Author: Sarah Desai
Publication Date: 16 November 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Page Count: 336
Reading Method: Digital ARC
Dates Read: November 13 – 15
Review
Earlier in the year I had the pleasure of reading The Dating Plan, which is the second book in The Marriage Game series, and I loved it! I was so excited when Berkley approved me for an advanced copy of the continuation, The Single’s Table. Made infinitely more excited by the fact that one of the MC’s is ex-Air Force (though I’m still waiting for someone to write one where the female MC is a veteran, so if you have recommendations, drop them in the comment please…).
I’m not going to lie, I struggled to get into this one. In fact, I debated DNF-ing on multiple occasions. The first several chapters felt like they weren’t flowing well and the dialogue felt incredibly choppy. The spark between the main characters was there – ridiculously sun-shiny Zara and her complete opposite, grumpy as heck Jay. It took a good 20 – 30% of the book for me to really get lost in the story.
However, something clicked a little ways into it and from there, it became much more enjoyable. Zara is on a mission to become the best matchmaker in the family and her target for the season is Jay, who is looking to settle down to appease his mother. As they work together and spend some time getting to know each other, sparks begin to fly and the relationship deepens. Zara is over the top, full of passion, and not afraid to go after what she wants. Jay is a bit on the grumpy side but comes to appreciate all the joy that Zara brings to the world and their relationship progression is really cute.
Aside from the rocky start, The Single’s Table was quite enjoyable and I can’t wait to see what Desai comes up with next.
About the Book
After a devastating break-up, celebrity-obsessed lawyer Zara Patel is determined never to open her heart again. She puts her energy into building her career and helping her friends find their happily-ever-afters. She’s never faced a guest at the singles table she couldn’t match, until she crosses paths with the sinfully sexy Jay Dayal.
Former military security specialist Jay has no time for love. His life is about working hard, staying focused, and winning at all costs. When charismatic Zara crashes into his life, he’s thrown into close contact with exactly the kind of chaos he wants to avoid. Worse, they’re stuck together for the entire wedding season.
So they make a deal. She’ll find his special someone if he introduces her to his celebrity clients. But when their arrangement brings them together in ways they never expected, they realize that the perfect match might just be their own.
About the Author
Sara Desai has been a lawyer, radio DJ, marathon runner, historian, bouncer and librarian. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband, kids and an assortment of forest creatures who think they are pets. Sara writes sexy romantic comedy and contemporary romance with a multicultural twist. When not laughing at her own jokes, Sara can be found eating nachos.
