Review: Love Takes the Cake by Betsy St. Amant

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

She’s known for her delicious cakes, but there’s no recipe for dealing with the new man in her life.
Charlotte Cantrell is always the baker; never the bride. Clients come from near and far for her renowned wedding cakes. And while the wedding scene is Charlotte’s place to shine, her own love life is more dull than ever. When Will, a regular at Charlotte’s bakery, catches her attention, she can only hope that he is the reliable man this single mother has always hoped to find. The problem is that he’s regularly stopping in to buy cookies for another girl. But when Charlotte is hired to bake a host of wedding goodies for a difficult bride and finds out Will is the best man, she has the perfect opportunity to get to know him better—and find out how serious Will is about this other girl in his life.

My Review

Charlotte's secret crush on her handsome customer is completely natural, but when he asks her out, she automatically assumes he is a cheater like the man who left her single and pregnant. Will is confused since he thought the attraction was mutual, but because he is ashamed of his past, he has a hard time pursuing her. There is quite a bit of inner turmoil and angst in both characters, which overshadows their brief connection. I felt like things didn't have much chance to develop before the ensuing drama hit. Overall it was an interesting story of second chances and seizing the day.

(Thank you to BookLook Bloggers and Zondervan Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: Love Arrives in Pieces by Betsy St. Amant

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

For so long, Stella was known for her beauty. Now, with her heart stripped bare, she must discover who she really is.

Former pageant queen Stella Varland doesn't trust beauty anymore after her divorce. Her appearance betrayed her and led to her brokenness so instead of being beautiful, now she tries to make beautiful things, but always falls short. So she keeps her passion for her secret art to herself and focuses on her interior design work. But if she doesn't get another job soon, she ll be stuck living with her parents.

Contractor Chase Taylor is determined to live a life of no regrets after losing his fiancee in a car crash. Now he lives life at full speed, striving to see how much he can accomplish. He knows if he slows down, he ll fall apart. So he returns home to Bayou Bend to renovate the town s old theater, and is shocked to learn former flame Stella is the designer for the project.

Forced to work together, Chase and Stella battle their chemistry and their pasts as they struggle to compromise and come together on a vision for the theater. Chase doesn't understand why Stella is such a subdued version of herself, while Stella doesn't get Chase's constant need for productivity and speed. Their wills clash as they attempt to hide their brokenness and their unresolved feelings for each other until Chase breaks through Stella's walls and convinces her to enter her mosaic tile art in a contest.

A near catastrophe, a fire, and a small-town gossip mill finally force both Stella and Chase to realize that they have a choice to hold on to the shards of their pasts, or surrender their fragmented pieces to the One who makes a beautiful masterpiece from the broken.

My Review

I had mixed feelings about this book. It's definitely well-written, but it was hard for me to relate to and feel the chemistry between the main characters. In the beginning the history between Stella and Chase was alluded to as scandalous, but details were not shared which kept me guessing... and then later in the book it was only ever referred to vaguely, leaving me unsatisfied. Stella is recovering from anxiety and still experiencing some symptoms which she attributes to her dysfunctional marriage and divorce, but again, the details of her history are vague and it made it more difficult for me to fully connect with her. Perhaps it would have slowed the pacing down to include too much, but for me it was not enough.

My favorite thing about the book is Stella's secret talent as an artist and how she relates her emotions to this outlet. When she isn't a falling apart mess she and Chase do have some fun banter and friendship, but both allow the past and the animosity of Stella's family to prevent a romance from developing again. The project of renovating the movie theater was a great setting- it provided a unique backdrop and challenges for the characters to deal with. I loved the insights of Dixie, a local homeless woman in tune with some spiritual realm, who shares little nuggets of wisdom with Stella.

(Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and Zondervan Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

E-book sale: $2.99 each for All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes, The House That Love Built, Betting on Hope, and Seaside Letters

(Be sure to check the price since e-book sales are for a limited time)

$2.99 for the e-book of All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant

Synopsis

At twenty-six years old, Kat is still living in the shadows of her family in Bayou Bend, Louisiana. Still working shifts at her Aunt Maggie s bakery. Still wondering what to do with her passion for baking and her business degree. And still single.

But when Lucas Brannen, Kat s best friend, signs her up for a reality TV bake-off on Cupcake Combat, everything Kat ever wanted is suddenly dangled in front of her: creative license as a baker, recognition as a visionary . . . and a job at a famous bakery in New York.

As the competition heats up, Lucas realizes he might have made a huge mistake. As much as he wants the best for Kat, the only thing he wants for himself her is suddenly in danger of slipping away.

The bright lights of reality cooking wars and the chance at a successful career dazzle Kat s senses and Lucas is faced with a difficult choice: help his friend achieve her dreams . . . or sabotage her chances to keep her in Louisiana.

 

$2.99 for the e-book of The House That Love Built by Beth Wiseman

Synopsis

In the small town of Smithville, Texas, Brooke Holloway is raising six-year-old Meghan and ten-year-old Spencer on her own two years after her husband's death. Being a single-mom and running the family's local hardware store keep her busy.

While Meghan longs for a daddy, Spencer has threatened to run away if Brooke even goes out on a date. But the last thing on Brooke's mind is falling in love. When a stranger moves to town and buys a house with a mysterious past, Brooke can't contain her curiosity. As she spends time with the new owner, she wonders if maybe God is giving her another chance at happiness.

Owen Saunders fled the big city to start over in a small, rural town famous for baking the world's largest gingerbread man. Then he bought an old house to restore-for all the wrong reasons. If anything needs restoration, it is Owen's heart in the aftermath of his failed marriage. With little hope and lost faith, Owen is tempted by happiness when he meets Brooke, but his heart remains sealed shut.
As they learn more about Owen's house, one thing becomes obvious to both of them: God has put them together for a reason.

