The Reformer by Jaima FixsenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received eBook for review
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
Book Description: 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.
My thoughts: I have enjoyed my time with Pearl, a Chinese matchmaker who has a gift for bringing couples together. I am sad to see this series come to an end, but the books will still be there for me to re-read when I need a matchmaker fix.
This story focuses on Mary. She is the daughter of a prominent Doctor. She is sheltered an not allowed to do things that interest or enlighten her. Her father is against the English Reformation. He is very old fashioned, particularly where his daughter is concerned.
They have a new neighbor move in who is writes about the Reformation. Mary's father feels that he is a threat and takes measures to keep his daughter away from the upstart. Of course, this only fuels her attraction and attempts to catch Samuel Brown's notice. She begins to read the forbidden London Times, the paper that Mr. Brown writes for, and is drawn by his words. Her horizons expand and she joins the movement with cartoon drawings.
In this rendition, Pear is know as Mrs. Chin. She is a neighbor to both Samuel and Mary. She is able to finagle interactions between Samuel, Mary, and Samuel's friend, Niall. The trio are unlikely cohorts, but work well together. Samuel and Niall open the doors to independence for Mary and she thrives. So much so, that she becomes a problem to her father's ideals of womanhood.
This story has some twists that I don't want to get into, because they would be spoilers. I will say that I was very happy for the way everything turned out. It was just as I wanted it to be! I enjoyed the friendships, banter, uncomfortable situations, and devotion that I found in this book. Jaima Fixsen writes with a great voice. I loved the way she described the characters and the way that they were developed. This is a great addition to a wonderful series. I highly recommend every book.
This book contains a funny way that Mary learns of male/female relations. It contains innuendo.
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About the Author: (Taken from Goodreads) Jaima Fixsen lives in Alberta, Canada with her handsome husband and clever children. Mostly, she just tries to keep up.
Visit her WEBSITE!
It's always sad when a good series ends. It sounds like a wonderful read!
ReplyDeleteEvery book can be a standalone. There are different time periods and cultures. The one constant is the matchmaker, Pearl. They are fun and it was great to see each author's interpretation of Pearl.
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