Series: Matchmakers #3 (Standalone)
Publication Date: 02nd Jan 2024
Genre: Historical Mystery, Romance
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Enjoyable despite a few misses
Charlotte Duvall is enjoying her newly achieved doctor status in America and working in a hospital as a surgeon when a letter from her father sends her rushing back to London. Her father’s death saddens her, but Charlotte cannot stop thinking about her late mother and her death. Her father hints it was murder, and Charlotte wonders if it’s true.
John Ellis is the director of the London police force and Charlotte’s friend. He missed her a lot during her absence. When she tells him about the letter, they decide to dig deep and find out what happened. However, someone doesn’t want the truth revealed and will do anything. With the growing attraction between the two and mounting danger, Charlotte and John have much to do.
The story comes in Charlotte and John’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
I didn’t read the previous two books but had no issue following this plot. The story works as a standalone. The lead characters are friends, and their relationship turns into a sort of slow burn in this one.
The plot combines mystery and romance. There’s quite a bit of action as someone is stalking the heroine. The stakes increase as we enter the last section.
I like that the central premise of finding out about Charlotte’s mother’s death remains prominent. The romance doesn’t shadow the mystery or distract the readers. This can be an issue if you go in expecting romance.
The book also deals with other themes relevant to the period (though the vibes feel the setting crosses to the early 1900s) – misogyny, scandalous gossip, the secrets of the ton, etc. Some of it is done well and adds to the story. A few aspects aren’t developed enough.
The pacing is a bit uneven. With the characters stressing so much on career vs. love drama, the resolution is super easy. Why didn’t you think of this before? I expected something more dramatic, TBH.
The mystery is decent and goes well until the reveal, where it is also fast-tracked with easy confessions. Would the details come out so simply when the stakes are sky-high? Not sure.
The ending is also simplified, with everything neatly tied up. I always love happy endings and even demand for them. But I like it better when the problems are solved properly before we get to happy-ever-afters.
Nevertheless, despite the issues, the book is enjoyable and has strong characters. Charlotte knows when to accept help. Her cousins seem great (I’d be happy to read their stories in the previous books someday). No miscommunication trope, either.
To summarize, Protecting Her Heart is an enjoyable read with a few hits and misses. There are a few laughs, too, so grab it if you want a light read with a mystery and romance.
Thank you, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #ProtectingHerHeart
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