Match Me If You Can

December 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up{amp}mdash;With homecoming approaching quickly, Mia is counting on her matchmaking friend Robyn to use her application process and get soccer star Vince to ask her to the dance. Robyn, meanwhile, has other plans for Mia involving setting her up with the irritating Logan. But once Mia manipulates the system to pair herself with Vince, she's not so convinced she was right, and Logan is well on his way to wooing her. This is a standard teen romance with the usual moments that will make readers squee with delight, if outdated in its tropes. Smith builds her plot around the concept of boys treating their crushes poorly as a way of showing romantic interest. Coupled with the idea of a lack of consent from Mia's manipulating Vince into a relationship and the matchmaking service itself (to some extent) to Mia's unwillingness to date Logan{amp}mdash;these plot devices and social attitudes can be distractingly problematic for many. This debut also sometimes struggles with wooden prose that glosses over major events. Characters are without nuance or much personality, in most instances. VERDICT While not a necessary addition, this may still find readers in fans of Kasie West and Shannon Klare. Readers who prefer more socially aware and complex characterizations, however, will want to skip this one.{amp}mdash;Abby Hargreaves, District of Columbia Public Library

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