Rowena’s review of Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker by Marla Martensen.
In Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker, Marla takes her readers for a hilarious romp through her days as an L.A. matchmaker and her daily struggles to keep her self-esteem from imploding in a town where looks are everything and money talks. From juggling the demands her out-of-touch clients to trying her best to meet the capricious demands of an insensitive boss to the ups and downs of her own marriage to a Latin husband who doesn’t think that she is ‘domestic’ enough, Marla writes with charm and self-effacement about the universal struggles that all women face in their lives.
Readers will laugh, cringe, and cry as they journey with her through outrageous stories about the indignities of dating in Los Angeles, dealing with overblown egos, vicariously hobnobbing with celebrities, and navigating the wannabe-land of Beverly Hills. In a city where perfection is almost a prerequisite, even Marla can’t help but run for the Botox every once in a while.
I didn’t know when I picked this book up that it was a real life chick lit novel but it is. When I realized that it was real and not fiction, I was immediately expecting not to like it but like I usually am, I was wrong.
When I finally settled in and read this book, I couldn’t put it down. It was a fast, funny read that kept me in fits of giggles throughout the book. Marla’s sparkling personality shines as she’s recounting the botched matchmaking attempts and the crazy clients that came her way. She tells the reader all of this with a humor that will keep you smiling through out the book. Marla was an interesting character to get to know too. She could be one of our chick lit heroines who goes through a bunch of shit before she gets it right.
It was interesting to read about the behind the scenes goings on of a Beverly Hills Matchmaking Service and it was just a total treat to read about. I mean, the demands that some of her clients had made my brows rise all the way up my forehead because seriously…they really did believe that looks were everything and that money can buy anything. Reading this made me realize that I would never cut it as a matchmaker. To have to deal with the kind of clients that Marla dealt with, I just, I couldn’t do it. Because not only does she have this douchey older men to deal with but she also has younger, gold digging tramps to deal with too. Oh yeah and her boss? What a tyrant. I certainly couldn’t work for him.
The book reads like someone is letting you in on a big secret and I enjoyed that about this book. This peek into Marla’s life as a matchmaker was a fun way to spend a few hours and I think lovers of chick lit would get a kick out of this book.
Grade: 4 out of 5
This book is available from Betties Young Books. You can buy it here.
I reviewed this book and loved it too! Such a fun book!!! She’s a great writer.