchmaking, skillfully blending the charm of Jane Austen with a modern Desi twist. The all-BIPOC cast, childhood frenemies-to-lovers trope, and the delightful mix of clueless moments make this a must-read for fans of desi romcoms. Hegde's addictive writing style ensures you'll be hooked from the first page to the last, leaving you eager for more of her delightful storytelling.
Thank you to NetGallery for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGallery for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.