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Sparks the Matchmaker
Ollie just wants one thing. The girl.
Things haven’t been going so well with Anne lately, though; their relationship has become a perpetual study date, and Ollie’s roommates are starting to worry about him. How to fix things? Why, with a marriage proposal, of course. Unfortunately for Ollie, his relationship with Anne has run out of gas.
Life feels like it’s counting down to one. And that one is the only person in Ollie’s life he really cares about: Ollie. Perhaps, then, he should get over himself.
But first he has to deal with Sparks, the irritating little Yankees fan who invades his life in order to “help” him. And while Keith, his best friend, is doing all he can to help, Ollie’s other friend Richie never fails to show up and threaten to ruin everything just by being himself. Never mind all the drama Sparks brings to the party by forcing Ollie to take a job actually helping people in need.
Will Ollie meet the girl? Will it be in history class? On a road trip to Colorado? Can he get over Anne, or should he try to mend the relationship? Should he pursue the new girl Sparks is trying to set him up with? As the strings of the puppeteer tangle with the strings of the heart, only one person can sort out the mess Ollie has made. It seems that the harder he tries, the more Ollie messes things up. Is Sparks a cruel manipulator, or is he really going to help Ollie find his match?
Things haven’t been going so well with Anne lately, though; their relationship has become a perpetual study date, and Ollie’s roommates are starting to worry about him. How to fix things? Why, with a marriage proposal, of course. Unfortunately for Ollie, his relationship with Anne has run out of gas.
Life feels like it’s counting down to one. And that one is the only person in Ollie’s life he really cares about: Ollie. Perhaps, then, he should get over himself.
But first he has to deal with Sparks, the irritating little Yankees fan who invades his life in order to “help” him. And while Keith, his best friend, is doing all he can to help, Ollie’s other friend Richie never fails to show up and threaten to ruin everything just by being himself. Never mind all the drama Sparks brings to the party by forcing Ollie to take a job actually helping people in need.
Will Ollie meet the girl? Will it be in history class? On a road trip to Colorado? Can he get over Anne, or should he try to mend the relationship? Should he pursue the new girl Sparks is trying to set him up with? As the strings of the puppeteer tangle with the strings of the heart, only one person can sort out the mess Ollie has made. It seems that the harder he tries, the more Ollie messes things up. Is Sparks a cruel manipulator, or is he really going to help Ollie find his match?
239 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2013
250 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 11, 2013
Actual rating is 2.5 stars (per Goodreads: in between of "it was okay" and "I liked it"
There is definitely not a lot of romance novels put from male perspective and written by male author. I really thought that this was going to be different. But then as I was reading the book, I remembered how guys can be around each other so that’s exactly how I felt throughout the book: pff silly silly boys…
Don’t get me wrong, the story line was great. After getting dumped by his girlfriend, Ollie tries to get over her and get his life on track. That’s when he meets Sparks, funny character with Yankee hat who says he wants to help him. After an accident, Sparks is able to predict events that will happen in the future and he is on the mission to find Ollie a girl and get his life together.
I really did love Sparks. He was funny, witty, helpful, and sympathetic. But Ollie and the rest of the Tall House were just regular boys… Talking about nonsense, having pointless conversations about “kissing girls”, and well other men stuff. I wanted to love the book, really did. But maybe it was just the whole view of the relationship from male perspective that made me not really connect with the book.
There is definitely not a lot of romance novels put from male perspective and written by male author. I really thought that this was going to be different. But then as I was reading the book, I remembered how guys can be around each other so that’s exactly how I felt throughout the book: pff silly silly boys…
Don’t get me wrong, the story line was great. After getting dumped by his girlfriend, Ollie tries to get over her and get his life on track. That’s when he meets Sparks, funny character with Yankee hat who says he wants to help him. After an accident, Sparks is able to predict events that will happen in the future and he is on the mission to find Ollie a girl and get his life together.
