A Wager with the Matchmaker - (A Shanahan Match) by Jody Hedlund (Paperback)

A man who gave her books was a man who knew the way into her heart.” This series is one of my favorites, and Kiernan and Allanah’s story was a fantastic addition to it. Having eagerly anticipated their story since the last book, I was delighted to find that it exceeded my expectations. Loved it from beginning to end! ✨ After threats from a dangerous gang leader, Alannah leaves St. Louis and becomes a maid for the affluent Shanahan family, where she must resist her attraction to Kiernan Shanahan to maintain her position with the family and to keep hidden. Kiernan is seeking a wealthy bride to help fund his clay mine and brickyard venture, but his plans aren’t so certain the more he’s around Alannah, a woman he’s strongly attracted to and extremely protective of. Jody did an amazing job of creating layered and lovable characters, a compelling storyline, a swoony romance full of sizzle but no spice, and a dash of danger and suspense. The chemistry and attraction between Kiernan and Allanah were palpable. I loved how they were from differing social classes, but shared a strong connection with each other. Seeing their love blossom, especially during their late night meetings, was utterly enchanting. And so was the way Kiernan gifted books to her. I really enjoyed the historical setting, the vivid descriptions of 1849 St. Louis, the light faith elements, and the wonderful side characters. I cannot wait for Bellamy to get his story! As the third installment in the series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the entire series.

Woot, woot! Loved this addition to Author Jody Hedlund’s A Shanahan Match series. Both Kiernan and Alannah were admirable main characters who understood one another and got along so well, despite all of their differences. They were great together! The danger and constantly having to look over their shoulders had me turning pages and the interactions between the two of them had me smiling the whole way through. I enjoyed the growth that both characters exhibited, and was pleased with the lessons they’d both learned by the end. Bellamy was up to his usual schemes once again, and doing an excellent job of it! A natural with the matchmaking, he always finds exactly what each person needs…even if it’s not necessarily what they think they want. Love him! Can’t wait for the next book!! So glad to have gotten this from the publisher and been able to share my thoughts!

Swooning romance, as author Jody Hedlund always delivers! I love that the author combines things I love in a book in a way that seems almost effortless! The characters are relatable, not perfect but admirable in many ways and very lovable, the romance is sizzling yet clean -kisses only-, lots of endearing romantic moments, there are always many obstacles in the main characters journey to HEA, there’s always character growth, a faith inspired message, and a battle to do God’s will above our human desires. This is the third book in the “A Shanahan Match” Series and it’s Kiernan Shanahan’s turn at finding love. I love how Bellamy, the young matchmaker who takes after his dad in this unique profession, always manages to find the Shanahan siblings the best match. There is some fun and light banter in this process, yet the way he does it makes them learn something about themselves along with the surprise of “almost” unexpectedly finding their second half. This story has a higher degree of difficulty in the match, being a forbidden love, where Kiernan is from the high society of St. Louis and Alannah is not only an impoverished immigrant from Ireland, but also works as a maid in HIS house. Even worse, Kiernan needs to make a wealthy match if he wants to make his brick factory survive this difficult time, so considering Alannah is completely out of question. Still, Kiernan can’t help feel responsible for Alannah, being the sister of one of his best employees, so he’s the one who gives her the job, as he sees no better option to keep her safe from a disgusting leery man who leads a shadowy gang and wants to make her his wife at all costs as a way of revenge to Alannah’s brother Torin who wronged him. I loved Kiernan, he’s a wonderful and dreamy hero. His protectiveness of Alannah was endearing and the way they started a friendship -both resisting their growing attraction- which naturally led to deeper feelings, was sweet and very romantic. Some of my favorite parts were their nightly innocent meetings in the garden where they get to know each other. Alannah is a great heroine too: she’s strong -having endured loss and hardship- yet sensible, with a big heart that loves fiercely. Her love of books made her even more relatable, and Kiernan gifting her books and leaving them on her pillow, just melted my bookish heart. A man who appreciates and supports his sweetheart in this endeavor is a man after my own heart. Sigh! The plot is fast paced, with twists and action that keeps you glued to the story. I had a hard time putting it down and read it in a few days. The setting is so well described that it’s easy to picture the different scenes and places. The faith inspired message was not subtle, yet not preachy. Like the way Alannah struggles to see God’s loving care when things have been so dire for her. Discovering that God’s divine will may not always match our rational human desires, doesn’t mean He doesn’t hear our prayers, but we have to understand that He sometimes answers our prayers in a different or unexpected way, because He knows what’s best for our soul. This was one of my favorite quotes: “Maybe you’re expecting God to answer your prayers the way you think He should when he's actually answering the way He knows best”. Trusting God’s ways is not always easy, yet when we abandon our fears and turn to His Unconditional Love, unexpected miracles happen, even if they’re small and not what we imagined or asked for. Another great thing of this book is getting an insight to the next book, which I was happy to discover that Bellamy -and Zaira- will have their very own HEA too! I highly recommend this book. It can be read as a standalone, but I vividly recommend to read the series in order. You’ll just wish to visit with the Shanahan family as you get to know them and love them! I received a complimentary copy from the Publisher but was not required to write a positive review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

The wonderful A Shanahan Match series continues with this captivating historical romance story. The well-paced, skillfully planned plot--combining light, humorous moments and serious, dangerous ones--grabbed my attention instantly and kept me reading expectantly to the end. The impact of the story is enhanced by an impressive lineup of well-crafted, unforgettable characters with whom I easily formed emotional connections. Allanah and Kiernan's challenging romance adds an interesting and touching layer to the story. Vivid descriptions of pivotal historical events, including the aftermath of the Great St. Louis fire of 1849 and a devastating cholera epidemic, create a dramatic, authentic backdrop for the story. I totally enjoyed this story and highly recommend it and the series. I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review.