‘Uprooted from war-torn London, Alda Lucie-Brown and her three daughters start a new life at Pine Cottage in rural Sussex. Unsuited to a quiet life, Alda attempts to orchestrate — with varying degrees of success — the love affairs of her neighbours. Her unwilling subjects include an Italian POW, a Communist field-hand, a battery-chicken farmer and her intelligent friend Jean.’
Lovely feel good read. Alda is all about Alda. She seems to know what’s best for everyone and ends up messing everyone’s lives up. She doesn’t want her girls to go to school as she needs them with her needing her all the time. Thank goodness her husband insists they go!
Jean, her sweet friend, grows in confidence as the story progresses and she is my favourite character.
Enjoyed the setting and the time period. Sylvia is a Land Girl the Hoadley farm asked for to be an extra hand on the farm. Emilio and Fabrio are Italian prisoners of war sent to the farm each day to work. Fabrio falls madly in love with Sylvia. Or is he in love with a Sylvia he’s conjured up in his own mind that doesn’t really exist? Will Alda help or hurt this couple? And what of poor Maria back in Italy?
Mr. Waite is a man who grew up wealthy but his family lost all their money and he was left penniless. Now he is a chicken farmer and somewhat bitter and judgemental. Then Jean came into his life. Alda thinks he is the perfect match for Jean, but Jean is in love with Mr. Potter whom she hasn’t heard from in some time. Will Jean marry Mr. Waite? Will her life with him be sad or will she be a wonderful addition to his life and change his outlook? But wait! Just when she thinks she will Marry Mr. Waite, Mr. Potter comes back into her life! What does Alda say? Can she mind her own business? Who will Jean marry?
Fun read!
Peggy Ann
Peggy's Porch 
Just love the sound of this one… beautiful edition in the photo, too!
LikeLike
Oh I so love the sound of this. I onIy first heard of The Matchmaker a day or two ago conincidently.
LikeLike
It was a lovely old edition Katrina had her shelves. There's nothing like an old book, the feel of it, the paper is different, the binding is different. More substantial somehow. I picked up a newer paperback reprint of this book in a charity shop just in case I didn't get Katrina's copy finished before I left. But I did! It was the only Stella Gibbons I came across while here. Darn, I was hoping to find a couple.
LikeLike
I thought of you, Ali, while reading this! It's definitely your type of book. I found a few Virago books while here. I so love all your reviews from them. Katrina gave me a couple of her Persephone books as we didn't come across any in the shops.
LikeLike