Synopsis

From the Power of the Matchmaker series:

Mary Buchanan has bigger worries than the radical journalist moving in next door who’s spoiling her father’s digestion: unrequited love for a footman, a fractious aunt, patiently awaiting her destiny…

Already she’s nearly eighteen. No sign of destiny yet, but Mary’s certain he’ll be handsome.

Then she meets the reformer, this Mr. Samuel Brown. Destiny is closer at hand than Mary has supposed—if she can just get Mr. Brown to realize it.

Review

This is a continuation of the Matchmaker series. The books don’t tie to each other except for one character, Pearl, who matches people together.

In this book, Pearl plays a very minor role and in fact I wasn’t even 100% sure she was in the book since she was referred to as Mrs. Chin.

That aside, the story was set in England with Mary Buchanan wanting more from her life than just being a wife. She takes an interest in politics and the new neighbor who is a journalist. Granted she meets him by accident but takes an interest in what he has to say about what is happening in the world of politics.

Mary may be 18 but she is very naive about the world around her. Probably because her father and aunt seem to keep her sheltered. This was probably very common for that time period, but it hindered her in the beginning because she wasn’t really tuned into the world. However, I liked that it made her step out of her comfort zone and meet other people and take an interest in the country she lived in and how they were ruled (a good thing for everyone to do no matte where they live).

Mary thinks she is in love with Samuel Brown, but it is his friend (and brother in law) Mr. Murray that is who she is meant to be with according to Mrs. Chin. I liked that he took a trip to Bath to check on her when she disappeared and how he got to know her during that time. He may not have known or thought she was for him, but it was apparent that they were better suited.

It was a good read, probably my least favorite in this series, but still enjoyable.  We give it 3 paws up!