Katie is devastated when she learns that a hotel is going up in her village of Ennisbawn. Not, only that, but the pub she works at is being torn down as well to be replaced by a golf course. Katie meets the man in charge, Callum Dempsey, and can't help her attraction to him. She has a brilliant idea to bring her town back to life by reviving a matchmaking festival that was once held in the village. Will she be able to bring her community back together and find love for her friends, or even herself?

THE MATCHMAKER was my second Catherine Walsh book. This was such a delight to read. I loved Katie and Callum and instantly knew there would be a growing attraction between them. Katie was such a great character and the way the story ended was just perfect. I love that the author added an epilogue. If you enjoy a light and fun romance/romcom, this is sure to be a winner for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

The Matchmaker is a delightful Irish rom-com with likable characters and a great ending!!

Synopsis: When a developer comes to Katie Collin’s tiny Irish village and plans to not only build a fancy hotel but also knock down the pub she calls home, Katie is outraged and decides she will do whatever it takes prevent that from happening. Enter Katie’s plan to revive the town’s matchmaking festival with its old wishing well. What she doesn’t expect though is to fall for the guy who’s supposed to be her enemy.

Thoughts: This was a lighthearted and cute read with a beautiful Irish setting. I loved how the book not only focused on Katie’s romantic relationship but also the relationships with her family and friends. These secondary characters were diverse, fun, and lively, and I looked forward to the scenes they were in. While nothing will ever beat my love for Holiday Romance, I will continue to read all of Walsh’s books.

Read if you like:
-Small town Irish villages
-Matchmaking
-Opposites attract
-Supportive best friends
-Grandmother/granddaughter relationships

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. This is out 4/18/23

A beautiful book. Insanely romantic and utterly convincing. A bitter-sweet pang in my heart.
I liked the idea behind the novel and the execution of that idea was impressive.