Wednesday 25 April 2012

Books Read: Eleanor Prescott - Alice Brown's Lessons in the Curious Art of Dating

Source - Received from publisher to review

Looking for love?  Call in the expert.

Alice Brown is a matchmaker, and as far as she's concerned, she has the best job in the world.  What could be better than helping others find love?  Even if she herself remains single...

Her latest client is Kate.  She's already five years behind in her life plan and she knows exactly what she wants, but that might be the problem.  Will anyone measure up to her standards?

Then there's Audrey, Alice's misguided boss from hell, who has somehow managed to bag herself the perfect husband.  But all is not as it seems.  And when her love life and work life collide, will she be able to take her own advice?


The book centres around Alice and her work at Table for Two dating agency where she strives to make successful matches which she hopes will eventually lead to wedding bells.  She believes that there is the perfect partner out there for everyone despite leading a very drab and single life herself!

When thirty-something Kate signs up to the agency, Alice knows that she's got a job on her hands to find the perfect match for Kate as her list of requirements for the perfect man are very detailed.  But Alice is nothing but determined so she starts to set her up on dates with the limited selection of men on their books that might be a match with some interesting results, maybe Alice will have to concede defeat after all... 

Meanwhile, Audrey, Alice's boss, would let everyone think, especially Sheryl who runs rival agency Love Birds, that she has the perfect marriage to husband John and a thriving agency but appearances are not exactly what they seem.

With so much emphasis on internet dating nowadays, the concept of a book based on the old-fashioned high street agency could be seen as a step back in time but actually it was a really enjoyable read. 

As debut novels go this one ticks all the boxes as it has an interesting storyline, likeable characters and, most important of all, it held my attention to the end. Although  if I'm honest this book is not one that I would have rushed out to buy as the title and the cover just didn't appeal to me at all....But as the saying goes, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

I'd like to thank Margot at Quercus for sending me a copy of this book to review as it's likely to have been one that would have slipped under my radar otherwise.

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