The Reformer (Power of the Matchmaker #12) by Jaima Fixsen {Review}

The Reformer (Power of the Matchmaker #12) by Jaima Fixsen

300 pages

Published December 1st 2016

Mary Buchanan has bigger worries than the radical journalist moving in next door who’s spoiling her father’s digestion: unrequited love for a footman, a fractious aunt, patiently awaiting her destiny…

Already she’s nearly eighteen. No sign of destiny yet, but Mary’s certain he’ll be handsome.

Then she meets the reformer, this Mr. Samuel Brown. Destiny is closer at hand than Mary has supposed—if she can just get Mr. Brown to realize it.

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My Review: 4 Stars

Each book in this series can stand alone, although I recommend reading the very first book to get a feel for who the matchmaker is and how she came to be.

Mary is an oppressed young woman, living with her doctor father and his sister. She is very stifled and a chance meeting with a handsome neighbor opens her eyes to life and causes her to start to spread her wings--in a rebellious way. Samuel is a reformer and that's very attractive to Mary. His best friend, Neil, and another neighbor, Mrs. Chin (whom I assume is Pearl--I wish her pearl comb would have been mentioned), along with servant, Annie, help shape and mold Mary into the woman she is meant to be.

With Mary's new freedom, she longs for love and has a couple of options--although it takes her awhile to realize what they are. Her true passion, aside from her growing love of politics, is her drawing, which she uses not only to support herself independently from her old-fashioned and controlling father, but to put her mark on the Reformation. I like Samuel and his head-in-the-clouds ways and his encounters with the doctor are funny, in a ridiculous way. Neil is argumentative, yet supportive, and I couldn't decide if I liked him or not. Mrs. Chin is sweet and wise and a very good inspiration for Mary.

I loved watching Mary blossom and gain strength. I loved watching character relationships develop, especially as the plot reached the pinnacle of the government crisis. I really enjoyed this last book in this series, but wasn't expecting such a politically historic tale. I'm sad to see it all come to an end and I'm really happy to find another new-to-me author through this series. 

Content: mild-moderate romance (kissing, innuendo); mild language (several cuss words); mild violence, due to the Reformation.

*I received a copy through eBooks for Review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

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About the Author:

Jaima Fixsen lives in Alberta, Canada with her handsome husband and clever children. Mostly, she just tries to keep up.