Match Me If You Can

Publisher's Summary

In This Heart of Mine, you met Kevin Tucker. Now meet Kevin's shark of an agent...and Annabelle Granger, the girl least likely to succeed.

Annabelle is tired of being the lone failure in a family of overachievers. She's endured dead-end jobs and a broken engagement. But that's going to change now that she's taken over her late grandmother's matchmaking business. All Annabelle has to do is land the Windy City's hottest bachelor as her client, and she'll be the most sought-after matchmaker in town.

With his money-green eyes and calculated charm, Heath Champion is the best sports agent in the country. He's wealthy, driven, and gorgeous, so why does he need a matchmaker, especially a red-haired screw-up like Annabelle Granger? True, she's entertaining, and she does have a certain quirky appeal. But Heath is searching for the ultimate symbol of his success: the perfect wife. And to make an extraordinary match, he needs an extraordinary matchmaker, right?

If Annabelle isn't careful, she just might find herself going heart-to-heart with the toughest negotiator in town, a man who's beginning to ask himself...exactly how perfect does perfect have to be?

©2005 Susan Elizabeth Phillips (P)2005 BBC Audiobooks American & © 2005 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Captivating romance....Phillips has once again created a delightful page-turner. (Publishers Weekly)
"Dazzling contemporary romance." (Booklist)

Guilty Pleasure

I don't know what prompted me to download this audiobook and start listening to it. Maybe I was in a funk and wanted something light to cheer me up? Or maybe it was recommended on one of Audible's editors' lists? It's not the kind of book I go for. It's fluffy and sweet - a predictable romantic comedy with a slightly annoying protagonist and a leading man whose name is "Heath Champion". Heath Champion. Seriously?! But despite all of this, and despite a female narrator who over reaches trying to capture the bravado of some of the male characters in the story, I really enjoyed the book. Once I was in, I was hooked. It was a great listen - that perfect romantic comedy that leaves you feeling cheered up and satisfied.

54 of 54 people found this review helpful

The Blue Lady

I have either read or heard nearly all of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books and this is quite possibly the best book of this genre I have ever read. Susan is able to imbue her characters with her own wacky sense of humor and her ability to describe people and places is singularly remarkable, surpassed only by Stephen King.

I thoroughly enjoyed Heath's meeting with Annabelle's family for dinner. By the end of the scene, I was forced to reevaluate my perception of her family (except for the snitty wife, of course).

Now we get to the best scene of the entire book: Heath's encounter with "The Blue Lady". I call her that so as to not spoil the scene for those who have not yet listened to the book. Heath's initial reaction to her when he opens the door was exactly right and the rest of the scene was so hysterical that I rewound the CD twice and enjoyed it as much the third time as I did the first. I rarely find somthing to read or listen to that is "laugh-out-loud" but this certainly qualifies. My reaction went from a snicker to a chuckle and finally to laughter so loud that it brought my husband into the room to find out what was going on.

This book contains everything I want in a good read: It's funny; it's entertaining and, as for holding my attention? More than enough left hanging at the end of a chapter to lure me on to the next one.

Susan, keep it up. You're the best!

30 of 31 people found this review helpful

Match Me If You Can

Wonderful example of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' talent. Characters that you care about and ones that you'd like to meet. Heath Champion's hunt for a wife leads him to matchmaker Annabelle Granger. At first these two seems destined to be adversaries but just stick around for the sparks. Secondary characters provide a great additional love story. One of SEP's trademarks is re-acquainting us with characters we've met before. Phoebe, Dan, Molly and Kevin again charm the pages. A great story read by the incredible Anna Fields.

22 of 23 people found this review helpful

Match Me If You Can

A good listen. Kept moving, was very romantic without the intimate details. Funny, too. Like an Evanovich read.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

great book, well done in audio

this is one of my favorite chick lit/romance novels ever - it was my first SEP and she has not written a better one that I have read! It's funny, the characters are likeable and the romance develops gradually and is believable. The audio version is very good (I think the male voices have some kind of computer-enhancement, though, I can't believe the narrator has that much voice range!)

