THE IRISH MATCHMAKER - Jennifer Deibel - One Free Book

Bio: Jennifer Deibel is the author of A Dance in Donegal (winner of the Kipp Award for Historical Romance), The Lady of Galway Manor, and The Maid of Ballymacool. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and in other publications. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children.

Jennifer draws from her years of experience living in Ireland to craft historical novels steeped in culture. In her newest novel, The Irish Matchmaker, Deibel journeys back to Ireland with a tale of mismatched romances, fresh new starts, and happily ever afters.

About the story: As the daughter of a matchmaker with an excellent reputation, Catríona Daly is well-versed in love. The one thing love hasn’t done for her yet is take her away from the tiny town she’s been languishing in. The only time the village is truly bustling is during the annual matchmaking festival. And this year, she has her eye on the grandest prize at the festival, Andrew Osborne, the son of a lord. After a failed romance set up by a rival matchmaker, Andrew is ready to find a new match. And Catríona has just the match in mind—herself.

Donal Bunratty is left adrift after the loss of his wife. He has been trying to manage his cattle farm and raise his daughter all alone. But finding new love is more difficult than it would seem. Despite his shyness, Donal agrees to attend the matchmaking festival for the sake of his daughter. Alas, when he attends the festival, the only woman to draw his attention is the one who’s supposed to find his future wife for him—and she is set on matching herself with another.

It will take everything Catríona has learned of love to end this festival with success. The matches she makes could change her life forever.

Welcome, Jennifer. Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel The Irish Matchmaker? Catríona Daly is no stranger to the business of love—even though personally she has yet to find it. Eager for a match of her own and a fresh start away from her sleepy village, she makes grand plans for the annual Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. She never expects a shy, widowed sheep farmer to distract her from her goal.

What do you hope readers will gain from reading The Irish Matchmaker? I pray that all readers will be encouraged in their own faith journey—whether they’ve been following Jesus for years or just exploring what this God thing is all about. And if anyone is struggling to trust in God’s provision, when it’s almost impossible to see how He could provide, I hope that they would be heartened and encouraged to trust Him.

Why do you love setting your novels in Ireland? The culture, language, and people are part of my heart and soul. I love being able to help others experience even a piece of that incredible country. It is such a joy.

What type of research was required to portray the historical setting in The Irish Matchmaker? While I’ve driven through Lisdoonvarna and stopped for tea once or twice, I was never able to spend much time there. So I spent a lot of days and weeks online learning about the town’s history, as well as the history and methods of matchmaking. I was so grateful to be able to chat with people at the Spa Wells Historical Centre, as well as talk to third-generation matchmaker Willie Daly (who is still making matches in Lisdoonvarna to this day)! It was some of the most fun research I’ve done in a while!

Catríona is the daughter of a renowned matchmaker. What were the responsibilities of a matchmaker during this time period?

Matchmakers were responsible for finding suitable matches for their clients. Sometimes the first match worked, other times it took a few tries. Then it was their job to negotiate the terms of the match—money for dowry and land or livestock that was going to be part of the deal, etc. Many matchmakers also kept meticulous records. Lisdoonvarna’s current matchmaker carries a book with him that has the details of every match made by him, his father, and his grandfather!

Catríona is determined to make a reputation for herself as a great matchmaker, as well as make herself a prosperous match. What, in your opinion, makes a great match between two characters? That’s the million-dollar question! There has to be some common thread connecting the characters to begin with. It could be a shared circumstance, mutual attraction, or even mutual annoyance! But both parties really need to have the same goal for the relationship. A good dose of conflict or a few obstacles can really help refine those goals and draw the couple together. I also think laughter is a must for any successful romantic match.

What do you love most about writing historical romance? I love being able to experience the world through a different lens. No matter how many stories I write, I learn so much, and I get to see countries, cultures, and time periods most people don’t get the opportunity to if they don’t read or write historical fiction. It’s a chance to see what things were like.

What about your own life influences your writing? Oftentimes, my own faith and struggles influence what or how I write. I’m able to draw on those experiences in order to add a deeper layer of authenticity to the characters’ thoughts and actions. Many of the humorous situations in my books were inspired by events I actually experienced—like the “moving cloud” (aka sheep) in the nighttime journey over the Errigal Pass in A Dance of Donegal and the cows munching on seaweed in the middle of the street after a storm in The Lady of Galway Manor!

How can readers connect with you? I absolutely love connecting with readers, so I hope they will! My website has all the links to find me around the web. Readers can sign up for my newsletter there and find links to all my social media.

Where can readers purchase a copy of The Irish Matchmaker? The Irish Matchmaker is available wherever books are sold in paperback, ebook, and hardcover format. And the audiobook will be available after the release date. The best deal can always be found at Baker Book House where you can preorder the book for 40 percent off and free shipping.

Thank you for sharing this book with us. It sounds so interesting.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+irish+matchmaker+jennifer+deibel&crid=17CQ3T8T95GKA&sprefix=The+Irish+Matchmaker+%2Caps%2C88&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_21

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 2 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com