The Mystery Matchmaker of Ella Pointe

The four Tutheridge siblings grew up under the savage dictatorship of their wealthy and powerful father. Isolated on a small island in the Puget Sound, his three sons and daughter have little hope for finding love. Given their unique personalities and internal demons, romance seems unlikely. But when their mother secretly engages a team of matchmakers, hope blossoms for this lonely, slightly odd family. As long as they don’t know they’re being matched, they just might get their happy ending.

In the spring of 1910, an advertisement I spotted in the Boston newspaper called out to me: “Wealthy family in need of secretary on Whale Island. Must have an affinity for books.” When I’m offered the position, I do not hesitate to pack my meagre belongings and travel to Washington state. After all, I have nothing to lose. I’ve been dismissed from my current position. I have no family. It’s all a dream come true. The only problem? My employer, Benedict Tutheridge, makes my heart flutter and my knees wobble.

Devastated after both my fiancée and best friend betrayed me, I traveled to a distant isle in the Pacific Northwest, clinging to a job as an artist's assistant to escape my broken heart. Little did I know that I would find something else entirely when I met Briggs Tutheridge. His kindness and sensitivity were not at all what I expected. Still, his reputation was well-known and notorious, with bevies of admirers who wanted nothing more than a brief affair. That wasn't me. I was a wallflower destined to live in the shadows, and no amount of wishing could change that.

I didn’t want him here. I’d do anything to get rid of him. Sabotage his practice. Make sure the islanders knew he was not to be trusted. Push away his overtures of friendship and partnership. What good did a fancy city doctor do for the community anyway? My community. The residents of Whale Island could attest to my competency and compassion. We don’t need outsiders telling us what to do. Then I find out my mother is the one funding the interloper’s medical practice. My own mother. Why? I can’t fathom why she’d want to ruin my life.

My heart shattered when my sister's fiancé took what he wanted against my will, leaving me pregnant and disavowed by my family. Driven to desperate measures, I agree to take a housekeeping job on a remote island off the cost of Washington state. The man I’m working for? He’s kind, handsome and has a unique understanding of my position.

As the governess for a guarded widower, I am faced with the daunting task of warming a heart that has deliberately grown cold, isolating him from the vibrant life beyond his walls. Were it not for his enchanting and spirited daughter, I may have sought employment elsewhere. Yet, I am resolute to stay on the picturesque Whale Island, nurturing a blossoming romance with the local schoolmaster and hoping it culminates in a bond of marriage. If it signifies securing a stable home at last, I am willing to endure every storm, even the exasperating presence of Hudson Tutheridge.

Since the loss of my husband, matchmaking has been my solace and mission as I pair souls meant for each other. However, letters from a sensitive and insightful bachelor from across the country have me wondering about my own destiny. Together, Matthew and I successfully paired the Tutheridge siblings, but as our shared project ends, can a new story begin? With some trepidation, I agree to travel from Boston to Whale Island. Will I find love again in the arms of Matthew Goodwell?