Your Last First Date: Secrets from a Hollywood Matchmaker

Kuba’s lively debut dating guide provides an unvarnished look into the high-stakes profession of celebrity matchmaking. A former screenwriter who founded her own matchmaking service in 2014, the author depicts a chaotic industry filled with insecure or demanding personalities (“I’ll take young, busty, outgoing, and blonde, please!”) and fraught with challenges like maintaining the privacy of high-profile clients and recognizing when the matchmaker’s emotional investment blurs professional boundaries. The book centers around three client case studies (names have been changed)—Meera, a young publicist seeking “twin flame” intensity, who learned to distinguish chemistry from compatibility; Kent, a middle-aged director who only dated “8s and 9s,” but eventually confronted his fixation with appearances; and Callie, a 42-year-old studio executive, who set a one-year deadline to find a partner, but learned to redefine her rigid notions of success. Across these narratives, Kuba stresses that genuine connection is rooted in vulnerability, self-awareness, and a willingness to revise expectations in service of true connection. Though those lessons will feel familiar to most readers, her insights into the matchmaking industry entertain while providing broader commentary on the challenges and opportunities intrinsic to modern dating. This will enlighten and reassure singles seeking direction. (Jan.)