Matched in Seoul, Found in Love

by Alex Alvin

Perfect for readers who enjoyed Beach Read and The Kiss Quotient, this multicultural romance tackles themes of identity, family pressure, and finding authentic connection in an age of digital matchmaking.

When 37-year-old podiatrist Jason Lee's mother enrolls him in Korea's best dating app, he thinks his problems are solved. After years of loneliness in America, the sophisticated AI algorithm is about to find him the perfect Korean wife. But when a chance encounter with his neighbor's cat-sitter, Kiana, turns his carefully planned life upside down, Jason discovers that love doesn't follow algorithms—or cultural expectations.

Kiana Nasiri, a sharp-witted project manager recovering from her own romantic disasters, never expected to find herself investigating a 50-year-old Cold War mystery with a near stranger. As they unravel the tragic story of a Russian defector and the two women who loved him, Jason and Kiana's friendship deepens into something neither saw coming.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Washington D.C.'s dating scene and Seoul's glittering cityscape, this witty and heartfelt novel explores the collision between tradition and desire, the courage it takes to choose love over expectations, and the surprising ways our hearts can lead us home.

A story about taking risks, breaking rules, and discovering that sometimes the algorithm of the heart is the only one that matters. With humor, heart, and a cast of unforgettable characters (including Percy, the scene-stealing orange kitten), Matched in Seoul, Found in Love proves that the best relationships are the ones we never saw coming.

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2025

About the author

Alex Alvin grew up fascinated by history and felt connected to the past through stories of love and war. That fascination has translated into Alex’s books that explore how world events impact people and their fates. Creating historically accurate books, where these stories come to life, is Alex’s passion.

Reviews

[Keri M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute romance. Two friends who are not doing well in the dating scene realize they should’ve looked closer to home all along. Loved the characters and the story!

[Charrisa Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second book to read by Alex Alvin and I love this friends too Lovers slow burn and the chaos while solving a mystery. Not to give away alot of the book but I will day go read this book right away!!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Matched in Seoul, Found in Love. It’s a light, engaging read—well written, easy to follow, and perfect for a weekend or vacation. From the very first pages, I felt an instant connection with the main characters, Jason and Kiana, and quickly began thinking of them as friends.

The Washington, DC setting, the international aspect, and the modern-dating storyline all resonated with me and felt close to my own experiences and the stories I hear from friends. I found myself genuinely rooting for Jason and Kiana as their relationship unfolded. I also appreciated the parallel plotline with its unexpected ending, which added a fun layer of suspense to the novel.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a romance with a fresh, interesting twist.

[Jaqueline Doldersum · Rating 3 out of 5]

You follow Jason and Kiana. Jason who is born in Korea. But moved to the US as a teenager. He loves his job as a podiatrition and helping people.
Kiana is a daughter from a Russian defector.
Fate brings Jason and Kiana together.
After a patient of Jason ask him to investigate something that happend in the past.
He asks Kiana for help.
During there journey, they become friends.
Both of them trying to find love.
Jason in Korea, with an Korean app. Following Korean traditon and to please his family.
Kiana also tries to find love an a dating app. In time they find out. That dating through an app isn't easy.
The end of the book has a nice twist.

[Natasha T Tsaparas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a light, easy romance that I actually enjoyed more than I expected. The story delivers a fun, feel-good take on the realities of online dating, and I appreciated the way it portrayed just how awkward, unpredictable, and human that process can be.

The characters were likeable, the plot had a few surprising turns, and overall it made for a solid palate cleanser. If you’re in the mood for a breezy, low-stress read with a thoughtful undercurrent about connection and expectations, this one’s a sweet pick.

[Abbie Menier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really surprised me and I enjoyed it so much! Thanks to the author!
Jason is a podiatrist looking for love in all the wrong places and faces. Along with lots of pressure from his very traditional mother, he’s agreed to try an app to find his perfect woman when he returns to Korea from DC. Here comes Kiana, who is cat sitting for her friend in the same building as Jason. They unexpectedly hit it off and join in cat care and investigating an unusual death many years ago for Jason’s patient. Can either of them find love where they are looking or is the perfect match standing right in front of them?

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I throughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It really kept me engaged with the mystery about what happened to Anton. I loved that Jason and Kianna bonded through Percy (who is the star of the book!). It took a really long time for Jason and Kianna to finally realize their love for each other but I think it’s crucial to the plot line and they needed that time to be friends for a while. Definitely go check out this book and others written by Alex Alvin!

[Ameliyah Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matched in Seoul, Found in Love is a really sweet, thoughtful friends-to-lovers romance with a unique twist.

I loved the cultural elements and the blend of modern dating, tradition, and that mysterious historical thread woven through the story. The dual settings in D.C. and Seoul gave it such a vivid and refreshing feel.

I think readers who enjoy clean romance, emotional themes, and character-driven stories will really appreciate this one.

Thank you so much to the author for the ARC 💛

[Michael Rubinshteyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about modern friendship, romance, perilous online dating,
Korean culture, a mysterious Russian defector,
relationships between mothers and their children, and more.
And there is adorable orange cat who started it all.
The book is full of humor and sharp observations.
Fate, as an unpredictable force, intervenes many times.
I will not reveal any spoilers. Read the book yourself and enjoy it.
I would highly recommend this very charming and enjoyable story.

[Jamily Rubinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about many things: friendship, romance,
disappointments with online dating, Russian defector,
Korean culture, immigration, and more.
There is cute orange kitten with an important role to play.
There are unexpected twists and turns.
The book is very well written and an easy read. Enjoy.

[Serenity Siakala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Alex for trusting me with this gem. I am typically not a contemporary romance reader but I fell in love with this book and the characters. This is a perfect comfort read and the writing is so good it made me feel like I was living with the characters. Please give this book a try it’s definitely worth it! ❤️

[Ash Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid romance novel that deals with culture and matchmaking and what happens when you find love with someone unexpectedly.the writing was good and the characters were well thought out, a bit of a mystery thrown it to keep you intrigued. solid book all in all just not my usual preference.

[Krystal Mire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. Jason’s story was easy to follow and I loved Kiana and his relationship. While there were some slow parts of the book, I felt like it was a good read. It was very interesting learning about some of the traditions of Korean culture.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a creative fiction yet it gives a lot of real world information
about online dating and Korean culture.
It has all the elements of a good fiction: romance, suspense, mystery, humor
and unexpected turns of events.
I would highly recommend this expertly written book.

[ameera reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cute, easy read! I love that the two main characters were brought together by a cat. It’s a sweet friends to lovers story with soft moments, light tension, and characters you naturally root for.

[Mariah.booktok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute romance read friends to lovers! Dating does not come easy to these two friends. Jason and Kiana became friends so fast and easy. Both from different parts of the world. This book was very engaging, light and easy to follow along. I would recommend this book to all romance girls for sure!!

[Jo MA · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love story with an HEA and Korean traditions that I found to be very interesting. If you like to read about other cultures and traditions this a good book for that and more.
Follow Jason and Kiana’s separate quest to find love.

[Madison Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute easy read ✨ I loved both of the characters 💕

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable, light hearted read. perfect for a beach read or cozy night in, I love when characters finally see what’s right in front of them the whole time !!

[Aniiwiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matched in Seoul is a beautiful book, so easy to read and perfect when you need a break (like me) of books with a lot of history and data.
You'd love this romance 💕
I recommend it so much :)

[Melita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly this book shocked me at how wonderfully this story developed Jason and Kiana's friendship.
The aspect of this book i loved the most was how their story focused more on them loving and supporting each other first and foremost as friends while trying to solve a mystery from the past Jason took on from one of his elderly patients.
This book has love, friendship, mystery and one of the cutest feline sidekick.

[Kim Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC Review* I just devoured Matched in Seoul, Found in Love and it’s adorable! Jason’s mom forces him onto a dating app, but he instantly ditches it when he starts crushing on Kiana, the girl next door cat-sitting the cutest kitten. They go full slow-burn besties-to-lovers while accidentally solving this old Russian defector mystery together. His meddling mom adds the funniest chaos, and the whole thing is cozy, funny, and total feel-good vibes—read it!!

[Malaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matched in Seoul, Found in Love is a friends to lovers romance told from the male main character, Jason. A 37 year old podiatrist who has found himself single after finishing school and settling down in Washington DC. After meeting his neighbor’s friend, Kiana (and an adorable orange kitten named Percy) he begins to learn more about himself, dating, and his cultural traditions. .

This was a really quick fun read and it was interesting to see the story told from Jason’s side of things. I was definitely yelling at him (in the best way) by the end.