Unfortunately, this one didn't quite work for me. I was pulled in by the initial premise - small-town girl meets city guy in Irish rom-com, and the focus is on the heartwarming town and community. But I found the instant love a bit boring and Hallmark-like, and the conflict fairly mild. The book felt altogether too long, and it took me a surprisingly long time to finish it.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for an e-arc copy of this book.

This book is a feel good, small town romance between Katie a village girl who’s ready to fight for her local pub and Callum who’s a business site manager for the imposing hotel who’s ready to destroy the little village and their pub.

Let’s start with the positive, the first 50% of this book I thought was fun and quirky and even made me laugh! I really love the side characters, granny and nush ended up being my favourites. Honestly who doesn’t love a brutally honest grandmother? I really like a few scenes in the first half, *cough* shower incident *cough*

However the second half of the book fell flat for me, I thought Callum and Katie’s love story was too Insta love for me on Callum’s side. Then Katie kept annoying me by always doing silly things when it came to actually being with Callum. In the end I was more interested in Adam and Gemma’s romance than the main characters. Other then that, the book was still overall a fun little read.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'The Matchmaker' by Catherine Walsh.


Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Catherine Walsh, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous


Publication date 18th April 2023.


This is the fourth book I have read by this author. I have previously read her debut novel 'One Night Only', The Rebound' and 'The Holiday Romance' and would highly recommend them all!!


I was originally drawn to this book by its colourful cover and intriguing, sounding synopsis and title. I am also a huge fan of Catherine Walsh after falling in love with her books 'One Night Only', 'The Holiday Romance' and 'The Rebound' so if this book is half as good as any of these it is guaranteed to be an amazing read!!! The synopsis stated that this book is 'A gorgeously escapist and utterly hilarious small town romcom perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella and Christina Lauren.' I am a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella and Emily Henry so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).


This novel consists of 32 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is based in Ireland 🇮🇪 ,UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact visited and holidayed in Ireland on many occasions so am looking forward to possibly recognising name places.


This book is written in first person perspective and the protagonist is Katie Collins. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.

'The Matchmaker' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Catherine discusses parental death.


LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEE , LOVED IT!!! ANOTHER HUGE WELL DONE CATHERINE ON YET ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC BOOK ♥!!!


This is a fantastically written book that has vivid descriptions which will make you feel that you are breathing the Irish air, hearing the construction noise and seeing the fireworks!! It takes you on a journey to Ireland and I was devastated when I had to pack my case to come back home and leave Ennisbawn and Ireland behind 😭 The title, synopsis and cover suit the storyline perfectly.


The storyline itself is romantically charged and filled with love, friendship, community, family, comedy, romance, arguments, stubbornness, fun and absolutely everything you could want in an absolutely stunning rom com!!! It definitely reminded me of Bridget Jones during some parts!! It made me laugh, cry, scream, shout, angry and jump for joy!! Katie has had a gutsful of being woken up early in the morning by the noise of the construction site down the road building a hotel that she doesn't want there in the first place. She barges through the construction site to demand somebody does something about the noise when she bumps into Callum Dempsey who is the on site project coordinator. Unfortunately, his good looks throws her momentum but she manages to steam toll ahead with her complaints while in her sheep pyjamas. She also ends up bumping into the villages'much hated, face used as a darts board, managing director of the the hotel Glenmill, Jack Doyle. Katie later discovers that they are trying to tear down the pub Kelly's that Katie not only works at but her friend who is like a brother owns plus it has history for her as its where her late parents met. Tragically she lost her parents in a car accident as a child and lives with her Gran Maeve now. Jack wants to destroy the pub and turn it into a golf course but Katie trys to brings back the traditional Ennisbawn Matchmaking Festival to prove that Kelly's is the heart of the community and should remain with the help of Kelly's owner aadwm, her best friends Gemma and Nush, Gemma's son Noah, Katie's Gran Maeve along with some unexpected help. Along the way there are tears, meltdowns, disasters, secrets, romance, friendship and Sparks flying everywhere!! Catherine's evocative writing skills brings the story life and one minute tour chilling at home with the book in your hand and the next you've been sucked straight into Ennisbawn trying one of Katie's cocktails. The atmosphere was gorgeous and I was completely swept away!! This book had me in stitches on several occasions and at other times left me sitting there going awww and getting some very strange looks!! There was plenty going on and I absolutely loved every moment of it. The storyline is unique and I think it is such a fantastic plot I really would love to see this turned into a movie!! I would be the first barging their way in front to get tickets!! I would absolutely love to visit Ennisbawn again to see how everyone gets on!!


DO NOT START THIS UNTIL YOU CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES AS YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN!!!!


There were so many large and unique personalities in this book and thanks to Catherine's amazing writing skills each and every one of them came alive. I absolutely love the three best friends Katie, Gemma and Nush who have such an amazing and supportive friendship group amongst each other where each of them has each others backs. They also couldn't be more different!! Gemma is the sensible mother who doesn't like to take risks and is the clear headed one. Gemma is an amazing single mother to eleven year old Noah and they have a fantastic relationship between them regardless of the lack of support from the donor Darren who is nothing but a waste of air and one person I could not stand. Nush is more like the party girl who says it as it is and unless you want the truth don't ask her if you look fat in something as she has a say it as it is attitude!! She's looking for love and doesn't care who it's with whereas Gemma who is also looking for love is more careful as she has Noah to take into consideration. Gemma worries too much and Nash doesn't seem to worry enough. Katie seems to be a bit of them both mixed together and will go from being determined to win to slowly thinking she has no hope. She has a tragic past and a loving relationship with her Gran who is not a typical kind old lady you'd like to think of when you think of a Gran. She made me laugh out loud with some of the unexpected things she came out with!! Adam is adorable and sweet as well as very protective of all three woman, each for different reasons. I was chuffed for him for more than one reason by the end of the book. I really liked Callum who tried to help Katie even when he didn't have to although is he being completely honest with her? You'll just have to grab your copy to find out 😉 I could not stand Jack who had one heck of a c0cky attitude and didn't care how he was affecting people or what they thought of him. I have to give the fantastic Plankton a mention!! What a name for a dog fairplay!! Any books with pets in always gets bonus points from me as I'm a huge animal lover and Plankton is a sweet, adorable and little bit naughty four legged f(r)iend!! I absolutely LOVED watching all the seperate relationships develop and change between the characters and I would love to see where each goes and what they get up to next!! This book was filled with a lovely range of characters and I would absolutely love to meet them all again!! Hint hint Catherine 😉 Regardless of whether you love or hate the characters they all worked perfectly together to make an absolutely gorgeous storyline so a huge WELL done to Catherine for bringing them to life!!


Yet another stunning read by Catherine!! If you are looking for that perfect read to lift your spirits, and keep you hooked then what are you waiting for??


Well done Catherine on yet another stunning page turner and for making me laugh, swoon and smile!!! I'm looking forward to your next success!!! This is exactly why you are on my top 3 rom com authors list ♥

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the first chapter of Catherine's absolutely addictive 'One Night Only' which is another stunning read by this fantastic author and one I have read myself and would highly recommend!!


Overall an absolutely gorgeous, festive, feel good, page turning novel filled with friendships, love, community and family that will keep you up late at night.



Genres covered in this book include Humour, Romance Novel, Women's Fiction, Romance Fiction, Holiday Romance, Humorous Fiction, Romantic Comedy, General Humorous Fiction, General Fiction, Love, Sex & Marriage Humour and Contemporary Romance amongst others.



I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Bridget Jones diaries, Kristen Bailey, Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, Mhari McFarlane, Christina Lauren and anyone who is looking for a lift me up page turner that is perfect to get you in the festive spirit!!



382 pages.


This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!


Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.


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Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I am a fan of Catherine Walsh! She has a way of creating a quirky, likeable cast of characters who you instantly fall in love with. The Matchmaker was another hit with me. Humor and a sweet romance that will make you swoon. Callum is definitely book boyfriend material of the highest order. I not only adored Katie and Callum but was invested in all of the people in her life. Yes, the story has some predictable moments with a happily ever after guaranteed, but I am still smiling!

4 stars

This was a fun book about fighting for what's important in life - - not just the things but also the people.

