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E-mail Order Brides #1
Phoebe's Groom
The smell of cinnamon buns and apple pie remind widowed dad Chance Hawkins of the wife he lost five years ago. As does his sad-eyed little girl. So when his aunt hires a new pastry chef— whom she finds online—for their family-owned Texas café, the cowboy cook grumbles. What's more, fancy baker Phoebe Yates is boarding in their home. But soon enough, kind Phoebe is reminding Chance how nice it is to share a sweet roll with his daughter before school. And maybe opening his heart to becoming a groom again!
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
6 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Deb Kastner
112 books145 followersPublishers Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of over 50 novels and two million books in print, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational and sweet western stories set in small communities, often including animals as major secondary characters.
Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband, her puppers Gabby and Sadie, and two mischievous bonded brothers, black tuxedo cats Hype and Dab. She recently went through what she terms her midlife crisis and adopted her very first ever real live horse whose name is sweet Moscato.
She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren with #3 on the way. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors and The High Kings are her favs), singing in the church choir and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband, her puppers Gabby and Sadie, and two mischievous bonded brothers, black tuxedo cats Hype and Dab. She recently went through what she terms her midlife crisis and adopted her very first ever real live horse whose name is sweet Moscato.
She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren with #3 on the way. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors and The High Kings are her favs), singing in the church choir and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 7, 2012
Story line is ok, but I felt Phoebe was too pushy and did some underhanded things. I did not like it when she told Lucy, the 13 year old daughter of widower Chance, to go behind he father's back and ask a 15 year old boy to a dance. I would never let a 13 yr old date. They do not have the maturity for it, and certainly never to a 15 yr old boy! Asking for trouble there. Also, if Chance is 32 and has a 13 year old daughter, he had to have been married at 18, which I would not want a child of mine to marry that young.
December 16, 2021
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This was one of the books I thought that would hit me right in the feels. I was worried it was going to be overly religious and too over the top like a few of the other Christian romance novels I have read recently. However this one was able to have less emotion and God.
The main man, Chance, was married and his wife died in a tragic car accident. However, his wife’s name is mentioned so little that I can’t remember it now. I know so little about her that it seems like she never really existed.
Phoebe is supposedly a really famous pastry chef and Chance is the best cook in his town. Yet, the author talks about a “spatula” when the name for that tool is actually a “turner” (while that is a ridiculous name it is a distinction many chef’s make like Paula Dean). If the characters are supposed to be great chef’s I would expect them to know the name of the kitchen tools, especially Phoebe as she was classically trained.
The romance itself was super rushed. The entire relationship takes place in six weeks. If Chance was as damaged by his wife’s death as we are lead to believe than Phoebe in six weeks would not be able to get him to propose. Prayer is seen as a magical cure all when it comes to mental illness, but that is not realistic. It takes more than just praying to have a fundamental change. I am glad that a sign of Chance getting better was him getting in touch with his faith again, instead of his faith being the only “healthy” thing about him.
The worst part of the book were the “status updates” that were used to connect the characters to the internet so they could fall into the book series of “email order brides”.
This was one of the books I thought that would hit me right in the feels. I was worried it was going to be overly religious and too over the top like a few of the other Christian romance novels I have read recently. However this one was able to have less emotion and God.
The main man, Chance, was married and his wife died in a tragic car accident. However, his wife’s name is mentioned so little that I can’t remember it now. I know so little about her that it seems like she never really existed.
Phoebe is supposedly a really famous pastry chef and Chance is the best cook in his town. Yet, the author talks about a “spatula” when the name for that tool is actually a “turner” (while that is a ridiculous name it is a distinction many chef’s make like Paula Dean). If the characters are supposed to be great chef’s I would expect them to know the name of the kitchen tools, especially Phoebe as she was classically trained.
The romance itself was super rushed. The entire relationship takes place in six weeks. If Chance was as damaged by his wife’s death as we are lead to believe than Phoebe in six weeks would not be able to get him to propose. Prayer is seen as a magical cure all when it comes to mental illness, but that is not realistic. It takes more than just praying to have a fundamental change. I am glad that a sign of Chance getting better was him getting in touch with his faith again, instead of his faith being the only “healthy” thing about him.
The worst part of the book were the “status updates” that were used to connect the characters to the internet so they could fall into the book series of “email order brides”.
October 14, 2021
This was a really good read. I enjoyed Phoebe's story and it was a little bit reminiscent of the historical "mail-order" brides. Phoebe had been e-mailing a woman in a small Texas town and they had become online friends. When Phoebe wanted a break from her high-stress NYC position, Jo invited her to Serendipity, TX to have a break and also to bake pastries in her diner. (Not quite like answering an ad for a wife!)
August 27, 2017
The story was predictable, as romances tend to be and that's okay - some days you really want to have a happy ending that you could foresee happening from the start. The characters are cute and loveable. It was a fun, happy read. I also want to read the rest in the series, as I enjoyed the author's writing style.
April 11, 2024
Fun start to this series. Aunt Jo has blind sided Chance by hiring a pastry chef for the diner (who will share the tiny kitchen with him as he cooks meals) AND she has invited Phoebe (pastry chef) to live in her home, which is actually Chance's home. Chance is angry and grumpy and not inclined to hide that. Add in a surly 13 year old daughter and you have a recipe for disaster. But God has other plans for these hurting hearts.
June 25, 2020
cute sweet story. I enjoyed it a lot. I would recommend it and I would read it again.
June 16, 2024
great story
The characters are so well written and the storyline was uplifting. I will have to reread this story along with the others set in this town ♥️
The characters are so well written and the storyline was uplifting. I will have to reread this story along with the others set in this town ♥️
November 6, 2011
I LOVED- LOVED-LOVED this BOOK!!!!
Phoebe Yates takes, a pastry chef and native New Yorker takes a 6 month sabbatical before she starts a new job as a pastry chef at a swanky new restraunt in Times Square....Taking a 6 week job as a new pastry chef in a tiny diner, in a small town of Serendipity Texas....She's instantly warmly welcomed by Aunt Jospehine Hawkins-Murphy, a distant relative she's been corresponding with via facebook? And who gave her the temporary job.Aunt Jo's nephew Chance, and his 13 yr old daughter Lucy, NOT SO MUCH!!! In fact, they are down right RUDE, and tell her in no uncertain terms they don't want her there! Especially since she'll be living in their house with them as well.It doesn't take long for Chance's additude to soften. Or for Phoebe to become atttracted to the GRUFF, OUT-SPOKEN Cowboy Chef! And they forge a friendship....A friendship with Lucy soon follows when Phoebe helps Lucy during a medical crises. Phoebe later, helps the tomboy become a 'little lady' and 'HELP' with a boy she likes. Much to Chance's chagrin. And helps Chance conquer his fear of getting back behind the wheel of a car. Chance and Phoebe soon realize they fallen in LOVE, but with a new job waiting for Phoebe in Manhattan will it be too late? Can Chance ask her to leave a great job oppurtunity, to stay with him, Lucy, and Aunt Jo. And make simple cookies and pies for a small town diner? Would she even want to?
I LOVED Chance! I know have a favorite HERO!!!...I LOVED Phoebe!!!!....LOVED Chance and Phoebe's relationship. Loved that it wasn't typical love at first sight. I Loved the relationship between Phoebe and Lucy! That it was real! Not storybook. She didn't like Phoebe at first. Which is typical. It took awhile for Phoebe to form a friendship with the girl. Most kids don't like a potential step-parent right off! So I like that Deb made it more true to life, and didn't have Lucy like Phoebe right off. In fact, she was your typical teenage girl, RUDE to her at first. But when they finally bonded it was CUTE!...I LOVED Aunt Jo. Phoebe and Jo's chat's back and forth throughout the book were cute and added to the story....LOVED THE ENDING!!!! I just LOVED EVERYTHING about this book!!!
Phoebe Yates takes, a pastry chef and native New Yorker takes a 6 month sabbatical before she starts a new job as a pastry chef at a swanky new restraunt in Times Square....Taking a 6 week job as a new pastry chef in a tiny diner, in a small town of Serendipity Texas....She's instantly warmly welcomed by Aunt Jospehine Hawkins-Murphy, a distant relative she's been corresponding with via facebook? And who gave her the temporary job.Aunt Jo's nephew Chance, and his 13 yr old daughter Lucy, NOT SO MUCH!!! In fact, they are down right RUDE, and tell her in no uncertain terms they don't want her there! Especially since she'll be living in their house with them as well.It doesn't take long for Chance's additude to soften. Or for Phoebe to become atttracted to the GRUFF, OUT-SPOKEN Cowboy Chef! And they forge a friendship....A friendship with Lucy soon follows when Phoebe helps Lucy during a medical crises. Phoebe later, helps the tomboy become a 'little lady' and 'HELP' with a boy she likes. Much to Chance's chagrin. And helps Chance conquer his fear of getting back behind the wheel of a car. Chance and Phoebe soon realize they fallen in LOVE, but with a new job waiting for Phoebe in Manhattan will it be too late? Can Chance ask her to leave a great job oppurtunity, to stay with him, Lucy, and Aunt Jo. And make simple cookies and pies for a small town diner? Would she even want to?
