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The Matchmaker -- Free Preview -- The First 5 Chapters: A Novel
The opening pages of Elin Hilderbrand's touching and compelling new novel, the story of a woman who sets out to find love for those closest to her -- before it's too late.
48-year-old Nantucketer Dabney Kimball Beech has always had a gift for matchmaking. Some call her ability mystical, while others - like her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech, and her daughter, Agnes, who is clearly engaged to the wrong man - call it meddlesome, but there's no arguing with her With 42 happy couples to her credit and all of them still together, Dabney has never been wrong about romance.
Never, that is, except in the case of herself and Clendenin Hughes, the green-eyed boy who took her heart with him long ago when he left the island to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist. Now, after spending 27 years on the other side of the world, Clen is back on Nantucket, and Dabney has never felt so confused, or so alive.
But when tragedy threatens her own second chance, Dabney must face the choices she's made and share painful secrets with her family. Determined to make use of her gift before it's too late, she sets out to find perfect matches for those she loves most. "The Matchmaker" is a heartbreaking story about losing and finding love, even as you're running out of time.
48-year-old Nantucketer Dabney Kimball Beech has always had a gift for matchmaking. Some call her ability mystical, while others - like her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech, and her daughter, Agnes, who is clearly engaged to the wrong man - call it meddlesome, but there's no arguing with her With 42 happy couples to her credit and all of them still together, Dabney has never been wrong about romance.
Never, that is, except in the case of herself and Clendenin Hughes, the green-eyed boy who took her heart with him long ago when he left the island to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist. Now, after spending 27 years on the other side of the world, Clen is back on Nantucket, and Dabney has never felt so confused, or so alive.
But when tragedy threatens her own second chance, Dabney must face the choices she's made and share painful secrets with her family. Determined to make use of her gift before it's too late, she sets out to find perfect matches for those she loves most. "The Matchmaker" is a heartbreaking story about losing and finding love, even as you're running out of time.
78 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2014
About the author
Elin Hilderbrand
96 books63.1k followersElin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
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Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 27, 2014
Ms. Hilderbrand, you should be ashamed of yourself. What exactly are you attempting to convey with your sentence "She was kind to Jeffrey Jackson, who had a port-wine stain on his face:" Are you somehow implying that those who are slightly different should require a special effort . . .to treat with basic decency? Shame on you Ms. Hilderbrand for promoting such a small-minded, hurtful and narrow view of the world.
October 25, 2017
Quick but good read. It really picks up steam towards the end. Some of it isn't believable, but that doesn't make it bad. The names of the characters, however, we silly. Box? Clendenen? Dabney? Agnes? If those are Yankee names, I'm glad I live in Texas.
October 31, 2014
Okay this book is not original or literary but its a cut above what is now referred to as Chick Lit. I just really needed something fun to read and this was that book. If you liked Love Story this is a good book for you.
February 26, 2016
I need to read a Hilderbrand every once in a while just to get some "feel good" stories. Always set in Nantucket - I think I'll need to visit just to understand Hilderbrand's fascination with the place.
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April 11, 2015
Great read
Like this book and author very much. Would consider reading more of her books. Very interesting twist and turns. Very good.
Like this book and author very much. Would consider reading more of her books. Very interesting twist and turns. Very good.
July 2, 2024
Uggh. Feelings. This book should come with a warning label. Elin paints a picture with words that takes my breath away. I'm not a cryer, but if I were this book would be a tear jerker. Sad. Sweet. Endearing. Transformative.
October 11, 2018
Like I was living in Nantucket! Lite enjoyable series
July 9, 2021
I’ve enjoyed all the books by this author but for some reason, this read didn’t hold my attention.
February 26, 2023
Good. An old love affair that is renewed. First love is always strong.
May 22, 2023
Quick listen. Easy to follow. Loved the characters- sad ending!
September 9, 2024
Enjoyed this book. But it will bring you to tears.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2025
Excellent book! Tear jerker at the end.
September 14, 2025
Not my best one
April 30, 2014
Forty-eight-year-old amateur matchmaker Dabney has a lot on her plate. The love of her life, and father of her child, who she hadn't seen in twenty-seven years I'd coming back to Nantucket, her adult daughter is in a controlling relationship, and she hasn't been feeling well. From the blurb, we know that Dabney will try to find mates for those around her whole she still can.
Elin Hilderbrand, you have your readers this wonderful free gift--the first five chapters of your upcoming novel. Like a sip of water in the desert when the oasis is two months away or a bite of chocolate and I can't have another for two months. I love that you write such compelling characters, and plots that make me feel as if I'm on Nantucket, interacting with the characters. I hate that the first chapters of THE MATCHMAKER are so delicious I've fallen in love with characters I won't see again for months when I want to stay up all night and finish the entire book tonight.
I hate that you've enticed me and please do the same thing for your next book.
Elin Hilderbrand, you have your readers this wonderful free gift--the first five chapters of your upcoming novel. Like a sip of water in the desert when the oasis is two months away or a bite of chocolate and I can't have another for two months. I love that you write such compelling characters, and plots that make me feel as if I'm on Nantucket, interacting with the characters. I hate that the first chapters of THE MATCHMAKER are so delicious I've fallen in love with characters I won't see again for months when I want to stay up all night and finish the entire book tonight.
I hate that you've enticed me and please do the same thing for your next book.
June 28, 2014
The Matchmaker -- Free Preview -- The First 5 Chapters: A Novel
This 5 chapter preview is about Dabney who lives on Nantucket and runs the Chamber of Commerce and is a matchmaker with much success.
The story also follows Box, her husband in alternating chapters.
Clen is expected from the far east to take up residency on the island. He had written to Dabney to warn her.
As the story goes on we find out what connection they have had to one another over the years and the rift that has kept them apart.
There are highlights of some of the couples she has brought together and their lives past and present. Story also follows Box and Dabney's life and how they met and started out and their secrets.
Found it confusing with all the other couples but know they will play a part in the big picture.
If given this book to read and review I would definitely read it, for the authors name-her stories are always good ones.
This 5 chapter preview is about Dabney who lives on Nantucket and runs the Chamber of Commerce and is a matchmaker with much success.
The story also follows Box, her husband in alternating chapters.
Clen is expected from the far east to take up residency on the island. He had written to Dabney to warn her.
As the story goes on we find out what connection they have had to one another over the years and the rift that has kept them apart.
There are highlights of some of the couples she has brought together and their lives past and present. Story also follows Box and Dabney's life and how they met and started out and their secrets.
Found it confusing with all the other couples but know they will play a part in the big picture.
If given this book to read and review I would definitely read it, for the authors name-her stories are always good ones.
May 3, 2014
love to read EH...but now I have to wait until June to see what happens with Dabney and the rest...sigh.
May 4, 2014
I am so curious about the rest of this story.
March 11, 2015
Loved it
Nantucket at its best... I could smell the ocean! I loved the description of the Nantucket streets!...... great read!!
Nantucket at its best... I could smell the ocean! I loved the description of the Nantucket streets!...... great read!!
Read
January 17, 2016book on cd, really enjoyed this story
February 8, 2016
I enjoyed the book, though it turned a little sappy towards the end. It is a good book for listening as audiobook while working out or doing something that doesn't require full focus.
March 11, 2024
I enjoyed it very much. It has some fascinating characters. The aura Dabney saw around couples added to the mystic.
August 7, 2014
Fun summer read. Typical E.H. Light. Romance. Family strife. Likable characters.
July 20, 2015
Good summer read
Read
June 6, 2017Great light summer read. Exactly what you would expect from Elin.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews