Book Review (and a Giveaway!): To Spark a Match by Jen Turano

TO SPARK A MATCH by Jen Turano
SERIES: The Matchmakers #2
GENRE: Historical/Gilded Age Romance (Christian)
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
RELEASE DATE: November 14, 2023
PAGES: 364

“Turano takes readers on a lighthearted romp through matchmaking season . . . . This is a delight.”–Publishers Weekly on A Match in the Making

After five unsuccessful Seasons on the marriage mart, Miss Adelaide Duveen has resigned herself to the notion that she’s destined to remain a spinster forever–a rather dismal prospect, but one that will allow her to concentrate on her darling cats and books. However, when she inadvertently stumbles upon Mr. Gideon Abbott engaged in a clandestine activity during a dinner party, Adelaide finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue that resembles the plots in the spy novels she devours.

Former intelligence agent Gideon Abbott feels responsible for Adelaide after society threatens to banish her because of the distraction she caused to save his investigation. Hoping to return the favor, he turns to a good friend–and one of high society’s leaders–to take Adelaide in hand and turn her fashionable. When danger surrounds them and Adelaide finds herself a target of the criminals in Gideon’s case, the spark of love between them threatens to be quenched for good–along with their lives.

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“As I’ve grown older, I’ve also been of the notion that God created me precisely as He intended.”

I can always count on a Jen Turano book to lighten my heart and leave me smiling, and I have loved each book by her that I’ve read. But there are a select few that stand out to me as favorites and To Spark a Match is now counted among that number. My kindle version is highlighted with so many delightful quotes and scenes that make me grin just by looking back at them. From the bustle uprising (“My bustle is spring-concocted?”) to the swan attack (“Tranquility had been in short supply once the birds went on the offensive.”) to Gideon trying to temper Adelaide’s enthusiasm for his weapons cache (“I don’t believe large is a word we’re going to contemplate when it comes to appropriate weapons for you.”) and other hilarious moments, there are so many things to love about this book.

“Gentlemen who looked as if they courted precarious activities always seemed in possession of voices that practically caressed a person’s ears, that pesky business responsible for ladies’ hearts going pitter-patter with alarming frequency…”

Adelaide and Gideon are such fun characters to spend time with, especially when they are sharing a page and filling it with delicious banter, madcap mayhem, and swoony moments. Adelaide may be an oddity to the members of New York’s high society circles, but she quickly endears herself to us readers when she whips a book out of her reticule at a party. Not only does she love books, but she wants everyone to belong – even the cats she seems to collect – and has an adventurous spirit tempered with a heart of gold. Gideon is one of the most swoonlicious heroes that Turano has created, and I may have even shivered along with Adelaide whenever he would lean close to her ear and talk. Also equally swoony is how he just can’t tell Adelaide ‘no’ when she wants to be involved in his investigation… or wants him to adopt a cat. Even better though, his kind heart is definitely his swooniest trait.

“There was something incredibly sweet about a man who courted danger taking the time to help a woman who’d suffered a horrible morning find a bit of peace.”

Bottom Line: I’m not sure anywhere else besides Jen Turano could take cat undergarments, attacking swans, grappling hook guns, gowns snagged in trees, former intelligence operatives, a retired matchmaker, adorable animals, bargain books, and an adventurous near-spinster and weave these seemingly incompatible elements into a farcical series of events that makes perfect sense. Add an endearing romance and a sweet message of being who God created you to be, and you’ve got a must-read story that will put a smile in your heart. You’ll love the wit, the friendships, the hilarity, the suspense, and of course the kisses. To Spark a Match is definitely going to have a solid spot on my ‘Jen Turano favorites’ list henceforth and forevermore.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 5 stars / loved it!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

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Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. She can be found on Facebook or visit her on the web at jenturano.com.

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Bethany House is offering a print copy of To Spark a Match by Jen Turano to one of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What makes you want to read To Spark a Match by Jen Turano?