Books for Christian Girls: "A Match in the Making" by Jen Turano

About this book:

  “Miss Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a temporary paid companion position for the Newport summer season, believing it would be a lark to spend the summer in America's most exclusive town. She suddenly finds her summer turning anything but amusing when her employer expects her to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with the daunting prospect of attaining advantageous matches for her clients, Gwendolyn soon finds herself in the company of Mr. Walter Townsend, the catch of the Season, but a gentleman Gwendolyn finds beyond annoying.
   Walter is reluctantly in search of a wife for his unruly motherless children. What he wasn't expecting was Miss Brinley, who turns his quest for a new wife into a complete and utter debacle.
   The more time they spend together throughout the Newport Season, the harder it is for Gwendolyn to find Walter a wife when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her.”

Series: Book #1 in “The Matchmakers” series.

Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are discussed in a sermon & mentioned again later; Church going & a sermon; A few talks about God; 'H's are capital when referring to God; When Gwendolyn tells Walter’s children that they need to behave in God’s house (church), the younger two misunderstand and think that lightening will strike them if they’re not (she clarifies later that that isn’t what will happen & if they are accidently naughty, then they need to be sorry and really mean it and they’ll be fine with God); Mentions of a church, church going, services, reverends, & sermons; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of blessings; A couple mentions of hymnals & hymns; A mention of the patience of a saint;
             *Note: A couple mentions of a reverend saying that a woman might be a man’s saving grace or that God brought them together.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: three forms of ‘idiot’ and three ‘on my word’; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Fighting & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Walter doesn’t know much about his children because it isn’t expected of gentlemen to take an interest in their children until they reach their majority; Mentions of a kidnapping, ransom, threats, & a child being held at gunpoint; Mentions of a near drowning & plans to act like a woman is drowning to attract the attention of a man; Mentions of injuries & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of jail & criminals; Mentions of a shark & a fish head (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & someone who drank too much; Mentions of a saloon & someone cheating at poker; Mentions of a casino, gambling, a gambler, debts, & threats; Mentions of prejudice towards the Irish & the lower-class; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of gossip, rumors, & eavesdropping; Mentions of a divorcee & society having prejudice towards her; Mentions of the possibility of the loss/death of a children’s pet (guinea pig) & it almost being killed; Mentions of children being unruly, fighting, & biting people; Mentions of pranks caused by children (including one that started a fire); Mentions of throwing up; A few mentions of an illness & death; A few mentions of a woman’s dress catching on fire; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of fibbing/lying;
             *Note: Gwendolyn decided that when she reached majority (became an adult), she wouldn’t embrace the “traditional roles expected of women” like pursuing marriage (she encourages Walter’s young daughter to try anything that interests her and don’t neglect not trying something because she’s been told it’s not for girls to do), *Spoiler* Towards the end, she realizes that she does want to be a wife and mother; She has a discussion with her mother who felt the same way before falling in love with her husband *End of Spoiler*; A few mentions of books (Frankenstein & Heidi).

Sexual Content- A forehead kiss & a borderline barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Some touches & nearness (barely-above-not-detailed); Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kisses (mainly as greetings); Mentions of loveless marriages & some men just wanting a wife who they can “rub along nicely” with; Mentions of chaperones, reputations, & a young couple wanting to be alone together and steal kisses; Mentions of flirting, winks, & blushes; Mentions of jealousy; A mention of it being expected for a wife to provide her husband with an heir; A mention of a Casanova; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
             *Note: Mentions of a wife in passed away in labor; A couple mentions of a mother making her daughter’s dress have the illusion of her having curves to attract a man.

-Gwendolyn Brinley, age 25
-Walter Townsend, age 33
                                P.O.V. switches between them
                                           Set in 1888
                                                        368 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

Another amusing start to a new Jen Turano series!

When I first heard of the plotline of this book—particularly the matchmaking element (because who doesn’t love matchmaking?)—I was instantly excited and eager to read it.

I think what was interesting in this book was that while, yes, it is a romance book and all about finding matches for others, it was super light on the emotions and romance for our main couple. Which I really like and as an added bonus because of that, could be great read for teens or even okay pre-teen readers (depending on her family’s views about reading romance books). Gwendolyn & Walter were acquaintances/friends first (though, he was instantly attracted to her, but there was no heavy noticing of the other or accidental touches) and I thought it made this novel to be a breath of fresh air because of that new friendship.

I did find it hard to keep track of all the characters in this book, so I did make use of the search feature on my Kindle copy, but I’m looking forward to Adelaide and her many cats’ story next.

Like every other book by this author, there’s humor and wit that made me laugh out loud and it was overall a really enjoyable read. I wouldn’t put it in my top three by this author—the bar is just set too high—but I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the series as they continue.

See y’all on Monday with a new review!