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Farm Fresh #2
Wild Mint Tea
She's rooted deep. He flies free.
Local-foods chef Claire Halford envisions turning Green Acres Farm into an event destination. Weddings prove trickier than she imagined when the first one comes with a ruggedly handsome brother-of-the-bride, who has everything but a fixed address. Oh, and faith in God.
Noel Kenzie loves the freedom his reforestation company affords him. Why worry about deep stuff like God and commitment when he's in his prime? Except there's a woman who might make it worth giving up his wings...and digging in some roots. If he dares.
Local-foods chef Claire Halford envisions turning Green Acres Farm into an event destination. Weddings prove trickier than she imagined when the first one comes with a ruggedly handsome brother-of-the-bride, who has everything but a fixed address. Oh, and faith in God.
Noel Kenzie loves the freedom his reforestation company affords him. Why worry about deep stuff like God and commitment when he's in his prime? Except there's a woman who might make it worth giving up his wings...and digging in some roots. If he dares.
346 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2014
59 people are currently reading
405 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Comer
87 books228 followersValerie Comer is constantly amazed that living, talking, dreaming characters appear in her mind and flow from her fingertips and, from there, to her delighted readers. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, sharing rural life in western Canada with her husband, adult children, and adorable grandkids.
Valerie is a two-time USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner. She is known for writing engaging characters, strong communities, and deep faith into her green clean romances.
CONTACTING VALERIE
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valerie@valeriecomer.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 7, 2017
I enjoyed listening to the audio of this second book in the Farm Fresh Romance series by Valerie Comer. The story line flowed smoothly and kept me interested. Then there was a big incident at the end of the book that had me on the edge of my seat!! LOL
*Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy of this book. I was not paid or required to post a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*
*Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy of this book. I was not paid or required to post a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*
February 26, 2019
FTC Disclosure: I won a copy of the audio and paperback versions of this book several years ago. No review was required. These are my honest thoughts.
I enjoyed this book better than the first, but I was uncomfortable with the disrespectful terms used about God ("Big Guy" and "old guy in the sky"). They were used only three or four times, but they were off-putting to me. The green living aspect felt less in-my-face than book one, which made it easier for me to connect with the characters and plot. I really liked the wanderlust angle.
Content: alcohol
I enjoyed this book better than the first, but I was uncomfortable with the disrespectful terms used about God ("Big Guy" and "old guy in the sky"). They were used only three or four times, but they were off-putting to me. The green living aspect felt less in-my-face than book one, which made it easier for me to connect with the characters and plot. I really liked the wanderlust angle.
Content: alcohol
March 21, 2014
This is the second in Valerie Comer's 'Farm Fresh Romance' series. Those who read 'Raspberries and Vinegar' will remember Claire as the practical and undemonstrative chef, whose dream of making a go of the self-sustained lifestyle farm is nonetheless huge. This is her story.
Wanting to earn a bit more money to put into the project, she applies for a temporary position as chef with a reforestation group. The boss, Noel Kenzie, turns out to be undeniably attractive.
The two main characters are different from each other in many ways. She values the security of home and hearth, while he is a free-spirited wanderer with a thirst for adventure. In fact, the one thing they have in common is a mutual agreement that they should keep well away from each other. It's very easy and satisfying to read.
Although Claire's aversion to traveling seems extreme, given her common sense, we understand when we read the snippets about her upbringing. It doesn't take the reader long to figure out that Noel is the right man for her. I originally liked him for his humour and patience with the other women in his life; Amber, his little sister, who still has a tendency to pout and throw tantrums, even though she's soon to be married, and Jess, his foreman, who keeps teasing him about his crush on Claire until the joke gets really old.
My favourite parts of the story may be the insights we get into the rigours of the hospitality industry. As my teenage daughter wants to follow that path, it was eye-opening. The three original girls, Jo, Claire and Sierra, decide to begin catering for weddings and functions. It's soon obvious to the reader that their dream takes lots of intelligence, forethought, dedication and meticulous detail. Perhaps these books work so well because we all appreciate it when hard work is offset by a little romance.
I'm looking forward to Sierra's story in the third book.
Thanks to the author for a free review copy.
Wanting to earn a bit more money to put into the project, she applies for a temporary position as chef with a reforestation group. The boss, Noel Kenzie, turns out to be undeniably attractive.
The two main characters are different from each other in many ways. She values the security of home and hearth, while he is a free-spirited wanderer with a thirst for adventure. In fact, the one thing they have in common is a mutual agreement that they should keep well away from each other. It's very easy and satisfying to read.