I LOVED Chance! I know have a favorite HERO!!!...I LOVED Phoebe!!!!....LOVED Chance and Phoebe's relationship. Loved that it wasn't typical love at first sight. I Loved the relationship between Phoebe and Lucy! That it was real! Not storybook. She didn't like Phoebe at first. Which is typical. It took awhile for Phoebe to form a friendship with the girl. Most kids don't like a potential step-parent right off! So I like that Deb made it more true to life, and didn't have Lucy like Phoebe right off. In fact, she was your typical teenage girl, RUDE to her at first. But when they finally bonded it was CUTE!...I LOVED Aunt Jo. Phoebe and Jo's chat's back and forth throughout the book were cute and added to the story....LOVED THE ENDING!!!! I just LOVED EVERYTHING about this book!!!
February 11, 2013
I thought for sure that I had written a review for this after I read it the first time but I guess I didn't. Now that I have read it again, in preparation for the 4th book in the series to come out........well, here is my review :-)
As I mentioned above, this is book 1 in the e-mail Order Brides series. I have enjoyed reading other books by Deb Kastner and this one was no different. The story line was very heart warming and really showed what a difference a person can make in other lives. Chance has ben an extremely bitter person since his wife passed away in a car accident several years before. He has even been dis connected from his own daughter.
Phoebe is a big time pastry chef in New York but has been feeling quite overwhelmed and that her life is missing something. She decides to take an offer from a very distant family member(Chance's aunt Jo) to be the temporary pastry chef in a small cafe that is located in a very small Texas town. The only problem is that Chance is the cook in this cafe and has no desire to have Phoebe come into their lives and work at the cafe. Phoebe seemed so sweet to me and I did love how strong her faith was, that she truly believed anything was possible.
The reason why I mentioned that this was a heart warming story was the fact that Phoebe was able to find out possibly what she thought she wanted her life to be and "watching" as Chance was able to start living life again. There was such an unique chemistry between these two characters. And of course I just loved Aunt Jo. Every one needs an aunt like that!!
If you like to read christian based stories that really shows the power of a person's faith, then this is a book I highly recommend to you.
As I mentioned above, this is book 1 in the e-mail Order Brides series. I have enjoyed reading other books by Deb Kastner and this one was no different. The story line was very heart warming and really showed what a difference a person can make in other lives. Chance has ben an extremely bitter person since his wife passed away in a car accident several years before. He has even been dis connected from his own daughter.
Phoebe is a big time pastry chef in New York but has been feeling quite overwhelmed and that her life is missing something. She decides to take an offer from a very distant family member(Chance's aunt Jo) to be the temporary pastry chef in a small cafe that is located in a very small Texas town. The only problem is that Chance is the cook in this cafe and has no desire to have Phoebe come into their lives and work at the cafe. Phoebe seemed so sweet to me and I did love how strong her faith was, that she truly believed anything was possible.
The reason why I mentioned that this was a heart warming story was the fact that Phoebe was able to find out possibly what she thought she wanted her life to be and "watching" as Chance was able to start living life again. There was such an unique chemistry between these two characters. And of course I just loved Aunt Jo. Every one needs an aunt like that!!
If you like to read christian based stories that really shows the power of a person's faith, then this is a book I highly recommend to you.
July 7, 2011
I am a big fan of Love Inspired books. I really liked the Pheobe, Chance, Lucy and aunt Jo what a great family. Pheobe is so nice and I love that she is direct and to the point. Lucy is a teenager that grows on you. I enjoyed how things played out with her. This story is a very sweet romance! I would say this is a Christan read that is not preachy and tastefully written! The best part for me was the end! I would have liked the ending to be a little longer, but all good things must come to an end. I guess I am a sucker for a happy ending. I would love to get some of Phoebe's recipes. I love to bake and my mouth was watering while reading! I think I need to go bake some cookies!
March 19, 2013
I didn't really like this book but I didn't really hate it either. I didn't really like the status updates that were supposed to resemble those of Facebook, they dumbed down Phoebe's character in my eyes. I also saw a discrepancy in the story of when Phoebe learned about Chance's wife. It was a simple error that an editor should have caught (editing errors are a pet peeve of mine). The ending seemed rushed and cliche and made Phoebe seem flighty.
March 18, 2013
What a great inspirational story. I really enjoyed this book. It made me want to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere, just to see if I could experience the same thing. The book had a nice touch to it and showed you how God works in mysterious ways.
Anybody looking for an easy and inspiring story this would be the one for you.
Anybody looking for an easy and inspiring story this would be the one for you.
October 28, 2015
I like what Phoebe said to Chance, "Dig into that strength. It comes from God. Wrap it around your heart. He'll help you through this."
And Chances: He'd managed to make every female in his family happy with a single sentence. it was a novelty for him....
And Chances: He'd managed to make every female in his family happy with a single sentence. it was a novelty for him....
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December 24, 2014Miniseries: Email Order Brides
April 22, 2012
Breezy Read.
April 7, 2016
Quite good! Much better than I would have expected. :)
November 9, 2016
just wonderful!
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December 24, 2014Miniseries: Email Order Brides
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews