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The Matchmaker's List

The Matchmaker's List is a novel by Sonya Lalli.

Sonya Lalli

Raina Anand may have finally given in to family pressure and agreed to let her grandmother play matchmaker, but that doesn't mean she has to like it or that she has to play by the rules. Nani always took Raina's side when she tried to push past the traditional expectations of their tight-knit Indian-immigrant community, but now she's ambushing Raina with a list of suitable bachelors. Is it too much to ask for a little space? Besides, what Nani doesn't know won't hurt herAs Raina's life spirals into a parade of Nani-approved bachelors and disastrous blind dates, she must find a way out of this modern-day arranged-marriage trap without shattering her beloved grandmother's dreams. (From Berkley)

From the book

Nani opened the front door as I was still crossing the lawn. Her nose twitching, she looked me up and down as I forced myself up the steps.

"Is that what you're wearing?"

I shrugged and glanced down at my weekend jeans, my favorite checked shirt. It's what I always wore home during one of my weekly visits, but I supposed today wasn't an ordinary day.

I was twenty-nine today, and walking into an ambush.

"I was hoping you would dress up, nah? We have guest."

A guest. A guest implied a cup of chai and a tray of sweets quickly defrosted from the Deepfreeze. A guest was small talk, compliments, gossip.

A guest was not an unannounced blind date chaperoned by your grandmother.


FromThe Matchmaker's Listby Sonya Lalli 2019. Published by Berkley.

More about The Matchmaker's List

The Next Chapter columnist Aparita Bhandari is a lifelong fan of romance novels, but she rarely came across writers or characters who weren't white -- until recently. She talks about the need for more diversity in the romance industry and reviews a few titles by Canadian and American writers.