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The Matchmaker's Match

Jessica Nelson (Goodreads Author)

3.80 · Rating details · 110 ratings · 27 reviews

The Marriage Ultimatum

He has three months to find a wife—or lose his estate. Spencer, Lord Ashwhite, doubts he'll find a suitable bride among the ton, until the unconventional Lady Amelia Baxley agrees to provide a list of candidates. It should be an ideal arrangement, were Spencer not growing attached to the one woman Amelia refuses to consider as a prospect: herself.

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Paperback, 288 pages

Published September 1st 2015 by Love Inspired

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2015 Historical Romance (July - December)

265 books — 491 voters

All the Love Inspired Regencies

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· 110 ratings · 27 reviews

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Mar 16, 2016 Lynn Spencer rated it really liked it

Shelves: category-romance, historical-romance, inspirational-romance, tbr-challenge

As a September 2015 release, The Matchmaker’s Match has obviously not lingered long in my TBR pile. However, I thought it would be a perfect choice for this month’s TBR challenge. While I was in New York for RWA, I had a chance to meet Emily Rodmell, editor for the various Love Inspired lines at Harlequin. While we discussed inspirationals and the things that tend to be popular in that market, she recommended this book to me. She described it as a book that isn’t necessarily trendy, but one that ...more

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Mar 26, 2016 Crystal Collier rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016

It's rare I read a book where I just want to linger (because of the author's beautiful language/writing) and can't stop myself from burning through it. I was 100% immersed.

This is a CLEAN regency romance with all the fun of a historical setting and all the joy of suppressed attraction, societal expectations, and a need to be proper. I hate to say it, but I'm disgruntled. Thoroughly. WHY DID THE BOOK HAVE TO END?! The characters are engaging. Their struggles are solid. The developing romance is ...more

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Sep 25, 2015 Kav rated it it was amazing

Cue witty banter and we're off on a beguiling adventure with a rakish hero and a straight-laced lady of an independent nature. Seriously adored Amelia. You just have to love a woman who thinks of life's pivotal moments in capitals. Like The Great Disappointment. I should feel sorry that she had to endure such heartbreak but really I'm filled with glee because this story is the result!

The premise of a matchmaker having the tables turned on her is priceless. Spencer is a heart throb of a hero and ...more

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Sep 30, 2015 Ane Ryan Walker rated it it was amazing

I fell in love with "The Matchmakers Match". In fact, I couldn't put it down. Be advised, once you start this little piece of romance, you won't be able to stop yourself, you'll be up all night desperate to finish this wonderful love story. And then you'll be sad, and have to start reading all over again.
It was delightful. Well plotted, fast paced with well drawn characters. Definitely worth reading, and reading again. One for the keeper shelf.

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Sep 23, 2015 Melody rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical, love-inspired

I haven't ever read anything by Jessica Nelson before, but this certainly won't be the last time! I loved this story! I am a fan of regencies-as long as they are done well! This one surely was! The characters were utterly delightful! I love a heroine full of loveable spunk! :)

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Nov 07, 2018 Susan Snodgrass rated it it was amazing

This was a very delightful Regency, perfect all the way around. I loved every single minute of it. The author has created characters that seem real and a plot that is very good. Her spiritual theme was also great and I will read more from her..

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Sep 17, 2015 Carrie rated it really liked it

After months of waiting for a regency to pop up in the Love Inspired Historical line, I found The Matchmaker's Match, by Jessica Nelson, which was released this month. It's about Lord Ashwhite, a marquis who must marry within three months time in order to keep his estate, according to his father's will. Helping him is Lady Amelia Baxley, who is secretly running a matchmaking business on the side so that she can maintain her own household and live independently from her brother and his wife, the ...more

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Apr 22, 2020 Sonny rated it really liked it

I always am kind of hesitant when it comes to this line of HQ. I don't mind a subtle admiration toward God and such, but anything remotely heavy-handed it really sours the enjoyment. Especially if I feel God/Jesus/anything from the Bible becomes like a 3rd character. I am stunned that this sits in the Love Inspired line because it's exactly enough of an Inspirational/Christian-feel without being so overpowering you run away, screaming.

