What do you think?
Rate this book
Finfarran Peninsula #3
The Mistletoe Matchmaker
Beloved author Felicity Hayes-McCoy returns with an enchanting, cozy new novel, perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Nina George, and Nancy Thayer—It’s Christmas in Ireland, and when Cassie Fitzgerald arrives from Toronto to visit her grandparents, she learns that it’s never too late to come home.
The days are turning colder, preparations are under way for the Winter Fest, and everyone is hoping for a little holiday magic on the Finfarran peninsula. And as Cassie Fitzgerald, fresh from Toronto, is about to discover, there’s more to the holidays on the west coast of Ireland than mistletoe and mince pies.
Enchanted by the small town where her dad was born, Cassie makes friends and joins local librarian Hanna Casey’s writing group in Lissbeg Library. But the more she’s drawn into the festivities leading up to her first Irish Christmas, the more questions she wants to ask.
Why does her sweet-tempered grandmother Pat find it so hard to express her feelings? What’s going on between Pat and her miserly husband Ger? What happened in the past between the Fitzgeralds and Hanna’s redoubtable mother Mary Casey? And what about Shay: handsome, funny, smart, and intent on making Cassie’s stay as exciting as he can. Could he be the one for her?
As Christmas Eve approaches, it’s Cassie, the outsider, who reminds Lissbeg’s locals that love, family, and friendship bring true magic to the season. But will her own, fractured family rediscover the joys of coming home?
The days are turning colder, preparations are under way for the Winter Fest, and everyone is hoping for a little holiday magic on the Finfarran peninsula. And as Cassie Fitzgerald, fresh from Toronto, is about to discover, there’s more to the holidays on the west coast of Ireland than mistletoe and mince pies.
Enchanted by the small town where her dad was born, Cassie makes friends and joins local librarian Hanna Casey’s writing group in Lissbeg Library. But the more she’s drawn into the festivities leading up to her first Irish Christmas, the more questions she wants to ask.
Why does her sweet-tempered grandmother Pat find it so hard to express her feelings? What’s going on between Pat and her miserly husband Ger? What happened in the past between the Fitzgeralds and Hanna’s redoubtable mother Mary Casey? And what about Shay: handsome, funny, smart, and intent on making Cassie’s stay as exciting as he can. Could he be the one for her?
As Christmas Eve approaches, it’s Cassie, the outsider, who reminds Lissbeg’s locals that love, family, and friendship bring true magic to the season. But will her own, fractured family rediscover the joys of coming home?
354 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2017
261 people are currently reading
3724 people want to read
About the author
Felicity Hayes-McCoy
34 books546 followersUSA Today bestselling Irish writer Felicity Hayes-McCoy is the author of the 'Finfarran' novels, set in a fictional county on Ireland's West Coast. Marian Keyes calls her writing "a pitch-perfect delight", Cathy Kelly, bestselling author of "Between Sisters" and "Secrets of a Happy Marriage", has described the Finfarran books as "a delicious feast", and "sunshine on the page", while Jenny Colgan, bestselling author of "The Cafe by the Sea", calls them "charming and heartwarming".
Felicity's latest book, a standalone novel, The Keepsake Quilters (Hachette Irl), was published in October 2022 to critical acclaim. Best-selling Irish authors Roisin Meaney and Carmel Harringon called it "the perfect festive read" and "warm and wise ... an absolute joy"; Claudia Carroll and Patricia Scanlan wrote of it as "warm, funny and full of heart" and "a fascinating, beautifully-written generational saga"; and television presenters Barbara Scully and Mary Kennedy have described it as "a gorgeous novel" and "a beautifully-crafted story."
Finfarran #1, The Library at the Edge of The World, was published in June 2016: The Sunday Times called it "engaging, sparkling and joyous" and The Sunday Independent wrote "If you like reading a feelgood novel, take a journey to the edge of the world. An easy, pleasant summer read for fans of Maeve Binchy".
Summer at The Garden Café, the second in the Finfarran series, came out in the UK & Irl May 2017, The Mistletoe Matchmaker, a warm, empowering Christmas story, in October 2017, and The Month of Borrowed Dreams, in June 2018: The Irish Independent's review called it "a heartwarming novel which will leave you longing to read the earlier ones". The best-selling author Marian Keyes said she was "utterly charmed" by Finfarran #5, The Transatlantic Book Club, which was published in 2019.
A US & Canadian edition of The Library at the Edge of The World, published by Harper Perennial in Nov 2017, was chosen as a LibraryReads Pick. The US & Canadian edition of Summer at The Garden Café was published in 2018, The Mistletoe Matchmaker followed in 2019, The Transatlantic Book Club in 2020, The Month of Borrowed Dreams in 2021, and The Heart of Summer in 2022.
Finfarran #7, The Year of Lost and Found, was published by Hachette Irl in May 2021, and praised as "the perfect, page-turning escape" and "the best book of the year so far for me" by best-selling Irish authors Sinéad Moriarty and Claudia Carroll. It was preceded in 2020 by Finfarran #6, The Heart of Summer, of which Ireland's Sunday Business Post reviewer wrote "This works perfectly well as a standalone novel ... her writing sings", and bestselling author Patricia Scanlan commented "Fans of Maeve Binchy will adore it - she just gets better and better!"
The Finfarran novels have been translated into seven languages and can also be purchased in English as ebooks and audiobooks.
Described as 'wise, funny' and 'blazingly beautiful' by actress and writer Joanna Lumley, Felicity's first memoir, The House on an Irish Hillside was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2012. It takes the author to London, where she worked as an actress and met her English, opera-director husband, and back to Ireland, to a remarkable stone house on the Dingle peninsula.
Enough Is Plenty: The Year on the Dingle Peninsula, a sequel to The House on an Irish Hillside, was published by The Collins Press in 2015. Illustrated with photographs by Felicity and her husband, and with a foreword by the best-selling Irish writer Alice Taylor, it charts the cycle of the Celtic year in Felicity's own house and garden.
A second memoir, A Woven Silence: Memory, History & Remembrance, described by The Sunday Times as 'a powerful piece of personal and political history', was published in September 2015, also by The Collins Press. Inspired by the lost story of her grandmother's cousin Marion Stokes, one of three women who raised the tricolour over Enniscorthy town in Wexford dur
Felicity's latest book, a standalone novel, The Keepsake Quilters (Hachette Irl), was published in October 2022 to critical acclaim. Best-selling Irish authors Roisin Meaney and Carmel Harringon called it "the perfect festive read" and "warm and wise ... an absolute joy"; Claudia Carroll and Patricia Scanlan wrote of it as "warm, funny and full of heart" and "a fascinating, beautifully-written generational saga"; and television presenters Barbara Scully and Mary Kennedy have described it as "a gorgeous novel" and "a beautifully-crafted story."
Finfarran #1, The Library at the Edge of The World, was published in June 2016: The Sunday Times called it "engaging, sparkling and joyous" and The Sunday Independent wrote "If you like reading a feelgood novel, take a journey to the edge of the world. An easy, pleasant summer read for fans of Maeve Binchy".
Summer at The Garden Café, the second in the Finfarran series, came out in the UK & Irl May 2017, The Mistletoe Matchmaker, a warm, empowering Christmas story, in October 2017, and The Month of Borrowed Dreams, in June 2018: The Irish Independent's review called it "a heartwarming novel which will leave you longing to read the earlier ones". The best-selling author Marian Keyes said she was "utterly charmed" by Finfarran #5, The Transatlantic Book Club, which was published in 2019.
A US & Canadian edition of The Library at the Edge of The World, published by Harper Perennial in Nov 2017, was chosen as a LibraryReads Pick. The US & Canadian edition of Summer at The Garden Café was published in 2018, The Mistletoe Matchmaker followed in 2019, The Transatlantic Book Club in 2020, The Month of Borrowed Dreams in 2021, and The Heart of Summer in 2022.
Finfarran #7, The Year of Lost and Found, was published by Hachette Irl in May 2021, and praised as "the perfect, page-turning escape" and "the best book of the year so far for me" by best-selling Irish authors Sinéad Moriarty and Claudia Carroll. It was preceded in 2020 by Finfarran #6, The Heart of Summer, of which Ireland's Sunday Business Post reviewer wrote "This works perfectly well as a standalone novel ... her writing sings", and bestselling author Patricia Scanlan commented "Fans of Maeve Binchy will adore it - she just gets better and better!"
The Finfarran novels have been translated into seven languages and can also be purchased in English as ebooks and audiobooks.
Described as 'wise, funny' and 'blazingly beautiful' by actress and writer Joanna Lumley, Felicity's first memoir, The House on an Irish Hillside was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2012. It takes the author to London, where she worked as an actress and met her English, opera-director husband, and back to Ireland, to a remarkable stone house on the Dingle peninsula.
Enough Is Plenty: The Year on the Dingle Peninsula, a sequel to The House on an Irish Hillside, was published by The Collins Press in 2015. Illustrated with photographs by Felicity and her husband, and with a foreword by the best-selling Irish writer Alice Taylor, it charts the cycle of the Celtic year in Felicity's own house and garden.
A second memoir, A Woven Silence: Memory, History & Remembrance, described by The Sunday Times as 'a powerful piece of personal and political history', was published in September 2015, also by The Collins Press. Inspired by the lost story of her grandmother's cousin Marion Stokes, one of three women who raised the tricolour over Enniscorthy town in Wexford dur
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
December 8, 2019
I won it in a giveaway!
This book was boring and involved NO MATCHMAKING!
This book is apart of a series but can be read as a standalone. It was boring, had too many characters and nothing happened. I don't even know what the purpose of this book was. There was only one storyline that kind of interested me but the author barely spent anytime on them. And to matters worse even that storyline turned out to have a boring resolution.
This book just isn't for me.
This book was boring and involved NO MATCHMAKING!
This book is apart of a series but can be read as a standalone. It was boring, had too many characters and nothing happened. I don't even know what the purpose of this book was. There was only one storyline that kind of interested me but the author barely spent anytime on them. And to matters worse even that storyline turned out to have a boring resolution.
This book just isn't for me.
September 10, 2018
Four and a half stars.
Cassie Fitzgerald sets off from Toronto to Finfarran Peninsular in Ireland. She wants to learn more about her grandparents, Pat and Ger, as well as other ancestors. She wonders why her father and his brother never had wanted to go back to Ireland, even for a visit. In the town Of Lissbeg Cassie joins Hannah Casey’s writing group. Hannah, her mother Mary, Fury and his dog The Divil and many others will be familiar to those who have read the first two books in this Finfarran series as I have. At the time Cassie arrives, the town is heading into Christmas and gearing up for Winter Fest and the competition that ensues between towns and villages to win the prize. Of course this is a small town and not everyone is as enamoured with Cassie or accepts her ideas as easily. As well as connecting with her grandparents and other ancestors, Cassie also begins to wonder if she has found the man for her.
After my previous book, I just wanted a book to relax into - one where I could disappear for a little while. This absolutely fulfilled the need. I loved catching up with these characters again, like reconnecting with old friends. This is a book about friendship and family. Moments of laughter are scattered throughout. I rarely read Christmas themed books but I found this a joy to read, whatever the time of year. A lovely place to escape and get lost in for a little while. I recommend this heart-warming, charming read with distinctive characters and an enchanting setting. Better still read the whole series.
Cassie Fitzgerald sets off from Toronto to Finfarran Peninsular in Ireland. She wants to learn more about her grandparents, Pat and Ger, as well as other ancestors. She wonders why her father and his brother never had wanted to go back to Ireland, even for a visit. In the town Of Lissbeg Cassie joins Hannah Casey’s writing group. Hannah, her mother Mary, Fury and his dog The Divil and many others will be familiar to those who have read the first two books in this Finfarran series as I have. At the time Cassie arrives, the town is heading into Christmas and gearing up for Winter Fest and the competition that ensues between towns and villages to win the prize. Of course this is a small town and not everyone is as enamoured with Cassie or accepts her ideas as easily. As well as connecting with her grandparents and other ancestors, Cassie also begins to wonder if she has found the man for her.
After my previous book, I just wanted a book to relax into - one where I could disappear for a little while. This absolutely fulfilled the need. I loved catching up with these characters again, like reconnecting with old friends. This is a book about friendship and family. Moments of laughter are scattered throughout. I rarely read Christmas themed books but I found this a joy to read, whatever the time of year. A lovely place to escape and get lost in for a little while. I recommend this heart-warming, charming read with distinctive characters and an enchanting setting. Better still read the whole series.
November 18, 2020
Cassie Fitzgerald's father immigrated from Ireland to Canada. He's never returned to visit his parents. Finally they come over one year, and Cassie returns to Ireland with them. Christmas approaches on the Finfarrin Peninsula. While the characters from previous installments appear in this installment, one does not need to read the series in order for this Christmas installment. The plot is more about village life than anything else. It's somewhat lackluster--not really drawing one in to the place and not really giving a true sense of Christmas.
November 21, 2017
This series is excellent. Love the Irish setting and the folks in the story. Hope there is a 4 th novel
November 29, 2018
This was a disappointment for a few reasons.
The first two Finfarran books were predominantly populated by a variety of likeable individuals, whose journeys through life where disrupted by unpleasant individuals. Justice eventually won out, and the disloyal, the snobs, the grasping all eventually got their just desserts. That was major source of the pleasure in reading the books – it was it easy to become fond of the main characters, and see right done by them.
In this book however, it seems that the author is trying to demonstrate the complicated relationships that exist in small towns anywhere in the world, and in so doing she has made the major players in this story more scratchy, perhaps more realistic, but a lot less likeable. In truth, it was a bit of a slog to keep going past the first 50 pages. About halfway into the book, the true baddies of the story appeared, and some corners seem to have been knocked off the main characters, making it easier to like them, and spend time with them.