Although Claire's aversion to traveling seems extreme, given her common sense, we understand when we read the snippets about her upbringing. It doesn't take the reader long to figure out that Noel is the right man for her. I originally liked him for his humour and patience with the other women in his life; Amber, his little sister, who still has a tendency to pout and throw tantrums, even though she's soon to be married, and Jess, his foreman, who keeps teasing him about his crush on Claire until the joke gets really old.
My favourite parts of the story may be the insights we get into the rigours of the hospitality industry. As my teenage daughter wants to follow that path, it was eye-opening. The three original girls, Jo, Claire and Sierra, decide to begin catering for weddings and functions. It's soon obvious to the reader that their dream takes lots of intelligence, forethought, dedication and meticulous detail. Perhaps these books work so well because we all appreciate it when hard work is offset by a little romance.
I'm looking forward to Sierra's story in the third book.
Thanks to the author for a free review copy.
May 1, 2017
I'm Hooked on this Series
This is book two in the series and could be read alone. However you would miss quite a bit of background on the main characters. This book starts just a few months after the last one ends and is Claire's story. Clean Christian read. Fun romance. Quick light read. On to book three for me!
This is book two in the series and could be read alone. However you would miss quite a bit of background on the main characters. This book starts just a few months after the last one ends and is Claire's story. Clean Christian read. Fun romance. Quick light read. On to book three for me!
September 8, 2014
Claire Hadford and two friends have bought a farm in Northern Idaho with the goal of turning it into a hands-on demonstration of sustainable living. They've built an interesting straw-bale house (efficient, warm and dry, and far better than the mouse-infested trailer they started out in) and are ready to begin hosting events.
All three women share the grounds-keeping and gardening work while holding down outside jobs to help with expenses. Claire is a chef, desperate to find a better gig than the weekend night shifts at the town's restaurant, The Sizzling Skillet. Her boss is a bully who gives her no scope to highlight the local and seasonal ingredients which are her specialty.
Local-sourcing food is a tough sell, and Claire figures that's why she doesn't get the contract to cook for a reforesting crew when they arrive in the area. Good thing she doesn't know the truth: owner Noel Kenzie thinks she's too distractingly cute.
To ease his conscience, Noel suggests the farm as a wedding venue for his sister, not realizing how much time he'll end up spending with his sister and Claire.
He's a man on the move, planting trees across the US and hitting exotic destinations in the off-season. Claire's roots in the farm go deep—and she needs that stability after a childhood of being uprooted. Plus, the most important thing she'd want in a man—if she were looking, which she's not—is that he have a close relationship with the Lord.
Noel is saving that until he's too old to have fun. And he knows he's not good enough for Claire. His father abandoned the family and only calls when he's out of cash. Noel has no idea how to be a good dad—even if Claire would take a chance on him.
Wild Mint Tea is the second in the Farm Fresh Romance series, and I really enjoy these books. The characters are real, complicated, and I care about them. Claire and Noel each carry false beliefs about themselves and their needs, and it's heartwarming to watch them grow. Fans of book 1, Raspberries and Vinegar , will be glad to see Jo, Zach and Domino again.
And people like me who like a little adventure beyond the romance will enjoy the heavy equipment when it rolls in. That's all I'm saying.
Valerie Comer is a Canadian author who writes "where food meets faith." She's passionate about both and too skilled a writer to be pushy about either. She cooks up a fine tale, properly spiced with humour. To learn more about the author, you can visit her website. And come back here on Friday to read my interview with her.
For a little fun, check out this post by the illustrator, Hanna Sandvig--and view the short-but-sweet book trailer. Click here.
[Review copy provided by the publisher.]
All three women share the grounds-keeping and gardening work while holding down outside jobs to help with expenses. Claire is a chef, desperate to find a better gig than the weekend night shifts at the town's restaurant, The Sizzling Skillet. Her boss is a bully who gives her no scope to highlight the local and seasonal ingredients which are her specialty.
Local-sourcing food is a tough sell, and Claire figures that's why she doesn't get the contract to cook for a reforesting crew when they arrive in the area. Good thing she doesn't know the truth: owner Noel Kenzie thinks she's too distractingly cute.
To ease his conscience, Noel suggests the farm as a wedding venue for his sister, not realizing how much time he'll end up spending with his sister and Claire.
He's a man on the move, planting trees across the US and hitting exotic destinations in the off-season. Claire's roots in the farm go deep—and she needs that stability after a childhood of being uprooted. Plus, the most important thing she'd want in a man—if she were looking, which she's not—is that he have a close relationship with the Lord.
Noel is saving that until he's too old to have fun. And he knows he's not good enough for Claire. His father abandoned the family and only calls when he's out of cash. Noel has no idea how to be a good dad—even if Claire would take a chance on him.
Wild Mint Tea is the second in the Farm Fresh Romance series, and I really enjoy these books. The characters are real, complicated, and I care about them. Claire and Noel each carry false beliefs about themselves and their needs, and it's heartwarming to watch them grow. Fans of book 1, Raspberries and Vinegar , will be glad to see Jo, Zach and Domino again.
And people like me who like a little adventure beyond the romance will enjoy the heavy equipment when it rolls in. That's all I'm saying.
Valerie Comer is a Canadian author who writes "where food meets faith." She's passionate about both and too skilled a writer to be pushy about either. She cooks up a fine tale, properly spiced with humour. To learn more about the author, you can visit her website. And come back here on Friday to read my interview with her.
For a little fun, check out this post by the illustrator, Hanna Sandvig--and view the short-but-sweet book trailer. Click here.
[Review copy provided by the publisher.]
March 3, 2015
This is book 2 in the Farm Fresh Romance series. It is not necessary to read book 1 first, but if you prefer to have the background history and staging for book 2, pick up Raspberries and Vinegar (book 1). My clean-reads and Christian friends who enjoy romance, will like this nice little story about Noel and Claire. Noel is in the reforestation business. He stays on the move from one place to the other and has little time for God or permanent relationships. Claire loves God, and has established what she hopes will be permanent roots in Galena Landing, Idaho to build her dream farm with her friends Siera and Jo. Both characters have to reconcile what God has planned for their lives, forgive their past histories, and decide whether God's plan includes a relationship with one another. I did find the dialogue a between Claire and Noel a bit hard to follow at times, but otherwise I enjoyed the story. I like the idea of being self-sufficient and environment friendly, versus totally dependent on a grocery store. There was a recipe for Wild Mint Tea in the back that I hope to try. I wish the author had put some of the other recipes that Claire cooked in the story in the back too. Just a thought for future books.
March 13, 2014
I read the first book by this author, Raspberries and Vinegar, and book 2, Wild Mint Tea, was equally enjoyable. I really love these Farm Fresh Romance' novels with their rural settings and the FOOD---oh the farm-fresh food!!!! Valerie Comer has the most scrumtious way of combining the story of food with that of the human heart.
In Wild Mint Tea we return to the farm Green Acres, only this time the romance flies between Claire Halford and Noel Kenzie. Things get off on the wrong foot when Noel who is in charge of hiring, doesn’t hire Claire for the job. Noel does recommend her and Green Acres to his sister who is getting married. As Claire and her partners at the farm plan a beautiful wedding on the farm, romance increases between Claire and Noel. So too does the tension between her faith and the seeming lack of Noel’s faith. Wild Mint Tea is a sweet romance with some beautiful spiritual depth.
If you like sweet Christian Romance I highly recommend this story.
In Wild Mint Tea we return to the farm Green Acres, only this time the romance flies between Claire Halford and Noel Kenzie. Things get off on the wrong foot when Noel who is in charge of hiring, doesn’t hire Claire for the job. Noel does recommend her and Green Acres to his sister who is getting married. As Claire and her partners at the farm plan a beautiful wedding on the farm, romance increases between Claire and Noel. So too does the tension between her faith and the seeming lack of Noel’s faith. Wild Mint Tea is a sweet romance with some beautiful spiritual depth.
If you like sweet Christian Romance I highly recommend this story.
April 3, 2014
I won this free through goodreads. This book is breath-tingling, and mind numbingly good! I loved Claire instantly and she was the kind of character that anyone would be able to relate to. She is spunky, fun, and very foreword. It brings you in with thinking about your own morals, and keeps you with page-turning goodness! I Loved every minute it and it was a fairly quick read. Nothing that you spend days reading and end up not finishing. It had a great plot line, and was simple to follow. Word selection and imagery played a big role in distinguishing the story from others like it, but the characters added in the boost it needed to throw it over the top!
June 8, 2014
Other than the fact I struggled to remember this was a male Noel instead of a female No-el due to such a strong association with Christmas with that word and the fact I've never known a guy with the name, I loved this book. There were times I wanted to slap both Noel and Claire upside the head, which is a good sign, since it means the book really drew me in. I was up very late reading, read it straight through in one sitting. Another good sign. The story was believable and a fun read. The author's use of humor in various places throughout was great!
July 16, 2015
Book 2 of 6.5
September 21, 2020
I was able to listen to a copy of the audible book for this story. The narrator was great and it made the story worth listening to. I can not relate to the self sustaining farming part of this book. I think it made it a little hard to get into it. I did think Valerie Comer did a great job of creating likeable characters.
April 19, 2019
Loved this story
I absolutely loved Noel and Claire. What an amazing couple. I love the setting and theme for this series. And wonder why I haven’t read this author before. Diving into the next book!