I really did love Sparks. He was funny, witty, helpful, and sympathetic. But Ollie and the rest of the Tall House were just regular boys… Talking about nonsense, having pointless conversations about “kissing girls”, and well other men stuff. I wanted to love the book, really did. But maybe it was just the whole view of the relationship from male perspective that made me not really connect with the book.
April 18, 2013
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. How many "romance" novels do you read where the protagonist is male, or even where the author is male? At first, I thought that was going to be the unique focus of this story.
I was pleasantly surprised, though. The "Sparks" character was a completely unique take on things one learns from the people we date and others who care about us during our search for a lasting relationship. Also, I tend to be one of those people who frequently predicts the endings of books and t.v. shows, etc., but I hadn't seen the ending of this story coming. It was a quick and easy read (which was just what I needed right now) but with plenty of intelligence and creativity woven into the story. I think I can say with confidence that even my teenage son would enjoy it, as well as my Mom, who is a reader and a baseball fan. Looking forward to the next installment in the series.
I was pleasantly surprised, though. The "Sparks" character was a completely unique take on things one learns from the people we date and others who care about us during our search for a lasting relationship. Also, I tend to be one of those people who frequently predicts the endings of books and t.v. shows, etc., but I hadn't seen the ending of this story coming. It was a quick and easy read (which was just what I needed right now) but with plenty of intelligence and creativity woven into the story. I think I can say with confidence that even my teenage son would enjoy it, as well as my Mom, who is a reader and a baseball fan. Looking forward to the next installment in the series.
July 30, 2013
The book was a fun read. The characters were endearing, there were some fun (although not entirely unexpected, which I'm totally okay with) twists in the plot. And, the story ends up happy...which for me is a must if I'm going to read a book and like it :) Good job Russ, keep 'em coming. Definitely a talented author.
April 23, 2013
This was a great story! I really got into it and couldn't put it down. It was a quick, easy read, and very entertaining. I just wanted there to be more!
July 3, 2013
Loved this book! Original story line, and gives a great lesson!
August 5, 2013
I loved it! Not too deep, it was light and fun the whole way through. I enjoyed reading Russell's personal creative descriptions and approaches to the young love relationships. I recommend it.
November 15, 2013
Sparks the Matchmaker was a delightful surprise. I enjoyed being inside Ollie's head and seeing things from his prospective. Sparks is an unusual character and gave me a different view of relationships and the journey they take us on. I liked watching Ollie grow and change as a person. And see the failure and success of girlfriends, friends and co workers. Anne, Richie, Keith, D, Joy,Lynn, Scott, Marie and Greg were and essential supporting cast of this jaunt. I thought I had the story figured out but I will admit Mr. Elkins added a few twists I was not expecting in the end. I will say that I felt the author over used “You’re a jerk. You know that, right?” Overall a fun story. I would like to read Keith's story.
This contains No swearing or sex.
This contains No swearing or sex.
December 10, 2013
This novel had an interesting concept behind it. After watching shows about matchmaking, as well as the k-drama, Dating Agency Cyrano, I thought that this was an interesting spin for the New Adult genre.
I really liked the concept. A person able to read people just by their movements and observations. I suspect there was some kind of magic to it all, but it was an interesting concept, having Sparks being almost like a puppet master, trying to orchestrate the perfect ending for everyone. I also liked the overall attention given to special needs people. I really enjoyed getting to know those characters especially, and I liked that it opened the door of opportunity for Ollie and other characters.
While we’re on the subject of characters, the ones in this book were extremely interesting characters to read about. Ollie is a little selfish, even towards the end he has a very “me, me, me” mindset, though it had been slowly falling away throughout the novel, it never quite finished polishing him off. However, this didn’t bother me. It just meant that while the character has made improvements, he still has room to change and grow with the new things coming his way. I also loved Greg. He’s a cute character when in the mood and his relationship with Ollie, while odd, was sweet and heartwarming at times, and fairly alarming at others. Again, I really liked him, as well as Marie, in all their appearances throughout the novel! Ollie’s friendship with his roommates was cool. While he was getting readjusted to hanging out with him, I felt like they were really cool about everything. It’s always awesome to read about friends who have each others’ back, no matter what they’ve been through.
