The Matchmaking Pact

After the Storm #4

by Carolyne Aarsen

Lily Marstow and Alyssa Cane think they have the perfect plan. After all, helping their single parents fall in love shouldn't be that hard. But Silas Marstow wants nothing to do with the woman who lost track of his child for precious minutes in the aftermath of the High Plains tornado. And Josie Cane is busy caring for her ailing grandmother and rebuilding her life. The girls' matchmaking pact is in jeopardy unless they can make their parents see the love that's right in in front of them.

Genres: Love Inspired, Christian Fiction, Romance, Christian Romance, Christian, Harlequin, Fiction

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Even with over 1.5 million copies of my books in print, I still feel like I haven’t written the perfect story. From my office in the woods of Northern Alberta, I’ll keep trying. Inspired by spectacular sunrises, breathtaking Northern Lights and long walks through wooded trails, the stories keep coming. To find out more about my life and my writing, check out my website at www.carolyneaarsen.com

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the After the Storm series.

Josie Cane has been the main caretaker for her niece since Alyssa was two and her parents died, Josie's sister and brother in law.

Silas Marstow is a widower with a young daughter, Lily.

Lily and Alyssa are as thick as thieves and they even look alike.

They are in the after school program that Josie runs.

After the tornado the girls take off.

Silas holds Lily back from the program after that and Josie thinks it is because he heard the rumors of her wild child younger years where she was known as Raising Cane.

Lily and Alyssa decide they want to be sisters and Lily wants Ms Josie as her new mother.

Great story.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was interesting that we got to see a little bit of the matchmakers' perspective on this one . . . Lily and Alyssa were adorable, if a little too zealous about getting their dad and auntie together.
That being said, I'm not entirely sure I actually liked this story. I liked Josie from the start, but wish she'd been able to understand that when she sought for and obtained God's forgiveness, she didn't need to continue to try and atone for her mistakes. Of course, the fact that her grandmother was quick to remind her of her faults did not help in any way.
I wasn't so keen on Silas, TBH. He came off not only as grumpy, but borderline rude and neglectful to his poor daughter.
I also think that the romance wasn't quite where I'd have preferred it to be. For the majority of the novel, Josie and Silas are dancing around each other, trying to see if they even trust each other, and then they all of a sudden go from being really just acquaintances, to falling for each other? Perhaps I just am an old curmudgeon to want to see a couple actually be friends first before romantic feelings grow.
I do appreciate that Josie was able to encourage Silas to trust in God and not be afraid of the past, and that Silas reminded Josie that living in the past was preventing her from finding the future that God had in mind for her.
2.75 stars

[Allison]

plot lily marstow and alyssa cane thin they have the perfect plan after all helping their single parents fall in love shouldn't be that hard but silas marstow wants nothing to do with the woman who lost track of his child in the after for precious minutes in the after math of the high plains tornado and josie cane is busy caring for her ailing grandmother and rebuilding her life the girls' matchmaking pact is in jeopardy unless they can make their parents see the love that's right in front of them

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books by Love Inspired are my favorite! I just love reading these Christian based romances. This book is part of a series called after the storm and it was a great read.

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet religious romance. Dealing with loss and the overcoming of it.

[Galion Public Library Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by M.B.: "It was a really good book. I LOVED the characters."

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read another book in this series recently but those characters played little to no role in this book and in fact, it took me a bit to place who these characters were from the series.

The girls remind me a bit of the Disney movie "The Parent Trap" in that they are trying to get their "parent" together with the others. (In the Disney movie the adults had previously been married--not so in this book.) Other than getting the adults to spend time together, I'm not sure the girls' efforts matched their ideas.

Otherwise, the book was the typical Love Inspired plot of not wanting to love again because you've been hurt in love in the past or feeling unworthy of love.

I do admire Josie's volunteer spirit though.

[Barbara Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sweet book in this series. I have fallen in love with this community and the folks there. I love the individual stories, but also the ones that move from book to book and the hints at more to come. Alyssa and Lily are too cute and full of mischief! Such a fun pair.

Silas and Josie are each struggling with things that happened in their past.. but in very different ways. And neither way is best. I watched them each work through their struggles wanting to jump in and help! LOL!

I will be sad to finish up this series but thankfully I have a couple more to go!

[Mary Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot of this novel involves two best friends, little girls who are trying to get their parents together. Their plans are sneaky and inventive. Unfortunately, Lily's father doesn't want to become involved with Alyssa's guardian aunt Josie because he's heard she has a reputation for being wild. Add to the cast of characters, a grumpy, hard to please grandmother who criticizes almost all Josie does, and the author has a good story. I have been reading Carolyn Aarsen's books for several years and have enjoyed them.

[Dorel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I read by Carolyne Aarsen. I loved ❤ this book's storyline. I loved ❤ the Christian theme in this story. This book's storyline was sad 😢. I loved ❤ Silas's character. I loved ❤ Josie's character. I loved ❤ Lily & Alyssa. I didn't like Josie's grandma 👵. I loved ❤ the ending. Awesome job Ms. Aarsen.

[Magrra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good example

I enjoyed the too girls plans and the way they treated each other. They really cared for on another.
Josie handled her grandmother with such patience and forgiveness. A great example of how to love others when they are not kind to you.

[Cindy DeLong · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish. Books with kids annoy me. The adults never seem to spend enough time with the kids. The kids lie and misbehave. My kids never lied, but my husband and I never lied to them.

[Donald And · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

This is a very good book. Carolyne shows God's love can carry us through her tough time. I love all Carolyne,s books.

[Rainbow Unicorn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two little minxes decide to play matchmaker in this book in a Christian based romance series, written by multiple authors, involving a small town, its residents and their lives and loves in the aftermath of a tornado which devastates the entire town, causing upheaval to all. I like the way the series intertwines all the characters in the books as part of the background story.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two adorable young girls hatching a plot to get their parents, one a single mom and the other a single dad, together is a heartwarming idea, and well done in this case. The things they do are funny and obvious, but that is what one would expect from girls their age. The only character I didn't quite seem to understand was the grandmother in the story. Perhaps things that happen in the future two volumes will clarify this in my mind, if she appears at all. It was a very easy to read, hard to put down, enjoyable book.