Apr 21, 20239 min read

The Matchmaker by Catherine Walsh. Review

Book Description:

Katie Collins has barely ever left her tiny Irish village of Ennisbawn. Why would she? With its tightknit community, friendly local pub, surrounded by glistening lakes and perfectly mysterious forests, it’s a place of peaceful beauty. Or it was peaceful. Until Callum Dempsey turned up. Part of a hot-shot (and, Katie has to admit, hot is annoyingly apt for him…) development team with zero eye for beauty or charm, he’s not only building a hideous hotel just outside the village, he’s also just announced a plan to knock down Ennisbawn’s only remaining pub. To make way for a view from the golf course. It’s the final blow to the village and the last straw for Katie, who refuses to let her home-from-home disappear. The pub is her life – her job, but also her last connection to her parents, who had met at Ennisbawn’s once-famous matchmaking festival that was held in the grounds. But, after being laughed off the building site in her best flannel pyjamas for demanding the builders leave, Katie decides enough is enough and hatches a plan. She’s going to revive the matchmaking festival, save the pub, and single-handedly bring the town back to life again. She might even help her two best friends find love as well. Since, heck, what’s another project when you’re taking on the world’s hottest, evilest man? But what Ireland’s newest matchmaker doesn’t know is that even when someone’s really not your type on paper, love might be a little bit more than just a formula… A gorgeously escapist and utterly hilarious small town romcom perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella and Christina Lauren.

Book 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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Author Bio:

Catherine Walsh was born and raised in Ireland. She has a degree in Popular Literature and the only prize she ever won for writing was at the age of 14 in school (but she still cherishes it.) She lived in London for a few years where she worked in Publishing and the non-profit sector before returning to Dublin where she now lives between the mountains and the sea. When not writing she is trying and failing to not kill her houseplants.