A review by bookrecsbyjess
A Wager with the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund

emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for the ARC of A Wager with the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund. All opinions are my own. 

I’ve yet to find a Jody Hedlund book I didn’t like, and this book was no different. I just really appreciate the way that this author writes romances with so much longing while also still keeping them closed door. 

A Wager with the Matchmaker is book three in A Shanahan Match series. It can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the books in order for the best experience. The first two books in the series follow two of the Shanahan daughters, but this third book follows their brother. 

As with the other books in this series, I really appreciated Bellamy, who is the matchmaker. His parts always make me laugh, and I can’t wait until he gets his own story. In this book, he makes a wager with Kiernan Shanahan, a wealthy businessman who’s trying to live up to his father’s successes. Bellamy also makes a wager with Alannah Darragh, a maid that’s trying to hide from a dangerous man that’s determined to marry her. Both wagers are different, but they are ultimately that Bellamy will be able to find each one a match within a couple months’ time. 

The character growth in this story was excellent. Kiernan starts off his search for a bride thinking he knows everything he wants in a future wife, but by the end, he realizes what’s really important in a spouse. Alannah, starts off determined to not get married anytime soon but is instead just wanting to have a good job that will allow her to save money to one day return to Ireland. Her world changes when things become more dangerous, and when she realizes that getting married is something that she might actually want sooner rather than later. 

The sweetness of these characters and their romance really made me love this story. I loved their connection to each other with books, and I appreciated how they became friends before they ever became more. I also liked that they were both willing to sacrifice things to have the chance to be with each other. 

There are some Christian faith elements throughout the story that I appreciated. It was cool to see these characters, especially Alannah, grow in their faith. 

Overall, I would recommend this book if you want a sweet romance with some danger and depth. 
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