Calling on the Matchmaker (A Shanahan Match Book #1)

This book was very good. I loved the heart for helping others that both of the main characters had. It was really beautiful! I really enjoyed the cast of diverse characters and their different story arcs. And the matchmaker! I honestly wasn’t sure which “matchmaker” the title was referring to at first, but I’m intrigued now! He’s such a mysterious and fascinating character and I can’t WAIT to see what match he comes up with next and the methods he employs to bring his clients together!

This was my first book by Jody Hedlund. I love her writing style and the historical aspects of this book! This book is labeled Christian fiction, but I feel that it is missing vital components to fulfill the Christian fiction label. The characters let go of the guilt they have carried with them for a long time, but they do not seek forgiveness or restoration from God. The characters follow Catholic beliefs instead of the Gospel, and I would have liked to see more of the Gospel in this book.

Jody Hedlund has wowed me again! Did I hum “Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match. Find me a find. Catch me a catch” while I was reading? Yes, yes I did. Let me tell you, the matchmaker in this book is a young, mischievous man who has more tricks up his sleeve than Yenta. I was blown away by the unique storyline, the passionate yet clean love story, & the heartfelt drama as two endearing Irish young people with messy pasts deal with an arranged marriage. Set in St. Louis, Missouri in the 1840s.