Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund

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1849 – Missouri

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 circumstances.

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.

2 Comments

How does one deal with an annulment and a soon-to-be-revealed secret? What if you have to be married by midnight on Shrove Tuesday and you have no idea how to make it happen? Can you trust that a well-known matchmaker will work his magic again? This is the predicament of two people who desperately need Bellamy McKenna’s matchmaking skills!

I always enjoy Jody Hedlund’s stories, but this book has just become my favorite! The two main characters are individually charismatic but together, they become an extraordinary super-couple! Enya Shanahan is beautiful inside and out, and Sullivan is strong, brave, and willing to put the needs of other people ahead of his own. How many gentlemen were willing to risk their health and wealth to help slaves escape to freedom in 1849? How many husbands would put the needs of their ‘marriage of convenience brides’ before their own?

Hedlund gives readers a mesmerizing tale of danger, adventure, and romance. A raging fire and the threat of a cholera epidemic add to the action, but the real drama is in the relationship between Enya and Sullivan. I loved their deepening respect and concern for each other, and I swooned at their increasing physical attraction. The romance is clean, but oh, so sizzling and there’s also a reminder that joy and peace can come from unknown people and unexpected circumstances. I recommend Saved by the Matchmaker to all who enjoy historical Christian romance.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review.

Matchmaker Bellamy has a tough job his second time around. Each of his candidates is desperate and time is running out. Enya has been abandoned by her cruel husband and is pregnant. Sullivan has promised his father he will wed before midnight on Shrove Tuesday or his career as a steamboat captain is over. By midnight, the deed is done but the bride and groom are strangers.
This was a great marriage of convenience story with a very kind, patient, caring hero. Sullivan is truly a hero with scars to prove it from rescuing men from a burning boat. Enya carries her scars inside her as she tries to trust a man again.
I am glad there was a bit less sizzle to this romance as Sullivan and Enya try to deny that they care for each other. Other elements such as life on a steamboat, the scenery down the Mississippi, Enya composing music, a nasty slave catcher, and a very scary fire make this a well rounded story. In the end the couple find their way back to each other and regain their trust in God. *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.*
* A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

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Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund