The Matchmaker
The Matchmaker
is both charming and beautiful. Sarah Price writes with an authenticity that pulls at the heartstrings and triumphs over self in a way that gives you renewed faith in love and friendship, showing us all the hand God has in our lives.
—SUE LAITINEN
DESTINATION AMISH
In her own distinctive voice Sarah Price has created a wealth of memorable, delightful characters in
The Matchmaker
! Readers will love this unique blend of the Amish and Jane Austen’s classic tale
Emma
—the story of a meddling, opinionated young lady who must learn the hard way that best-laid plans may sometimes go awry! With unpredictable twists and turns that Sarah Price is so well known for and a charming main character that is not your typical Amish heroine, this harmonious mix is truly a “match made” in heaven!
—DIANA FLOWER
SENIOR REVIEWER AT OWG BLOG
Once again Sarah Price has woven a tapestry of beautiful imagery, timeless wisdom, and sigh-worthy romance into her most recent work,
The Matchmaker
. Endearingly sweet and positively delightful!
—NICOLE DEESE
AUTHOR OF THE LETTING GO SERIES
AND
A CLICHÉ CHRISTMAS
S
arah Price’s retells
Emma
in her delightful novel,
The Matchmaker
. This sweet rendition is both authentically Amish and true to Jane Austen’s story, while full of whimsy, romance,
and heartfelt redemption. Thank you, Sarah, for a truly enjoyable read!
—LESLIE GOULD
CHRISTY AWARD–WINNING
AND BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
Just like
First Impressions
,
The Matchmaker
combines two of my favorite things: a Jane Austen’s book with Sarah Price’s unique and engaging storytelling. Sarah Price does a brilliant job of intertwining Amish life into a much-loved classic while staying true to the themes in Jane Austen’s
Emma
. Her characters are three dimensional, relatable and, more importantly, entertaining. Sarah’s Emma is just as lovable and full of error as Jane Austen’s heroine, while Gideon is as dashing and honorable as the incomparable Mr. Knightley. The story is so captivating that it pulls you in and leaves you wanting more from this very talented author. If you love Jane Austen as much as I do and are looking for a book that brings a fresh perspective to a retelling of a universal story, you do not want to miss reading
The Matchmaker
. I, for one, am looking forward to reading more from Sarah Price.
—ERIN BRADY
AUTHOR OF
THE SHOPPING SWAP
AND
THE HOLIDAY GIG
Highly recommended to anyone who reads Amish romance!
—BETH SHRIVER
AUTHOR OF THE TOUCH OF GRACE SERIES
AND
LOVE’S ABUNDANT HARVEST
Most C
HARISMA
H
OUSE
B
OOK
G
ROUP
products are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchase for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, and educational needs. For details, write Charisma House Book Group, 600 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, Florida 32746, or telephone (407) 333-0600.
T
HE
M
ATCHMAKER
by Sarah Price
Published by Realms
Charisma Media/Charisma House Book Group
600 Rinehart Road
Lake Mary, Florida 32746
This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.
All Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission.
Copyright © 2015 by Sarah Price
All rights reserved
Cover design by Bill Johnson
Design Director: Justin Evans
Visit the author’s website at
sarahpriceauthor.com
.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Price, Sarah, 1969-
The matchmaker / Sarah Price. -- First edition.
pages ; cm. -- (The Amish classics ; Book 2)
ISBN 978-1-62998-004-1 (softcover) -- ISBN 978-1-62998-009-6 (e-book)
1. Amish--Fiction. 2. Lancaster County (Pa.)--Fiction. 3. Austen, Jane, 1775-1817--Parodies, imitations, etc. . I. Austen, Jane, 1775-1817. Emma. II. Title.
PS3616.R5275M38 2015
813'.6--dc23
2014034345
International Standard Book Number: 978-1-62998-004-1
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62998-005-8
To my dear friend Erin Brady, for encouraging me to take my writing to a new and very exciting level of literary exploration.
CONTENTS
A Note About Vocabulary
Preface
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Glossary
About Sarah Price
T
HE
A
MISH SPEAK
Pennsylvania Dutch (also called Amish German or Amish Dutch). This is a verbal language with variations in spelling among the many different Amish and Mennonite communities throughout the United States.
In some regions a “grandfather” is
grossdaadi
, while in other regions he is known as
grossdawdi
. The word for mother is
maam
in some communities,
mammi
in another, and still
maem
in yet one more variation.
In addition there are words such as “mayhaps” or “reckon,” the use of the word “then” and “now” at the end of sentences, and, my favorite, “for sure and certain,” which are not necessarily from the Pennsylvania Dutch language/dialect but are unique to the Amish and used frequently. Other phrases such as “oh help,” “fiddle faddle,” and “oh bother!” are ones that I have heard repeatedly throughout the years.
The use of these words and phrases comes from my personal experience living among the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. For readers who are not familiar with such terms, I have italicized the words and included a glossary at the end of the novel.
T
HE IDEA FOR
this book was a long time in coming. I started to read quite early in life, and my taste for books transcended the typical chunky books that preschoolers are made to read. I confess that my first love was Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, which I devoured practically on a daily basis. To say I was a bookworm would be putting it mildly. Children would take bets whether or not I could finish a book a day—a challenge I won easily on most days.
So my transition to classic literature came at an early age, with my favorites being Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, and (a personal favorite) Victor Hugo. Christmas was fairly predictable in my house. Just one leather-bound book always made it the “bestest Christmas ever.”
In writing Amish Christian romances, something I have been doing for twenty-five years, I have always tried to explore new angles to the stories. I base most of my stories on my own experiences, having lived on Amish farms and in Amish homes over the years. I have come to know these amazingly strong and devout people in a way that I am constantly pinching myself as to why I have been able to do so. I must confess that on more than one occasion I have heard
the same from them: “We aren’t quite sure what it is, Sarah, but . . . there’s something deeply special about you.”