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.
The Charlatan’s Boy is a boisterous fantasy with bigger than life characters and plot. The tale takes place on the island of Corenwald that resembles a combination old south/old west setting rather than the usual medieval background of most fantasies. An abundance of humorous situations combined with Grady’s imaginative use of language make The Charlatan’s Boy a perfect read aloud story. Readers will empathize with Grady as he longs for a real home and family and to be loved. His desire for integrity and uneasiness with the lies Floyd forces him to tell are an example for each of us.
Each chapter takes Grady and Floyd through a new escapade filled with one fiasco after another. As Grady seeks the answers about who he really is, the reader may also discover something about himself. Plenty of unexpected twists and a surprise ending make this a story worth reading. The Charlatan’s Boy would make a wonderful Christmas gift for the young people in your life.
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
“I only know one man who might be able to tell me where I come from, and that man is a liar and a fraud.”
As far back as he can remember, the orphan Grady has tramped from village to village in the company of a huckster named Floyd. With his adolescent accomplice, Floyd perpetrates a variety of hoaxes and flimflams on the good citizens of the Corenwald frontier, such as the Ugliest Boy in the World act.
It’s a hard way to make a living, made harder by the memory of fatter times when audiences thronged to see young Grady perform as “The Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp.” But what can they do? Nobody believes in feechies anymore.
When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever.
Praise for Jonathan Rogers
“The unusual settings and characters keep the surprises coming, while Rogers’s lovely descriptions and distinctive voice keep the pages turning. Faith fiction readers of all ages should enjoy this…” —Publishers Weekly
“Jonathan Rogers knows how to tell a story. He’ll take you to fantastic lands that somehow still feel close to home and keep you happily guessing until the end. His fantasy tales ring of folklore and seem to spring up out of history like old willows in an earthy bog. Dr. Rogers never fails to serve up uncanny adventures that, like some impossibly nutritious brownies, are ridiculously tasty and deeply fulfilling.” —Wayne Thomas Batson, best-selling author of The Door Within Trilogy
“Jonathan Rogers has created a new kind of story—part fantasy, part southern fiction. It’s sad and funny and heartwarming. Imagine a southern version of a C. S. Lewis story or a Christian version of a Mark Twain tale. Imagine a world where dragons are alligators, the American South is an island kingdom of cowboys and swamp dwellers, and ugliness, it turns out, is profoundly beautiful. Jonathan Rogers, a Georgia boy with a PhD, a strong faith, and a healthy imagination, gives us a timeless story no one else could have written. I loved it.” —Andrew Peterson, author of The Wingfeather Saga
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jonathan Rogers grew up in Georgia, where he spent many happy hours in the swamps and riverbottoms on which the wild places of The Charlatan’s Boy are based. He received his undergraduate degree from Furman University in South Carolina and holds a Ph.D. in seventeenth-century English literature from Vanderbilt University. He lives with his family in Nashville, Tennessee.
I can always count on Janice Thompson’s books when I need to be cheered up or when I am just in the mood for a good laugh and entertainment. Her signature humor and romance always does the trick. It Had To Be You was no exception. As expected, it was filled with quirky characters, charming romance, rollicking humor, serious moments, and at least one person in desperate need of the Lord in his life.
It Had To Be You wrapped up the Weddings by Bella series nicely with a couple of surprises included for good measure. As much as I looked forward to this installment, I am also sorry to see the series end. I will miss the boisterous Rossi family as well as those quirky but wonderful folks from Splendora. This series will remain on my bookshelf so I can revisit them all again sometime in the future.
I can wholeheartedly recommend It Had To Be You as well as any other book written by Janice Thompson. I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us in her next offering.
This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A modern love story that will have readers laughing out loud!
The final installment in the Weddings by Bella series
Library Journal has called the Weddings by Bella series “satisfying” and “delightful.” RT Book Reviews has deemed it “a refreshing page-turner with lovable, off-the-wall- characters. One comical scenario after another will make you smile.”
Full of the laugh-out-loud humor, Italian passion and Texas gumption that has made the previous books in the series a success, It Had to Be Youis the final book in author Janice Thompson’s beloved Weddings by Bella series.
