Book and a Brew with Ritu – Match Me If You Can by @sandybarker @BoldwoodBooks #NewRelease #BookReview

Another return guest! How exciting!

Today I have been honoured with another repeat visitor, and this time, we have the gorgeous Sandy Barker joining us to discuss her newest release, the first in a new series, Match Me If You Can, and signing with a new publisher, Boldwood Books!

Hello, and welcome back to But I Smile Anyway, Sandy! Let me get you set with a drink. What would you prefer?

As you know, I have all the usual offerings; tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or even a glass of bubbles if you prefer, since a couple of my recent guests have felt it appropriate to enjoy a glass of prosecco while visiting.

Oooh, I’d love a glass of bubbly – thank you!

And, in honour of their mention in the book, I tried to bake those Greek cookies… I hope they turned out okay!

There has been a lot going on since you last visited, including your signing with Boldwood Books. Congratulations for that, to start! Can you talk us through the process of how you ended up with a different publisher?

Well, thank you – that is so sweet. I had just submitted my last book for One More Chapter, The Christmas Trip, and I was chatting with my agent about ‘what next?’ I’d had these ideas for a handful of contemporary romcoms based in a city but wasn’t sure what would connect them.

Then I came up with the idea for a series set around a matchmaking agency and thought about which publisher might like it. I’d been a huge fan of Boldwood Books since they started 4 years ago, so we pitched to them, I met the lovely Emily Yau, my editor, and they offered me a deal. A dream come true.

I even saw on your social media that you have been doing a little dog-sitting! Have you ever had a dog, or pet, of your own?

I had mostly cats growing up and one dog when I was in my teens. My partner and I have had three cats together, and both love dogs, but we’re thinking of a move at the start of next year, so we have been offering to pet sit to get our fill ‘furbaby’ time.

What about you? Any furbabies at home?

We have the infamous Sonu Singh, our Punjabi cat! He’s been with us for a good 8 years and is my noisy furry muse!

Right, let’s get back to that book in question. Firstly, I love the title, Match Me If You Can. Does the title come first for you, or is that something you think about after writing the story? Or is it something suggested by the publisher, your agent or someone else? For me, so far, all my titles have been my choice, though I did start with my first book being called something totally different until I finished it, and along with some of my beta readers, thought it didn’t quite fit. The second and third, I knew before even starting the books!

Book titles are sometimes so hard! I envy you knowing your titles even before you start. And your titles are so clever too.

This book went through several working titles, none of which were a fit, and then Emily sent over a shortlist. Every title the team at Boldwood suggested was far better than anything I came up with. Match Me If You Can was a firm fave right away.

Even though you still managed to sneak a little travel in there, this series is a bit different, isn’t it? What was the inspiration behind setting your book, and the subsequent ones, in a matchmaking agency?

It is! Most of my books have heavily featured travel but I wanted to make this series a lot more centred around people’s daily lives and relationships. Though, as you said, I snuck some travel in there because I am still passionate about it and will always include it in my stories somehow.

And the matchmaking agency idea came when we were in the throws of the longest and strictest lockdown in the world (in Melbourne) and I watched back-to-back seasons of Call My Agent. I loved the idea of having a cast of regulars that readers could come to know and love as well as the love interests in each book. And I’ve always been obsessed with matchmaking. Have you seen ‘Indian Matchmaker’? I heart Sima so much!

Yes, I watched that series, both the first and the second series, in binge fits! Obviously, being Indian, the whole premise intrigued me, not least because I hadn’t had an arranged marriage! But Sima Aunty is definitely a character and a half!

I have to say, your fictitious agency reminded me of the typical Indian arranged marriage way of pairing couples up, and for the most part, they aren’t a bad thing, I guess. There was a much lower divorce rate among those couple who chose to fall in love after a much-researched arranged marriage. Would you have ever contemplated an agency if you hadn’t found your Ben?

By the time I met Ben, when I was 37, I’d sworn off men and was resolved never to find anyone to have that special relationship with. I probably wouldn’t have discounted matchmaking – though my friends certainly gave it a good (amateur) try for a few years!

How about you? How did you two meet?

We met at University! I was in my final year and Hubby Dearest still had a couple of years to go. Within a few months, we knew we wanted to be together, so it was a case of how we approached our parents to let them know! I guess the biggest plus point was that we were both Sikh, so that would always be acceptable, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Poor Poppy has quite a conundrum on her hands through this story; the old ‘forbidden love’ thing going on. If she were your friend, what advice would you give her? Follow your heart, or stick with the rules of your job?

