Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund- is romance at its finest!
By Jeneane Vanderhoof
One of my favorite publishers, Baker and Bethany House, has a new release from author Jody Hedlund, titled- Saved By the Matchmaker, the second in A Shanahan Match. While historical romances aren't my genre of choice, when it comes to this author, it is- because she writes a romance you want to linger with until finished- I set everything aside that I was supposed to do for the day- to read, so engrossed I became in this love story.
In it the author brings to the reader two wounded characters. First, Enya Shanahan, who, months ago, ran from her family and home with a man who she thought loved her. It only turned out poorly though, when she discovered he was a violent con-man who was only after his father's wealth, having married before, another young rich girl whose family paid to make him go away.
Then readers meet Sullivan O’Brien, a war veteran who, while risking his life to save many people, became permanently scarred. After this, when the girl he was courting said she was no longer attracted to him- Sullivan set out to succeed and do good in his family business and put love far behind him. However- being thirty and unmarried, his father says if he does not find a woman and settle down, he loses his livelihood until he does (which essentially means work, which Sullivan is obsessed with).
While Sullivan loves to work, a steamboat captain, there is another thing that keeps him at sea- helping slaves to escape to their freedom. This is a very dangerous task and, if caught, Sullivan faces terrible punishments, which include a harsh prison sentence. While he doesn't want to take a break from working, he definitely can't take a break from helping those who are enslaved, something Sullivan is firmly against and he does as much as he can, being the only person on the ship to know, when a slave is hiding on their way to freedom.
With Sullivan's family pressure and with Enya in a “family way”- both of them go to the same Matchmaker, a Mr. Bellamy McKenna. Having never heard of a male Matchmaker myself, I was intrigued by this twist of the story- whether it is an Irish tradition, that males are matchmakers, it was definitely something amusing. Also, Bellamy seems quite good at what he does, as he brings Sullivan and Enya quickly together. But since Enya is with child from her first disastrous and short lived marriage, and about four months along, things need to move quickly.
However the last thing that Sullivan wanted was a beautiful girl like Enya. In fact, he thinks she is the most beautiful woman in the world and, when he finds out she is with child and has been hurt, in the past, by this other man, he firmly resolves to show her that a man can be good to her- no matter what he has to do.
The marriage begins with Sullivan's plight to show Enya this- that men are good, that they can be trusted and that she can indeed, be loved. This means Sullivan does anything and everything to protect the woman, up to and including, taking care of her when she is sick because of her pregnancy, defending her in every instance, and protecting her with his very body if she needs it. He even goes to shield her and the babe inside- when a steamboat drives straight at the one he is the captain of- however it is just a plot from a competitor doing poorlier than Sullivan.
Sullivan won't consummate the marriage until Enya asks him and as the two begin to grow close as the days pass- Enya begins to see what a worthwhile man is like. Far and few between in life for myself, Sullivan is the perfect man, almost as rare as a unicorn now, in this world, every woman will envy Enya and every man should want to emulate Sullivan in his actions, dress and morals (along with adjusting them to fit today's society, of course)- as they read this second in the series (and don't worry, these books can definitely be read on a stand alone basis however I believe the matchmakers story is what connects the series, having read only this one so far).
As always in Baker and Bethany House books, God is always present and readers are present as the two struggle with their life- and their feelings- when it comes to God too. Whether he is the guiding hand in this love story or he just watches as it evolves, none of us can say, and neither does Jody Hedlund's characters. Like the rest of us, they both pray to God and hope for the best, struggling to understand why the bad things happen and pleased- and, of course thankful- for all the good.
And hopefully, by the end of this book, if Hedlund sticks to course, this new wedded pair should find bliss as they seem utterly, immensely, and undeniably perfect for one another and it is possible they could both be wonderfully happy with one another if they get over all their issues and fall for the love they both have for one another.
Will that happen? Readers hope for a storybook ending in Saved by the Matchmaker, for two characters wounded, healing and taking a chance at Love- at least I know I do, and I hope all join me in reading this awesome, enjoyable book.
Happy Reading!