I absolutely loved Noel and Claire. What an amazing couple. I love the setting and theme for this series. And wonder why I haven’t read this author before. Diving into the next book!
December 30, 2019
Comer does a great job of weaving into the story nuggets of biblical truth and life lessons. I enjoy these sweet stories as a break from reality and learning a bit more about sustainable living at the same time!
March 15, 2024
A fantastic book
I really loved reading this book. It was a fantastic story that was well written. The adventures throughout the story will make you feel like you are right there with the characters.
I really loved reading this book. It was a fantastic story that was well written. The adventures throughout the story will make you feel like you are right there with the characters.
April 5, 2020
God's Plan Changes
Just because we think we know what God wants us to do, doesn't mean He can't change our minds. We must always remember we don't converter than He~
Just because we think we know what God wants us to do, doesn't mean He can't change our minds. We must always remember we don't converter than He~
January 14, 2024
Great book, read it all in one evening, interesting characters- looking forward to the next one!
March 20, 2024
Claire has roots and she never plans to move away from them. Noel has freedom and he never plans to be tied down. But the heart knows what the heart wants and God has better plans than we can imagine!
July 8, 2015
Originally published on Tales to Tide You Over.
Wild Mint Tea is the second in Valerie Comer’s A Farm Fresh Romance series, and both builds on the first and stands alone. Claire and Noel are very different people than Jo and Zack with their own hang-ups and expectations.
Claire is the quiet sort, at least where her own needs are concerned, but she’s quick to help all others, and proves quite good at it. Sometimes it feels like she needs to listen to her own advice, something she learns when measuring what standing firm costs her. Claire has a clear vision of what God wants from her and where her place is in the world. She’s not an evangelist for her causes like Jo. She explains the importance of God and good, local food if asked, but she doesn’t press the way Jo did. Instead, she leaves people to their own choices and doesn’t force them to her way. A little dose of Jo wouldn’t have gone so wrong in her case as she learns through the story, though. Sometimes confidence can mask the true path as easily as ignorance, and fighting for what you need is better than blind acceptance of what you have.
Noel is a mess of family history and thinks of life in two stages: before settling down when life is fun and fascinating, and old age when you can make your peace with God and the world. His father abandoned them when Noel was just a kid, so he’s determined not to put down roots that would open him to being abandoned once again. The trouble is that he’s holding himself back from caring for his sister and mother, much less the wonderful, if quirky, woman God has put in his path. Noel’s journey, like Claire’s, begins with trust, but his growth in that area comes not from distrust but rather from believing he’s got it all figured out.
That they’re attracted to each other is evident from the first moment they meet. Instead of embracing it, though, each withdraws as quickly as they can manage, albeit in different ways. The choice to walk away proves something neither can uphold for long, though, and Noel’s efforts to win another chance offers opportunities both to expand the value of the farm into a celebration venue for Claire and gives Noel the opening to make a stronger connection with his sister.
To faith and farm-fresh food, Wild Mint Tea adds the importance of family in a way Raspberries and Vinegar did not, looking at a broken family as something in need of healing rather than giving up hope.
This book is, in a lot of ways, a more complex journey for both Noel and Claire than the first book in the series. The faith journey is not so much a lack of faith but rather a lack of listening, and the life journey is the same. Both Noel and Claire come to the story with strong opinions on what’s important and how they want their life to be. Both hold to those opinions when they’d be wiser to re-evaluate. This makes for difficult moments because it’s not exactly that they’re wrong in holding to their convictions but rather that they’re short sighted. What starts as protecting themselves twists into protecting each other, which is not as good as it sounds since for them protection means staying away.
There’s a lot to identify with in this story, from financial struggles to making the hard decisions and seeing them through, but for me, the most important piece was the need to be flexible even when that means taking risks. Characters have always been Valerie’s strength, and if anything, I think her characters have grown stronger in this novel, but it’s more than that. Wild Mint Tea shows a development of her storytelling in a wonderful way.
Wild Mint Tea attains a more perfect balance between faith, the environment, and the personal journeys the characters must follow to reach a point where they are open, not just to God and caring for the Earth, but also to love in this lifetime. If this is a measure of what’s to come, I can’t wait to see the third in the series.
Wild Mint Tea is the second in Valerie Comer’s A Farm Fresh Romance series, and both builds on the first and stands alone. Claire and Noel are very different people than Jo and Zack with their own hang-ups and expectations.
Claire is the quiet sort, at least where her own needs are concerned, but she’s quick to help all others, and proves quite good at it. Sometimes it feels like she needs to listen to her own advice, something she learns when measuring what standing firm costs her. Claire has a clear vision of what God wants from her and where her place is in the world. She’s not an evangelist for her causes like Jo. She explains the importance of God and good, local food if asked, but she doesn’t press the way Jo did. Instead, she leaves people to their own choices and doesn’t force them to her way. A little dose of Jo wouldn’t have gone so wrong in her case as she learns through the story, though. Sometimes confidence can mask the true path as easily as ignorance, and fighting for what you need is better than blind acceptance of what you have.
Noel is a mess of family history and thinks of life in two stages: before settling down when life is fun and fascinating, and old age when you can make your peace with God and the world. His father abandoned them when Noel was just a kid, so he’s determined not to put down roots that would open him to being abandoned once again. The trouble is that he’s holding himself back from caring for his sister and mother, much less the wonderful, if quirky, woman God has put in his path. Noel’s journey, like Claire’s, begins with trust, but his growth in that area comes not from distrust but rather from believing he’s got it all figured out.
That they’re attracted to each other is evident from the first moment they meet. Instead of embracing it, though, each withdraws as quickly as they can manage, albeit in different ways. The choice to walk away proves something neither can uphold for long, though, and Noel’s efforts to win another chance offers opportunities both to expand the value of the farm into a celebration venue for Claire and gives Noel the opening to make a stronger connection with his sister.
To faith and farm-fresh food, Wild Mint Tea adds the importance of family in a way Raspberries and Vinegar did not, looking at a broken family as something in need of healing rather than giving up hope.
This book is, in a lot of ways, a more complex journey for both Noel and Claire than the first book in the series. The faith journey is not so much a lack of faith but rather a lack of listening, and the life journey is the same. Both Noel and Claire come to the story with strong opinions on what’s important and how they want their life to be. Both hold to those opinions when they’d be wiser to re-evaluate. This makes for difficult moments because it’s not exactly that they’re wrong in holding to their convictions but rather that they’re short sighted. What starts as protecting themselves twists into protecting each other, which is not as good as it sounds since for them protection means staying away.
There’s a lot to identify with in this story, from financial struggles to making the hard decisions and seeing them through, but for me, the most important piece was the need to be flexible even when that means taking risks. Characters have always been Valerie’s strength, and if anything, I think her characters have grown stronger in this novel, but it’s more than that. Wild Mint Tea shows a development of her storytelling in a wonderful way.
Wild Mint Tea attains a more perfect balance between faith, the environment, and the personal journeys the characters must follow to reach a point where they are open, not just to God and caring for the Earth, but also to love in this lifetime. If this is a measure of what’s to come, I can’t wait to see the third in the series.
January 31, 2022
another good read
Nice to catch up on the 3 girls add they continue to build their farm! Can’t wait for the last story.
Nice to catch up on the 3 girls add they continue to build their farm! Can’t wait for the last story.
July 14, 2014
I really enjoyed reading Wild Mint Tea. Claire and her friends, Sierra and Jo, are working hard to create their dream of sustainable living on their farm. Claire dislikes her job at a restaurant in town and applies for a high paying short term cook position with Noel’s reforestation company. Sparks fly when Claire and Noel meet at the job interview.
Despite Claire’s excellent credentials, including her previous chef position at a top Seattle restaurant, Noel overlooks Claire for the job. Feeling bad when he calls her to break the news, he learns she’s building a wedding business at the farm and recommends the venue to his sister.
Noel and Claire are thrown together when his sister plans her wedding at Green Acres Farm, which happens to be located near his short term work camp in the mountains. Claire can’t imagine life away from Green Acres. Noel loves travelling and exploring the world. I was impressed to learn he has ridden horses in the Snowy Mountains in Australia. But, despite his attraction and growing feelings for Claire, he can’t see himself settling down in one place.
I loved the authenticity of the characters and I understood why they held certain beliefs and ideas. I enjoyed reading Raspberries and Vinegar (Jo and Zach’s story) which provided helpful background for this story. The stories can be read as stand alone novels. Personally, I prefer to read series books in order because I can gain extra insights into the characters from the previous books.
Noel has ignored his childhood upbringing in the church for years, and he is challenged by Claire’s strong faith. Claire struggles with her attraction to a man who isn’t walking close with the Lord. The story is fun, engaging, and deals with real issues in a contemporary setting. I highly recommend Wild Mint Tea to readers who are looking for an exciting and inspiring contemporary romance.
Despite Claire’s excellent credentials, including her previous chef position at a top Seattle restaurant, Noel overlooks Claire for the job. Feeling bad when he calls her to break the news, he learns she’s building a wedding business at the farm and recommends the venue to his sister.
Noel and Claire are thrown together when his sister plans her wedding at Green Acres Farm, which happens to be located near his short term work camp in the mountains. Claire can’t imagine life away from Green Acres. Noel loves travelling and exploring the world. I was impressed to learn he has ridden horses in the Snowy Mountains in Australia. But, despite his attraction and growing feelings for Claire, he can’t see himself settling down in one place.