I’m a ‘follow your heart’ kind of gal. I have often ‘broken the rules’, leaving good jobs to travel around the world or moving to another country to live with my long-distance boyfriend, even though we’d only spent 3 months (actually) together over that 2 years. I think rules can sometimes hem us in.

What about you? Would you have told Poppy to follow her heart or the rules?

I would definitely have told her to follow her heart! I was telepathically trying to send messages to a fictional character as I read the story!

I was lucky enough to be a very early reader of Match Me If You Can, and I loved it! (And thank you for the mention in the acknowledgements. I was touched!) The taster chapter at the end of book two whetted my appetite 100%! Will that be your next release?

First, you are so welcome for the thank you. Your advice really helped lend authenticity to two of my fave characters, Ravi and Jacinda, our hero’s closest friends.

Have you ever used a cultural sensitivity reader for any of your books? I’ve done that a few times as I want to be respectful and ‘get it right’.

I used a couple of sensitivity readers for Straight As A Jalebi, because I am not a homosexual Punjabi male, and I wanted to ensure I was not writing stereotypes or insensitively. Thankfully the feedback I got was positive, and it made for a better story, knowing I was hitting the right emotions.

And yes, the taster at the back of Match Me If You Can is, indeed, Book 2 in the series! It hasn’t got a title yet but I LOVE writing this book. It is set in the world of fashion, which has been so much fun to write. And Poppy is back as the matchmaker. It will be out in Feb next year.

Good luck with this latest release, Sandy and I cannot wait for the second one to drop!

As always such a thoughtful set of questions – and thank you again for reading it and having me on your gorgeous blog.

You are most welcome, Sandy. It is aways a pleasure having you visit!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Christmas Trip so please find my review below, as well as the buy links and some more information about my fabulous guest, Sandy!

The Blurb

Welcome to the Ever After Agency – a clandestine organisation offering bespoke solutions to romantic problems. Whether you’re looking for the love of your life, a fresh romantic start, or just want to keep up appearances, the agency can tailor a solution to meet your needs. When Tristan Fellows walks into the agency, Poppy Dean knows she’s in for a challenge. A typical bachelor, Tristan has no intention of falling in love, but in order to receive his 30-million-pound inheritance, he must find himself a wife before his 35th birthday. This may be Poppy’s hardest case yet, but even the most arrogant of men can sometimes warm a woman’s heart…

‘With smart banter and swoony moments against a backdrop of Greece, Edinburgh and London, Sandy Barker gives us another brilliant romcom and joyful read.’ Pernille Hughes

‘A wonderfully warm and witty will they/won’t they romance. Match Me If You Can is a perfect romantic read.’ Kathleen Whyman

My Review

Match Me If You Can: An utterly hilarious, will-they-won’t-they? romantic comedy from Sandy Barker for 2023 by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Match Me If You Can is a fantastic start to a new series by one of my must-read authors, Sandy Barker.
I was not disappointed at all with the story’s premise or how everything unfolded.
Poppy works at an extremely exclusive match-making agency, catering to the elite and people who need a helping hand with finding suitable life partners.
Her latest client, Tristan, is a difficult one.
He’s not keen on marrying but has found himself in a predicament where he forfeits a huge inheritance if he doesn’t marry by a certain age.
She takes him on a journey of introductions, some of which are horrifying but extremely entertaining, before finally finding the one in the most unexpected place.
I was immersed in the story from the off and cannot wait for more in the series to come out!

These are the buy links for #MatchMeIfYouCan

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon US | Amazon CA

Audio: The Reading House | iBooks | Glassboxx

eBook: Kobo | iBooks | Nook

Angus & Robertson

Waterstone | Foyles

And here’s a little about Sandy and her other books.

Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She’s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob.

Sandy lives in Melbourne Australia with her partner, Ben, who she met while travelling in Greece. Their real-life love story inspired Sandy’s debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the five-book Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.

The series continues in Paris, Sydney, and Bali with Tuscany the final destination in the series. Sandy’s novels The Christmas Swap and The Christmas Trip celebrate her favourite time of the year, and her romcom, The Dating Game, is set in the (fascinating) world of Reality TV.