A Perfect Match or a Perfect Mess?Katie Ruth Crewes has spent her life trying to be Good Hope’s good girl. Well, maybe not her whole life. After the scandal involving her parents made high school a nightmare it was only natural Katie Ruth would rebel. But those wild days are in the past and that’s where Katie Ruth intends to keep them. Now she’s devoted to her friends, her volunteer work, and … work, and recently to a handsome, young minister.
Pastor Dan Marshall knows a lot about many things, but he knows nothing about women. He was blindsided when his fiancée left him last year and he’s never known how to talk to his little sister, Oaklee, the family hellion. Then there’s Katie Ruth. To Dan, she is the ideal woman: smart, caring, and honest. He knows she’s his perfect partner, he just doesn’t know what to do about it. Katie Ruth does a lot for the church, and Dan can’t risk any impropriety—no matter how much he’s tempted….
When Oaklee suddenly appears on Dan’s doorstep, his well-ordered life receives a well-timed shake up. Perhaps his outrageous sister isn’t as different from him as he believes. She certainly has good advice when it comes to Katie Ruth, who Dan is falling more in love with every day. But Oaklee isn’t the only shock to hit Good Hope. When a secret from Katie Ruth’s past comes to light, she and Dan will have to decide how far they are willing to go to save their piece of paradise.
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I am thrilled that Pastor Dan found his other half. I’m not going to deny that I was fond of him before because he kind of seem a little cold and distant when he was dating Lindsay. But now that I got to know the character better I think there’s no one better for Katie Ruth. She’s a strong, kind woman that finally got her happily ever after. I like this book and it’s always good to go back to Good Hope and read about this other characters and read about how the other characters that I love are doing and growing. As always this is a great story and can’t wait for the next one. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Another great trip to Good Hope. This book was focused on Katie Ruth and Pastor Dan. Katie Ruth has always been around, but generally a background character. It was nice to see her story and understand more about her. Good Hope is a small town and one that doesn’t forget, but one that is always there as well. I happen to live in a small town like that and it’s fun to see how real the place can be.
Pastor Dan has been around, but finally getting to really see him and get to know him and his family was very exciting. To know that he wasn’t always going to be a Man of God. He shows that even he can change. Meeting Dan’s parents was interesting, but his sister Oaklee is such a treat and so different. I can’t wait to learn more about her.
Katie Ruth and Dan must over come a lot through out this book, but as always Cindy Kirk does an amazing job weaving the tale so we feel like part of the story and not just a reader. I think my only criticism of the book is how Dan acts towards the end of the book, but I also think it’s very human the way he acts and after meeting his dad I can see why he is that way. I hope we see more of Dan and Katie Ruth and see them grow and blossom like the other characters in the Good Hope series.
I never hide the Ami is by far my favorite followed by Eliza. They aren’t in the book as much as I would have hoped, but what is there is a great treat to see where they are now.
As always I can’t wait for my next chance to get back to Good Hope and see how the next lucky couple might be. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it
Katie Ruth is great with the youth at church. Pastor Dan is a good man and great pastor to his congregation. Katie Ruth has been judged because of her parents actions years ago. They left the area and their are still some who judge. Dan is recovering from a failed engagement, even though they were never really meant to be together. The church ladies see a good chance to match make. Dan has a younger sister his parents are looking for and his Dad will not allow to come home. Oaklee does not live up to her Dad’s standards. Dan happens to find her on his doorsteps and lets her stay. He and Katie Ruth do start dating and things are going along fine. Dan has applied to a larger church close to his mom and dad. Katie Ruth is not sure that she would want to leave Good Hope. Oaklee wants Dan and Katie Ruth to be happy so she does her best to help them along. While Dan is away at his interview the past comes knocking at Katie Ruth’s door. Years prior she had a Vegas weekend that now has followed her. She got married on a whim and thought it was not valid. Surprise it is. When Dan finds out he is upset and doesn’t want to give her a chance. People in town find out and she is given a hard time over it. Oaklee and some of her friends stand by her side regardless. When Dan comes back and realizes what has happened he takes time to think about what he has done. He cannot preach forgiveness and acceptance if he isn’t doing that himself. His heart truly belongs to Katie Ruth . This book was given to me as a ARC to give my honest review
Another great book in the Good Hope series. This time we get to tag along on the journey of Pastor Dan and the towns gossip columnist Katie Ruth. I was definitely waiting for Pastor Dan’s story, and was not disappointed. Of course there’s obstacles to overcome, and learning to forgive.
The Good Hope series always has characters that you bond closely to, and feel like you’re on the journey with them. Plus you get to keep up with some of the other characters that you love.
Definitely another must have book from Cindy Kirk!
“I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.”
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it. This book was so sweet and endearing. If you have read the previous books in this series, you have been yearning to get to know Katie Ruth better. You get all the juicy details. She has some things going on that I never could have imagined. We also get to learn about Dan, pastor and ditched fiancé of Lindsey. I was hoping that Katie Ruth and Dan would find happiness together. I never could have guessed all the obstacles that would stand in their way. Both past and present.
As always Cindy Kirk creates characters you can fall in love with. She makes readers become vested in her characters to the point that you literally feel their emotions. She is a great writer and you are missing something special if you have not jumped on the “Cindy Kirk” bandwagon.
Also, to note though these books are in a series, they are just as much stand alone novels. Each book in this series tells its on story that is independent. It is just nice to catch up the lives of characters that you have previously read about.
I love all the Good Hope novels. For such a great town there are a lot of bad and/or judgmental people, but also lots of supportive and tolerant people (kind of like real life). As before, people prominent in previous novels make appearances here, providing continuity and continuing their stories.
This novel focuses on Pastor Dan Marshall and Katie Ruth Crewes. Pastor Dan was engaged at one time to Lindsay, who broke off the engagement. But Katie Ruth seems like a better match, as both Katie Ruth and Dan share strong religious backgrounds and views on life, which Lindsay did not.
Dan’s parents are only grudgingly supportive of Dan’s pastoring, and pressure him to move back home and take a job in a larger (read, “more prestigious”) church.
Dan’s younger sister Oaklee, who rebels against her parents, shows up at Dan’s door, troubles by events at her college. Dan is supportive, but Oaklee will not confide in Dan.
Katie Ruth’s parents “alternative lifestyle” came out when she was in high school, and she has been dogged by the “sins of the parents” ever since. When Dan finds out, he kind of bails on Katie Ruth. Will Dan judge Katie Ruth for who she is, not for her parents, and ignore disapproval from some other members of the Good Hope community? Will Katie Ruth forgive Dan’s abandonment?
I like the religious themes in this book, the importance of judging people on their own merits and behaviors, and not on gossip and actions of others, and forgiveness of self and other people.
This book is an excellent addition to the Good Hope series, and I eagerly await more stories.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing the book.
Cindy Kirk must have musical talent because she really knows how to strum the heart strings, especially in this book. A Match Made in Good Hope is the ninth in the series but can be read as a stand alone. This is a story of how the mistakes of our youth can have an impact on our future but we must not let it define who we become. Pastor Dan is a little leery about relationships, after his last fiancé dumped him, but his attraction to Katie Ruth is too strong to resist. Katie Ruth is strong in her convictions to lead an exemplary life and prove she can be a help mate to Dan. However, a past indiscretion comes to light and threatens their budding relationship. This is a wonderfully written story filled with emotion, drama and a sweet romance. The characters are engaging and entertaining.
I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher but all thoughts and feelings are my own.
The next book in the good hope series! It a small town series that I love, I never disliked any of the books and have given them all 4 or 5 stars!
For Dan and Katie Ruth they are a 5 star book which surprises me. I thought Dan was going to be boring to read but Katie Ruth and his sister bring out another side of him which you don’t see in other books. Obviously you see the caring and loving side in other books but it make you see there a lot more to him.
I love that it shows you everyone can make mistake in this book and that forgiveness is important. I loved Oaklee and hope she stays around and gets her own book also.
Katie Ruth is just as lovely as I expected based on her appearance in the other books and loved that people came to her aid when needed. I loved that the bloom sister always make an appearance in the books as they the original girls so always want to keep up to date with them.
I am so excited for the next book, normally there a hint of who it on but didn’t feel like the book give as much away as normal. It could be Oaklee maybe with Ethan as that only feeling I got… I hope this series keep on going as will miss it when stops. It one of my favourite series and I recommend when people looking for small town series.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Katie Ruth Crewes grew up in Good Hope and has had to overcome many obstacles throughout her life, including her parent’s indiscretions while she was in high school. After her parents moved away, Katie was able to rebuild her reputation and make a life for herself in Good Hope. Katie loves children and works at the Y and volunteers as her church’s youth leader. It so happens that this is Pastor Dan Marshall’s church.
Over the last year, Pastor Dan’s life has been steeped in turmoil. First, his fiance broke off their engagement, fell in love with another man and is pregnant. Dan’s parents are pressuring him to leave his church in Good Hope and take a position at a larger church close to his parent’s home. And then there is Oaklee. Oaklee has dropped out of college and shows up at Dan’s because her parents have kicked her out of their house. Dan loves his sister but is concerned about how the people of Good Hope will react to his wild and crazy sister.
Katie Ruth and Oaklee become fast friends and she introduces her to the town’s matchmakers, Ruby, Gladys, and Kathryn. Oaklee becomes quick friends with these older, eccentric ladies and joins in on their matchmaking fun.
Will the four be able to make love blossom between Dan and Katie Ruth or will fate deal them a different hand when a secret from Katie Ruth’s past shows up?
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of A Match Made in Good Hope from the publisher and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
Cindy has done it again. I love this book, not only because it is based in Good Hope, but because it is about a pastor who learns that being a man of god is to forgive and accept what is in front of him. I know my headline has Oaklee’s name in it, but note that the story is not about her, but she is makes a good part of it.
This is about Dan and Katie Ruth. He is the pastor, who was raised with a stern father and loving but timid mother. Dan has a younger sister, Oaklee, who I love dearly in this book as she is so misunderstood. Katie Ruth is a young woman who hasn’t had an easy life but doesn’t blame anyone even her free-spirited parents for her mistakes. Although she has a scarred reputation due to her parents in Good Hope; she walks with her head held high as is herself.
She doesn’t play much of a victim, but she makes sure to always do good and not judge others. Pastor Dan likes Katie Ruth, but he is also seeking to expand his career, and this is something that Katie Ruth doesn’t want to jeopardize, so she tends to keep some of her past away from her present/future until the past comes to seek her. This is where Pastor Dan forgets he is a man of god. Does this allow them to be one as they both wish? This story is about forgiveness and acceptance of past mistakes. Learning that bigger adventures are not always what brings you satisfaction in life. Not going into much more details, I loved all of the charters played here, Gladys, Lindsay, Oaklee, and even Mitch and Edna, each of them played a pretty good part and it showed how this community is always together. I love to see if something is going to come out for someone else there maybe Oaklee??? I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving my review.
I just loved this installment in the Good Hope series. I love that the characters are in tune with their own feelings from the very first minute. I don’t really like stories where the characters refuse to acknowledge the attraction that is obvious to everyone else. Ms. Kirk does an excellent job of avoiding that cliché. I loved reading about the palpably real feelings between Dan and Katie Ruth, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending – but I wasn’t ready for it to end! This book also does a wonderful job of building up the suspense about Katie Ruth’s past. I just couldn’t imagine what she had done that was so heinous that she wouldn’t tell Dan about it, but it was so clear why she felt that way when the event was revealed. I really like the storytelling and all the characters in Good Hope. I hope Oaklee has her own story soon – she’s a great girl!
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
I love visiting Good Hope and this was no exception. A sweet romance that blossoms from the friendship of Katie Ruth and Pastor Dan. Katie has past scandals that she needs to put behind her throughout the story. We are introduced to Dan’s little sister Oaklee, the hellion but helps Dan moving forward in his relationship with Katie Ruth.
This is a sweet romance with a religious backdrop that interweaves throughout the story. I love reconnecting with previous characters. This book is part of a series, can be read as a stand alone but more enjoyable if you have read previous books. I read through my kindle unlimited.
Good Hope is one of my favorite fictional towns and it is always fun to go back and read more about the residents of this quaint town. Katie Ruth and Pastor Dan are two characters that seem to just miss out on the love connection, but they finally get their moment to shine in this latest installment of the book. On the one hand, it’s always a pleasure to see side characters fleshed out and hear more of their story, but as Good Hope books go, this wasn’t my favorite. I enjoyed the way things developed and overall it was a good read. It felt that there was never any real big conflict, however. Of all the Good Hope books, Dan and Katie Ruth’s story felt as though we knew that would always end up together and nothing major was truly holding them apart. The decisions and situations that come up were not terribly high stakes and they don’t have to be for the book to be good. However, as I read, this book didn’t compel me forward in the same manner that the previous books had.
Again, I always love coming back to Good Hope, meeting new residents and seeing how old friends have fared. This time around, it was a luke-warm reception. I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Cindy Kirk pairs the friendly, compassionate Katie Ruth with Pastor Dan Marshall in A Match Made in Good Hope.
Dan Marshall’s structured life has taken several detours this past year. His fiancé broke off their relationship, got married and is having a baby. His parents are pressuring him to take a position closer to home and his pink haired sister, Oaklee, dropped out of college and landed on his doorstep.
Katie Ruth’s good heart coupled with her past, Dan’s struggles with his career path and feelings for Katie Ruth and Oaklee’s unfiltered conversations and advice make this novel a fabulous read! Loved the conversations between Katie Ruth and Oaklee. Katie Ruth shows compassion towards Oaklee when she needs a friend. And Oaklee’s friendship with the town match makers Katherine, Ruby and Gladys was perfect—it took the four of them to get this couple on the right path!
Dan struggled with his faith a bit during the novel. He was passionate about serving his parish but, was tempted to move to a larger congregation for a step up in his career. Dan faced a tough decision did he want more of an administrative role or a leadership role?
A secret from Katie Ruth’s past is revealed and Dan’s reaction surprised me—if he truly believed in the power and strength of compassion and forgiveness why couldn’t he forgive Katie Ruth? I liked that Cindy Kirk didn’t make it easy for this couple and challenged them throughout the story.
I liked that the novel took place during Easter which is a time for forgives and rebirth. The themes of forgiveness, faith and trust are woven throughout the story. Oaklee changes when she finds her place in Good Hope; she blossoms during the story as she gains confidence and makes friends in the community. Katie Ruth has suffered and been bullied in the past; her faith and determination got her through the tough times. Dan’s struggles with forgiveness and faith made me realize that he wasn’t perfect; he made mistakes, too.
Loved that Cindy Kirk included many of the past characters in this story- especially the scenes with Eliza, Kyle and Cassie. The storyline choices made for an excellent read and I am glad that I was so immersed in the characters that I couldn’t figure out the ending.
A Match Made in Good hope has all the feels-great characters, emotional, heartfelt story and the perfect setting.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Another great story from Good Hope. Cindy Kirk is at it again sharing yet another unlikely love story between two individuals who have shown up in many previous books. I wonder what the next one will be about!
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the author!
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Welcome back to Good Hope, where you will learn a lesson about faith, friendship and trust. Pastor Dan Marshall and his youth minister Katie Ruth Crewes have developed more than just a friendship, but when a youthful mistake threatens her relationship with Dan, Katie Ruth needs to determine how her faith and friends will help her get through this tough time.
Matchmakers Gladys and Ruby have set their sites on Dan and Katie Ruth, with the help of Dan’s sister Oaklee.
It was great returning to Good Hope, and seeing what some of the Bloom sisters and their spouses have been up to, as well as Eliza and Kyle and Cassie and Krew. Lindsey and Owen are also peripheral characters, helping Oaklee and advancing the plot line, as Linsdey is Dan’s ex-fiancee.
It was great to see all of the Good Hope families get their prince charmings and happily ever afters.
I really enjoy small town romances and am a fan of Good Hope. Dan and Katie Ruth’s story is a little different due to the fact Dan is a minister and has stricter rules in regards to relationships. I enjoyed the interaction between the two. They know they are serious about each other but take things slow. I loved the addition of Dan’s sister Oaklee and how having her in their lives teaches them both some things about how to live life. It was great to see other characters again and laugh at the acts of the matchmakers. When a secret from Katie Ruth’s past throws Dan for a loop he reacts badly, but it doesn’t take him long to realize the love he has and goes back to make it right. Happy ending for all involved makes for a satisfying ending.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
I think Katie Ruth and Pastor Dan’s story is my favorite Good Hope book to date! Their love story warmed my heart. Ms Kirk is an excellent storyteller. Her gift of making this community seem real is astounding. I want to live in Good Hope and have my own romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A sweet story of redemption, finding faith in oneself, and growth. Pastor Dan has a past he must leave behind, and a family he must contend with. Katie Ruth has one mistake she must overcome. With the help of each other, both learn to trust in love again. After a few hurdles, of course. Kirk always makes her characters work for their happily-ever-after. Luckily in Good Hope there are plenty of neighbors, family, and friends to help any young couple find the love they deserve. Add in the match-making trio who are joined by Dan’s wild-child, free-spirited sister, Oaklee, and things are about to get interesting for Dan and Katie Ruth.
As usual, the reader gets to see their favorite Good Hope friends in each new story. This is what I love about small-town romance and about Kirk—her talent to make all her characters into real-life friends for her readers and bring them back again and again so we can see how they are doing—just like the rhythm of real life. I can’t wait to see which Good Hope citizen gets his or her happily-ever-after next.
I was given an arc in order to give a fair and honest review of this book.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it. This it the ninth book in the Good Hope series and centers around Pastor Dan and Katie Ruth. Poor Pastor Dan was dumped by his fiancée Lindsey about a year ago. As he works with his church youth director, Katie Ruth, he starts to see her as more than a congregant. Katie Ruth had a tough youth, due to indiscretions by her parents. She is now a well respected member of the community, and is seeing Dan as something more than her Pastor. They start seeing each other, with Dan’s younger prodigal sister as a chaperone. Of course, something from Katie Ruth’s past threatens their happily ever after. Will they be able to get past this issue? This is a nice sweet, clean romance. I was glad to see Poor Dan finally get his happily ever after.