The Irish Matchmaker

Author: Jennifer Deibel
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 320
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Publisher: Revell

Making the perfect match is both art and science--but love doesn't always follow the rules.

As daughter of a well-known matchmaker, Catríona Daly is no stranger to the business of love--and sees it as her ticket away from the sleepy village that only comes alive during the annual matchmaking festival. When Andrew, son of Lord Osborne, returns to the festival after being disappointed by a rival matchmaker's failed setup, Catríona seizes the opportunity to make a better match for the handsome man--and for herself!

Cattle farmer Donal Bunratty is in desperate need of a wife after loss left him to handle the farm and raise his daughter on his own. Shy and lacking the finer social graces, he agrees to attend the matchmaking festival to fulfill his daughter's birthday wish. But when he arrives, it's not any of the other merrymakers that catch his eye but rather his matchmaker--who clearly has eyes for someone else.

Catríona will have to put all her expertise to work to make matches for the two men that could change their lives--and hers--forever. Will her plan succeed? Or will love have its own way?

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Reviewer: Heather L. Jones

The Irish Matchmaker, written by Jennifer Deibel, is set in County Clare, Ireland, in the year 1905. It tells the story of Catriona Daly, a young woman who, along with her father Jimmy, are matchmakers descending from a long line of matchmakers.

Jimmy also runs a pub in one of the local hotels in the town of Lisdoonvarna, where every year people come from miles around to
attend the matchmaking festival. It is also the story of Donal Bunratty, a cattle farmer and widower with a young daughter named Sara and a farm that is badly in need of work. They live in a poorer area, which is kind of looked down upon by the townsfolk. 

Being matched is the last thing on Donal's mind, but he knows that little Sara also needs the feminine guidance of a mother. Donal goes to see Jimmy, who was a good friend of Donal's father, to see about being matched. As Jimmy has a prior engagement, he sends Donal to Catriona, whom Donal met by chance after she recently rescued Sara from a scuffle with some nasty classmates.  Catriona and Sara hit it off well, and they became fast friends.

Catriona attempts to set up Donal with little success. She has been preoccupied with Andrew Osborne, a young man from a well-to-do family whose previous match by another matchmaker failed. Osborne is not a likable fellow, and is the epitome of the saying that money does not buy class, but Catriona has stars in her eyes where he is concerned.

Having lived the life Donal now lives when she was younger, before she and Jimmy moved to town, Catriona tries to set herself up with Osborne in order to achieve a better life. However, there seems to be a wee bit of a spark between her and Donal, which makes for conflicting feelings. 

Who will it be? The farmer, who doesn't have much but does have a big heart and a wonderful daughter, or the so-called aristocrat who has all the class and manners of, well, let's just say that barn animals have more class.

I enjoyed this book so much, and as someone of Irish heritage, it was great reading about the land and the customs. I also like the glossary of terms and how they are pronounced. This book certainly deserves five stars!

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel will transport you to Lisdoonvarna, Ireland, and keep you entertained for hours.

The matchmaking festival was so unique that I thought it all came from the author's imagination. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was a real thing that is still going on today! What a delightful story, wrapped up in romance and with wonderful characters that I will miss.

Catríona Daly is a matchmaker determined to find a way out of Lisdoonvarna and wants to marry someone who could keep her in comfort and style. She may be aiming too high for her station in life, but she sets her sights on Andrew Osborne, son of Lord and Lady Osborne and a bit of a reprobate (only she doesn't know that).

Donal Bunratty attends the festival because he promised his nine-year-old daughter Sara that he'd try to find a wife. His matchmaker, Catríona, agrees to help him find a match, unaware that he is falling for her because she is too focused on getting Andrew's attention.

I loved so many things about this book. The faith element was perfect and helps us all remember that God loves us and cares for our needs. I loved how the community in Lisdoonvarna was so close, and I enjoyed watching Sara as she tried to manoeuvre her father into finding a mother for her.

I did appreciate that all the Irish words were in the front of the book. However, it was frustrating to have to stop reading to look them up, as it took me out of the story more times than I wanted. But the story was enthralling and hard to put down. I will miss these characters.

If you like historical romances, you will love The Irish Matchmaker. I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through NetGalley for my honest review.

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Reviewer: Kimberlee Sams

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Irish Matchmaker" by Jennifer Deibel. I particularly liked the timeframe and setting (the early 1900s, in Lisdoonvarna, Ireland). It was fascinating to read about everyday life in that time and place, as well as the matchmaking festival (which is a real event). The author shared a great deal about what that life would have been like, both in the town and the surrounding countryside.

All of the main characters were distinct and very clearly drawn. I enjoyed watching the main characters, Donal and Catriona, both as individuals and as a slowly-developing couple. I found Catriona's ability (as a single young woman) to have an actual career in 1905 especially interesting. The characters of Cat's father Jimmy and Donal's daughter Sara were also excellent, and I liked the way they each provided both a center and a moral compass for their family members.

The relationship between Donal and Catriona took center stage, but with the Matchmaking Festival as the backdrop, there was plenty of romance in this novel. I liked reading about the various events that took place during the event and seeing a bit of how Cat and Jimmy set about finding matches they were hired for.

I received a review copy courtesy of Revell, through Interviews & Reviews, for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Diana Varela

Jennifer Deibel has written another good novel. I read The Maid of Ballymacool, a brilliant novel, and this one is no different. These two rival each other.

I enjoyed the Irish words and the translations provided by Jennifer Deibel at the beginning of the book to help us, the readers, know what the words mean. It saved me time from having to look it up and keep me from reading the story.

This is a Christian historical romance novel taking place in a small city in Ireland. Jennifer Deibel has her own writing style, which makes it unique. And her characters are so full of depth, and you actually feel the attraction growing. Not like others that feel fake. Her characters are genuine, which makes me love her books. Jennifer Deibel is an author I’m convinced will make you tear up. I haven’t read her previous ones, but now I’m convinced to read them just by her latest two.

I received this novel from Revell through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews. All opinions are my own. 

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Reviewer: Emily Stephens

The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel is an absolutely wonderful example of Christian Historical Fiction. It tells the story of Catriona, the Irish matchmaker of the title, and Donal Bunratty, a local farmer with a young daughter, and their slowly developing relationship.

I found their relationship to be very authentic. Each started out not considering the other as a romantic partner. Catriona had her sights set on a handsome, wealthy young man, and Donal only initially attended the matchmaking festival to honor a promise to his daughter. This promise was extorted from him disguised as a birthday wish.

Sara is a truly delightful character, and I hope the author will eventually give her a book of her own. Catriona and Donal's interactions are honest, realistic, and sometimes funny. By the time they acknowledged their mutual attraction, I fully believed in it and was very invested in the outcome.

The Christian aspect of the book is clearly present. Donal was a Christian but had lapsed a bit in his faith after the death of his wife. I found it very interesting to watch as he began to read his Bible and reconsider the importance of his faith. It was especially sweet how this renewal was inspired by the childlike faith of his daughter, Sara.

The author's descriptions of the fantastic natural beauty and customs of Ireland, both rural and in a small town, made me feel like I was right there with Donal and Catriona, enjoying the beauty around them and participating in the various community events and activities.

Easily a five-star rating from me!

I received a review copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Conny Withay

“Lord, let the right woman be out there. And bring her to me in Your time,” the prayer is prayed in Jennifer Deibel’s novel, The Irish Matchmaker.

This three-hundred-and-twenty-page paperback targets those interested in a historical romance involving being matched perfectly in love. With no profanity, topics of injury, illness, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. While the beginning has a glossary of Irish terms, the ending includes the author’s note, a teaser of a new book by the writer, acknowledgments, her biography, and advertisements.

In this story set in Ireland in 1905, Catriona follows in her father’s famous footsteps as one of the best matchmakers in Lisdoonvarna. Although she has always scoffed at the idea of being a wife, she becomes more than interested when she has to match the handsome Lord Osborne during the annual festival. However, when a nine-year-old daughter insists on Catriona matching her widowed farmer father, Donal, the matchmaker is put to the test.

I love historical fiction involving foreign lands and cultures, especially when it comes to matchmaking, and this novel does well at defining it. I enjoyed the fun and carefree interactions of the two protagonists in spite of their lots in life and longing desires. The daughter was well described and enhanced the story. I appreciated that God was the focus and His pronouns were capitalized for reverence.

Those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ may not like this story, but it is not overdone with its Catholic overtones. I found many of the characters stereotypical, so there were no surprises in the story.

While the read homed in on the Biblical “Sermon on the Mount,” it would be thoughtful to have included the eternal plan of salvation.

If you like a romantic Irish tale of trusting God for everything, including providing the best match in marriage, this one is lovely and interesting.

Thanks to Revell and Interviews & Reviews for this complimentary book. I am under no obligation to give a positive review.

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Reviewer: Jeanette Durkin

This enchanting book about love and second chances is a must-read! It is set in the picturesque town of Lisdoonvarna, Ireland. I was immediately drawn into the book, and I awaited each page with anticipation!

The characters: Fantastic! I loved Donal from the very first page. He's such a devoted father. He's a good provider, firm yet gentle, and he'll do almost anything for his daughter, Sara. Catriona is amazing. She's looking to match herself with a man, but he turns out not to be the right one for her. She's kind and compassionate. Sara is utterly adorable. She's quite the matchmaker herself!

There are two things I really love about this book. First, that faith in God is life-changing. The parts about the sermon on the mount really spoke to my heart. The second is the sense of community in the town. People rally together and help bear one another's burdens. The author's note is worth reading.

I was provided a copy of the book from Revell through Interviews and Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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