Melinda prides herself on her matchmaking ability as evident by the number of couples getting hitched in the town of Chester. She wants everyone to find the kind of love she shared with her late husband. Melinda is satisfied to remain the mysterious widowed matchmaker. Facing her future alone is less painful than risking her heart again. Adam is a retired Marine. He longs to have a partner but … partner but carries the physical and emotional scars from his last tour of duty. He protects his heart as fiercely as he protects his scars. Until a chance meeting with the highly successful matchmaker, Melinda changes his ideas about his future.
Taking a leap of faith Adam signs up for her matchmaking services. In turn Melinda hires Adam as a carpenter to fulfill her wish to have a pergola in her back yard. As the structure is constructed piece by piece their friendship grows.
Will Adam and Melinda’s relationship develop into something deeper or will the scars from their past keep them from finding love?
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Lucinda Race is a new-to-me author, and since I generally love wounded warrior romances, this novel sounded right in my wheelhouse, and while it wasn’t at all what I expected after reading the blurb, it was fairly well-written, and had an interesting cast of characters, but, at least for this reader, the pace was too slow, not much happened, and while it wasn’t a bad read, it was less than I had hoped for, which is the reason I can only give it a 3-star rating.
The matchmaking heroine, Melinda, married her high school sweetheart, John, a police officer who, not too long into their marriage, lost his life in a hit and run accident. She’s been grieving his loss for the past five years, and to escape the memories, she abandoned psychiatric practice, and moved to the small town of Chester, Connecticut, where she changed her last name, and opened up her matchmaking business, at which she’s been quite successful. While I could understand changing her residence, and even her psychiatric practice, it seemed odd that chose to drop her beloved husband’s surname and use her maiden name instead.
It’s through her matchmaking business that she meets retired Marine, Adam, the former teammate of Will, one of her successful matches. Adam didn’t retire from the Marines by choice. He was wounded when an IED exploded, and his injuries were the end of his relationship with his then girlfriend, Anita. He’s hasn’t really dated since then, wrongly assuming that no woman would want to tie herself to an amputee, and he certainly hasn’t discussed his injury with anyone, but seeing how happy his friends are, in matches made by Melinda, he shyly seeks out her services. Since he’s now working as a handyman/carpenter, he also ends up working for her, building her the pergola she’s wanted in her backyard, and very slowly, their friendship develops, but his first dating match clearly lied on Melinda’s questionnaire, and his second date lacked chemistry, and Melinda soon realizes that Adam wasn’t fully forthcoming on his questionnaire either.
While the plot of this novel had possibilities, much of it, especially the slow moving relationship between Adam and Melinda, and their own past histories, made for more than a few awkward moments, and even more awkward conversations between the two. While there were plenty of opportunities for angst and drama, those opportunities repeatedly fell by the wayside. As a romance reader, I already knew these two characters would eventually work it out, finally open up to each other honestly, and have their own happily ever after moment, but it took way too long to get there, the ending was far to abrupt, far too short, and far too lacking in depth for this reader. As I stated at the outset, this wasn’t a bad read, but too many missed opportunities led to it not being a great one either.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
**I received a copy of The Matchmaker and The Marine from MC Two Press and Net Galley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinions were not solicited in any way**
The Matchmaker and The Marine by Lucinda Race is a second chance romance for both Adam and Melinda. The romance is a slow build up between them and I wish that there was a bit more to the ending and a bit of heat in the romance with that being said I give the book a 4.6 star rating.
Melinda Phillips moved to Chester, CT to start over with her matchmaking business. She meets Adam Bell when they attend the wedding of their friends. As a former Marine, Adam carries the scars and secrets of his last deployment so when he puts in a bid on her pergola he decides to see if he can find “The One”. But when they start to share their past can he share his painful one?
Adam Bell wanted to be a career Marine but a IED on his last deployment changed his plans and life he decides to start over in Chester where his best buddy Will lives. He goes to visit Melinda to see if she can find a match for him. He’ll soon have a little kitten Skye and a job making her a gazebo/pergola they will both realize that the only match they both want is each other. He’ll have to tell her about his accident in Afghanistan before they can truly become a couple.
The Matchmaker and the Marine by Lucinda Race was a great example of why I love second chance romances. As my first book by this author, Melinda and Adam’s story was heartwarming and full of emotions that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Both of these characters had an uphill battle to fight through and it was great to see how the right person can help fight those battles. I can’t wait to read more books from this small town and check out other books by this author.
This isn’t what I expected. It sounds great in the synopsis. It is very wordy and a slow romance. Melinda is a matchmaker. We learn all about her services and her friends. Adam is a former marine. He hires Melinda to find him a match. He goes out on dates then decides he likes Melinda as more than a friend. They become great friends and we get a front row seat to this slow sweet romance.
The story is nice and slow. I just felt it took a long time to get from point A to point B. The characters are finely developed. This just isn’t my cup of tea. A faster pace and less filler would have worked better for me.
Melinda moved to Chester after her husband, John passed away. She built herself a new life and decided to take up matchmaking as a career. She wanted to helpothers experience a love like her and John had. Plus, she seems to have a knack for it. She has sworn off dating and trying to find love.
Adam is a retired marine getting back on his feet after leaving the service due to an injury. When he returns to the states, his girlfriend leaves him due to his disfigurement. He packs up and moves to Chester when an old battle buddy suggests it. He is not 100% ready to give love a chance due to his injury. He insists on not telling others about it, but is taking up Melinda’s offer to match him.
Melinda and Adam instantly get on. Adam’s dates don’t go well and he seems to be keeping secrets from Melinda. Will they realize their connection or will Adam decide to move on from Chester?
This story was a page turner! I loved Melinda and Adam’s banter. There were deeper issues between both main characters, but it didn’t overpower the plot. I highly recommend this book.