Book Review and Giveaway: The Matchmaker

48-year-old Nantucketer Dabney Kimball Beech has always had a gift for matchmaking. Some call her ability mystical, while others - like her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech, and her daughter, Agnes, who is clearly engaged to the wrong man - call it meddlesome, but there's no arguing with her results: With 42 happy couples to her credit and all of them still together, Dabney has never been wrong about romance.

Never, that is, except in the case of herself and Clendenin Hughes, the green-eyed boy who took her heart with him long ago when he left the island to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist. Now, after spending 27 years on the other side of the world, Clen is back on Nantucket, and Dabney has never felt so confused, or so alive.

But when tragedy threatens her own second chance, Dabney must face the choices she's made and share painful secrets with her family. Determined to make use of her gift before it's too late, she sets out to find perfect matches for those she loves most. The Matchmaker is a heartbreaking new novel from Elin Hilderbrand about losing and finding love, even as you're running out of time. (Synopsis courtesy of Hachette.)

Amy Bromberg:

The Matchmaker is the latest from Elin Hilderbrand, who has been dubbed as the “Queen of the Summer Read.” I 100% agree with this because one, I love her novels, and two, I always have them on my beach read list. So it should come as no surprise that Elin has crafted another grand slam of a story.

Every summer while reading Elin’s newest release I’m always motivated to visit Nantucket. It’s a yearly mental vacation for me. Unfortunately, I haven’t visited the island yet, but I hope to very soon. With each new book I feel I know Nantucket that much better, be it the restaurants and boutique stores on Main Street, the beaches, and some characters that show up from time to time in other novels of hers.

I fell in love with Dabney from the very beginning of the story. Her adoration and zeal for Nantucket really touched my heart. Unfortunately you don’t see this very often, where someone is this dedicated to his or her town and community (at least I don’t). I love how she was also 100% devoted to her daughter, husband, and Clendenin. To say that she has a lot on her plate is an understatement.

Talk about a fantastic love story between Dabney and Clendenin. You know what they say, first loves never die. It’s very rare that first loves get a second chance later in life. Dabney and Clendenin were very lucky.

I was drawn in right from the get go and I couldn’t put this book down. That being said, it went by way too quickly. The Matchmaker is definitely one of my favorite books of 2014 so far. Be warned though; make sure you have a box of tissues near by for the end of the story.

As a side note,  I recently had the pleasure of seeing Elin again (my first time meeting her was at Book Expo America 2013) at Books and Greetings on July 11th. Yes, I was very happy!

Melissa Patafio:

I am a huge fan of Elin Hilderbrand and it is for a good reason. She somehow manages to put every major ingredient for a great book into her stories, every single time. The Matchmaker is another perfect example of Hilderbrand's ability to write with wisdom, empathy, honesty, and wit. I couldn't put this book down, literally. I devoured it within a day and was sad when I had to say goodbye to the characters that were so real to me for the duration of the story. I found myself thinking about this book long after I finished it, and I still do.

If you are looking for something to take to the beach, any of Hilderbrand's books are perfect, but this latest gem will not disappoint you. I was surprised by the twists and turns, even though sometimes there were clues that gave away what MIGHT happen, I was still pleasantly left wondering where it was taking me. As in all of her books, the Nantucket setting is brought to life with the mention of many of the wonderful places that make Nantucket a truly magical place. Having been lucky enough to visit the Island, I can envision exactly where the characters are and appreciate the beauty they are seeing throughout the story.

While the true basis of the story is ultimately heartbreaking, the hope and love that remains a constant theme kept me smiling. I love Elin's writing and her ability to connect us so wholly with the characters each and every time. If you have not read The Matchmaker yet, you are missing out!

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have THREE copies for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada!

Visit Elin's website to learn more about and purchase her novels.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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US/Canada only. Giveaway ends August 5th at midnight EST.