By: Tori Henwood Hoen
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
TLDR: This is a really fun rom-com full of bourgeois careers, clubs, etc. The main characters are fun and relatable. I’m not going to tell you that the end will shock you, but I am going to tell you that you will really enjoy this story, and if you’re like me – you’ll wish that some of these fictional places were real so you could visit.
The Longer Review: Ursula is a 30-something single lady in NYC. She’s successful, she’s fun, she’s tired of dating, and she’s about to give up on finding love. Cue: the Arc. It’s supposed to be a cutting edge, highly selective (aka $$$) “matching” service. The sky-high price tag boasts a proprietary method of deeply diving into who someone is and what makes them tick to suitably match them to “the one” ending the rigamarole of dating.
When Ursula is matched with Rafael the chemistry is instant and it leaves them – and all of their friends/family – questioning if this matching service might actually work. That question lingers as this couple navigates the ins and outs of a relationship. There are bumps – which are to be expected. The weight of the ARC and it’s guarantee of a perfect match creates cracks. Can these two hold on to each other and what matters through their own relationship arc?
There are lots of fun things surrounding this story – first and foremost The Stake – a women’s club founded in feminism and beaming with empowering treatments and social events. This is probably the thing that I wish most truly existed, even if I don’t live in NYC. There are rain rooms, and quirky massages, and yell yoga. Sign me up. Ursula’s best friend Issa also sounds like someone I want to know. Mallory (Ursula’s cat) may be the first cat I’ve ever been sad not to have personally met. I simply can’t understate the fun in this novel. Get it now! Thanks to Becca Freeman, of Bad on Paper Podcast, for the rec.
