Marrying the Matchmaker

Hedlund (A Wager with the Matchmaker) concludes the Shanahan Match series with a fun mid-19th-century romance between a handsome matchmaker and a fiery author. Zaira Shanahan, the middle daughter of a wealthy St. Louis family, secretly writes romances under the pseudonym K.S. Flanders. When her editor challenges her to add more emotional depth to her novels, she turns to local matchmaker Bellamy McKenna for some hands-on kissing experience. In return, she promises to help Bellamy find a match for the daughter of a demanding senator. Zaira holds up her part of the deal, but Bellamy backs out for fear of stoking the attraction he already feels. When Zaira rashly kisses Bellamy in public, they decide to fake a courtship to quiet the rumors. Real feelings ignite, but Bellamy’s all too aware that the matchmakers in his family are doomed to end up in dead-end marriages, and Zaira doubts that a relationship begun in deceit can turn into true love. Both must look to their faith for the strength to be honest with their loved ones and themselves. The flirty banter between the leads enhances the romantic tension, and the vivid backdrop of 19th-century St. Louis in the midst of a cholera epidemic adds texture. It makes for a sweet and satisfying historical spin on the fake-dating trope. (Feb.)