A prequel novella to the POWER OF THE MATCHMAKER Series.
The Matchmaker’s Story is where it all starts . . .
Mae Li has been in love with Chen Zhu for years, and he with her. But when the matchmaker arrives at the Zhu family home, she recommends another village girl for Chen.
Heartbroken, Mae Li watches as Chen does his duty by marrying another. Mae flees her village with the clothes on her back and her only possession—a pearl embedded comb, given to her as a goodbye gift from Chen Zhu.
Upon Mae’s arrival in Shanghai, she quickly learns that she’ll starve within days unless she sells her prized comb or joins a courtesan house. She goes to the Huangpu River and promises the River God that she’ll always be selfless if he will save her from becoming a prostitute . . . Her wish is granted when Ms. Tan, the matchmaker of Shanghai, finds Mae. But Mae must completely change her future and her name if she is to become the next matchmaker.


Power of the Matchmaker on Amazon.
The author: Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author, with a dozen historical thrillers written under the pen name H.B. Moore. Latest is Finding Sheba (will be re-released Feb 2015 through Thomas & Mercer). Under Heather B. Moore she writes romance and women’s fiction and inspirational non-fiction, latest is The Fortune Cafe. Her various author names can be confusing so her kids just call her Mom.
Visit her blog for writing and book. Signing  up for Heather’s newsletter  at: www.hbmoore.com
My review : [rating=4]
If this is a foretaste of the series to come, I will be looking out for the rest of the books in the series. Although set in another time, the author managed to keep me enthralled with how  Mae Li transformed into Pearl and became a Matchmaker. This is ironic because it was another Matchmaker who caused her so much heartache, by not making a match for her with her love. Mae Li’s character comes across as being strong and determined. The last scene where she meets her love and makes peace with their respective fates is very moving.
Looking forward to the series – 12 novels by 12 bestselling authors -which will be released once a month in 2016.:
Broken Things to Mend by Karey White (Jan 2016)
Not Always Happenstance by Rachael Anderson (Feb 2016)
If We Were a Movie by Kelly Oram (March 2016)
Love is Come by Heather B. Moore (April 2016)
Four Chambers by Julie Wright (May 2016)
O’er the River Liffey by Heidi Ashworth (June 2016)
Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean (July 2016)
Between Earth and Heaven by Michele Paige Holmes (Aug 2016)
How I Met Your Brother by Janette Rallison (Sept 2016)
To Move the World by Regina Sirois (Oct 2016)
King of the Friend Zone by Sheralyn Pratt (Nov 2016)
The Reformer by Jaima Fixsen (Dec 2016)
 
Disclosure: I received a free book in exchange for an honest review.