Katie Collins is a local bartender working for her small town's only remaining pub. She loves her job and being around the people. But her peaceful existence is interrupted when a hotel conglomerate begins construction on a new resort near her home. It not only brings noise and confusion to the area, it also is changing the landscape of their town....and not for the better.

Callum Dempsey works for the company developing the land in Katie's village. He's very matter of fact about his job but when a spitfire known as Katie shows up on his worksite, it throws him off his game. He's drawn to her for unknown reasons.

There is definite chemistry between these two but is that enough to overcome the fact that they are on completely opposite sides of the land construction feud? Katie will have to fight harder than she's fought for anything to try to save her beloved pub while Callum tries to keep things on track.

Thank y0u to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Katie Collins has spent her entire life in the small Irish country town of Ennisbawn, and she doesn't take it kindly when a huge developer comes in to build a hotel and "revitalize" the town. When they threaten to tear down the pub she works at to make a better view for the hotel and golf course, Katie makes it her mission to restore the village to its former glory by reimagining the annual matchmaking festival, all while balancing her budding kinship with Callum, the project manager at the hotel building site.

This was a fun story, definitely a David vs. Goliath and you can't help but root for Katie, her group of friends, and the village of Ennisbawn to triumph over the evil corporate developer! I did feel the pacing was a bit slow at times, and there were a lot of characters that I sometimes struggled to keep track of, but I did really enjoy the relationship between Katie and Callum and how it developed.

TW: Death of parents, parental abandonment

Katie loves her tight-knit village and community life, but when Callum turns up to develop the area with a hotel and knock down the local pub Katie works in, she has the plan to revive the matchmaking festival.
This was a really cute romance novel. The main female character Kate is really sweet and shows passion for her home town, as well as the community; and loved the relationship we see between this character and her friends.

Although we know romance is blossoming between these two characters it was a slow burn but this didn’t put me off. I also loved the extra romance that Walsh gives us and hope it has a novel of its own.
I have read several books by this author and they continue to never disappoint!

Katie Collins is determined to re establish the matchmaking festival in her little Irish village in order to keep out big developers. Can she succeed? A funny, very enjoyable read.

Give me a book set in a cute countryside and I'm already sold. Katie's story was very unique because it didn't feature some small town girl heading to the big city and falling in love. Instead the small town girl fell in love with her small town and knew she was happier there than in any big city. Then enter Callum who comes from the big city but falls in love with Katie and the small town. This story feels opposite of every hallmark type romance and I loved it! It was such a fun easy read and I enjoyed watching the stories unfold. If you need something light and fun to read this is the book for you!

This was a cute, feel good story. I loved the characters right from the beginning. I loved the description of the Irish towns and setting, it made me fired up just like Katie and her small village about the hotel moving in on their quaint space. Overall this was a very cute book & I couldn’t help but smile as I read it. Thank you to Net Galley & Bookouture for an advanced copy of this book.

This book struggled to decide if it wanted to primarily be a small town do good story or a romance and it landed somewhere in between the mark. The romance didn’t have enough tension built up before they jumped in. The story created too many elements that weren’t well enough developed.

This was just a bit nondescript for me. By 20% in, I still wasn’t gripped or invested. One dimensional characters who I didn’t really care about, and not a lot to keep me turning the pages.

This book had a lot of potential but it fell a bit flat for me. I loved the small town Ireland setting and the tight knit community. I wasn’t really invested in the love story though. It was very insta-lovey and there just wasn’t enough buildup. I found myself wanting to finish this more to find out what would happen with the town and the hotel than with Katie and Callum.

Haven't met a Catherine Walsh book I didn't love! The Matchmaker was fun, filled with relatable characters, and the Irish charm we know and love!

A small Irish village was sleepy and quiet
Till developers moved in - enough to cause a riot!
Katie goes to confront them, fed up of the din,
Forgetting the pyjamas she's still dressed in.

When laughed off the site and her job threatened, too,
Katie is more determined to stop what they do.
She decides to revive the matchmaking festival next
Enlisting the locals the developers to vex.

Bringing the locals together to thwart the developers now
She becomes the leader of the action somehow.
Get ready for turmoil, angst and laughter, too,
As mischief and romance win their way through.

A fabulous read that I started late at night
When I looked at the time, I had a fright.
The sort of read that takes you into its heart
Making you reluctant to put it down, from the story to part.

I really enjoyed this delightful read
And hope it proves to be one that you also need.
Filled with friendships, community and romance
It is one that I highly recommend you give more than a chance.

For my complementary copy, I say a huge thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

The Matchmaker by @catwalshwriter is a book I found a couple of months ago on Netgalley and as soon as I read the plot I was like "even if they won’t approve it, I have to read this ”, so here I am✨
•
The fmc of this story is Katie, a woman who has never left her small Irish village, Ennisbawn. Why would she? She has everything she needs there. She works in a pub, the local community is nice and she has good friends. Everything seems to be peaceful… until the project that will lead to the construction of a hotel is approved. And guess what? The hotel is right in front of Katie's house.
•
After two consecutive mornings that the noises coming from the construction site wake her up early, Katie decides to break in to find who is responsible. Certainly Katie did not expect to find herself in front of Callum, one of the main developers of this project. Her plan unfortunately does not go as expected. A few days later, however, she will learn that the construction company's intention is not only to build this hotel, but also to close the pub where Katie works. So she will have to find a way to stop this.
•
The plan with which she thinks to solve everything is to revive the festival that in the past was one of the things that made the village so fascinating and consists in pairing the participants with the hope of finding the perfect match, a soul mate. This festival has an important meaning for Katie, it is where her parents met for the first time. For this reason she will have to put all of herself into it and the help of citizens would be appreciated, even from an unexpected person👀
•
The story started very well, I liked the book quite a lot, but unfortunately I was a bit disappointed by the mmc, especially in the second part of the novel.
I really appreciated Katie for her willpower and passion to do what she believes in. As a couple they work very well❤️.
But I was blinded by the off-screen couple that was literally driving me ✨CRAZY✨. Where can I sign up for a book about Gemma and Adam??? I need it like right now.
Thank u netgalley and bookouture for approving this ARC🤍

This is the second book I've read by Catherine Walsh. My first was Holiday Romance which I absolutely loved and when I saw she had a new book on Netgalley, I was thrilled.

Although I am not a big romance or rom-com reader, Walsh writes the exact kind of story I can go to when I am in the mood for a funny, compelling romance. The settings in Ireland are the cherry on top for me.
The main characters, Katie and Callum, both drew me in so quick! This is a pretty classic enemies to lovers type of story. Katie is a sweet, small-town girl who just wants to enjoy her quiet life in her small village working at the local pub. Along comes a big construction company that is building a hotel and ruining her vision of her future and her village. Callum, the super hot guy working for the construction company just might be able to help Katie, but will he? No matter, she is not going to let them take away her dreams.

I really hope that Walsh starts getting more recognition and buzz. She is an auto-buy for me now and I can't wait to see what she writes next. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advance copy!

I love this cool idea of a matchmaking event! And then add in the setting in a small Irish town? It makes for the sweetest romance story! Read this one for an enjoyable, light romance that you know will have a happy ending!

Thank you to Catherine Walsh, Bookouture & Netgalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

I have really enjoyed the three books by this author that I've read, including this one. I will admit, however, that it took me just a little bit longer to get into this one and at first I really wasn't sure about it. By the halfway mark, I could see a bit more about the bones of the story and I was fully invested and in love by the end of it - I think maybe it was just a strange pacing situation. The small town setting was fun, the characters were all great, and I love the idea of a group of people working towards a common goal (very Gilmore Girls ish in some ways). The Irish setting is really just the icing on the cake with her books :)

This was another enjoyable romance from Catherine Walsh.
I was hooked from the very beginning and even though you kind of know how it will all turn out, sometimes you just need a book where you know it will end with a happy ending.
It was a bit of a slow burn romance but that didn't put me off too much. There also wasn't a third act issue, which is something that I don't like. Their relationship was basically smooth sailing, which was nice.
I also really enjoyed Katie's relationships with her friends. They were particularly strong.
And I always like the way that Catherine depicts Ireland in her books.
If you're looking for an easy, enjoyable romance, this is definitely one to pick up.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.