I loved the authenticity of the characters and I understood why they held certain beliefs and ideas. I enjoyed reading Raspberries and Vinegar (Jo and Zach’s story) which provided helpful background for this story. The stories can be read as stand alone novels. Personally, I prefer to read series books in order because I can gain extra insights into the characters from the previous books.
Noel has ignored his childhood upbringing in the church for years, and he is challenged by Claire’s strong faith. Claire struggles with her attraction to a man who isn’t walking close with the Lord. The story is fun, engaging, and deals with real issues in a contemporary setting. I highly recommend Wild Mint Tea to readers who are looking for an exciting and inspiring contemporary romance.
April 18, 2014
"Wild Mint Tea" by Valerie Comer is another five star book. It is the second book in the Farm Fresh Romance Trilogy" .
"Wild Mint Tea" begins with Claire Halford applying for the job of temporary chef at Enterprising Reforestation.
Noel Kenzie is the owner of Enterprising Reforestation, a tree planting service, who doesn't hire Claire because of the instant attraction, they both feel.
To soften the blow of Noel not hiring Claire, Noel asks his sister Amber to have her wedding at Green Acres and that is a big order.
The attraction gets stronger for both Claire and Noel but there is a problem, Claire can only love a guy whose first prioporty is to love God and serve Him with his whole being, and Noel isn't that type of guy.
This book like the first book ( "Raspberries and Vinegar" ) in this series is about family relationships and how your relationship with God is the most important one you can have.
There is danger and the three friends, Jo and Claire and Sierra are faced with the possibility of losing everything they have worked to build due to a fire.
I absolutely loved the ending of this story.It was a wonderful surprise.
These books are easily read and so enjoyable that any reader of romance would like them even with them being Christian genre. I recommend these books! They are a mixture of romance and humor and real life.
There is a recipe for Taco stew, which is mentioned in this story. There are discussion questions at the end of the book.
I was given an ebook copy by the author for my honest review and I hope I am lucky enough to review the third in this trilogy "Sweetened With Honey'.
"Wild Mint Tea" begins with Claire Halford applying for the job of temporary chef at Enterprising Reforestation.
Noel Kenzie is the owner of Enterprising Reforestation, a tree planting service, who doesn't hire Claire because of the instant attraction, they both feel.
To soften the blow of Noel not hiring Claire, Noel asks his sister Amber to have her wedding at Green Acres and that is a big order.
The attraction gets stronger for both Claire and Noel but there is a problem, Claire can only love a guy whose first prioporty is to love God and serve Him with his whole being, and Noel isn't that type of guy.
This book like the first book ( "Raspberries and Vinegar" ) in this series is about family relationships and how your relationship with God is the most important one you can have.
There is danger and the three friends, Jo and Claire and Sierra are faced with the possibility of losing everything they have worked to build due to a fire.
I absolutely loved the ending of this story.It was a wonderful surprise.
These books are easily read and so enjoyable that any reader of romance would like them even with them being Christian genre. I recommend these books! They are a mixture of romance and humor and real life.
There is a recipe for Taco stew, which is mentioned in this story. There are discussion questions at the end of the book.
I was given an ebook copy by the author for my honest review and I hope I am lucky enough to review the third in this trilogy "Sweetened With Honey'.
January 5, 2017
This series is absolutely amazing!
Can I tell you a secret? This review is for the second book of the series, but…
I’ve read every one of them . . . every story!
Not surprising, you say? Well, what I’m trying to tell you is that I never stopped reading . . . except to get a few hours of sleep and work. As soon as I arrived home each evening, I picked up where I had left off the night before and dove back in!
That’s why this review is just a tad late (forgive me, Valerie . . . and readers).
I have fallen in love with this series!
I had no idea what to expect when I began reading “Farm Lit” books. Well, I know now . . . and it is a wonderful way of life.
Back to nature . . . living off the land . . . no chemicals or preservatives or junk.
Fresh foods . . . healthy foods . . . healthy lifestyle.
But even more than that, the characters are so real (at least to me) that I want to go and live among them! I’ll do my share — and I love to cook, too. Of course, not as well as Claire, one of the main characters in Wild Mint Tea. Claire is an extraordinary chef, who has teamed up with Jo and Sierra, to create Green Acres Farm. This is Claire’s story.
You have to read this series — it’s awesome! It’s amazing! It will make you laugh — and cry — but the point it, it will make you feel.
Jo, Clair and Sierra are unique, loyal, and lovable! Valerie went above and beyond when she created these characters — they’re awesome! (Yes, I know I wrote that in the first review — but I just have to say it again.
