Match This! by M.J. FieldsMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
The cover screamed CM Stunich and the synopsis shouted Tara Sivec, so did Match This live up to my expectations?
I was a little confused at the start of this book until I realised that the first part of the story came from a short story called “Unsocially Yours”. Despite my initial confusion, and after re-reading the author’s note, I read on and found myself becoming quickly engrossed in Kat and Owen’s story during her early days at University. I loved the unexpected turn of events surrounding Owen and I kind of assumed, wrongly, that the second part of the story would involve Owen in some way, but it didn’t, apart from the way he inadvertently shaped Kat’s adult life. I loved the feel of this YA/NA part of the book, from the quirky friendships that Kat developed at University to her developing romance with Owen. I didn’t quite get the first sex scene, and all it entailed, but I guess the explanation came with the news that Kat was younger than Owen had anticipated. I also didn’t understand the Wentworth Miller references, without Googling him, so I guess some of the magic was lost on me.
Part 2 brought us to the present day with Kat now an artist working in a Tattoo Shop. Sworn never to trust men again, Kat is surprised when she finds her mother using an online dating site and after some initial reservations, she joins her mother in experiencing the highs, or rather lows, of online dating, even if only to show her mother that the men she finds there may not be all that they appear to be. This is where the story really took a backward turn for me. I really didn’t enjoy the experience of Kat’s dating encounters (or her mother’s come to that). I did enjoy the stories surrounding Kat’s co-workers though, especially Ricco, but just as the connection between Kat and Ricco was building momentum towards the end of the story, the book ended.
This was my first MJ Fields book so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Yes, I loved the cover, although the teasers with all the middle finger action are a little unnecessary, in my eyes. The synopsis even sounded interesting and hinted at a humorous story set around Kat’s dating escapades. However; this book, for me, completely missed the funny mark and instead of skipping across the line into the realms of truly memorable comical read, it crawled, very sluggishly, into something nondescript. I guess I will be in the minority here but I just didn’t get the humour. The story itself came across a little disjointed and I just couldn’t settle to enjoy it. The banter between Kat and some of her dating contacts was moderately funny but it just didn’t make me laugh out loud, once. This may be because I’m a Brit and some of the references were lost on me but I felt that the story lost its way and even its identity on more than one occasion.
I really tried to be a positive with this review but I’m afraid I’m just at a loss as what to write. I’m far from a prude and I love truly edgy stories but I felt the author was try to shock readers by some of the phases she coined as well as forcing the humour rather than letting it develop naturally. Maybe I am just too old to appreciate this brand of humour so instead of finding it funny, it just felt very uncomfortable. I am curious however to see who “Rider1” is though so I will just have to see if my curiosity outweighs my need to step away from this story.
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