Strike a Match (No Match for Love #5)

Lindzee
Armstrong
Genre: 
Contemporary

Kate is dealing with an abusive husband who constantly berates her, so when he dies in a house fire she feels mostly relieved. A year and a half later, she is ready to date again and signs up with a professional matchmaking company. In a twist of fate, her first date ends up being the fireman who informed her she was a widow that fateful night. Taylor believes Kate needs some closure from the events surrounding the fire, but Kate just wants to forget. Can he convince her to give him a chance?

This novella introduces many heavy themes of abuse and enabling behavior, and the characters show an admirable amount of growth throughout the story. Kate and Taylor are both easy to relate to, especially as they sort through their past family issues and how that has changed their perspective on life and love. At times, however, Kate’s behavior is immature and her characterization uneven, but readers will definitely root for her to get her happily ever after. The conflict in the book for both main characters is big and deeply emotional, and the short length of the story cannot do it justice. While the romance is engaging, a longer book would truly explore and add depth to both the characters and the plot in order to provide readers with a deeper sense of satisfaction. That said, readers who like a happy ending to their romance will definitely close this book with a smile.

 Kate Campbell