Jennifer DeibelReseñas

This historical novel describes a matchmaking festival set in a town in Ireland. Catriona and her dad are both matchmakers, although Catriona has yet to find her own match. During the festival, she is tasked with matching playboy Andrew Osborne, whose gentry family wants an appropriate match for him, and whom Catriona secretly longs to wed. Fate has other plans when Catriona meets widower Donal Bunratty, a local farmer seeking a wife and also a mother for his little girl. Through many twists and turns, each person finds the "match" of his or her desire, along with help from neighbors and friends.

In some ways, this story reminded me of the biblical book of Job, in which all seems lost until one surrenders to faith in God. The Christian message is an integral part of the novel, but is not overbearing or preachy. The author has researched this novel well, and integrates historical characters with fictional ones. She also weaves her own beliefs and faith throughout the book. The only problem I had with this novel was the inclusion of Gaelic words and phrases, although there was a glossary in the front of the book. It was difficult to keep flipping to the glossary in this digital copy, probably easier with a print copy.

Readers who enjoy a sweet romantic novel with a historical basis will find this to be a welcome addition to their reading list, as well as readers who like all things Irish. (Besides, who can resist a little girl who is wise beyond her years, as well as friendly beasts whom she tends.) Highly recommended.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The ideas expressed here are my own.

The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel is another beautiful historical novel about the beloved Emerald Isle. This story features Lisdoonvarna and its matchmaking festival. It was so much fun to experience all the merriment, sparking, and matching of the festival as well as seeing what different responsibilities the matchmakers had during the month-long race to the altar. I love that the author once again brought a less-known historical gem to life in her book.
And the characters are excellent. All of them! Catriona and Donal are incredibly genuine and relatable. I loved watching their characters grow throughout the story, and I loved the emphasis on the simple words of the Sermon on the Mount. Having Catriona and Donal grow in their faith and character made me love this story even more.
I loved opening this novel and seeing the list of Irish words and phrases I would find on its pages. It’s so much fun to get a taste of the native tongue and imagine the thick accent that would accompany those words! It just makes the story that much more authentic.
If you want an escape to Ireland, a unique look at its history, and an uplifting story, then The Irish Matchmaker is the next book on your TBR pile! I highly recommend it to all historical romance fans!

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I am a sucker for inspirational historical romance - especially when it is set in Ireland. Having read Jennifer Deibel's other books, I knew I was in for a treat. While I didn't love this as much as some of her other titles, it was still a nice quick read. Catriona Daly is a matchmaker just like her father - she is too busy helping other people find their forever love that she never gets to find a man for herself. When she starts to work with Andrew Osbourne - a man of means and property she is determined to match him with herself so that she can get away from their small Irish town and be financially well off. Donal Banratty, is a single father with a barely functioning farm. He never seems to come out ahead no matter how hard he tries. When his daughter Sara begs him to go to the matchmaking festival so she can have a mother - he reluctantly agrees. If nothing else he could use an extra set of hands around the farm. He isn't looking for love - he's looking for a partner. Little do Catriona and Donal know that what they are looking for could be right in front of them.

The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel is an absolutely wonderful example of Christian Historical Fiction. It tells the story of Catriona, the Irish matchmaker of the title, and Donal Bunratty, a local farmer with a young daughter, and their slowly developing relationship.

I found their relationship to be very authentic. Each started out NOT considering the other as a romantic partner; Catriona had her sights set on a handsome, wealthy young man, and Donal only initially attended the matchmaking festival to honor a promise to his daughter. (This promise was extorted from him disguised as a birthday wish. Sara is a truly delightful character, and I hope the author will eventually give her a book of her own.) Catriona and Donal's interactions are honest, realistic, and sometimes funny. By the time they acknowledged their mutual attraction, I fully believed in it and was very invested in the outcome.

The Christian aspect of the book is clearly present. Donal was a Christian, but had lapsed a bit in his faith after the death of his wife. I found it very interesting to watch as he began to read his Bible and reconsider the importance of his faith. It was especially sweet how this renewal was inspired by the childlike faith of his daughter Sara.

The author's descriptions of the fantastic natural beauty and customs of Ireland, both rural and in a small town, made me feel like I was right there with Donal and Catriona, enjoying the beauty around them and participating in the various community events and activities.

Easily a five-star rating from me!

Let Jennifer Deibel sweep you away to the beautiful land of Ireland at the turn of the last century. As the time for the annual matchmaking festival in Lisdoonvarna nears, professional matchmaker Catríona Daly rues the irony of being an unmatched matchmaker. Her dearest wish is to for some rich festival-goer to woo her away from this small, backward town to a bustling city.

Meanwhile, Donal Bunratty and his nine-year-old daughter are struggling to make a go of their small farm a few miles away. Donal will do anything for his daughter, so he reluctantly agrees to attend the matchmaker’s festival.

Andrew Osbourne’s match from last year was a flop. He is back with his determined parents, set on finding a match that will see him well politically.

When Catríona becomes the matchmaker for both men, scheming on more than one front nearly brings disaster. Will true personalities show through the posturing of such times? Will wisdom or personal gain drive decisions?

Of course, my fave character is 9-year-old Sara, so precocious in some ways and forced by circumstances to assume adult roles never meant for children. No wonder her father will go to great lengths to please her, or that she attracts goodwill and help from Caty.

A glossary at the front of the book helps with Irish words and phrases and gives an air of authenticity to the novel. It was fun learning some of the details of what went on behind the scenes of a match, like the “plucking of the gander.”

Bullying, social status, love of the land, and pure selfishness, plus romance and trust in God all make this a believable and enjoyable novel to be visited more than once.

I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via Netgalley. I also bought my own paperback for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Delightful! I love that this author lived for a time in Ireland and writes from a first-hand experience with the culture because, as someone who also lived on the Emerald Isle, her accurate language and poise transport me back to the lilting language of the Irish and the green rolling hills of the countryside. I love the descriptive scenes and the spunky characters. This novel had great romance that, due to the love triangle, was not altogether predictable. I had a hard time putting the story down and greatly enjoyed reading about the developing relationships. The near tragedies and character development both add complexity to the plot and make the story believable. And the spiritual truths of faith and trusting God’s provision were well written and not preachy. I really loved this novel and highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I loved this fantastic historical romance. I could not get enough of Sarah and her father, Donal. I really liked Catriona and was so happy when she finally learns what love really is. I loved the romance and the near tragedies that bring these people together. I could not put this book down. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

“The Lord certainly had a fine sense of humor, leading her to end up with exactly what she didn’t want. Except it was everything she could want and more.”

I loved this gentle, endearing, historical Irish romance! Jennifer Deibel knows how to weave a fantastic Irish tale that captures not only the gorgeous countryside, but the charming personalities of the people. It was such a beautiful story with a sweet message of hope and faith. The characters were so delightful and I could hear that amazing Irish brogue in my head every time I read. It’s an engaging second chance romance between an Irish matchmaker and one of her matches. Though Catriona thinks she knows what she wants, she receives a pleasant surprise when she realizes what she truly needs.

I loved Donal and his cute daughter Sara. Donal is a cattle farmer barely hanging on to his livelihood. When his wife died, he was left to raise his small daughter on his own, but increasing difficulties with the farm have caused him to seek a wife. Though he doesn’t think he can give Catriona what she desires, the powerful attraction between them makes him want to try. I loved their slow burn romance and how they managed the ups and downs in their relationship. I also enjoyed all the side characters, especially Sara, Caty’s dad, and their friends who made this story even more fun. Of course there’s a villain in the story, and I appreciated the twists that occur because of him.

It’s a heartfelt, romantic story in a lovable, small Irish village that definitely kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed how the author included the Irish brogue to give this a truly authentic feel with a glossary at the beginning of the book to easily refer back to. I also loved the references to the Sermon on the Mount and the beautiful message surrounding the lilies of the field.

Highly recommend to inspirational historical romance fans, especially those who love Irish romances. Looking forward to more stories from this author. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

An appealing look back at an old Irish custom.
Donal Bunratty is a widower with an 8 year old daughter, Sara, who wants her father to find a mother for her and a wife for himself. She makes him promise to go to the festival in town to meet with the matchmaker, Catriona Daly. However, Catriona has her eye on well-to-do and handsome but vain Andrew and splits her time between matching duties and trying to catch herself a husband.
This was a cozy feeling story set in a small town that burgeoned every year with the matchmaking festival. With likable characters and shifty antagonists, this was a taste of old Ireland and its customs and culture.
A recurring theme was that God provides as illustrated in The Sermon on the Mount. Another was that we should seek God before going ahead with our own plans and then wanting God to put His stamp of approval on them.
I enjoyed the Irish lilt of the characters and the bond that developed between Catriona, Sara and Donal. It was fun to see the story unfold and that faith in God played a great part in the lives of the characters.
* A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell on behalf of the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

Donal Bunratty wants nothing more than to keep his family farm and to make his young daughter Sara happy. After the death of his wife, he has raised Sara alone and kept to himself and his farm. He thought all was going well, until he heard his daughter's one birthday wish: "I'd really like a mother." While Donal is not ready to find another wife, he does agree to attend the local Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival to make Sara happy - at least he can try, for her sake. Upon arriving in town, Donal seeks out the assistance of the legendary, local matchmaker Jimmy Daly. He agrees to help Donal find a love match & seeks out the assistance of his daughter Catriona who is also a matchmaker. While Donal may not be interested in finding a match, he is finding himself intrigued by Catriona - especially when she comes to the rescue of his young daughter Sara. But Catriona has her matchmaker eyes on another prize - Andrew Osbourne, son of Lord & Lady Osbourne. But can she deny the sparks of interest flying when she and Donal Buratty meet?

This was a really sweet book with a fun storyline. I really liked all the characters and the lovely descriptions of Ireland & its' people. Always a pleasure to read one of Ms. Deibel's books! Thank you LibraryThing Early Reviewer's for the opportunity!

I liked how the story unfolds in a quaint little town, putting on their annual matchmaking festival. The characters grabbed at my heartstrings as Donal Bunratty seeks to make his daughter’s birthday wish come true. He was powerless when it came to his beloved daughter’s request. They’ve been through so much. Thus, he attends the festival with reluctance. What he discovered there caught him off guard.

Throughout its many twists and turns, I couldn't help but wonder how this charming story would end. I was fascinated by the diversity of individuals involved in this lively, close-knit Irish community. The characters come to life through their oddities, dreams, and the magnetic allure of love.

The charming romance between Catriona and Donal was entertaining. This book is an expression of faith that skillfully incorporates an uplifting and heartfelt message into the narrative. What makes the story and its characters so endearing is the journey, which is similar to a leisurely drive through Ireland's breathtaking countryside.

The Irish Matchmaker is a sweet, wholesome, and heartwarming historical romance, that’s fun to read and would be great for book club. There is so much to discuss.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

I really love these books set in Ireland, and the characters that the author puts the pages are so fun to read! Catríona comes from a line of matchmakers and the annual festival is upon them. Unlike years past, this one proves to test Catríona and her father's matchmaking skills and Catríona might just be testing fate a bit with her matchmaking choices this time. Donal has settled into a life with it being just him and his daughter, but when she makes just one wish it breaks his heart and he knows he will do all he can to make that wish come true. It just so happens the matchmaking festival is upon them and the worse that can come out of it all, is that he is not matched with anyone suitable to be his wife. Mother nature however has other plans, and blows in devastation across the land including Donal's farm but as we all know, God has a plan for everything and sometimes it may just take a little longer or a lesson to get to where we need to be. Donal and Catríona are both tested and it takes only the simple innocence of a child to help them realize what really matters. Thank you to the author for the complementary novel, I have loved every single book of hers I have read. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

Title: The Irish Matchmaker
Author: Jennifer Deibel
Pages: 320
Year: 2024
Publisher: Revell
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If you have never read one of Jennifer Deibel’s books, you have missed some wonderful stories set in Ireland! Her newest novel, The Irish Matchmaker, once again is a home run! Jennifer weaves Irish history, folklore, and settings into a tale that draws readers in and leaves them wanting more.
The matchmaker for the village is Catriona Daly, and she gets one reluctant client named Donal Bunratty. Donal is a widower whose young daughter, Sara, ropes him into the matchmaking festivities. Sara’s birthday has arrived and due to lack of funds Donal doesn’t have a present. Sara then asks him to participate in the matchmaking festivities as a gift to her, but this young girl has her eye on a particular woman for her dad. Catriona believes that one certain rich, young man will take her away from the village and give her a life of luxury. Underneath his veneer, however, Andrew is anything but a good match!
While it is true that I had a feeling of how the story was going to unfold, the way it came about was captivating! The novel has a good mixture of suspense, humor, romance, and faith. I laughed many times as I read the story and hoped the ending would be exhilarating. It exceeded my expectations. I hope readers will grab a copy of her newest book but also be willing to read her other novels that I also enjoyed. Whether you have Irish ancestry or not the tale is worth the time to read. Jennifer Deibel’s other works are: A Dance in Donegal, The Lady of Galway Manor, and The Maid of Ballymacool. Pick any of the books as they are all stand alone novels.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.

"She lived in the famed home of romance, where people found love waiting around every corner— often orchestrated by Catríona herself. For everyone else, this village represented all their hopes and dreams of finding their one true love. For Catríona Daly, it was a reminder of all she failed to be."

Catriona is one of my new favorite fictional characters. Who doesn't love a character who's kind despite their tough lot in life, and has a good sense of humor? I also appreciated that she was a "curvy girl" with Irish grit, and how she cared for her father and helped him with their matchmaking business.

Donal was an interesting and loveable character, as well as his darling girl Sara who plays a unique role in this story.

In short, The Irish Matchmaker was a cracking novel full of Irish culture, trials and love.

Thank you to Revell Publishing for the complimentary paperback I recieved to review through the author's launch team. Thanks also to Revell for the complimentary e-book I recieved to review through Netgalley. A positive review was not required of me, and the thoughts above and listed below are my own.

Content Review

There's not a huge lot here in the way of negative content. Mainly, it's bit of ocassional drinking mainly from the side characters, and a couple terms I don't use or care for.
Side note: I'm kinda curious if the people drank out of necessity due to impure water in Ireland, or if it was just because they enjoyed it.

Language-
A back-sliden Christian refers once to God in his thoughts as "The Auld Man upstairs" and thinks of the "blasted" sermon on the mount (his words) when he has a hard time understanding how God provides in a broken world.
"hellacious" is used once, and also "biddy".

I will admit I have never read anything by Jennifer Deibel, and after reading her other titles listed in the book, I'm guessing her preferred setting is Ireland. Having said that, I found story intriguing and the thought that if not the practice of matchmaking itself, at least the festival still continues today. That is some great historical significance as well as a great historical fiction background! However, I found reading the book to be somewhat of a chore. I enjoy many different genre-based authors but have never found them to be so hard to follow or understand the basic language concepts. While to someone who is Irish or familiar with Ireland the terms might make sense or be slightly familiar, for me they were not. It took away from the story to continually refer back to the terms listed in the front of the book. It broke the rhythm and flow of the story to stop and flip back and forth to understand the conversations. A few terms appeared often enough that I became familiar with them, but most were so unfamiliar that i had to keep double checking the meaning. The characters were believable and the story was as well. Always needing to make sure there was undivided time without interruptions to read made the book seem somewhat of a slog. I would hope that, given what I felt was a well written story, if I were to devote some time to reading her other novels and becoming familiar with the terms I would enjoy them as well. As it stands, I just cannot say it is a book I would pick up to read on the go or in a need a book now situation.½

What a fantastic book! I loved the story line and the setting! The imagery in the book really brings each place to life. Brianna really touched me. She dealt with such loss and hardship yet she never gave up. I really liked Michael too. He was a true knight in shining armor! A definite must read!

I rarely give 5 stars but I think this book deserves it! My interest was captured right from the beginning and continued until the end. I love how this author incorporates God and scripture into her writing. It's truly inspiring.
Annabeth and her family move to Ireland. Her father is the landlord of Galway Parish. Being away from the British court, Annabeth soon becomes bored. She becomes an apprentice at a jewelry store. Stephen Jennings, son of Seamus the owner of the shop, wants to get away from Ireland and the meaning of the Claddagh ring.
A friendship soon develops into love but can love be shared by these two different people? Read this book and find out! You won't be disappointed.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I have known about matchmakers, but I never knew there were matchmaking festivals, and in the author's note, she says they still go on. I figured Catriona and Donal would get together in the end, but she seemed so set on Andrew without knowing what a cad was he was for so long. While labelled Christian Fiction, the book shows just enough of their faith appropriate to the situation.
Thank you to Revell and LibraryThing for this book in exchange for a fair review.½

I loved this read, from beginning to end I was drawn in, and really couldn't put it down. I think the little girl drew me in, she is so young, and had so many hardships, and her request for her birthday is for her father to make a match and get her a new mother! I loved how this father was willing, with reluctance to go to the matchmaker and the festival to help find a wife and mother!

Then we have the matchmaker's daughter who has set her heart of a Lord, but is she really seeing him?

I loved the twists and turns here, and was really guessing how everything would turn out!

Be sure to read the epilogue!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

This is my first book by this author and I’m looking forward to reading more by her. I thought she did a great job of researching the history of the location and great character development.

I think Ireland is a beautiful place and it’s one place I’d love to visit. This book took me there for a brief moment in history and I enjoyed my stay. The story was well developed and flowed very well. I loved the characters and was drawn into the story from the beginning and was sad to see the last page.

I recommend you read the Author’s Notes at the end and there’s even a Glossary of Terms…but I’ve learned that their language is not spelled the way it’s pronounced.

The story of the Maid of Ballymacool is bascially explined in the title. It is a sweet but predictable tale of Brianna Kelly and her trials and tribulations working as the unpaid help in a girls school in Donegal. She has been abandoned at birth and the story takes us through the solving of this mystery. It is populated with the standard Irish characters. The Irish landscape and Irish customs and nature are well featured in the narrative which I appreciated. Also the use of Gaelic in the conversations, as I am trying to learn Gaelic at the present time. I am from Ireland and one thing that diverted me from enjoying the story is the authors constant use of "ye" instead of "You" throughout the book. I surmise this is to emphasis the Irish accent but I found myself focusing on this particular pronoun and in my opinion it wasn't necessary. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.½

I found this story very intriguing! Brianna Kelly is a kitchen maid at the exclusive girl’s boarding school of Ballymacool House. She is severely mistreated emotionally, verbally and physically by the head mistress and owner, Maureen Magee. There are no clues as to way she constantly spews her venom at Brianna. She only remembers coming there to the care of Ms. Magee as a small child, and not as a boarder. It is the only life she has ever known. The head mistress’s abuse is not limited only to her servants but her students also suffer her wrath, yet no one to the degree Brianna does.
Michael Wray, son of a wealthy, elite family, is sent by his father to keep an eye on his rebellious young cousin to prevent her being expelled from the school. He loathes the task. He is immediately taken by Brianna, in sympathy seeing her horrible treatment and living conditions but also her beauty. He begins to develop a friendship with her but it isn’t easy. She is very shy and reluctant believing it isn’t appropriate given their stations in life.
Brianna won me over with her humility and sweet, gentle spirit in spite of her horrid situation. Though she did not understand why Ms. Magee hated her so she committed to doing her job well and accepting the life she had. I love the way she captured moments of joy in the simplest ways.
I loved that Michael was not haughty and think himself better than others because of his life of privilege. He was so kind and caring of everyone. I really liked it when he stood up to the headmistress not being intimidated by her anger. He did what I would have wanted to do! I enjoyed watching his and Brianna’s romance grow in the most unexpected ways.
There were so many twists and turns, that I was constantly surprised! I would think I had it figured out and BAM! Everything would change! I was sad when the story was completed but I loved the surprise ending. A book you will want to read!
I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishing. The opinions stated are my own.

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Brianna feels tied to Ballymacool House and Boarding House. She has worked there a long time and decides to try to make more of herself. She decides to go exploring and runs across a few bits of buried treasure. When she finds a platter she decides to find out the story behind it and turns to Michael to help her find its story and what the future holds.

An easy read because it's so entirely predictable. All the standard tropes are here and Deibel uses them to decent effect. The pacing is good and characterization is simple. Overall, people who enjoy this sort of thing (Christian romance) will enjoy this but it's not my bag and if I'd realized how much god-bothering was in this I would not have requested an ARC. I was curious to read historical fiction set in Ireland but there was very little history, much to my disappointment; I appreciated the use of Gaelic however.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.½

I received this book for free from the Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review. This book tells the story of Brianna, an orphaned young woman living in Ireland in the mid-1930's, as a servant at a girl's boarding school. It starts off a bit slowly, but picks up speed about 1/3 of the way in, with a blooming romantic interest. It's a Christian romance, with no sex scenes and only a few kisses, but is not overly preachy. In the last portion of the book, many surprises are revealed about Brianna's history. I enjoyed the story, and the side research it provoked about the Irish War of Independence that occurred around 1916, which wasn't something I'd previously known about. A worthwhile read.