Chaste Christian romance. Somewhat enemies to lovers. An enjoyable read for people who like that.
The exploration of guilt as a long term complex emotion is quite good ( )

First thing’s first: this book is hilarious. Bellamy was such a great character with so many tricks up his sleeve. I hope we get a chance to see him meet his match.
However, this is not a five-star read for me. I got super tired of Finola’s hot/cold mindset. It just dragged for too long.

3.5 Stars ( )

First sentence: "Nip along with you now, Finola." Madigan bounded onto Broadway, dodging an omnibus that was slogging through the thick mud. "The matchmaker is waiting."

If Calling On the Matchmaker was published by a SECULAR publishing company or publishing house, then I would not be rating it one star. As it is published by a Christian publishing company and one who is not particularly known for being "edgy" or "pushing boundaries," I think the one star is fair enough to warn Christian readers that compromises have been made.

The premise of this one is relatively straightforward: Finola Shanahan, our heroine, does NOT want to get married. For better or worse, she thinks becoming a nun is the answer. (In my opinion (as a non-Catholic at that) I think wanting to avoid getting married out of fear of having children only to lose them to death is a HORRIBLE reason to pledge yourself--your life, your service--to the church. She does not seem motivated by a love for Jesus Christ OR having genuinely felt the call to a life of service to Jesus Christ.) Her family disagrees. They don't want their daughter to give up on love just yet. A matchmaker is being employed to help Finola find a husband. Finola's goal--as it has been the past dozen times--is to sabotage the experience. To become the exact opposite of whatever her would-be-husband is looking for. This plan backfires when sources become compromised. (She's told that HIS turn offs include women who like to kiss, hug, get touchy-feely, express themselves physically).

Riley Rafferty, our hero, has a one track mind. Well, that's not fair. He isn't only thinking of sex, sex, sex, sex. He's also thinking of who he can save and who can see him saving. Riley saves people--that's what he does. And he aspires to be a politician. Finola is one of the people he saves--though not the only one.

Riley doesn't want to get married--not exactly--but he does want Finola in his bed. By the second chapter, he's already seen her mostly naked. He is willing to court her through a matchmaker. Maybe the marriage will happen, maybe it won't. But in the meantime, he can hold her in his arms and have a little fun.

Finola isn't interested in marriage--obviously--but a little physical fun with the oh-so-dreamy Riley is a great way to kill time. But can these two explore physical pleasures in their "courting" outings without having to pay the price? Will these two reluctant suitors end up married after all?

This one is set in 1849 in St. Louis.

Too pretend that this one hasn't crossed all sorts of lines and boundaries in so-called Christian romance, would be wrong. Yet so many reviews don't mention the CONTENT. A few do. I am thankful that there are some reviewers out there who want to warn readers when Christian romance novels are anything but Christian.

I do think there are certain expectations that readers have of Christian publishing companies and Christian authors. One of the most basic being that what is being published (and promoted as Christian) actually lives up to a standard. There was no standard here. NO standard.

The outings and meetings these two had were COMPLETELY and totally inappropriate. These are the kinds of scenes I'd expect in secular smut. The matchmaker (whose name I've forgotten, he's taking over from his grandfather, I think???) and the two main characters are HORRIBLE characters if you are looking for Christian role models.

Other than the content being lust-forward, is there Christian content to balance out their hormones???? NO. Not really. Not every Christian novel is going to have their characters living out a spiritually rich faith. Some take a more subtle approach. There are no moral or spiritual lessons in this one. No gospel to be found. No Savior being glorified. No scripture verses being shared, prayed, meditated on. ( )

What a fantastic start to a new series by a talented author! Jody Hedlund does it once again, delivering a novel full of clean romance and sprinkled with interesting history, threads of faith, and twists along the way. I really liked the spunky Finola and thought she was the perfect match for the witty Riley, both of whom are stubborn and determined. The romance definitely takes center stage in this novel, with steamy scenes that never cross an uncomfortable boundary for Christian fiction. I really liked how Finola and Riley were great at helping the other overcome past hurts and grow and develop in the story. I also found the concept of the Irish matchmaker to be quite fascinating. The history of the cholera outbreak in 1840s St. Louis was also interesting to read about and I appreciated the compassionate natures of both Finola and Riley. I loved this novel and cannot wait to read more in the series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. ( )

Oh my, how I enjoyed this story! It's no secret that I'm a fan of Jody Hedlund but she's outdone herself this time! Calling on the Matchmaker is the beginning of a new series and Hedlund shows that romantic fiction can sizzle and still stay within the boundaries of clean romance. She accomplishes this in her tale of two needy characters who've sworn off love and marriage, and the determined Irish matchmaker who's been hired to change their minds. Yes, Bellamy McKenna claims to be a matchmaker even though he's never done it before, and he's an absolute hoot in the methods that he uses! Will he succeed in convincing Finola and Riley that they are each other's perfect match?

Calling on the Matchmaker has humor, multi-dimensional characters, and an intriguing glimpse of St. Louis as it was in 1849. There is drama in the threat of a cholera epidemic but it's Finola and Riley's relationship that kept me turning the pages. An initial attraction that deepens into friendship and a powerful chemistry that can't be denied make this a breathtaking historical romance. The ending is fantastic and there's even a teaser of what's ahead in the next book of A Shanahan Match series. I can't wait to see what Bellamy McKenna is up to next! Well done, Jody Hedlund!!

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. ( )