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When Polly Met Olly
Polly and Olly were never supposed to meet…
Polly might spend her days searching for eligible matches for her elite list of clients at her New York dating agency, but her own love life is starting to go up in smoke.
Even worse, she can’t stop thinking about the very person she’s meant to be setting her latest client up with… surely it can’t get any worse!
But then Polly bumps into oh-so-handsome Olly, who heads up a rival agency, and realizes that perhaps all really is fair in love and dating war…
Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Debbie Viggiano.
Praise for When Polly Met'When Polly Met Olly by Zoe May is a really delightful fun, light-hearted contemporary read. It will leave you smiling and feeling good about life.' Christian Bookaholic
'This book has a bit of everything- there’s drama, romance, passion and there’s a lot of humour within the story. On more than one occasion, I found I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at something I had read.' Ginger Book Geek
'I loved everything about this book, it was zany and witty with a side order of hope and love.' Stacy is Reading
'If you're looking for a fun read that will have laughing out loud at the craziness of online dating, daydreaming about New York and learning a lesson in love then When Polly Met Olly is just what you're looking for!' The Blossom Twins
'There’s chemistry by the bucket load between Polly and Olly, a wonderful supporting cast of friends, and the sights and sounds of New York are just pure escapism.' BeeReader Books
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2019
107 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Zoe May
8 books128 followersZoe May writes romantic comedies published by Harper Collins and is also an indie author. Zoe has dreamt of being a novelist since she was a teenager. She spent her twenties living London, where she worked in journalism and copywriting before writing her debut novel, Perfect Match. Having experienced the London dating scene first hand, Zoe could not resist writing a novel about dating, since it seems to supply endless amounts of weird and wonderful material!
Perfect Match was one of Apple's top-selling books of 2018. It was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association's Joan Hessayon Award, with judges describing it as 'a laugh-out-loud look at love and self-discovery - fresh and very funny.'
Zoe is also the author of How (Not) To Date A Prince (May, 2018), When Polly Met Olly (January, 2019) and As Luck Would Have It (July, 2019).
In July 2020, Zoe will be publishing her first self-published romantic comedy, Flying Solo.
As well as writing, Zoe enjoys walking her dog, painting and, of course, reading.
Zoe loves to hear from readers, you can contact her on Twitter and Instagram, where her handle is @zoe_writes.
Or check out her blogs and latest news on her website, www.zoemayauthor.co.uk.
Perfect Match was one of Apple's top-selling books of 2018. It was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association's Joan Hessayon Award, with judges describing it as 'a laugh-out-loud look at love and self-discovery - fresh and very funny.'
Zoe is also the author of How (Not) To Date A Prince (May, 2018), When Polly Met Olly (January, 2019) and As Luck Would Have It (July, 2019).
In July 2020, Zoe will be publishing her first self-published romantic comedy, Flying Solo.
As well as writing, Zoe enjoys walking her dog, painting and, of course, reading.
Zoe loves to hear from readers, you can contact her on Twitter and Instagram, where her handle is @zoe_writes.
Or check out her blogs and latest news on her website, www.zoemayauthor.co.uk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
July 26, 2019
5☆ Unputdownable!
Wow what an Enchanting and Endearing Romance with so much Wit and Humour. Definitely one of my Top reads this year!
Polly is down on her luck, she's a great photographer, but just can't seem to get her lucky break.
So when a job comes up at To The Moon and Back Dating Agency she decides to go for it!
Now Polly hasn't got a great track record with Men or dates so when Derek informs her that their clients expect them to woo their potential date for them whilst pretending to be them, she definitely has reservations. But she's a natural and Derek hires her!
But there's a Rival Dating Agency.... Elite Love Match run by the very handsome and successful Olly.
So Derek sends Polly in under cover as a potential new client to see why he is poaching all his clients.
It's here I'm going to stop my summary as i highly recommending you read more for yourself as it gets really juicy!
I absolutely adored Polly and Olly's flirty Witty Banter. I can honestly say i didn't see that twist coming!! Although I kind of, should of, guessed considering the nature of the job!
In fact all the Characters are Endearing, Charasmatic and likeable.
I really liked Gabe too, who is Poppy's flatmate and friend.
I could go on as all of the characters are superbly written, even Derek and the oh so Dashingly Charming Brandon!
When Polly Met Olly is a Feel Good, Charming, Witty Romance, with lots of laugh out loud moments, loveable characters, a fantastic plot and a few juicy twists.
This is definitely going on my Top Books of 2019!
If you are looking for an all round feel good, funny read that has swoon worthy characters, a quirky plot then you will adore
When Polly Met Olly by Zoe May!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
Wow what an Enchanting and Endearing Romance with so much Wit and Humour. Definitely one of my Top reads this year!
Polly is down on her luck, she's a great photographer, but just can't seem to get her lucky break.
So when a job comes up at To The Moon and Back Dating Agency she decides to go for it!
Now Polly hasn't got a great track record with Men or dates so when Derek informs her that their clients expect them to woo their potential date for them whilst pretending to be them, she definitely has reservations. But she's a natural and Derek hires her!
But there's a Rival Dating Agency.... Elite Love Match run by the very handsome and successful Olly.
So Derek sends Polly in under cover as a potential new client to see why he is poaching all his clients.
It's here I'm going to stop my summary as i highly recommending you read more for yourself as it gets really juicy!
I absolutely adored Polly and Olly's flirty Witty Banter. I can honestly say i didn't see that twist coming!! Although I kind of, should of, guessed considering the nature of the job!
In fact all the Characters are Endearing, Charasmatic and likeable.
I really liked Gabe too, who is Poppy's flatmate and friend.
I could go on as all of the characters are superbly written, even Derek and the oh so Dashingly Charming Brandon!
When Polly Met Olly is a Feel Good, Charming, Witty Romance, with lots of laugh out loud moments, loveable characters, a fantastic plot and a few juicy twists.
This is definitely going on my Top Books of 2019!
If you are looking for an all round feel good, funny read that has swoon worthy characters, a quirky plot then you will adore
When Polly Met Olly by Zoe May!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
July 28, 2019
Zoe May has written a lovely and heartwarming tale full of love. Polly just landed herself a job as a matchmaker, the irony is she’s not very successful at love herself. I found Polly’s work as a matchmaker quite interesting, I wish there had been a little more of her on the job in the book. Loved her relationship with her roommate Gabe. He was such a great friend and an engaging character. Her boss Derek was also a great character who brought a lot to the story, we all would love a boss as supportive as him. Where the story fell a little short for me was the relationship between Polly and Olly. I am not certain if it is that it didn’t really begin until maybe about 60% in the book? Or that I just didn’t feel the connection between them? Then again I did love the happily ever after? So I realize I am kind of contradicting myself. I think it is because Zoe May is such a wonderful storyteller that even though I didn’t always feel it she made me feel it in the end.
The highlight of this book for me really was Polly’s interaction with all of her friends. I thought it was very strong when it came to the secondary characters. And I would love a future book with any of them. I found a lot of Polly’s past dating escapades quite humorous. I was also definitely surprised by Olly’s little twist, I knew he was hiding something just didn’t know what it was. All in all this was an entertaining story that put a smile on my face. A lovely story that will warm your heart, really made me think about what is important when it comes to love and finding your perfect match.
*** thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book ***
The highlight of this book for me really was Polly’s interaction with all of her friends. I thought it was very strong when it came to the secondary characters. And I would love a future book with any of them. I found a lot of Polly’s past dating escapades quite humorous. I was also definitely surprised by Olly’s little twist, I knew he was hiding something just didn’t know what it was. All in all this was an entertaining story that put a smile on my face. A lovely story that will warm your heart, really made me think about what is important when it comes to love and finding your perfect match.
*** thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book ***
June 6, 2019
I really liked the concept of this book, the reason why I requested it, but the execution disappointed me. It's boring leaving the good story concept a waste. I don't like the romance, it's lacking too much and I didn't feel even a bit of a spark between the main characters. The characters themselves are not that interesting which really made me sad coz they sound amazing in the description. The dialogues are forced. So unrealistic and I couldn't feel the characters speaking them. They're just lines written on the page, and not spoken. Also, I think the characters are trying to be funny and witty and smart and cool, but they're not.
I was provided a copy by the publisher/author thru Netgalley.Thank you.
I was provided a copy by the publisher/author thru Netgalley.Thank you.
January 16, 2019
2.5 - "If I can’t find you love… no one can." Stars.
I really enjoyed the last book I read by this author, so was really looking forward to getting stuck into When Polly Met Olly unfortunately the same cannot be said on this occasion.
"Love isn’t a checklist…"
The main issue I had with the book was that although it was pretty easy to read. The actual Polly and Olly element is extremely sparse, for the first 70% of the book they knowingly interact a grand total of five times, and three of those instances more in passing than in any real meaningful way. Things are clarified a little more in the latter stages of the book, but not in enough detail to make any difference. I didn’t buy their relationship, I didn’t feel any spark between them, and I didn’t really see them as a compatible couple, because the only thing they seemed to have in common was their immaturity in spite of a twenty year age gap between them.
"I like the magic of fancying someone, when you first meet someone new and they just seem like the best person in the world. I love flirting, going on dates and building up to the first kiss…"
Follow up with the fact that the whole book lacked any real depth or development in character, storyline or emotional development and I finished it feeling a little short-changed. All the aspects were there to make it a really great read, with likeable secondary characters, quirky twists and such but it just lacked any real spark for me.
If you are looking for an easy-going, inoffensive read, then this one fits the bill, it unfortunately also fits in the unmemorable and underwhelming category’s with great ease as well.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
I really enjoyed the last book I read by this author, so was really looking forward to getting stuck into When Polly Met Olly unfortunately the same cannot be said on this occasion.
"Love isn’t a checklist…"
The main issue I had with the book was that although it was pretty easy to read. The actual Polly and Olly element is extremely sparse, for the first 70% of the book they knowingly interact a grand total of five times, and three of those instances more in passing than in any real meaningful way. Things are clarified a little more in the latter stages of the book, but not in enough detail to make any difference. I didn’t buy their relationship, I didn’t feel any spark between them, and I didn’t really see them as a compatible couple, because the only thing they seemed to have in common was their immaturity in spite of a twenty year age gap between them.
"I like the magic of fancying someone, when you first meet someone new and they just seem like the best person in the world. I love flirting, going on dates and building up to the first kiss…"
Follow up with the fact that the whole book lacked any real depth or development in character, storyline or emotional development and I finished it feeling a little short-changed. All the aspects were there to make it a really great read, with likeable secondary characters, quirky twists and such but it just lacked any real spark for me.
If you are looking for an easy-going, inoffensive read, then this one fits the bill, it unfortunately also fits in the unmemorable and underwhelming category’s with great ease as well.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
October 23, 2019
When Polly Met Olly by Zoe May is a romantic comedy that takes Tinder and all things online dating to the for front. This is an adorable novel for sure and really shows you what some people go through when dating. This also shows how Polly pushes through everything that is thrown at her even when she feels like she can't. The novel shows you that not all love comes in the simplest of ways and sometimes you really have to fight for it. Polly and Olly are two hilarious characters that drive the story along with the side characters. You fall in love with them all in the littlest of time. If you love a good romance novel this one is for you.
July 27, 2019
This has a really cute start. Now, it is totally a British story, because I had to look up what an aubergine emoji would be, it is in fact an eggplant emoji. And throughout the story there were a lot of things that were totally British sayings or names for things. This was an issue for me because the book takes place in New York City, and most of the people are not British. I feel like the story was good in a lot of ways though. The way people behaved towards each other was pretty real. The way they reacted to others was realistic in my opinion. I liked that when we got some bad news about the love interest, it was actually true, for the most part, and Olly owned up to his part in it. I enjoyed Polly's foray into the world of dating apps, even as she was using them to help other people find dates. Like her, I really feel like I want to meet someone in real life. Why can't that happen for me? And also like her, I find that when I do get on an app, like Tinder, etc., I spend a lot of time swiping left and right, and it almost becomes like a video game in a way. So I really connected with her on that aspect. The story was really witty and a very quick read, even if the true romance didn't really get started other than a crush until about halfway through.
May 27, 2019
You can read all my review on Blog - Books Teacup and Reviews
When Polly Met Olly was wonderfully written heartwarming and thought-provoking chick- lit and a lovely romance. Book was about not just love, romance but importance of compatibility, having substance in relationship; Following passion and not just following it but enjoying it; Being genuine and compassionate in profession; not letting down your own worth and not to let people disrespect you and your work.
Characters-
This book had wonderful characters and character development.
Polly reminded me what it is like to have dream and putting efforts in achieving them, and how it can be disappointing sometime. She was compassionate, genuine and beautiful soul. She was smart, witty and good as a matchmaker and photographer and yet she learned something new in both of her work. She lacked confidence and she didn’t know her own worth until she met a person she was trying set her client up with. I liked her development, the way she finally achieved her dream. She was overall relatable and lovable person.
Olly was 20 years older than Polly. He and his life appeared all perfect and shiny on outside. He looked haughty, disrespectful and soulless who just understood business. But as I read more I could see how different he was inside. He didn’t know what love was and how phony his agency was until he met Polly. His development was mind-blowing. Not all can accept their fault so smoothly like Olly and I loved him for that.
Gabe, Polly’s roommate, was amazing friend. He worked as HR consultant during week and on Friday night he performed as Gabriella at a gay bar. I liked him from very beginning. He was fun to be around. I liked his views on his job and colleagues and loved what he said about enjoying our dream. Even his development was affecting.
Derek was amazing. I wish we all can get the boss like him- Compassionate, lively, warm and gentle, giving opportunities to staff and giving treats on small and big achievements. He had only Polly as staff but you know it’s just great to have boss like him even though wages are low.
What I liked-
Book started with Polly Wood, being interviewed as matchmaker at ‘To the Moon & Back’ dating agency by the founder of agency, Derek. A dream to be photographer with a degree was not working as she anticipated. And I could see why! Single for 3 years and apparently not good at dating, yet it didn’t affect in getting the job. Texting women on behalf of client and set a date for them was not what you call ‘honest and ethical’ but Polly had to pay bills. And that’s how fates worked on bringing Olly and Polly together. When Polly met Olly, competitor of Derek, the founder of The Elite Love Match agency, she couldn’t get him out of her mind. Everything about him seemed so perfect but was it really? Is this love or just the attraction she had with her previous dates?
Writing was remarkable. The plot was filled with wit, humor, romance and insight. It was narrated from Polly’s POV in her strong voice that touched the heart and made me brood over her experience and what she learned in the story. Setting was also great. I loved to read about dating agency, how it worked and how some can be phony and some real and genuine.
Polly’s dream of New York and photography, her dad and mother’ love story was lovely to read. Her disastrous previous dates were funny. What I loved most was I loved her relation with Derek, Gabe, and her friends.
I also loved the middle 20% of the book about Polly setting her clients up, chatting with them, having fun with friends and working on her photography dream. Another favorite thing was both Polly and Olly’s insightful thoughts, experience and development.
Both Polly and Olly were a matchmaker who were single and didn’t know what love is. As Polly started working as matchmaker she saw how people and love has turned categorical. There was no romance, no fun that she saw between her parents. She learned that two people didn’t have to have similar interest or look good together. They could be starkly opposite and still can be happy as a couple. She met some good and bad people during her job and got to know the real people behind their perfect appearance.
Some were so strict about their checklist that they miss out so many good and compatible match and true love. Olly was among those checklist type who made his own list and followed it as it worked best for him. But on meeting Polly, he realized love doesn’t happen that way. You need just have spark, it need to click right and need to have magical alchemy.
Turns in the story and climax was surprising. I had my suspicion as he looked too perfect to be true but I couldn’t guess Olly’s flaw. I loved the way story took turn that turned out best for everyone. It was lovely happily-ever-after end.
Why 4 Stars-
Thing that made me hesitate from giving full star was, the actual Polly and Olly story or the real conversation between them started almost after 45% of the book. They met early in the book alright but it took time for them to actually come in touch. Oh and I wanted little more story before end or epilogue would have been great. I just didn’t want it to end there.
Overall, it was intriguing, lovely, witty chick-lit and romantic story of Polly and Olly that fan of this genre wouldn’t want to miss. I really enjoyed this and would love to read more books by Zoe May.
*** Note: Many thanks to publisher for providing e-ARC via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. ***
When Polly Met Olly was wonderfully written heartwarming and thought-provoking chick- lit and a lovely romance. Book was about not just love, romance but importance of compatibility, having substance in relationship; Following passion and not just following it but enjoying it; Being genuine and compassionate in profession; not letting down your own worth and not to let people disrespect you and your work.
Characters-
This book had wonderful characters and character development.
Polly reminded me what it is like to have dream and putting efforts in achieving them, and how it can be disappointing sometime. She was compassionate, genuine and beautiful soul. She was smart, witty and good as a matchmaker and photographer and yet she learned something new in both of her work. She lacked confidence and she didn’t know her own worth until she met a person she was trying set her client up with. I liked her development, the way she finally achieved her dream. She was overall relatable and lovable person.
Olly was 20 years older than Polly. He and his life appeared all perfect and shiny on outside. He looked haughty, disrespectful and soulless who just understood business. But as I read more I could see how different he was inside. He didn’t know what love was and how phony his agency was until he met Polly. His development was mind-blowing. Not all can accept their fault so smoothly like Olly and I loved him for that.
Gabe, Polly’s roommate, was amazing friend. He worked as HR consultant during week and on Friday night he performed as Gabriella at a gay bar. I liked him from very beginning. He was fun to be around. I liked his views on his job and colleagues and loved what he said about enjoying our dream. Even his development was affecting.
Derek was amazing. I wish we all can get the boss like him- Compassionate, lively, warm and gentle, giving opportunities to staff and giving treats on small and big achievements. He had only Polly as staff but you know it’s just great to have boss like him even though wages are low.
What I liked-
Book started with Polly Wood, being interviewed as matchmaker at ‘To the Moon & Back’ dating agency by the founder of agency, Derek. A dream to be photographer with a degree was not working as she anticipated. And I could see why! Single for 3 years and apparently not good at dating, yet it didn’t affect in getting the job. Texting women on behalf of client and set a date for them was not what you call ‘honest and ethical’ but Polly had to pay bills. And that’s how fates worked on bringing Olly and Polly together. When Polly met Olly, competitor of Derek, the founder of The Elite Love Match agency, she couldn’t get him out of her mind. Everything about him seemed so perfect but was it really? Is this love or just the attraction she had with her previous dates?
Writing was remarkable. The plot was filled with wit, humor, romance and insight. It was narrated from Polly’s POV in her strong voice that touched the heart and made me brood over her experience and what she learned in the story. Setting was also great. I loved to read about dating agency, how it worked and how some can be phony and some real and genuine.
Polly’s dream of New York and photography, her dad and mother’ love story was lovely to read. Her disastrous previous dates were funny. What I loved most was I loved her relation with Derek, Gabe, and her friends.
I also loved the middle 20% of the book about Polly setting her clients up, chatting with them, having fun with friends and working on her photography dream. Another favorite thing was both Polly and Olly’s insightful thoughts, experience and development.
Both Polly and Olly were a matchmaker who were single and didn’t know what love is. As Polly started working as matchmaker she saw how people and love has turned categorical. There was no romance, no fun that she saw between her parents. She learned that two people didn’t have to have similar interest or look good together. They could be starkly opposite and still can be happy as a couple. She met some good and bad people during her job and got to know the real people behind their perfect appearance.
Some were so strict about their checklist that they miss out so many good and compatible match and true love. Olly was among those checklist type who made his own list and followed it as it worked best for him. But on meeting Polly, he realized love doesn’t happen that way. You need just have spark, it need to click right and need to have magical alchemy.
Turns in the story and climax was surprising. I had my suspicion as he looked too perfect to be true but I couldn’t guess Olly’s flaw. I loved the way story took turn that turned out best for everyone. It was lovely happily-ever-after end.
Why 4 Stars-
Thing that made me hesitate from giving full star was, the actual Polly and Olly story or the real conversation between them started almost after 45% of the book. They met early in the book alright but it took time for them to actually come in touch. Oh and I wanted little more story before end or epilogue would have been great. I just didn’t want it to end there.
Overall, it was intriguing, lovely, witty chick-lit and romantic story of Polly and Olly that fan of this genre wouldn’t want to miss. I really enjoyed this and would love to read more books by Zoe May.
*** Note: Many thanks to publisher for providing e-ARC via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. ***
October 2, 2019
3.5 ★
Well Zoe May is one talented author thats flying well under the radar. Her writing was fast paced, relevant, witty and humorous. I'm a huge fan of English writing so even though the setting was America it worked well for me. Not only did I adore Polly as our heroine, her independent character development and the side cast really shone in this (more so than our hero). This had a really great plot, but the execution let it down (just slightly).
Polly, an aspiring photographer from the UK is in New York and due to lack of work and adequate funds for living, she finds herself taking a job at a dating agency. After only a couple of hours on the job she is sent undercover as a client 'looking for love' to a rival agency. Usually unlucky in love, Polly hasn't been near the market for a while but, little does she know said rival might be just the man she didn't know she was looking for.
‘Hit it?’ I scoff. ‘I can’t hit it. He’s Olly Corrigan. Super cool businessman. Dating entrepreneur of the year. PR boss. I can’t just hit him up on Tinder and invite him over for some Netflix and chill.’
May’s physical description of Olly drew me to him instantly (WOW). He was 20 years older than Polly and although I’m quite partial to the 'older man' trope it didn’t really seem necessary in this. These two were good together, just not great and I think that’s because they didn’t get much screen-time to shine (and I know May can write good banter). It was all heading in a winning direction for me but there was a huge hole in the development of their connection. I don’t know if I ever truly warmed up to Olly. He had so much potential, what a painful word to put in a review, because it can never really be rectified.
While it had a plot based solely on Romance, I classify this as Chick-lit because the relationship took a bit of a back seat. This genre works for me because I love a slow-burn and I am happy to wait for the pay off but I wouldn’t recommend it to Romance readers because it was very mild. All in all, I really enjoyed this, a testament to the good writing thats for sure.
(ARC kindly provided by Netgalley for an honest review)
Well Zoe May is one talented author thats flying well under the radar. Her writing was fast paced, relevant, witty and humorous. I'm a huge fan of English writing so even though the setting was America it worked well for me. Not only did I adore Polly as our heroine, her independent character development and the side cast really shone in this (more so than our hero). This had a really great plot, but the execution let it down (just slightly).
Polly, an aspiring photographer from the UK is in New York and due to lack of work and adequate funds for living, she finds herself taking a job at a dating agency. After only a couple of hours on the job she is sent undercover as a client 'looking for love' to a rival agency. Usually unlucky in love, Polly hasn't been near the market for a while but, little does she know said rival might be just the man she didn't know she was looking for.
‘Hit it?’ I scoff. ‘I can’t hit it. He’s Olly Corrigan. Super cool businessman. Dating entrepreneur of the year. PR boss. I can’t just hit him up on Tinder and invite him over for some Netflix and chill.’
May’s physical description of Olly drew me to him instantly (WOW). He was 20 years older than Polly and although I’m quite partial to the 'older man' trope it didn’t really seem necessary in this. These two were good together, just not great and I think that’s because they didn’t get much screen-time to shine (and I know May can write good banter). It was all heading in a winning direction for me but there was a huge hole in the development of their connection. I don’t know if I ever truly warmed up to Olly. He had so much potential, what a painful word to put in a review, because it can never really be rectified.
While it had a plot based solely on Romance, I classify this as Chick-lit because the relationship took a bit of a back seat. This genre works for me because I love a slow-burn and I am happy to wait for the pay off but I wouldn’t recommend it to Romance readers because it was very mild. All in all, I really enjoyed this, a testament to the good writing thats for sure.
(ARC kindly provided by Netgalley for an honest review)
September 8, 2019
I liked the premise of this book, but the execution was so poor. I'm sorry, but I just do not understand this book at all. Why would an author choose to set a book in a place they know absolutely nothing about? This is written not only as if the author has never been to NYC, but as if she didn't do a basic Google search about NYC. If you're going to set a book in a location like that, you need to do the research. Like, no one would call Staten Island an "unfashionable part of town" and it is absolutely nowhere close to being "nearby" what I'm assuming is supposed to be Midtown Manhattan? I don't even know. You can probably figure this out by opening Google Maps. I've read a lot of books set in NYC, and I'm by no means an expert in the city, but this felt entirely inauthentic even to someone like me who has only visited parts of it before. I can't imagine how much worse it was for someone from NYC reading this.
The book is written by an English author who has no idea how to write a character who does not sound English. I don't mind that Polly, who is English, obviously sounded English. And it's written in the first person, so I didn't think it was odd that the "voice" of the novel was mostly English. But the problem is that all of the secondary characters are American and not a single one sounded American AT ANY POINT. Like, even BASIC things were missed. Americans do not use centimeters, kilograms, the word "mum" for mom, the word "dodgy," etc. I can't even list all of them. How did someone, either the author or the editor, not catch this? Polly goes undercover to spy on a rival dating agency and her fictional profession is chartered surveyor. Like, what? Congratulations, you could've given her 1000 professions that exist in both the UK and the US, and you managed to give her a job title that literally does not even exist in the US? HOW? This was so poorly written that it actually made me upset.
Not to mention the love interest, Olly, had no personality whatsoever. He and Polly barely interact until halfway through the book. They have zero chemistry. None. Maybe they would have if the book spent less time with Polly's inner monologues and more time with actual dialogue. Except, wait, none of the dialogue sounded remotely American, so maybe the reader was better off after all.
We can even add fatphobia to the list of the book's sins, since all of the attractive characters are slim and her boss's potbelly is described over and over again and god forbid one of the dating agency's clients have a double chin in a photo. And I suppose having a secondary character, her roommate, be a gay man was some attempt to add diversity of some sort to this book, but even that felt lazy.
I hate to rant about a book so much but I was so disappointed by this book. It had promise, but I felt so let down as a reader that it missed the mark MAJORLY on so many things.
(Note: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
The book is written by an English author who has no idea how to write a character who does not sound English. I don't mind that Polly, who is English, obviously sounded English. And it's written in the first person, so I didn't think it was odd that the "voice" of the novel was mostly English. But the problem is that all of the secondary characters are American and not a single one sounded American AT ANY POINT. Like, even BASIC things were missed. Americans do not use centimeters, kilograms, the word "mum" for mom, the word "dodgy," etc. I can't even list all of them. How did someone, either the author or the editor, not catch this? Polly goes undercover to spy on a rival dating agency and her fictional profession is chartered surveyor. Like, what? Congratulations, you could've given her 1000 professions that exist in both the UK and the US, and you managed to give her a job title that literally does not even exist in the US? HOW? This was so poorly written that it actually made me upset.
Not to mention the love interest, Olly, had no personality whatsoever. He and Polly barely interact until halfway through the book. They have zero chemistry. None. Maybe they would have if the book spent less time with Polly's inner monologues and more time with actual dialogue. Except, wait, none of the dialogue sounded remotely American, so maybe the reader was better off after all.
We can even add fatphobia to the list of the book's sins, since all of the attractive characters are slim and her boss's potbelly is described over and over again and god forbid one of the dating agency's clients have a double chin in a photo. And I suppose having a secondary character, her roommate, be a gay man was some attempt to add diversity of some sort to this book, but even that felt lazy.
I hate to rant about a book so much but I was so disappointed by this book. It had promise, but I felt so let down as a reader that it missed the mark MAJORLY on so many things.
(Note: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
July 22, 2019
As a failing professional photographer, the last thing Polly expects is to end up working in a dating agency; never mind clashing with their competitor, Olly.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This follows Polly who, after struggling to make a living with her career as a freelance photographer, resigns herself to taking a job working for Derek at his dating company. As much as she hates to put her dreams on hold, they aren't going to pay the rent, plus Derek is a pretty sweet guy and fun to work for.
Olly is the competition. Where Derek's company is small and personal, Olly's is shiny and corporate, and New York can't get enough of this handsome businessman's every move.
When fate seems determined to keep bringing Polly and Olly together, sparks are bound to fly.
This was another fun and light romance from Zoe May.
I do like how the leading ladies in her stories have more going on than the leading man. Yes, Polly has a crush on Olly, but she's not only thinking of him.
She has her new job which, although it wasn't what she ever imagined doing, she enjoys the challenge and soon picks up Derek's enthusiasm for helping hopeless lovers. It does touch on the ethics of online dating, and how far is too far when you try and get your customer the right dates.
Polly has her best friend Gabe. They support each other, and even though Polly's dreams have stalled, she tries to coax him into taking his singing more seriously.
Then of course, there's the trouble that Polly is having with her own dream. She has put her heart and soul into her photography, and has done some work in exchange for good exposure, and she discovers all the pitfalls that come with that particular agreement.
There is some cheese and some questionable choices, but overall, I enjoyed it and can't wait for more.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This follows Polly who, after struggling to make a living with her career as a freelance photographer, resigns herself to taking a job working for Derek at his dating company. As much as she hates to put her dreams on hold, they aren't going to pay the rent, plus Derek is a pretty sweet guy and fun to work for.
Olly is the competition. Where Derek's company is small and personal, Olly's is shiny and corporate, and New York can't get enough of this handsome businessman's every move.
When fate seems determined to keep bringing Polly and Olly together, sparks are bound to fly.
This was another fun and light romance from Zoe May.
I do like how the leading ladies in her stories have more going on than the leading man. Yes, Polly has a crush on Olly, but she's not only thinking of him.
She has her new job which, although it wasn't what she ever imagined doing, she enjoys the challenge and soon picks up Derek's enthusiasm for helping hopeless lovers. It does touch on the ethics of online dating, and how far is too far when you try and get your customer the right dates.
Polly has her best friend Gabe. They support each other, and even though Polly's dreams have stalled, she tries to coax him into taking his singing more seriously.
Then of course, there's the trouble that Polly is having with her own dream. She has put her heart and soul into her photography, and has done some work in exchange for good exposure, and she discovers all the pitfalls that come with that particular agreement.
There is some cheese and some questionable choices, but overall, I enjoyed it and can't wait for more.
August 12, 2019
• Provided by NetGalley •
Packed with wit and humour, Zoey May’s latest is sure to make you laugh and cry.
This book had the most major ‘Always a Bridesmaid, Never the Bride’ vibes that I couldn’t get over my excitement because of that. I A D O R E D I T. Majorly.
Loveable characters, the most fun dialogues and those juicy twists? The cover also made me pre-order it so I could have it on my shelf hehe!! ♥️
Packed with wit and humour, Zoey May’s latest is sure to make you laugh and cry.
This book had the most major ‘Always a Bridesmaid, Never the Bride’ vibes that I couldn’t get over my excitement because of that. I A D O R E D I T. Majorly.
Loveable characters, the most fun dialogues and those juicy twists? The cover also made me pre-order it so I could have it on my shelf hehe!! ♥️
August 30, 2019
An air of caution surrounds me whenever I select a Zoe May book to read; she is the queen of unpredictability. We might be deluded in thinking that this is another cosy read, but then the story takes a totally different direction (in a good way, actually). Well, this particular story at least defines the heroes in the title itself, so I was relaxed in that part. But then came the blow: Olly is not your typical dashing young man, he is rather old. Yup! that is Zoe May for you.
Online dating scenario is turned out to be the setting of far too many novels by now, but the author has managed to put a rare perspective even in this cliched world. Polly is a likeable character trying hard to keep her dreams alive and I immediately warmed up to her. Even though her interest lies with photography, the necessity of keeping the ends meet had forced her to work for a dating agency. But what could we know? This might actually be the turning point in her life. Not only her love life but everything.
Compared to Polly, we don't see Olly that often in spite of the prominent place allotted to him in the title. Sometimes we get dubious, is he really the one? But the fact is it doesn't really matter. This is all about Polly and how she manages to turn things around with the help of her friends, both new and old.
Overall, a refreshing read as expected from one of my favourite authors.
Online dating scenario is turned out to be the setting of far too many novels by now, but the author has managed to put a rare perspective even in this cliched world. Polly is a likeable character trying hard to keep her dreams alive and I immediately warmed up to her. Even though her interest lies with photography, the necessity of keeping the ends meet had forced her to work for a dating agency. But what could we know? This might actually be the turning point in her life. Not only her love life but everything.
Compared to Polly, we don't see Olly that often in spite of the prominent place allotted to him in the title. Sometimes we get dubious, is he really the one? But the fact is it doesn't really matter. This is all about Polly and how she manages to turn things around with the help of her friends, both new and old.
Overall, a refreshing read as expected from one of my favourite authors.
January 11, 2019
I have a confession to make- yes, yet another one. Although I have heard of Zoe May, I haven’t actually read any of her books……until now that is. Sorry Zoe. I enjoyed reading ‘When Polly Met Olly’ so much that I now ask myself ‘why the hell haven’t I read one of her books before now?’ I absolutely loved this book but more about that in a bit.
I couldn’t help but take to Polly from the first time I met her. In the end I really did feel as though Polly was a friend. I know, I know this book is fictional and therefore the characters are not real but they seem real to me. Polly is a nice, kind, feisty and gentle human being, whose self confidence is a bit shaky. I couldn’t help but hope that things would work out for her in the end. She originally moved to America to attend university but she has stayed in the country. Polly hoped that she would walk into her ideal job following her graduation but reality soon set in and Polly had to find another job to make ends meet. Polly’s passion is photography and she still takes the odd assignment. Polly gets a job with a dating agency, which bends the rules ever so slightly. Polly is sent undercover and she is asked by her boss to spy on the opposition because the opposition is thriving and the agency Polly works for is losing clients. This is when the trouble starts because Polly finds herself falling for the man, who owns the opposition agency. Will Polly find the happiness that she so deserves? Is there room for both dating agencies? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the books for yourselves to find out because I am not going to tell you.
I picked up ‘When Polly Met Olly’ ‘at an ideal time for me. I was worried about something and needed a distraction to take my mind off my worries. This book was definitely a distraction and then some and it cheered me up no end. I became addicted to reading this book from the moment I read the synopsis. The author has a writing style that draws you in and the storyline and characters keep your attention right to the very end of the book. Zoe clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in her writing. She describes the characters so vividly and so realistically that they seemed real to me and leapt off the page as it were. I was so focussed on the story and the characters that I didn’t realise just how quickly I was getting through the book, until I looked up and I was stunned to realise that I was well over halfway through the book. I seemed to race to the finish but in reality it took me a matter of hours to finish the book.
This book has a bit of everything- there’s drama, romance, passion and there’s a lot of humour within the story. On more than one occasion, I found I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at something I had read. As I read the story, I was literally picturing the hilarious moments as they happened.
In short I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘When Polly Met Olly’ and I would definitely recommend this author and her books to other readers. I can’t wait to read what Zoe comes up with next but whilst I wait for her next book, I will be definitely be finding her other books and reading them at some point over the next few months. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.
I couldn’t help but take to Polly from the first time I met her. In the end I really did feel as though Polly was a friend. I know, I know this book is fictional and therefore the characters are not real but they seem real to me. Polly is a nice, kind, feisty and gentle human being, whose self confidence is a bit shaky. I couldn’t help but hope that things would work out for her in the end. She originally moved to America to attend university but she has stayed in the country. Polly hoped that she would walk into her ideal job following her graduation but reality soon set in and Polly had to find another job to make ends meet. Polly’s passion is photography and she still takes the odd assignment. Polly gets a job with a dating agency, which bends the rules ever so slightly. Polly is sent undercover and she is asked by her boss to spy on the opposition because the opposition is thriving and the agency Polly works for is losing clients. This is when the trouble starts because Polly finds herself falling for the man, who owns the opposition agency. Will Polly find the happiness that she so deserves? Is there room for both dating agencies? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the books for yourselves to find out because I am not going to tell you.
I picked up ‘When Polly Met Olly’ ‘at an ideal time for me. I was worried about something and needed a distraction to take my mind off my worries. This book was definitely a distraction and then some and it cheered me up no end. I became addicted to reading this book from the moment I read the synopsis. The author has a writing style that draws you in and the storyline and characters keep your attention right to the very end of the book. Zoe clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in her writing. She describes the characters so vividly and so realistically that they seemed real to me and leapt off the page as it were. I was so focussed on the story and the characters that I didn’t realise just how quickly I was getting through the book, until I looked up and I was stunned to realise that I was well over halfway through the book. I seemed to race to the finish but in reality it took me a matter of hours to finish the book.
This book has a bit of everything- there’s drama, romance, passion and there’s a lot of humour within the story. On more than one occasion, I found I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at something I had read. As I read the story, I was literally picturing the hilarious moments as they happened.
In short I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘When Polly Met Olly’ and I would definitely recommend this author and her books to other readers. I can’t wait to read what Zoe comes up with next but whilst I wait for her next book, I will be definitely be finding her other books and reading them at some point over the next few months. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.
July 22, 2019
Polly is a talented photographer, but is struggling to find work after finishing her degree so is starting to work as a matchmaker instead! She didn’t anticipate this meaning her going undercover to check out a rival agency or her finding the boss there attractive! Her usual job involves her using online dating sites to endeavour to find the perfect match for clients – including messaging potential matches pretending to be her client to set up their initial exchanges and see if she thinks it worthwhile them pursuing. It seems very strange when one such series of exchanges finds her growing attracted to the woman she’s messaging . . . . if only she was a man!
This is a fun, humorous romance with romance at the heart of the story. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments, including some somewhat corny one-liner plays on words. It is a story of being brave enough to follow your dreams and there are some inspirational exchanges that actually help both main characters re-evaluate themselves, their dreams and their expectations. Maybe love can find a way to bring the matchmakers to find their own match – but they’ll have to be brave first!
This is a lovely, light-hearted, quirky and fun read, simply great to escape into. I requested and was gifted a copy via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion after choosing to read it.
This is a fun, humorous romance with romance at the heart of the story. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments, including some somewhat corny one-liner plays on words. It is a story of being brave enough to follow your dreams and there are some inspirational exchanges that actually help both main characters re-evaluate themselves, their dreams and their expectations. Maybe love can find a way to bring the matchmakers to find their own match – but they’ll have to be brave first!
This is a lovely, light-hearted, quirky and fun read, simply great to escape into. I requested and was gifted a copy via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion after choosing to read it.
January 13, 2019
A Fun, Fabulous and 100% Feel-Good read!
Polly is a struggling photographer trying to make it in New York. She takes a job as a match-maker for a dating agency to pay the bills and finds herself immersed in the world of dating criteria and finding that perfect match for each of her clients.
It was an eye-opening read and I really enjoyed learning more about dating and match-making. The novel is filled with laugh out loud dating mishaps along with some wonderful descriptions of New York.
I loved Polly's character and for me this novel is as much about her journey as it is about romance.
A perfect romance to read anytime, anywhere and this author is most definitely one to watch!
Thank you HQ and NetGalley for my copy
Polly is a struggling photographer trying to make it in New York. She takes a job as a match-maker for a dating agency to pay the bills and finds herself immersed in the world of dating criteria and finding that perfect match for each of her clients.
It was an eye-opening read and I really enjoyed learning more about dating and match-making. The novel is filled with laugh out loud dating mishaps along with some wonderful descriptions of New York.
I loved Polly's character and for me this novel is as much about her journey as it is about romance.
A perfect romance to read anytime, anywhere and this author is most definitely one to watch!
Thank you HQ and NetGalley for my copy
January 28, 2019
A huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is more of a 3,5 than a 4 stars, but since I really quite enjoyed it I gave it a 4 star rating on here. It has its issues, and it's incredibly predictable, but not enough to dampen my enjoyment. The predictability is something you expect when picking up a romance novel; you expect a happy ending, you expect cozy and fluffy, and that is exactly what WHEN POLLY MET OLLY gives you. It leaves you with a smile so wide your cheeks hurt, and feeling warm and fuzzy.
Polly is a realistic character, which makes you dislike her at points, and love her at others. You laugh with her, worry with her, cry with her, be angry with her. Her only fault, which is one of my problems with this book, is the focus on the looks of men. There are attempts at making up for it, but it's so present, it truly becomes annoying. Brandon is the most obvious example, Olly a close second. Her "he'll never go for me" got old fast as well, but I'm glad she got more confident as the book went on.
Which brings me to the other annoyance I had with this book. The title already gives the ending away, so you know where it's heading, but the road to get there seems... off. It's based on looks (honestly, the word hot is very present, way too present) and dislike/contempt, until suddenly- it's love. Would have loved to see that be more explored and change gradually over the course of the story. Not to mention .
As for the dating agency where Polly works at, and Olly's dating agency, it seems a very unrealistic way of running them, but I have to admit I have no clue whatsoever on how it works, so I'm not counting that for my review. It was very convenient for the story anyways, and as cliched and expected as it was, it still left me grinning wide and flailing.
Two characters that definitely deserve mentions are Gabe and Derek. Gabe is Polly's best friend and roommate. He's queer, has a longterm boyfriend, does drag shows on Friday night, and works in HR. I love him. He's there as a side character to Polly of course, but I felt that his own story was well rounded enough and I would read a book on his continuing story in a heartbeat.
Derek is the owner of To The Moon and Back, the dating agency Polly works at. He's kind, and warm, and loves his job so much, you can't help but feel warm and fuzzy towards him. When he lights up when a client finds love, you light up right beside him. He truly is a feel good character!
I really enjoyed it, and plan to read more of Zoe May's work in the future.
This book is more of a 3,5 than a 4 stars, but since I really quite enjoyed it I gave it a 4 star rating on here. It has its issues, and it's incredibly predictable, but not enough to dampen my enjoyment. The predictability is something you expect when picking up a romance novel; you expect a happy ending, you expect cozy and fluffy, and that is exactly what WHEN POLLY MET OLLY gives you. It leaves you with a smile so wide your cheeks hurt, and feeling warm and fuzzy.
Polly is a realistic character, which makes you dislike her at points, and love her at others. You laugh with her, worry with her, cry with her, be angry with her. Her only fault, which is one of my problems with this book, is the focus on the looks of men. There are attempts at making up for it, but it's so present, it truly becomes annoying. Brandon is the most obvious example, Olly a close second. Her "he'll never go for me" got old fast as well, but I'm glad she got more confident as the book went on.
Which brings me to the other annoyance I had with this book. The title already gives the ending away, so you know where it's heading, but the road to get there seems... off. It's based on looks (honestly, the word hot is very present, way too present) and dislike/contempt, until suddenly- it's love. Would have loved to see that be more explored and change gradually over the course of the story. Not to mention .
As for the dating agency where Polly works at, and Olly's dating agency, it seems a very unrealistic way of running them, but I have to admit I have no clue whatsoever on how it works, so I'm not counting that for my review. It was very convenient for the story anyways, and as cliched and expected as it was, it still left me grinning wide and flailing.
Two characters that definitely deserve mentions are Gabe and Derek. Gabe is Polly's best friend and roommate. He's queer, has a longterm boyfriend, does drag shows on Friday night, and works in HR. I love him. He's there as a side character to Polly of course, but I felt that his own story was well rounded enough and I would read a book on his continuing story in a heartbeat.
Derek is the owner of To The Moon and Back, the dating agency Polly works at. He's kind, and warm, and loves his job so much, you can't help but feel warm and fuzzy towards him. When he lights up when a client finds love, you light up right beside him. He truly is a feel good character!
I really enjoyed it, and plan to read more of Zoe May's work in the future.
December 16, 2019
I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Polly met Olly is a romance story, or at least, according to the synopsis, it’s supposed to be. But when I get through 80% of a romance book and the romance is lacking, it gets harder for me to consider this a romance book.
Polly is a Brit whose dream has always been to make it in the Big Apple. She moved to NYC to study photography and after finishing her degree she was stuck. She ended up working at a bar to make ends meet and could only get odd photography jobs here and there which were clearly not enough for her to be able to live in the big city for long. So she decided to go to an interview for a job at a matchmaking agency. Here’s her background and where the book actually starts.
Polly gets the job. She needs to get wealthy Wall Street single men dates by finding women who will suit their tastes and requirements and then struck up conversation with them and hope to score these men dates. Shady, yes, but nothing too bad I guess.
Her boss asks her to go undercover to the rival agency and pretend to be interested in their services. That’s when Polly meets Olly.
Now, you’d think this is where things get interesting but other than gazing into each other’s eyes on their first meeting and bumping into each other at a bar - where he realises she lied about who she was - they don’t really meet up again until she finds out someone from his agency pretended to be a new client at her agency to survey the building her boss rents - nothing of real importance for the story other than getting them to meet again without anything coming out of it.
Meanwhile she becomes enamoured by one of the clients but still volunteers herself to find him his perfect someone, which she does.
66% into the book and Polly and Olly meet again at an agency party where they realise they had been talking to each other posing as their clients.
Now, we don’t read much of their bonding over texting, but we’re told they spent hours/days texting while posing as the clients.
They set up a date, it’s cute but we’re 80% into this book and we’re supposed to start rooting for this couple with no chemistry whatsoever and there hasn’t even been much tension or a kiss. Just intense gazing. Like, how about a bit more banter?
Polly cuts contact with Olly after learning about some of his past actions towards other women and this lasts until 91% of the book, and they finally kiss!!!
Keep in mind this is a short book and at 95% I was already reading the Acknowledgements page.
Something else I was “promised” and wasn’t delivered was the “All is fair in love and dating war...” bit. There was no war. When she confronted Olly about his undercover employee, he backed down right away, apologised and promised it’d not happen again. Like I said, absolutely no tension. Or chemistry for that matter.
There were also a lot of spelling mistakes, which I would not have pointed out had I liked the story enough to see past them.
I’m sorry if this review is all over the place, that’s how my thoughts on this book are right now and I’m writing this at 2am and am super frustrated.
Honestly, I’m left super confused and unfulfilled after reading this. I’m really sorry to say but this book did not deliver.
When Polly met Olly is a romance story, or at least, according to the synopsis, it’s supposed to be. But when I get through 80% of a romance book and the romance is lacking, it gets harder for me to consider this a romance book.
Polly is a Brit whose dream has always been to make it in the Big Apple. She moved to NYC to study photography and after finishing her degree she was stuck. She ended up working at a bar to make ends meet and could only get odd photography jobs here and there which were clearly not enough for her to be able to live in the big city for long. So she decided to go to an interview for a job at a matchmaking agency. Here’s her background and where the book actually starts.
Polly gets the job. She needs to get wealthy Wall Street single men dates by finding women who will suit their tastes and requirements and then struck up conversation with them and hope to score these men dates. Shady, yes, but nothing too bad I guess.
Her boss asks her to go undercover to the rival agency and pretend to be interested in their services. That’s when Polly meets Olly.
Now, you’d think this is where things get interesting but other than gazing into each other’s eyes on their first meeting and bumping into each other at a bar - where he realises she lied about who she was - they don’t really meet up again until she finds out someone from his agency pretended to be a new client at her agency to survey the building her boss rents - nothing of real importance for the story other than getting them to meet again without anything coming out of it.
Meanwhile she becomes enamoured by one of the clients but still volunteers herself to find him his perfect someone, which she does.
66% into the book and Polly and Olly meet again at an agency party where they realise they had been talking to each other posing as their clients.
Now, we don’t read much of their bonding over texting, but we’re told they spent hours/days texting while posing as the clients.
They set up a date, it’s cute but we’re 80% into this book and we’re supposed to start rooting for this couple with no chemistry whatsoever and there hasn’t even been much tension or a kiss. Just intense gazing. Like, how about a bit more banter?
Polly cuts contact with Olly after learning about some of his past actions towards other women and this lasts until 91% of the book, and they finally kiss!!!
Keep in mind this is a short book and at 95% I was already reading the Acknowledgements page.
Something else I was “promised” and wasn’t delivered was the “All is fair in love and dating war...” bit. There was no war. When she confronted Olly about his undercover employee, he backed down right away, apologised and promised it’d not happen again. Like I said, absolutely no tension. Or chemistry for that matter.
There were also a lot of spelling mistakes, which I would not have pointed out had I liked the story enough to see past them.
I’m sorry if this review is all over the place, that’s how my thoughts on this book are right now and I’m writing this at 2am and am super frustrated.
Honestly, I’m left super confused and unfulfilled after reading this. I’m really sorry to say but this book did not deliver.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2019
This review and more can be found at my blog A Romance Reader's Reviews
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I've seen this book on Goodreads quite often with friends rating and reviewing it so when I saw it on Netgalley as a "Read Now" and with me looking for good chick-lit writers that I'm going to buy again and again, I thought I'd give this a try.
So we meet Polly--a British ex-pat--who is being interviewed for a job at a successful dating agency. It turns out that Polly isn't so good at the dating thing in real life though, as shown in these quotes:
She gets the job and, quite quickly, she's asked to check out a rival firm who is stealing some of their clients. So Polly goes to the other firm as a possible client and meets Olly, the owner. They seem to have an instant connection, a spark, but Olly turns a little cold and clinical towards the end of her interview. They meet by accident a few more times as Polly explores the area surrounding her new office. We don't see him all that often in the book until near the end, to be honest. She's too busy trying to find the perfect partner and setting up dates for her clients.
As the books name suggests, they do end up together but not before hitting a few bumps along the way. It's on a really slow burn and does come a little out of left field when they finally admit they have feelings for each other but after that, the happiness they feel when they're together was really cute.
I loved the camaraderie between Polly and her friend Gabe, he teases her terribly at times but I had to smile. And her friendship with her boss, too, was pretty cool. They made quite a good team at the whole dating agency thing.
I think this was quite enjoyable and will look out for further releases to see if they're as cute as this one was.
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I've seen this book on Goodreads quite often with friends rating and reviewing it so when I saw it on Netgalley as a "Read Now" and with me looking for good chick-lit writers that I'm going to buy again and again, I thought I'd give this a try.
So we meet Polly--a British ex-pat--who is being interviewed for a job at a successful dating agency. It turns out that Polly isn't so good at the dating thing in real life though, as shown in these quotes:
"Didn't you send him a peach and aubergine emoji with a question mark and a winky face when you were drunk?"
"What about that guy you called Mike for four dates then it turned out his name was Matt."
She gets the job and, quite quickly, she's asked to check out a rival firm who is stealing some of their clients. So Polly goes to the other firm as a possible client and meets Olly, the owner. They seem to have an instant connection, a spark, but Olly turns a little cold and clinical towards the end of her interview. They meet by accident a few more times as Polly explores the area surrounding her new office. We don't see him all that often in the book until near the end, to be honest. She's too busy trying to find the perfect partner and setting up dates for her clients.
As the books name suggests, they do end up together but not before hitting a few bumps along the way. It's on a really slow burn and does come a little out of left field when they finally admit they have feelings for each other but after that, the happiness they feel when they're together was really cute.
I loved the camaraderie between Polly and her friend Gabe, he teases her terribly at times but I had to smile. And her friendship with her boss, too, was pretty cool. They made quite a good team at the whole dating agency thing.
I think this was quite enjoyable and will look out for further releases to see if they're as cute as this one was.
July 17, 2020
This was a cute, light-hearted read.
Polly is a British girl living in New York whose dream is to be a freelance photographer. She hasn't had much luck with finding paying clients, though, and she's forced to take a shady-sounding job at a dating agency chatting with potential dates on behalf of the clients of the company. She's sent to a rival agency owned by a 40- something hipster named Olly to spy on their way of doing things. There's also a hot client of the agency called Brandon with very specific requirements for a match and Polly is determined to find that person for him, although she secretly wishes he would swipe right on her (sorry, I don't even know what's that supposed to mean).
Based on the premise, I was under the impression that Polly owned the agency so her actually struggling to make ends meet and not being very successful with her photography was a surprise but I liked to see it. I appreciated how she grew personally and professionally, how she tried to make the most out of a crappy sounding job, and didn't give up on her dream.
There was a subplot of her being used by a famous Instagrammer who didn't pay her for her work and didn't end up crediting her either when she used Polly's photos in her cookbook. The fact that people often try to take advantage of freelancers and only offering "exposure" instead of actually paying them is definitely something we need to talk more about but it's a pity the Instagrammer had to be vegan and her cookbook had to be described as "pretentious". Enough with only presenting vegan as being weirdos and/or assholes.
The plot also included catfishing, which I'm usually not the biggest fan of but because of the way it went down, it didn't bother me that much. I found the writing to be lacking and too simplistic at times, especially when it came to the romantic scenes (I say "romantic" because there were no sex scenes).
That being said, I really enjoyed reading this book - it was a quick and entertaining read that made up for its imperfections by being satisfyingly fluffy and fun.
Polly is a British girl living in New York whose dream is to be a freelance photographer. She hasn't had much luck with finding paying clients, though, and she's forced to take a shady-sounding job at a dating agency chatting with potential dates on behalf of the clients of the company. She's sent to a rival agency owned by a 40- something hipster named Olly to spy on their way of doing things. There's also a hot client of the agency called Brandon with very specific requirements for a match and Polly is determined to find that person for him, although she secretly wishes he would swipe right on her (sorry, I don't even know what's that supposed to mean).
Based on the premise, I was under the impression that Polly owned the agency so her actually struggling to make ends meet and not being very successful with her photography was a surprise but I liked to see it. I appreciated how she grew personally and professionally, how she tried to make the most out of a crappy sounding job, and didn't give up on her dream.
There was a subplot of her being used by a famous Instagrammer who didn't pay her for her work and didn't end up crediting her either when she used Polly's photos in her cookbook. The fact that people often try to take advantage of freelancers and only offering "exposure" instead of actually paying them is definitely something we need to talk more about but it's a pity the Instagrammer had to be vegan and her cookbook had to be described as "pretentious". Enough with only presenting vegan as being weirdos and/or assholes.
The plot also included catfishing, which I'm usually not the biggest fan of but because of the way it went down, it didn't bother me that much. I found the writing to be lacking and too simplistic at times, especially when it came to the romantic scenes (I say "romantic" because there were no sex scenes).
That being said, I really enjoyed reading this book - it was a quick and entertaining read that made up for its imperfections by being satisfyingly fluffy and fun.
January 10, 2019
I received a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars. This story was just okay, honestly. Polly starts working for To the Moon and Back so she can have a steady paycheck while trying to get her photography business up and running. She almost immediately goes undercover to check out the competition, Elite Love Match.
While I liked the premise about two competing matchmaker agencies, it didn't turn out as expected. Something was missing from this story as a whole. This lacked passion and intensity. It was cute but that's all it was. I wanted to read more about the clients of To the Moon and Back and how they were doing with their matches. I would have read an entire book on her friend and roommate, Gabe. There were some plot lines that seemed shoe-horned in and a little clunky. Olly seemed like an okay character but I wasn't necessarily rooting for them to get together, especially with their age difference. The spark that they talked about at one point wasn't there for me either. Basically, this is a cute book that could have been done better. The execution is lacking and so are the characters.
2.5 stars. This story was just okay, honestly. Polly starts working for To the Moon and Back so she can have a steady paycheck while trying to get her photography business up and running. She almost immediately goes undercover to check out the competition, Elite Love Match.
While I liked the premise about two competing matchmaker agencies, it didn't turn out as expected. Something was missing from this story as a whole. This lacked passion and intensity. It was cute but that's all it was. I wanted to read more about the clients of To the Moon and Back and how they were doing with their matches. I would have read an entire book on her friend and roommate, Gabe. There were some plot lines that seemed shoe-horned in and a little clunky. Olly seemed like an okay character but I wasn't necessarily rooting for them to get together, especially with their age difference. The spark that they talked about at one point wasn't there for me either. Basically, this is a cute book that could have been done better. The execution is lacking and so are the characters.
December 28, 2018
This was an ok read but there were some weird things about it that didn’t seem right to me. For instance I get that Zoe May is trying to write about someone living in New York but there were too many British terms and references used that Americans would never use.
Aside from those there were a few other problems like Polly thinking Derek was an old creep and then crushing on a guy around his age. Guess Olly isn’t a creep because he dresses like a twenty something hipster despite nearing 45? Ok.
Also I have to wonder if Polly always dreamed of going up the Statue of Liberty why hasn’t she done that in the many years she’s lived in NYC? Makes no sense. Surely if this was her dream she would have gone straight up on day one.
Overall the concept was cute but the execution was not good. There was really not much likable about the main characters Polly or Olly.
My copy was an ARC provided by the publisher so maybe see problems will be addressed prior to publication.
Aside from those there were a few other problems like Polly thinking Derek was an old creep and then crushing on a guy around his age. Guess Olly isn’t a creep because he dresses like a twenty something hipster despite nearing 45? Ok.
Also I have to wonder if Polly always dreamed of going up the Statue of Liberty why hasn’t she done that in the many years she’s lived in NYC? Makes no sense. Surely if this was her dream she would have gone straight up on day one.
Overall the concept was cute but the execution was not good. There was really not much likable about the main characters Polly or Olly.
My copy was an ARC provided by the publisher so maybe see problems will be addressed prior to publication.
July 22, 2019
The title is fun and put a smile on my face straight away. It was the first thing that attracted me to the booK.
The title is not the only humourous thing. The author has sprinkled the story with some funny bits but the main focus is on romance.
Everybody is keen on finding the ‘one’ and we have ticked boxes on a (mental) list with how we want our ideal partner to look, but looks are not everything! Maybe we should delve deeper and extend our list with things we want or don’t want our ideal partner to have or do. Not very romantic though, is it, but it might keep heartbreak at bay.
Anyway when you (finally) meet your better half it can be quite an eye opener and love can make you make a u-turn. No matter how many people might think you are not suited, the only thing that matters is how you feel about each other.
A fun read and remember there’s a lid for every pot. 4 stars.
Thank you, Zoe May and Rachel’s Random Resources.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
The title is not the only humourous thing. The author has sprinkled the story with some funny bits but the main focus is on romance.
Everybody is keen on finding the ‘one’ and we have ticked boxes on a (mental) list with how we want our ideal partner to look, but looks are not everything! Maybe we should delve deeper and extend our list with things we want or don’t want our ideal partner to have or do. Not very romantic though, is it, but it might keep heartbreak at bay.
Anyway when you (finally) meet your better half it can be quite an eye opener and love can make you make a u-turn. No matter how many people might think you are not suited, the only thing that matters is how you feel about each other.
A fun read and remember there’s a lid for every pot. 4 stars.
Thank you, Zoe May and Rachel’s Random Resources.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
August 16, 2019
An unexpected romance, that's funny, heartfelt and nostalgic.
Polly's life did not pan out the way she planned it. She lands up taking a job as a matchmaker even though her heart is in photography. She doesn't believe she can matchmake as her dating life is a bit slate. But life has other plans for her.
Olly is 20 years senior to Polly and runs a competing matchmaking agency. He has a clinical take on love, having never been in it.
Both the protagonists develop new lifeskills as they interact with each other in more than one way. Their opposites attract dynamic gives provides for comic relief and character development.
The side characters also are witty and well written, serving as foils and confidantes to the protagonists.
I really loved the book, it was a nice quick read that kept me engaged throughout.
I received a copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and all opinions are my own.
Luanna
Polly's life did not pan out the way she planned it. She lands up taking a job as a matchmaker even though her heart is in photography. She doesn't believe she can matchmake as her dating life is a bit slate. But life has other plans for her.
Olly is 20 years senior to Polly and runs a competing matchmaking agency. He has a clinical take on love, having never been in it.
Both the protagonists develop new lifeskills as they interact with each other in more than one way. Their opposites attract dynamic gives provides for comic relief and character development.
The side characters also are witty and well written, serving as foils and confidantes to the protagonists.
I really loved the book, it was a nice quick read that kept me engaged throughout.
I received a copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and all opinions are my own.
Luanna
March 2, 2020
1 star. Yes, that is what I give to this book because;
- It felt as if the narrator was rambling. Despite not being a fan of stories in first person narration, I am well aware that there are some awesome ones out there but this one? The structure was not even of that of someone's diary entry.
- The best friend was gay but that best friend did not add anything to the story per se. It just seemed as if the author wanted to remain relevant in a time when LGBTQ characters and POC characters are all the hype.
- The age difference between the main leads. Now I am not completely against the idea of that big a difference but the entire relationship seemed forced.
- There was no love. It all began with attraction and I did not see it moving anywhere after that.
- There was no character development of the male lead and very little for the female lead.
- Dating in the online world is a reality for many and that could have been the basis for this story but it was made out to be completely out of the world which removed any sense of reality from the story.
As a reader, I won't recommend this book.
- It felt as if the narrator was rambling. Despite not being a fan of stories in first person narration, I am well aware that there are some awesome ones out there but this one? The structure was not even of that of someone's diary entry.
- The best friend was gay but that best friend did not add anything to the story per se. It just seemed as if the author wanted to remain relevant in a time when LGBTQ characters and POC characters are all the hype.
- The age difference between the main leads. Now I am not completely against the idea of that big a difference but the entire relationship seemed forced.
- There was no love. It all began with attraction and I did not see it moving anywhere after that.
- There was no character development of the male lead and very little for the female lead.
- Dating in the online world is a reality for many and that could have been the basis for this story but it was made out to be completely out of the world which removed any sense of reality from the story.
As a reader, I won't recommend this book.
June 12, 2019
3.5 stars
A refreshing story about a woman who wants to start a photography Career but she needs to get a job before setting up her dreams. Polly starts working at To the Moon and Back, a matchmaker company, and without wanting she gets herself in spying on the competition which is Elite Love Match owned by Olly, a divorcee man twenty years older than her.
While the settings, the story itself was quite interesting and the secondary characters are that great that maybe deserves their own story/book, the couple didn't scream a perfect match for me, they are great people with insecurities and everything you expect but their chemistry felt a bit forced and has nothing to do with their age difference.
#WhenPollyMetOlly #NetGalley
A refreshing story about a woman who wants to start a photography Career but she needs to get a job before setting up her dreams. Polly starts working at To the Moon and Back, a matchmaker company, and without wanting she gets herself in spying on the competition which is Elite Love Match owned by Olly, a divorcee man twenty years older than her.
While the settings, the story itself was quite interesting and the secondary characters are that great that maybe deserves their own story/book, the couple didn't scream a perfect match for me, they are great people with insecurities and everything you expect but their chemistry felt a bit forced and has nothing to do with their age difference.
#WhenPollyMetOlly #NetGalley
January 15, 2020
When Polly Met Olly by Zoe May is a contemporary romance novel. Polly is a struggling photographer, who moved to New York to pursue her dreams. She comes on an opportunity to work for a small matchmaking agency leading to her meet the handsome competition that is Olly. At first I was not as interested by the description of this book, but I ended up reading it quickly. Polly is somewhat naive and I really thought Derek was going to be a conman (dude, that is corporate espionage). Boy and girl meet in awkward circumstances, boy finds out who girl really is, girl and boy fall in love, girl hears gossip about boy and ignores him, and then they make-up. This book is an okay read, but not unique.
dnf
January 6, 2019“ARC provided in exchange for an honest review”
Polly just landed a job in a matchmaking agency. Her boss gives her, her first assignment. She has to pose as a client in the rival dating site to spy on them as to why there dating site is more successful. As she is already quite desperate for job she agrees to do it.
She then goes to the rival, Olly’s office. She is attracted to him.
This book is so not my type. Too much of drama and boringness. Very unlikable hero and heroine.
Polly just landed a job in a matchmaking agency. Her boss gives her, her first assignment. She has to pose as a client in the rival dating site to spy on them as to why there dating site is more successful. As she is already quite desperate for job she agrees to do it.
She then goes to the rival, Olly’s office. She is attracted to him.
This book is so not my type. Too much of drama and boringness. Very unlikable hero and heroine.
February 21, 2019
Formulaic and pretty non eventful romance. The one redeeming scene is the Valentines party which bought some magic and sparkle to the book. It wasn’t a bad story or the telling of it but nothing to cling too or miss when it’s gone. Polly can be pretty irritating at times which does not endear her to readers. Derek however is a triumph although I found myself wondering throughout if his sick wife story was a sham as it was referred to constantly. I think by the time I got into the story it was pretty much ending.
Thank you NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley
April 30, 2020
I loved the premise of the story but felt the execution of it was a bit painful. I didn’t understand how British words were used by local New Yorkers. I thought that was odd. I didn’t care for Pollys job of matchmaking. I thought it was too devious to mislead people. Also the romance between Polly and Olly was boring and lacked the spark it needed to be believable. I did like the message that one should follow their dreams and not to give up on them.
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
January 24, 2019
When Polly met Olly was a charming book! Just what I needed during the dark and gloomy winter. Polly was a wonderful character I wanted to see happy. Her side kicks were pretty fun also. The storyline may be a little predictable but I still enjoyed it very much.
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