Book Title: A WAGER WITH THE MATCHMAKER
Character Name: Alannah Darragh
How would you describe your family or your childhood?
I had a happy childhood in Ireland until I lost my mam and da. I was living with my aunt when the Great Hunger started, and we faced starvation. My brother Torin left for America, and I sailed over to St. Louis to live with him a year later, hoping for a better life. Unfortunately, when I arrived in the spring of 1849, I found myself in the middle of danger from rivaling Irish gangs!
What was your greatest talent?
I love editing which stems from my love of reading. But of course, in 1849, the possibility for women getting editing jobs is pretty much impossible.
Significant other?
My brother is my biggest supporter and cares deeply for me. So when I find myself in danger in this new country, he asks his boss, Kiernan Shanahan to help hide me. The Shanahans are one of St. Louis’s wealthiest and most prominent families, and Kiernan is the oldest son and most eligible bachelor in all of the city.
Where do you live?
Thankfully, Kiernan is a kind man, and he comes to my brother’s (and my rescue) by providing employment and a hiding place for me at his family’s country home, Oakland, just outside of St. Louis. There I’m a scullery maid, working in the kitchen doing drudgery work. But for now, I’m safe and have work. And, oh aye, I also get to see Kiernan nearly every day.
Do you have any enemies?
Of course, Mrs. Shanahan (Kiernan’s mam), senses the attraction that has quickly flared to life between Kiernan and me. She’s made a point of warning me not to go near her son, not to talk to him, not even to look at him. If I do, she’s threatened to toss me out of the house without a cent.
How do you feel about the place where you are now?
I’m making the best of the new living situation and my new job even though the work is hard and Mrs. Shanahan dislikes me. Kiernan is secretly supplying me with books because he discovered I love to read. His sister, Zaira, is a closet writer, and she’s been asking me for help in editing her books.
What keeps you awake at night?
Because I’m so busy during the day, I’ve taken to reading at night. The house is stuffy and hot, and so I retreat to the gardens behind the kitchen to do my reading. I also love being outside because it reminds me of my homeland which I miss. Kiernan doesn’t want me to be outside by myself, so he joins me to “protect” me. Even though if we’re caught, I’ll lose my job, I can’t make myself send him away.
What is the most pressing problem you have at the moment?
As the danger escalates and I’m no longer secure at Oakland, my brother has enlisted the help of the local matchmaker in finding me a match because my brother believes my being married will keep me safe. When the matchmaker suggests Kiernan is my match, I can’t quite believe that such an arrangement will ever work, especially because Kiernan is having meetings and trying to find the “perfect” match for himself among women of his social class.
Is there something that you need or want that you don’t have?
Oh aye! The more I get to know Kiernan, the more I want a future with him. But the odds are stacked against a happily-ever-after with him. Will we be able to find a way to be together, or is the match only a wager with no way to win?
Who wins the wager with the matchmaker?
Bellamy McKenna, the young Irish matchmaker, is indeed a wily man. Little do Kiernan and I realize that he’s made wagers with both of us. Somehow, Bellamy is able to bring us together in ways that neither of us anticipate. You’ll have to read our story to find out exactly how Bellamy overcomes all the odds so that in the end true love wins!
Shanahan Match #3
After her brother's entanglement with an Irish gang threatens their family's safety, Alannah Darragh flees St. Louis and her troubled past, seeking refuge as a maid for the affluent Shanahan family. Alannah's resolve to avoid romance is tested by the undeniable attraction she feels for Kiernan Shanahan. Determined to maintain her position and the safety it provides, she vows to resist the pull of her heart despite the growing bond between them and their undeniable chemistry.
In the wake of a devastating fire, Kiernan Shanahan sees a shrewd opportunity to invest in a clay mine and brickyard to aid the city's rebuilding. To secure his venture, he seeks a wealthy bride with a substantial dowry. However, the matchmaker he consults has different plans. As danger looms and Alannah fights to keep her brother safe, Kiernan's protective instincts draw them closer, but a future together seems too far out of reach. It will take a miracle—or a wager with the wily matchmaker—to form a match between the unlikely couple.
Award-winning author Jody Hedlund presents a sweeping finish to her Irish matchmaking series with sizzling chemistry and closed-door romance for fans of the marriage of convenience trope, Mimi Matthews, and Elizabeth Camden.
Christian | Romance Historical [Bethany House Publishers, On Sale: May 6, 2025, Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9780764241987 / eISBN: 9781493450831]
Jody Hedlund is the author of over thirty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she's learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she's not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.
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