SAVED BY THE MATCHMAKER by Jody Hedlund
SERIES: A Shanahan Match #2
GENRE: Historical Romance (Christian)
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
RELEASE DATE: August 6, 2024
PAGES: 352
After her annulment is finalized, Enya Shanahan finds herself caught in a web of scandal and obligation while carrying a secret that threatens to shatter her family’s reputation. Determined to find a suitable marriage for Enya, her father turns to a wily matchmaker to save them from their circ*mstances.
Sullivan O’Brien, a steamboat captain committed to aiding enslaved people on their path to freedom, is faced with an ultimatum from his father. Forced to marry or lose his livelihood, a marriage of convenience seems to be the only solution. As he and Enya face the trials of their pasts and a city consumed by fire, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust in love, even when darkness threatens to engulf them.
Other Books In This Series
“You don’t have to let the scars of your past determine your future.“
I have been so eager for Enya & Sullivan’s story since the author set it up for us in Calling on the Matchmaker. A marriage of convenience story with Jody Hedlund at the helm? Let me think about that for negative 0.2 seconds… YES PLEASE!
“She needs someone who will cherish her, so she does. And I have the feeling that you can be that man.”
Sullivan O’Brien intrigued me in the last few pages of book one, and he completely won my heart in Saved by the Matchmaker. The more I got to know him, the more I adored this teddy bear of a hero – a little gruff on the outside, but the kind of man whose inner strength radiates around you like a comforting hug. There are so many layers to his character, but the common thread is that he does the right thing, sometimes at great personal risk. His selfless care for Enya’s heart, even as he is falling in what he assumes is unrequited love with her, is exquisitely sweet … and when they get around to kissing (even if just for show), whew! Passion ignites between them, to be sure, but it’s the undercurrent of cherishing in each kiss, touch, or embrace that makes their romance so swoony for me.
“God did not prevent the hardships or the difficulties. Instead He pieced the shards together to create something new that would not be perfect and would not be without its blemishes, but the brokenness would be beautiful in its own way.”
Both Enya and Sullivan bear scars from their pasts, wounds (whether they began internally or externally) that further complicate their emotions in an already complicated situation and make it difficult for them to fully trust each other’s heart. I wanted to hug both of them… and sometimes shake them a little too… as their fears and their feelings of inadequacy cause them to take a couple steps forward and a few steps back several times throughout this story. This dance is so worth it, though, in the end as the message of God bringing beauty out of brokenness is tenderly restorative.
Bottom Line: Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund takes two broken people and stitches them together in a beautiful picture of love and grace. Their marriage may have happened because their respective fathers forced them into it (each for separate reasons) but their Heavenly Father had His own plan all along and I loved watching it unfold. The romance sizzles (chastely) but the physical desire is grounded in sweet affection and sacrificial love, exactly as this author always does so well. While we didn’t see the delightful matchmaker Bellamy as much in this book (because the match was made at the very beginning), the stage is already set for more of his shenanigans in book three – and I can’t wait!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!
KissingBook Level: 4+ / keep that fan and fainting couch close by!!
affiliate links used
Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet, clean historical romances with plenty of sizzle (but without the spice). Visit her at jodyhedlund.com.
Other Recently Featured Books by Jody Hedlund
Bethany House is offering a print copy of Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund to one of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
What about you? What makes you want to read Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund?
