Pairing Up with Melinda Curtis' A Very Merry Match
#AVeryMerryMatch #MelindaCurtis #bookreview
A Very Merry Match is a great story revolving around a former burlesque dancer turned kindergarten teacher, Mary Margaret in Sunshine Valley. As the second book of the series, it provides enough detail about what the characters experienced to get the reader up to speed for those who haven’t read the first book yet (such as myself).
The Widows Club in Sunshine Valley is at it again. This time, they have their sights set on fellow club member Edith’s granddaughter, Mary Margaret and setting up her with another local single man. Mary Margaret has been a widow for a year and is still trying to pay off her late husband's huge debt he left behind for her to clean up. But when she is approached by two sketchy men claiming he left behind a hundred thousand dollar online gambling debt on top of everything else, Maggie is forced to supplement her kindergarten teacher’s pay with another job. After a couple of stints of second jobs that go awry, she enrolls back into the burlesque world from her past.
Kevin Hadley is trying to be a good mayor and move his town’s future towards an influential one, while trying to please his residents who are against change. Along the way, he begins to fall for his son’s kindergarten teacher but also can’t get the sizzling dancer he witnessed at the neighbouring town’s club, out of his head. Little does he know they are one of the same and he’s forced to make a decision to carry forth his career or listen to his heart & accept Maggie for all her flaws and background.
I loved the ladies of the Widows Club & how they came to Maggie’s defense when the town found out she burlesque danced at night. Not only were they so adorable in their own quirky ways, they were also hilarious in their competitive pursuit of the local elderly playboy bachelor. Edith’s funny attempts to ensure she remained on the club’s board and her convincing the dance club owner into hosting an amateur night so she can show off her dance moves, moved me to laughter.
Maggie’s and Kevin’s relationship came with a lot of baggage and I actually liked that it did. This small-town holiday romance was a joy to read & it reminds us that life & love can be complicated, but it can be beautiful too.
Thanks to Forever for the gifted advanced reader's copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Book Description
This holiday season, kindergarten teacher Mary Margaret Sneed never imagined she'd be unwrapping...herself. But a burlesque side gig is the young widow's only hope of paying off her late husband's substantial debt. With her reputation and career on the line, she performs in disguise, under the stage name Foxy Roxy. But her secret identity is threatened when Roxy's biggest fan turns out to be Mary Margaret's biggest crush -- the handsome-as-sin mayor of Preston!
Newly divorced single dad Kevin Hadley is prepping to make the jump from mayor to state assemblyman. He knows he should be settling down with someone quiet and practical, someone like Mary Margaret Sneed. The last thing Kevin needs right now is a steamy scandal. But he just can't stop thinking about Foxy Roxy...and if Preston's matchmaking Widows Club has their way this Christmas, Kevin won't have to...