Review: All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant

Book Cover and Synopsis:

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 source for book: Review Copy

My Thoughts:
The synopsis for this one sounded like a lot of fun, but unfortunately it fell short of my hopeful expectations. I gotta say, it struck me as being quite repetitive. Kat and Lucas both have feelings for each other, but their near debilitating fear of the feelings not being mutual causes them both to keep quiet, despite often having moments that seem to go beyond "just friends". The point of view switches back and forth between Kat and Lucas, and their inner thoughts often feel extremely repetitive as they analyze every experience and continually examine the reasons why a romantic relationship may or may not work between them.

Towards the beginning I was able to see the potential for a romance between Kat and Lucas, but as the book progressed it seemed that they bickered and got in arguments more often than not. Their squabbles were mostly the result of a complete lack of communication about their feelings, but it seemed there was a dash of cluelessness that contributed as well, especially on Kat's part. For me, the bickering got rather old and the amount of times it happened again brings up my previous statement about it feeling repetitive.

The cupcake reality show was somewhat interesting, though it was basically what we've all come to expect from these types of shows: challenges and eliminations, and of course a couple of contestants who attempt to sabotage everyone else. In all fairness though, it did have a unique twist by including a look at some troubling politics that went on behind-the-scenes. This was an interesting touch, and it makes me wonder if that sort of manipulation is common in reality or not. I have to believe that it does happen at least on occasion, which makes the twist in the story all the more provoking.

The story idea is really cute in theory, and at different times (especially during the cupcake challenges) I often thought it had potential to make a fun Hallmark movie. But in all honesty, I feel the book would be much stronger in a shorter form--such as a novella--which would ideally cut out the majority of the repetitive back and forth stuff between Kat and Lucas. Though I was involved enough to want to see how things would turn out, I was ultimately glad when the end came so I could move on to something else. I don't doubt that the story will appeal to some, but unfortunately I just couldn't click with it.

My Rating: 3 stars

Thanks to the publisher (Zondervan) for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.

Review: Grace Alive by Natasha House

Heart of Grace, #1

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Meet Zoe Reed. She is 26, unmarried, and still living with her parents. She works at a lame craft store, where she feels like her life has become one giant disappointment. She's waiting for Mr. Right, yet having never been on a date—let alone kissed a man—she wonders if he will ever come. When Branson Tate and his three kids stumble into her life, she finds the breathtaking man to be exactly opposite of what her parents want for her. He’s not a virgin, has a crazy past, and three children to prove it. Even still, the moment Branson asks her out for coffee, she hears God tell her to go, and her life begins to flip upside down.

My source for book: Personal Library 

My Thoughts:

Not having any prior experience with this author, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself immediately pulled into the story and entertained right from the first page. I really liked Zoe as she's very easy to relate to and has an amusing personality. Her job at the weird craft store, in combination with her sarcastic tendencies and frank thoughts, makes for some very humorous moments! Her struggle to follow God's will is very interesting, in light of the fact that her parents are telling--practically demanding--her to do exactly the opposite of what she feels God wants. 

Branson's past contains some of the worst stuff possible--from a human perspective, at least--and though I was initially shocked, I actually really liked the boldness that the author showed in giving him such a sordid past, thereby displaying the extremity of God's forgiveness and love, and the power it has to change even the darkest of lives. I liked how Branson was such a nice guy and so awesome with his kids--completely different than you would expect him to be, considering his past. His kids added some cute moments to the story, and the sub-plot concerning Branson's dual-custody of them was quite interesting; I actually wish a bit more time would have been devoted to it.

Much of the plot revolves around law vs grace, and while it's appropriate in the context of the story, it does come off a bit preachy. There's quite a bit of God speaking to people throughout, though not necessarily audibly. Much of this I thought was really cool, liked when Zoe would know God was encouraging her to blindly do the right thing in the midst of a difficult situation... but at other times it was just a bit too much and felt unrealistic. I'm not here to debate the theological aspects, but I will say that both the "law" and the "grace" sides are depicted as fairly extreme, and those in the "grace" camp struck me as being somewhat charismatic. 

The story started out extremely strong for me, but as it progressed I become less enthused. It's hard to discuss without giving spoilers (which I won't do), but I can safely say that a few things--the situation with Zoe's Dad, in particular--took some turns that were rather unpleasant. I wish that situation could have been done a bit different, maybe with something not quite *so* drastic.

Overall, there really was a lot that I liked about Grace Alive--Zoe's personality and the author's writing style being at the top--but I'm still undecided if I will ultimately continue with the series or not. I kind of doubt it, though it is in the realm of possibility.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A Cowboy Unmatched by Karen Witemeyer

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Neill isn't sure who hired him to repair Clara's roof--he only knows Clara desperately needs his help. Can he convince this stubborn widow to let down her guard and take another chance on love?

My source for book: Local Library

My Thoughts:

This novella brings back characters from two of the author's previous novels (Short Straw Bride and Stealing the Preacher). Having read those books isn't necessary to enjoy this novella, though I'd say it does add to the experience. For me, it was fun to see all of the Archer brothers again, and in the process I realized just how big their storyline has ultimately become!

Karen Witemeyer generally only writes full length novels, but the shorter novella length of this one is very fitting. The plot doesn't seem rushed and it has a decent amount of time to blossom during its 13 chapters, but there's not really enough content to stretch into a full length novel. The majority of the story has very few characters in it, but I actually liked this as it allowed for a nice amount of character development despite the shorter length.

Neill is a good guy and very easy to like. And as for Clara, it's hard to not sympathize with her difficult situation. I did think the conflict was ultimately solved a bit too easily, especially for the big build-up that it had...though I liked that they ultimately did the "right" thing, rather than taking a path that would be difficult to pass up.

I don't feel the story has quite as much charm or humor as Karen's full length novels, though it's still a good read--especially for those who have previously read the other Archer books. The Archers are a unique clan, and it's nice to see Neill finally have his own story. The sad part is that this likely means we've seen the last of the Archer's...but I have no doubt Karen will come up with something just as good in the future.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Cowgirl At Heart by Christine Lynxwiler

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Elyse McCord always plays it safe -- a fact she blames on being the biological daughter of a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. Even in the security of her adoptive family, the McCords, the timid dog whisperer keeps her guard up with strangers. But when she discovers a dog being horribly mistreated, she Elyse transforms into a mighty warrior and charger into a perilous situation, not only risking her life, but also her heart.

Reporter Andrew Stone has been fearless since the day his wife was shot and killed three years ago. He has one mission-use his Texas Ranger upbringing to find her murderer and clear his own name of any involvement. When he sees a beautiful brunette in the hands of a pistol-wielding maniac, he's forced to abandon his covert surveillance and go to the rescue. The danger surrounding Andrew doesn't scare him at all, but the awakening of his dormant heart terrifies him.

When painful pasts collide, the explosion is deafening. Can Andrew and Elyse pick up the pieces and go forward together? Or will they forever live with haunting memories, unable to forgive, unable to love? 

My source for book: Personal Library

My Thoughts:
This one immediately starts out with a bang, featuring an intense rescue scenario--with an unlikely heroine--that instantly pulled me in to the story. As you get to know Elyse, her shy nature makes it all the more amazing that she'd put herself into such an unpredictable situation. I actually really liked her and found her easy to relate to. I also liked her dogs and the work she did with them, and her tips of insight into their behavior were quite interesting. Elyse's painfully shy nature really rang true, and I thought it was pretty cool how she could so easily talk with Andrew right after first meeting him despite the fact that her shyness usually rendered her speechless around strangers!  

Andrew has a lot of secrets in his past, which makes him rather intriguing. Initially I didn't quite know what to make of him, though I immediately liked him. I thought his protectiveness of Elyse was sweet, and it was especially unique when they hadn't even put a label on their relationship. Right from the beginning Andrew and Elyse really clicked, and it was fun to see their friendship slowly grow in spite of the fact that they both held secrets that they were reluctant to reveal.

The story is ultimately about Elyse and Andrew with the point of view switching back and forth between them, but there are also small sections that revolve around Elyse's sisters, Kaleigh and Crystal. In all honesty I felt the subplots about Kaleigh and Crystal were a bit unnecessary... in particular, the story revolving around Crystal and her fiance was slightly odd because it didn't completely mesh with the ending of the previous McCord book, which featured Crystal as the main character. Despite this bit of nit-picking, I really did enjoy the story overall. Elyse and Andrew are very strong characters and they easily carry the story on their own, which is perhaps why I thought the subplots weren't necessary.

I also want to mention the cover. It's gorgeous to start with, but after you read the book it gets even better as it ultimately ties into the story in a really awesome way. Bravo to the cover design team! :)

Cowgirl At Heart is the second book in the McCord Sister series, and while you could read it as a standalone if you wanted to, it really is a bit better if you've read the previous book. I believe the series was originally planned to be a trilogy, however the third book seems to have been put on hold indefinitely. (I hope to see it released at some point as the McCord family is a fun one and there are still a lot of stories that could be told.) Despite all that, Cowgirl At Heart does end well and there are no loose ends left hanging. I very much enjoyed the story and I can easily recommend it, especially to those who love dogs or who know what it's like to be shy.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: The Reluctant Cowgirl by Christine Lynxwiler

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Elyse McCord always plays it safe -- a fact she blames on being the biological daughter of a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. Even in the security of her adoptive family, the McCords, the timid dog whisperer keeps her guard up with strangers. But when she discovers a dog being horribly mistreated, she Elyse transforms into a mighty warrior and charger into a perilous situation, not only risking her life, but also her heart.

Reporter Andrew Stone has been fearless since the day his wife was shot and killed three years ago. He has one mission-use his Texas Ranger upbringing to find her murderer and clear his own name of any involvement. When he sees a beautiful brunette in the hands of a pistol-wielding maniac, he's forced to abandon his covert surveillance and go to the rescue. The danger surrounding Andrew doesn't scare him at all, but the awakening of his dormant heart terrifies him.

When painful pasts collide, the explosion is deafening. Can Andrew and Elyse pick up the pieces and go forward together? Or will they forever live with haunting memories, unable to forgive, unable to love?

My source for book: Personal Library

My Thoughts:
This is ultimately a story of following your heart, even if it might mean taking a path you never before imagined. Though this storyline seems common on the outside, there's something about this one that makes it feel fresh and very uncommon. The change in Crystal as the story progresses is very visible as she slowly comes to grips with her past while drawing strength from her family, their ranch, and a certain neighboring cowboy.

Jeremy's ordeal with his missing daughter was heartbreaking, and it honestly caught me off guard because I initially didn't expect such a dramatic storyline...but it was great. It felt very real and kept me riveted while wondering what would happen; I really had no idea how things might turn out. I liked how Crystal pushed Jeremy to try different approaches, basically breathing new life into what seemed like a hopeless situation. Two heads are better than one, and that was certainly the case here as they worked together to find Jeremy's long-lost young daughter.

As for the ending: it's a good one, and I was ultimately happy with the way all the different situations were wrapped up. But if you want more, it's worth noting that Crystal and Jeremy's story is taken even further in the second book of the McCord series, titled "Cowgirl At Heart". (They are large supporting characters and some sections are even written from Crystal's perspective.)

I can easily and highly recommend "The Reluctant Cowgirl" to fans of the genre. I really enjoyed it and I'm not ashamed to say that it kept me up past an ideal bedtime several times! Strangely enough, it sat unread on my shelf for several years and now I can't believe I put it off for so long. It's simply too good to sit unread!

My Rating: 5 stars