What a sweet holiday story! Frankie is motivated to match everyone up except herself. She works her way through family and friends, even business acquaintances. Santa granting wishes, or not, depending on the request. This all happens in a small town filled with Christmas spirit. The Santa walk brings the town together. Amidst snow and chilly weather, everyone gets outside to enjoy the season. Side note: Frankie makes and serves Pasties. I didn’t think they were served near Seattle. I think of them as part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I would love a sequel!

Unfortunately this fell a little flat for me. I think a lot of the charm of Emma is that she is young and naive enough that it excuses a lot of her actions, and so by aging up this retelling, it becomes a lot less “cute” to see the same lack of self awareness etc. However I did very much appreciate the cozy small town atmosphere and depictions of grief.

Five Reasons to Read Merry Matchmaker:
1. Because you love a contemporary retelling of a classic, MerryMatchmaker is based on Jane Austin's classic Emma. I don't know if it gave me Emma vibes, but it definitely has the foundation of the original at its heart.

2. Because you love heartwarming stories.  Losing someone significant—be it through divorce or death—and trying to find love again is not just inspiring but also uplifting. Merry Matchmaker is chocked full of all of this, and at Christmas time, it's the perfect read to lift your spirits.

3. Because you enjoy reading about middle-aged people getting a second lease on life. The predominant characters are more mature, with the youngest being 38. This relatable age group may resonate with readers going through similar life changes, making the story feel real and relatable.

4. Because you love complex characters, Frankie is the main character. She is a vibrant, relatable woman who finds herself in a bowl full of matchmaking trouble for all her single loved ones. Her interactions with the other characters, each with their own unique personalities and struggles, add depth and intrigue to the story.

5. Because - and this is a big one - you love stories that give you that special feeling that only the Christmas spirit can give.  They fill your heart with a warm glow and make you want to go out and hug the first person you see. In Merry Matchmaker, the Christmas spirit is not just a backdrop but a key element influencing the characters and their relationships. Frankie, in particular, might not like sharing her man, but she loves sharing the holiday spirit with everyone.

Frankie Lane knows what’s best for just about everyone but herself. She tries to help others even if it results in disaster.

This book follows Frankie, a widow who has made it her personal mission to make sure everyone has a special someone for the holiday season. Even if they don’t want or are asking for her meddling help.
What follows is a series of hilarious antics to get people together while ignoring her own happiness until it’s almost too late to get what she wants.

This was a super fun, quick holiday read!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun book!

I loved this HEA Christmas romance inspired by Jane Austen's Emma. It had lots of fun characters and a charming storyline. My favorite part was when Stef read and answered a child's request for Santa to bring him a new mommy. It reminded me of Sleepless in Seattle but with a bit of a twist.
I also liked that Christmas treat recipes were included at the end of the book. Sheila Roberts writes the best feel-good Christmas stories!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Rating: 4.5 stars!

A cute holiday romance (with 4 different couples). Frankie is one heck of a gal. She loves "helping" her friends with their problems. When she is replaced as the annual Mrs. Clause and the Holiday Walk, things start to spiral. While Frankie is happy to share this community event honor with others, she doesnt want to share Santa. While the Romance aspect of the book was 1000% predictable, it was still adorable!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ah, I had bigger hopes for this middle-aged character than what was given to us. There are not enough romances out there featuring middle-aged women.

Finally, a book with a middle-aged woman in which she is not just taking care of her adult kids, but she's (sort of) thriving after her husband dies.

The problem was she was a busybody. Falling into the usual stereotypes of middle-aged characters and man, that was disappointing.

I didn't understand how she was so adamant about not falling in love again (understandable), but the minute a woman takes interest in Mitch, then oh boy, she's had a quick change of heart.

*** Spoiler ***

I also didn't like how they rushed - and I'm talking within a paragraph of admitting their feelings for each other - to get married.

I know - when you know, you know - but the entire book she complained and meddled in other people's lives in order to avoid love and boom, she's getting married??

I did enjoy the Christmas backdrop to the story and this would probably make a funny Hallmark(ish) movie.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an e-copy of THE MERRY MATCHMAKER to review.

I rate THE MERRY MATCHMAKER three out of five stars.

This is a light cozy Christmas story, and for that genre it works. Our main character Frankie is the matchmaker who of course can’t see what’s right under her nose. She is a widow who hasn’t allowed herself to fully move on but she wants to see all her family and friends happy. She runs a bakery in a small town (of course), and there is a big Christmas Festival which is her brainchild. She tries to make a match for her shy employee and her sister with varying degrees of success but finally realizes it is time to allow herself another chance at love. This is a light read to curl up on the couch with for a little holiday spirit.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

I really wanted to love this book as it was pitched as a novel inspired by Emma. Unfortunately, even though you can see that Frankie cares so much for the people around her and just wants to help, seeing her involvement blow up in her face was a little too much secondhand embarrassment for me. The Christmas atmosphere is great and all of the side stories are great but the main story line fell flat for me.

Frannie wants to help everyone find some happiness. A la Emma, she endeavors to set people up who she feels need companionship. I wasn't fond of the quick setting up a fake profile on an online dating app trope for her friend Mitch, near the beginning. I think anyone could see where his real match would be, but naturally it takes Frannie a while to see what is right in front of her. I skimmed a bit in the middle, but the holiday shop was festive and there was a cute kid to boot.

This is such an adorable matchmaker/meddling neighbor story. I loved the holiday setting and thoroughly enjoyed the antics.

Romance is the surprise holiday gift the meddling Matchmaker wasn’t expecting when she set out to pair up all her single acquaintances. Hearkening back to Jane Austen’s Emma, Sheila Roberts brings another heartwarming holiday charmer brimming with good cheer.



The Merry Matchmaker caught my eye originally because I spotted in the blurb that it was inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma. There are some broad strokes that brought that novel to mind, but for the most part this was loosely connected to it at best. Rather, we have a middle-aged widower who thinks she knows best about other people’s love lives from her adult kids to her bestie. She tries to hook them up and doesn’t read it well to humorous, disastrous results. One would think having a holiday-themed store going great gangbusters during the holidays would be enough, but no, Frankie knows best and is insistent that she will help and advise everyone. However, fellow business owner, Mitch, her friend for many years does have a clear eye about matters including about Frankie who is doing her level best to set him up, too.



I have to chuckle because, while this isn’t a modern Emma retelling in the strictest sense, I had a similar reaction to Frankie as I did to Austen’s character. I guess I’m put off by people who have to get their noses into other people’s business. Frankie rubbed me wrong because she was so strongly opinioned and couldn’t read the room well at all. She’s the annoying relative every family has to put up with who knows best about jobs, friendships, love and everything.

But, I enjoyed the holidays, the store, the cast as a whole and there was Mitch to keep Frankie grounded. Then, as Frankie had to get it wrong, learn, and then finally grow, I was cheering her on to get her own special holiday match. Mitch was there all along and waiting if Frankie didn’t make the biggest mistake of her life pushing her shop gal, Eleanor at him.



Altogether a light and sweet holiday morsel that was a women’s fic and contemporary romance crossover set in small town shops, family and friend circles bringing out the holiday season mood rather well.

A very big miss in the blurb for this book was marketing this as similar to Jane Austen's Emma. This was more of a middle-aged widowed meddler who was too involved in everyone else's lives instead of working on her own control issues. I am probably not the target audience for this, but the story dragged for me and I was quite bored at times. The book was also predictable but not in a fun Hallmark-Channel-Christmas-movie-way. The writing style was also very choppy, and this book needed a better editor. This book is on my naughty list this year for being a disappointment!

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Merry Matchmakers is just the type of book that I like. Cute Christmas rom-com. The cover is what initially drew me in.

Frankie cannot stop interfering in her friends and family's lives. I wanted to like Frankie. I felt for her with the unexpected loss of her husband. But she was downright annoying. She acted like she knew better than everyone else in her life to the point of being ridiculous.

I finally threw in the towel. I liked Mitch and wanted to see him get his HEA but I couldn't take anymore of Frankie.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Merry Matchmaker is a cute and festive take on Emma, where one character is driven by her desire to be a matchmaker for her town but clueless in her own life. In a charming town outside of Seattle, holiday store owner Frankie enjoys her shop, friends and family. Widowed after losing her husband a few years ago, she spends time with her close circle, including hunky hardware store owner Mitch. She feels her younger sister Stef has given up on love way too soon, her shy employee just needs to open up a little more (with the help of a makeover of course) and she just knows she can find the right woman for Mitch-even if he isn't aware she's created his own dating profile. Through the last couple weeks in December Frankie is determined to help everyone-even if they don't want it. What ensues is trademark Emma (or the movie Clueless-which is also a retelling of Emma) but with characters that were a little bit one-dimensional. With a little more fleshing out and less stereotypes this would be a 4 star read. It's cute for the holidays and readers will still enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Frankie Lane is a well-meaning but meddlesome woman who believes she knows what's best for everyone around her, from her divorced sister Stef to her shy employee Elinor, and even her daughter Natalie, who works in Frankie's shop, Holiday Happiness. Despite her good intentions, Frankie's efforts often end in disaster. Her best friend, Mitch Howard, the local hardware store owner, has been her rock since she lost her husband. Frankie is determined to help Mitch find love again, even if he doesn't want her help.

"The Merry Matchmaker" by Sheila Roberts is a delightful holiday read that sparkles with warmth and humor. Frankie Lane's well-meaning meddling in the lives of her friends and family leads to heartwarming and often hilarious situations. The charming small-town setting and the lovable cast of characters make this book a perfect addition to your holiday reading list. Roberts' storytelling is engaging and filled with festive cheer, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a feel-good Christmas romance. Highly recommended for a cozy and uplifting holiday experience!

Thanks to NetGalley and MIRA for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adore Frankie. From the first pages (disastrous wallpapering with Viola) to a matchmaking dinner party fail and the Mrs. Claus pageant (the gingerbread house said nothing and then the dinosaurs came), and the happily ever after... this is such a fun holiday read!

In fact, I feel Frankie on a personal level! She loves the holidays, but doesn't really do Halloween. She wants to help everybody she loves, but doesn't always get it right. And her love of family? Right in my wheelhouse!

However, the blurb declared this an Emma update - and my own brain thought it missed an opportunity to be Merry Wives of Windsor. It's not either of those classics.

But it's a lovely story all its own, and I think readers would be missing out if they didn't pick it up this holiday season!

"Children and Christmas, they go together like sugar cookies and milk." Author Sheila Roberts has such a sweet way with words. And there are multiple points of view, all told in third-person, which helps the entire novel flow beautifully. And recipes at the end! Delightful!

"You need help," Frankie tells Mitch. But it's not just Frankie helping everyone; it's everyone helping Frankie that makes this book really work.

"Close to perfect wasn't half bad."

A festive take on Jane Austen's Emma? This one sounded like it would be right up my alley. I ended up liking it well enough, but I didn't love it. The story was a bit slow and it was just sort of inspired by Emma, I guess. There were some cute parts and it was nice to see an older/middle-aged heroine. I think the story would've worked better for me if it had been a Hallmark movie.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.