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

weegun

If you miss this book you will miss out on one of the best, fun, sweet, modern chick books ever! This is a laugh out loud and holds your attention. It is so right now and when you are having a bad day this is your back up. You can't stay unhappy with these characters. I love it. Thank SEP again. I love your books.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Cute story

What made the experience of listening to Match Me If You Can the most enjoyable?

The characters are very engaging and the story flowed really well.

What did you like best about this story?

Overall I enjoyed the book - I enjoyed the bantering between the two main characters.

What about Anna Fields’s performance did you like?

I thought Anna did a good job, however, and I know she is a woman, her male voices were not top notch.

Any additional comments?

I bought the book on sale, so I am glad I did not spent a credit. Did not realize that is part of a series, although I think this book stands well on its own. I did not think it was very realistic that the main character knew all these "important and wealthy people", this did not really add up with her own private and financial life. Good story, but the ending was rather abrupt and not really developed, although not too terribly bad. I would recommend the book if you can get on sale.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Predictable

Although it's pretty predictable on how this will turn out, I still enjoyed going through the lives of these characters. Funny at times but it was still a roller coaster of emotions through out this book. Sometimes it's nice to have a fairy tale ending to make you feel good after.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Stellar Plot!

The characters are well developed; and as the story goes, just when you think you can predict the outcome, surprise, suspense, sadness and comedy will reel you in.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Another SEP Delight

This book is another fine example of the author's ability to create characters you quickly care about and a story line that is fast moving and unpredictable (despite a predictable ending). In a manner very much along the lines of "Ain't She Sweet", it is a delightful romp that would be fictional fluff except for the warmth of the humanity that comes forth from all the characters and the depth of character development shown by the majority of them. Pippi is a special delight, made so by the incomparable Anna Fields who does another remarkable narration. This book is a lot of fun and well worth reading on all fronts.

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

Funny and Romantic what more could you ask??

I usually only listen to my audiobooks in the car but this story was good enough that I had to just sit on the settee, turn off the tv and listen to the end. Nothing groundbreaking I'm just a big softy who loves a happy ending and knew this wouldn't disappoint. Lovely story for true romantics.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Enjoyed

I enjoyed this book... listened to it most whilst decorating my house as it helped to relieve the monotony of painting. 4 stars as I found it a little too descriptive at times and it took a while to get into the story at first but after that I was engrossed and had to keep listening to the end.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Fun listen

A fun romcom book and much better than most books of this genre out there

Brilliant

Brilliant and funny. if this had been a book I would not have been able to put it down. just spent a lot of time in the car listening to it. extremly well written and narrated.

Didn't want to get out of the car!

I would sit and continue listening even when I'd arrived in the car park at work. Loved it and looking forward to another by this author.

Ok but with a few niggling flaws

If this was a book by someone else, I would probably have rated it a bit higher! But I have come to expect a lot more from SEP and some parts of this book bothered me a bit.

I loved the chemistry and repartee of the book and I also loved the sub-plots involving other characters, but I was annoyed that the hero of the story loved the family of the heroine and failed to see how demoralising and upsetting she found their constant criticism. I realise that due to his upbringing he just failed to see the family dynamics and instead just saw the positive aspects, and I know the family did, in their wierd way, love the heroine and want the best for her, but their treatment of her was a big part of what made her what she was and I though this issue was just not addressed properly.

I also found it difficult to respect the heroine who has flitted from job to job, and in her thirties has still not managed to achieve anything of much note and is now living in an inherited house with an inherited car, and an inherited business. I know this is fantasy romance and I like that, but she was the very definition of an underachiever and it was a real stretch of the imagination to believe that the overachieving hero would have any respect for her very definite lack of success at anything.

However if you can put aside these niggles, you have a book just full of that classic SEP dialogue that will have you laughing out loud as you listen to it. The last few chapters and the epilogue are excellent and show all characters at their very best and show how they have all developed and learnt from their past mistakes. So I would recommend you give this book a try - it had many very funny moments that do make up for the bits I didn't like!

lovely story, but male voices badly done

a lovely story, one of my favourites in paperback, but the way the narrator does the male voices is really off-putting and I haven't been able to finish listening to it because of this.