Always the Baker Never the Bride is a fun filled story that is both humorous and dramatic. Bricker’s characters are wonderful and the book is full of spellbinding situations and dialogue. Recipes, wedding tips, and trivia and scattered between the chapters and add a special touch.
A story about a widower who has opened the specialty wedding themed hotel of his late wife’s dreams and a prize-winning, diabetic baker who has given up any hope of romance in her own life, Always the Baker Never the Bride is a joy to read with many laugh-out-loud moments. Several sub-plots add interest and relatives of both the hero and heroine contribute to the drama.
I loved this book and will probably pick up a physical copy to add to my collection. I highly recommend it.
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by Abingdon Press through NetGalley.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Thirty-six-year-old Emma Rae Travis has been baking specialty cakes and melt-in-your-mouth pastries at The Backstreet Bakery in historic Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, for the last six years. But here’s the rub about her job as a baker … Emma is diabetic. When she tastes her creations, it can only be in the most minute portions. Emma is considered an artisan for the stunning crème brulee wedding cake that won her the Passionate Palette Award last year, but she’s never even had one full slice of it.
When Jackson Drake hears about this local baker who has won a prestigious award for her wedding cake artistry, he tells his assistant to be sure and include her in the pastry tastings scheduled at his new wedding destination hotel the following week. And for Jackson, that particular day has started out badly with two workmen trapped in a broken elevator and a delivery of several dozen 300-thread-count bed linens in the wrong size abandoned in the lobby. But when the arrogant baker he met a week prior in Roswell stumbles into the dining room with a platter of pastries and a bucketful of orders, he knows for certain: It’s going to be a really rotten day.
Can these two ill-suited players master the high-wire act and make a go of their new business venture? Or will they take each other crashing downward, without a net? And will the surprise wedding at The Tanglewood be theirs?
Read the first chapter of Always the Baker Never the BrideHERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra D. Bricker has been publishing in both the Christian and general market for years with novels for women and teens, magazine articles and short stories. With 11 novels in print and 4 more slated for publication through 2012, Sandie has carved out a niche for herself as an author of laugh-out-loud comedy for the inspirational market. Sandie was an entertainment publicist in Hollywood for 15+ years and currently works a “day job” as an editor.
Author Colleen Coble’s thirty-five novels and novellas have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA, the Holt Medallion, the ACFW Book of the Year, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, the Booksellers Best, and the 2009 Best Books of Indiana-Fiction award. She writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail and love begin with a happy ending.
A word from Colleen: God has been faithful, though the path has not been easy. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. God wouldn’t let me give up, and I like to think the struggle made me stronger. God has given me so much in my life, most importantly my great family, a loving church family at New Life Baptist Church, and my wonderful publishing family at Nelson Books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A thrilling romantic mystery set in the lush Victorian age.
Central Operator Katie Russell’s inquisitive ways have just uncovered her parents’ plan for her marriage to wealthy bachelor Bartholomew Foster. Her heart is unmoved, but she knows the match will bring her family status and respectability.
Then Katie overhears a phone conversation that makes her uneasy and asks authorities to investigate. But the caller is nowhere to be found. Mysterious connections arise between the caller and a ship lost at sea.
Against propriety, Katie questions the new lighthouse keeper, Will Jesperson. Then a smallpox epidemic forces their quarantine in his lighthouse. Though of low social status, Will’s bravery and kindness remove Katie’s suspicion and win her love. Katie and Will together work to solve the mystery of the missing girl and the lost ship as God gives the couple the desire of their hearts.
As I have come to expect from all Coble’s books, The Lightkeeper’s Bride was well written with just the right balance of romance, humor,and suspense. The characters are well defined and easy to love or dislike. The plot maintains an ideal pace with plenty of hints to keep the reader guessing but enough twists and surprises to keep her uncertain.
It is difficult to review this excellent novel without giving away too much. Katie finds herself forced to choose between two men. Will she follow her heart or her father’s plans for her? Not only does Katie have a romantic triangle to deal with but someone is threatening her, her father has been mysteriously and seriously injured, and someone from her past shows up to complicate her life even more. A strong theme of forgiveness and trust is woven throughout the story.
I loved this book and am eager to read the rest of the series. I missed The Lightkeeper’s Daughter and plan to get a copy as soon as I can. I will also be on the lookout for The Lightkeeper’s Ball as soon as it is released.
Vanessa Miller of Dayton, Ohio, is a best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. Her stage productions include: Get You Some Business, Don’t Turn Your Back on God, and Can’t You Hear Them Crying. Vanessa is currently in the process of turning the novels in the Rain Series into stage productions.
Vanessa has been writing since she was a young child. When she wasn’t writing poetry, short stories, stage plays and novels, reading great books consumed her free time. However, it wasn’t until she committed her life to the Lord in 1994 that she realized all gifts and anointing come from God. She then set out to write redemption stories that glorify God.
To date, Vanessa has completed the Rain and Storm Series. She is currently working on the Forsaken series, Second Chance at Love series and a single title, Long Time Coming. Vanessa believes that each book will touch readers across the country in a special way. It is, after all, her God-given destiny to write and produce plays and novels that bring deliverance to God’s people. These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Two women from different worlds find hope together.
Faithful Christian Deidre Clark-Morris is a professional career-minded woman with a loving husband, but no children. Kenisha Smalls has lived in poverty all her life. She has three children by three different men and has just been diagnosed with inoperable cervical cancer.
While the meeting between these two women appears accidental, it becomes their catalyst of hope. Neither woman expects the blessing that God has in store for her. While Deidre will guide Kenisha on the path to eternal life with Jesus Christ, Kenisha will teach Deidre how to stand strong against the hard-knocks of life.
Although Long Time Coming is not the usual type book I choose to read, Vanessa Miller’s talented writing style captured my attention and held it until the last word. Heartrending yet filled with hope, this story is filled with a varied array of realistic characters and several difficult situations. It is a story of redemption, forgiveness, faith, hope, and love that reminds the reader that nothing is impossible with God. Just be sure to keep a box of tissues handy. You will need them.
After growing up on a Missouri farm with three older brothers, Sarah McCabe was eager for adventure and to prove her independence. Certain that city life was the only life for her, she accepted a job as governess to Captain Brian Sinclair’s four children after an opportunity in Chicago fell through. Sarah soon found herself torn between Richard Navis who exemplified Sarah’s idea of a perfect man and Captain Sinclair who turned the charm on and off as needed to manipulate Sarah. She could easily love Richard but his desire to run his family farm convinced her that he could not be the man for her. Captain Sinclair could offer her the life she desired but was it possible for him to be interested in anyone other than himself?
Uncertain Heart is an enjoyable story with a wide range of characters. Richard, always a faithful friend and the proper gentleman is the perfect hero. Captain Sinclair is the epitome of a self-centered cad who uses people for his own purposes. And Sarah is a young woman with a caring heart but who is still naive enough to be taken in by Captain Sinclair’s charm and overlook the true prize she has in Richard. The book is kept interesting by many plot twists and a surprise ending the reader doesn’t see coming. With a theme that stresses integrity and a strong message of faith, Uncertain Heart is well worth reading.
This book was provided for review by
LeAnn Hamby with Glass Road Public Relations.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
“It’s just as easy to love a rich man as a poor man,” the adage goes. But is the dream of fancy clothes, mansions, and fine dining worth compromising your morals and faith? Sarah McCabe must find her answer in Andrea Boeshaar’s Uncertain Heart, book two in the Seasons of Redemption series.
The Civil War is over. Sarah longs to escape the country and experience the finer things in life, so she leaves her home in Jericho Junction, Missouri, to become a governess in Milwaukee. Her rich and dashing employer, Brian Sinclair, shows an attraction to Sarah but doesn’t share her beliefs.
Richard, however, does. Richard Navis is Mr. Sinclair’s steward. He is kind, thoughtful, handsome…and harbors an unfortunate desire to leave his city job to be a farmer. Sarah has no interest in a rural farm life, even while her interest in Richard grows.
Does she sacrifice love to get the lifestyle she wants? Or will love be enough?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea Boeshaar is a published author of both fiction and nonfiction, a public speaker, and a certified Christian life coach. She served on the Advisory Board of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and is one of the organization’s cofounders. She has been married to her husband, Daniel, for over 30 years, and together they have three sons and four grandchildren.
Alice J. Wisler is an author, public speaker, advocate, and fundraiser. She has been a guest on several radio and TV programs to promote her self-published cookbooks, Slices of Sunlight and Down the Cereal Aisle. She graduated from Eastern Mennonite University and has traveled the country in jobs that minister to people. Alice was raised in Japan and currently resides in Durham, North Carolina.
Facts about Alice
* Born in Osaka, Japan and lived in Japan for 18 years
* Went to Kyoto International School and Canadian Academy
* Majored in Social Work and graduated in 1983 from Eastern Mennonite University
* Worked at a group home for disadvantaged kids outside of Philadelphia
* Taught English and Culture Orientation at a refugee camp in the Philippines
* Taught English as a Second Language in Japan
* Speaks and teaches on Writing the Heartache
* Has three kids on earth, and one in Heaven
* Recently got married to Carl on 2/7/09
ABOUT THE BOOK:
There are two things twenty-nine-year-old Jackie Donovan asks God for: an honest, wonderful man to marry, and to own a bed-and-breakfast in the Outer Banks region. In the meantime, Jackie works for Lighthouse Views magazine, writing articles about other local business owners, and intrepidly goes on the blind dates set up by her well-meaning but oh-so-clueless relatives.
There’s one specific property Jackie dreams of purchasing: the Bailey Place, a fabulous old home where Jackie spent many happy childhood afternoons, a place that has now fallen into disrepair because of its outrageous price tag.
When Jackie meets handsome Davis Erickson, who holds the key to the Bailey Place, Jackie is sure God has answered both her prayers. But as Jackie learns some disturbing details about Davis’s past, she begins to question her own motivation. Will she risk her long-held dreams to find out the truth?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Hatteras Girl, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Hatteras Girl is a sweet and charming southern romance set in the outer banks of North Carolina. Populated with realistic and sometimes quirky characters, the focus on family ties and good friends is heartwarming. Although the story is scattered with humorous moments such as Jackie’s disastrous blind dates, equal time is given to serious and sad subjects of personal loss and momentous career, financial, and relationship decisions.
Hatteras Girl contains the perfect blend of romance and drama. Interaction between the characters was always believable and helped carry the story. Jackie’s quest for romance encountered several unexpected twists and surprises that made the ending just that much more enjoyable. I would recommend Hatteras Girl to all who enjoy a good romance with a southern twang.
Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town’s scenic bike trail.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
It’s Christmastime at the Brenneman Bed & Breakfast, and everyone is excited about closing down for the holiday.
Anna and Henry will be celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple, and for Katie and Jonathan Lundy, it’s their first Christmas with baby Stefan. Winnie and Samuel Miller plan to stop by as well for a wonderful two weeks of family and rest.
But when two unexpected visitors show up, hoping to stay for Christmas, the family must test their commitment to hospitality. Levi is a widower who lost his wife four years ago and can’t bear the thought of another Christmas alone. And Melody is a young pregnant woman who won’t open up about how she ended up on her own at Christmas at almost nine months pregnant.
Anna, who knows a thing or two about keeping secrets, doesn’t trust her, and strives to find out the truth about these two strangers who have disrupted their holiday. But as the Christmas spirit descends on them all, as well as snow that traps them in the inn, a healing and hopefulness takes over, allowing new relationships to be built, and the boundaries of family to be extended.
If you’d like to read the first chapter of Grace, go HERE.
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Thirty-six-year-old Emma Rae Travis has been baking specialty cakes and melt-in-your-mouth pastries at The Backstreet Bakery in historic Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, for the last six years. But here’s the rub about her job as a baker … Emma is diabetic. When she tastes her creations, it can only be in the most minute portions. Emma is considered an artisan for the stunning crème brulee wedding cake that won her the Passionate Palette Award last year, but she’s never even had one full slice of it.
Sandra D. Bricker has been publishing in both the Christian and general market for years with novels for women and teens, magazine articles and short stories. With 11 novels in print and 4 more slated for publication through 2012, Sandie has carved out a niche for herself as an author of laugh-out-loud comedy for the inspirational market. Sandie was an entertainment publicist in Hollywood for 15+ years and currently works a “day job” as an editor.
