This story is about a small Irish town resisting a construction company that has been completely changing it up to build a new hotel and golf course. The main character is a passionate bar tender that holds dear to the town and its traditions, mainly the ones pertaining to her parents whom have passed.

The beginning was a great start but somewhere along the way I didn't feel much of a connection between the love interests. They felt like friends that decided they were attractive and available. I was actually hoping the story would take a turn and Katie and Jack would end up together. Though Callum was very supportive and said a lot of wonderful things in the end.

The side character's love stories and the plot were much more interesting than the main romance part of the book.
I really liked that the villain in this story wasn't a complete villain. I'd be interested to see where his story goes.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

I'm a big fan of Catherine Walsh and while I did enjoyed this book, it wasn't my favorite of hers. As always, I loved the setting and the wishing well was particularly charming. The characters were fun and relatable. I especially loved Granny (who doesn't love a stubborn, sassy old lady?!). I loved the chemistry between Katie and Callum and their "meet cute" was great but it was a little too quick of a connection for my liking. The story felt a little slow at times but overall it was a fun, light read that I enjoyed.

I was so excited when my request got approved for this book. If you read the synopsis you’ll know why. I was not disappointed, it was such a quick and fun read. This is one of those interconnected standalone series, and was just so well-done. I thought the plot could actually do better with an extra chapter or two to really develop the romance a little more but ultimately it was just a really enjoyable read. The characters and plot were fleshed out and so well-done.

Ember is reckless and rebellious. She has trauma and just doesn’t know how to cope with it, but she is desperate to have control. She was a really fiery and sassy character that I enjoyed reading about. I loved how much she adored her family, she protected them and would do anything for them. It rooted her with purpose.

Killian was such an interesting character, and I think he was a great companion. He had his own story and development, and issues. I loved his growth and how they supported each other in the end, they pushed each other to be the best.

This was definitely a romance book more than fantasy, but it had a really cool aesthetic. I loved the fantasy setting though, it was super cool and vivid, the fairytale setting was so well-done. I really enjoyed the short novel, it didn’t feel like a full length novel, I finished it so quick.

Irish charm goes up against a development company to save her small village.

|Synopsis|
A large development firm has started buying land & developing it in Katie's small town. There eyes are now set on the local pub, the only one left in the village. Katie fights back reminding others of the cultural significance of the wishing well and matchmaking festival. Only thing is, it has barely run in recent years and she had to prove herself to the company and their foreman, Callum.

Small town girl. Small town dreams. It's not a lot, I know".

|Thoughts|
This was an enjoyable read and the chemistry between Katie & Callum was sweet. Maybe it was a little bit insta love but there was a charming comfy feel to the story.

"Sounds like a great guy," Callum says flatly. "He is". Callum's jaw muscles flex. "And what is he, your boyfriend or something?"

As tough as Callum may come across initially, he is definitely a cinnamon roll and is just so swoony.
"It's because I don't know how I'm going to tear down your favourite place in the world when I can barely stand the though of you getting caught in the rain"

Did enjoy some of the side characters and how their story intersects with Katie's. Probably not one I'll read again but still a nice one to pick up for a quick romance read whilst on holiday.

📚 enemies (brief) to lovers
📚 small town romance (Ireland)

Spice 🌶️🌶️
3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Catherine Walsh herself for this digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.
Pub Date: 18 April 2023

The matchmaker by Catherine Walsh was a heartwarming reading experience. It made my heart full and wanting more.

The plot is perfect for a summer read. A plucky young woman living in a small town in Ireland must plan a festival to help save her local pub. Walsh has a fantastic sense of humor and has a unique way of capturing the small Irish town. She creates such brilliant and witty characters.

I would highly recommend this book, perfect for the sunnier days coming.

This is the first book I’ve read by Catherine Walsh.

Katie lives in a small town in Ireland and works at the local pub, Kelly’s. There is a huge hotel being built in town and they are threatening to demolish the pub. Katie has too many memories in the pub of her parents, the town and Adam the owners family.

Katie meets Callum at the job site one morning when she can’t take the noise starting at 7 am. He is everything I want in a book boyfriend. Slightly mysterious, a good guy, understanding, stands up for what’s right and what he wants.

Super cute romance!

I enjoyed this book so much that I think I found a new favorite author. From now on it will be "what Catherine Walsh writes, I want".

This book was laughter from start to finish. This book was a cute enemies to lovers. This book was magical. It was a light novel, but full of heartfelt feeling and a wonderful story.

The only thing I have to point out and it didn't affect my rating at all is that I wish I had seen more about the festival because that is the title of the book after all. But even without seeing much about the festival, Callum and Katie won my heart.

I'm not one for underlining books or taking notes, but in this one? I got tired of underlining and sighing into the book. Once I buy it in physical format, I'll have to move the notes to the book!

"You are my favorite place" 🥹

When a big hotel threatens to take over the small town of Ennisbawn, Katie decides she won't have it and does all she can to protect her hometown. Reviving an old matchmaking festival which back in the day, used to bring the community together is step one. But it's not as easy as it sounds. And Callum, a supervisor on the hotel project, is a huge distraction.

Catherine Walsh's books always leave me with a smile on my face. This one was no different. I absolutely adored all the characters in this story - I just wanted to hug Granny, Gemma and Adam! Callum is serious book boyfriend material too, in case ya'll are looking for someone new to crush on. His comments when baring his feelings to Katie were swoonworthy. If you're after a sweet love story with a small town vibe, you'll enjoy this one.

This book a perfect for fans of Janet Elizabeth Henderson. In fact, as soon as I read the blurb, I knew I needed to try this author and this book. I am glad that I did!

I love a hero who isn’t what he appears. Callum was a tough character to figure out, but he certainly snagged my interested soon after we met him. Our heroine was a lovable character, impulsive to say the least.

I don’t know if this could be termed as enemies to lovers, because Callum never much felt like an enemy. Some of the shenanigans the townspeople committed were funny and had to make people yearn to visit a place like this. Other times, I felt they were a bit over-the-top. It worked though, like a charm.

This is such a quick, cute enemies-to-lovers read. I rooted for Katie the entire time. I loved her relationship with her grandmother. If you are a fan of Sophie Kinsella and Christina Lauren, this book is definitely for you!

Oh man, I enjoyed the heck out of this.

[book:The Matchmaker] by [author:Catherine Walsh] has it all: a spicy enemies-to-lovers pairing, a charming small town (and its grumpy pub proprietor), a corporate villain worth loathing, an epically saucy grandma. A dog named Plankton! A moppet (well, a snarky pre-teen)! Fairy circles! Hedges!

Katie wants nothing more than to work forever at her beloved Kelly’s pub, take care of her Granny, and get a peaceful night’s sleep in her hometown of Ennisbawn. Too bad Glenmill is coming to build a fancy new hotel and golf course in Ennisbawn, gobbling up land and treasured landmarks with little regard for what the locals want. Callum Dempsey is the site manager, and can’t help but be fascinated with the woman who won’t just lay down and let the much more powerful Glenmill have its way with her village.

In many ways, this is a set up straight out of a Hallmark movie: local girl saving her pub (and her town) from being destroyed by the Big City Developer, whose employee realizes he’s on on the wrong side and joins her cause. But it’s saved from falling into cliche thanks to witty writing, a charming cast of characters, and a great central pairing.

Katie is sarcastic, funny, and extremely loyal to her friends and family in Ennisbawn. She cares for her Granny, who raised her (and who is delightfully grumpy about growing old). Callum doesn’t play games with Katie, showing up in swoon-worthy ways to earn her trust and then her love. And the setting in rural Ireland, especially the conveniently helpful traditions and superstitions, and the local matchmaking festival Katie revives in a bid to save the pub, is tons of fun.

CW: Parental death (in the past, off page)

[book:The Matchmaker] by [author:Catherine Walsh]
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
🍺🍹 Pubs can serve fruity cocktails
🦆👷‍♂️ Ducky pajamas and hard hats
🥞 My love language is terrible pancakes
🎇Literal fireworks

<i>Thank you NetGalley and Bookoture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

The Matchmaker festival may not seem like much to most people but to Katie and the tightknit community of Ennisbawn, it was a tradition. When Glenmill threatened to redevelop the village, Katie was devastated and knew that if she could prove the worth of the village to the construction workers than they might just realize how important Ennisbawn is. The Matchmaker festival was an event people went to in the hopes of finding true love.

The story itself was so sweet. I immediately loved Callum and loved how fate or “kismet” kept bringing him and Katie together and how he wanted to help her. And then, after one kiss they were all in. So much so, Callum quit his job. They hardly knew each other yet he was quitting the only job he had and telling Katie that he was choosing her. That part seemed a little aggressive but nonetheless it was really cute.

When the Matchmaker festival came up, it was a huge success - a sold out event and the construction company agreed to preserve some of the small villages charm rather than redevelop. Katie and Callum’s love grew and they were the cutest couple. I also loved how Callum’s brother Jack came around and ended up being really supportive of Katie and her mission.

Someone PLEASE tell me we will see a story from Adam and Gemma’s POV — single mom finds love at Matchmaker festival with the man she’s been friends with forever. SIGN. ME. UP.

This review can be seen @erins_reads on Instagram.

Cute romcom but I think Katie and Callum needed a little more time to fall in love for it to be believable.

I really wanted to like this. The premise was fun - a small-town Irish love story! But unfortunately I found this book to be very tedious and predictable. I know romance novels are always somewhat predictable, but there weren't enough twists and turns to keep me interested. The Matchmaker was VERY long for how much actually happened. The connection between the main characters didn't seem obvious to me either. That said, I really enjoyed the friendships in the book, and a relationship between two of the side characters was adorable. In fact, I wish the book were about them! I had a hard time connecting with protagonist Katie Collins.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

Goodread Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5458966833

This book was making me laugh right at the first page. It's so cute, fun, and witty!

I absolutely love Katie. She's so funny, strong-willed, and protective. All her remarks were making me laugh, and I love how much she cares for her community. Also, the festival was so fun to read about while following her through all the ups and downs. I was cheering her on along with the other characters.

Callum is caring, witty, supportive, and sweet. I have a new fictional boyfriend haha. He's so perfect and charming! He adored Katie ever since the first time he saw her, and he definitely fell first and harder, not that she wasn't instantly attracted to him either. He was also always determined to show her how much he cares with words or grand gestures, especially whenever they encountered obstacles.

I also love the way they first met each other. It was the best way the two of them could've met. Their banter is so cute and funny too. They match each other so well, they're so perfect together. And their chemistry omg. I couldn't stop reading because I couldn't wait for them to get together.

I love all of the characters so much because they all have unique personalities. My favorite is probably Granny because she was amazing and had so many good witty lines. I also love Katie's best friends, Gemma and Nush. They remind me of my friends a lot. Nush's violently protective personality that made me laugh multiple times, and Gemma's opposing calm and reassuring character balanced each other so well. Also, I'd love to read about Gemma and Nush's life in their own books, I enjoyed seeing glimpses of it in this one. Adam and Noah were also great characters I adored. I always love the camaraderie in small town books.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for a review.

Following reading the description of the book, I was so pleased when I was allocated this book. It definitely lived up to expectations!

It had all the hallmarks of a rom-com:
lovely, well rounded, believable main character ✅
close-knit community fight against a construction company ✅
close friends ✅
love interest ✅

My only criticism (and I don’t want to spoil it), but the matchmaking was very convenient and there wasn’t enough of a reason for certain couples to get together.

Overall, it was a really light hearted, easy read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I was absolutely delighted to get this ARC - who doesn't love a love story set in small-town Ireland?!

The characters felt like a big, cozy family where everyone fights sometimes but ultimately care deeply for each other.

This was a fun read about the main character Katie passionately trying to save her town from a big corporation coming in and taking over. Along the way, she falls in love with the enemy.

The book was a bit longer than necessary but ultimately, a cute story with loveable characters and a unique plot.

Catherine Walsh’s previous release, Holiday Romance, was one of my unexpected favorite reads of the holiday season last year, so I was pretty excited for this novel. And it doesn’t disappoint. It has all the hijinks of a hallmark channel movie with the added emotional depth I love in a romance. This is the kind of book you can’t go wrong with.

Katie wants to save her little Irish village from being further destroyed to make way for a big hotel and golf course. She can’t save much, but she WILL fight for the pub where she works – where her parents fell in love – by bringing back to once famous village matchmaking festival. Too bad the one man she wants to make a match with herself, Callum, works for the construction company she’s fighting against.

Katie makes for a fantastic protagonist and narrator. I loved watching her grow from timid woman who worries being happy in her village isn’t enough to someone who takes charge, who knows herself and what she wants better than ever. You can’t help but root for her and her friends, all of whom jump off the page and feel distinct and well rounded, to get the festival off the ground.

The romance starts sweet and eventually turns steamy, and the slow burn works so well here. After a small white lie when they first meet, there’s emotional maturity and communication between Katie and Callum that is so refreshing in a genre where most issues stem from totally avoidable miscommunication. And I appreciated so much that Callum was such a stabilizing force, totally sure of himself and willing to wait while Katie found that personal certainty herself.

Catherine Walsh has a way with words - and I'm smitten again! Katie Collins is a very funny, quirky character that you can't help but love. All was cute - and enemies to lovers is great!

I recommend this book to others, a nice cute, light read.

If Catherine Walsh is gonna write it, I’m gonna read it.

I don’t know what it is about these books that just make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. If it’s the characters, the Irish settings, or the humour that is laced throughout the book. But either way I can’t get enough.

I absolutely loved reading this book. The side characters in the small town really added to the story, and I loved how everyone came together to save the village pub. You were really rooting for them to win over this massive company.

And the romance between Callum and Katie was adorable. He immediately fell for her, which I’m a sucker for, and he was just the sweetest cinnamon roll of a man. That was what I was missing in this book, I wanted more of Callum and Katie.

Highly, highly recommend this one! And since I loved Holiday Romance, and now The Matchmaker, I will be diving into Catherine’s backlist.

Note: Review will be posted to Instagram on publication day. Links will be updated when posted.