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Finding A Man For Sylvia
A well-intentioned but clueless romantic is determined to find love for her lonely neighbor over her exasperated husband’s objections.
Julia Hawthorne-Florez has the best of intentions, and everyone knows what the road to Hell is paved with. Her husband Javier accuses her of playing God with people's lives, but Julia is simply a fool for love. (Or maybe just a fool?)
When lonely Sylvia moves in across the street, Julia is determined to find her match. But, of course, there are obstacles. Javier, for one, who's forbidden any further matchmaking attempts on his well-intentioned wife’s part. And there’s the little matter of Sylvia being in love with a man who's taken a vow of celibacy.
Julia schemes; the hamster wheel in her head spins furiously. Handsome Ted is Julia’s first choice. Except shy Ted happens to be interested in Julia's best friend, certified dominatrix Lisa. And so it goes. Julia spins her web; Javier laughs at her. But Julia always gets the last laugh in this Latin-infused contemporary romantic comedy.
Julia Hawthorne-Florez has the best of intentions, and everyone knows what the road to Hell is paved with. Her husband Javier accuses her of playing God with people's lives, but Julia is simply a fool for love. (Or maybe just a fool?)
When lonely Sylvia moves in across the street, Julia is determined to find her match. But, of course, there are obstacles. Javier, for one, who's forbidden any further matchmaking attempts on his well-intentioned wife’s part. And there’s the little matter of Sylvia being in love with a man who's taken a vow of celibacy.
Julia schemes; the hamster wheel in her head spins furiously. Handsome Ted is Julia’s first choice. Except shy Ted happens to be interested in Julia's best friend, certified dominatrix Lisa. And so it goes. Julia spins her web; Javier laughs at her. But Julia always gets the last laugh in this Latin-infused contemporary romantic comedy.
230 pages, Paperback
First published November 22, 2012
1 person is currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Lesh
8 books72 followersMargaret Lesh is the author of her memoirs Let Me Get This Off My Chest: A Breast Cancer Survivor Over-Shares, and My Terrible Book of Happiness: Love, Anxiety and Everything; the Young Adult novels Normalish and My Friends Are All Strange, and other books. Her short stories have appeared in The Brasilia Review, and Dust Jacket Literary Journal.
Like Bill and Ted, she believes we should be excellent to each other. Also: Tacos are magic.
Visit her website: margaretlesh.com.
Twitter @MargaretLesh
Like Bill and Ted, she believes we should be excellent to each other. Also: Tacos are magic.
Visit her website: margaretlesh.com.
Twitter @MargaretLesh
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 12, 2013
What is matchmaking? It’s the simple act of bringing two people together… ha, I think Julia may have realised that there is nothing ‘simple’ about it!!
Everybody should have a friend like Julia, not for her annoying matchmaking tendencies, but for the entertainment she provides when her plans don’t go quite according to plan! All she wants is for everyone to be in a relationship, for them to be as happy as she is, in her marriage to Javier, so she makes it her mission to pair up every single person she knows. Unfortunately love isn’t quite that simple and the people she thinks are perfect for each other aren’t always that well suited.
Finding a Man for Sylvia is a fun read, narrated by Julia we get to hear all her good intentions first hand, and learn that she isn’t the annoying busy body she may outwardly appear, instead she is a sensitive soul who just wants to spread the happiness, well her idea of it anyway! The book has a definite feel good factor and is an ideal companion for lunch time and coffee breaks….although be sure to set your alarm or you will be late back to work.
The writing and plot style put me in mind of Sophie Kinsella so if you enjoy her books this is one for you. A thoroughly, entertaining read.
Copy supplied for review
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June 20, 2015The cast of characters:
Julia Hawthorne-Florez: The story's main character is 36 years old. She's the office manager of Acme Medical Supply Company. It is the world's most boring job. Julia is a matchmaker, just not a very good one.
Javier Florez: Julia's husband. Javier is 38 years old. He's an artist with a custom screenprinting business. He is a very patient man and has politely urged Julia not to make any more matches because people find it annoying and he's afraid of becoming a social pariah.
Sylvia Cruz: 36 years old. She's a bookkeeper at a Mexican bakery and lives with her parents and older brother Raul. She had the misfortune (or fortune) of moving across the street from Julia.
Ted Wilson: 32 years old. An accountant at Acme Medical Supply Company, Ted is shy, sensitive, handsome, worries about his overweight kitty, and is also very patient. (He works with Julia.)
Lisa: 36 years old, Julia's best friend since childhood, and a dominatrix by trade. She is catnip to men. An unapologetic feminist, she has never shown a softer side.
Frank Florez: 54 years old, a biker, and Javier's father. He's handsome and macho, and we don't quite know what he does for a living.
Chris: Julia's brother, is pushing 40. He's an Episcopal priest, and he happens to be gay. He's experienced the wrong side of a Julia fix-up and is always happy to give her advice.
Welcome to Finding A Man For Sylvia. Julia probably has a match for you.
Available 11/23/12 from Musa Publishing as well as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.
Julia Hawthorne-Florez: The story's main character is 36 years old. She's the office manager of Acme Medical Supply Company. It is the world's most boring job. Julia is a matchmaker, just not a very good one.
Javier Florez: Julia's husband. Javier is 38 years old. He's an artist with a custom screenprinting business. He is a very patient man and has politely urged Julia not to make any more matches because people find it annoying and he's afraid of becoming a social pariah.
Sylvia Cruz: 36 years old. She's a bookkeeper at a Mexican bakery and lives with her parents and older brother Raul. She had the misfortune (or fortune) of moving across the street from Julia.
Ted Wilson: 32 years old. An accountant at Acme Medical Supply Company, Ted is shy, sensitive, handsome, worries about his overweight kitty, and is also very patient. (He works with Julia.)
Lisa: 36 years old, Julia's best friend since childhood, and a dominatrix by trade. She is catnip to men. An unapologetic feminist, she has never shown a softer side.
Frank Florez: 54 years old, a biker, and Javier's father. He's handsome and macho, and we don't quite know what he does for a living.
Chris: Julia's brother, is pushing 40. He's an Episcopal priest, and he happens to be gay. He's experienced the wrong side of a Julia fix-up and is always happy to give her advice.
Welcome to Finding A Man For Sylvia. Julia probably has a match for you.
Available 11/23/12 from Musa Publishing as well as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.
January 28, 2013
I love when a book can make me laugh, and that is what this book did, almost from the very start.
The cast of characters is fantastic.
Julia is the matchmaker from hell. No matter who it is. Her husband Javier tries to stop her, with an emphasis on tries, but Julia is determined to make a match for her new neighbor.
That's when hilarity ensues, and it just keeps on. You know it has too, because when Sylvia lets Julia in on who she's crushing on, its a parish priest, albeit a very hot priest, but you know matchmaking for Sylvia is not going to be easy!
The best part about the book is how the people that seemed the most unlikely to hookup with one another are the ones that do, and not really with Julia's help.
I'm not sure which character I liked the best. Ted was so sweet, Lisa was a badass dominatrix, and Frank, Javier's father, was just crazy and lovable!
This is one of those must read books because it will leave you feeling so good at the end..and during..and well, it just really is so fun.
The cast of characters is fantastic.
Julia is the matchmaker from hell. No matter who it is. Her husband Javier tries to stop her, with an emphasis on tries, but Julia is determined to make a match for her new neighbor.
That's when hilarity ensues, and it just keeps on. You know it has too, because when Sylvia lets Julia in on who she's crushing on, its a parish priest, albeit a very hot priest, but you know matchmaking for Sylvia is not going to be easy!
The best part about the book is how the people that seemed the most unlikely to hookup with one another are the ones that do, and not really with Julia's help.
I'm not sure which character I liked the best. Ted was so sweet, Lisa was a badass dominatrix, and Frank, Javier's father, was just crazy and lovable!
This is one of those must read books because it will leave you feeling so good at the end..and during..and well, it just really is so fun.
March 13, 2013
What a great read. I loved the writing style. The characters were great. The story of everyday people with a close look inside their personal lives, thoughts and fears. You will laugh, blush and cheer them on as Julia helps her crazy friends overcome obstacles and find love.
January 19, 2023
A tongue in the cheek chick lit story about matchmaking from the match makers point of view.
We meet Julia Florez over eager friend and confidant who could not bare that people are lonely, not experiencing love as she did. In her attempts to do so it caused a few problems that put a smile on your face through out the book.
Her insightful wisdom into her friends and co workers lives, taking care of the smallest detail keeps the story entertaining and the plot interesting. The characters involved were Sylvia the main purpose of her self appointed assignment. New neighbor soon to be friend. Lisa her old school friend and get this a professional Dominatrix working her charm on every man she meets but at the end with a longing for a monogamous relationship which of course Julia had to help. Then there were Ted, co worker. Shy accountant at work, virgin at thirty two but barely containing his excitement about Lisa which of course could not work, in her opinion.
Then there were Frank, her father -in-law who just could not find the right woman for himself, Chris her gay brother and priest and Raul, Sylvia's brother.
Sylvia's cause set the whole plot in motion and Javier Julia's loving husband is stuck in the middle making the most amazing dishes to entertain her friends.
A good well written story of love and how it can find you in the most unusual ways. How unusual people can find love when you think it can never work. Delightful read with quirky tones, keeping it light and fast paced.
We meet Julia Florez over eager friend and confidant who could not bare that people are lonely, not experiencing love as she did. In her attempts to do so it caused a few problems that put a smile on your face through out the book.
Her insightful wisdom into her friends and co workers lives, taking care of the smallest detail keeps the story entertaining and the plot interesting. The characters involved were Sylvia the main purpose of her self appointed assignment. New neighbor soon to be friend. Lisa her old school friend and get this a professional Dominatrix working her charm on every man she meets but at the end with a longing for a monogamous relationship which of course Julia had to help. Then there were Ted, co worker. Shy accountant at work, virgin at thirty two but barely containing his excitement about Lisa which of course could not work, in her opinion.
Then there were Frank, her father -in-law who just could not find the right woman for himself, Chris her gay brother and priest and Raul, Sylvia's brother.
Sylvia's cause set the whole plot in motion and Javier Julia's loving husband is stuck in the middle making the most amazing dishes to entertain her friends.
A good well written story of love and how it can find you in the most unusual ways. How unusual people can find love when you think it can never work. Delightful read with quirky tones, keeping it light and fast paced.
May 20, 2013
Julia loves matchmaking. Her first success happened with two teachers at her eighth birthday party. Unfortunately that was her last success too and now her friends tremble with fear when she gets a new match in mind. Because she is so unrelentingly optimistic (everything in her life is pretty perfect – beautiful husband, beautiful daughter, beautiful face) she can’t understand why people would ever give up on the idea of finding love.
When Sylvia moves in next door, Julia can sense she’s never been kissed – not really, leg-tremblingly kissed. In fact Sylvia only ever gets crushes on totally unavailable men, such as the handsome priest from her church. But Julia knows the perfect man for her – socially awkward but cute work colleague Ted. So why is everyone telling her to stop playing God?
M C Lesh clearly understands love. She balances super confident Julia with painfully shy Sylvia perfectly so we can really see how love affects its victims. All the other characters in Julia’s life – from Alpha female Lisa to patient husband Javier, are all strong personalities and it is they who make this book a real pleasure to read. If you like to know how romance makes people tick, this is the book for you.
Reviewed by Nikki Mason on behalf of BestChickLit.com
When Sylvia moves in next door, Julia can sense she’s never been kissed – not really, leg-tremblingly kissed. In fact Sylvia only ever gets crushes on totally unavailable men, such as the handsome priest from her church. But Julia knows the perfect man for her – socially awkward but cute work colleague Ted. So why is everyone telling her to stop playing God?
M C Lesh clearly understands love. She balances super confident Julia with painfully shy Sylvia perfectly so we can really see how love affects its victims. All the other characters in Julia’s life – from Alpha female Lisa to patient husband Javier, are all strong personalities and it is they who make this book a real pleasure to read. If you like to know how romance makes people tick, this is the book for you.
Reviewed by Nikki Mason on behalf of BestChickLit.com
August 13, 2013
Sparkling and funny, dry and refreshing. The scene breaks in the book are even little drink glasses! Julia is my new best friend. I really wanted her to succeed, for her sake, not just the lonely people she can't resist trying to help. I picked this up at the start of a busy week and was only able to read it in sips (my mother told me that was the proper way to drink champagne anyway). I found myself grabbing any ten-to-fifteen-minute slot I could to read more. The characters are outstanding and entertaining (even the dog), all well-rounded with none of them too perfect. I slowed down at the end because I didn't want it to be over. There was a nice little surprise waiting for me when I did, though, and that's not including the vague hint that there could be a sequel. This is my second Margaret Lesh book, and I look forward to more.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews