The Singles Table is the third book in The Marriage Game series. It was so much fun to return to the Patel family and their matchmaking shenanigans. Those Aunties never fail to make me laugh. Right away they could tell that thee was something sparking between Zara and Jay….even if they refuse to admit it to themselves.
Zara and Jay first meet at a combined bachelor/bachlorette paint ball competition and immediately clash. Zara thinks Jay is an egotistical alpha male while Jay think Zara is attractive but very loud and all over the place. The two characters are on complete opposite sides of the spectrum of life. As they continue to run into each other at various wedding functions, they make a deal: if Zara can find Jay a perfect match for his lacking love life he will in turn introduce her to some of his more famous clients. All seems very black and white and in order except for the little fact that trading barbs starts to become a little fun.
Jay and Zara are both afraid of relationships and commitment due to being hurt when they were younger. Zara’s parents divorced when she was 11 year old and it crushed her and her faith in love. Jay grew up with a angle mother and has never met his father. He joined the air force after graduation and now experiences nightmares from the things he experienced. This only causes him to pull further away from the idea of a real relationship. Zara brings a sense of excitement to Jay in the way that she embraces life and shows joy. She reminds him of life before he got scared. In return, Jay brings a sense of calm to Zara who has spent years of avoiding suitors from her Aunties. She enjoys bantering with him and feels a sense of possibility. There is real sense of possibility for them both.
The banter between Jay and Zara jumps off the page. So does the sexual chemistry. I read all or their story in one sitting because I felt so invested. Also, there were so many “almost” moments between then that made it hard to put down. I had to know what was going to happen with them! Plus, I was also enjoying Zara’s desire to meet celebrities and have them sign her arm. And I knew that the “find Jay a match ” portion of the story wasn’t going to last – these two were obviously end game.
The Singles Table uses the troupes of enemies to lovers and sunshine vs grumpy perfectly. It had me laughing one minute and swooning the next. There was a dramatic conflict but, thanky other was resolved rather quickly. In comparison to the other two books The Marriage Game series, it was much easier to make it through the dramatic conflict and still want them together. Zara and Jay had captured my heart just as they captured each other’s.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
**I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
welcome to the zoo! 