The Mortified Matchmaker
Alexis FlemingContemporary romance
Available from Samhain Publishing
ISBN: 1-59998-327-3
February 2007
| Melissa was looking forward to her holiday with her twin sister Jane, but as usual Jane has let her down. Melissa arrived to find Jane gone and expecting her to run her dating business while she is away chasing down her partner and lover who has disappeared. The business is under investigation by the federal government for blackmail and other charges, a fact Melissa knows nothing about as she is masquerading as Jane. Matthew Campbell is assigned to the case. He is undercover as a mortician trying to find love. Melissa feels sorry for him at first but her initial feelings rapidly change to something more, and she feels more and more guilty about portraying her sister. She also feels more and more threatened by Jane’s business associates, but is afraid to go to the police.
Once again, Ms. Fleming has managed to combine suspense, romance and humor beautifully. Melissa is a very appealing character who has been hurt severely and often by people she should have been able to trust. Matthew’s quirky mortician persona is very non-threatening leading the kindergarten teacher to trust and fall in love with him. Matthew is also an emotionally damaged character, losing his fiancée to cancer several years before. He is observant enough to realize that Melissa is not Jane without even meeting the spoiled twin. He feels guilty for deceiving the woman that he has come to love, but can’t endanger his assignment by letting her know. The receptionist is obviously shady. I wondered why Melissa didn’t just leave the whole mess in her hands, especially after the break-ins and threatening phone calls, but she takes her promise to her mother very seriously. I loved Matthew’s mortician, from the greasy hair and bow ties to the pompous over formal attitude. That character made me laugh out loud at least once. Readers will love Matthew and Melissa’s very bumpy road to romance.
Overall rating:
Reviewer: Maura Frankman |
