Sophia's Reviews > The Merry Matchmaker
The Merry Matchmaker
by
by
Sophia's review
bookshelves: contemporary-romance, holiday-romances, jane-austen-austenesque, net-galley-reads, womens-fiction
Nov 21, 2024
bookshelves: contemporary-romance, holiday-romances, jane-austen-austenesque, net-galley-reads, womens-fiction
Romance is the surprise holiday gift the meddling Matchmaker wasn’t expecting when she set out to pair up all her single acquaintances. Hearkening back to Jane Austen’s Emma, Sheila Roberts brings another heartwarming holiday charmer brimming with good cheer.
The Merry Matchmaker caught my eye originally because I spotted in the blurb that it was inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma. There are some broad strokes that brought that novel to mind, but for the most part this was loosely connected to it at best. Rather, we have a middle-aged widower who thinks she knows best about other people’s love lives from her adult kids to her bestie. She tries to hook them up and doesn’t read it well to humorous, disastrous results. One would think having a holiday-themed store going great gangbusters during the holidays would be enough, but no, Frankie knows best and is insistent that she will help and advise everyone. However, fellow business owner, Mitch, her friend for many years does have a clear eye about matters including about Frankie who is doing her level best to set him up, too.
I have to chuckle because, while this isn’t a modern Emma retelling in the strictest sense, I had a similar reaction to Frankie as I did to Austen’s character. I guess I’m put off by people who have to get their noses into other people’s business. Frankie rubbed me wrong because she was so strongly opinioned and couldn’t read the room well at all. She’s the annoying relative every family has to put up with who knows best about jobs, friendships, love and everything.
But, I enjoyed the holidays, the store, the cast as a whole and there was Mitch to keep Frankie grounded. Then, as Frankie had to get it wrong, learn, and then finally grow, I was cheering her on to get her own special holiday match. Mitch was there all along and waiting if Frankie didn’t make the biggest mistake of her life pushing her shop gal, Eleanor at him.
Altogether a light and sweet holiday morsel that was a women’s fic and contemporary romance crossover set in small town shops, family and friend circles bringing out the holiday season mood rather well.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy on 12.3.24.
The Merry Matchmaker caught my eye originally because I spotted in the blurb that it was inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma. There are some broad strokes that brought that novel to mind, but for the most part this was loosely connected to it at best. Rather, we have a middle-aged widower who thinks she knows best about other people’s love lives from her adult kids to her bestie. She tries to hook them up and doesn’t read it well to humorous, disastrous results. One would think having a holiday-themed store going great gangbusters during the holidays would be enough, but no, Frankie knows best and is insistent that she will help and advise everyone. However, fellow business owner, Mitch, her friend for many years does have a clear eye about matters including about Frankie who is doing her level best to set him up, too.
I have to chuckle because, while this isn’t a modern Emma retelling in the strictest sense, I had a similar reaction to Frankie as I did to Austen’s character. I guess I’m put off by people who have to get their noses into other people’s business. Frankie rubbed me wrong because she was so strongly opinioned and couldn’t read the room well at all. She’s the annoying relative every family has to put up with who knows best about jobs, friendships, love and everything.
But, I enjoyed the holidays, the store, the cast as a whole and there was Mitch to keep Frankie grounded. Then, as Frankie had to get it wrong, learn, and then finally grow, I was cheering her on to get her own special holiday match. Mitch was there all along and waiting if Frankie didn’t make the biggest mistake of her life pushing her shop gal, Eleanor at him.
Altogether a light and sweet holiday morsel that was a women’s fic and contemporary romance crossover set in small town shops, family and friend circles bringing out the holiday season mood rather well.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy on 12.3.24.
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Reading Progress
May 29, 2024
– Shelved
November 20, 2024
–
Started Reading
November 21, 2024
–
Finished Reading