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Sweet City Hearts #2
The Perfect Blend
Opening a Christian coffeehouse in Seattle; that was my dream. I wanted to call it Maggie Black's Higher Grounds. So when banker William Grey III denied my loan, I was crushed. But then Mr. Grey (who's a tea drinker; figures!) explained that if I took his small-business course, the bank might reconsider my application. It would take the help of some of my fab coffee, but I was sure I could stay awake long enough to learn something. Besides, despite Grey's stuffy facade, his velvety British accent could make even financial analysis sound interesting.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2007
About the author
Allie Pleiter
121 books668 followersAn avid knitter, coffee junkie and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction working on as many as four novels at a time. The bestselling author of over fifty books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-year career with over 1.5 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com to learn more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
October 23, 2019
Maggie wants to open a Christian coffee shop but the banker William Grey says she doesn’t have enough planning done to even ask for a loan. He suggests 12 weeks of classes, so she can learn more about running a business. He is the teacher, they become closer even though William will only drink tea. This book has interesting information about making coffee and lots of humor.
December 31, 2022
This book to me forever to read! Urgh....lol! I'd say 2.5 stars, i like faith based romance novels but this... just didn't seem to hold my attention.
August 26, 2012
I’m not a religious person at all, but for some reason I loved this book. If I had to take a wild stab at it... the reason would be due to my love of coffee lol
May 29, 2019
Why is it that almost all the books Love-Inspired I love seem to revolve around food? Maggie is a young entrepreneur who wants to open a coffee shop in the already saturated city of Seattle. What makes hers stand out? She wants to open a Christian coffee house. Will is the stuffy banker who has to make the decision whether or not to approve Maggie's loan.
The first half of this book started off pretty slowly, but it really picked up during the 2nd half. There were a few unexpected twists and turns to get to the HEA that I was not expecting and made the book a little less predictable - earning its 4 star rating.
Rating: 4 stars for a little bit of an unusual story-line and comedic relief
Warning: be careful when reading the 2nd half of the book. You're liable to spit your coffee out of your mouth at places whether it be from the humour written into the story or the cheese-factor towards the end.
My Ratings:
5*****I loved this book, consider it an all time favorite
4**** Thoroughly enjoyed the book and will recommend it
3*** I liked it well enough,
2** Brain Candy - It was okay. Writing mediocre, will
keep/re-read if part of a series
1* didn't like/possibly not finished. (less)
The first half of this book started off pretty slowly, but it really picked up during the 2nd half. There were a few unexpected twists and turns to get to the HEA that I was not expecting and made the book a little less predictable - earning its 4 star rating.
Rating: 4 stars for a little bit of an unusual story-line and comedic relief
Warning: be careful when reading the 2nd half of the book. You're liable to spit your coffee out of your mouth at places whether it be from the humour written into the story or the cheese-factor towards the end.
My Ratings:
5*****I loved this book, consider it an all time favorite
4**** Thoroughly enjoyed the book and will recommend it
3*** I liked it well enough,
2** Brain Candy - It was okay. Writing mediocre, will
keep/re-read if part of a series
1* didn't like/possibly not finished. (less)
March 20, 2021
I've read this story a couple of times. It's pleasant and just touch more realistic than most "Christian" romances. Most of her books are better than average, and I look for one when I'm in the mood for that type of story. I'd especially recommend Homefront Hero or My So-Called Love Life, though she has quite a few that are worth trying.
May 28, 2011
What I love about Allie Pleiter's books is that they do not contain any girls without spines. Maggie Black, heroine of The Perfect Blend, wants more than anything to open a Christian coffee shop in Seattle...and a side of handsome banker Will Grey wouldn't be so bad, either. This is a great, fun story, and it gave me a monster coffee craving.
January 19, 2009
Enjoyable, first-person romance novel all about coffee and striving to attain something you want so desperately you can't talk about it to those you love. With a handsome British hero, no less!
March 28, 2009
I love this chick lit romance about following your dreams. It's funny and endearing, but maybe because I relate so well to the heroine! Raises great debate over tea vs. coffee as well.
October 29, 2009
I loved this book! The characters were well developed and fun to follow! the humor was easy to catch and fun to laugh with and the plot was good enough that i refused to put the book down!
September 5, 2023
Once upon a time, I fell in love with half a book. It was called 'Where the Heart Is' by Billie Letts... but please note that I said HALF the book. I hated the Willie Jack chapters. They were vile. HE was vile. The point was to contrast his downward spiral with Novalee's upward trajectory to love and peace and happiness. I don't need the nasties to enjoy the beautiful parts. So I taped all of the Willie Jack chapters shut. Not kidding - Scotch taped every other chapter of the book shut. And then I LOVED the book.
This is the second book that I have ever taped shut. Pg 39-56 are going away. They're horrible. They ruin the book. I can do without *ANY* of that. If that's gone? I will give this book four stars. If it's not? It's down to two.
Honestly, the story is sweet: a girl feels the Lord has called her to open a coffee haus christchun ministry. Now, I don't believe in prostelyzing (there are 12 places in the Bible where the Lord commissions missionaries, and it's ALWAYS just the twelve, specifically. It's not meant for us). But I can get on-board with a clean place with faith-based music and books for people to 'sharpen iron' and 'grow' in a knowledge of Elohim.
Pg 80 about Jee-zused the hell outta me (He's YESHUAH, for the love of all that's holy!!!)... but I get that churchianity can't wrap its head around Truth and that it's gonna be a 'tadpole' viewpoint, in this book. At least the author is about "finding deeper faith". There's that. Page 93 COMPLETELY made up for pg 80... and I'm feeling forgiving, today.
MOSTLY the story is funny, sweet, engaging, and everything a 'Love, Inspired' story should be (but typically isn't). Romantic! This even is romantic, in a way NO 'Love, Inspired' books have been in at least a decade and a half. This is SO definitely worth reading. You'll laugh. You'll love. You'll commiserate. It's just really well written and witty.
Just tape pages 39-56 closed, first.
Or you'll be sorry, cringy, and likely quit too soon.
This is the second book that I have ever taped shut. Pg 39-56 are going away. They're horrible. They ruin the book. I can do without *ANY* of that. If that's gone? I will give this book four stars. If it's not? It's down to two.
Honestly, the story is sweet: a girl feels the Lord has called her to open a coffee haus christchun ministry. Now, I don't believe in prostelyzing (there are 12 places in the Bible where the Lord commissions missionaries, and it's ALWAYS just the twelve, specifically. It's not meant for us). But I can get on-board with a clean place with faith-based music and books for people to 'sharpen iron' and 'grow' in a knowledge of Elohim.
Pg 80 about Jee-zused the hell outta me (He's YESHUAH, for the love of all that's holy!!!)... but I get that churchianity can't wrap its head around Truth and that it's gonna be a 'tadpole' viewpoint, in this book. At least the author is about "finding deeper faith". There's that. Page 93 COMPLETELY made up for pg 80... and I'm feeling forgiving, today.
MOSTLY the story is funny, sweet, engaging, and everything a 'Love, Inspired' story should be (but typically isn't). Romantic! This even is romantic, in a way NO 'Love, Inspired' books have been in at least a decade and a half. This is SO definitely worth reading. You'll laugh. You'll love. You'll commiserate. It's just really well written and witty.
Just tape pages 39-56 closed, first.
Or you'll be sorry, cringy, and likely quit too soon.
August 30, 2026
I have mixed feelings on this book, on one hand I understand why people like it. It has great rom-com banter, and I don't mean the slop that rom-com banter has become, I mean the witty and intelligent kind. It was quite witty, the heroine made me laugh several times, I will give it that. Of course the heroine did annoy me on occasion too but I'll ignore that. Was it a good enough book? yea but the problem is there were just too many things I disliked about it.
This book is yet another reminder that many Christian women are just as feminist as non Christian women which should not at all be the case and is the complete opposite of what I look for. After being in the Christian women circle for a long time now, I've noticed to most modern Christian women that "God's calling" for them is whatever they personally want to do lol and this book summed that up perfectly. This was wrote in a way that God revolved around her wants rather than the other way. God's calling apparently is for her to be a girl boss and put marriage and family on the back burner lol I'm going to call bullcrap on that, it was her ambition that had her wanting to open a coffee shop not God which is fine and dandy but let's not pretend otherwise.
This was only confirmed by the ending. I'm now on 300+ reads of Christian romance and this is the only book I've read where there is no talk of marriage or even an engagement between them at the end. They're just casually dating? um ok no thanks. They have no plans to get married and start a family apparently even though she is 28, funnily enough Maggie mentions her friend's biological clock ticking but apparently forgets her own lol.
The romance just seemed second fiddle to her coffee shop the entire book and the epilogue was entirely about her coffee shop that is supposedly God's design, um sure whatever you say. I had no idea this book was going to be so focused on her career, women and their careers are the last thing in the world that i read romance for, especially so called Christian romance. I mean this is called "Love Inspired" not "Career Inspired" after all. I read them for meaningful love, marriage and family all of which are missing here and it's quite a disappointment because I was liking both Maggie and Will but it personally didn't deliver for me. It also felt like it was cosplaying as a Christian book without any real faith or biblical teachings to it. A lot of these Christian romances might be very subtle with God in the book to the point where non Christians could easily read and enjoy it so I don't say this because God didn't play a big enough part, the problem is this book mentions God and prayer a lot and it just all seems insincere and forced, it all just seems wrote around her coffee shop. That is really the be all and end all in this. She was more in love with her coffee shop than she was in either God or Will in my opinion.
Also another thing it had going against it from the start was that there was no male point of view to the story which is my favourite part of these books to be honest. I haven't read much books in the Love Inspired series as I don't tend to find the storylines as interesting but the few I have read still had the male pov in them too like all the Heartsong books so i don't know whether it's just this author or maybe something that is less common in this series, but anyway it was another point against it. If the author had put love and marriage above the ambition for a job, I might have forgiven any other issues with it, if they were married or engaged at the end like is always the case in these books (and what I read them for) then I might have overlooked everything else. But since this didn't happen, I am here to complain lol I have a right to since I did spend most of the day reading this and I'm disappointed.
Most other people reading this book probably won't even notice the things I'm complaining about since everyone has been raised on subversions but I know what I expect and what i want from romance books, especially Christian romances books and I accept nothing less.
This book is yet another reminder that many Christian women are just as feminist as non Christian women which should not at all be the case and is the complete opposite of what I look for. After being in the Christian women circle for a long time now, I've noticed to most modern Christian women that "God's calling" for them is whatever they personally want to do lol and this book summed that up perfectly. This was wrote in a way that God revolved around her wants rather than the other way. God's calling apparently is for her to be a girl boss and put marriage and family on the back burner lol I'm going to call bullcrap on that, it was her ambition that had her wanting to open a coffee shop not God which is fine and dandy but let's not pretend otherwise.
This was only confirmed by the ending. I'm now on 300+ reads of Christian romance and this is the only book I've read where there is no talk of marriage or even an engagement between them at the end. They're just casually dating? um ok no thanks. They have no plans to get married and start a family apparently even though she is 28, funnily enough Maggie mentions her friend's biological clock ticking but apparently forgets her own lol.
The romance just seemed second fiddle to her coffee shop the entire book and the epilogue was entirely about her coffee shop that is supposedly God's design, um sure whatever you say. I had no idea this book was going to be so focused on her career, women and their careers are the last thing in the world that i read romance for, especially so called Christian romance. I mean this is called "Love Inspired" not "Career Inspired" after all. I read them for meaningful love, marriage and family all of which are missing here and it's quite a disappointment because I was liking both Maggie and Will but it personally didn't deliver for me. It also felt like it was cosplaying as a Christian book without any real faith or biblical teachings to it. A lot of these Christian romances might be very subtle with God in the book to the point where non Christians could easily read and enjoy it so I don't say this because God didn't play a big enough part, the problem is this book mentions God and prayer a lot and it just all seems insincere and forced, it all just seems wrote around her coffee shop. That is really the be all and end all in this. She was more in love with her coffee shop than she was in either God or Will in my opinion.
Also another thing it had going against it from the start was that there was no male point of view to the story which is my favourite part of these books to be honest. I haven't read much books in the Love Inspired series as I don't tend to find the storylines as interesting but the few I have read still had the male pov in them too like all the Heartsong books so i don't know whether it's just this author or maybe something that is less common in this series, but anyway it was another point against it. If the author had put love and marriage above the ambition for a job, I might have forgiven any other issues with it, if they were married or engaged at the end like is always the case in these books (and what I read them for) then I might have overlooked everything else. But since this didn't happen, I am here to complain lol I have a right to since I did spend most of the day reading this and I'm disappointed.
Most other people reading this book probably won't even notice the things I'm complaining about since everyone has been raised on subversions but I know what I expect and what i want from romance books, especially Christian romances books and I accept nothing less.
November 26, 2016
Her inheritance from Uncle Ian is her ticket to opening a Christian Coffee Shop, if only she can survive the entrepreneur class, the loan officer strongly suggested Margret Mary Black she take when William Grey the III turned down her loan. The amusing misadventures begin when she gets hits delivering her homework, and Will the rugby player ends up taking Maggie to the hospital. Developing a business plan is much more than budgets, product development, and startup costs when the two keep bumping heads, literally and figuratively. Considering the central theme is coffee, the tea ceremony description will leave avid coffee drinker wanting to try a cup of tea.
January 27, 2023
Maggie has her heart set on opening a Christian based coffee house in Seattle. William is the banker she needs convince that her coffee house has the stuff to become a long running business. While he may push her trying to make her business plan better, she is starting to wonder if her feelings for William aren’t all professional. Adorable romance centered around the preferences of coffee and tea.
July 28, 2026
I absolutely loved this book!! Not only is it Christian based, it's extremely funny, and I learned a bit about coffee.
It teaches us that when God puts a dream in your heart, there's always a way to achieve it, even if it's not exactly the way you planned it.
It teaches us that when God puts a dream in your heart, there's always a way to achieve it, even if it's not exactly the way you planned it.
March 11, 2020
This book was so darn adorable! I've read it at least 4 times. A perfect Christian rom-com.
August 29, 2020
Very cute. I enjoyed the humor and Roth’s character of Maggie, especially. And I learned a lot about coffee shops!
August 15, 2021
2 for writing, and story. 4 for Christian values
March 3, 2023
Needs a lot more editing done on it.
September 1, 2025
I enjoyed the story.
March 2, 2013
It's unusual, it's inspiring, it's romantic, and best of all-- It's FUNNY!!
The plot of the story itself is not the common, falling-in-love-but-to-scared-to-give-in. Or the fell-in-love-but-can't-tell-if-he/she-loves-me-too plot.
Well... maybe the book's plot had the fore-mentioned plot, but with an added twist. I liked the short, quick descriptions, and funny idioms and puns that it didn't constantly kept reminding me that there are boundaries and restrictions because of religion, but because of professional reasons, too. I guess that made me sound a little un-religious-like, huh? But isn't the point of this book to have the readers believe in God and religion more, and have a stronger faith to withstand life's challenges? Well, this book accomplished much that it helped me have a stronger faith and mind.
And also, the modern style writing with no sugar-coated words made the story more understandable. There weren't a lot of complicated words, (but there were still some) and I'm grateful to that(also to the few complicated words and unfamiliar idioms, because they just enhanced my vocabulary).
This book really is worth the read and is awesome. It works well and it amuses you, too.
The plot of the story itself is not the common, falling-in-love-but-to-scared-to-give-in. Or the fell-in-love-but-can't-tell-if-he/she-loves-me-too plot.
Well... maybe the book's plot had the fore-mentioned plot, but with an added twist. I liked the short, quick descriptions, and funny idioms and puns that it didn't constantly kept reminding me that there are boundaries and restrictions because of religion, but because of professional reasons, too. I guess that made me sound a little un-religious-like, huh? But isn't the point of this book to have the readers believe in God and religion more, and have a stronger faith to withstand life's challenges? Well, this book accomplished much that it helped me have a stronger faith and mind.
And also, the modern style writing with no sugar-coated words made the story more understandable. There weren't a lot of complicated words, (but there were still some) and I'm grateful to that(also to the few complicated words and unfamiliar idioms, because they just enhanced my vocabulary).
This book really is worth the read and is awesome. It works well and it amuses you, too.
July 18, 2016
The Perfect Blend by Allie Pleiter
Sweet City Hearts Series Book Three
Margaret “Maggie” Black finally knew what she was supposed to do. And she knew this came from God so it was all going to work out. Start a coffeehouse called Higher Ground. A place where those who wouldn't set foot in a church would come and hear the gospel in more subtle ways. She was all set to go. Just get her loan and start selling coffee. Right?
William Grey the third, a rather handsome fellow with a great accent, being English and all, poured water on Maggie's fire. Seems there is more than starting a business and getting a loan than just doing it.
I have enjoyed all three of these stories in this series. The first story; Getting to Yes, is a short prequel that introduces Lindy in My So-Called Love Life. Lindy is Maggie's friend from when she lived in LA for two years.
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
Sweet City Hearts Series Book Three
Margaret “Maggie” Black finally knew what she was supposed to do. And she knew this came from God so it was all going to work out. Start a coffeehouse called Higher Ground. A place where those who wouldn't set foot in a church would come and hear the gospel in more subtle ways. She was all set to go. Just get her loan and start selling coffee. Right?
William Grey the third, a rather handsome fellow with a great accent, being English and all, poured water on Maggie's fire. Seems there is more than starting a business and getting a loan than just doing it.
I have enjoyed all three of these stories in this series. The first story; Getting to Yes, is a short prequel that introduces Lindy in My So-Called Love Life. Lindy is Maggie's friend from when she lived in LA for two years.
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
October 18, 2008
Cute book. I enjoyed reading this as it didn't require me to really "think" while reading and I really needed that to be honest.
Maggie wants to open a Christian Coffee House ~ a place for the soul to be refreshed and filled ~ all she needs is a loan and all that stands in her way is William ~ her very stiff British loan officer. Trouble is, Maggie finds herself drawn to him ~ is God leading her to him and away from her coffee-house dreams???
Christian Fiction
May 22, 2010
Maggie wants to open a Christian Coffee House. In order to qualify for a bank loan she has to take an entrepreneur course taught by the loan officer. Their relationship beomes personal Will is a Christian and suports Maggie's callilng with prayers. In the end her loan is turned down and she can't understand God closing the door on her dream but she never loses her faith. Help comes from an unexpected source.
April 19, 2013
Somewhere around the 3 1/2 mark on this book. I enjoyed it, it was a good lighthearted read with some pretty good messages but the US view of what English people are like nearly always grates on me it's so unreal. Whoever heard of an Englishman being called Will Grey the Third?! It's so unreal it's ridiculous, you'd be hard pressed to even find a Will Grey jr, it's far more likely that sharing the name William with his father he'd be called Bill or Billy.
January 14, 2014
I'm currently reading another one of Allies' books, 'My So-called Love Life '. I'm loving the wit and humor so much that I looked up her name for more works when I was reminded of 'The Perfect Blend.' Allie is an amazing author and the humor amidst the romance is what draws you in. I loved ,'The Perfect Blend.' Definitely a read for someone who enjoys a romance story with humor and some reality.
February 22, 2016
A ginger haired dynamo, Maggie Black tries to get a loan from the bank for her idea "Higher Grounds" a Christian coffee bar. William Grey III denied this loan application, but suggests she take his class for entrepreneurs. Can the boisterous, Irish lass and the rugby playing, but very sedate banker make a go of things?
June 23, 2016
I don't normally read this genre so I didn't know quite what to expect when I picked Perfect Blend up. But I found I loved the characters immediately and the easy flow of the narrative. I wanted a relaxing and fun read for a vacation and it was "the perfect blend" of romance and suspense woven together with some good humor and sharp writing.
January 12, 2017
I received a copy for an honest review. It was such a sweet story of a girl trying to open up a coffee shop with a religious twist to it. Her loan gets denied but she meets Will and falls in love. I loved the concept of this story and enjoyed the interspersed pictures of coffee cups throughout the book. It was such a nice touch. I would recommend this book.
August 11, 2014
So honestly this is like my favorite of all the Love-Inspired books I've ever read! It's funny, it's serious, it's real to life. Also it's written in first person, through the whole book. I rarely see that anymore.
January 1, 2019
I don't drink coffee or tea so many of those references didn't mean much to me, but I still loved this story. The humor sparkles and Will is irresistible. This book would make a great movie--the perfect romantic comedy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews