Cute romance with a bit of mystery all tied into one. Was a bit slow to get started and some of the British lingo tripped me up a bit but overall a good read

4 1/2 stars for this gripping story about a matchmaker and a detective who end up combining their unique skills in order to investigate a mysterious death. This felt part romance, part Agatha Christie mystery, part delightful Victorian England story. The mystery in this is not so much of a "whodunnit" but still very much captivating. I will be the first to admit I wasn't sure what to expect going into this story having read some of the author's other stories with quite different styles. Very quickly in chapter one, I became hooked by the characters and the story and did not want to put it down. Once we reach encounter a second murder scene about a third of the way through the book, the story and the mystery became so captivating I didn't want to put the book down until I saw how everything worked out and reached a peaceful conclusion. In addition to thoroughly enjoying the two main characters, there was a fantastic set of side characters that I am definitely curious to learn more about in what I hope (but have yet to hear confirmation of) will be the start of a new series by this author. The three cousins living independently in a London boarding house in particular had such a sweet, supportive, almost sisterly bond that was both heartwarming and enjoyable to read about. Each of these women were strong and intelligent and had talents to contribute to the way the story unfolded.

Can I also say that the first kiss in this story is SWOONWORTHY! I loved reading about these two characters and seeing them finally get together a good portion of the way through the story was rewarding and validating for me as a reader. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, the intrigue and murder mystery aspect, and the fabulously captivating twists and turns of the story. Definitely a book I will be mentioning to others and hyping up in anticipation for it's release in five more months.

Murder. Romance. Victorian England. Amelie Hampton is a woman of independent means. She works at her Aunt Sally’s newspaper, giving love advice. With her equally independent cousins by her side, she enjoys her work, in fact, spying on one couple she had matched. What she didn’t know was that someone was also spying on her. On her way home from watching her work in progress, she is confronted about what she knows about the gentleman she was spying on.

Detective Michael Baker didn’t like that the husband of a dead woman pulled from the river was moving on with his romantic life two months after the wife’s passing. He had reason to believe that the man, Harold Radcliffe, had something to do with her death. When he catches sight of Amelie spying on a dinner between Mr. Radcliffe and another woman, he asks her what she knows about him.

What follows is a cat and mouse game between Radcliffe and the Yard. The case gets personal as Detective Baker and Amelie fight their feelings for each other and Radcliffe turns his romantic intentions towards Amelie.

If I was able to give the book 3.5 stars, I would. I enjoyed the characters of Amelie and Detective Baker and the evil of Mr. Radcliffe jumped off the pages of the novel.

#netgalley #thematchmakerslonelyheart #shadowmountainpublishing

I wanted to like this book, and while there were many things about this book that I could appreciate, it just wasn't for me. I think the writing was well done and it’s clear that the author knows what they are talking about, the book just fell a bit flat for me.

I found the first half of this book incredibly slow. In fact, it only got good and had me fully invested during the last 25%. I think a big part of the problem was that the mystery was already solved. We knew who it was from the beginning, and while we didn’t fully know why he had done it, it all felt pretty obvious anyway. I also feel like all the loose ends weren’t tied up, like how Mr. Radcliffe had gotten in and out of Amelie’s house or how he knew where the Detective’s family had gone.

Hi really enjoyed this book. The relationship development between the main characters was especially sweet. I could pictured in in my head how a grumpy detective deals with what he perceives as a particularly innocent young lady. And how that young lady worms her way into his heart. Just so cute.

I was a little bit disappointed by the description of the villain. The author initially described him as very clever, but the way he reacted later in the book (writing letters to the heroine and making it obviously clear he's the villain) just seems very stupid.

But overall it was a great book that I read in a few days. Hope to get more along the lines about the cousins.

This book was amazing!

There was meddling, there was mystery, there was a slow simmering romance!

I loved our Matchmaker and super sleuth, Amelie! The author did such an amazing job of developing each and every character and bringing life to them that it felt like I was part of the novel itself. Amelie was the best part of the novel. The author wrote her in such a way that made her so life like and personable.


What do you get when you put a matchmaker with a penchant for romance novels and a detective who has lost his gumption for love together for an investigation into a murder mystery? You get an amazing story!

It was a great read from beginning to end.


I received an ARC for review.

This was my first Nancy Campbell Allen novel, definitely won't be the last.
The author has managed to combine my three favorite elements of a book: Historical Novel, Romance and Murder Mystery.

We follow Amelie Hampton as she works for her aunt's Matchmaker newspaper in the late 19th century and Detective Michael Baker as he hunts down a cunning murderer.
Michael catches Amelie watching his prime suspect - Harold Redcliff - outside a restaurant, making her his person of interest.

The detective convinces Amelie to assist him in the investigation. She agrees, but only to prove the innocence of Harold Redcliff, whom she secretly fancies.

When a murder occurs at a party to which Amelie, her two cousins (and BFFs), as well as Detective Baker, his partner Detective Wilson and Harold Redcliff are invited, the belief in Mr. Redcliff's innocence falters enormously for all three ladies.

Amelie puts herself in great danger with her investigation, making herself the next potential target.


I particularly enjoyed the protagonist's relationship with her cousins. The three young ladies stick together like peanut butter and jelly. The delicate bond that develops between Amelie and Michael was also delightful to watch.

I also see potential for a series here as I would love to read more of Eva and Charlotte (Amelie's cousins) as well as Michael's partner Detective Wilson and also their supervisor Ellis. With all four, we unfortunately only got a glimpse into their lives.

Thanks to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for a copy of this ARC. Opinions are my own.

This story follows Amelie, a shy newspaper columnist/matchmaker and Michael, a detective looking into one of the bachelors Amelie is pining for/trying to match with an eligible lady.

The basics of the story are convoluted - she writes a match making column? An advice column for single women? A Dear Abby kinda column? I honestly couldn't figure it out by chapter 8 at which point it seemed less important.

Amelie and Michael meet and form an odd partnership trying to find out the truth of Harold Ratcliff, with Amelie convinced he is a perfect gentleman, and Michael convinced he's a murderer. There are some sassy ladies, both old and young, dangerous hiking and a HEA.

It takes a while to get into the story, and as I said I found her job distractingly confusing for about a quarter of the way through. There were some sweet moments between Michael and Amelie, including her visiting his family, but when the "I love you"s came I was actually surprised... They went from dislike to grudging respect to love without a stop on the way.

If you enjoy historic romantic suspense, you may enjoy this one.

#TheMatchmakersLonelyHeart #NetGalley

It's hardly a secret that I'm a big fan of the Proper Romance line, so it's with great sadness that I have to report that I didn't care for this one. That's in no way because of the writing - Nancy Campbell Allen is comfortable with her time period and subject matter, and the romance and mystery plots do work nicely together. The issue is more that I didn't buy the couple, mostly because I could not stand the heroine. Amelie is meant to be a naive young Victorian woman trying to make her way in a world that isn't sure she should be allowed independence. She's so excited to seize on any and every opportunity that she comes off as tragically TSTL - if this young lady has a sense of self-preservation, I didn't see it. Her willingness to see attractive people as good is somehow more excusable, but her inability to make a sound decision ruined the book for me.

I will have to pick up a different one of Allen's books, because I enjoyed her writing style. Just not these characters.

This was such a fun mystery romance!!! I had to stay up and finish it!!! I loved Amelie. Her witty banter and eagerness to solve the case might get her into more trouble, but she can't help it. Michael Baker has a heart of gold. A true detective who wants to get the villain. And the villain was pure evil. Total creeper!!!!! Gave me the willies!!!!!! This was one of my favorites by Nancy Campbell Allen.

The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart- Nancy Campbell Allen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I needed a break from thrillers and when I seen this cover on NetGalley it intrigued me and I requested it and I was approved! Nothing is better than a little mystery and some romance mixed in set in the 1800’s. I did find it to be a bit slow in the beginning but then about 100 pages in I was hooked and really wanted to know how Amelie and Detective Baker were going to catch the killer he was after. The banter between the two was humorous and Amelie kept Michael on his toes. Overall a great little read and I will likely read more from Nancy Campbell Allen for a little getaway from the deep heavy thrillers I tend to gravitate too.
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Pick up your copy September 7, 2021.

Don’t worry I will remind you, because that’s right around my birthday. I think this will be a perfect birthday present for myself to add to my bookshelf.

A big thank you to @netgalley and @shadowmountainpublishing for the ARC. I very much enjoyed this one.

This book was a delight! From the beginning with it's romantic advice to the interactions of the romantic pairing, this book had me laughing. It also had a villain with a dastardly plan that needed to be thwarted. I highly recommend this book.

I received an ARC and wish to thank Shadow Mountain and the author for bringing us such an awesome story.

This book had it all - romance, mystery, historical! It is set in London, late 1800’s. Amelie Hampton finds herself living with her cousins and working at The Marriage Gazette, her Aunt’s matchmaking/ advice column newspaper. Amelie finds herself swooning for Mr. Radcliffe, a recent widow with a niche for poetry. Little does she know, Mr. Radcliffe is actually a killer. Detective Michael Baker is trying to solve the murder of Mrs. Marie Radcliffe and to do so, he must get assistance from Amelie. Love also blooms during the case and Michael and Amelie fall hard for each other.
This book is a wonderful read. The setting and characters couldn’t be better for fans of a nice mystery!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. I really enjoyed this story. I loved the intrigue and detective work along with the romance in this book. Amelie is such a fun character. I love how she can be shy but fierce. Michael is the perfect compliment to her personality. I enjoyed all of the side characters as well and would love more stories in this setting. It was well written and kept me wanting to know what was going to happen.
#thematchmakerslonelyheart #netgalley

I am a long time fan of Nancy Campbell Allen and this one doesn’t disappoint. I loved the characters. Amelia and Detective Baker were perfectly complemented and it was fun watching their relationship build. I love the mystery and suspense with a side of romance. Then when you put it in the 1800s, it makes for a perfect story! This is definitely one you won’t want to put down.

It was hard to put this one down. Despite a few flaws/ unanswered questions by the end, the story flowed well and the characters were relatable and, for the most part, likeable.

Detective Baker is determined to see justice served, even if it ruffles a few feathers in the process. I did find it confusing how Amalie continually switched from calling him Detective Baker to Mr. Baker and back again with no explanation for the changes.

Amelie is naive, and at times very foolish. Her cousins are a good counter to her naivety, and I hope to see more of them in future books.

Oh, I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I loved all the characters, especially Amelie and Detective Baker.
This is a murder mystery romance in London...reminded me of Sherlock Holmes time period.
I liked how the story flowed, the characters developed, and the relationships and romance bloomed. I was entertained from beginning to end...even when I was anxious to pick up the book to read the next parts because I feared what may happen next. ;-)
We are also introduced to several other characters that I really hope get their own books! I’m guessing we will get books on the cousins, Eva and Charlotte, but I would also like one on Clarissa, Michael’s sister. Here’s to hoping some of them get paired off with Winston and Ellis, as well. ;-)

The novel by Nancy Campbell Allen is the perfect mix between mystery and romance. To say it is a cute story feels weird since it is a murder/mystery/ I loved every character in the story, the secondary characters make the story so much better. I love a strong female character in a book and this novel is full of strong progressive female characters.

Amelie is a hopeless romantic that works as a writer helping lonely hearts try to find love for the Marriage Gazette. She is also a huge fan of mystery novels. Detective Baker is work driven and not about love at all. But, this unlikely pair is thrown together when his case and her life become intertwined. When a body washes ashore, Amelie has to try to prove her acquaintance innocent and Detective Baker is trying to prove the guilt of her acquaintance. But as the two are trying to prove themselves correct they begin to see how perfect they are as a team.

This is historical fiction and this was my first novel in this genre and this was a great first read for me. The style of writing was one that flowed well and progressed every chapter. The story is written in the third person but it is viewed from other perspectives. It is all tied up at the end but I hope we get a few more novels for the other characters that we grew to love in this story.

This is a novel I will be recommending to others, especially someone who wants to read their first historical fiction. This was such a good story!

Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy to read and I look forward to more novels by Nancy Campbell Allen.

Oh my goodness this is my new favorite genre! Romantic suspense set in the late 1800's? Yes please!!

I read this book rather quickly but I finished it late at night and I was hearing noises in my house and totally freaking myself out, Haha.

The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart had it all: A dashing Detective as the hero, an independent heroine, and a dangerous villain. Plus the supporting characters were just as great.

The danger and suspense felt very real. Mr. Radcliffe was so perfectly charming and simultaneously slimy. The romance was subtle and sweet. Michael and Amelie made a very good team working together and their relationship came about so perfectly. I loved the supporting characters Aunt Sally, the cousins, and detective Winston too. And I just need to say how much I loved Michael's brother Alexander being a supporting character with Downs Syndrome. So sweet.

I absolutely 100% recommend this book and sincerely hope for a sequel!

Oh I simply adored this book. This was a new author to me, but one I will most certainly be seeking out now! Amelia and Michael had such wonderful chemistry, and it was a delight to watch them battle until they were both too tangled up to give up the case or each other.
I was very impressed with the world Allen built, both in terms of London itself and the characters that filled the city. The dynamic between Amelia and her family was so wonderful to read, and I dearly hope there will be more stories about these Hampton women, because I would be ordering them right now!
When it came to the mystery plot, it was fairly straightforward, and therefore a little bit predictable, but that is just so much more credit to Allen! Even though I had a fairly good idea where it was going, the way Allen wrote the mystery, and the characters caught up in it, made me desperate to keep reading.
If you love a romantic mystery, you should definitely pick up this book!