Author: Maddie Dawson
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publish Date: June 1, 2018
Source: TLC Book Tours
What's the Story?:
Marnie MacGraw wants an ordinary life—a husband, kids, and a minivan in the suburbs. Now that she’s marrying the man of her dreams, she’s sure this is the life she’ll get. Then Marnie meets Blix Holliday, her fiancé’s irascible matchmaking great-aunt who’s dying, and everything changes—just as Blix told her it would.
When her marriage ends after two miserable weeks, Marnie is understandably shocked. She’s even more astonished to find that she’s inherited Blix’s Brooklyn brownstone along with all of Blix’s unfinished “projects”: the heartbroken, oddball friends and neighbors running from happiness. Marnie doesn’t believe she’s anything special, but Blix somehow knew she was the perfect person to follow in her matchmaker footsteps.
And Blix was also right about some things Marnie must learn the hard way: love is hard to recognize, and the ones who push love away often are the ones who need it most.
My Two Cents:
In "Matchmaking for Beginners," Marnie thinks she finally has her life figured out after a traumatic heartbreak, which includes getting divorced very shortly after marriage. Now she's back in her hometown and back in what she thinks is love with her childhood sweetheart. After her ex's great aunt Blix dies, Marnie's life is thrown into upheaval again. Blix leaves Marnie her brownstone in Brooklyn, New York. Will Marnie leave her old life behind for the promise of the unexpected?
Are you looking for a book that feels like a warm hug from a friend? This is the book for you. I loved this one. I always wonder about what it might be like if my life hadn't taken the path that it has taken. What if I made a different decision at some point that changed everything? Marnie tussles with this idea through this book. Blix's will throws everything Marnie thinks she wants into question. She realizes that she's just settling for the idea of suburban life rather than going after what she really wants but it takes Blix shaking her up in order to realize that.
The characters are what really sold me on this book. I loved Marnie. She's a mess and kind of fumbles through a lot of her life while trying to move forward. Blix is such a great character. She is self-assured and isn't afraid to do what makes her happy. She tries to sell that idea to everyone she meets. Then all of the secondary characters are great. Blix's brownstone comes with a cast of characters that will all make their imprint on Marnie. And I have to mention Patrick, oh, Patrick. He's wonderful and fits Marnie like a glove.
The other element of this book that I loved is the magical realism piece. Blix is a matchmaker who can just "see" who is meant to be together. Marnie shares this gift. I loved how this was woven throughout the book. It was perfect!
Thanks for being a part of the tour!
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