View source for It Takes Two (Cupid Company) by Amber Aitken

{{infobox1 
|title= It Takes Two (Cupid Company)
|author= Amber Aitken
|reviewer= Sue Magee
|genre=Confident Readers  
|summary= A heart-warming story of romance, friendship and the entrepreneurial spirit as twelve year olds Coral and best friend Nicks set up their matchmaking agency in her beach hut.  A good summer read.
|rating=3.5 
|buy= Maybe
|borrow= Yes
|pages=256 
|publisher= Harper Collins Children's Books
|date= August 2009
|isbn=978-0007313495  
|cover=0007313497
|aznuk=0007313497
|aznus=0007313497
}}

Great-Aunt Coral left her namesake the beach hut in her will and it was a splendid opportunity for Coral and her best friend Nicks to set up Cupid Company.  They believe that their mission in life is to help everyone to find their One True Love.  The girls are twelve years old and along with Coral's Jack Russell, Romeo (see, even he's getting in on the act!) they set about decorating the beach hut and making posters on questionnaires for the matchmaking agency.

It's a comedy of errors as the pair set about their task in the first book of a planned trilogy and it makes for a delightful summer read for girls in the nine plus age group.  Boys should definitely look away as it's unlikely to appeal at all, with hearts at the bottom of every page, flowery throws, primrose rugs and pink paint.  Even the fact that Coral's Dad is an accountant and likes things cheap and cheerful doesn't really redress the balance all that much.  This is an unashamed girly book.

It's got a real feel-good factor too and it's impossible for even an old wrinkly like me not to feel heart-warmed after reading it.  Yes, there's romance, but there's a real emphasis on friendship as being what's important.  I loved the town of Sunday Harbour too and there's a good cast of supporting characters.

Be warned – there's a sneak preview of the next book in the series – ''Heart to Heart'' – at the back of the book and it might be that if you buy this book you'll end up buying two or even three.  It is a good light-hearted summer read, though – and I can't think of many girls who wouldn't enjoy them.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.

If this book appeals then we think that [[The Secrets of Sophia Musgrove: Dancing and Deception by Janey Louise Jones]] would too – despite the fact that it's set in Regency London.  More tomboy-ish girls will probably enjoy [[Hannah's Secret (The Beautiful Game) by Narinder Dhami]].

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