Saved by the Matchmaker is an 1800s historical romance with strong characters, a page-turning plot, and thoughtful themes.

Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance (marriage of convenience),1800s St. Louis

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My Summary of Saved by the Matchmaker:

Thanks #NetGalley @Bethany_House @AustenProse for a complimentary e ARC of #SavedByTheMatchmaker upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Enya’s annulment is finalized, and to save her from further scandal, her father seeks the assistance of a (cunning) matchmaker. Sullivan is a steamboat captain who risks his life to hide and transport enslaved people to freedom. His father demands that he find a wife or lose his inheritance, so Sullivan seeks the services of the same matchmaker. Enya and Sullivan are brought together by the matchmaker in a marriage of convenience. They face a few trials and harrowing experiences as they learn to trust each other. This is #2 in a series but can be read as a stand-alone.

My Thoughts:

Marriage of Convenience

A marriage of convenience was probably fairly typical in the 1800s when women were dependent upon a husband or father for protection and/or support. I often wonder what those circumstances would be like. It’s difficult for me to imagine in that situation as a woman living in the U.S. in modern times. A marriage of convenience trope lends itself to witty dialogue and entertaining circumstances! I think this slow-burn romance was well done.

Dual Perspectives

I enjoyed both Enya’s and Sullivan’s perspectives in this story. Each was unique and equally interesting and complicated. Enya’s circumstances (abandoned by her husband) were unfortunate for the time when women needed to be married and taken care of. A pregnancy complicates everything. Can the matchmaker find her a husband before her pregnancy is obvious? Can they fool a prospective husband into thinking it’s his child? Or will a potential husband reject her when he finds out she’s pregnant? Sullivan has his own complicated life. His father threatens to disinherit him if he doesn’t marry within the year. He also hides and transports enslaved people in their escape attempts. Right away, we realize these two are desperate to marry (for different reasons) and that both risk a great deal in trusting another person. These dynamics raised the stakes in their marriage of convenience. We still have the typical stressors that come with this type of arrangement but we also get so much more.

What I Loved

Saved by the Matchmaker has thoughtful character development, a slow-burn romance, and a page-turning conclusion. I love this balance! I also appreciated the unique steam-boat setting which created “forced proximity.” Transporting enslaved persons added a compelling storyline. The tension of trusting each other permeates the story from beginning to end. For this reason, it is an engaging read.

Recommending Saved by the Matchmaker

I’m enthusiastically recommending Saved by the Matchmaker for readers who are fans of 1800s historical romance with strong characters, compelling content, and thoughtful themes. It is #2 in a series but can be read as a stand-alone.

Related: You might also enjoy Meeting Her Match.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Meet the Author of Saved By the Matchmaker, Jody Hedlund

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).

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QOTD:

Is this histfic romance on your TBR or have you read it?

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