One thing that I want to comment on is the narrator’s voice. The book is third person except in small lines here and there where the narrator would stick in a random “I” line. I’m not sure if it’s that character thinking or whether the narrator just felt like they should just plop themselves here and there to make sure you remember that they’re still there. It was just something I noticed throughout the book that I found odd, and yet interesting enough that it managed to get me to pay more attention to the narrative instead of annoying me, which is definitely something new.
Overall, this novel was really enjoyable and was a very fun read. I love the unpredictability of the story line and the fun upbeat (for the most part) characters. Definitely a book I’d recommend you pick up! I’m also really hoping that we’ll see more from Sparks soon !
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4/5
-review by Between Printed Pages
I really liked the concept. A person able to read people just by their movements and observations. I suspect there was some kind of magic to it all, but it was an interesting concept, having Sparks being almost like a puppet master, trying to orchestrate the perfect ending for everyone. I also liked the overall attention given to special needs people. I really enjoyed getting to know those characters especially, and I liked that it opened the door of opportunity for Ollie and other characters.
While we’re on the subject of characters, the ones in this book were extremely interesting characters to read about. Ollie is a little selfish, even towards the end he has a very “me, me, me” mindset, though it had been slowly falling away throughout the novel, it never quite finished polishing him off. However, this didn’t bother me. It just meant that while the character has made improvements, he still has room to change and grow with the new things coming his way. I also loved Greg. He’s a cute character when in the mood and his relationship with Ollie, while odd, was sweet and heartwarming at times, and fairly alarming at others. Again, I really liked him, as well as Marie, in all their appearances throughout the novel! Ollie’s friendship with his roommates was cool. While he was getting readjusted to hanging out with him, I felt like they were really cool about everything. It’s always awesome to read about friends who have each others’ back, no matter what they’ve been through.
One thing that I want to comment on is the narrator’s voice. The book is third person except in small lines here and there where the narrator would stick in a random “I” line. I’m not sure if it’s that character thinking or whether the narrator just felt like they should just plop themselves here and there to make sure you remember that they’re still there. It was just something I noticed throughout the book that I found odd, and yet interesting enough that it managed to get me to pay more attention to the narrative instead of annoying me, which is definitely something new.
Overall, this novel was really enjoyable and was a very fun read. I love the unpredictability of the story line and the fun upbeat (for the most part) characters. Definitely a book I’d recommend you pick up! I’m also really hoping that we’ll see more from Sparks soon !
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4/5
-review by Between Printed Pages
December 16, 2013
This novel was definitely different than anything that I had ever read before. This is a new genre to me than other Adult books that I have read. I liked the concept of it all and the fact that Sparks was like a ring leader for matching people together was kind of intriguing. He was in the business to make everyone happy and to find that perfect someone. The book leaves a lot open for the characters to experience and explore. I liked Ollie and all of the characters as they went through their journies. Sparks is a book and character that you will be introduced to and will never be the same after reading about.
I was quite satisfied that Ollie was not the perfect character. He could be selfish at times but that made him all the more human and relatable to the reader. There were definitely improvements that could have been made within him, but in a way, I am glad that the author did not choose to fix everything right away. Greg was another one of my favorite chracters. He was more my speed and made me laugh. He is a genuine compliment to the character of Ollie. Ollie and his roommates get along famously and so it made this an easy read for me. I love reading about friendships that seem like no matter what comes their way, they will stand the test of time. Shady characters are a turn off when friends go behind another’s back. I don’t like rooting for one person over the other, and I didn’t have to with this book. It was the perfect mesh of characters for me to get engrossed into the novel with and lose myself.
This was a quick and easy read, but it was not at all predictable. I am pretty bad at being able to get three quarters through a novel and know what the ending will be. This one was different than that. The ending took me totally by surprise. I loved learning about Sparks along the plot of the book. I can not wait for the next installment in the series and I would say that others would enjoy this clean romance just as much as I have. I give it FIVE stars and recommend that you pick it up!
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book through I Am A Reader Book Blast and Tours. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any other way.
I was quite satisfied that Ollie was not the perfect character. He could be selfish at times but that made him all the more human and relatable to the reader. There were definitely improvements that could have been made within him, but in a way, I am glad that the author did not choose to fix everything right away. Greg was another one of my favorite chracters. He was more my speed and made me laugh. He is a genuine compliment to the character of Ollie. Ollie and his roommates get along famously and so it made this an easy read for me. I love reading about friendships that seem like no matter what comes their way, they will stand the test of time. Shady characters are a turn off when friends go behind another’s back. I don’t like rooting for one person over the other, and I didn’t have to with this book. It was the perfect mesh of characters for me to get engrossed into the novel with and lose myself.
This was a quick and easy read, but it was not at all predictable. I am pretty bad at being able to get three quarters through a novel and know what the ending will be. This one was different than that. The ending took me totally by surprise. I loved learning about Sparks along the plot of the book. I can not wait for the next installment in the series and I would say that others would enjoy this clean romance just as much as I have. I give it FIVE stars and recommend that you pick it up!
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book through I Am A Reader Book Blast and Tours. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any other way.
September 13, 2016
This review first appeared Books i View. I recieved a copy of this book for an honest review.
Sparks the Matchmaker is a romance story written by Russell Elkins. What first stood out about this book to me was that the main character is male and it is written by a male author. After going through all the books I’ve read this year I noticed that a majority of them were written by female authors and had female protagonist. Why is that? I don’t know. These days it seems like females dominate the romance genre. That’s why I chose to read this book, I thought it would be a breath of fresh air for me.
I liked the concept of the story. It’s about this guy named Ollie who is down on his luck with love. He then meets Sparks, a short spunky guy who has a knack for predicting the future, he promises Ollie to help him meet and fall in love with a girl. For most of the book Ollie was selfish and completely unsure of all his decisions/actions — which was a turn off for me. While I have to say I wasn’t a fan of Ollie’s I was still invested in the story and wanted to see how it all would end up.
At times I was confused with the writing style. The book is written in third person, however, every once in a while there would be a few lines written in first person. I’m sure this was meant as a way for the narrator to probe the main character’s thoughts, like you sometimes find in third person novels, but it left me at times utterly confused. In my opinion, it would have flowed more easily without those few lines here and there.
This was a very quick read for me; it’s only 239 pages long and can easily be read in one day. Though I did like reading this book, I can’t say that I was head over heals in love with it. I do have to give the author props for taking a unique spin on matchmaking. I’d recommend this for those who like light romance stories.
Sparks the Matchmaker is a romance story written by Russell Elkins. What first stood out about this book to me was that the main character is male and it is written by a male author. After going through all the books I’ve read this year I noticed that a majority of them were written by female authors and had female protagonist. Why is that? I don’t know. These days it seems like females dominate the romance genre. That’s why I chose to read this book, I thought it would be a breath of fresh air for me.
I liked the concept of the story. It’s about this guy named Ollie who is down on his luck with love. He then meets Sparks, a short spunky guy who has a knack for predicting the future, he promises Ollie to help him meet and fall in love with a girl. For most of the book Ollie was selfish and completely unsure of all his decisions/actions — which was a turn off for me. While I have to say I wasn’t a fan of Ollie’s I was still invested in the story and wanted to see how it all would end up.
At times I was confused with the writing style. The book is written in third person, however, every once in a while there would be a few lines written in first person. I’m sure this was meant as a way for the narrator to probe the main character’s thoughts, like you sometimes find in third person novels, but it left me at times utterly confused. In my opinion, it would have flowed more easily without those few lines here and there.
This was a very quick read for me; it’s only 239 pages long and can easily be read in one day. Though I did like reading this book, I can’t say that I was head over heals in love with it. I do have to give the author props for taking a unique spin on matchmaking. I’d recommend this for those who like light romance stories.
December 16, 2013
I received the book from the Touring Host for an honest review.
This was definitely a different and unexpected romance story. A story of manipulation, selfishness and surprises. For the first time I am really struggling with rating this book.
It is well written, grabs the attention from a unique point of view. But yet it is a slow read, struggling to really connect with Ollie, the main character of the book. Maybe it is because it is written by a man, and I do not mean this in a negative way. Men can be very romantic and creative, but I think because of the way it was written, I really struggled with the book, at first. It was only the last 30 pages that I really could understand the author's writing, making sense of the plot.
Yes, the plot did surprise me at the end. When I first read the synopsis and saw the cover, I thought it would be a thriller but that was not the case. Far from it. It is written with the greatest of care and compassion actually. You enter the world of caregivers that helps disabled people doing the most mundane tasks just to cope in the everyday world, things that we take for granted, doing it without thought. You are touched by Marie and Greg's stories as it unfolds within the book, creating interesting scenes. Really getting to know Ollie and Lynn.
Ollie was a young man that was dumped by his girl friend, and on the very same day it happened, he met Sparks. Now this was a colorful fellow. I had no idea where to place him or what to think of him. But yet in his subtle way he steered Ollie into the right direction, helping Joy and Scott at the end and find much more than he bargained for.
An interesting story with many surprises in store for the reader and a book I can recommend.
This was definitely a different and unexpected romance story. A story of manipulation, selfishness and surprises. For the first time I am really struggling with rating this book.
It is well written, grabs the attention from a unique point of view. But yet it is a slow read, struggling to really connect with Ollie, the main character of the book. Maybe it is because it is written by a man, and I do not mean this in a negative way. Men can be very romantic and creative, but I think because of the way it was written, I really struggled with the book, at first. It was only the last 30 pages that I really could understand the author's writing, making sense of the plot.
Yes, the plot did surprise me at the end. When I first read the synopsis and saw the cover, I thought it would be a thriller but that was not the case. Far from it. It is written with the greatest of care and compassion actually. You enter the world of caregivers that helps disabled people doing the most mundane tasks just to cope in the everyday world, things that we take for granted, doing it without thought. You are touched by Marie and Greg's stories as it unfolds within the book, creating interesting scenes. Really getting to know Ollie and Lynn.
Ollie was a young man that was dumped by his girl friend, and on the very same day it happened, he met Sparks. Now this was a colorful fellow. I had no idea where to place him or what to think of him. But yet in his subtle way he steered Ollie into the right direction, helping Joy and Scott at the end and find much more than he bargained for.
An interesting story with many surprises in store for the reader and a book I can recommend.
January 8, 2014
Ollie's relationship with his girlfriend, Anne, isn't going well so to help it, he decides to propose to her. But before he can, she proposes that they take a break for a while. She knew he was going to propose marriage to her because his roommate let it slip a few days before and that's not the direction she wants to go with him. He's devastated and on his way home, his car runs out of gas. A guy named Sparks stops to help him and tells him his situation will all be good in the end. Ollie blows off Sparks and starts to walk home but Sparks follows him and tells him he's there to help. Ollie finally decides to give Sparks a chance and his life will never be the same.
This is a fun, entertaining read! I find it interesting to read clean romance novels from a male perspective. Ollie was far from being the perfect guy which made the story realistic; he actually starts out not being very likable. Having someone like Sparks around, not so realistic, but entertaining to read. Their relationship made me laugh a lot. Sparks helps Ollie with his love life but makes Ollie work for it and doesn't hand him all the answers.
Ollie does some things he doesn't want to and starts a job he's not thrilled with but through doing those things, I saw Ollie grow and change and become more likable. Ollie had a lot to juggle and it seemed like all he accomplished was to make a mess of everything. The romance took a turn that I wasn't expecting and I loved the ending! It's satisfying and I'm looking forward to learning more about Sparks in book two!
Mel's Shelves
This is a fun, entertaining read! I find it interesting to read clean romance novels from a male perspective. Ollie was far from being the perfect guy which made the story realistic; he actually starts out not being very likable. Having someone like Sparks around, not so realistic, but entertaining to read. Their relationship made me laugh a lot. Sparks helps Ollie with his love life but makes Ollie work for it and doesn't hand him all the answers.
Ollie does some things he doesn't want to and starts a job he's not thrilled with but through doing those things, I saw Ollie grow and change and become more likable. Ollie had a lot to juggle and it seemed like all he accomplished was to make a mess of everything. The romance took a turn that I wasn't expecting and I loved the ending! It's satisfying and I'm looking forward to learning more about Sparks in book two!
Mel's Shelves
December 24, 2013
This book was so entertaining. Mr. Elkins does a great job of balancing serious with fun and keeping you entertained the whole way through. Ollie did some serious growing up throughout the book and Sparks was the instigator in that. Ollie starts out as a self absorbed young man who pops the question out of fear he would lose the girl and end up alone. He saw his relationship as stagnant and this was his solution. Didn’t turn out how he planned and in comes Sparks. Sparks is so entertaining. He can tell want is going to happen and just to bug Ollie won’t always tell him the outcomes. I believe this is to teach Ollie to think for himself and deal with consequences. I also think that Sparks is doing this so Ollie can learn to become selfless. So he can start to feel empathy and compassion for others. He did this for Lynn, Joy and others. One thing that was frustrating was how Ollie would forget his friends like girls are all there is. Sparks helped him see this is wrong. Keith was a wonder and so was D but Rich was a hoot. That guy is so clueless it will have you in stitches. D helps Ollie see beyond himself as does Lynn but Joy gets the ball started. Keith is always there for Ollie and I can’t wait to see how Sparks can help Keith if that is where Sparks is going next. A entertaining and enjoyable read of learning to help others and think of others and not just yourself. To learn compassion and empathy and become a stronger and better person. Ollie truly grows into himself in this book and yeah Lynn for helping.
December 20, 2013
Sparks had quite a few good things going for it. The fact that the story was told completely from the male point of view was a first for me - at least that I can remeber. The fact that the matchmaker was a cute little animal or an annoying female friend was another. Ollie was an OK character - but I think that was the point. He was an everyday Joe with a broken heart that wished for a girl he could fall in love with. Along comes Sparks - with a promise to help him - because Sparks "knows things". And so the story begins. Of course Sparks can't just wave a magic wand and have everything work out the way Ollie hopes. Nope, he's going to make Ollie work for it - he wouldn't really appreciate it otherwise. The dialog between Ollie and Sparks was very humorous at times. The love story that follows is very subtle and it really sneaks up on you in the end - and then you realize that it was staring you in the face all along and you just didn't see it - sort of how love can sneak up on a person in real life. I loved that Sparks was out to help Ollie with more than just his love life - he genuinely wanted to help him have a better life and life outlook. This was a cute story - but parts of the relationships seemed a little forced - perhaps because it was a shorter book. Definately worth reading with some very memorable characters though. - See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/...
January 6, 2014
This was an easy and light read with a wholesome feel to it. I imagine this plot fitting into one of an episode of "Touched by An Angel" ...only, Sparks wasn't an angel giving messages of hope from God as Monica did in the TV series ...or was he? I suppose we'd learn more in the coming installments. Anyway, I enjoyed the bunch of characters (especially the supporting characters). I found a moderate amount of amusing banter. The dialogue exchange sounded typical of guy talks one might see in a movie (do guys really talk like that in real life, not sure?!). Also, the female characters brought a good share of suspense and drama to the mix. Consequently, I was entertained. I liked Ollie's coming of age road that he had directed himself to go. Plus, I appreciated the heart factor that came to play, between strangers, friends, and love interests, that eventually brought to this book's good feel ending. Therefore, I was sated. So was I surprised to find out that this has a continuation. That's fine with me! I like reading books that share the message that you find yourself in the service of others. I find them comforting and relaxing so it would be a treat to "hang out" with these characters again and see where life takes them from here.
Jinky is Reading
Jinky is Reading
December 13, 2013
I signed on for this tour for a couple reasons. First, I do love clean romance and second, the author was male and the main character is male. I don't read a lot of romance books with the whole male vibe going on and I was interested.
Ollie, the main character, is 100% male. And, maybe on the bonehead side of the male species most of the time. ha ha. Ollie wants a girlfriend and when Sparks shows up and offers him just that, he just can't say no. Well, he does say no a few times, but he doesn't really mean it. He just gets annoyed at poor Sparks.
Sparks really can be annoying-so ambiguous and secretive- but I really liked him. I loved learning bits and pieces about him along the way. I really want to know more.
I enjoyed the journey Ollie takes as he gets into one predicament after another because of Sparks. Ollie learns some real life lessons and best of all, starts thinking about someone other than himself. Yea!
I found Sparks the Matchmaker to be refreshing. I liked the whole male vibe thing and I think author Russell Elkins has a good thing going here. I'm looking forward to reading his next book in this series.
Ollie, the main character, is 100% male. And, maybe on the bonehead side of the male species most of the time. ha ha. Ollie wants a girlfriend and when Sparks shows up and offers him just that, he just can't say no. Well, he does say no a few times, but he doesn't really mean it. He just gets annoyed at poor Sparks.
Sparks really can be annoying-so ambiguous and secretive- but I really liked him. I loved learning bits and pieces about him along the way. I really want to know more.
I enjoyed the journey Ollie takes as he gets into one predicament after another because of Sparks. Ollie learns some real life lessons and best of all, starts thinking about someone other than himself. Yea!
I found Sparks the Matchmaker to be refreshing. I liked the whole male vibe thing and I think author Russell Elkins has a good thing going here. I'm looking forward to reading his next book in this series.
Read
February 16, 2014DNF - 0 stars
Where I stopped reading: Nook page 73.
Why I stopped reading: I just could not get into this book. It started slow and didn’t grab me. I didn’t like Sparks from the beginning. I thought he was kind of creepy and I didn’t want him to “help” Ollie.
With that said, Mr. Elkins has a great idea but it is one that has been done many times. This is the first time I have seen it from the male’s perspective and that had me excited. It just didn’t do it for me and I couldn’t finish it. chrissysig
What others have rated this book: According to Goodreads, the average rating for Sparks the Matchmaker is 3.94 stars. It looks like a majority of readers gave this book 4 stars. There were 5 4-star reviews on Amazon. At Barnes & Noble, the majority of the reviews were 4 stars. Just because I didn’t finish this book doesn’t mean you may not.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2014/02/dn...
Where I stopped reading: Nook page 73.
Why I stopped reading: I just could not get into this book. It started slow and didn’t grab me. I didn’t like Sparks from the beginning. I thought he was kind of creepy and I didn’t want him to “help” Ollie.
With that said, Mr. Elkins has a great idea but it is one that has been done many times. This is the first time I have seen it from the male’s perspective and that had me excited. It just didn’t do it for me and I couldn’t finish it. chrissysig
What others have rated this book: According to Goodreads, the average rating for Sparks the Matchmaker is 3.94 stars. It looks like a majority of readers gave this book 4 stars. There were 5 4-star reviews on Amazon. At Barnes & Noble, the majority of the reviews were 4 stars. Just because I didn’t finish this book doesn’t mean you may not.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2014/02/dn...
December 19, 2013
I thought this was a very sweet book with some very unique characters. I still get a little confused about who exactly Sparks is. At first, I thought he must be an angel or something. How in the world could he know the future? He claims it's because he pays attention to the little details, but really...
I loved the supporting characters and thought they really added a lot to the story, but I think my favorite thing about it was the way Ollie handled his life. When he misses the clues and his life takes a turn he's not prepared for, he takes some risks and jumps right into some big decisions and changes. Yes, he was "forced" to, but he's a big boy (physically, too) and doesn't have to let people push him around. I loved seeing how these changes were totally right for him, yet he was very skeptical about them all at first. Ollie comes across as very impatient, always wanting to know exactly what to do and say and I enjoyed watching him learn, grow, and mature.
Content: kissing; mild violence. Clean.
I loved the supporting characters and thought they really added a lot to the story, but I think my favorite thing about it was the way Ollie handled his life. When he misses the clues and his life takes a turn he's not prepared for, he takes some risks and jumps right into some big decisions and changes. Yes, he was "forced" to, but he's a big boy (physically, too) and doesn't have to let people push him around. I loved seeing how these changes were totally right for him, yet he was very skeptical about them all at first. Ollie comes across as very impatient, always wanting to know exactly what to do and say and I enjoyed watching him learn, grow, and mature.
Content: kissing; mild violence. Clean.
December 29, 2013
This was a fast read for me. The book focuses on Ollie who is heartsick and depressed when his girlfriend not only refuses to marry him but dumps him, too. At first, I did not really care all that much for Ollie as he comes off rather shallow and narcissistic. However, as the story progresses, he evolves into a more decisive, confident person – though still rather clueless regarding relationships. Sparks is a wonderfully unique change agent. I had some laugh out loud moments as he valiantly guides Ollie on his journey to find happiness with the right girl.
Sparks matchmaking abilities entertained and enlightened me. His worldview is refreshing and far-sighted. The ending did not surprise me, as I had a pretty good idea early on where the story was headed, but it was a supremely satisfying closure. I am ready for more adventures with Sparks!
This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
Sparks matchmaking abilities entertained and enlightened me. His worldview is refreshing and far-sighted. The ending did not surprise me, as I had a pretty good idea early on where the story was headed, but it was a supremely satisfying closure. I am ready for more adventures with Sparks!
This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
December 20, 2013
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.
Sparks the Matchmaker is a young adult romance with a bit of a twist because Sparks can sense what is going to happen and how people are going to react in a situation.
I enjoyed Sparks the Matchmaker. It was easy reading and flowed well. I also like Russell Elkins' sense of humor. The one thing that distracted me was that the writing occasionally jumped from third person to first person for a sentence every once in a while.
The characters have their problems but they're able to overcome them in their own time. Ollie is pretty clueless at the beginning of the book but with Sparks' help he grows as a person and learns what is important in life and in relationships. Great ending!
If you enjoy young adult books, you'll want to pick this one up.
Sparks the Matchmaker is a young adult romance with a bit of a twist because Sparks can sense what is going to happen and how people are going to react in a situation.
I enjoyed Sparks the Matchmaker. It was easy reading and flowed well. I also like Russell Elkins' sense of humor. The one thing that distracted me was that the writing occasionally jumped from third person to first person for a sentence every once in a while.
The characters have their problems but they're able to overcome them in their own time. Ollie is pretty clueless at the beginning of the book but with Sparks' help he grows as a person and learns what is important in life and in relationships. Great ending!
If you enjoy young adult books, you'll want to pick this one up.
December 10, 2013
Sparks is an unusual characterand I always loved those ones. Like Sparks. The book was very funny and at the same time it was sad because Ollie doesn't have a luck about girls. He just want a girl for his life. One Day his love of life Anne, break up with him right on the time when he prepare himself to a proposal her.And that night rejecting by Anne, He met Sparks.
After meeting with Sparks your life will be upside down.With that meeting Ollie's girl hunt began.
I love all characters especially Keith and I hope we'll read him too.
You should read too.since there's a lot jerk in the book :)
After meeting with Sparks your life will be upside down.With that meeting Ollie's girl hunt began.
I love all characters especially Keith and I hope we'll read him too.
You should read too.since there's a lot jerk in the book :)
January 7, 2014
I'd give this 3 1/2 stars
I'm not exactly sure what genre this falls into, but it is a little bit romance and a little bit paranormal (and very very small bit, just that Sparks appears out of nowhere when he is needed). I thought this had a good theme running through it with a life lesson for Ollie.
It would be interesting if there was a follow up with Sparks next case to help learn something about life.
I'm not exactly sure what genre this falls into, but it is a little bit romance and a little bit paranormal (and very very small bit, just that Sparks appears out of nowhere when he is needed). I thought this had a good theme running through it with a life lesson for Ollie.
It would be interesting if there was a follow up with Sparks next case to help learn something about life.
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