Thursday, January 19, 2023

A Match in the Making (The Matchmakers #1) by Jen Turano


A Match in the Making (The Matchmakers #1)
By Jen Turano 
Published by Bethany House 
Publication Date: February 21. 2013 

Description (from the author's website):
Miss Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a temporary paid companion position for the Newport summer season, believing it would be a lark to spend the summer in America’s most exclusive town. She suddenly finds her summer turning anything but amusing when her employer expects her to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with the daunting prospect of attaining advantageous matches for her clients, Gwendolyn soon finds herself in the company of Mr. Walter Townsend, the catch of the Season, but a gentleman Gwendolyn finds beyond annoying.
Walter is reluctantly in search of a wife for the sake of his unruly motherless children. What he wasn’t expecting was Miss Brinley, who turns his quest for a new wife into a complete and utter debacle.
The more time they spend together throughout the Newport Season, the harder it is for Gwendolyn to find Walter a wife when she realizes his perfect match might be...her.
USA Today bestselling author Jen Turano’s trademark wit, sweet romance, and hilarious mischief will keep you turning the pages of this lively Gilded Age tale.


About the Author:
Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She's been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers' Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and at jenturano.com.


Review:
Jen Turano's books are always a delight to read! They are so funny, and this one is no exception. In the hands of a lesser storyteller, the eccentricities of some characters and the shenanigans of others could quickly become tiresome, but Turano does a fabulous job of making even over-the-top situations believable and humorous rather than annoying. 
I'm very much a character-driven reader and I've read all of Turano's books, so it's pretty big thing when I say that Gwendolyn might very well be my favorite of ALL of her heroines. She is just my sort of person--intelligent, capable, and direct. I love how she says the things that need to be said without beating around the bush and how she so adeptly solves problem after problem and refuses to bow to society's expectations. Walter was a bit of a dolt initially (not a good parent, not believing in love, etc.), but in an endearing way, and I loved seeing him change throughout the book. Walter's children, especially Oscar, just stole my heart. I'm hoping we'll see more of secondary characters Gideon and Adelaide in the next book, especially as one another's love interests, because I really liked both of them as well.
I highly recommend this book to any fans of historical romance, rom-coms, and super fun books!
4.5 stars.

I read a copy of the book provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own. 


Buy your copy now:
Baker Book House (40% off and FREE shipping) 

Giveaway!! Enter to win a free copy of the book on Goodreads!


Can't wait for release day? Read a sneak peak! (Just look for the "Free Preview" button at the bottom.) And if you need more of Jen's writing to tide you over until the book comes out, check out my reviews of several of her other amazing stories!

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for sharing! So glad you enjoyed this book - Rachel Dixon

    ReplyDelete