With more than 800,000 copies of her books sold, Jody Hedlund continues to captivate readers with her masterful blend of romance and historical detail. In this third installment of the A Shanahan Match series, Hedlund’s A Wager with the Matchmaker presents a compelling story where love and danger intertwine in the vibrant setting of historic St. Louis.

In this interview, Jody talks about why readers are drawn to her style of historical romance, as well as gives inside perspectives into the creation of her characters.

FF: Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel A Wager with the Matchmaker?
Welcome back to the Shanahans, a wealthy and large Irish family living in St. Louis in 1849. They are an imperfect but loving family, seeking to make happy matches for each of their children. With two of the older daughters now married (thanks to the matchmaker), it’s now time for the next Shanahan to have his turn. The family once again seeks out the matchmaker for help, and once again the matchmaker seems to have a knack for bringing unlikely couples together.

FF: A Wager with the Matchmaker is the third book in your A Shanahan Match series. Can you tell us what readers can expect from this installment?
The wily, young matchmaker is up to his shenanigans again in book 3 of the A Shanahan Match series, this time for Kiernan Shanahan. Kiernan has been waiting for his turn and believes that finding a match will not only help him forget about his former flame, but that it will also help provide a dowry to aid in his new brickmaking venture.

Alannah Darragh needs safety from the threat of the gang problems that her brother has gotten her into. As a new maid for the Shanahans at their country home, she’s forbidden from having any sort of relationship with her employees, especially the handsome Kiernan. Leave it to the matchmaker to come up with a way to bring these two people together using all his tricks . . . and this time a wager with each of them.

FF: The matchmaker seems to have plans that differ from what Kiernan thinks he wants. Can you tell us about the role this character plays in bringing your hero and heroine together?
Kiernan is a strong, stubborn, and determined man. He compiles a list of qualities that he believes he needs in a wife and gives that list to the matchmaker to use while seeking out candidates. Of course, Bellamy doesn’t need help because he already has someone in mind, but Kiernan insists on doing things his way. The matchmaker reluctantly agrees to use Kiernan’s list, but only if he enters a wager that if he doesn’t fall in love with a woman using his list, he’ll marry the woman Bellamy chooses.

In this story, Bellamy wisely allows Kiernan to learn lessons the hard way. When Kiernan finally realizes he’s in love with Alannah, the matchmaker’s choice for him, how can he prove to her that his list doesn’t matter and that she’s all he needs?

The rebuilding of St. Louis after a devastating fire plays a key role in the story. What kind of historical research did you do to accurately portray this period?
Since book 2, Saving the Matchmaker, involves the Great Fire of St. Louis in May of 1849, I wanted to use book 3, A Wager with the Matchmaker, to show what happened next in the sequence of events. Part of that had to do with the cholera epidemic that began to rage out of control during the summer of 1849. I wanted to give readers more of a glimpse of how the epidemic ravaged the city and affected businesses, like the brickmakers.

I also realized during my research trip to St. Louis just how many houses are built of red bricks. I was fascinated by the brickmaking industry that was so prevalent in the St. Louis area as a result of being so close to the Mississippi River and the sediments the river left behind in the St. Louis area. While the era of brickmaking didn’t really gain momentum until the 1850s, it had its beginnings in the aftermath of the Great Fire, and I thought it would make an interesting business endeavor for Kiernan.

FF: Both Alannah and Kiernan face difficult choices between duty and desire. How does their faith guide them through these decisions?
Alannah has lost so much in her short life—both parents, one brother, moving away from her homeland, and her freedom (as a result of the danger she faces with the St. Louis gangs). Amidst all her losses, she feels as though she’s somehow lost God’s favor. She wrestles through God’s distance and has to come to a place of learning that she hasn’t pushed Him away, that He’s still near and has always been there.

Kiernan has struggles, too, in comparing himself to his dad’s successes and feeling as though he’s always coming up short. His faith is strengthened as he learns important lessons about what is truly important in this life.

FF: Your books often feature strong themes of redemption and second chances. How do these themes play out in A Wager with the Matchmaker?
I love a good redemption and second-chance story! And so those themes do show up often in my stories. In this particular book, each of the characters is having to deal with past (and current) mistakes that force them to evaluate their lives. In doing so, they have to humble themselves. The real question is always how does this play out in the romance? You know the couple will get back together (otherwise it wouldn’t be a romance!). But the how of getting the second chance is what drives the story.

FF: Kiernan initially sets out to find a wealthy bride but finds himself drawn to someone completely different. What message do you hope readers take away from this aspect of the story?
When we’re seeking love, sometimes we look at surface qualities that we think will make us happy (things like outward appearance, status, wealth, etc.). In reality, what makes for a stronger and more lasting love is one that is based on inner qualities like patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, loyalty, and more.

FF: Your books have sold more than 800,000 copies. What do you think draws readers to your particular style of historical romance?
I’ve been told by readers that they appreciate the depth of emotions that my characters feel, the realism that is portrayed, and that they can connect with the struggles of the characters. I like to think that my characters are raw and real and that their desires are raw and real too. In other words, I don’t hold back in displaying their passions and desires. My books do contain some sizzle while keeping the bedroom door closed and the romance sweet. That style doesn’t appeal to everyone, but there is a growing market for readers who are drawn to swoony kisses and a more intense romance style.

FF: What are you working on next?
I have just finished writing the fourth book in the A Shanahan Match series, and yes, this one is about Bellamy McKenna, the matchmaker. After hearing from so many readers who wanted Bellamy to get his happily-ever-after, I just knew I had to write his story. It was fun to write, and I hope readers will enjoy the conclusion to the series.

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A Wager with the Matchmaker
A Shanahan Match Book #3
Jody Hedlund
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Historical, Romance
Release Date: May 6, 2025

ASIN: B0DLL7BBXT

Book Summary:
After her brother’s involvement with an Irish gang puts her family at risk, Alannah Darragh flees St. Louis, finding safety as a maid for the affluent Shanahan family. Though determined to avoid romance and maintain her position, she finds herself increasingly drawn to the handsome
Kiernan Shanahan.

In the wake of a devastating fire, Kiernan Shanahan sees an opportunity to invest in a clay mine and brickyard to aid the city’s rebuilding. His path to securing this venture leads him to seek a wealthy bride with a substantial dowry. However, the local matchmaker has other plans—ones that could bring him closer to the very maid he finds increasingly difficult to ignore.

As danger follows Alannah to her new home and she fights to keep her brother safe, Kiernan’s protective instincts draw them closer together. But with their different stations
in life and the complications of her past, it will take more than a matchmaker’s wager to bring these two hearts together.

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