May 20, 2024
Hedlund’s zippy latest in the Shanahan Match series (after Calling on the Matchmaker) finds 20-year-old Enya Shanahan in dire straits in 1840s St. Louis, Mo. Pregnant and abandoned by the ne’er-do-well who married her for her family’s money, she needs to find a new husband immediately to avoid scandal. Thankfully, matchmaker Bellamy McKenna has just the candidate: Sullivan O’Brien, whose father insists he settle down or risk being removed as captain of the Morning Star, a steamboat. The marriage of convenience gets off to a rocky start as Enya’s trust issues flare up. Still, she’s sure God has brought the two together for a reason, and as she slowly lets her guard down, Sullivan clues her into his secret operation ferrying people escaping slavery from New Orleans to the North. Enya’s eager to help, but must stay home as her due date draws nearer, while Sullivan embarks on a series of dangerous voyages. Will their romance have time to develop before trouble finds Sullivan? Anchored by a colorful cast of returning characters, the narrative finds its heart in Enya and Sullivan’s delicately drawn love story, and the winding path they take to happiness makes it all the more satisfying when they get there. This has more than enough to keep Hedlund’s fans invested in the series.
Starred review from August 1, 2024
After a hasty annulment and an unexpected pregnancy, Enya Shanahan knows the way to avoid bringing shame to her prominent St. Louis family is the matchmaker's pairing her with Captain Sullivan O'Brien. Sullivan's wartime scars go deeper than the burns covering his skin, so he recognizes trauma when he sees it in his new bride's eyes. Determined to only share a marital bed with a willing wife, Sullivan promises to abstain until Enya asks for his touch. Sullivan's patience and compassion consistently contradict Enya's fears, and the threat of losing him ignites a passion she promised to lock away forever. The tantalizing second title in Hedlund's Shanahan Match historical romance series, following Calling on the Matchmaker (2023), is a beautifully sensitive exploration of marital intimacy on the continuum of duty versus desire, with characters whose trauma is connected to their identity and ability to physically engage in a romantic relationship. The 1849 setting includes connections to the Underground Railroad and the secret transportation of slaves to freedom via steamboats. The theme of beauty from brokenness joins with the novel's slow burn that sizzles without comprising values, resulting in a tale that positively glows with longing, vulnerability, and steadfastly earned trust.
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