Calling on the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund

This book is adorable! The opening scene pulled me right in and had me ready to go. The meet cute sets the romance up nicely and lends to the tension throughout.

This is a clean historical romance set in mid 1800s St. Louis when many were traveling west for the gold rush and city conditions were at an extreme low, especially for immigrants. The setting was almost a character itself.

The pacing felt off at times but overall, I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more in the series.

Content: death of loved ones including an infant, pandemic

I enjoyed the first in this series and especially loved how the Irish accents and dialog just bounced right off the page at you in total Hedlund fashion. Bellamy was the character I was most invested in so thought it was neat he got his own chapter at the end to feel out his mind a little more as an Irish Matchmaker.
Trigger warnings: infant death.

To say that I was uber excited for Jody Hedlund's return to historical (not western or time travel) romance would be an understatement. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed those books very much, but this book...this book, was my cup of tea with a slice of cheesecake!

As with any matchmaking book, the question is this...will the match spark into love or will the match be doused before it has a chance to be struck? Be prepared for all the emotions as you read about the ups and downs of this couple's complicated relationship.

In Calling on the Matchmaker, Finola, an aspiring nun busily swatting away suitors, and Riley a reckless hero who has sworn off love, are literally thrown together from the beginning of the novel. From there the story takes off and will just never let you go. The story was fast paced and full of Jody Hedlund's signature steaminess. Clean romance, lots of kissing and one slightly compromising situation. Readers who are already Jody Hedlund fans are going to love this one!

There is also a whole lot of scheming going on in this novel! From the clever somewhat unorthodox matchmaker, to Finola's strategic plot to drive Riley away and Riley's counterattack to win Finola's love. Oh, my goodness! Riley's list! He proved to be her equal with that list!

One of my favorite movies is Far and Away with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Remember that one? In that movie, Joseph Donnelly tells his landlord's daughter, Shannon, "You're a corker, Shannon. What a corker you are." I must admit, that's one of my favorite parts of the whole movie and when Riley called Finola a "corker" *insert contented sigh here* I fell in love with the words all over again.

The last chapter is a little teaser for the next novel in the series. I'm so happy that the main male character has physical flaws, not every guy has to be drop dead gorgeous and muscular to be loveable and make a great bookish hero! I tend to like the ordinary ones the best. Saved by the Matchmaker sounds very much like a marriage of convenience trope which is my cup of tea with TWO slices of cheesecake! I will definitely be reading it!

Saved by the Matchmaker releases August 6.

Thank you; Jody Hedlund, Bethany House, AustenprosePR, and Net Galley for the complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Jody Hedlund's newest series is off to a fantastic start! I was held spell-bound from the first page to the last.

Set against the atmospheric backdrop of St. Louis during the height of the westward expansion, Finola and Riley both seek to better the lives of the immigrants pouring into the city. I felt as if I had stepped through time, walking through the streets of St. Louis during a different era, hearing the many sounds of an overcrowded region, full of both hope and despair, of a people looking for a better life.

Finola's story starts off with a bang, with a daring rescue from a swoon-worthy hero that will have readers eagerly racing through the story, laughing out loud at Finola's attempts to scare Riley away. The romantic chemistry between the two practically leaps off the page. Both struggle with the emotional scars of tragedies in their past that need to be overcome before they can find their happily-ever-after.

I was immediately intrigued by the Irish matchmaker being a key figure of the community. Found Bellamy utterly delightful and hope to read more of his matchmaking in future stories in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publsiher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

1849 St Louis

Charming! What a lovely start to a new series.

Due to a childhood tragedy Finola Shanahan has decided to become a nun rather than pursue marriage and a family. And Finola has become quite the expert at driving away potential suitors.

Riley Rafferty has no interest in marriage after his first one was a failure. However, can a son deny his father's deathbed wish?

And enter matchmaker Bellamy McKenna. I adored Bellamy with his confidence despite Finola and Riley being his first attempt at matchmaking.

Lots of history. Lots of Irish brogue.

I was expecting a lot from the description of this book, as I've always liked the author's previous books. However, Calling on the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund left me with mixed emotions.

The story has a great premise. Finola Shanahan is determined to thwart the suitors her parents have been shoving at her. She feels a need to punish herself because of her sister's death. Frustrated, her father hires a matchmaker to get his daughter married once and for all. Enter Riley Rafferty (or Saint Riley, as he is known). When his father is on his deathbed, he makes Riley promise to get married. Not wanting to disappoint his father, he agrees to meet the matchmaker, not knowing that Finola is determined to do everything in her power to make him dislike her in order to call off the match.

While this book has its moments of amusement and seriousness, it takes on a decidedly "unchristian" feel when almost page after page talks about how badly Riley (and then Finola) lusted for each other. The descriptions are very visual, and I was surprised to find them in a book marketed for Christians. The lack of Christian content was also disheartening and instead leaned toward Catholicism.

I did enjoy the story and was happy to see both characters grow, but in the end, I am not sure I could recommend this book to anyone because of the visually descriptive sexual thoughts of the characters. I give it three stars.

I received a complimentary review copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I just finished reading this and it was totally awesome! I stayed up all night reading this because I just couldn't put it down!
Riley and Finola were the best couple ever! I loved their shenanigans. They made me laugh and smile all the way through.
I really enjoyed in getting to know them.
If I could give this book 10 stars I definitely would!
This is very enjoyable read and one you'll love from the moment you open this book.
I believe that this will be my favorite book by her.
5 stars for a job well done. I had a great time with this novel.
I highly recommend it.

It is always a true delight to read a book by Jody Hedlund! Calling On the Matchmaker is the perfect series starter, introducing readers to the Shanahan family and other figures in their lives in 19th-century St. Louis. I adored Finola and Riley; their journeys as both a couple and as individuals were emotional, relatable, and endearing. Jody is an expert at getting readers excited for more in a series while still keeping the focus on the current book, but let’s just say I am INCREDIBLY excited for book two and beyond! This is definitely one to add to your TBR. 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jody Hedlund has started a new series set in St Louis in 1849. Gold has just been discovered in California. St Louis is overwhelmed with immigrants and with gold seekers. Tenements are more than full, and sanitation is woefully inadequate. Cholera lurks out of sight. The Shanahan family is wealthy and begins seeking spouses for their children, starting with Finola, the eldest daughter.

It was fascinating to read about how the Irish matchmakers (men, no less!) operated. The characters pop off the page and are very intriguing. Hedlund’s plot twists in this book have their own twists! I stayed up way too late because I had to know how it all ended.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. #CallingontheMatchmaker #NetGalley

I won this book on LibraryThing and I am not required to leave a review. This review is my honest opinion and is freely given.

I truly enjoyed this book, it was quite unique. The characters were mostly believable but not totally. They kept my interest throughout. The story flowed well and was very well written. The editing was very well done.

There were two things I did not care for, one, it was a bit steamy for a Christian genre. Not overtly but a little too suggestive for my taste. The second is there were a few things that were not wrapped up at the end of the book.

Overall, I'd give this a solid 4.5 out of 5-star review.

5 stars, Two Broken Souls

CALLING ON THE MATCHMAKER (A SHANAHAN MATCH BOOK 1)
by Jody Hedlund

If you're rich, you don't need to look for a bridegroom, your family can simply hire a matchmaker to set up the dowry details, and marry you off.

Finola Shanahan has a torturous memory that has affected her entire life. She feels that she needs to enter a convent to make amends.

Riley Rafferty is a successful businessman with his own torturous memories and wants to do the right thing.

Finola and Riley both want to make their fathers happy, but neither is entirely sure that they can do the right thing.

"Do one last thing for me." If someone were on their deathbed, what could you say other than, "I will." "She was breathless because the heroic Riley Rafferty had saved her life." What do you say after that, other than "Thank you?"

Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of #CallingOnTheMatchmaker #BethanyHousePublishers I was not obligated to post a review.

#HistoricalFiction #Inspirational #InspyFic #ChristianRomance #SweetRomance #StLouisMissouri #JodyHedlund #AShanahanMatchSeriesBook #Irish

The synopsis was very captivating, so I was happy to have the chance to clear my night for a good read.

Finola Shanahan and Riley Rafferty are both scarred by events of their past that have followed them throughout their lives like a black cloud hanging over them. Neither one of them feels that they deserve to be happy, yet there is no denying the attraction they have for one another. I'm not a mental health expert, but I think I could label this behavior as "psychological warfare". The enemy is their own self, their past, and their emotional baggage that weighs them down. Finola is an expert at manipulating her prospective suitors into abandoning any hopes of a future with her. She's not out to hurt anyone, just herself. Riley can see right through her and he can play the same game.

The matchmaker knows that they are perfect for each other. Their chemistry is undeniable. They just have to work through their issues and stop blocking their own way to happiness.

Love, love, loved this book! This book is on my top 5 list of 2023 reads.

"How has this happened to him? How had he gone from being opposed to taking a wife one day to acting as if he'd swallowed an ancient herbal love potion the next?"

I haven't read many books where both and MMC and FMC don't want to find love at the beginning. In this book, Riley accepts the idea first, and Finola needed more time to be convinced. The methods of the matchmaker and the way that Riley wins over her heart were memorable and made for a really really good story. The tension was palpable and the slow burn romance made me want to keep coming back to the book for more. It was a 5 star read for me, and the last chapter has me so excited for the next book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy. A positive review was not required.

It is always a true delight to read a book by Jody Hedlund! Calling On the Matchmaker is the perfect series starter, introducing readers to the Shanahan family and other figures in their lives in 19th-century St. Louis. I adored Finola and Riley; their journeys as both a couple and as individuals were emotional, relatable, and endearing. Jody is an expert at getting readers excited for more in a series while still keeping the focus on the current book, but let’s just say I am INCREDIBLY excited for book two and beyond! This is definitely one to add to your TBR. 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

SOOO CRAZY GOOD!!!

Absolutely loved this book - one of my new favorites from this author!

Finola is determined to never marry. She has her heart set on being a nun and so purposefully drives away every suitor that she is paired with by the matchmaker.

Riley is hesitant at first to use a matchmaker but when he is paired with Finola he decides he is all in, and not just because it will help his business and his run for mayor...

Finola's determination to NOT fall for Riley falters the more she spends time with him but their growing feelings may not be enough to overcome pride, guilt, and a deadly outbreak of cholera.

What to expect:
1840s St. Louis
Dual POV
Matchmaker trope
He falls first, and he falls harder
Main characters with wounded pasts
Memorable meet-cute
Sooo much chemistry!!
The "List"
Ice skating
Caretaking scene
The ring
That first kiss!!
The Shanahan siblings
The grand gesture
Light themes of redemption and forgiveness
THE LAST CHAPTER!!!!

Oh my, does Jody Hedlund know how to write a swoony romance or what?! So much tension between Riley and Finola from the beginning and I loved the push and pull of their relationship as they both learned to let go of the past. There was a lot of physical attraction but I loved that they loved each other for so many other reasons too!

Love the unique setting and the many wonderful themes woven throughout the story about family and loss and love and forgiveness. I am hoping based on the series name that we will get stories for the other Shanahan siblings and I cannot wait!

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

TW: Loss of family members, infant death