In It Had to Be You, Bella couldn’t be happier that her long-feuding Aunt Rosa and Uncle Lazarro have finally admitted their love for one another and are getting married. Their forties-style wedding is sure to be a night to remember. But when the Rossi house begins to fill up with family from Italy—and an old mobster from New Jersey—life starts to get complicated. Will Lazarro’s friend from the past drive the happy couple apart once more? And will Bella ever have time to think of her own rapidly-approaching wedding amidst the chaos?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and native Texan. An experienced wedding coordinator herself, Thompson brings alive in her books the everyday drama and humor of getting married. She is the author of Fools Rush In and Swinging on a Star. She lives in Texas.
Available May 2010 at your favorite bookseller from
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
It Had to Be Youby Janice Thompson
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3344-5
Available May 2010; $14.99
For more than a decade, Author Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While writing in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television’s hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.
One of Sandie’s passions revolves around the rights of animals. She’s been involved in fundraising for Lost Angels Animal Rescue for several years now; in fact, a portion of the proceeds of Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida will go to help the non-profit group with their expenses. And Lost Angels paid her back in a big way: They brought a free-spirited Collie named Sophie into her life after the loss of her 15-year companion Caleb.
It was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer.
In Sandie’s words: “I guess most people would see my career as a publicist as a sort of dream job. But giving it up turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me!” she declares. “Not only was I given the gift of getting to know my mother as an adult woman before she passed away, but I was also afforded the blessing of being able to focus completely on my dream of a writing career. I’m a Christian woman, first and foremost, so it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch their new Love Finds You line.”
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Olivia Wallace has a birthday curse . . . or so she thinks. It was a broken heart on her 16th, a car accident on her 21st, pneumonia on her 30th, and a fall down a flight of stairs on her 35th. There were Ohio blizzards on her 38th, 39th, and 40th; and six days before her 45th, she lost the love of her life to a heart attack. Numbing grief stole that birthday and a couple more to follow and, on the morning of her 48th birthday, she received the call she’d dreaded ever since losing her mom so many years ago…she was diagnosed with stage-3 ovarian cancer. The doctors didn’t hold out a lot of hope, but Liv survived and maintained her faith. Months of surgeries and chemotherapy and radiation treatments followed.
But now, as her 50th birthday creeps up the icy Ohio path toward her, her hair has grown back, her energy level is up, and she is officially cancer free. It makes her nervous. After everything she’s gone through, Liv hates the idea of driving on icy roads and returning to work as an O.R. nurse in a local Cincinnati hospital.
Her best friend Hallie knows just the thing to break Liv out of the winter doldrums, while providing a safe haven of warmth, sunshine, and a time to regroup: a holiday in the Florida sunshine!
Learn more about Sandra and her books on her Website
Watch the trailer:
MY REVIEW:
The Big 5-Oh! is a light-hearted, humor filled story that is a perfect escape. It has several laugh-out-loud moments and lots of heart. Loved all the characters, even grumpy Clayton Clydesdale. I particularly enjoyed the images and excerpts at the beginning of each chapter of Prudence the donkey. These sweet little treats were filled with wisdom and were subtle hints of what Liv would experience in that chapter.
The Big 5-Oh! is an encouraging look at how God can work in our lives even when we have given up hope – if we will let Him. If you are looking for a fun book or one to take your mind off the cold weather outside, I highly recommend The Big 5-Oh!.
Janice Thompson returns with another hilarious tale in the Weddings by Bella series with Swinging on a Star.
In this latest release from Thompson, Bella Rossi’s life is nearing perfection. She’s got the perfect guy, she’s running a successful business, and she’s about to plan her most ambitious wedding yet, a Renaissance-themed fairy tale come true, complete with period costumes and foods, horse-drawn carriages, and even a castle. There’s just one hitch. The best man just happens to be Brock Benson, Hollywood’s hottest and most eligible bachelor. Oh, and did we mention he’s staying at the Rossi house to avoid the paparazzi?
With all the pressure surrounding this wedding, Bella’s not sure she’s going to make it through. Add her starstruck sister, her feuding aunt and uncle, and a trio of large, sequined church ladies with even bigger personalities, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster—and a lot of laughs. This hilarious romantic comedy is sure to delight both fans and new readers alike.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and native Texan. An experienced wedding coordinator herself, Thompson brings alive in her books the everyday drama and humor of getting married. She is the author of Fools Rush In and lives in Texas.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SWINGING ON A STAR:
“If you enjoy weddings, Italian cuisine, and stories filled with humor and romance, you’re going to love Swinging on a Star.”
