Book Review for The Matchmaker's Cottage by Kat Sloane

 

The Matchmaker's Cottage by Kat Sloane

Published:  August 11, 2026 by Berkley

Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Friends to Lovers, Small Town Romance

 

Taken from Goodreads:  A cozy fall romance wrapped in small-town charm reunites the owner of a bed-and-breakfast with her childhood sweetheart for a celebrity matchmaking scheme which has them both seeing stars.

Julia Schaeffer might run the most romantic little bed-and-breakfast in Upstate New York, but as far as that infuriating Ethan Duchamp is concerned, this older, wiser Julia has a strict “no vacancy” policy. Sure, she’s teetering on the edge of a financial cliff, and his half-baked plan to pair up his celebrity clients at her inn will undoubtedly be good for business…but how much forced proximity with the man who abandoned her is she supposed to take?

Ethan needs this to work. The dreamy, autumnal—and blissfully secluded—cottage from his childhood summers is the ideal setting for playing matchmaker to Hollywood’s next power couple. It’s the only way to save his PR career from the tabloid toilet. He knew that the inn and Julia’s warm, comforting homemade touch would inspire real feelings—he just didn’t expect them to be his. Again.

But as old wounds reopen, and their connection rekindles, Julia and Ethan are forced to confront the truths they’ve both tried to bury. In a town where nothing stays hidden for long, they’ll have to decide if they can rebuild what was lost—or if their second chance will be derailed by scars that have yet to heal.

My Thoughts:  Second-chance romance set in a small town is right up my alley.   I love these two genres and together they make a must-read story.  Ethan is a man looking to redeem his reputation while Julia just wants a successful bed-and-breakfast.  They must work together to reach both of their goals. 

I enjoyed that Ethan and Julia have a history.  Of course, that history has two sides and both parties involved were hurt.   It was interesting to learn little by little what had happened, how it was perceived by each other, and how they would figure their way through it.  The fact that they were back in the small-town where that history took place added to the story and let secondary characters become part of the story.  

Their were a few twists and turns that I did not see coming.   They added fun to the story and made the connection even better. 

Thank you Berkley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Meet the Author: Kat Sloane has been writing stories for as long as she can remember, with a particular knack for dreaming up new ways to get her characters to kiss. These days, as a middle school teacher she also channels her English literature and fine arts degree into other outlets. When she’s not teaching, she’s spending time with her family in the suburbs of Toronto. Most of her writing takes place late at night, during her coveted revenge bedtime procrastination hours.