This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:πŸ“”πŸ“”πŸ“”πŸ“”πŸ“”
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:πŸ¦ΈπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ¦ΈπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ¦ΈπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ¦ΈπŸ»β€β™€οΈ
Intimacy Level: πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯
Relationship Building: πŸ’’πŸ’’πŸ’’πŸ’’
Heart & Feels:πŸ’žπŸ’žπŸ’ž
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚
Page Turner Level:πŸ“–πŸ“–πŸ“–πŸ“–
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨

First Impressions

Match Me If You Can is the sixth installment in the "Chicago Stars" series and this is where we get the infamous agent for the Chicago Stars that we have seen throughout the series and this is his book. I absolutely had a blast with this book. Its not quite my favorite of the series as it was a bit more slow burn than even I was expecting it to be. However, I had such a fun time being able to listen to this one here. It was also interesting in the ways that this couple comes together. I really enjoyed the moments that we get with this couple and they have some of the best banter with each other. There is something so fascinating in how this author will write angst and the whole conflicts of interest in a couple. This is a mix of a matchmaker in a contemporary setting, some competition, and a bit of finding the spouse for the one person you have the hots for kind of setup and this author really handled these elements so well in this one. It's pretty slow burn and a bit minimal on the sexual heat for this one as there aren't that many sex scenes, so keep that in mind when reading this one. And as its a very dragged-out slow burn it's not one that will work for everyone. So keep these aspects in mind upon reading this story.

First Line

If Annabelle hadn't found a body lying under "Sherman,: she wouldn't have been late for her appointment with the Python.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: (Hero’s Name)

-Alpha Male
-Self Made Billionaire
-Sports Agent

The Heroine: (Heroine's Name)

-Small Business Owner
-Socialite
-Snarky and Quirky

Summary

Annabelle has had her struggles with finding a career. She has gone from various interests until she decided to take over her late grandmother's matchmaking business and she is determined to make it last and make it a thriving business despite her family's misgivings on it. She is a quirky redhead who goes her own way and stands on her own. Even though she grew up in a family of wealthy and status, she has wanted to prove she can make it on her own. But in order for her business to make it off the ground, she needs to find a upstanding bachelor to land for a marriage, and she knows just the man....Sports agent for the Chicago Stars...Heath Champion. Heath wants to be married and not out of love but just out of expectations from himself. He doesn't believe in love at all and wants a match that will appeal and will be a solid investment. But Annabelle is determined to find Heath the perfect wife, but Heath doesn't make it easy. There is a growing chemistry between them but both of them are determined not to give into what they are feeling for each other. But will the man that is emotionally constipated be able to embrace what he feels for Annabelle before its too late?

What I Loved

Match Me If You Can is a flighty but fun romance. This is pure entertainment in reading this book. And if you love a unique twist for an enemies to lovers, then you have found the right book with this one here. I really enjoyed the whole matchmaking theme that we have here. Both characters you instantly fall for. The hero is so gruff and grumpy of sorts and he is so against love so when he falls hard for love and his girl....it is a brutal landing. And its so delightful seeing Heath grow and learn to redeem himself. We see him go from a man not caring about what others think and just doing his job at all costs...to caring about others and wanting to mend the bridges that he has cracked and broken over the years. Heath is such a redeemable hero that pulls you so strongly into the story. Then we have our quirky heroine. She is snarky but has a kind heart. She is a mix of personality traits that you become endeared to. She is quite easy to get behind and even though she seems so flighty at times, she is passionate and full of drive to set herself apart from her family and their expectations. The romance is definitely much more slow burn from the previous books. But this author does tend to go more for the slow burn type of relationships. We see such longing that these two have but they are also so driven by their "duty" that it takes them awhile to admit what they are feeling for each other but once they do boy do these two get entangled and its pure deliciousness. Now as for the conflict? Well Heath really has to prove he is genuine to the heroine and with the help fo their friends, they are able to accept each other and really come together in such a captivating almost poignant way.

What I Struggled With

It can be a bit harder to connect to the relationship that Heath and Annabelle have together. The slow burn was a bit too stretched out in my opinion. I do wish that there had been a bit more heart and swoons within this story dealing with this couple. It just felt like there could have been a bit more emotional focus. And while the ending really delivers on that score, I would have liked a bit stronger focus in earlier moments in the story. I just wasn't able to connect to this couple as I was with previous couples I have read from this author.

Narration

Anna Fields is such a solid narrator and she really brings the voice of the author in her narration. And my favorite aspects is how she portrays the humor of the story. Its just so well done and really delivers it to the listener in such a relatable way. I always laugh so hard when I pick up a book by this narrator and the accents are so well done.

Overall View

Match Me If You Can is a feisty enemies to lovers, with delectable banter, characters you can fall hard for, and a slow burn romance to easily get behind! A TRUE DELIGHT!

Favorite Quote(s)
β€œI think this is the way love feels to people like you and me. Threatening and dangerous. We have to be in control, and love takes that away. People like us… We can't tolerate vulnerability. But despite our best efforts, sooner or later love seems to catch up with us. And then…And then we fall apart.

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance
Character Types: Jerk Hero, Socialite Heroine
Themes: Laughs/Giggles, Football, Slow Burn
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Woo's and Falls in Love

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A Mix of both

Song This Book Inspires
Happier by Ed Sheeran

Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read as a standalone if needed

Steam/Spice Explanations

Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.

Narrators:
Anna Fields ( )

Generally I don't like matchmaker stories but this one was really cute. ( )

Match Me If You Can
4 Stars

Wealthy, gorgeous and ruthlessly ambitious, Heath Champion is everything a woman could possibly want. So why can't he find the perfect wife? In steps Annabelle Granger, Chicago's newest matchmaker eager to help Heath find the woman of his dreams. Unfortunately, Heath will need a little convincing, but Annabelle is up for the challenge.

Annabelle is such an adorably klutzy heroine and it is impossible not to fall in love with her. Heath is a typical alpha determined to find the woman he sees as the most compatible while ignoring the truth staring him in the face. Despite his humungous ego, Heath knows how to grovel like a champion.

The secondary romance is good although the heroine isn't all that appealing and her change of attitude and lifestyle isn't all that realistic given her personality. That said, the hero is wonderful.

All in all, one of the best installments in the series and Philips thankfully avoids the irritating female rapist trope of some of the other books. ( )

According to me a Prologue or the 1st Chapter of a book is THE reflection - SO it must capture my attention from page 1 I will continue a few more chapters to give the Book a fair chance to change my mind!

SO Herewith my review!


Prologue OR Chapter 1
I was sucked in from page one and could not stop reading, if you are looking for a fun CR well this is a great book to read and you do not need to read the series in sequence


Type of Characters and my choices according to pictures :

Relationship development & Chapter Development

Heath Champion is looking for a wife and has engaged a rival matchmaking service ("Power Matches" run by the ruthlessly perfect Portia Powers) Heath is looking to the "perfect" woman to complement his "perfect" life, Heath is only willing to meet the "candidates" initially for a 20 minute interview and insists that Annabelle be present for all the first meetings I found it surprising that more of the "candidates" did not reject *him* after the first 20 minute meeting. Of course none of the candidates is ever as perfect for Heath as Annabelle herself, but it takes him absolutely *forever* to figure this out.
To introduce him to likely candidates since he is just *too busy* with his work to look for a wife on his own. Annabelle goes after Heath's business with a vengeance, but cannot help taking a few jabs at his over-inflated ego.


Annabelle Granger inherited match-making service Annabelle Granger inherits her grandmother's match matching business ("Matches by Myrna") she changes the name to "Perfect for You" The key its success, she is charming heroine--smart, warm-hearted, vulnerable and fun-loving but rather hapless redhead--a chronic underachiever born into a family of super-achievers. She does agree to accompany Heath on his dates, I fell in love with Annabelle right off the bat.

The conversations are witty and humorous. Whether it is Annabelle and Heath, or any of the secondary characters speaking, there is no time that the reader does not want to read every word.


A few paragraphs / quotes β†’ I loved
(Heath says at one point: "It's been seven years, Phoebe. Don't you think it's time we bury the hatchet?" To which Phoebe replies: "As long as the blade ends up in the back of your neck, I'm game.")


Epilogue! β†’


Recommend to the following type of readers: β†’
16 upwards
Why my rating?β†’
Don’t be foolish read the book!!!!

Will I read it again?β†’
OH YES
My feelings while reading this: β†’



To the Author
MATCH ME IF YOU CAN will not disappoint. For new readers of her work, it will make a swell introduction.
The dialogue is sharp and witty - In summary, "Match Me If You Can" is a fun and fast read with the type of memorable characters and sparkling dialogue typical of Susan Elizabeth Phillips. MATCH ME IF YOU CAN is a fine animated contemporary romance starring a delightful duo. What I loved about the book: the humor. Gee, -great humor!

I am so glad I read this amazing book - it is like winning the national lottery the day I finished it - AMAZE BALLS!


( )

I adored this book when I was in high school, but my tastes have definitely shifted now. Not so big on pure romance anymore. Plus, our culture has changed and there were several statements that would be considered offensive in a newly-published book. But I'm glad I tried out the whole audiobook thing to see how I enjoy it. ( )