–Anita Higman, award-winning author, Love Finds You in Humble, Texas
“Swinging on a Star has more layers of love than Aunt Rosa’s lasagna. A sweet romance that sizzles and simmers on every page.”
–Allison Pittman, author, Stealing Home
MY REVIEW:
I had to make myself wait to read Swinging on a Star until I had read all the books on my blog review schedule before it. I have found that if I read ahead, I will be rushing frantically to meet the blog deadline for one or more books and I try to review all the books sent to me if at all possible. I admit that once in awhile, I have to resort to the cut and paste provided by my blog alliances but I really, really try to read all the books and provide at least a short review. That being said, Swinging on a Star was definitely worth the wait.
I have learned that if I need a book that will brighten my day and make me laugh, anything by Janice Thompson (or Janice Hanna – she also publishes under that name) will fit the bill. Not only that, but her stories are always filled with unexpected bits and pieces of wisdom and faith that make me think.
Swinging on a Star is the perfect follow-up to Fools Rush In. Not only does it have the marvelous Rossi family in all its rowdy glory and some of the delightfully quirky Splendora folks, but a Hollywood hunk and the Food Network get thrown into the mix. Mishaps and misunderstanding abound, surprises are around every corner, and of course romance is key. My only complaint is that I probably gained ten pounds reading about all the wonderful food. How about some recipes next time Janice?
If you are looking for a serious literary novel, look elsewhere. But if you want to mix a fun read with thought provoking content, then Swinging on a Star is for you.
Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
A Taste of Fameis a thoroughly enjoyable novel about the experiences of the Potluck Catering Club when they unexpectedly find themselves finalists in the playoffs for The Great Party Showdown on television. Each chapter is written from the point of view of different members of the club and details the adventures (and misadventures) of the team during their extended stay in New York City. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes dramatic, sometimes sad, A Taste of Fameis never boring. The characters are all realistic with real life difficulties that include marriage problems, financial troubles, romantic dilemmas, devious contestants, etc.
I absolutely enjoyed A Taste of Fameand was particularly thrilled to find all the recipes mentioned in the book included at the end. Does The Potluck Catering Club win the showdown? I’ll never tell but you can find out if you run out and pick up your own copy. I don’t think you will be sorry you did.
Is America ready to meet the Potluck Catering Club on reality TV?
The women of the Potluck Catering Club have a growing business. They even became the subject of a budding filmmaker’s class project. Problem is, they didn’t read the fine print when they signed off on his documentary. When he enters the club in the reality show The Great Party Showdown, the ladies of Summit View, Colorado, must head to the Big Apple for the unexpected adventure of their lives.
Between navigating New York City, dealing with cutthroat contestants, and trying to maintain their close friendship in the surreal world of reality TV, the Potluck women must keep their eyes on the prize–a cool million dollars–and work together if they’re going to make it back home in one piece.
A Taste of Fame serves up the perfect blend of humor, misadventure, and mouthwatering recipes. Fans new and old will love this exciting trip into the wild world of competitive cooking!
Authors Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson love dishing up the stories of the six friends featured in their latest series The Potluck Catering Club—much to the delight of readers.
“This is the way Christian fiction should be written,” one reader says. “No cardboard Christian cut-outs of sweet angelic women none of us can relate to. These women are real, just the kind of women I find in my own community.”
Eva Marie Everson is an award-winning author, a successful speaker, and a popular radio personality. She is coauthor of The Potluck Club series and The Secret’s in the Sauce. She lives in Florida. You can learn more about Eva Marie and her books at her website.
Linda Evans Shepherd is an award-winning author, a successful speaker, and a radio personality. The president of Right to the Heart Ministries, she is also coauthor of the Potluck Club books and the Potluck Catering Club series. Learn more about Linda and her books on her website.
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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.
Is America ready to meet the Potluck Catering Club on reality TV?
Eva Marie Everson is an award-winning author, a successful speaker, and a popular radio personality. She is coauthor of The Potluck Club series and The Secret’s in the Sauce. She lives in Florida. You can learn more about Eva Marie and her books at her 
Linda Evans Shepherd is an award-winning author, a successful speaker, and a radio personality. The president of Right to the Heart Ministries, she is also coauthor of the Potluck Club books and the Potluck Catering Club series. Learn more about Linda and her books on her 