Unfortunately, this is where the other big problem with the book reared its head – the pacing of the story is all over the place. It started off at a trot, but quickly stumbled into a mire and remained stuck there, with time passing unevenly, muttered hints of past wrongs and not much happening until the last 30 pages and 12 hours. All hell breaks loose in the small town, and various threads get wound up too quickly.
And even after all that excitement, the reader is not left with a sense of closure, but rather with the sense of an interval or pause – clearly there will be another book, where the loose threads will be woven together.
It is such a shame. I loved “the library at the end of the universe”, which was such a strong book, and stand-alone story about a woman rebuilding her life in her 50s.
I feel that FinFarren has now become the backdrop for a soap opera, with an ensemble of characters coming in and out of focus as various adventures happen to them. As it happens, I bought the third and fourth books in the series together, so I will go on and start to read the next book immediately - but the reserves of affection I have for this imaginary part of Ireland are severely depleted, and I am likely to not finish if I encounter the same meandering story lines or frankly unpleasant people.
The first two Finfarran books were predominantly populated by a variety of likeable individuals, whose journeys through life where disrupted by unpleasant individuals. Justice eventually won out, and the disloyal, the snobs, the grasping all eventually got their just desserts. That was major source of the pleasure in reading the books – it was it easy to become fond of the main characters, and see right done by them.
In this book however, it seems that the author is trying to demonstrate the complicated relationships that exist in small towns anywhere in the world, and in so doing she has made the major players in this story more scratchy, perhaps more realistic, but a lot less likeable. In truth, it was a bit of a slog to keep going past the first 50 pages. About halfway into the book, the true baddies of the story appeared, and some corners seem to have been knocked off the main characters, making it easier to like them, and spend time with them.
Unfortunately, this is where the other big problem with the book reared its head – the pacing of the story is all over the place. It started off at a trot, but quickly stumbled into a mire and remained stuck there, with time passing unevenly, muttered hints of past wrongs and not much happening until the last 30 pages and 12 hours. All hell breaks loose in the small town, and various threads get wound up too quickly.
And even after all that excitement, the reader is not left with a sense of closure, but rather with the sense of an interval or pause – clearly there will be another book, where the loose threads will be woven together.
It is such a shame. I loved “the library at the end of the universe”, which was such a strong book, and stand-alone story about a woman rebuilding her life in her 50s.
I feel that FinFarren has now become the backdrop for a soap opera, with an ensemble of characters coming in and out of focus as various adventures happen to them. As it happens, I bought the third and fourth books in the series together, so I will go on and start to read the next book immediately - but the reserves of affection I have for this imaginary part of Ireland are severely depleted, and I am likely to not finish if I encounter the same meandering story lines or frankly unpleasant people.
November 7, 2019
3.5 stars
Great addition to the series, I am totally invested in these people and can't wait to see what they are up to next. I liked that Cassie came over from Canada and is getting to know her roots, and I liked that Hannah grew a bit of a backbone in the end and I loved that Jazz laid it all bare about her acquiescence to Mary.
This is a great Irish novel and so much of the culture is entwined within the plot which makes it all the more enjoyable for me.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Great addition to the series, I am totally invested in these people and can't wait to see what they are up to next. I liked that Cassie came over from Canada and is getting to know her roots, and I liked that Hannah grew a bit of a backbone in the end and I loved that Jazz laid it all bare about her acquiescence to Mary.
This is a great Irish novel and so much of the culture is entwined within the plot which makes it all the more enjoyable for me.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
September 22, 2019
It's the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last.
It made me crave to live in this Irish village and to meet the quirky and fleshed out characters.
I liked the engrossing and entertaining plot and I look forward to reading other instalment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It made me crave to live in this Irish village and to meet the quirky and fleshed out characters.
I liked the engrossing and entertaining plot and I look forward to reading other instalment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
November 29, 2021
3.5 stars
I do honestly love this series and I’ve only ever listened to the audiobook. I love that this is simply a story about people and their daily lives. And while I liked the story itself, I was not a fan of the narrator at times. I wasn’t fond of how she voiced Cassie, making her sound like a squeaky child instead of an adult. It made her come off as an airhead, which she wasn’t. Good story just the narration was not the greatest this time.
*borrowed from HooplaAudio
I do honestly love this series and I’ve only ever listened to the audiobook. I love that this is simply a story about people and their daily lives. And while I liked the story itself, I was not a fan of the narrator at times. I wasn’t fond of how she voiced Cassie, making her sound like a squeaky child instead of an adult. It made her come off as an airhead, which she wasn’t. Good story just the narration was not the greatest this time.
*borrowed from HooplaAudio
December 24, 2017
Loved this as much as the rest of the series!
October 21, 2019
More like 3 1/2 stars. Charming book. Parts of it dragged and I wished it would hurry up but it's a lovely book with nice people and feel good too! I look forward to reading the others .
January 17, 2020
3.5 stars. Wonderful charming story. Not a real plot. Just wonderful characters and how their daily interactions effect the story.
December 1, 2019
I DNF’d this one at page 142. The characters were cute but there was way too many of them to keep straight and the story moved so friggin slow. The only character I cared about was Cassie but not enough to finish the story. It also had really nothing to do with Christmas or a couple like my sister and I had originally thought due to the name “Mistletoe Matchmaker” which was disappointing. I saw some review were people enjoyed this which is great, but this one was not for me.
December 14, 2017
This was entirely fantastic - an amazing read and perfect for Christmas. Cassie was a great main character, I really liked her and I really liked how she got along with Pat and Ger. I loved to see how Aideen and Connor got on and what really surprised me of how much I liked it was the friendship between Pat and Mary - I would hate Mary if she existed but I love her as a character. Also I completely loved Pat, which in any other novel she would be a character to pity but Hayes-McCoy gives her a sense that she is happy. She can have bad moments, but she is happy and content. I loved this book so much.
November 19, 2019
I devoured all things Maeve Binchy Firefly Summer in High School and was thrilled to discover Felicity Hayes-McCoy has a similar way of building a warm, tight-knit community full of interesting characters each struggling in their own way but always willing to lend a hand, pitch in, or at least offer an opinion.
Fellow fans of Gilmore Girls might agree with me that Lissbeg is, in many ways, an Irish Stars Hollow.
At the end of the book is an essay by the author: The Story Behind The Mistletoe Matchmaker. In which she states "Set in an Irish winter, the themes of this third Finfarran story are rooted in the ancient belief that at the heart of the darkest season of the year is all the light and sunshine of seasons to come." I think this is why, despite the fact I don't really read Christmas stories or romance stories*, I rated it higher than I usually rate genre books. Who doesn't need a little hope and light in this the darkest season of the year?
I very much enjoyed my third visit to the Finfarran Peninsula and hope the next two books in the series arrive in North America soon!
*I have nothing against these particular genres they just don't float my boat.
Fellow fans of Gilmore Girls might agree with me that Lissbeg is, in many ways, an Irish Stars Hollow.
At the end of the book is an essay by the author: The Story Behind The Mistletoe Matchmaker. In which she states "Set in an Irish winter, the themes of this third Finfarran story are rooted in the ancient belief that at the heart of the darkest season of the year is all the light and sunshine of seasons to come." I think this is why, despite the fact I don't really read Christmas stories or romance stories*, I rated it higher than I usually rate genre books. Who doesn't need a little hope and light in this the darkest season of the year?
I very much enjoyed my third visit to the Finfarran Peninsula and hope the next two books in the series arrive in North America soon!
*I have nothing against these particular genres they just don't float my boat.
November 25, 2017
Cassie leaves Canada to come to the Finfarran Peninsula in Ireland, the place where her father was born and her grandparents still live. She soon befriends Hanna from the Lissbeg library and joins the book club, she is settling into life here but will she solve the problems from the past, Why is her grandfather so mean to her grandmother who is such a lovely woman...... and dont forget the gorgeous Shay!
It's great to be back in Lissbeg and with all the characters from the first two books. I love the rambling Irish stories with such wonderful characters and it feels like coming home when you start a new book about them
It's great to be back in Lissbeg and with all the characters from the first two books. I love the rambling Irish stories with such wonderful characters and it feels like coming home when you start a new book about them
May 21, 2020
I read this to round out the trilogy, but really, I could take it or leave it. The main character was introduced but not particularly well developed, the relationships in the book were awkward and not followed through very well, and there were several red herring set-ups that were complete let-downs when you found out the real stories. It almost felt like she had the seed of an idea, and then instead of really developing it, she took all the leftover, left-out scenes from the previous two books and strung them together to make a third. (In fact, there was one scene that was repeated almost verbatim, like she forgot she had already used it in book #2! Bad writing, and BAD editing.) That resulted in discovering some additional fun facts about favorite characters, but no real continuity or resolution. Yawn.
Also, the word "matchmaker" in any title sets up certain expectations, which were NOT fulfilled here.
Also, the word "matchmaker" in any title sets up certain expectations, which were NOT fulfilled here.
February 24, 2018
This is the third in the Finfarran series of novels but could be read as a standalone novel.
I really love the author's easy style of writing and quickly found myself drawn into the story. Lovely characters, this is a romance story but also a tale of friendship and community. I liked the Irish setting and would like to visit this area.
A warm fell-good festive story, which I can recommend. I also enjoyed the first two books in the series and would highly recommend these too.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really love the author's easy style of writing and quickly found myself drawn into the story. Lovely characters, this is a romance story but also a tale of friendship and community. I liked the Irish setting and would like to visit this area.
A warm fell-good festive story, which I can recommend. I also enjoyed the first two books in the series and would highly recommend these too.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2019
Well, it’s that time of year again when the leaves are turning… both on trees and in newly-published Holiday-themed novels. With their releases and the appearance of red and green lights, shimmering tinsel, and Santa images online and in stores, can Halloween be far behind?
HarperPerennial, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers has jumped early into the fray with "The Mistletoe Matchmaker", the third novel by Felicity Hayes-McCoy. Set on the Irish Finfarran Peninsula, this charming novel, fist published in 2017 by Hachette Books Ireland, continues with the lives of the residents of the small coastal town of Lissberg. Hanna Casey, firmly ensconced as the Librarian, steps away from the limelight, as the main protagonist, Cassie Fitzgerald, newly arrived from Toronto to spend some time with her paternal grandparents, jumps into the fray helping to plan a Christmas Festival.
As she acquaints herself with Irish Holiday traditions, Cassie immerses herself into the multifold dynamics and relationships of Lissberg residents. She learns the backstories of her father’s parents; finds kindness under the gruff exteriors of Fury and his dog, ‘The Divil’; commiserates with Connor’s struggles with keeping the family farm and his budding romance; gets embroiled in the lives of Aideen and Brid, her two new friends; gets involved with the untrustworthy Shay; and gets involved with a bit of skulduggery that besets Dan, whom she is not sure she fancies.
As with her previous novels in the series, Hayes-McCoy starts out languidly, reintroducing her characters while introducing new ones… then, as the embers of her main and sub- plot lines smolder, stokes her narrative until, three-quarters of the way through, it bursts into flames… Consuming all of the loose ends into one blazingly warm and satisfactory denouement. Easily likened, appropriately, to the burning of a Yule Log. The author adds a few twists and turns along the way to keep her readers on the mark… All while probing deeper and deeper into the lives of her endearing characters.
"The Mistletoe Matchmaker" is a heart-warming novel of love, friendship, family, and community. It is easily the perfect escape from the stresses of the upcoming seasonal celebrations and the perfectly delightful anecdote to the wintry blues.
Enjoy the read!
HarperPerennial, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers has jumped early into the fray with "The Mistletoe Matchmaker", the third novel by Felicity Hayes-McCoy. Set on the Irish Finfarran Peninsula, this charming novel, fist published in 2017 by Hachette Books Ireland, continues with the lives of the residents of the small coastal town of Lissberg. Hanna Casey, firmly ensconced as the Librarian, steps away from the limelight, as the main protagonist, Cassie Fitzgerald, newly arrived from Toronto to spend some time with her paternal grandparents, jumps into the fray helping to plan a Christmas Festival.
As she acquaints herself with Irish Holiday traditions, Cassie immerses herself into the multifold dynamics and relationships of Lissberg residents. She learns the backstories of her father’s parents; finds kindness under the gruff exteriors of Fury and his dog, ‘The Divil’; commiserates with Connor’s struggles with keeping the family farm and his budding romance; gets embroiled in the lives of Aideen and Brid, her two new friends; gets involved with the untrustworthy Shay; and gets involved with a bit of skulduggery that besets Dan, whom she is not sure she fancies.
As with her previous novels in the series, Hayes-McCoy starts out languidly, reintroducing her characters while introducing new ones… then, as the embers of her main and sub- plot lines smolder, stokes her narrative until, three-quarters of the way through, it bursts into flames… Consuming all of the loose ends into one blazingly warm and satisfactory denouement. Easily likened, appropriately, to the burning of a Yule Log. The author adds a few twists and turns along the way to keep her readers on the mark… All while probing deeper and deeper into the lives of her endearing characters.
"The Mistletoe Matchmaker" is a heart-warming novel of love, friendship, family, and community. It is easily the perfect escape from the stresses of the upcoming seasonal celebrations and the perfectly delightful anecdote to the wintry blues.
Enjoy the read!
October 31, 2019
I am a sucker for a Christmas story. Doesn't matter the author, genre, story line. I have to admit I selected to read The Mistletoe Matchmaker by Felicity Hayes-McCoy by the title alone, knowing nothing about the story or author.
The first couple chapters left me wondering if this was a book I could enjoy. So much of the storyline, backstories of the characters, were vague; much of the wording - although English words, made no sense to me the way they were phrased together. I quickly realized that 1) this is an authentically Irish novel, not just set in Ireland but written by an Irish author, in the manner spoken in Ireland, and 2) this is book #3 in a series of 5. These two realizations allowed me to look past the things I had been questioning and just relax in to the story.
And I'm so glad I did! I discovered a kind, loving story about family, love and hurt that can pass through generations; and of the real meaning of 'home'. It may not look the same to everyone, but the unconditional love and acceptance of home is something everyone seeks.
This story centers around Canadian born Cassie, who visits her grandmother in Ireland for the first time. As she becomes familiar with the family and culture she never knew, she begins to find a sense of belonging and starts to question why her father left his family in Ireland never to return.
Page by page I was drawn into this story, this family. I try to limit the number of book series I take on - it is easy to find yourself reading nothing but, leaving little time for other books. Having said this, Cassie and family of the Finfarran Peninsula series by Felicity Hayes-McCoy has wormed its way into my heart. Can't wait to learn the back story by starting with book #1 and following through to #5, and on from there as more are written.
I enjoyed and recommend The Mistletoe Matchmaker by Felicity Hayes-McCoy, but do recommend starting the series with book #1, The Library At The Edge Of The World.
The first couple chapters left me wondering if this was a book I could enjoy. So much of the storyline, backstories of the characters, were vague; much of the wording - although English words, made no sense to me the way they were phrased together. I quickly realized that 1) this is an authentically Irish novel, not just set in Ireland but written by an Irish author, in the manner spoken in Ireland, and 2) this is book #3 in a series of 5. These two realizations allowed me to look past the things I had been questioning and just relax in to the story.
And I'm so glad I did! I discovered a kind, loving story about family, love and hurt that can pass through generations; and of the real meaning of 'home'. It may not look the same to everyone, but the unconditional love and acceptance of home is something everyone seeks.
This story centers around Canadian born Cassie, who visits her grandmother in Ireland for the first time. As she becomes familiar with the family and culture she never knew, she begins to find a sense of belonging and starts to question why her father left his family in Ireland never to return.
Page by page I was drawn into this story, this family. I try to limit the number of book series I take on - it is easy to find yourself reading nothing but, leaving little time for other books. Having said this, Cassie and family of the Finfarran Peninsula series by Felicity Hayes-McCoy has wormed its way into my heart. Can't wait to learn the back story by starting with book #1 and following through to #5, and on from there as more are written.
I enjoyed and recommend The Mistletoe Matchmaker by Felicity Hayes-McCoy, but do recommend starting the series with book #1, The Library At The Edge Of The World.
December 17, 2021
So... 😅 If you read the title and think this might be a holiday romance, it’s not.
Christmas is only really mentioned towards the end when the focus becomes preparations for Lissbeg’s winter festival, not the actual holiday. Also, there’s no romance or matchmaking. Presumably matchmaker refers to a family nickname that’s mentioned ‘Min the match’ but it’s kind of misleading as a title
I did enjoy the first two books more than this one. This one was incredibly slow and I feel like it’s more character focused than plot because nothing much happens. Another thing is that there is a hell of a lot of characters and POVs
Will I continue to read the Finfarran books? Probably because there are some characters I like. Basically these books are mostly about small town (village, really) life in Ireland and the relationships and family life and whatnot.
Also, Cassie is Pat’s Canadian granddaughter, and yet I’m Canadian and we don’t say ‘my shout this time’ and ‘she’s a pet’ If she’s originally from Ireland, sure, but she’s apparently never visited Ireland before so it sometimes threw me off when she speaks just like the other Irish people in the book idk
Christmas is only really mentioned towards the end when the focus becomes preparations for Lissbeg’s winter festival, not the actual holiday. Also, there’s no romance or matchmaking. Presumably matchmaker refers to a family nickname that’s mentioned ‘Min the match’ but it’s kind of misleading as a title
I did enjoy the first two books more than this one. This one was incredibly slow and I feel like it’s more character focused than plot because nothing much happens. Another thing is that there is a hell of a lot of characters and POVs
Will I continue to read the Finfarran books? Probably because there are some characters I like. Basically these books are mostly about small town (village, really) life in Ireland and the relationships and family life and whatnot.
Also, Cassie is Pat’s Canadian granddaughter, and yet I’m Canadian and we don’t say ‘my shout this time’ and ‘she’s a pet’ If she’s originally from Ireland, sure, but she’s apparently never visited Ireland before so it sometimes threw me off when she speaks just like the other Irish people in the book idk
December 16, 2021
A whole book of useless chitchat and then in the last 3 chapters there are suddenly a bunch of """""plot twists""""". I put them between "" because they were so obvious it shouldn't be called a plot twist, but it was very obvious that's what the author tried 😂
It was boring. The discription says that "Cassie discovers that love, family and friendship bring the real magic to the festive season". There was no love. There was no family. There was no friendship. There only thing there was some people that were pleasant to each other in a very stand-offish way who happened to organise something together. And why is this titled the mistletoe matchmaker when not a single match was made??????
There are so many questions on the back cover but none of them are answered in the actual book.
Blandest book I've ever read
It was boring. The discription says that "Cassie discovers that love, family and friendship bring the real magic to the festive season". There was no love. There was no family. There was no friendship. There only thing there was some people that were pleasant to each other in a very stand-offish way who happened to organise something together. And why is this titled the mistletoe matchmaker when not a single match was made??????
There are so many questions on the back cover but none of them are answered in the actual book.
Blandest book I've ever read
December 29, 2019
*I won this novel from a giveaway on GoodReads and was asked for an honest review*
This is my first read by author; Felecity Hayes-McCoy. This novel is also #3 in the series, "Finfarran Peninsula". With that being said, I was kind of disappointed in this novel for a couple of reasons. Mainly, the title of the novel had absolutely nothing to do with matchmaking or Christmas. There was an over abundance of characters which I enjoyed but the story just took them all over the place and it got a little confusing at times. The setting is in a small town in Ireland which seemed like a peaceful and quaint place to be (a place I'd love to visit myself one day). Not one of my favorites but I'd give the author another read. If you are interested in the genres; chick-lit, cultural-Ireland, and fiction then I would recommend giving this author a try.
This is my first read by author; Felecity Hayes-McCoy. This novel is also #3 in the series, "Finfarran Peninsula". With that being said, I was kind of disappointed in this novel for a couple of reasons. Mainly, the title of the novel had absolutely nothing to do with matchmaking or Christmas. There was an over abundance of characters which I enjoyed but the story just took them all over the place and it got a little confusing at times. The setting is in a small town in Ireland which seemed like a peaceful and quaint place to be (a place I'd love to visit myself one day). Not one of my favorites but I'd give the author another read. If you are interested in the genres; chick-lit, cultural-Ireland, and fiction then I would recommend giving this author a try.
December 31, 2019
I've really been enjoying this series. The third installment, while updating you on previous character's lives, also introduces Pat and Ger's granddaughter Cassie, and explores more of their backstory. I wanted a little bit more for Cassie at the end, but hopefully she sticks around for the next book. The book alternates between many different character's perspectives and it's fun to revisit them.
October 10, 2019
I love this author and have read all her books. This is the third book in her Finfarren series and living in the States we have to wait a long time for publishing day. I am aware we can order books from Europe but I need digital to increase the font. The wait was well worth it!
Felicity Hays-McCoy never disappoints. This books character Cassie is the granddaughter of Pat and Ger. She goes to Ireland with her grandparents after their long over visit to their sons who emmigrated to Canada decades ago. The story of their leaving Ireland was sad but explained by another character in the book and made sense considering the culture.
Cassie is a happy go lucky person. She just wants to help.everyone. Catching up with all the cast from the previous books was great, but you don't have to read the previous books.
The book had truth telling, sorrow, and laughs. So looking forward to the next book!
Felicity Hays-McCoy never disappoints. This books character Cassie is the granddaughter of Pat and Ger. She goes to Ireland with her grandparents after their long over visit to their sons who emmigrated to Canada decades ago. The story of their leaving Ireland was sad but explained by another character in the book and made sense considering the culture.
Cassie is a happy go lucky person. She just wants to help.everyone. Catching up with all the cast from the previous books was great, but you don't have to read the previous books.
The book had truth telling, sorrow, and laughs. So looking forward to the next book!
October 23, 2019
Mistletoe Matchmaker
A brilliant story written by a gifted author. I found it to be a difficult book to put aside when my eyes were tired.. I think it’s a must read, you won’t be disappointed. The third book in the Finfarran Series by Felicity Hayes McCoy.
A brilliant story written by a gifted author. I found it to be a difficult book to put aside when my eyes were tired.. I think it’s a must read, you won’t be disappointed. The third book in the Finfarran Series by Felicity Hayes McCoy.
November 10, 2020
Jumped into this series with this book not realizing that it was a part of a series. While it was a bit confusing at the beginning with all the characters, it was easy to remember who was who pretty quickly! I enjoyed it quite a bit!
November 8, 2019
An easy read. Passed a few nights of light reading. Not sure if this is going to continue, but there were some untied loosed ends that annoyed me. But I enjoyed the setting of the Irish countryside.
December 27, 2019
Cute, cosy Christmas read, selected from the library's cute Christmas display.
January 2, 2020
Didn’t get into this at all. It was a struggle to finish it. I thought we were going to get a semblance of a love story (even the back cover hints at it??) or answer some questions about Cassie’s family history, but every loose end is just left unanswered. I couldn’t keep up with any of the characters either. Sigh!
Read
January 23, 2020DNF. I just lost interest... didn’t like the characters most of the book was focusing on. Too bad. The first two books were really good if a little slow moving.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews