Just like a reader and their favorite book, a great story and a gorgeous cover are the perfect match, don’t you think? We know that Sophie Go would agree—the professional matchmaker at the heart of Roselle Lim’s upcoming book Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club, which hits shelves on August 16, 2022. Here we have an exclusive look at the cover. But first, read our mini-interview with the author!
Tell us about your book cover! What was the cover design process like for you?
I’ve been incredibly lucky with Berkley’s art team. My covers follow a distinct formula so that—all together—they create a beautiful aesthetic. Each cover, but especially this one, encapsulates the setting, the magic, and the whimsy of the words inside.
What inspired you to write Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club?
I read an article years ago about a village of old bachelors in China. That was the seed of the story. I decided that it had to be set in Toronto, which is my hometown. I had written a love letter to Paris in my previous book (Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop), but I haven’t written a book about my city, the city I know best, and the place I love and loathe! I mixed in my fondest memories of my grandparents and combined that with an intrepid matchmaker as my main character. What emerged was my exploration into the many expressions of love and the ways we cope with loneliness.
In three words, what can readers expect from Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club?
Love, wonder, and hope.
Do you judge books by their covers? What’s your favorite cover of all time?
I’m an artist, so I’m drawn to compelling covers! They’re like miniature paintings. A good cover creates a mood that pulls a reader in. For example, the cover for Yangsze Choo’s The Night Tiger left me speechless. I saw magic and mystery in the scattered stars in the background and yearned to know what the woman looked like. I find myself discovering something new whenever I look at it.
What books do you recommend we pick up while we wait for Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club to hit shelves on August 16?
Kellye Garrett’s Like a Sister (coming March 2022), Elizabeth Acevedo’s Clap When You Land, and Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko. Kellye Garrett is an amazing mystery writer and I can’t wait for the world to read her books, Elizabeth Acevedo’s prose left me breathless, and Min Jin Lee crafts historical atmosphere and family sagas like no one else.
Now, let’s get our first peek at Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club!
Art Direction: Rita Frangie
Here’s the official summary for Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club:
A new heartfelt novel about the power of loneliness and the strength of love that overcomes it by critically acclaimed author Roselle Lim.
Newly minted professional matchmaker Sophie Go has returned to Toronto, her hometown, after spending three years in Shanghai. Her job is made quite difficult, however, when she is revealed as a fraud—she never actually graduated from matchmaking school. In a competitive market like Toronto, no one wants to take a chance on an inexperienced and unaccredited matchmaker, and soon Sophie becomes an outcast.
In dire search of clients, Sophie stumbles upon a secret club within her condo complex: the Old Ducks, seven septuagenarian Chinese bachelors who never found love. Somehow, she convinces them to hire her, but her matchmaking skills are put to the test as she learns the depths of loneliness, heartbreak, and love by attempting to make the hardest matches of her life.
Roselle Lim is a Filipino Chinese writer who came to Canada from the Philippines as a young teen and learned English by watching wrestling shows on television. She has a degree in humanities and history from York University. She is the critically acclaimed author of Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune, Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop, and the upcoming Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club. Roselle lives on the north shore of Lake Erie and always has an artistic project on the go. You can find her as @rosellewriter on Instagram and Twitter.