Amelia is a pretty awesome heroine for this book. I like a wo I always am kind of hesitant when it comes to this line of HQ. I don't mind a subtle admiration toward God and such, but anything remotely heavy-handed it really sours the enjoyment. Especially if I feel God/Jesus/anything from the Bible becomes like a 3rd character. I am stunned that this sits in the Love Inspired line because it's exactly enough of an Inspirational/Christian-feel without being so overpowering you run away, screaming.

Amelia is a pretty awesome heroine for this book. I like a woman who is already up-to-snuff in securing her independence but just needs an extra 'oomph' or boost. Or maybe the right man in her life to SEE her ways, means, and opinions for what they are. She is 25 and settled that she will never marry because men simply don't come up to her level of want and need.

I loved the background of Amelia. She is a sister twin to a brother, Eversham [I don't know why but I love this name - bet it's Biblical-ish] and well...she is already sort of well-established for being quite good at matchmaking [think like how we open Austen's Emma with her having masterminded her own Nanny to a stable Gentleman her father knew]. Amelia is very set-in-her-ways. She is often in support of Newgate prisoners...especially the women jailed. She even appears to be slightly hard-headed about putting herself in harm's way for the good of her "clients", some of whom are simply extended family. We open the book when she is attempting to secure a gentleman for Cousin Lydia. Amelia has a constant Bow Street Runner on retainer, who does her small investigative work when she needs him.

Amelia actually lives on her own, in a house her brother had put her in. She loves to paint and she lives on a stipend, procuring small monies for her matchmaking here and there. Eversham, her twin brother, is already married and he has come to reprimand Amelia about her doings around town. Eversham has a wife he was somewhat arranged/forced to marry and she is very "Haute Ton", so she often will scold her husband to "please curb your sister's exploits. People gossip." And Eversham seems to be at the end of his rope, calling for Amelia to immediately STOP all her secret excursions to matchmake on the sly for clients and end all plans to turn it into a lucrative business. She mainly seems to see herself making enough money on the side to actually buy herself a small cottage or house in the country and she can live away from Eversham and his nagging wife...and finally not be such a nuisance to them.

But for some odd reason, Eversham is so abhorrent of her exploits to matchmake THIS time that he has given Amelia a week to shut down everything, pack her belongings and he will retake her back into their childhood home, where he & his wife live. Amelia doesn't want to return to that house because she is old enough - she feels - to be on her own. She WANTs to be a Spinster and simply do her matchmaking work for clientele, then do her not-impressionist paintings on the side. This is how she finds herself mixed in with Spencer, who has become IN NEED OF A WIFE, within 3-months time. There is some need of him to marry to protect his father's estate from a "distant family member" who could stake a claim, but also, it is said that he needs this wife to somehow curtail his own flouncy mother.

Spencer is an old school friend of Eversham - they call one another "Ash" and "Ev". Spencer does and doesn't recall Amelia much, but he has heard of her mentioned from Eversham's own mouth. Quite often Amelia and Spencer will be thrust into the same vicinity, whether at the same parties or he will visit her at Eversham's home. He wants her help, desperately, but Amelia is kind of hemming-and-hawing about what will truly happen if she does matchmake for him. Eversham is already boiling angry and forbidden her to work...except she is still doing small things to help out Cousin Lydia. Cousin Lydia has a small fortune, so Amelia tries to find her a rich gentleman to match. Except Lydia falls for a military man who Amelia fears is only out to get Lydia's dowry.

We do learn that Amelia had been duped by a Gentleman prior, which is why she is soured on men and marriage. She truly does not believe in love or a constant man remaining by your side. And Spencer is a reformed rake who had sailed awhile ago to America and has just returned; he spent time amongst Christian faith and is settled in his own belief in God. He wants a wife with the same caliber of faith and belief, hoping Amelia can do this for him, even on the sly. And Amelia has absolutely no belief or faith in much of anything except being able to be on her own to do her own thing.

A couple of times...for some odd reason or so, Amelia and Spencer are often left alone, unaccompanied...sometimes in private situations that could become problematic. Sometimes there is a Chaperon, sometimes not. It seemed awfully iffy sometimes how in certain moments they were able to get away with scenes because each being single...well, I think you get my drift. A lot of times Eversham will stumble upon them...it almost felt like he was having his sister followed. And Spencer was around Amelia so often, he would sometimes ride along with her in order to watch her in action, to see what she did with her routine as she helped Lydia matchmake or even just what she did for the day, like when he went with her to Newgate Prison.

There is a really weird moment, a huge tragedy for Eversham and his wife...where Amelia finds the wife collapsed on the floor and a pool of blood on her nightgown - it's a little scary but it turns out she has been unable to carry the last couple of pregnancies...and Eversham had kept insinuating he wanted to "tame" Amelia for some unknown mysterious hard-to-tell reason...and this might be it. Sorry, for the life of me I cannot recall the wife's name, but she literally screams at Amelia that SHE IS TO BLAME...SHE IS AT FAULT...for this miscarriage because the wife has been put under so much stress by what Amelia does around town. This came out of the blue so fast and furious...I really thought it highly unfair to say this outright to Amelia though she took it on the jaw like she took everything else done to her. Especially by her once-beloved twin brother.

The tragic moment will have a happy ending, but still-??? Jesus H, man...Amelia is a better person than most and she took that misplaced scapegoated anger in stride, even when Eversham's wife tried to apologize. Eh, I wasn't too convinced, especially since this whole story is based on this wife's penchant to give two shits about Amelia's reputation as it pertains to HER, not because it's Amelia's own life to ruin if she wishes. Amelia is fine going about her business...matchmaking, painting, living her single life...but wow, Eversham's wife was a piece of work and Eversham, who should've been more supportive to his twin sister...yeah, he drops the ball too many times to curtail under his wife's control.

One would assume Amelia is perfect for Spencer, in so many ways, but well...he had a mother who was quite flippant and uncaring about what she did during her marriage. And he could see a mirror image of her in Amelia...an independent streak no husband could control. Of course, after much debating and finagling, and Spencer consistently being in Amelia's presence, they do fall for one another...funnily enough while chasing after Cousin Lydia as she ran off with her soldier fiance-now-husband before he was shipped off to India.

It is a well deserved HEA and I really liked Amelia and Spencer, though, at times, Spencer was a mixed bag of conundrums, still everything worked out in the end. ...more

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Nov 28, 2015 ASC Book Reviews rated it it was amazing

Lovely read! This is the first book I've read from Jessica, and I'm happy to say I'd happily read more! :) Amelia and Spencer immediately became favorite characters from the very beginning! Getting lost in regency times is always something I enjoy doing and I really enjoyed the plot and twists! Entertaining from the start and when you get closer and closer to the end more and more things happen to these two! From injuries to redemption! I love independent characters and you can't get more indepe ...more

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Sep 25, 2015 Rachael rated it liked it

An entertaining read with an interesting premise - not the woman, but the MAN must marry to maintain his inheritance. Enter the matchmaker. I appreciated that the matchmaking is scandalous (especially for a lady) and therefore not an official or known position. The hero is quite charming, while Amelia is not as sensible as she thinks herself to be. I definitely liked Spencer the best.

There are some errors (cookies in Regency England?), but it was still a likable story.

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Sep 09, 2015 Jeanette Levellie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Intriguing, entertaining, unique

I can always count on Jessica Nelson for a fun, well-written romance. Her style is unique enough to keep the story intriguing, and her characters are entertaining, but with spiritual depth. I read The Matchmaker's Match in less than two days, it was that tremendous!

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Oct 13, 2015 Heather rated it liked it

Shelves: 2015

This book was well written, but the characters seemed a bit flat to me at times. I will also say that I found it to be relatively predictable. If you like historical fiction and independent women, you'd probably still enjoy this read, but it's not one that I would highly recommend over other similar books.

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Nov 04, 2015 Denise Petrovich rated it it was amazing

I loved this book. It made me laugh and smile. This book had a way of keeping me intrigued and I really enjoyed how Lord Ashwhite and Lady Amelia came to grips with not only their attraction for each other but their love. This is a timeless romance. The story is written well and the characters play well off each other for a very good read. Thank you Jessica Nelson for a delightful book!

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Sep 02, 2015 Harlequin Books added it

Shelves: 2014-15, past_series-imprints

"With three-dimensional characters, attention to detail and excellent witty banter, Nelson outdoes herself here. The Matchmaker’s Match is impressively written and well deserving of a Top Pick" (RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars TOP PICK!).

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Sep 01, 2015 Alisha Grant rated it liked it

a delightful story with engaging charactets

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Apr 30, 2020 Katherine 黄爱芬 rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: ipusnas-gd, historical-romance

Clean romance memang bukan bacaan favorit saya, apalagi kalau ada bau-bau religi begini. Paling enak dibantai memang novel spt ini hahaha.

Lady Amelia Baxley ini digambarkan sbg heroine yg mandiri, menghidupi dirinya sendiri dgn cara melukis dan menjualnya. Tapi ada usaha sampingannya yg ilegal, menjadi makcomblang di ton. Ketidakharmonisan hubungan Amelia dgn kakaknya, Eversham, krn gaya hidup dan pekerjaan Amelia (saya bodo amat!) membuat Amelia terlibat dgn Lord Ashwhite.

Yg jadi permasalahan s ...more

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Sep 19, 2018 Sheri rated it it was ok

This book was fine, but not particularly exceptional, and there were a few things that bothered me. For example, while I found it believable that she was concerned about her cousin's abrupt attachment, I did NOT find it believable that this insta-love (for pity's sake, after one dance she announced that she had found the one) was God-ordained true love and that no one else had any concern (instead, Amelia is seen as odd for expressing caution). And while I find it believable that her proper sist ...more

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Sep 18, 2018 Clara Patricia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I read this because of a premise that piqued my interest - what happens when a matchmaker finds love? And so I came across this book that matched what I was looking for. What I didn't expect was the superb writing - very fitting of the era it was in. The writer has adequately captured the societal norms that women were subjected to at this time in history. Most importantly, the novel put emphasis on proper courtship, redemption, a second chance in life and love, with God.

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Feb 24, 2020 Linda Klages rated it liked it

Interesting story - clean with some Biblical verses.

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Jul 25, 2017 Rachel rated it really liked it

Shelves: love-inspired-historical

It was ok. I enjoyed the authors other book A Hasty Betrothal more.

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Aug 19, 2019 Lexa added it

Shelves: 2019

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Feb 08, 2019 Jamie Hatch rated it liked it

I'd give this one 3.5 stars if I could.

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Mar 25, 2018 Senli Marliana rated it liked it

Bagus, tapi ga hot wkwkwkwk.
Yang gampang bosen jangan baca, alurnya lambat banget 😅

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Jun 13, 2016 Glenda Parker rated it it was amazing

I really enjoyed this book. The story is well written, humorous, and heartwarming. I like the way Jessica has woven in her faith throughout the story. I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Lord Spencer Ashwhite was once considered a rake but bored by the whole ton scene he takes off to America. In America he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, he has come home a new man. Spencer is informed upon his father's death that if he doesn't find a suitable wife with in three months he will lose his title and hi ...more

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Aug 24, 2015 Laura Hamadi rated it it was ok

I really wanted to like this book . . . but unfortunately it never clicked for me. I loved the premise of a female matchmaker trying to make a match for a man (very scandalous). I found the characters a little flat. I just felt that their "hidden pasts" and "dark secrets" weren't really that deep or dark at times. When we found out the reason why Amelia doesn't trust men or want to marry, I thought, "Really? This is her reason?" I don't want to spoil anything, but the reason why she broke it off ...more

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Feb 14, 2017 Jessica rated it did not like it

Shelves: adult-fiction

So much of this just did not flow, nor read well. Felt like it was a first time book for someone who didn't bother to research the era nor read ANY historical romance period.

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About Jessica Nelson

Jessica Nelson

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My heart is filled with romantic stories, my shelves are loaded with chocolate and my lips are always longing for one more cup of Starbucks. Besides that, I write for Love Inspired Historical and am a happy mom to a bunch of little boys. I love connecting with readers and writers.