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A review by theeditorreads
Matchmaker by Ivy Smoak
5.0
Empire High Matchmaker is the story of Matthew Caldwell, sixteen years after we met him in the Empire High trilogy.
Warning: This is a series where the books are in continuation. If you haven’t read the previous book, then there may be SPOILERS in the review.
Synopsis:
Matt is back, as Coach Caldwell this time. But we know who won’t be back anymore. Empire High is back and with it, a Matt who has grown up over the years, is now the coach of the Empire High football team, and in a story which made me cry from the first few pages, with grief as old as time hanging over the pages of the story. What has the future in store for him?
Review:
The story starts on a Thursday, with the fall approaching again, after sixteen long years. Matt, all of thirty-two now, spends his time with James’ wife, Penny, to forget his past. Penny, who reminds him of Brooklyn. And Penny, who’s hellbent on playing the matchmaker in his life, while Matt can’t stop having not so sincere thoughts about her. But then there is Tanner, his best friend, also trying to play a matchmaker.
Narrated in the first person in Matt’s voice, I couldn’t wait to see Matt have a fresh start. After all, he was not that old when he lost Brooklyn, and he was hurting so much, for so long. In bookish speak, it was only a few chapters, but with everyone else in his circle of four settled down, except him, it all felt too sad.
For almost the entire story, not knowing the female protagonist was killing me. But I liked seeing glimpses of James, Rob, and Mason’s lives and I can’t wait to read their stories.
While the story was sad, it was equally amusing. It was hilarious to see Matt panting after Penny, him and Tanner Rhodes (his new best friend, whom I want to know more about) being clubbed together, and every one of them turning a matchmaker and putting Matt in freakily funny situations. And how can I not not mention Nigel, Tanner’s “houseboy,” but more about him later…
And then there was another horrendous person from the past, make it two. The story was quite intriguing in that way, even if it was still really funny. Apart from that, there was a mystery woman, a stalkerish someone, some disastrous and strange blind dates, secret rooms, confrontations about the past, and most of all [a:Ivy Smoak|13490770|Ivy Smoak|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1571161081p2/13490770.jpg]’s writing which sucks you in.
And when the four friends delved into their past, it was a cocktail of euphoria and unspeakable grief. I was so invested in the characters, I am still so invested, that I want Matt to talk to someone, about Brooklyn, about how much he was hurting.
But I still couldn’t bear to see Matt with anyone other than Brooklyn. And that ending, that ending is promising though, oh my, a year for the next book to arrive…sigh!
P.S. I don’t know any better, but Tanner and his housekeeper Nigel sound like they are vampires. And freaking weirdos. And this book, without what I want to be the eternal story of Matt and Brooklyn, seemed like the New Moon of the Twilight series. (Gosh! Why am I finding vampire references in a contemporary romance!?!) But, this was way better because it had all the laughs, along with heartbreak, and a promise for more to come!!!
P.P.S. I would love to apologise to the author for all the hate she received for the ending of Empire High… It is so not okay to bully anyone like that, just because of a book. And think! Think how the story, the characters, the wonderful friendships and love they and along with them we experience, we get to experience it in more fun and complicated ways for the foreseeable future. And after how this one ended!?! I can’t wait for the next book..oh how I knew Ivy Smoak won’t let it all go to hell like this. How I had hoped, but how I was scared. Oof…what myriad of feelings…
Thank you to the author for an e-ARC of the book.
My review of the books in the Empire High Series is as follows:
Empire High Untouchables | Empire High Elite | Empire High Betrayal
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
Warning: This is a series where the books are in continuation. If you haven’t read the previous book, then there may be SPOILERS in the review.
Synopsis:
Matt is back, as Coach Caldwell this time. But we know who won’t be back anymore. Empire High is back and with it, a Matt who has grown up over the years, is now the coach of the Empire High football team, and in a story which made me cry from the first few pages, with grief as old as time hanging over the pages of the story. What has the future in store for him?
Review:
The story starts on a Thursday, with the fall approaching again, after sixteen long years. Matt, all of thirty-two now, spends his time with James’ wife, Penny, to forget his past. Penny, who reminds him of Brooklyn. And Penny, who’s hellbent on playing the matchmaker in his life, while Matt can’t stop having not so sincere thoughts about her. But then there is Tanner, his best friend, also trying to play a matchmaker.
Narrated in the first person in Matt’s voice, I couldn’t wait to see Matt have a fresh start. After all, he was not that old when he lost Brooklyn, and he was hurting so much, for so long. In bookish speak, it was only a few chapters, but with everyone else in his circle of four settled down, except him, it all felt too sad.
For almost the entire story, not knowing the female protagonist was killing me. But I liked seeing glimpses of James, Rob, and Mason’s lives and I can’t wait to read their stories.
While the story was sad, it was equally amusing. It was hilarious to see Matt panting after Penny, him and Tanner Rhodes (his new best friend, whom I want to know more about) being clubbed together, and every one of them turning a matchmaker and putting Matt in freakily funny situations. And how can I not not mention Nigel, Tanner’s “houseboy,” but more about him later…
And then there was another horrendous person from the past, make it two. The story was quite intriguing in that way, even if it was still really funny. Apart from that, there was a mystery woman, a stalkerish someone, some disastrous and strange blind dates, secret rooms, confrontations about the past, and most of all [a:Ivy Smoak|13490770|Ivy Smoak|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1571161081p2/13490770.jpg]’s writing which sucks you in.
And when the four friends delved into their past, it was a cocktail of euphoria and unspeakable grief. I was so invested in the characters, I am still so invested, that I want Matt to talk to someone, about Brooklyn, about how much he was hurting.
But I still couldn’t bear to see Matt with anyone other than Brooklyn. And that ending, that ending is promising though, oh my, a year for the next book to arrive…sigh!
P.S. I don’t know any better, but Tanner and his housekeeper Nigel sound like they are vampires. And freaking weirdos. And this book, without what I want to be the eternal story of Matt and Brooklyn, seemed like the New Moon of the Twilight series. (Gosh! Why am I finding vampire references in a contemporary romance!?!) But, this was way better because it had all the laughs, along with heartbreak, and a promise for more to come!!!
P.P.S. I would love to apologise to the author for all the hate she received for the ending of Empire High… It is so not okay to bully anyone like that, just because of a book. And think! Think how the story, the characters, the wonderful friendships and love they and along with them we experience, we get to experience it in more fun and complicated ways for the foreseeable future. And after how this one ended!?! I can’t wait for the next book..oh how I knew Ivy Smoak won’t let it all go to hell like this. How I had hoped, but how I was scared. Oof…what myriad of feelings…
Thank you to the author for an e-ARC of the book.
My review of the books in the Empire High Series is as follows:
Empire High Untouchables | Empire High Elite | Empire High Betrayal
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings