I'm feeling really conflicted about this book. At first, I thought this might be a 5 star read, because I was so drawn in by the story. It was so cute, so magical, so charming. I also did think this was very well written. However, I thought the book lacked some substance. I thought the plot felt a little boring, a little insignificant. And I truly did think Claire Kann, after having written several books with themes of asexuality, would subvert the matchmaking trope more, and maybe delve into aromanticism. I was kind of counting on it, honestly. And sure, the book did state a couple of times that matchmaking isn't just romantic, but these were all commented in passing, and I was really hoping for a little more of a conversation surrounding that.
So adorable! Perfect Middle Grade Valentine's Read about two cousins with magical powers learning life lessons about relationships and connections to people. Definitely a sweet start to a new series. Just be aware--although it's pretty obvious from the premise--this series does feature (age-appropriate) romance and crushes for the 12 year old protagonists.
What a unique, heartwarming, magical story! Loved this so much! Cousins Rose & Cora Seville aren't your typical 8th graders. They are matchmakers-in-training, learning how to magically make love connections out of San Francisco's Hotel Coeur, where they live in the penthouse suite. As young Fledglings, Rose & Cora must perfect their charms & enchantments to pass a test that will determine their future, but they are not prepared for all the drama ahead! Confident, cool Rose, the most promising Fledgling of her generation, thinks her magic can help her handle any assignment that's thrown at her. But when she is faced with a bitter rival & headstrong Kindling, will she be able to rise to the challenge? As for kind-yet-complicated Cora, she's usually in her cousin's shadow. But new powers that allow her to see others' emotions might make her a secret weapon in the matchmaking world. Will Cora's special abilities help or hurt her when a crush on a boy puts her matchmaker ethics on the line? I loved the hotel location, the family, & these 2 cousins who are best friends. We alternate POV between Rose & Cora, & I loved that (as I usually do). They are both so different, & have such different experiences with their tests. Every detail was so unique & imaginative in here. Loved the whole idea of this magic system with match makers, & how they can each also have unique talents as well. Such a charming, magical, heartwarming read. There's light wholesome crush/1st romance appropriate for MG age as well. I loved the ending, except 1 part I wish would've been a little different. But who knows? Maybe it will be in the next book, which I can't wait for it to come out! Highly recommend! BEAUTIFUL cover by Lissy Marlin too.💜
So like I logically understand that just because an author is queer and has mostly written books with asexual representation in the past doesn't mean that all over the books need to have queer representation. But I was still disappointed. Maybe that's on me I don't know
This book had potential but the way that every single plot and subplot was finished out was the wrong decision in my opinion. There's no texture and there's no grit to this book. Everything is smooth sailing and exactly how I would expect a classic cishet story to go. It was boring.
We've got a cool premise about magic and these kids doing a trial but none of it is interesting. One of the cousins shows not a single ounce of interest in boys and then all of a sudden her entire character development is about a boy? Then we have a secondary character who is so clearly coded to be queer but then she's not? I just do not understand.
This is definitely my least favorite of Claire Kann's books.
This was such a cute, delightful novel. Kann has not disappointed me yet, and I think this might actually be my favourite novel from her so far. Which is shocking. It’s a middle grade fantasy. I expected to like it, but I didn’t think I’d LOVE it. The world and characters and plot are just so good. There’s nothing to dislike here. I’m very excited for book two.
Claire Kann builds a world here with a matchmaking culture similar that in Roselle Lim's adult romances, but with an underlying magical society that reminds me of Claribel A. Ortega'sWitchlings (2022).
I was pretty disappointed by this, to be honest. It's about these 2 young girls - cousins - who have the magic to create the chance for people to fall in love, they're sort of Cupids in a way but in a more consensual sort of way? Anyways.
What drawn me to it was that it gave me Zack & Cody vibes. Two cousins basically brought up like sisters, who live in a hotel and find themselves in messy situations. Great, right? But that's where the appeal ended and so did my enjoyment of the story.
Right from the very beginning, I had the impression that these relationships were forced on me? ("me" as in "the reader"). Cora didn't seem to be interested in boys and yet, at the first chance the author got, there you have it, a boy who talks to her once and now we have a love interest situation that had no business being there, it was so unnecessary. And the second thing that rubbed me the wrong way was how all the relationships portrayed (the parents, Cora and the boy, the couples the two Cupids are making fall in love) were 100% straight and Claire Kann has so far written YA books with queer characters, so why stop now? Only because it is a middle grade book instead of a YA? Because we couldn't entertain the idea of having queer kids or having queer couples the kids could come in contact with? It really, really irked me.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rose and Cora Seville are like every 12 yo, they go to school, have homework, hang out. But they have a little thing others don't have... They are matchmakers, they have actual magic and will be able to create "Singe" and help people find love, all kinds of love. But it's actually a pretty demanding job and it becomes even more demanding when the Matchmaker council decides that they are ready to get to the next step and that they just have to pass this one test. Except this test is far from being easy...
This was very cute and I loved our two main characters. I loved the whole set up of the hotel and the whole thing about matchmaking. It also read very fast. And it made me long for more. My only issue is that even at 50% of the book, it kind of felt like things were still setting up, like it was only the beginning. So, to me, the pacing was a little off and it made me feel kind of weird as a whole. But, overall, this was just a fun, agreeable time and story and I'm truly truly looking forward to the next book in this series. I just really want to see these characters again, I really fell in love with them. This was adorable basically, gimme more.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC!
What an enjoyable book this was! I was intrigued by two things from the premise. One, that the setting was in San Francisco which is where I live. Second, that there was a little bit of romance in this middle grade book. Now that my older daughter is in middle school, I've noticed that she is more open to reading (and talking) about romance. So I'm now in the search for some appropriate reads.
I loved the premise of the book. Our main characters are cousins, Rose and Cora, who are part of a long history of Matchmakers. Their dads are twins and the two cousins are 8th graders, and only 1 month apart in age. They use magic to make their matches, and the world building in this book is excellent. There are a number of specific terms and language as part of the Matchmaking world, and even a helpful glossary in the back of the book.
Rose is a gifted and natural Fledgling, and has a lot of confidence. This is so different from her cousin Cora who is less confident. In fact, she was deemed a late bloomer by her own family and the Council. Cora is now living with Rose in San Francisco, as her own parents are overseas for an important mission.
Of course, with this being a book about Matchmaking, there was some age appropriate romance too! Rose and Cora both have assignments that they must do in order to past their early tests to advance to the next level. Rose is assigned the grumpy 21 year old barista who works in their family hotel's cafe. Cora (oh, this was heartbreaking for my mama heart) is assigned the boy that she likes!
Both Rose and Cora learn valuable lessons and show determination and resourcefulness.
4 enthusiastic stars! I think my 6th grader will enjoy this one a lot.
SuiteHearts: Harmony and Heartbreak by Claire Kann is the first in the Suitehearts Series and was a love filled match made in heaven. Rose and her cousin Cora are newly teenage matchlings. They are in the process of becoming matchmakers. They have to complete a task to become full matchmakers, but if they fail, they will have to wait a whole year to try again.
I loved that the two main characters, Rose and Cora were matchmakers in training. This gave them a very interesting problem or task to resolve. Although they had magic, they couldn’t access it to its fullest potential until they become full matchmakers. That allows them to push harder at fulfilling the task. On top of that, they are only thirteen. Not only are they dealing with trying to become matchmakers, but also everyday teen life. Between the magic, teen life, and just the struggle of being a teenage girl, this coming of age is magically amazing.
I’d highly recommend this to readers 11 and up. It can also be read with assistance to younger audiences.
I can’t wait to dive into the next book in the series.
*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of SuiteHearts: Harmony and Heartbreak from Claire Kann via NetGalley
Harmony and Heartbreak is the first book in the charming, magical series called Suite Hearts. The story centers on two cousins, Rose and Cora, who come from a long line of matchmakers. The girls are also Matchmakers who have magical powers that allow them to forge love connections between people. As Fledglings or young Matchmakers in training, Rose and Cora practice their skills under the supervision of their guardians, but the time has come to take an exam to see if they can graduate to a higher Matchmaker level without the help of their guardians. Rose, who is always confident and has an intuitive sense to her magic, is excited about this opportunity. Cora has the opposite reaction. Cora is much quieter and is used to being in her cousin’s shadow and has more challenges with her magic, is filled with doubt. They have two chances to pass the exam. If they fail, they could have their magic taken away. What makes the challenge even harder is that it will focus on their individual weaknesses. Kann has created a delightful world filled with magic, but it is also rooted in reality as the girls navigate real life issues such as friendship troubles, crushes, and self confidence. This would be a great gateway book for younger readers who are hesitant to pick up a full-on fantasy story. The world building is easy to follow and there is a glossary provided for words that are specific to the world.The story is told in alternating perspectives by Ros and Cora, but I found myself more interested in the introverted Cora. While the story wraps up nicely in the first book, there are lingering questions left to be explored in the further books. I plan on continuing the series. Harmony and Heartbreak is a fun, Black Girl magic read.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Claire Kann, and HarperCollins for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This was a cute surprise! I don't love a lot of fantasy books, but the premise of magical matchmaking girls was intriguing to me, and I did enjoy it! Rose and Cora were relatable characters that I think a lot of young readers will be able to connect to. I loved how sweet all the love was in the book, and it was fun having a challenge aspect that the girls were working to complete throughout. It was a little too sweet/young for me, as I found some of it a bit too cheesy and on the nose. I also found myself a bit confused at times because it seemed like readers were just thrown straight into this world without much of an explanation; I think that it would have benefitted readers to have certain terms or aspects of the matchmaking world explained a bit better earlier on. This is not a series that I will be personally anxiously awaiting, but I do think that it was very cute, fun, and will attract lots of young girls.
This is such a cute teen story. I like how the two main characters are cousins with a unique relationship where the one is being taken care of by the other's parents while hers are out of the country. I also like that they have a similar skill with matchmaking, but are completely two different personalities. They approach their relationships and challenges with matchmaking in different ways.
I also really liked how the hotel is a hub for matchmakers. It's interesting that this is a skill passed down to each generation, it makes it a fun tightknit community.
I'm not sure how the Julian character really plays into the book as it seems an afterthought for a rival as that was only explored on the surface, so would have liked to see that storyline play out a little more. Other than that it's a quick, fun, light-hearted read.
I received a copy for free from a Goodreads Giveaway, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rose and Cora are cousins, and are magical matchmakers in training, with the ability to see into the hearts of others, and help nudge them into a path that connects them with those who will love them, in this book, Rose and Cora each need to show that they are qualified to move on, and have a special set challenge. For Rose, it means finding someone for the prickly barista who won't let anyone in. For Cora, it's even harder,,,
This is a sweet, light read that will appeal to tween/teen girls who love the idea of romance and magic. While it's not a "change the world" book, it is a fun book that will make the reader smile. I am sure we will be hearing more of Rose and Cora in the future.
A charming feel good middle grade gentle read with a wise and true heart. There is such depth in Claire Kann’s writing, how she sees family, cousins, friends, the burden of expectations, and first love. Her middle school cousins and matchmakers in training, Cora and Rose, are round characters with real depth & real stakes. The magic system for matchmaking and worldbuilding is so strong it needs a glossary!
I read slowly to savor the characters and Kann’s world and because, spoiler warning, as it says right in the subtitle, the course of young romance does not always run smoothly.
A fantastic, five star series starter highly recommended for fellow fans of Claribel A. Ortega and B.B. Alston’s Amari books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a really cute middle grade book full of fun matchmaker magic! Two cousins are navigating the trials of friendships, crushes, family, and the powers that be while trying to pass their matchmaker tests! I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and all the beautiful imagery (specifically around the heartstrings). It felt at times that the author was setting up the series and so there were a few slower bits - and it seemed ti wrap up pretty quickly at the end - but all in all an interesting read! I would highly recommend this book!
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was so cute! I absolutely adored it! Rose and Cora are 8th graders and they are magical! They are both in training to to be magical Matchmakers. They are given a set of tests that will decide if they can become full Matchmakers. Each girl has to pass their very different tests that live whole lives depend on it. When it comes to matters of the heart nothing is ever easy, especially in middle school. I absolutely adored this book. It was a sweet little Sunday read that felt like a warm hug. It's full of great characters and has a very interesting plot. I can't wait to read the next story!
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I have to start out by saying how adorably cute this book was and it is only the first book in the series. Rose and Cora are cousins who are training to be matchmakers. It is one of the sweetest books I have read this year and in a while for that matter. It was a nice adventure in a feel-good kind of way. I can't wait to see what they will get up to next.
WOWZA. This took me a minute to get started, but once I got through the setup, I was INVESTED. It does fill a romance gap for books and there’s a bit of fantasy here , too. The characters really grow and come into themselves by the end though and I like the message that love is not only platonic. My only beef is that all the couples are straight, but Liz mentioned that the author does dabble in aromantic/queer lit and this is only the first book, so we will see.
This was a cute, lighthearted, middle grade romance, steeped in magic realism. The adventurous escapades of the main characters, as well as the infusion of magic throughout the book, mark it as one of the more engaging romances that I've read.
Great diversity in the characters. Light and appropriate for middle grade readers.
Oh my god this story was sooooo freaking CUTE!!! I love the whole idea of them being modern day cupids. The best thing that I loved about this book was Cora and Dylan’s relationship! It was so SQUEALWORTHY!! Unfortunately I didn’t really care so much for Rosa’s side of the story though she did get some character growth in the end. The ending has me so STRESSED!
Matchmaking and magic in a hotel; sort of a middle grade, more fantasy oriented Match Made in Mehendi. Wasn't quite what I wanted, but fans of romance and magical realism will enjoy this.
Gosh this was such a cute read and I can absolutely see the reader for this! Yes, it's weird that 12 year olds (12/13? I lost track, sorry) are matchmakers, but whatever, who cares, if that age can save the world they can also make some love happen.
I won this book on a giveaway, thank you for allowing me to review this book. I gave it 5 stars because it was about magic and love, what a great combination. It was a great tween book. It was funny yet kept my interest throughout. Very lovely book.
Adorable middle grade novel set around two girl cousins in a magical matchmaking culture. This both made me smile about the sweetness and broke my heart. Justice for Cora!