Robin Bielman’s ‘The Matchmaker and the Cowboy’ Radiates Sunshine [REVIEW]

Windsong may be the “happiest seaside and mountain town in California,” but even picturesque tourist destinations are populated by full time residents with real world problems. In Robin Bielman’s second installment of her enchanting series (after The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy), a talented seamstress who is done with romance must share close quarters with the friendliest, most eligible cowboy in town. But are their newfound circumstances enough to draw them together? Or will past trauma keep them apart?

Callie Carmichael is the go-to girl in town if you want to have bridesmaids’ dresses made. After all, these dresses of hers seem to be kissed by Cupid. No lie! Every person who has ever worn one of these gowns has somehow found their soulmate soon after donning one.

While her dresses’ rumored “magic” may be great for business, Callie isn’t so sure she has anything to do with anyone finding love. She certainly hasn’t been lucky in that department herself. In fact, all she ever seems to wind up with are new lessons in heartbreak. Now she’s determined to steer clear of love at all costs.

Upon returning to the States after an extended trip abroad, however, she suddenly finds herself with a new roommate, her best friend’s brother, Hunter Owens. He may look like a bad boy, but Callie soon discovers that there’s more beneath his Stetson than that sexy smile and smoldering gaze. In fact, he’s the real deal, a devoted family man who always seems to put the needs of his community ahead of his own. The more time Callie spends with him, the more she feels her resolve slipping, which has the warning bells in her brain ringing like crazy.

To make matters worse, Hunter has asked her to make him a best man suit. Maybe if she makes it, he will look great next to groom and find true love too. There’s just one thing about this request that has Callie in a tizzy: What if the one Hunter falls for isn’t her?

With The Matchmaker and the Cowboy, Robin Bielman has tossed several romance tropes into her literary cauldron, including forced proximity, best friend’s brother, best man, cowboy, and small-town romance. Then she’s stirred them all together to conjure up a heady brew that is simply irresistible.

First of all, Bielman knows how to write. She infuses her plot with angst, empathy, and loads of humor. On several occasions, I found myself going from one emotion to another, oftentimes on the same page, always eager to read what comes next. Second, she crafts characters that are flawed, authentic, and totally lovable. Hunter is too nice for his own good, and it often gets the best of him. But his innate sweetness makes him the kind of guy everyone wants to be around, including us as readers. Callie too is just as deftly drawn, and it makes us want to cheer them on, hoping they find a bit of magic of their own.

In recent years, television has made viewing audiences fall in love with book-to-screen adaptations of beloved series like Virgin River, Cedar Cove, Chesapeake Shores and Sweet Magnolias. All of these take place in idyllic small towns, are populated by slightly neurotic characters, and keep us binge watching until we find ourselves clamoring for more episodes. After reading about Windsong, I can easily see the series getting snapped up by Netflix or Hallmark too, primarily because it utilizes all the same plot devices so many of us seem to crave and the characters and setting are just that compelling.

Even if you haven’t binge watched any of the aforementioned series, just know that Robin Bielman is an author who writes with her heart on her sleeve, her tongue in her cheek, and a huge smile on her face. The Matchmaker and the Cowboy is a book that seems to radiate sunshine. It will elevate your mood, give you a giggle, and make you believe in love and your fellow man again.