searching for perfect by Jennifer Probst (Review)

searching for perfect

By Jennifer Probst

Synopsis:

The up-and-coming matchmaking agency Kinnections is the hottest thing to hit Verily, New York—just like Kennedy Ashe, social director for the service she owns with her two best girlfriends. A coach, consultant, and cheerleader rolled into one super-sizzling package, Kennedy creates dream dates, encourages singles to shine, and never refuses a challenge—not even Nate Ellison Raymond Dunkle, rocket scientist, nerd extraordinaire, and Kennedy’s newest client.

Kennedy vows to work her magic and transform this hot mess in a lab coat with a disastrous relationship track record into the most wanted man on the Verily dating scene. If only she could turn the wand on herself… Though she radiates confidence and sex appeal, Kennedy harbors deep-seated insecurities from a tormented past and lifelong struggle with weight issues. When she realizes she and Nate are cut from the same cloth and might be perfect together, can Kennedy learn to let her heart lead the way? Or will her fears sentence her to the sidelines as Nate finds love—with someone else?

Review:

On goodness gracious Nate Dunkle is one hot nerd! When we first meet Ned he is the quintessential nerd, and, as Kennedy points out, his initials spell N.E.R.D. He also has a bad case of insert foot and swallow because he’s listened to his older brother’s advice like it was gospel. I really felt bad for the guy. Nate sincerely wants a person to share his life with. He wants a family to come home to every night. He was trying so hard to follow all of the pointers Cosmo and reading sexy novels could provide. Unfortunately, he missed the fact that most of that is bullshit.

Enter Kennedy, a matchmaker with Kinnections. She sees her ultimate challenge in the mess that walks into one of her mixers. And Ned wasn’t a hot mess, he was just a mess. Kennedy sets up a plan to remake Ned, starting with reclaiming his name. What Kennedy can’t predict is how Nate will remake her.

Life hasn’t always been kind to Kennedy, and she’s worked hard to claim the person she’s become, the person the world sees. The beautiful, stylish, and confident woman is somewhat of a façade. Kennedy encountered circumstances as a teenager that convinced her that being smart and fat was to blame for the horrible abuse she suffered. In order to combat these feelings, Kennedy began to hide her intelligence and focus on becoming aesthetically pleasing.  To quote Nate, she became her own Frankenstein. (Which btw is incorrect, because the monster’s name was never mentioned in the book. The doctor’s name was Victor Frankenstein.)

Nate knows he’s attracted to Kennedy. He even goes so far to admit it. What does Kennedy do? She sets him up with other woman. Poor Nate. He’s been overlooked for years, and when he finally starts coming into his own, the woman he wants can’t admit it. Luckily, there are a few people to help this couple along the way, not to mention a love spell.

searching for perfect is part of the Searching for series, which is a spinoff of the Marriage to a Billionaire series. I actually liked this book better than the billionaire series. The characters are so relatable, and I don’t know who could resist the pull of the hot rocket scientist— I mean aerospace engineer. The book is a very quick and engaging read.

Reviewed by Liz.