"Soulmatch" by Rebecca Danzenbaker: The Past Is Never Done
- Kim Bartosch
- Jul 30
- 5 min read
Soulmatch is the debut YA novel from Rebecca Danzenbaker, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on July 29, 2025 . In this imaginative dystopian-romantasy world, past lives literally determine your future—when every eighteen-year-old undergoes a mandatory kirling, the outcome defines their job, inheritance, and even their soulmate status. Good souls thrive; bad souls don’t make it past the institute. It’s a high‑stakes, high‑emotion premise with sci‑fi technobabble wrapped in romance, identity, and rebellion.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the book and my honest review. Check out my full review and enter my giveaway to get the book!
About the book:
Title: Soulmatch
Author: Rebecca Danzenbaker
Pub. Date: July 29, 2025
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Book for Young Adults
Genre: Young Adult Dystopion Romance
S&S | Amazon | B&N | Bookshop.org
Synopsis:
In a world where past lives determine your future, a sharp-witted girl confronts a major twist of destiny, embroiling her in a high-stakes game of danger, corruption, and heartbreak in this young adult speculative romance perfect for fans of Scythe and Matched.
Two hundred years after World War III, the world is at peace, all thanks to the soul-identification system. Every eighteen-year-old must report to the government to learn about their past lives, a terrifying process known as kirling. Good souls leave the institute with their inheritance, a career path, and if they’re lucky, a soulmate. Bad souls leave in handcuffs.
It’s a nerve-wracking ordeal for Sivon, who, given her uncanny ability to win every chess match, already suspects her soul isn’t normal. Turns out, she was right to worry. Sivon’s results stun not only her, but the entire world, making her the object of public scrutiny and anonymous threats.
Saddled with an infuriating and off-limits bodyguard, Sivon is thrust into a high-stakes game where souls are pawns and rules don’t exist. As deaths mount, Sivon must decipher friend from foe while protecting her heart against impossible odds. One wrong move could destroy the future lives of everyone Sivon loves, and she can’t let that happen, even if they’ll never love her back.
My Review of "Soulmatch" by Rebecca Danzenbaker
Set two hundred years after World War III, Soulmatch introduces a world at uneasy peace, thanks to a global AI-run “soul‑identification” system. The protagonist, Sivon, is a sharp‑witted teenager with a chess‑obsessed mind who enters kirling expecting a conventional result—but instead sets off shockwaves across the system. She becomes a public figure, a target, and the keeper of secrets that no one wants her to expose. From there, political intrigue, mysterious oversight committees, and a forbidden love interest in her officiously broody bodyguard take center stage.
While the premise is undeniably addictive—enemies‑to‑lovers romance, corrupt power structures, and the existential question: Can your past ever truly dictate your destiny?—the pacing takes its sweet time. The first third of the book builds carefully (sometimes a little too meticulously) before it picks up with action, tension, and emotional stakes.
Characters
Sivon is relatable and smart—but in places, her self‑analytical narration and chess metaphors slow her momentum as a heroine. That caution, however, makes her growth by the final act feel earned. Readers root for her even when she struggles to root for herself—especially as public threats and conspiracies escalate.
Her friends Corah and Vivi, meanwhile, deliver solid found‑family vibes and much‑needed emotional grounding. And let’s not forget that enigmatic bodyguard—infuriating, off‑limits, and full of tension. The slow‑burn of their connection brings satisfying chemistry you’ll want more of, though some reviewers found the romantic arc underdeveloped or slightly rushed in places.
Themes & Tone
Danzenbaker leans into classic dystopian tropes—rebellion against an all‑powerful system, sacrifice, fate vs free will—but with a fresh twist: reincarnation as government policy. The soul‑identification system is chilling in its plausibility, especially when tied to career and romantic outcomes. Questions of autonomy, identity, and grief (explicitly including mentions of suicide) give the narrative thematic weight.
The tone feels youthful and witty in the right places, but it doesn’t shy away from heartache, moral dilemmas, and systemic oppression. It’s a balancing act between dystopian tension and emotional intimacy—and though it leans slower at times, the payoff resonates.
Why 4 Stars?
✅ Strong world‑building & concept: That premise hooked me early and stayed compelling.
✅ Characters with heart: Especially those friends who grounded Sivon—and the brooding bodyguard kept things interesting.
✅ Thoughtful themes: Identity, fate, and the tension between choice and system.
But, as you noted too…
⏳ Slower tempo in places: The early sections focus heavily on setup; some scenes felt over‑explained.
🔍 Lengthy feels: At nearly 500 pages, the narrative occasionally bogs down in detail and world‑logic exposition you might not need.
Standout Highlights
The kirling process is brilliantly unsettling. One test that not only defines your future job, but who you’re allowed to love—or if you’ll be labelled a “bad soul” and detained.
The romance vibe. That broody bodyguard + forbidden tension = slow‑burn perfection.
Supporting cast energy. Corah and Vivi bring levity and loyalty, making the future world feel lived‑in, not imagined.
Room for Improvement
Trim the exposition. Some passages explaining past‑life mechanics or world policies could have been tighter or revealed more gradually.
Emotional pacing. Switching from world rules to emotion feels jolting at times—for me, I wanted more internal stakes earlier to carry through the slower sections.
Final Thoughts
If you adore YA dystopian fiction loaded with romance, ethical stakes, and a world shaped by reincarnation, Soulmatch delivers—especially as a debut. It won’t blow past the first third in a flash, but if you stick around, the twists and stakes pay off in a deeply satisfying finale. Just be ready to settle into a thoughtful, character‑driven reading experience that rewards patience.
In short: a 4‑star journey, emotionally resonant and grounded in both heart and clever concept—just with a few pacing bumps along the way.
Meet the author:
Rebecca Danzenbaker believes in trusting your gut and chasing your dreams. That probably explains her massive career jumps—from teaching elementary school music, to managing a team of twenty-five at Congressional Quarterly, to running an award-winning photography business, to writing young adult novels. When she’s not editing words or photos, she’s either reading, hiking, sending memes to friends, volunteering, planning incredibly detailed travel itineraries, being a goofball on social media, or cheering on her husband and two children as they chase their own dreams. Soulmatch is her debut novel, the culmination of five years of blood, sweat, and tears. She did it!
Book Giveaway:
One (1) hardcopy of "Soulmatch" by Rebecca Danzenbaker. USA only, ends on August 31, 2025 at Midnight EST.
This sounds very interesting.
Great cover
Excellent review. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the thorough review; the cover is quite striking, too!