Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this book early, I loved it! Melinda Curtis is a fabulous author and I look forward to reading more from her. This was a story filled with sweetness & perfect for the holiday season!

I'm really enjoying this new series from Melinda Curtis. It seems like everyone in town has an opinion about the newest couple in the sights of the matchmaking Widows Club. Kevin and Mary Margaret are both stepping outside their comfort zones this holiday season due to events not of their making and there are more than a few unexpected obstacles on their journey to love. Filled with humor, wit, meddling matchmakers, and an unlikely pair who not only discover love but also themselves, A Very Merry Match is another entertaining installment in Curtis' Sunshine Valley series.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for a copy of A Very Merry Match in exchange for an honest review.
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I’ve really been loving small town romances lately but unfortunately I just didn’t connect with this one. I found the romance a little bit forced and convenient and it didn’t feel authentic to me. The pacing seemed to drag at times and then with some plot points and with the relationship it sped through really quickly.
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One aspect of small town romances that I love is usually the other town members but I missed the community feel and friendship between the characters. They didn’t seem to like each other very much!
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Thank you again for giving me an opportunity to read this book!

This was an okay read. Unfortunately, I just didn't really feel the connection between the Hero & Heroine. I did like the hero but I wasn't a fan of some of his behavior and don't feel like it was called out enough. The pacing of the story was a little off for me too. Everything just moved so quickly and was tied up in a nice little bow and I kind of hoped for a little more conflict, even for a holiday romance. This was my first time reading this author and despite not loving the characters and their story, I would absolutely pick up another book from Melinda Curtis.

* I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review

I really enjoyed my time in Sunshine Valley. I loved revisiting characters from past books and hearing from the Widows Club again. Mary Margaret and Kevin were likable characters, and I enjoyed their journey to figuring out what would help them find happiness in life. I love a heartwarming romance, and I appreciated the romance and the humor in this story. A wonderful holiday read.

This is my honest review of an ARC I received from netgalley.

After the death of her husband she had to deal with more then she can handle with his overwhelming debt. Now collectors are hassling her and she needs to come up with cash quick. Now this kindergarten teacher must use her dancing skills at a burlesque show, thing is she gotta keep quiet she lives in a small town and this can cause problems for her job. Kevin is newly divorced and running for mayor he really has no time for drama and Mary seems to have a quiet life he's looking for that will work for his mayorly image little does he know about her side job.

I really enjoyed this book. So basically the sweet kindergartner teacher is moonlighting as a dancer in a small town, its only a matter of time before things go south and I was curious to see how and when it would turn out. Then there was the sketchy debt collectors on her tail hounding her. There was just so much going on in Mary's life that you can't help but want her situation to improve find a good guy, be done with what her ex put her though when it comes to his cheating and debts. Then there is the side thing with soon to be mayor Kevin and he really can't have drama and if she decides to have a relationship drama will soon follow and that's a thing in itself. There is so much going on in this book I can't help but be hooked to this book. While it was set during christmas time if you are looking for Christmas spirit here but you will find a great book in return. I really enjoyed this book.

Kevin and Mary Margaret are Christmas Grinch's this year due to his divorce and her husband going off the rails before he died and leaving a mess for her to clean up. They are opposites in many way but also a great match even though they don't think so, the Widows Club or should I say Grandma Edith does. This is full of laughs, heartbreak, desperate measures, hilarious elderly ladies as well as learning to free yourself to be you along with learning not everything in life is straightforward but if you want love you find away. A great addition to the series and the perfect book to get lost in for an afternoon.

The Sunshine valley Widows Club is ready to make a match for the holidays. Edith's granddaughter Mary Margaret is the one they have their eye on, but Mary Margaret is still dealing with the debt and betrayal her husband Derek left behind, when he died from cancer. She's had to come up with a creative way to pay the latest one that popped up a year later, her kindergarten teacher pay wouldn't cut it.
The matchmaking seniors push her and the mayor together, but that has it's own set of problems.
Told with a bit of humor, this sweet romance is a winner.
I requested and received a Netgalley Arc and offer my opinion freely.

3.75 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Pub for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Very Merry Match by Melinda Curtis is a fun, small town Christmas story. The story follows Mary Margaret Sneed, a Kindergarten school teacher, who finds herself hopelessly in debt due to her deceased husband's unwise purchases and gambling. To help pay off her debt she dances in a burlesque show at night. Things get complicated when she starts dating the Kevin Hadley, mayor of their small town who has his sights set on a larger political stage. A third factor in the book is the town's Widows Club that have their sights on finding Mary Margaret a partner.

Overall I thought the book and storyline were fun. I enjoyed learning about the burlesque dancing. I liked Kevin's relationship with his son and parents. What never really resonated for me was a strange sideline about Mary Margaret's grandmother Edith and her dating. I'm not sure why but especially in the early stages this seemed like more of a distraction than really progressing the storyline forward. Ultimately I really liked Edith and the Widows Club but it took awhile to get there.

So if you are a fan of small town romance, you might want to give this one a try. It has the requisite busybodies, holiday events, and quirky goings on that you'd expect from a small town romance. The book is closed door so also a great choice who prefer pure romance to sexy times.

A Very Merry Match is the second book in the Sunshine Valley series but can be read as a stand-alone also. It was a sweet and clean Christmas romance between two people who had known each forever and are just now feeling the connection with a little help from the Widows Club. They had both been hurt in the past and wasn’t looking for romance but the spark for each other was there. There was plenty of humor from all the banter from the women who were part of the Widows Club and they really played a large part making the book work. The book was fast-paced and very easy to read. It grabbed my attention right away and kept it until the end. The characters were charming and perfect for each other. I hadn’t read any books by this author but I do look forward to the next book in the series after reading this book.

I'm kind of torn over this book. While I think it had plenty of potential, it just wasn't a winner for me. I did really like Mary Margaret. She came across as relatable and genuine and I could really feel for her. Kevin on the other hand, was a much different story and I simply can't say that I was a fan and that was a huge problem for this book because I thought Mary Margaret deserved more and better than him. In general, there is actually quite a lot going on in this book. So I was honestly surprised when things got that bogged down feeling. Not all the time but definitely in a few spots. The small town charm and holiday cheer were nice elements though but not nice enough to salvage this pair's romance for me.

I was so happy to go back to Sunshine Valley and see what the Widows Club was up to next. They had their sights on a new couple, Mary Margaret and Kevin. But are either ready to move on with new love??

Mary Margaret, recent widow, is still cleaning up the messes her husband left behind. She has no choice but to take a job that might ruin her image but she knows she can get money for the debt collectors. Kevin's ex-wife Barbara is still a thorn that won't let go. Mary Margaret appears to be the perfectly safe choice for his next partnership.

I really enjoyed this one, I did miss some of the humor from the first book but Mary Margaret was working through some demons. I can't get enough of the Widow's Club and im excited to see what comes next!

This is such a good cozy and festive book. I very much enjoyed this story. I loved the characters.

I do highly recommend this book.

It’s beginning to look a lot like … extortion.

Stuck in a personal and financial rut leading up to the Christmas season and facing strong-arming from a pair of shady bill collectors, Mary Margaret is at her lowest. In these earliest chapters, author Melinda Curtis has no problem letting the suffering pile on. And as Mary Margaret initially comes off as a quiet, resigned character who’s barely getting on, there’s a genuine worry that she’ll be stuck under a mountain of debt, or worse. Fortunately, Curtis utilizes a quiet optimism that permeates the pages, and there’s always an understanding that brighter moments might only be a chapter away. After all, Christmas and love are in the air—how bad can things get?

It’s when Curtis moves beyond these initial woes, though, that things really pick up. Elaborate burlesque performances. A politician with a secret and an image to uphold. A meddling matchmaker grandma. Curtis expertly weaves a lot of threads together and, while her writing always has a muted charm, she knows how to pack in plenty of action and tension.

However, it’s her attention to relationships that’s her greatest asset. Mary Margaret has the perfect potential partner in Kevin, even if they might not immediately understand that themselves. Curtis keeps things slow, with only a few chance encounters and eventual dates—mostly because they’re so wrapped up in personal drama that takes up the bulk of the action. Mary Margaret is risking her teaching career by dancing, while Kevin juggles a burgeoning political career with family stress. These big moments take center stage, but their romance simmers in the background and it’s incredibly effective.

Ultimately, A Very Merry Match is a sweet Christmas romance with plenty of quiet moments that let its underlying heart shine through.

This is a sweet Christmas story. Mary Margaret is trying to clean up the financial mess, her late husband left her. She has no time for love, until she does, with the mayor. I liked the characters in this book.

A fun and heartwarming story. It’s full of characters you will love. I loved the connection. A great storyline that will keep you entertained. A warm wonderful Christmas feel.

The matchmaking widows club has their sights on a new love match!

Mary Margaret Sneed is your perfect small-town kindergarten teacher. Sweet, kind, and beautiful. What the town’s residents do not know is that Mary Margaret is in a lurch. Her late husband racked up some online gambling debts and now two henchmen come calling demanding she pay up. The only way she can pay such a huge debt is to go back to burlesque dancing on her off hours. When she starts being friends with the mayor Kevin Hadley, she knows it cannot go further than that if she wants to keep her Foxy Roxy stage name hidden. After a few stolen kisses, can she just stay as friends?

Kevin Hadley, newly divorced is the Mayor of Preston and needs to settle down if wants to advance his political career. He starts searching for the perfect woman. Not many women in town are sweet and innocent, but Miss Mary Margaret starts looking like the perfect candidate. Can he convince her to take their friendship to a new level?
This is such a sweet story so beautifully written by Melinda Curtis. The widow’s club ladies are hilarious, and they bring such fun anytime they are in the story. The two main characters Mary Margaret and Kevin are so lovable you are cheering them on right from the beginning. I loved that they both had to work at the relationship which made the story believable. When I started this book, I actually put it down and went to read the first few books in the series to start at the beginning. It can be read as a stand a lone novel, as Melinda does a brilliant job of filling in the supporting characters backgrounds, but I wanted more of the widows and their antics. A thoroughly enjoyable series! Thank you so much to the author Melinda Curtis, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was fabulous! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

I can't say that this was one of my favorite Melinda Curtis books but I still enjoyed visiting Sunshine Valley again! I enjoy the quirky characters and the way that the matchmaking widows are in everybody's business! They are super funny and this time Edith is part of the plot at it's her granddaughter, Mary Margaret, that's the main character. I just didn't feel that MM and the other main character, Kevin, were the best match. He's a little wishy washy in my book and wasn't the best "hero" material. I felt Mary Margaret could have done better! After all, her first husband was a total jerk. When he died, he left her with a mountain of debt (which he totally chose to do!) so even though she's a teacher, she has to find different ways to make money to try to pay it off and it's killing her! Kevin is a local politician looking for state politics and he thinks MM can help him get there. That's not very romantic! However, they just don't have chemistry in my book. But, I loved Kevin's son, Tad. He was adorable! Kevin's ex, Barb, however, was another story - a total witch!!!! An fairly good book to add to the series but I wasn't really invested in it. The characters needed more chemistry.

A Funny, Sweet Christmas Read
This one had me snickering a lot.
Mary Margaret has had her bright light snuffed out years ago, and add to it, a ton of problems she is trying to fix now. She has her Grandma Edith in her corner and makes life fun, or tries to, with the help of the widow's club, every town should have one. They get involved whether needed or not, they are there for you.
Kevin, the mayor of this small town, has his own set of problems, or just say he has an X.
There are serious notes thoughout, but the true spirit of Christmas shows up when you least expect it.
Kevin has an amazing little boy, Tad, who also helps bring Christmas to life, with his big personality.
A great read I recommend to give you the feel goods, no matter what, and with a very HEA!

I have always enjoyed books by this author, this one is probably not a favorite of mine. I loved Edith she was hands down my favorite it was really hard to not laugh at her antics, you never really knew what was going to come out of her mouth or what she was going to do next. Mary Margaret was also a sweet soul who faced a ton and seemed to just need to catch a break from it all. I was not a fan of Kevin I felt like Kevin wanted a meek schoolmarm or an accessory for his arm as he started his political career instead of the love of his life, I felt like Mary Margaret deserved better. Over all it was nice to catch up with the characters in book one it was a nice read anytime you add children to a book you will never know were it can go and if you are following this series then read this book too.