Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund Book Review
Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund is a marriage of convenience historical romance about a steamboat captain and a young woman who’s found herself in an unfortunate situation.
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Saved by the Matchmaker
Author: Jody Hedlund
Pub. Date: August 6, 2024
Series: A Shanahan Match book 2
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Pages: 352
Rating: 5 stars
Spice: none
Content Warnings: domestic abuse, infidelity, slavery, fire, & death
Synopsis:
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.
Book Review
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for the ARC and finished copy of Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund. All opinions are my own.
Last year, Calling on the Matchmaker, book one in the Shanahan Match series, was one of my favorite books of the year. Saved by the Matchmaker, book two in the series, was one of my most highly anticipated books of this year. It did not disappoint!
Saved by the Matchmaker is a historical romance set in the mid-1800s in St. Louis, Missouri. It follows Enya Shanahan and Captain Sullivan O’Brien and their marriage of convenience.
Thoughts
While I loved both protagonists in this dual POV story, Sullivan was the highlight for me. He was such a patient, gentle, and kind man and took such good care of Enya. I loved watching him fall in love with her and try to help her in her healing process. He also became more confident as the story went on, and I appreciated how protective he was of Enya. His selflessness was so admirable, and I liked that he was such a hard worker.
Enya had a great personality, and I liked seeing her come back to herself after dealing with the trauma she had recently faced. She really balanced Sullivan’s seriousness with her feistiness and love of people. While she had major trust issues, I definitely could understand where she was coming from with everything that she had experienced. I appreciated her bravery as well in several situations where she put the wellbeing of others ahead of herself.
The romance was adorable. I loved watching Sullivan patiently wait for Enya to be ready for him. He wasn’t pushy, and he always put her first over himself. There were so many good romantic moments in this story and some really swoony kissing scenes.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I would recommend this book! Although this is book two in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
Where to Read & Purchase
You can purchase a copy of this book at the following retailers:
Bookshop.org (supports independent book stores) [affiliate]
Libro.fm (audiobooks that support independent book stores) [affiliate]
→ get a free audiobook when you start a membership
Chirp (get 30% off your first purchase with code: JESS30)
Amazon [affiliate]
Books a Million (BAM) [affiliate]
AbeBooks [affiliate]
You can also find this book on:
Everand (30-Day FREE Trial)
Have you read Saved by the Matchmaker or any other books by Jody Hedlund?
I would love to hear your thoughts! Comment down below.
Other posts you might enjoy:
Calling on the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund Book Review
Finally His Bride by Jody Hedlund Book Review
His Treasured Bride by Jody Hedlund & Patti Stockdale Book Review