 

$2.99 for the e-book of Betting on Hope by Debra Clopton

Synopsis

Maggie Hope is an advice columnist whose background leaves her with little advice to give . . . and it's beginning to show. When Maggie fills in at an interview with champion horse trainer Tru Monahan, the on-camera chemistry between them is undeniable. Maggie's bosses know this is the opportunity she's been looking for to launch her career--and their bank accounts. In order to save her column, Maggie takes Tru up on the bet that he can teach her to ride a quick-stepping cutting horse like any cowgirl, despite the fact that she has never been on a horse. And in the meantime, she can get the scoop on the man under the cowboy hat.

Tru has been on the competition circuit for longer than he'd like, but he knows it's the only way he can afford to keep the Four of Hearts Ranch that means so much to his ailing grandfather. So when his sponsors see the opportunity for Tru's fans to get to know the star on a more intimate level, he knows he must oblige. To his dismay, Maggie not only invades his small town of Wishing Springs, but she also invades his heart, and that is something he cannot let any woman do--for her own good.

In Wishing Springs, Maggie finds what she has always been looking for: a community and a home. But when her past catches up to her, it threatens everything, even the tender hope that this town holds all of her heart's desires.

 

$2.99 for the e-book of Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter

Synopsis

Sabrina never intended to fall in love with Tucker McCabe, the man she serves coffee to every morning at a Nantucket cafe--especially since he's unwittingly tied to a past she deeply regrets. But she's fallen hard, though she's kept her feelings a secret.

When Tucker learns Sabrina is the research assistant for a local mystery writer, he asks Sabrina to help him with a little sleuthing of his own...locating an elusive woman he's fallen for online.
 
If Sabrina accepts the job, she'll spend her evenings in close proximity to a man who can never be hers. If she turns him down, he'll hire someone else--and that would be a disaster. Because if someone else sifts through all those letters and finds out the truth, Tucker will discover her secret...
That the person he's trying to find is her. 

Giveaway Hop! All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes and 150+ other giveaways to check out!

It's giveaway time!!! 

Enter for a chance to win a copy of the lovely 
All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant!

I really liked this book and rated it four stars- you can read my review here. Last night was the author chat party and my favorite question was "Kat tends to describe people in terms of cupcake flavors. What cupcake flavor best describes you?" So that's what I want to know about you! My answer was sweet mint with dark chocolate sprinkles :)

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There are over 150 other book giveaways to check out! Happy hopping!

Review! Kindle Giveaway! Facebook Party! All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

She's written a recipe for her future, but does it include love?
Katherine 'Kat' Varland is a small town girl, born and raised- and every day, her dreams of owning her own bakery get further away. She has no money, and the cupcake shop she bakes for, Sweetie Pies, seems to get smaller and smaller. Kat might be the sweetheart of Bayou Bend, Louisiana, but she longs to make a name for herself where she can flourish as Kat- not as the girl baking someone else's recipes.
As head coach for the Bayou Bend championship high school football team, Lucas Brannen is used to winning- everything except his best friend's heart. He finally gathers the courage to make a gesture and show Kat his feelings by signing her up for the popular reality TV show Cupcake Combat. But his plan backfires after he realizes the cash prize for the winner also includes a one-year baking contract at one of New York City's most famous pastry houses.
The situation grows sticky when Kat enlists Lucas's help as her baking assistant for the show. Lucas is torn between helping Kat live her dream and selfishly wanting to keep her in town. His plan has always been a dozen acres of land and a farmhouse in Bayou Bend- but Kat is blinded by the stars in her eyes.
Will Lucas and Kat risk their chance at love in order to achieve their individual dreams? Or will they find that sometimes the most delicious happily-ever-afters begin and end in the same place?

My Review

I love stories where best friends fall in love! It's fascinating to see how a relationship makes the shift from friends to more-than-friends. There is plenty of angst from both of the main characters as neither realize that the other feels ready to move forward... which sometimes became repetitive when they would continue to hold each other at arms length and fail to communicate. I don't enjoy watching reality shows, but that aspect of the plot was well-written and kept things exciting. The personalities of Kat and Lucas were both likeable so it was fun to follow their drama and see how things would end up.

(Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and Zondervan Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

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Don't miss Betsy St. Amant's latest fiction release, All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes. A "sweet" tale of two best friends and the choices they make between dreams and a possible "sure thing," St. Amant's novel is sure to satisfy your romantic-fiction craving.

Betsy is celebrating with a fun Kindle giveaway and a Love & Cupcakes Facebook party! One winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle
• All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 18th. Winner will be announced at the "Love & Cupcakes" Author Chat Party on 9/18. Betsy will be hosting a "sweet" book chat, giving away prizes, and answering questions from readers. She will also share an exclusive sneak peek at her next book project!

So grab your copy of All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes and join Betsy on the evening of September 18th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

Review: A February Bride by Betsy St. Amant

My Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

In A February Bride by Betsy St. Amant, history repeats itself when this bride runs out of the church on her wedding day---in the same dress that had been passed down for generations and worn by her mom, grandma and great-grandmother who also ran out of their weddings. The heroine struggles to break destructive cycles of the past. Can this bride shuck expectation and discover who SHE is as a bride and in the Bride of Christ? And if she finally walks down the aisle, what dress will she be wearing?

My Review

I loved the sweet characters in this book; they seem like people I would be friends with. I didn't think the bride's reason for ditching the man she was still in love with was delved into deeply enough. Her fear seemed superficial and irrational, making me feel that the storyline was not completely believable. I also had a hard time believing the groom had never contacted her or asked her why, even though she was "the love of his life." I did enjoy the interactions of the main characters once they were talking again... and the ending was pretty fun.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)