Super cute romance about a plucky romantic who writes a lonely hearts column for a newspaper who decides to help solve a murder mystery! Amelie is so fun and positive, and maybe a little TOO trusting! Detective Michael Baker doesn't know what he's gotten himself into when he agrees to let her help! I love that this novel has romance AND suspense!

I received The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart as an ARC from Netgalley. It is my first novel by Nancy Campbell Allen and I was truly surprised by how much I liked it.

I’d also like to start this review by noting that I do not usually read Proper Romances. I think some part of my brain used to associate them with lack of conflict and plot? I’m not sure, but either way, boy was I wrong.

This book is a murder mystery romance and I did not realize how much I love that until reading this. Amelie is our heroine. She works columnist for her aunt’s newspaper. While spying on a potential couple she is playing matchmaker for. She is caught spying by Detective Michael Baker. And while her own actions were not nefarious, she soon becomes entangled into an ongoing murder investigation—the lead suspect of which was none other than the man she was matchmaking, who she also has a tendre for.

From the very beginning of their interactions, I loved Amelie and Michael together. Their relationship starts a little strained, but the progression of their relationship was extremely sweet and I loved it. Beyond the romance, the murder plot was a little predictable (we already know who the bad guy is from the beginning) but still had intrigue for all the nuances that led up to the crime. There was definitely also violence and descriptions of crime scenes and blood so if that makes you queasy, please consider before reading!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting, action-packed, but still very cute. My one complaint is that it felt like the romantic relationship progressed extremely slowly and then suddenly all at once. I would have liked a bit more of a natural progression once things got started (I know it’s vague but I don’t want to spoil anything obviously).

I loved the setting of the book. Turn of the century England-- emerging technologies, women in the workplace, and the rise of women's suffrage. If you are a fan of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins or the Dread Penny Society novels by Sarah M. Eden, I think you will love this book too!

The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen is an amazing historical fiction that has it all: wonderful historical narrative, strong cast of complex characters, mystery, suspense, and a dash of romance. This book kept me captivated throughout.

I really loved everything about this book. Set in Victorian London, 1880s, we are introduced to Amelie Hampton whom works at a newspaper/matchmaking business and through several occurrences and mysterious circumstances and a surprising murder involving a client (is that all he is?) she ends up working with Detective Michael Baker to help find out if the man in question, a Harold Radcliffe, is the true guilty party or if there is something else sinister is at bay.

I really loved the combination of Amelie and Michael. Both are fascinating characters in their own right, however they compliment each other nicely. Throughout their investigation, the reader can see each working through their individual problems and pasts while evolving and growing as time goes on. They seem to help one another out literally and figuratively, and through this we can see their mutual attraction and interest growing. It was such a sweet, naturally evolving relationship, and it was really spot on.

I also loved the murder/mystery plot and investigation. It was creative, yet realistic, and flowed nicely. Both characters brought something to the table and made it a success.

I also loved the full cast of secondary characters. I really hope this is going to be part of a series, as there is so much material and potential for future books. I would most certainly read all of them.

A wonderful book that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

5/5 stars

Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 3/25/21 no BB listing has been created, it will be added immediately upon creation) and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Love blooms between unlikely couple Amelie Hampton and Michael Baker in "The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart", a charming murder mystery/romance by the talented Nancy Campbell Allen. The talkative, optimistic and naive Amelie Hampton is a romantic at heart, and pens an advice column while viewing life through rose-colored glasses. She teams up with the serious Detective Michael Baker, who vows to bring a murderer to justice, while Amelie is determined to prove his innocence. Although she quickly realizes her error (this is not a spoiler), she remains sweet and fun, albeit a bit more worldly-wise.

Brimming with engaging and well-drawn characters, this quick-paced tale is delightful. The dialogue is clever and witty. Allen's prose is lovely. There are few grammatical errors in this clean, well-edited novel. Works I've read by this author have all been stand-alone books. However, there are great secondary characters here who merit their own stories, so I hope this is the first in a series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this wonderful novel.

