Just Finished: Kismetology

I’m not sure what I expected when I picked up Kismetology by Jaimie Admans. I did know that I loved the cover, though. How cute is it? What I ended up getting, aside from the adorable cover, was a fun and amusing novel.

Here’s the synopsis:

Finding the perfect man isn't easy. Especially when it's for your mother...
Mothers. Can't live with them, can't live without them, can't live three doors down the road without them interfering in every aspect of your life.
Mackenzie Atkinson's mother has meddled in her love life once too often and something has to be done. Mackenzie decides to turn the tables and find love for her lonely mother.
Her lonely and very fussy mother.
Surely finding an older gentleman looking for love won't be that hard, right?
Wrong.
If you've ever thought that boys grow up, here's the problem: They don't. Ever.And Mackenzie is about to learn that the hard way.
Faced with a useless boyfriend, dressed up dogs, men who wear welly boots on dates, men who shouldn't be allowed out in public, and men who make reptiles seem like attractive company - will she ever find the perfect man for her neurotic mother?

The thing I loved most about this book was that it was just such a unique idea. While it did remind me of the movie Because I Said So (instead of a mom (Diane Keaton) searching for a date for her daughter (Mandy Moore), this book had a daughter trying to find a man for her mother) I have never read or watched anything with this premise. I honestly couldn’t imagine trying to find a date for my own mom so it was quite hilarious to read about Mackenzie’s adventures.

I did find that the book sort of dragged a bit. There were just too many dates, too many fights, too much of the same thing over and over again. It was all very repetitive and didn’t drive the plot forward at all.

I also found that I needed more with Jenni because I didn’t realize she and Mackenzie were such close friends. I love where they ended up by the time the book finished but I was surprised because they didn’t seem that close. I think just a few more scenes with them (and not ones when they’re at work) to replace some of the date scenes would be a great addition.

I found Dan and Eleanor (aka Mum) quite unlikeable. They both berated and belittled Mackenzie in subtle ways. At the same time, I felt as though Mackenzie needed to grow a spine and stand up to the both of them. I couldn’t understand why she couldn’t just articulate how she felt to the two of them.

This seems like a pretty negative review, doesn’t it? I really did enjoy reading Kistmetology, honest! It had me giggling throughout. Take this line for example,

Mackenzie: “What’s wrong with her fridge?”
Dan: “It’s heating up.”
Mackenzie: “So, what, it’s got personality affective disorder? It thinks it’s a microwave?”

Overall, I had fun reading Kismetology by Jaimie Admans. I had a few issues with it but it was, for the most part, a very amusing read. I'll be on the lookout to see what she comes up with next!

Happy reading :)

*I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review*