Review: The Reluctant Matchmaker by Shobhan Bantwal

Author: Shobhan Bantwal

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp, 

Date of Publication:June 26, 2012

It starts with a bizarre accident. When young and petite Meena literally collides with her strikingly tall boss, Prajay, she takes a nasty fall, but doesn’t count on falling in love with him. So imagine her dismay when he makes an astonishing request. He wants her to craft a personal ad that will help him find a suitable wife, a statuesque, sophisticated Indian-American woman who will complement his remarkable height. 

The Reluctant Matchmaker is a very sweet romance.  It is a story of how love can be found anywhere and sometimes fate has a way of intervening.  Despite what Prajay believes, he and Meena are very right for each other. Meena just needs to convince him.  

I liked Meena.  She is a strong character who has an internal struggle.  On one hand, she wants to be independent and  find her own way.  On the other, she wants to stay true to her culture and upbringing.  I enjoyed the cultural aspects of the book. I liked the way the author wove it into the book.  I felt for Meena and her siblings who are first generation Indian.  They have grown up with their parents' cultural influence as well as being influenced by American culture.  They want to honor their parents, yet they want to be happy.  For Meena's brother, this means falling in love with someone who is not Indian and having to face the consequences.

I definitely recommend The Reluctant Matchmaker.  It's a fun book with interesting characters and a cute romance that will leave you smiling in the end.