An Overdue Match (#01 in Checking Out Love Series)

Loved this book. Easy five stars.

I loved the characters - their banter, their depth, their hurts and joys and how beautifully the author brought them to life. From the start, I was laughing (I mean, how relatable is a book nerd stalking a dog-earer of pages, convinced they're a criminal :) Or justifying why she's a side character rather than the heroine. So much fun. ), and while there were also times when I cried, I finished it with a big smile on my face. It was also really intriguing learning about alopecia and how it affects people. It was a disease I had a vague understanding of before but now feel as if I could relate better, especially having an autoimmune disease myself. That part of the story - the emotions and doubts and second-guessing that goes with that - was so well written.

I finished this one and instantly added book two to my TBR. Cannot wait. Absolutely beautiful writing, fun characters, brilliant banter, deep themes, and books?? My kind of perfection.

The librarian as a heroine was a fun character, though I didn't get all of the references. The character arcs were well done and realistic. I like a story that deals with imperfect people and real problems. The romance was sweet and passionate too. There was Christian content but nothing preachy or trite. I wish the 2nd instalment was already published!

I enjoyed reading An Overdue Match, the first book in Sarah Monzon’s new series set in Tennessee. Evangeline is a librarian who has given up on finding love. Her ex-fiancé broke her heart and her self esteem when he ruthlessly rejected her. He couldn’t cope with Evangeline’s autoimmune disease that caused her hair loss.

Evangeline moved to a small town where no one knows she wears a wig. She’s a romantic at heart and puts in motion a crazy plan to match-make library patrons according to their reading preferences.

Tai is a tattoo artist who has an undeserved bad boy reputation. A dare from his librarian cousin, who works with Evangeline, creates a fun and memorable library meet cute for him and Evangeline. Tai is intrigued by Evangeline, and she’s convinced that no one would love her if they knew about her alopecia.

It takes a while for Evangeline to believe that Tai is the real deal and his feelings are genuine. She has preconceived ideas and a lot of emotional baggage to process. I loved how Tai is patient with Evangeline and is uniquely qualified to understand and help her overcome past hurts. Their romance is sweet and I wanted to see how Evangeline and Tai would navigate various obstacles and discover they belong together.

There are many lighthearted romcom moments in the story and I totally related to the antics of Evangeline’s cat, Kitty Purry. It was interesting to learn more about the artistic side of Tai’s work and how it impacted his clients. I was glad to…