Matched in Merriweather

From the best-selling author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series:

"The novel shines in its palpable sense of place—from the spirited Harvest Fest to badger holes, old zinc mines, and quaint Cornish cottages. Cox favors small-town charm exploration infused with humor and romance."—Booklife reviews

"Delightful. Charming. Austenites will devour this. This was the perfect escape read for me; loved every delightful and laugh-out-loud moment. Simply charming"—Amazon reviewer

After receiving a desperate letter reporting her father to be gravely ill, inveterate matchmaker Melody Merriweather leaves college and rushes back to her small hometown of Merriweather, Wisconsin—only to discover that she’s expected to take over the running of her family’s general store, the Merc, until he recovers.

There, Melody tries to liven up the dusty old shop by selling luxury hats and gloves while also managing the handful of eccentric employees she’s inherited—the sweet, impressionable Harriet; the crabby Mrs. Haufbrau; and the overly critical but irritatingly handsome Cal Frasier. In typical Melody fashion, it isn’t long before she sets her sights on helping Harriet find a more suitable match than the local farmer who supplies the Merc with eggs.

All of Melody’s fanciful ideas suddenly fly out the window, however, when she learns that the Merc is not so well off as she imagined and that her father has borrowed money from loan sharks to keep it afloat. With the help of a surly Cal, Melody concocts a plan to brew cider as a way to resurrect the failing store. But when her attempts at both cider- and matchmaking go awry in spectacular fashion, it throws the Merc—and her own self-confidence—further into jeopardy . . .

A delightful 1930s retelling of Jane Austen’s beloved classic Emma!