I knew nothing about this book or this author going in, it just looked and sounded a bit intriguing so I picked it up. Having recently watched and loved Miss Scarlet and The Duke I was itching for some more fun Victorian era detective stories.
This one had some good things going for it and some I didn’t like but overall it was a unique read that didn’t take me very long.
The beginning of the mystery hooked me, I was bored a bit in the middle, and the ending took an unexpected turn.
I didn’t love the heroine, her naivety mixed with her “I’m a Woman of Independent Means” mentality just rubbed me wrong. The hero started off on a good foot and I wanted him to maintain his gruff outlook a little longer because I found it entertaining. The romance played out a little unrealistically for me and they were way to quick to declare themselves “in love” in my opinion.
Overall this was something unlike any other book I’ve read and in that regard I enjoyed the breath of new air. It wasn’t my favorite story but I can see how it would be quite enjoyable for a multitude of readers!

I cannot find the words to express how much I enjoyed this book! I loved the storyline. The suspense was unexpected and a wonderful addition to the story. I loved how the two characters, both of whom were not necessarily looking for love, but found their perfect match with each other.

Amelie Hampton works as a columnist, giving marriage advice in her Aunt's gazette. While a hopeless romantic, she clams up and gets nervous around gentleman. And she is hopelessly interested in Mr. Radcliffe, a recently widowed man in search of a new wife. Detective Michael Baker, who was involved in the case off Mr. Ratcliffe's deceased wife, feels like there is something wrong with the man. His instincts are telling him that the man in involved with her death. Fate puts the two together and together they attempt to discover the truth behind Mrs. Radcliffe's mysterious death and find love in the process.

Amelie works for a romance and matchmaking gazette and begins to fall for a Mr. Radcliffe. Of course he has killed his wife and Amelie becomes embroiled in the ensuing murder mystery. Enter Detective Michael Baker who comes to her rescue while falling for her. The characters were well written with deep enough backstories to be interesting. The plot was not very exciting or interesting: not quite a police procedural and not quite a who-dunnit. Though it has some interesting features and was easy to read, I am not sure I would actively promote this book to my patrons. I would give this a 3 of 5.

The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen was a fun read with a darker side than most Proper Romances. To be fair, most of Nancy Campbell Allen’s works in the Proper Romance line are a little out of the ordinary (she has several steampunk novels), but I’ve loved them all.

Detective Michael Baker works with the Yard and is investigating the death of a young woman. He is certain her husband, Mr. Radcliffe, is somehow responsible. Amelie is a woman of Independent Means and works with her aunt’s “Marriage Gazette” paper. Two months after his wife’s death, Mr. Radcliffe is a client of her aunt’s paper and Amelie has set him up on a date. She follows to spy on the date and encounters Detective Baker. After a little confusion, he asks her to help him.

I loved the development of the characters and Detective Baker’s reluctance to admit his growing feelings. His lost his work partner six months ago (who also happened to be his sister’s husband), and he really battled with the idea of whether it was even fair to pursue a woman. The relationship development in this story was well done.

The mystery held a much more central role than some do in Proper Romance books. I loved Nancy Campbell Allen’s approach to the story. There was never another suspect in the book and I’m not sure if the reader was even supposed to wonder if Mr. Radcliffe was innocent. That being said, there are layers to this story of discovering just how involved Mr. Radcliffe is and what exactly is going on with him. The story was well set up for a sequel with other characters. I really look forward to (hopefully) seeing some of these characters again!

While this book started off on an interesting note, it struggled to keep my interest. Bursts of minimal excitement were not enough to keep me invested and the characters were not as engaging as I would have preferred. I found it hard to believe that the heroine was allowed to be involved in the investigation to the extent that she was, it just didn’t seem believable and she had no real discernible skill that would have made it necessary for her to involve herself in an official investigation. She gave me a bit of whiplash with her hot/cold perception of things in the beginning in respect to someone suspected of murder and that started things off on the wrong foot for me. All in all I didn’t hate this book, I just wanted more from the characters and more from the plot. I wanted to be invested and intrigued and sadly that didn’t happen.

This book was fantastic! I really enjoy this Author's books and this one was no exception. I finished this one within a day, I couldn't put it down. Amelie was the perfect character for this role. And Michael was a sweetheart! Loved them both so much! She The bad guy was for sure a piece of work, it got a little crazy toward the end, but of course it all ended nicely. I liked the mystery and trying to figure out what happened. I really hope she writes more about the other characters in this book. I couldn't recommend this more, it is definitely on my to-buy list.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This was such a fun read! It is a mystery romance, but the murder mystery is focused more on the why/how aspect of murder and bringing the guilty party to justice instead of the classic whodunit. The murderer is known almost from the very beginning, just so you know. I know some people love books where they can speculate on who the murderer could be, but that isn't what this book is about.

There is still plenty of excitement and intrigue, and there is never a dull moment in this novel. And the romance is so sweet. I love how the relationship develops. Partners in an investigation is always a fun romance trope.

I do hope this book will be apart of a series since I love so many of the side characters (I adore Amelie's cousins and am intrigued by Winston and Ellis).

Overall, this is a fun and romantic read and I am so greatful I got to review an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A lighthearted Victorian romance between Amelie a lonely-hearts newspaper editor and Michael, a police detective.  They meet, when they are both spying on the same man, Michael is spying because he thinks the man is a murderer and Amelie because he is one of her lonely-heart fix-ups that she has a secret crush on.  Michael ropes Amelie into helping him investigate this man.  As they work together to discover whether the man is guilty or innocent, Michael and Amelie slowly fall in love. 

This book did a nice job of discussing the troubles of working women at that time, and the difficulties of being respected by male professionals.  The romance was well done and I loved the well-rounded and engaging cast of secondary characters.

This is a charming story that I highly recommend. A sweet romance, wonderful characters and a creepy villain!.

Two months after being called to investigate the body of a young woman found floating in the Thames, Detective Michael Baker is still haunted by the fact that he believes the woman was murdered and not a suicide and that her "grieving" husband was responsible for the death. Even though they've officially been called off the case and told to leave it be, Detective Baker spends his evenings tailing Harold Radcliffe. On one such evening, he notices a young woman watching Mr. Radcliffe having dinner with a woman. Thinking this could be a chance to learn more, he follows her to question her about her association with Mr. Radcliffe. Amelie Hampton is surprised to find that Mr. Radcliffe was the author of a lonely hearts letter and since she set him up with Miss Franklin she had wanted to see how things turned out. Detective Baker gets her to agree to introduce him as a family friend at a book club meeting the following day. Mr. Radcliffe also attends and even though she thinks Mr. Radcliffe is charming and she has a bit of a tendre for him she agrees-if only to prove him wrong.

Michael and Amelie work together and as they do, grow to appreciate each other and fall in love. And Amelie comes to see Mr. Radcliffe as he really is. But there are many twists and turns to capture the villain and to a happy ending.

I received an ARC of this book but the opinion expressed is entirely my own

A very good read!

This is a Victorian murder mystery romance and the setting is immersive and well done.

Amelie works for her aunt as writer/matchmaker and is very keen on her independence. She's caught by detective Michael Baker watching a couple that she matched, and he asks for her help in a murder case.

Michael is pretty convinced of Harold's guilt, but proving it is not as easy. As the case evolves, so does the friendship between him and Amelie.

This is a story full of action and danger, especially as the ending nears and the stakes get higher and more personal. It's also very romantic and I loved Michael and Amelie's relationship.

Looks like it'll be a series and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I thought this one was well done. I loved the setting and how everything played out. Kept me engaged and turning the pages. I like the supporting cast a lot and hope Ms. Allen will make this a series and write about Amelie's cousins.

I so enjoyed this! There is a reason Allen has been one of my favorite authors for 20 years:} A little mystery, a little romance and some fun characters. This Victorian setting was so fun to read. Woman were just gaining their independence. I can tell this is the beginning of at least 3 girls stories. All are working and trying to navigate the new times that are happening in England. This is a sweet romance with some kissing, a little violence does happen. This is a murder mystery. Light on the mystery, heavy on the murder.

This book was absolutely fantastic. It is full of mystery, intrigue, a twisting and turning plot, romance, and so much more. It is one of my new favorites! The characters were delightful and charming. I highly recommend this fast-paced, exciting book!

A mysterious death, a brooding detective and a curious columnist. Great book!
Amelie writes a matchmaking column for the Marriage Gazette and successfully helps with arranging matches. However, intrigued by one match, she finds herself watching through a restaurant window as one of her matches meets for the first time. Little did she know that the man in that match was one she knew and was interested in. and little did she know she was being observed by Detective Baker and would soon be questioned regarding who she was watching and why. Soon Amelie discovers that sometimes people are not as they seem. Some that appear harmless can be dangerous and that her and the ones she cares forth can be in danger. A wonderful book about facing dangers, reevaluating past decisions, and everyone working together for the good of all. I received an early copy and this is my honest review. I highly recommend this book.