A Wager with the Matchmaker - Review

A Wager with the Matchmaker (A Shanahan Match, # 3)

By: Jody Hedlund

Publication: May 6, 2025 by Bethany House Publishers

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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Goodreads description--After her brother's entanglement with an Irish gang threatens their family's safety, Alannah Darragh flees St. Louis and her troubled past, seeking refuge as a maid for the affluent Shanahan family. Alannah's resolve to avoid romance is tested by the undeniable attraction she feels for Kiernan Shanahan. Determined to maintain her position and the safety it provides, she vows to resist the pull of her heart despite the growing bond between them and their undeniable chemistry.

In the wake of a devastating fire, Kiernan Shanahan sees a shrewd opportunity to invest in a clay mine and brickyard to aid the city's rebuilding. To secure his venture, he seeks a wealthy bride with a substantial dowry. However, the matchmaker he consults has different plans. As danger looms and Alannah fights to keep her brother safe, Kiernan's protective instincts draw them closer together, but a future with him seems too far out of reach. It will take a miracle--or a wager with the wily matchmaker--to bring the unlikely couple together.

Be swept away in a tale of love, danger, and destiny in this captivating historical romance from bestselling author Jody Hedlund.

So I've read 12 books by Jody Hedlund. After a while, you start to get a feel for an author. Some of her books I've rated 4 Stars and some 3 Stars. I don't think I've had a 5-star book from her yet, but she's been consistent. One of the things I like about her is that her books are clean, often Christian fiction, yet they don't deny physical attraction and longing. She can bring some yearning into her books. At the same time, the last three I've read by her (including this one), felt almost like a formula. They each felt either lacking in an area that I couldn't describe, or they felt rushed. I did miss the second book in the A Shanahan Match series. I hope to come back to read it eventually. 

Basically, Alannah is being sheltered at Kieran's sister's house as a maid. Her brother got entangled in an Irish gang upon arriving in St. Louis. Unfortunately, that means his loved ones are in danger from the backlash of his trying to get away from this gang. Kieran is attracted to Alannah and wants to see her settled and protected. Of course, he doesn't immediately consider himself as an option for protecting her, even though he takes on the responsibility of finding her suitable work. Sometimes I'm all about forbidden love stories, and other times I'm frustrated with the characters for making poor choices. I found that I was unhappy with the characters choosing to spend time together alone in what would have been a compromising position had they been discovered. Yet. I wanted to root for them at the same time. 

Favorite quotes:

-"The only sure thing about luck is that it will change."

-"You never miss the water till the well has run dry."

-"We cannot be blaming the problems we create on God."

-"God could turn His nose up at us for all the times we think we know best and go our own way. But He doesn't. Instead, He's there offering to help clean up our problems and walk with us through them."

-"Maybe you're expecting God to answer your prayers the way you think He should when He's actually answering the way He knows is best."

-"Doncha be prodding me along without telling me where you're pushing me."

All of that being said, A Wager with the Matchmaker was not my favorite Jody Hedlund book. They can't all be the best. I have been a little frustrated with the last three books that I've read by her, yet I still plan to read more because I've read enough of her books to know what she's capable of writing. A Wager with the Matchmaker gets 3 Stars. I'm looking forward to Bellamy & Zaira's story. Have you read A Wager with the Matchmaker? What did you think? Let me know!