REVIEW: The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberta

The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberta: Frankie Lane owns a shop, Holiday Happiness. She has her sister Stef, her daughter Natalie and her very shy employee Elinor all working for her. She wants to help all of them find new love and a HEA.

She also wants to find Mitch Howard someone. He owns the hardware store in town. They have been friends ever since she opened her shop. He helped deal with the grief over her husband’s death. Her effort to match him up with someone on a dating site ends a disaster and he is upset with Frankie.

After that fiasco, Frankie is determined to bring Elinor out of her shell. The perfect opportunity comes when things are changed up with who should be Mrs. Santa this year. It has always been Frankie in the recent past and Mitch was always Santa. Elinor’s usual laid back demeanor changes dramatically. Frankie is shocked by the transformation and works to make things right again.

Frankie is so worried about being a matchmaker to her friends and family she can’t see that her future happiness is right in front of her.

I liked this small town romance. It’s good to know so many people, but it’s hard to keep them out of your personal life. It makes me happy that there are more novels with mature couple. Not so long ago there was too much emphasis on twenty-somethings. In recent times, I’ve been encouraged to see more main character who are in their thirties and up. Young love may be sweet, but there is experience that comes with age.

It was encouraging to see Natalie stand up for herself and not be pushed into a situation that her mother wanted for her. Most of us deeply love our families, but there are times we need to take a stand.

Mitch is a lovable character. Not only is he handsome and and in great shape, but he is always happy to help and go above what is expected. Frankie is a little overbearing at times, but her heart is in the right place.

There are so may wonderful Christmas books out this season. The Merry Matchmaker hits all the right notes to make it a fabulous holiday read.

Book Info:

Publication: October 1, 2024 | MIRA |

Inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma, this joyful Christmas romp tells the story of a woman who can’t stop trying to help everyone around her find their happily-ever-after—even when her help leads to disaster.

Frankie Lane knows what’s best for just about everyone but herself. Her divorced sister, Stef, who is too young to give up on love; her shy employee, Elinor; and her daughter, Natalie, who works in Frankie’s shop, Holiday Happiness, and really needs to start her own business selling the delectable chocolates she makes at home; even her best friend, Viola, who is trying to renovate her old Victorian. Frankie knows she could help all of them, if they’d just let her—and if all of her help didn’t end in utter disaster.

Then there’s Mitch Howard, the owner of the local hardware store. They’ve been friends ever since Frankie opened her store, nine years earlier. He got her through the nightmare when she lost her husband in a freak accident, and he’s her favorite shoulder to cry on. He’s been divorced for years, and it’s such a waste of man! Mitch is the fittest, finest man Frankie knows. He’s easygoing, wise and kindhearted. Mitch needs someone. And she’s determined to help him find that someone—whether he likes it or not.