Katie is a bartender in a small pub in Ennisbawn, Ireland. When developers come to town to build a hotel and renovate the town. It sounds great at the time, but soon they discover that those renovation plans include getting rid of the town's only pub, their gathering place, and also where she works as a bartender.

I enjoyed this funny story set in a small town in Ireland. The story starts when she storms the office in her pj's and argues with a handsome man and his boss, complaining that she can't get enough sleep. Once she discovers that they are also going to get rid of the pub where she works and is also a connection to her late parents, she decides to revive the decades-old matchmaker's festival. Her parents met at the festival and she hopes that reviving the festival will generate interest and support for saving the pub. I loved her friendship with Adam, the owner of the pub, who was also like a brother to her as well as Gemma and Anushka. They help support her as she works to revive the festival, along with a budding romance with Callum one of the men working on the project, as well as butting heads with his boss Jack as she fights back against their plans for getting rid of the pub. I haven't read anything by Catherine Walsh, but I definitely will be reading more by her.

This book will be published on April 18, 2023. Thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley, and author Catherine Walsh for the opportunity to read and review this fun book!

This is the first book of Catherine Walsh that I have read!
I found it such an easy, light-hearted read. Being from Ireland myself, I loved all the snippets of the colloquial terms that we would use in our day to day life! I often found myself smiling whilst reading and even laughing out loud!
My favourite relationship was between Katie and Granny! Granny was so unforgiving at times with what she was saying and her streak of humour was just brilliant! I could often picture Granny's house as well as the visualise the scenes between Katie and Granny and the facial expressions that were expressed.
As much as I did love the added characters of Gemma and Nusha - I found myself wondering if Nusha's role added anything to the story.

Now Callum - well hello! Such a gent! I loved that he was basically like a big teddy bear!

I first started this book getting enemies to lovers vibes but it just lacked that bit of oomph to really make the novel stand out! Regardless, I did still enjoy this book!
I will most certainly read another book by Catherine Walsh!

*Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for this eARC.

This was a super cute story and fast read. I loved both of the main characters. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an ARC.

3 STARS!

The first chapter meet cute?? CHEF'S KISS* I loved it so much and that I didn't have to wait to jump into the plot of the book. Overall, it was very cute, but I was just wanting MORE. There were elements to the story that were just too unrealistic for me and I didn't feel the romance that I wished I had. But, I did fall in love with Kelly's Pub and Adam!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Matchmaker by Catherine Walsh is a heartwarming and funny romantic comedy about a small-town bartender who sets out to save her beloved pub from being torn down by an out of town developer.

Katie O'Shea has always loved Kelly's Pub, the place where she grew up and where her parents met. But when a big-city developer, Callum Glenmill, arrives in town with plans to tear down the pub and build a luxury hotel, Katie is determined to stop him.
Katie hatches a plan to revive the town's long-forgotten Matchmaking Festival, which she hopes will bring enough attention to Kelly's Pub to save it. But as she gets to know Callum, she starts to realize that he's not the enemy she thought he was.

The Matchmaker is a cute, fun read. Catherine Walsh's writing is witty and heartwarming, and her characters are relatable and likable, especially granny. The story is full of humor, romance, and heart, and it will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired.

If you're looking for a heartwarming and funny read, I highly recommend The Matchmaker.

The Matchmaker by Catherine Walsh

This was my first Catherine Walsh book and it's such a cute and fun read. The writing was great and what really captured me is how heartwarming it is.

Katie is so lovable and relatable which I really enjoyed. I loved the small town setting and everyone coming together and supporting Katie in saving one of the staples in their community. You can easily feel the bond between characters and it makes you feel as if you were part of the Ennisbawn-family.

I loved the side characters and the banter - there were some LOL-worthy moments. I especially loved Katies relationship with Granny and Noah. Plus Gemma and Adams side romance.

I love Katie and Callum and especially how they meet. I liked that Katie was a bit awkward and Callum is just a big sweetheart.
I just felt a bit like I didn't really know him that well and I would have loved to have a dual-POV to see more of him but also of Katie and Callum together and developing their relationship.

It initially gave off really amazing enemies-to-lovers vibes and I was hoping for a bit more tension between Katie and Callum while they were getting to know each other.

Overall I enjoyed this book so much. It was lighthearted and I loved Katie's passion and loyalty to herself, her friends/family and her home, and that Callum and her friends supported her on her journey in finding her purpose and her place in life.

* I received this from Bookouture and NetGalley for an honest review *

Really funny, good quick and simple read. This i great to read after something heavy!

Katie and Callum bounced off one another like a pinball machine. There were some serious laugh out loud moments!

3.5 stars.

This is a very cute small-town romance set in Ireland. Something that I really enjoyed was the Irish humour which I always appreciate. I loved the dynamics between our two main characters, the side characters added a lot to the story and the general storyline was really fun. The character of Callum is a dream man, full of passion and humour. It was an interesting story, I enjoyed the pacing of it too. My only issue with the book is that it was a bit more 'Women's Fiction' than I would have liked, just a personal preference. All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I won't hesitate to read another book by this author.

Thank you to the publisher for this eARC I received through NetGalley.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy of this book.

This was my first Catherine Walsh novel and I will definitely track more down to read. Being American, I love reading books set in other countries and Ireland is a favorite of mine.

Katie lives in a small Irish village. She was raised by her grandmother after her parents passed away and is very passionate about her job as a bartender. Her life is just ticking by until a big hot shot wants to come in and build a resort style hotel that is causing major headaches, so much so she marches over to tell them off and she meets Callum, whom she gives a piece of her mind. Her situation gets even worse when they start coming after the bar that is the focal point for her village. She must save her village, but how?

This is a super sweet love story and I can totally picture this small Irish Village and all the fun loving friends.

Thank you Cathrine Walsh, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the ARC!!

This was my first Catherine Walsh book and I will definitely be adding more to my TBR (already in my cart on B&N).

Small town romance that was extremely enjoyable. I flew through the chapters. Couldn’t put it down. Quick chapters and a easy read.

Highly recommend this lighthearted and funny quick read.

Overall an enjoyable read! Nothing groundbreaking as far as storyline but sweet nonetheless! Katie and Callum’s love story was enemies to lovers but also found it to be a bit insta love. I wanted a little more of the enemies part before we got to the lovers part. I actually found myself shipping Katie and Callum’s brother more than Katie and Callum because that felt like a true enemies to livers storyline. I also really enjoyed the side romances of Katie’s friends as well.

Looking for a romcom that will make you laugh, swoon, cheer and give you goosebumps? Look no further!

"What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you."

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5 stars)
Out April 18th

The Matchmaker is another great addition to Catherine Walsh's bibliography. Set in a small town of Ireland, Katie Collins finds herself fighting for the basics of a girl's life - a good night's sleep, her idyllic town and the local pub ('cuz alcohol, jk, it's her workplace) - when a major construction company steamrolls into town to build a hotel and golf course. In comes Callum Dempsey (does his last name mean we can call him McDreamy? Or McSteamy? Because he definitely fits those descriptions! But I digress), the hot tatted construction guy (who does formal job titles? Not me) who sees a fighting small town lady in all her interrupted-sleep morning glory and decides that particular brand of crazy is his type of crazy.

This book, peeps. I was hooked from the first page. I'm going to need lots of massages to relax my face muscles, since they're stiff from smiling and laughing non stop while reading. I'll send you the bill, @catwalshwriter 😘

What made this book so great, apart from the on point humor, is how relatable it is. Katie, her hilarious, supportive and loyal friends, her crush on Callum and awkwardness dealing with it, the small town vibes, construction companies changing well-loved parts of small towns... It takes a special kind of masterful crafting for a book to make you feel seen without even trying to do so. And that's exactly what Matchmaker succeeded in doing, again and again.

Of course, there's no romcom without the rom, and what a romance it was! *swoons* Callum 'golden retriever who always says the smoothest, cutest thing but knows when to turn up the heat' Dempsey. The man knows what he's doing, that's for sure! A little flirting, I'll help you over the fence, some skipping stones teaching... And the grand gesture! And THE BIG SPEECH!

Also, I want to be granny when I grow up. She's a downright laugh!

Last but not least: Single pov, open door, no third act break up (thank you!), check TW!

ARC courtesy of Bookouture and Netgalley, thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overall, it is a cute story that had its own charm which I genuinely enjoyed, but this one won’t be a love for a lifetime book.

Cute, cozy and laugh out loud book! Loved the small town and found family aspects. It was a light and fast read. Katie has a Border Collie which warms my heart since I’ve had a Border Collie and Australian Shepherd who both have passed away. However, there was something lacking with Katie and Callum’s romance that I wasn’t entirely sold on it. I think it was lacking chemistry.

The Matchmaker is about Katie, who lives in a small Irish town called Ennisbawn. A hotel is being built right outside the town causing all sorts of chaos. The hotel developers want to tear down buildings and historic structures in the town for the hotel, including the bar Katie works at called Kelly’s. In order to try and save the town Katie tries to revive and organize a Matchmaking Festival. One of the construction workers for the hotel is Callum, who has an enemies to lovers dynamic with Katie.

Overall, it was a good book. I wish I would have loved the romance, but the romance kinda fell flat for me. Really, Katie and Callum’s relationship is a small part of the plot. I do recommend this book for the funny and heartwarming moments.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of this book in exchange for a review! The Matchmaker officially releases on April 18,

Katie lives in a sleepy Irish village where life is idyllic until the developers move in. They are building a new hotel and golf club but then Katie finds out they are also threatening to knock down the pub where she works.
Protesting about the disruption caused by the building works, she meets Callum who works for the developer and vows to revive the village’s matchmaking festival to show there is still life in the village.
This story about saving a community and dating the enemy is full of heart and banter but a little too slowly paced for me.

If you’re looking for a summer holiday read for this year – look no further! This book would be absolute perfection for reading lying by the pool. It is such a lovely, funny, feel-good romance story.

Katie Collins loves living in Ennisbawn – a tiny Irish village where she has lived all of her life. She loves working in Kelly’s pub, where her parents met at the once-famous Matchmaking Festival. But the peaceful and idyllic setting is about to be ruined – by Glenmill developers, who are intent on turning the whole village into the backdrop for their new hotel, golf club, spa, and road network. Well, not if Katie can help it!

When she finds out that these noisy and unwanted developments also include turning Kelly’s into a new clubhouse for the golf club, she has to make a stand. Rallying together the enthusiasm of the village, she sets to work on the only thing she can think of to keep Kelly’s and Ennisbawn on the map – the resurrection of the Matchmaking Festival!

What she doesn’t account for is how much work is actually involved in pulling off such a grand event with hardly any time to prepare – and what a dark horse Glenmill’s project manager, Callum turns out to be…

A really heart-warming, funny, and charming story!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 + 🌶🌶/5

The Match Maker by Catherine Walsh

This book was very different to the traditional romance books that are all the rage right now. While yes there is romance, it seemed to be more about Katie’s journey to find her purpose and place in life. The story focused on Katie’s mission to save the town's last standing pub from big developers, which her love interest works for. Katie and Callum were the main romantic pair and while they did have their own trials and tribulations their romance seemed to go quite smoothly. By the 50% mark they were unmistakable together with only a few little hiccups afterwards. I would have loved to see more of the relationship developing more but I think the book would have been huge if that were to happen. Being a pre-released book there were still a few typos and some confusing dialogue where it was easy to lose track of who was actually speaking that needed fixing. The small town charm, the grumpy granny and all of the side characters were just perfect and made you feel like you were right there in Ennisbawn.
Overall an uplifting and feel good book with some romance and strong female characters getting their happily ever after. If you like small town stories, saving small business stories and a bit of romance on the side you will love this book.

Release Date: 18th April 2023

Thank you to @NetGalley and @catwalshwriter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This was the closest you could get to a Hallmark film without actually being Hallmark. 



This story follows Katie as she does everything she can to use what little power she has to stop the sale and demolition of her favourite place in her small Irish village - Kelly’s Pub. It’s also the place where her late parents met, her current and only employer, and one of the few remaining businesses still going in Ennisbawn, Ireland, so it was easy to understand her desire to save it from its impending doom. 



Katie herself was an interesting character who I actually enjoyed a lot. She wears her heart on her sleeve and you can tell she cares so deeply for her friends, family, and most important to the storyline - her hometown.

In steps Callum who starts off a little gruff but very quickly turns into a big sweetie. So quickly that it almost gave me whiplash and honestly made me feel like his character wasn’t very sincere. This thought slowly diminished the more I read and I did just believe him to be a big cinnamon bun, but it was a bit jarring. 


We witness some romantic tension between Katie and Callum while she organizes the Matchmaking Festival, and get treated to a few other relationships starting up along the way as well. 

This was easy to read but something about it didn’t sit right with me. It’s almost like everything turned out too perfectly even though it didn’t. I can’t quite place it.

As much as I wanted to love this one it left me saying “what?” and “As if” too often to be fully committed to the story.

2.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-ARC.

Recommend if you like Sophie Kinsella or Hannah Orenstein.

This is laugh-out-loud from the very beginning. I was in love with the Irish village setting. The two main characters are endearing but I would have liked even more granny. Walsh is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This book started out pretty strong, but it quickly fizzled and I lost interest a bit. I honestly think it was about 10 chapters too long since not much happened in the middle to develop the plot further. The book focused way too much on the town and the cast of secondary characters and really lacked on the romance. Callum & Katie were cute together, but there really were few scenes where they were actually together and that was probably the most disappointing part of this 'romance.' It read more chick lit with a little romance thrown in than true romance. I don't mind the occasional chick lit book, but if I'm reading something labeled as romance, I was a romance where the H/h are the main focus, not the friends of the heroine.

This was my first book by Catherine Walsh. I did enjoy the setting of Ireland and the town of Ennisbawm.