A Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller.“A delightful, light-as-air romance that successfully straddles the line between sweet and smart without ever being silly…The novel is simply captivating from beginning to end.” —Associated PressMarnie 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 … 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.
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This isn’t one of those critical, deep delving reviews. This is a simple statement of how this book made me feel and I don’t think it missed a single feeling along the way. Sorrow, shame, guilt, heart break, joy, excitement, love, hope, wonder. Especially wonder. In a world that’s a quart or more low on joy, love, excitement, and wonder, I recommend this book.
What a surprise! Unique characters and fantastic writing!
I read 4 books while on vacation, including this one, and now I’ve got so much work to do that my reviews will have to be short and sweet. This book is a keeper. I totally enjoyed it and am completely in love with Patrick!!! Blix was wonderfully drawn and interesting and full of love, and Marnie’s transformation was delightful. Definitely a great book for a long flight–breezy yet poignant at times. Love the life motto, too!
I absolutely loved this book and would love a sequel. Read it several years ago and would highly recommend this book.
What a great book. It is my favorite book this year so far. This is my first book by Maddie Dawson and I’m hooked.
While I don’t approve of the contents of this book 100%, I still found it overwhelmingly charming and full of quirky delightful people that I would love to converse with. I love the idea of neighbors who really do life together. My apartment existence of the past was never like that. I didn’t have quirky fun neighbors like this. Not people who really actually engaged in my life and got involved.
This book was proof of the old adage about “family being what you make it.” Blix made family of the people she adopted and brought into her life. She drew wounded souls to herself and offered them healing and gave them some of her own strength. And Marnie came along to inherit that same gift.
I loved the characters and am missing them a bit as I go about my day now.
One of the best books I’ve read in a long time!
This book was so different. I really wasn’t sure what to think, but the lead character was realistic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it did take me awhile to finish. I laughed, I teamed up a little. Gives you all the feels!
Exactly what the doctor ordered to lost myself in page-turning whimsey. 🙂
I was looking for a novel with humor and picked this one up on a whim. I’d never heard of it, but it had thousands of good reviews.
I was not disappointed. If you’re looking for a story that includes a quirky character, some love stories, and a little bit of magic, this will fit the bill. I cried a little and laughed a lot. Recommended!
Sometimes you just need something to remind you that you believe in magic… this book will do that. It will.
What a great story. Absolutely loved it. Sorry I didn’t read it sooner. Awesome cast of eclectic characters. Noah was a shady arrogant narcissistic pig, Marnie was a bit flighty, Patrick well you just fall in love with him and Blix well we all need a Blix in our lives to help us see the light and the sparkles.
Whatever happens….Love that!
The characters in Matchmaking for Beginners stood out to me the most. While I had a little trouble getting into the story during the first few chapters, I enjoyed the breezy banter between main character Marnie and Blix, Patrick, & others, so that kept me reading. Eventually the storyline picked up and some of Marnie’s predicaments made me laugh out loud. This was a cute, whimsical story with adult themes, situations, and some language. I’d read other books by this author.
I really enjoyed Matchmaking For Beginners. It was fun and whimsical with a touch of magic thrown about. The story is populated with loads of eccentric characters who kept me entertained.
Marnie is a bit clueless and quite often seemed to make bad decisions. She stumbles along keeping her head down and trying to be ordinary.
“The subversive truth about love is that it really is the big deal everyone makes it out to be, and it’s not some form of security or an insurance policy against loneliness. It’s everything, love is. It runs the whole universe!”
I listened to most of this on audiobook and I loved the amazing narration! This was one of those books where the great narration truly gave even more life to the story.
-5Stars!-
Love the characters and the story. Really enjoyed this book.
Wonderful, bewitching tale about Blix, an octogenarian matchmaker, and her unwitting protege, Marnie, whom she believes is destined for a big life. But first Floridian Marnie must let go of Blix’s self-centered grand-nephew and her family’s expectations to find the beauty in a Brooklyn brownstone and the love that awaits her in a scarred, reclusive young man who lives in the basement apartment. Magical and compelling.
A Jewel of a Story
For Mature Readers
4,8 Stars
Why did I take off .2? To explain with a simile that could have been in the book, it is like the best creme brulee you ever ate marred with a long back hair snaking through its center.
What is the hair? The constant unnecessary overuse of f-bombs.
Oh! But what a terrific story. We just know all must work out for our magical Marnie. Her world and dreams have collapsed when Noah, the man she loves with all her heart, strands her at the alter. But! Enter Blix, Noah’s eccentric great-aunt who promises her a big important life. We believe for a time in the possibilities and are influenced by the promise that some power might really turn lights green and bring together people who need to be together.
Sexual situations
No violence
Strong language, as stated above, so, sadly, I wouldn’t give it to my mother
Believable and well-developed characters, complete with strengths or perseverance or exasperating flaws.
If you’re still considering it after reading, my review, go for it.
I loved this book. It was funny but not silly — the characters were wonderfully interesting and the whole concept of who belongs with whom led to lots of zany adventures. I finished this book a while ago but I’m still thinking about it!!
Matchmaking for Beginners was a different kind of book than what I usually read but I loved it. Yes, it was sort of romantic, sort of whimsical but it was also original, unpredictable and entertaining. It is a book with witty and funny conversations in it, The characters portrayed in it are multi-generational, although the older woman in the story is more of a “hippy” so fits in quite well with the milennials. It is inspirational in that it is a life affirming novel. Its heroine overcomes many obstacles in her quest for a “normal” life which turns out to be anything but normal. Very good book. Definitely deserved five stars.
I loved listening to this book. It is heartfelt. Realistic with a sprinkling of magic.