Please don’t miss out on this wonderful series . . .
Find it. Get it. Read it.
May 14, 2014
Valerie Comer has written book two in her Farm Fresh Series, and it's as good as her first. Wild Mint Tea packages true love, page-turning suspense, and an ending that leaves you smiling and hopeful. But what makes this romance special? Its message of love without boundaries.
A hardworking chef of organic, locally grown delicacies, Claire Halford believes love comes at the end of a check list and puts her dream of running a farm with her girlfriends in the small town of Galena Landing first. You could say she's married to the land.
Noel Kenzie, the owner of a reforestation company, is always on the move, from one state to the next. Off-season, he's a world traveler. To him, it's the ideal life, but is he actually running from something? When he falls for Claire, he's ready to give up his bachelor life, except that means facing his past . . . and his fear of making the same mistakes as his father.
Sparks are flying, literally, as a raging wildfire heads straight for the farm. Claire knows she could lose her life's dream, but worries mostly for Noel, who is on the scene, helping the fire fighters. It becomes clear to her that no matter how cause-worthy possessions are, they aren't on God's check list.
Valerie Comer stitches together a patchwork of themes in Wild Mint Tea, from ways men and women think differently to overcoming deep-rooted insecurities. With a cast of flawed, yet lovable, characters giving their best to their families, friends, and their work, there's plenty to root for, especially when life doesn't go as planned.
A hardworking chef of organic, locally grown delicacies, Claire Halford believes love comes at the end of a check list and puts her dream of running a farm with her girlfriends in the small town of Galena Landing first. You could say she's married to the land.
Noel Kenzie, the owner of a reforestation company, is always on the move, from one state to the next. Off-season, he's a world traveler. To him, it's the ideal life, but is he actually running from something? When he falls for Claire, he's ready to give up his bachelor life, except that means facing his past . . . and his fear of making the same mistakes as his father.
Sparks are flying, literally, as a raging wildfire heads straight for the farm. Claire knows she could lose her life's dream, but worries mostly for Noel, who is on the scene, helping the fire fighters. It becomes clear to her that no matter how cause-worthy possessions are, they aren't on God's check list.
Valerie Comer stitches together a patchwork of themes in Wild Mint Tea, from ways men and women think differently to overcoming deep-rooted insecurities. With a cast of flawed, yet lovable, characters giving their best to their families, friends, and their work, there's plenty to root for, especially when life doesn't go as planned.
April 21, 2015
Claire Halford would dearly love to get the job cooking for the tree-planting crew of Enterprising Reforestation. It would mean that she could quit her short-order job at the Sizzling Skillet, Galena Landing’s main eatery. But good-looking boss Noel Kenzie doesn’t fall for her farm-to-table, cook-what’s-local-and-in-season ethic, though he can’t help but realize he could fall for this perky city girl-cum-farmer in Wild Mint Tea, Book 2 of Valerie Comer’s Farm Fresh Romance Series.
In the story we follow Claire and her Green Acres partners Jo and Sierra through a summer of trying to get their place established as an event destination, while Claire juggles her job and what soon blooms into a romance between her and Noel.
I enjoyed the story with its recognizable, likeable characters and community spirit. Comer never strays from her two favorite themes of living lightly and considerately on the earth and the necessity of orienting one’s life by the true north of a biblically based faith.
My only quibble with the book is in its portrayal of romance, where Claire and Noel’s emotional intimacy—seen in shared values and friendship—pales compared to the physical electricity between them. I wished she had shown, in their relationship, more of the glue that keeps people together over the long haul. However, Comer is no slouch at writing romance, so the book certainly delivers in that department.
As a whole the writing is lively, with a taut plot that only gets stronger as we get to the ending. It’s a great continuation of life at Green Acres.
In the story we follow Claire and her Green Acres partners Jo and Sierra through a summer of trying to get their place established as an event destination, while Claire juggles her job and what soon blooms into a romance between her and Noel.
I enjoyed the story with its recognizable, likeable characters and community spirit. Comer never strays from her two favorite themes of living lightly and considerately on the earth and the necessity of orienting one’s life by the true north of a biblically based faith.
My only quibble with the book is in its portrayal of romance, where Claire and Noel’s emotional intimacy—seen in shared values and friendship—pales compared to the physical electricity between them. I wished she had shown, in their relationship, more of the glue that keeps people together over the long haul. However, Comer is no slouch at writing romance, so the book certainly delivers in that department.
As a whole the writing is lively, with a taut plot that only gets stronger as we get to the ending. It’s a great continuation of life at Green Acres.
March 8, 2014
I adored the characters in this book. I instantly liked Claire with all her spunk and Noel was just “bad” enough but not too bad. I liked the fact that he really didn’t want to settle down but he was drawn to this woman who had roots (pun intended) down deep in her community.
Valerie did a great job of building tension between these two and I couldn’t wait to see them get together. The whole time I kept wondering how Noel would ever decide to plant roots with Claire. Would he give up his business? I couldn’t wait to see how Valerie would work that out.
I’m not giving anything away though. You’ll have to read the book for yourself to see how that all plays out….if it does :)
I have to say I think I like this book better than the first. Speaking of the first book in the series, you will not feel lost of you choose to read this book first, but why wouldn’t you want to read the first book? If you enjoy good down on the farm romance you will enjoy this tasty book.
A copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Valerie did a great job of building tension between these two and I couldn’t wait to see them get together. The whole time I kept wondering how Noel would ever decide to plant roots with Claire. Would he give up his business? I couldn’t wait to see how Valerie would work that out.
I’m not giving anything away though. You’ll have to read the book for yourself to see how that all plays out….if it does :)
I have to say I think I like this book better than the first. Speaking of the first book in the series, you will not feel lost of you choose to read this book first, but why wouldn’t you want to read the first book? If you enjoy good down on the farm romance you will enjoy this tasty book.
A copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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July 8, 2016 This second book in the Farm Fresh Romance series by Valerie Comer was very enjoyable. I felt she dealt with real problems with Christian women in the modern age. The characters made me laugh, and made me annoyed on occasion. They brought out the emotion and I wanted to know what happened next.
I must say I didn't like following Claire as much as I liked Jo from the first book, but it was great the old characters were involved with new things happening in their lives as well. As always, I enjoy Valerie Comer's writing style, and I recommend this book to readers for sure.
Because I'm a newsletter subscriber to the author I received her unpublished story Peppermint Kisses which takes place right after Wild Mint Tea. That was nice, and now I will continue with the 3rd book next chance I can!
I must say I didn't like following Claire as much as I liked Jo from the first book, but it was great the old characters were involved with new things happening in their lives as well. As always, I enjoy Valerie Comer's writing style, and I recommend this book to readers for sure.
Because I'm a newsletter subscriber to the author I received her unpublished story Peppermint Kisses which takes place right after Wild Mint Tea. That was nice, and now I will continue with the 3rd book next chance I can!
August 11, 2016
There is something to be said for building something from scratch and working for your dream. When you work as a family – even when your family is those you labor with for your dream, you put down roots. Something most people long for. Maybe because it is so widely missing in our culture.
That is a lot of what you’ll find in Wild Mint Tea. Roots served up alongside a lot of good food- your likely to get hungry reading this book, mixed together with a measure of faith and offered with a serving of romance. Oh, yeah, and plenty of Wild Mint Tea. A tasty combination.
If you enjoy a gentle romance, God’s great outdoors and a bit of danger you are sure to enjoy Wild Mint Tea.
That is a lot of what you’ll find in Wild Mint Tea. Roots served up alongside a lot of good food- your likely to get hungry reading this book, mixed together with a measure of faith and offered with a serving of romance. Oh, yeah, and plenty of Wild Mint Tea. A tasty combination.
If you enjoy a gentle romance, God’s great outdoors and a bit of danger you are sure to enjoy Wild Mint Tea.
August 24, 2015
Just started re reading Wild Mint Tea by Valerie Comer and I get something new every time I read. There is a section close to my heart: The definition of sustainability is growing as much of our food as we can to have the least possible impact on the environment.
This is the planet that God made and we need to honor it.
This is a love story between Claire and Noel but at the same time it's a love story between the women of Green Acres and the land.
We are stewards of the Earth and we need to honor what the Lord has provided.
This a book Christians need to read and ponder.This book reminds me of a time in the early 90's when I was part of the Straw Bale movement in Gila,NM.
This is the planet that God made and we need to honor it.
This is a love story between Claire and Noel but at the same time it's a love story between the women of Green Acres and the land.
We are stewards of the Earth and we need to honor what the Lord has provided.
This a book Christians need to read and ponder.This book reminds me of a time in the early 90's when I was part of the Straw Bale movement in Gila,NM.
February 2, 2015
A Farm Fresh Romance Book 2. Loving this series of friends and guys they meet. Chef Claire interviews with Noel for a cook position with his logging camp. She wanted to contribute more to Green Acres Farm where her two other friends were helping to turn their dream into a reality. Not getting the job means she has to continue working at the Sizzling Skillet. Not the ideal job. Funny how Noel and Claire keep running into each other. Doesn't help that Noel's sister wants Claire and friends to plan her destination wedding at Green Acres. Claire has an ideal list of what her type of man should be. A man of God is top priority. Can Noel fit the bill?
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