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The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay
A young painter, Lily has reached a crossroads in her life. Her career hasn't taken off, her best friend may no longer be the trusted friend she thought, her boyfriend is a disappointment, and now she can't keep up with the rising cost of living in the city. With no one to turn to, Lily is forced to move from her beloved apartment, but while packing she comes across a piece of mail that had slipped to the back of her junk drawer: a letter detailing further action needed to finalize the annulment of a quickie Vegas wedding. Ten years ago!
Lily decides it's time to turn over a new leaf and the first item on her list of things to fix is getting the annulment... but you can't just send a reply ten years later, "Hey by the way we are still married." This is something that must be addressed in person. Lily takes to the road to track down her husband - the charming, fun, and sexy man she connected with all those years ago - Ben Hutchinson.
Ben Hutchinson left a wealthy dot-com lifestyle behind to return home to his family and the small town he loves, Minnow Bay. He's been living off the grid and the last thing he expects is a wife he didn't know he had to show up on his doorstep.
By chance, Lily arrives at the magical Minnow Bay Inn, and there she will discover not just a place to lay her head, but new friends, a thriving art community, and maybe even the love of her life.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2016
570 people are currently reading
5322 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Harms
11 books1,576 followersUSA Today, Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller Kelly Harms is the author of The Bright Side of Going Dark, The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane and The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay. She worked with bestselling authors, Edgar, RITA, and Agatha award winners, and Indie Next List Picks in her time as an editor at a division of HarperCollins and later as an agent at the Jane Rotrosen Agency. She now lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her beloved family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 472 reviews
May 7, 2019
Hooray for an amazing story set in Wisconsin ❤️ Loved it!
May 17, 2021
This was my first experience with author Kelly Harms and narrator Piper Goodeve. The two were well paired, making The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay an enjoyable listen.
Lily has lived in the same Chicago apartment since she graduated from college. She works as a barista by day and paints by night. She has painted the same view from her window again and again. The man who displays and manages the sale of her art is also her lover. When Lily misses a rent payment, she receives an eviction notice, and it turns her world upside down.
While packing Lily finds annulment papers, she neglected to sign. When her best friend married her ex-boyfriend, Lily married Ben in Vegas on a whim…and apparently has been married to him for the past ten years. She sets out to correct things and ends up in Minnow Bay, a quaint art community that offers its own surprises.
Lily is sweet, naïve, afraid of change, and too damn trusting. She is one of those go with the flow, lets not make waves type. It’s clear Lily is stuck and her friends have moved on. Her boyfriend/manager is an arse, and it infuriated me the way Lily just let him run the show, so I was eager to see Lily put her foot down and find herself.
Side stories about townsfolk and Lily’s BFF in Chicago pulled me in as did the relationship between Ben and Lily. Ben is a sweet guy who, unlike Lily, thinks the worst of people. It was interesting seeing the two interact. His behavior is the catalyst for Lily seeking change.
I would enjoy revisiting Minnow Bay but this story is standalone and wraps up nicely.
Piper Goodeve was delightful as the narrator for this story. She captured each character from their mannerism to emotions. Her tone is pleasant and draws the listener in. I would listen to her again. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Lily has lived in the same Chicago apartment since she graduated from college. She works as a barista by day and paints by night. She has painted the same view from her window again and again. The man who displays and manages the sale of her art is also her lover. When Lily misses a rent payment, she receives an eviction notice, and it turns her world upside down.
While packing Lily finds annulment papers, she neglected to sign. When her best friend married her ex-boyfriend, Lily married Ben in Vegas on a whim…and apparently has been married to him for the past ten years. She sets out to correct things and ends up in Minnow Bay, a quaint art community that offers its own surprises.
Lily is sweet, naïve, afraid of change, and too damn trusting. She is one of those go with the flow, lets not make waves type. It’s clear Lily is stuck and her friends have moved on. Her boyfriend/manager is an arse, and it infuriated me the way Lily just let him run the show, so I was eager to see Lily put her foot down and find herself.
Side stories about townsfolk and Lily’s BFF in Chicago pulled me in as did the relationship between Ben and Lily. Ben is a sweet guy who, unlike Lily, thinks the worst of people. It was interesting seeing the two interact. His behavior is the catalyst for Lily seeking change.
I would enjoy revisiting Minnow Bay but this story is standalone and wraps up nicely.
Piper Goodeve was delightful as the narrator for this story. She captured each character from their mannerism to emotions. Her tone is pleasant and draws the listener in. I would listen to her again. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
July 30, 2016
I fell in love with the Quaint town of Minnow Bay and the abundance of Hutchinsons.
_____
Lily's life decisions is all messed up and it was a quaint little town with eccentric people that led her to straighten up.
The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay was as adorable as the cute little town it was set in. I was not a fan of the main character even up til the end, but what endeared me was the nosy, imperfect characters of Minnow Bay. It reminds me a lot of small town living that I had a whoot reading how they all try to nose around Lily's life. It was the genuineness of the townspeople that had me rooting for every Hutchinson to show up at Lily's doorstep and knock some sense into her.
I've always been a fan of the contract-relationships trope because it mostly means hijinks and awkward moments between the characters. While this book didn't really delve into that trope, it did force the characters into living close to each other leading to charged moments.
It wasn't the shot-to-the-heart read but it was definitely a curl-up-in-the-couch good kind of read.
_____
Lily's life decisions is all messed up and it was a quaint little town with eccentric people that led her to straighten up.
The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay was as adorable as the cute little town it was set in. I was not a fan of the main character even up til the end, but what endeared me was the nosy, imperfect characters of Minnow Bay. It reminds me a lot of small town living that I had a whoot reading how they all try to nose around Lily's life. It was the genuineness of the townspeople that had me rooting for every Hutchinson to show up at Lily's doorstep and knock some sense into her.
I've always been a fan of the contract-relationships trope because it mostly means hijinks and awkward moments between the characters. While this book didn't really delve into that trope, it did force the characters into living close to each other leading to charged moments.
It wasn't the shot-to-the-heart read but it was definitely a curl-up-in-the-couch good kind of read.
July 16, 2016
This is a case of " It's me, not you" and the fact that I just don't respond well to this particular vein of romance/ 21st century chick lit. On the other hand, this might make a cute Hallmark Hall of Fame movie.
December 6, 2016
This was a really sweet, quirky romance about a girl's whose life has fallen apart tries to finish one unfinished project and then finds a bunch of other problems that turn out good.
There's a scene in the book reminds me a little of the The Midnight Sun episode on Twilight Zone where the woman is painting snow when it's actually hot outside. The woman in the Twilight Zone was a little nuts but Lily is doing the same here - it's January in Wisconsin and she's painting a very hot summer scene.
Anyway, loved the book. I would recommend it.
There's a scene in the book reminds me a little of the The Midnight Sun episode on Twilight Zone where the woman is painting snow when it's actually hot outside. The woman in the Twilight Zone was a little nuts but Lily is doing the same here - it's January in Wisconsin and she's painting a very hot summer scene.
Anyway, loved the book. I would recommend it.
May 24, 2016
In THE MATCHMAKERS OF MINNOW BAY, Lily Stewart is Shopaholic's Becky Bloomwood meets Capote's Holly Golightly. This charming tale is filled to the brim with eccentric characters, uproarious predicaments, and a charming (if not chilly!) setting. Kelly Harms has created the most lovable character in Lily, a starving artist with a penchant for disaster and a completely unbreakable spirit. Would make a fantastic beach book!
March 31, 2019
Maybe I wasn’t in the right mindset to read this book, but I had trouble connecting to the characters. It’s got a cute, Hallmark feel to it, but I felt like the storyline was a bit all over the place. The main character was also particularly gullible and annoying, leaving me wanting to shake some sense into her, and the people who wanted to help her, more than a few times.
July 14, 2016
The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay
is about a Chicago painter, Lily, who goes to Minnow Bay, Wisconsin in order to divorce her husband she didn't realize she had. Living paycheque to paycheque and waiting for her big break in the art community, Lily is forced to face reality when comes across her annulment papers that were never signed from her Vegas wedding. Deciding to head to Wisconsin and clear up everything, Lily packs up and drives to Minnow Bay.
Throughout the whole novel, we see Lily trying to find not only herself but where she belongs. Through her experience in Minnow Bay, meeting new friends and learning new things, she becomes a stronger, passionate, and more creative person. It was fun to not only see Lily come out of her shell but also see a majority of the Minnow Bay citizens too. Colleen, the in-keeper and life long resident of Minnow Bay, was so kind and caring to Lily and attentive to the needs of everyone around her. Simone, the teen barista that is filled with angst, is one of Minnow Bay's gossip mongers. Then there is Jenny - Colleen's oldest friend and Minnow Bay's very own artist wrangler and gallerist, she also runs ArtWorks, one of the biggest art festivals. All of the citizens are so warm and welcoming that I can understand why and how Lily came to adore this town.
However, there were some things I didn't enjoy about this novel. I found the majority of the characters lacking, seeming one-dimensional, and the plot far-fetched. The ending also seemed rushed. The main character was too naive and stupidly nice to those that wronged her (i.e. Renee, her best friend from college, and Mitchell, her boyfriend/love interest that turned out to be an ass).
ARC was kindly provided by publisher, St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review.
For this review and more, check out: http://amalialock.blogspot.ca
Throughout the whole novel, we see Lily trying to find not only herself but where she belongs. Through her experience in Minnow Bay, meeting new friends and learning new things, she becomes a stronger, passionate, and more creative person. It was fun to not only see Lily come out of her shell but also see a majority of the Minnow Bay citizens too. Colleen, the in-keeper and life long resident of Minnow Bay, was so kind and caring to Lily and attentive to the needs of everyone around her. Simone, the teen barista that is filled with angst, is one of Minnow Bay's gossip mongers. Then there is Jenny - Colleen's oldest friend and Minnow Bay's very own artist wrangler and gallerist, she also runs ArtWorks, one of the biggest art festivals. All of the citizens are so warm and welcoming that I can understand why and how Lily came to adore this town.
However, there were some things I didn't enjoy about this novel. I found the majority of the characters lacking, seeming one-dimensional, and the plot far-fetched. The ending also seemed rushed. The main character was too naive and stupidly nice to those that wronged her (i.e. Renee, her best friend from college, and Mitchell, her boyfriend/love interest that turned out to be an ass).
ARC was kindly provided by publisher, St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review.
For this review and more, check out: http://amalialock.blogspot.ca
August 9, 2016
The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay
by Kelly Harms
Harms’ sophomore offering, The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay is a deferred coming of age story, a story about friendship, love and starting over. Her characters run the gamut from straight-laced to ultra quirky. Her town of Minnow Bay was quaint, eccentric and as much of a character as any of her actors. Her dialogue was easy to read and kept the flow of the story going. Her protagonist Lily is portrayed at first as a bit of an air-headed pushover who lets her friends and lovers lead her by the nose and I personally wanted to shake her a few times. But it was the way Harms beautifully manipulates Lily from a clueless yet steadfast doormat into a strong capable woman at the end that rocked this read.
To say artist Lily Stewart was having an off week would be a gross understatement. She’s being evicted from the only place she’s called home for the last ten years. Her so-called friends won’t lend her a dime or give her a place to sleep until she can land on her feet. She’s totally tapped out financially, her artists muse has taken an extended vacation and while cleaning out a kitchen drawer while packing she discovers that her trip to Vegas nine and a half years ago just keeps on giving because that stranger she married on a whim, yeah well she never filed the annulment papers and they’re still man and wife. So she’s putting her real life on hold and is off to some middle of nowhere town called Minnow Bay Wisconsin to rectify that situation. What she finds when she gets there is not what she expected.
by Kelly Harms
Harms’ sophomore offering, The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay is a deferred coming of age story, a story about friendship, love and starting over. Her characters run the gamut from straight-laced to ultra quirky. Her town of Minnow Bay was quaint, eccentric and as much of a character as any of her actors. Her dialogue was easy to read and kept the flow of the story going. Her protagonist Lily is portrayed at first as a bit of an air-headed pushover who lets her friends and lovers lead her by the nose and I personally wanted to shake her a few times. But it was the way Harms beautifully manipulates Lily from a clueless yet steadfast doormat into a strong capable woman at the end that rocked this read.
To say artist Lily Stewart was having an off week would be a gross understatement. She’s being evicted from the only place she’s called home for the last ten years. Her so-called friends won’t lend her a dime or give her a place to sleep until she can land on her feet. She’s totally tapped out financially, her artists muse has taken an extended vacation and while cleaning out a kitchen drawer while packing she discovers that her trip to Vegas nine and a half years ago just keeps on giving because that stranger she married on a whim, yeah well she never filed the annulment papers and they’re still man and wife. So she’s putting her real life on hold and is off to some middle of nowhere town called Minnow Bay Wisconsin to rectify that situation. What she finds when she gets there is not what she expected.
November 18, 2019
2.75 stars. Silly and sweet. Some laugh out loud moments. Good enough to read until the end but the naivety and cluelessness of the main character was unbelievable. There was a lot of stuff jammed into the ending.
I also didn’t understand why a young woman living in a small, northern Wisconsin town would use words like “plotz” and “yenta”. Yes, it was funny but it didn’t really make sense.
Glad I borrowed it from the library and didn’t buy it.
I also didn’t understand why a young woman living in a small, northern Wisconsin town would use words like “plotz” and “yenta”. Yes, it was funny but it didn’t really make sense.
Glad I borrowed it from the library and didn’t buy it.
August 21, 2016
Lately all I read are books with senseless heroines who are stupid pushovers. This gal Lily was such an idiot that it ruined so much of what could of been a really sweet book. I mean really how dumb can one girl be......
December 28, 2017
I really enjoyed this little town called Minnow Bay and most of the characters in this story. A cute story that was a quick read.
June 25, 2020
Ugh. I’ve now read two books by this author, and I’ll never read anything else of hers. Trashy badly written chick lit in the worst sense of the word.
The only good thing about it as it was free I didn’t waste any money on it!
The only good thing about it as it was free I didn’t waste any money on it!
August 8, 2020
I loved this book. I can’t seem to pinpoint why sometimes the writing hits me in a way that makes me care so much. I read other books with much higher reviews or are bestsellers and I sometimes feel absolutely nothing for the characters. This time I was completely absorbed. I laughed and cried SO many times. Love love love
October 22, 2018
This will not be a favorable review. If you loved this book, please pass your way!
If there is something you should know about me, it’s that I love artists. I just can’t stop fantasizing about these special human beings, and what makes their minds so different from ours, ordinary people. So you can understand how much excitement I expected from a book written from the perspective of a talented, if not slightly messed up, landscape painter. What I didn’t expect however, was for the “messed up” part of the premise to be the understatement of the century. At the start of the story, Lily, the artist in question, is the most naïve, gullible, spineless and all-over bizarre human being to set foot on the literary lands. The girl’s decisions are so bad, she gives Shakespeare’s Juliette a run for her money, and Juliette was only 14 years old and high on love.
Anyway, the story starts with Lily, 32, being evicted from her apartment. Instead of reflecting on her decisions and finding what has gone wrong and why she is in this situation, she keeps moping and begging, first her (crappy) best friend, and second her (crappier) boyfriend/ Boss/ Gallerist, for help. Despite clearly knowing neither of them will oblige. These first few chapters were painful to read. I expect people to treat others with basic human decency, because everyone deserves that. More importantly, I expect people to treat themselves with respect and decency. I may stray from the mainstream genres here and there, but there is nothing I hate more than a self-abusive character, and I couldn’t see Lily otherwise.
Normally, this would have been one the “Do not finish / Burn in hell” books in my library. However, I accumulated too much unfinished reads lately, and decided to stick with this one at least to see this frail artist get her life together and improve her decision-taking process. Because she has to, right? This is how these books go! Well spoiler alert: She doesn’t! Or at least, in my opinion she doesn’t.
And this is how it goes down,
Obviously, I didn’t like this book. I respect all the people who did, but I just advice anyone who likes their female lead witty, sharp and strong to find another read. This is not for you!
If there is something you should know about me, it’s that I love artists. I just can’t stop fantasizing about these special human beings, and what makes their minds so different from ours, ordinary people. So you can understand how much excitement I expected from a book written from the perspective of a talented, if not slightly messed up, landscape painter. What I didn’t expect however, was for the “messed up” part of the premise to be the understatement of the century. At the start of the story, Lily, the artist in question, is the most naïve, gullible, spineless and all-over bizarre human being to set foot on the literary lands. The girl’s decisions are so bad, she gives Shakespeare’s Juliette a run for her money, and Juliette was only 14 years old and high on love.
Anyway, the story starts with Lily, 32, being evicted from her apartment. Instead of reflecting on her decisions and finding what has gone wrong and why she is in this situation, she keeps moping and begging, first her (crappy) best friend, and second her (crappier) boyfriend/ Boss/ Gallerist, for help. Despite clearly knowing neither of them will oblige. These first few chapters were painful to read. I expect people to treat others with basic human decency, because everyone deserves that. More importantly, I expect people to treat themselves with respect and decency. I may stray from the mainstream genres here and there, but there is nothing I hate more than a self-abusive character, and I couldn’t see Lily otherwise.
Normally, this would have been one the “Do not finish / Burn in hell” books in my library. However, I accumulated too much unfinished reads lately, and decided to stick with this one at least to see this frail artist get her life together and improve her decision-taking process. Because she has to, right? This is how these books go! Well spoiler alert: She doesn’t! Or at least, in my opinion she doesn’t.
And this is how it goes down,
Obviously, I didn’t like this book. I respect all the people who did, but I just advice anyone who likes their female lead witty, sharp and strong to find another read. This is not for you!
August 10, 2018
Yes, I rated this book even though I DNF'd it. Deal with it. I read 142 pages (over half) of this nonsense before I decided I'd had enough.
I am trying to remember the last time I read a book with a main character who was as stupid as this one, but I'm having a difficult time coming up with one. It's entirely possible that Lily is the most idiotic protagonist I've ever had the misfortune to read.
She has zero common sense. Whenever she is faced with a decision, she always makes the wrong one. She is shown evidence to suggest that her boyfriend/art dealer is taking advantage of her to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars, but believes his lame excuses without a second thought.
She is also a self-made victim. Everything that happens to her is everyone else's fault and she is always mistreated, in her own mind. Granted, her 'best friend' married her ex-boyfriend (definitely a shitty friend), but if you don't like it you don't stay friends with her. When she is evicted for not paying her rent she looks to everyone for a handout, then throws herself a pity party when the shitty people she's allowed into her life won't help her. Never once did it cross her mind to get a day job? Especially since she's not been painting recently? All I'm saying is that she makes a lot of her own mess and then looks outward for someone to blame. It's ridiculous.
Also, the dialogue was awful. People don't talk the way the author had these characters talking with one another. I could give specific examples, but really...just open up the book and you'll find plenty of examples. The writing was definitely lackluster overall.
And don't even get me started on the 'romance', which hadn't even started when I put the book down. The whole premise of this book is that Lily realizes that a man she married in Vegas one night is still legally her husband, after she didn't send in the annulment paperwork ten years earlier. She goes to confront him about it (for reasons I still don't understand. Have your lawyer friend take care of it!) and he is wary, thinking that maybe she is after his wealth, which seems completely reasonable to me. Instead of understanding how it would seem to have someone who you haven't seen for a decade show up at your door and claim that you're still married because of an accident, she gets all bent out of shape, calls him a bunch of names, then storms off. Another pity party ensues. Later she confronts him again and refuses to divorce him unless he is nice to her. GIVE ME A BREAK. I've seen zero chemistry between these two characters at all. All the ladies around town think he's 'so hot' and that's all I know about Ben, because I was stuck (trapped, really) in Lily's stupid head the entire time. SHE IS THE WORST.
One of my favorite lines that demonstrates her idiocy in a nutshell: "I've got to get home and get back to my real life, while there's still one to get back to." Girl...YOUR REAL LIFE SUCKS. You're a starving artist with a boyfriend who is stealing from you, a best friend who is married to your ex-boyfriend, maxed out credit cards, and no place to live.
I got sucked in by the title of this one. It sounded fun and whimsical, and the ratings were decent. But I ended up being very underwhelmed.
I am trying to remember the last time I read a book with a main character who was as stupid as this one, but I'm having a difficult time coming up with one. It's entirely possible that Lily is the most idiotic protagonist I've ever had the misfortune to read.
She has zero common sense. Whenever she is faced with a decision, she always makes the wrong one. She is shown evidence to suggest that her boyfriend/art dealer is taking advantage of her to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars, but believes his lame excuses without a second thought.
She is also a self-made victim. Everything that happens to her is everyone else's fault and she is always mistreated, in her own mind. Granted, her 'best friend' married her ex-boyfriend (definitely a shitty friend), but if you don't like it you don't stay friends with her. When she is evicted for not paying her rent she looks to everyone for a handout, then throws herself a pity party when the shitty people she's allowed into her life won't help her. Never once did it cross her mind to get a day job? Especially since she's not been painting recently? All I'm saying is that she makes a lot of her own mess and then looks outward for someone to blame. It's ridiculous.
Also, the dialogue was awful. People don't talk the way the author had these characters talking with one another. I could give specific examples, but really...just open up the book and you'll find plenty of examples. The writing was definitely lackluster overall.
And don't even get me started on the 'romance', which hadn't even started when I put the book down. The whole premise of this book is that Lily realizes that a man she married in Vegas one night is still legally her husband, after she didn't send in the annulment paperwork ten years earlier. She goes to confront him about it (for reasons I still don't understand. Have your lawyer friend take care of it!) and he is wary, thinking that maybe she is after his wealth, which seems completely reasonable to me. Instead of understanding how it would seem to have someone who you haven't seen for a decade show up at your door and claim that you're still married because of an accident, she gets all bent out of shape, calls him a bunch of names, then storms off. Another pity party ensues. Later she confronts him again and refuses to divorce him unless he is nice to her. GIVE ME A BREAK. I've seen zero chemistry between these two characters at all. All the ladies around town think he's 'so hot' and that's all I know about Ben, because I was stuck (trapped, really) in Lily's stupid head the entire time. SHE IS THE WORST.
One of my favorite lines that demonstrates her idiocy in a nutshell: "I've got to get home and get back to my real life, while there's still one to get back to." Girl...YOUR REAL LIFE SUCKS. You're a starving artist with a boyfriend who is stealing from you, a best friend who is married to your ex-boyfriend, maxed out credit cards, and no place to live.
I got sucked in by the title of this one. It sounded fun and whimsical, and the ratings were decent. But I ended up being very underwhelmed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2016
I received this book from St. Martin's Press via a Goodreads Giveaway.
I went back and forth on 3 and 4 stars but ended up giving it a 4 because I do really like this book.
Oh boy this book. First off it's not exactly chick lit but it's pretty dang close. It's not fluffy and light hearted it has some very real life situations that are serious. Not kill the book serious but it brings things out of the imaginary and keeps you grounded while reading.
I wanted to shake the living daylights out of Lily. Her naivety and general lack of understanding and adultness of the world was grinding on my last nerve. And it wasn't silly and cute it was annoying. However it's pretty much the main part of the book and thankfully she started waking up to the world around her.
I love Minnow Bay. I would live in Minnow Bay. And I would totally be best friends with Colleen and Jenny. I would also probably react to Ben the way Lily did at first but would then totally change my mind. Major crush here. I would get the heck out of Chicago. Tell Renee she's an awful friend, tell Mitchell that he's a sleazy slime ball and that would be the end of it. But that's just me.
I laughed, almost cried and enjoyed reading most of this book. Like I said it had some moments where I really didn't care about Lily but she grew on me.
Also note to Kelly Harms: You left a major cliff hanger (I think you know what it is) and I'm dying to know what happened!!! I'd be happy with a blog post with an update or something. Really ANYTHING to tell what happens would work for me. Pretty, pretty please!!!
I went back and forth on 3 and 4 stars but ended up giving it a 4 because I do really like this book.
Oh boy this book. First off it's not exactly chick lit but it's pretty dang close. It's not fluffy and light hearted it has some very real life situations that are serious. Not kill the book serious but it brings things out of the imaginary and keeps you grounded while reading.
I wanted to shake the living daylights out of Lily. Her naivety and general lack of understanding and adultness of the world was grinding on my last nerve. And it wasn't silly and cute it was annoying. However it's pretty much the main part of the book and thankfully she started waking up to the world around her.
I love Minnow Bay. I would live in Minnow Bay. And I would totally be best friends with Colleen and Jenny. I would also probably react to Ben the way Lily did at first but would then totally change my mind. Major crush here. I would get the heck out of Chicago. Tell Renee she's an awful friend, tell Mitchell that he's a sleazy slime ball and that would be the end of it. But that's just me.
I laughed, almost cried and enjoyed reading most of this book. Like I said it had some moments where I really didn't care about Lily but she grew on me.
Also note to Kelly Harms: You left a major cliff hanger (I think you know what it is) and I'm dying to know what happened!!! I'd be happy with a blog post with an update or something. Really ANYTHING to tell what happens would work for me. Pretty, pretty please!!!
August 25, 2016
Lily is struggling in every aspect of her life. She is an artist and hasn't sold a painting, which means she can't afford to live in Chicago and in turn must leave the city. Her boyfriend is a big disappointment and it's starting to get awkward regarding how many times she has to ask for the people in her life to bail her out. As she is packing up her apartment, she comes across paperwork for an annulment regarding a quickie Vegas wedding. But this quickie wedding isn't just for anyone, it's regarding HER wedding nearly ten years ago! She realizes she needs to actually file the paperwork this time, and goes to see her husband in person. He now lives in Minnow Bay, Wisconsin, which is pretty much the most quaint town of all time. When she finally sees Ben Hutchinson, her husband, things don't go well initially. It appears he has changed tremendously and is no longer the charismatic guy she once knew. The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms is a heartwarming beach read about figuring things out for yourself and second chances.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...
July 25, 2016
An enjoyable read from a new-to-me author, I devoured this one in a couple of days. I loved the protagonist, who was a total train wreck yet wanted desperately to figure out how to get her act together. Her quest to find a man she's still 'accidentally' married who happens to be living in Minnow Bay, Wisconsin, is the force that drives her out of Chicago. She leaves behind her stalled career as an artist, her best friend who treats her poorly, and her boyfriend (who is sort of the boss of her art career). In tiny Minnow Bay, she finds a lovely, supportive community who go to great lengths to keep her around. The humor, the witty dialogue, and dense web of relationships that keep the town afloat make for an entertaining and thought-provoking read about what truly matters in life. My only complaint is that there wasn't more romance. A few scenes left me wanting in that department. Overall, a wonderful novel. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2016
I enjoyed this so much, read it basically in a single sitting! The protagonist reminds me of my one my faves: Grace from Sarra Manning's UNSTICKY. This book is not like that one, but Lily is so hopelessly messed up & yet so infinitely likable & sympathetic I couldn't help but be reminded of Grace. And I've been on a real reading roll lately: the last 2 books (& the current one) have major art themes. Lily is your quintessential starving artist, and I have been itching to pick up my paints & camera, which excites me. Anywhoo, loved this, loved Lily, loved the quirky secondaries & quirky town featured. My only gripe? Loved the romance but wish there'd been more. Ben & Lily are great together, but I'm a romance girl & could've used more swoon, more details, more ACTION. So for that reason this gets 4 instead of 5 stars:)
June 2, 2016
Lily, a professional artist, suddenly finds her life falling apart. When she is evicted and quickly has to pack up all her belongings, she comes across annulment papers from an impromptu Vegas marriage that she completely forgot about. With no where to live, Lily travels to Minnow Bay, Wisconsin, to find her long long husband, apologise and fix this aspect of her life, at least. In this small northern town in the middle of winter, Lily is able to get new perspective on her life.
A fun and engaging book with a satisfying plot that will be difficult to put down. A perfect summer read!
A fun and engaging book with a satisfying plot that will be difficult to put down. A perfect summer read!
May 24, 2016
Lily's at a crossroads. Evicted, and trying to pack she finds she's still, accidentally married to a guy she barely remembers marrying on a dare, in Las Vegas, 10 years ago. Her friends and family have all gone silent as she asks for help. So, what's a girl to do? That's right, start fixing her life by running away to Minnow Bay. Change your location, change your mind, change your life. Love Lily, love Minnow Bay, WI and it's wacky, lovely cast of characters.
July 20, 2016
I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
I really enjoyed this book. It it has a good storyline, plenty of interesting well described characters, friendship, romance and some humour. I loved the romanticism of a small town and the support the people give each other. The awakening and changes to Lily made me smile.
A heart warming, easy read. 4****
I really enjoyed this book. It it has a good storyline, plenty of interesting well described characters, friendship, romance and some humour. I loved the romanticism of a small town and the support the people give each other. The awakening and changes to Lily made me smile.
A heart warming, easy read. 4****
May 15, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this fun, witty book about Lily, a young painter whose life is tumbling down around her and her decision to go to Minnow Bay, which sounds like a wonderful place by the way. Do things get better for Lily or worse? I highly recommend this heartwarming read!
July 30, 2016
I won this book through Goodreads. Really enjoyed this book. A nice summer read I read in one sitting.
August 8, 2016
Detailed review to come later. More of a 3.5 star book. Quirky. Funny at times. Main character can be frustrating.
April 17, 2018
This was enjoyable even if I did think the main character was dumb as shit.
December 29, 2018
As her life turns to ruins, and as she is cleaning out her apartment because she's being evicted, Lily discovers some annulment paperwork from a one night stand she had 10 years earlier and is plagued with guilt at yet another incidence of her inability to get her act together as a 30-something adult. Instead of just filing the paperwork, she tracks down her "husband" to apologize. This takes her to a small town in northern Wisconsin where the "husband" is a former dot.com genius/millionaire-turned hermit. He is taken aback and is suspicious with her sudden arrival, so things do not go well between them, until the town sees what the couple cannot and tries to put them back together.
Ok, so whereas I'd love to beef up my numbers for books to be read in 2018, when I started this book, I was not intentionally trying to finish it today. I hoped to finish it in the next few days, and yet I could not put this book down after the first 20-ish pages. It's the the type of book I feel embarrassed to rate 5 stars, and yet for this sort of ChickLit book, I thought it was really good and engaging. I think, for me, although I loved the "I hate you but I also think I love you" relationship between the main characters, what I loved best was the town. I really wished I could live there. I really love books about great small towns. And I loved that I could really picture everything, both the places and the characters. Some of the characters I didn't really care for (but I think that's the point) and sometimes the art-talk made me want to roll my eyes, but mostly I am delighted to have had a fun, great reading experience.
Ok, so whereas I'd love to beef up my numbers for books to be read in 2018, when I started this book, I was not intentionally trying to finish it today. I hoped to finish it in the next few days, and yet I could not put this book down after the first 20-ish pages. It's the the type of book I feel embarrassed to rate 5 stars, and yet for this sort of ChickLit book, I thought it was really good and engaging. I think, for me, although I loved the "I hate you but I also think I love you" relationship between the main characters, what I loved best was the town. I really wished I could live there. I really love books about great small towns. And I loved that I could really picture everything, both the places and the characters. Some of the characters I didn't really care for (but I think that's the point) and sometimes the art-talk made me want to roll my eyes, but mostly I am delighted to have had a fun, great reading experience.
June 15, 2017
I loved this book! Full of laughter, heartbreak, and bonding as only women can do. I loved the women in this beautiful story, and how sometimes it takes others to see the real person you are. I'm totally hooked on this author and the delightful stories she gives us. Kelly's first book is "The Girls of Shipwreck Lane"...another great read!
From Amazon:
A young painter, Lily has reached a crossroads in her life. Her career hasn't taken off, her best friend may no longer be the trusted friend she thought, her boyfriend is a disappointment, and now she can't keep up with the rising cost of living in the city. With no one to turn to, Lily is forced to move from her beloved apartment, but while packing she comes across a piece of mail that had slipped to the back of her junk drawer: a letter detailing further action needed to finalize the annulment of a quickie Vegas wedding. Ten years ago!
Lily decides it's time to turn over a new leaf and the first item on her list of things to fix is getting the annulment... but you can't just send a reply ten years later, "Hey by the way we are still married." This is something that must be addressed in person. Lily takes to the road to track down her husband - the charming, fun, and sexy man she connected with all those years ago - Ben Hutchinson.
Ben Hutchinson left a wealthy dot-com lifestyle behind to return home to his family and the small town he loves, Minnow Bay. He's been living off the grid and the last thing he expects is a wife he didn't know he had to show up on his doorstep.
By chance, Lily arrives at the magical Minnow Bay Inn, and there she will discover not just a place to lay her head, but new friends, a thriving art community, and maybe even the love of her life.
From Amazon:
A young painter, Lily has reached a crossroads in her life. Her career hasn't taken off, her best friend may no longer be the trusted friend she thought, her boyfriend is a disappointment, and now she can't keep up with the rising cost of living in the city. With no one to turn to, Lily is forced to move from her beloved apartment, but while packing she comes across a piece of mail that had slipped to the back of her junk drawer: a letter detailing further action needed to finalize the annulment of a quickie Vegas wedding. Ten years ago!
Lily decides it's time to turn over a new leaf and the first item on her list of things to fix is getting the annulment... but you can't just send a reply ten years later, "Hey by the way we are still married." This is something that must be addressed in person. Lily takes to the road to track down her husband - the charming, fun, and sexy man she connected with all those years ago - Ben Hutchinson.
Ben Hutchinson left a wealthy dot-com lifestyle behind to return home to his family and the small town he loves, Minnow Bay. He's been living off the grid and the last thing he expects is a wife he didn't know he had to show up on his doorstep.
By chance, Lily arrives at the magical Minnow Bay Inn, and there she will discover not just a place to lay her head, but new friends, a thriving art community, and maybe even the love of her life.
April 21, 2020
I love a good small town read, and this book did not disappoint! Lily is a starving artist who realizes she never signed the annulment papers from her one-night-stand-turned-wedding in Vegas 10 years ago. She of course has to track her "husband" down and finds him in Minnow Bay, Wisconsin.
Lily finds more than her husband in Minnow Bay. She finds an adorable town with kind, hard-working people who turn to friends. And not to be cliche, but she finds herself there too. Lily has a very tell it like it is personality, and I liked the banter between her and her friends and her "husband", Ben.
I thought I knew exactly how this story would go based on the title, but there's so many surprises along the way that made for a fun story! If you're like me and love small towns (or just reading about them), definitely check this one out!
Lily finds more than her husband in Minnow Bay. She finds an adorable town with kind, hard-working people who turn to friends. And not to be cliche, but she finds herself there too. Lily has a very tell it like it is personality, and I liked the banter between her and her friends and her "husband", Ben.
I thought I knew exactly how this story would go based on the title, but there's so many surprises along the way that made for a fun story! If you're like me and love small towns (or just reading about them), definitely check this one out!
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