Imagine that you’re the ultimate matchmaker. You know a person’s soul mate simply by touching him. Obviously, it’s your calling in life to run a dating service, and you get a lot of fulfillment out of bringing the right people together.
But just like the cobbler whose children have no shoes, what if your own love remained elusive, even as you set others on the path to romance?
Familiar Plotline
That’s the interesting premise that starts off Searching for Someday by Jennifer Probst, and it gets even better from there. The main character, Kate, finally does find her own true love, but with a healthy dose of irony.
It’s Slade, a high-powered divorce attorney who wants nothing more than to take her dating service down. It’s that old literary device that’s played itself out in books, TV shows, and movies from You’ve Got Mail to Avatar, and it works very nicely here.
Despite using a familiar trope, this book is most definitely an original with a strong human touch. It will make you laugh, and it also has its share of touching moments. You can’t help but love Robert the dog, especially if you own a rescued dog yourself.
Likeable Characters
Another strength for Searching for Someday is that way it makes you care about the characters. You’ll love how Kate and her crew work to bring out the best in their clients as they help them find the right match. You’ll even feel for Slade, despite his desire to destroy Kinnection, because he’s not doing it for some evil purpose. He has his reasons and truly believes he’s doing the right thing.
Probst portrays the chemistry between Kate and Slade perfectly. You’re rooting for them to get and stay together throughout the entire book, and despite the ups and downs, you’re rewarded with a very satisfying ending.
Enjoyable Supporting Cast
Another of Probst’s strengths is making even the secondary characters interesting and engaging. The supporting cast includes Kennedy and Arilyn, Kate’s besties and partners in the business, and her mother, Madeline, a likeable hippy with a free spirit. Their presences helps to flesh out the world created in the book and make it feel like a real, comfortable place that you’re visiting.
Supernatural Themes
Like some of Probst’s other books, Searching for Someday has supernatural themes. Kate’s power is literally shocking, since she feels a jolt when she’s found a romantic match. Readers of her other books will recognize the Book of Spells when it makes an appearance.
If you have fundamental Christian beliefs, this aspect of the story might not be comfortable for you. However, for most readers, it’s just a fun set-up for the plot. After all, God Himself made a soul mate for Adam in the book of Genesis, and we all dream of finding the partner who’s meant especially for us. That makes it easy to empathize with Kate, who finds love for others but just can’t seem to capture it herself, and to feel sorry for Slade, who has good reason to be wary of relationships.
Perfect for a Relaxing Time
All in all, Searching for Someday is a quick, enjoyable read. Don’t be surprised if you want to read it from cover to cover the first time you pick it up. It’s a light, fluffy escape that’s perfect for any relaxing situation, from the bathtub to the beach. Just beware if you read it in public because certain scenes, like the yoga, are sure to have you laughing out loud.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be some gut wrenching moments. Kate and Slade have such different world views that it feels almost impossible for a fairytale romance to come to fruition. But don’t worry, Kate’s touch is always right, and it says that Slade is the man for her. That leaves you, as the reader, to enjoy the process by which these two characters finally prove that opposites do, indeed, attract.