Review: A Matchmaker Meets Her Not So Obvious Match
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2013
Miss Moseley the Matchmaker was a refreshingly poignant and mature romance.  Molly Moseley is thirty years of age, an incurable romantic, and a successful matchmaker.  She lives with her crotchety (and funny) grandmother and is self-described as plain. We learn almost immediately that Molly has been in love with her long-time friend Lord Daniel Rocksavage for her entire adult life and is eagerly awaiting his return from London so that they can resume their friendship.Unfortunately for Molly, during his visit, Daniel tells her that she is the "perfect woman" ...that is, the perfect woman to find him a wife.  It is clear that Molly's `advanced' age and plain looks don't inspire Daniel to consider her for his wife despite the close friendship between the two of them and Molly's obvious kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor. Disappointed, but sensible, Molly hits upon a good match for Daniel (after two misses) in Iris Crawford, which puts Molly in the path of Iris' uncle, Julian Crawford.  Julian, who is somewhat shy, begins to seriously and ardently pursue Molly, much to the growing consternation of Daniel.I think what was really clever about this novella was that in many romance novels, the plot would have turned and focused upon Lord Rocksavage's realization of his feelings for Molly and that would have become the romance.  This story, despite is shorts length, has much more depth because Molly has to really consider whether her feelings for Lord Rocksavage are more like a caricature of love and to give real consideration to the feelings of Julian, whom she has only known a short time, but who she really likes.  Rocksavage is almost like a cardboard cutout version of all romance novel heroes:  rich, titled, handsome, and  personable, but also shallow and dim.  Julian, in contrast, is a much more complex man and unlike, Daniel, realizes right away that Molly is a catch and is pretty much willing to do and say whatever silly things he thinks will sway Molly to his affection.  I agree with another reviewer that I wanted to read more about Julian and his background.As other reviewers have said, the letters to Madeleine are both very sweet and sad; Molly's explanation to Julian about her relationship with Madeleine really struck an emotional chord with me, which I think is very telling of the wonderful writing and characterization that the author constructed in this novella.  While Miss Moseley the Matchmaker is not necessarily the type of romantic story I would have enjoyed if I was twenty-years old, a decade later, I do very much appreciate a strong romance between two mature adults who are both very open and desirous of finding love.