Matched and Married

Written by Kathleen Fuller

Narrated by Lauren Berst

Neither Margaret nor Owen has any interest in getting married. But in the small Amish town of Birch Creek, where marriage is on everyone’s mind, their plans don’t stand a chance.

Margaret Yoder can’t seem to catch a break. Even though she’s dedicated to her Amish faith, her wild rumspringa won’t stay in the past, and her mother keeps pressuring her to get married. To placate her mother and get away from former “friends”, she decides to return to Birch Creek to visit family—and pretend to find a husband.

Like Margaret, Owen Bontrager isn’t looking for a spouse, something that’s hard to avoid in Birch Creek, where an ad for brides in the local paper has brought a swarm of single women to the thriving town. When he meets Margaret in an unexpected way, they discover they have more in common than they ever expected. In some ways, they are a perfect match.

Margaret struggles to keep her goal of avoiding romance in order to focus on being a faithful member of the Amish church, and it doesn’t help that she finds Owen intriguing. Knowing they don’t have a future together; she returns home and gives in to her mother’s insistence that she get married.

Can Margaret betray her feelings for Owen and become a dutiful daughter and wife to the man of her mother’s choosing? Or will Owen find a way to free Margaret of her past by giving her the future they both are surprised to find they desire?

• Sweet Amish romance
• Second in the Amish Mail-Order Bride series, but can be read in any order
• Book 1: A Double Dose of Love
• Book 2: Matched and Married
• Book 3: Love in Plain Sight 
• Book length: 77,000 words

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Sep 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9780310358985

Kathleen Fuller

With over two million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the USA TODAY bestselling author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, and the Amish Letters series as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield. Visit her online at KathleenFuller.com; Instagram: @kf_booksandhooks; Facebook: @WriterKathleenFuller; X: @TheKatJam.

Reviews for Matched and Married

[Lisa Morris · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Poor Margaret is not wanted at home ... but Birch Creek has possibilities! Great listen and I enjoyed the narrator!!

[kevin shumway · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a lovely written story, full of pure delight.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Margaret has never been the daughter her mother wanted. Wishing to put her rumspringa past behind her and some distance between her and her mother, she goes to visit relatives in Birch Creek. Her mother thinks Margaret is going there to look for a husband, but that is the furthers thing from her mind. She meets Owen there, and he informs her that he isn’t looking for a wife. They strike up a friendship, but it’s not long before they both realize the bond between them is growing, even though they try to deny it. It’s a lovely story, and a nice addition to the series.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Matched and Married by Kathleen Fuller is the 2nd An Amish Mail Order Bride Novel. It can be read as a standalone in case you have not indulged in A Double Dose of Love. I thought Matched and Married was well-written with steady pacing. It contains realistic characters who have normal fears, concerns, joys, and hopes. I enjoyed meeting and getting to know Margaret Yoder and Owen Bontrager. We get to see their friendship develop over their shared love of foraging and herbal medicine. I did find Margaret a bit negative during the first half of the book. I was baffled why Margaret felt it was wrong to use or investigate the abandoned shed in the woods. It was obvious it had not been used in some time. Owen has some great ideas for the family farm. That type of out of the box thinking is what is needed if the farm is to survive. Margaret and Owen will need to do soul searching and prayer before a resolution is achieved. There was a side story focusing on Rhoda Troyer that was quite interesting. She is lonely with her children married and her husband gone. Emmanuel, Rhoda’s husband, took off years ago after his crimes were uncovered. She has not seen or heard from him since then. Should Rhoda continue to live in limbo? The ending will leave you smiling. It was great to catch up with the characters from A Double Dose of Love. Love, hope, forgiveness, and the importance of being yourself (comfortable in your own skin) are featured in Matched and Married. I am looking forward to reading Love in Plain Sight. Matched and Married is a sweet Amish tale with a workaholic farmer, a shameful secret, an attentive aunt, a benevolent bishop, a fetching Englisher, adamant mother, and a wondering Amish woman.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My favorite part of this book was on the first page, with the description of Margaret's trendy non-Amish clothing! When Margaret visits her relatives, she leaves her own community so as to avoid her past indiscretions, and become more faithful to her beliefs. Owen devotes his time to farming, to the point of exhaustion. Both Margaret and Owen are determined not to get romantically involved, yet they cannot avoid their growing interest in one another.

Although this romance is quite predictable, the plot twists and turns keep readers interested in the action. Margaret and Owen are realistic and likeable, each with his or her own flaws and failings. Readers who enjoy clean stories, without violence, sexual intimacies, or strong language will find this story to be an intriguing read, worth the time to peruse it.(The cliff hanger ending was hard to take though!)

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[eccl-3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Matched and Married is book two in An Amish Mail-Order Bride series by Kathleen Fuller. This is a cute stand alone Amish romance that does reference people in the first book, so it is best to read the books in order. The story is well written and very descriptive. It was easy to imagine Margaret and Owen as they seek shelter from the storm.

I felt sorry for the couple as they are both being pressured from their mothers so marry when they don’t want to. But it is fun to see how God has other plans for them. I especially liked when Margaret’s father confided in her about the past and his relationship with her mother.

I received a complimentary copy of this story from the publisher through NetGalley, this is my honest review.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a great treat to be back in Birch Creek Ohio and with so many characters that I have come to care for. We are updated on their lives and your in for a treat with a new visiting member, and one that is not interested in finding a spouse, and definitely not a mail order bride.

While Margaret is trying to obey her mother, she doesn't want to get married, but the author puts Owen Bontrager in her path. A young man that doesn't know how to stop working, and we are along with his family to see how his family deals with the problem they are seeing.

Not only does this pair not want to get married, you will soon wonder if they will survive to the end?

I love that their is another book coming, I am looking forward to it!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review.