What do you think?
Rate this book
Strawberry Macarons: A Short Story
Noah has clear goals, hoping to make enough money so she can one day create a cookbook from her mother's recipes.
Henry doesn't know what he wants, having spent all his time rebelling against his father just to still be stuck under his influence.
When Noah and Henry are thrown together because of a job on Valentine's Day, even though they are different, they realize how much they need the comfort of a stranger.
This short story originally appeared in Recipes for A Sweet Valentine's Day Anthology published by And You Press, an imprint of Nicole Frail Books, released in February 2025. This ebook contains supplemental material from the author.
Henry doesn't know what he wants, having spent all his time rebelling against his father just to still be stuck under his influence.
When Noah and Henry are thrown together because of a job on Valentine's Day, even though they are different, they realize how much they need the comfort of a stranger.
This short story originally appeared in Recipes for A Sweet Valentine's Day Anthology published by And You Press, an imprint of Nicole Frail Books, released in February 2025. This ebook contains supplemental material from the author.
- GenresContemporary
51 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2025
10 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 20, 2025
Noah and harry
Wonderful job Jessica did. Loved this book. The characters were adorable and the way she described the sweets were yummy
Wonderful job Jessica did. Loved this book. The characters were adorable and the way she described the sweets were yummy
August 11, 2025
Noah dreams of turning her mom’s recipes into a cookbook, while Henry is still figuring out what he wants from life. When a Valentine’s Day job throws them together, their differences fade—and they find unexpected comfort in each other.
An interesting short story—sweet, but I think it had more potential. The characters started off pretty strong in the beginning, but towards the end, it became a bit cringe (even for my taste, haha). I’d definitely recommend reading it if you enjoy a meet-cute, where characters open up to each other, touch on the past, but also change very quickly.
An interesting short story—sweet, but I think it had more potential. The characters started off pretty strong in the beginning, but towards the end, it became a bit cringe (even for my taste, haha). I’d definitely recommend reading it if you enjoy a meet-cute, where characters open up to each other, touch on the past, but also change very quickly.
September 26, 2025
Cute and a lil cheesy/sappy but it was a pleasant read.
January 4, 2026
“Henry couldn't let down the first person to believe in him. He could do anything if she was there cheering him on.”
I actually want to throw this novella into a river because hold up, what do you mean “and she kissed him,” the END. This book should not have been only 50 pages, it should have been more. We have the right to see more scenes. Like him coming back with Noah and saying I want her, show her off. Like, what do you mean it finished that way?
Noah and Henry, you could see the chemistry they had going on. It was easy for them to have a conversation flowing, and feelings pouring out, him showing her his vulnerable side, and her talking about her mother, and I loved that.
Not to mention how he was considerate and bought her a bouquet of rolling pins after breaking hers the night before😩
That’s not the only thing I liked about Henry. I loved how he wasn’t macho, like “I’m an important guy and I date models,” and whatever. Even when he was drunk, he wasn’t a jerk.
So, like, I deserved to see more of their relationship flowing😭😭
I pushed through the beginning because it didn’t have that immediate hook, but when it got to the kitchen scene, that’s where I was like something is cooking. But then, poof, she leaves, he goes to find her, she kisses him, THE END😑Like the sheer audacity…🙄
It should be illegal for short stories like that not to be longer. It’s like a cliffhanger, but with a happy ending, and with no book that follows it😭
I actually want to throw this novella into a river because hold up, what do you mean “and she kissed him,” the END. This book should not have been only 50 pages, it should have been more. We have the right to see more scenes. Like him coming back with Noah and saying I want her, show her off. Like, what do you mean it finished that way?
Noah and Henry, you could see the chemistry they had going on. It was easy for them to have a conversation flowing, and feelings pouring out, him showing her his vulnerable side, and her talking about her mother, and I loved that.
Not to mention how he was considerate and bought her a bouquet of rolling pins after breaking hers the night before😩
That’s not the only thing I liked about Henry. I loved how he wasn’t macho, like “I’m an important guy and I date models,” and whatever. Even when he was drunk, he wasn’t a jerk.
So, like, I deserved to see more of their relationship flowing😭😭
I pushed through the beginning because it didn’t have that immediate hook, but when it got to the kitchen scene, that’s where I was like something is cooking. But then, poof, she leaves, he goes to find her, she kisses him, THE END😑Like the sheer audacity…🙄
It should be illegal for short stories like that not to be longer. It’s like a cliffhanger, but with a happy ending, and with no book that follows it😭
August 3, 2025
Short Pastry Romance
I read this short story while sitting at a Belgian café. It was sweet how Henry liked the macarons that Noah made in the trial. Clearly, he enjoyed the dessert and wanted to have the chef who made the dessert present for the event. As a short story about a chef getting the chance to work an important event, this was an enjoyable story.
However, I am not a big fan of insta-love. I don’t believe in the idea that you will meet and fall in love with someone to the point that you would change your entire life in less than 24 hours. This felt entirely unrealistic to me, and I did not enjoy the romance part of the story.
I read this short story while sitting at a Belgian café. It was sweet how Henry liked the macarons that Noah made in the trial. Clearly, he enjoyed the dessert and wanted to have the chef who made the dessert present for the event. As a short story about a chef getting the chance to work an important event, this was an enjoyable story.
However, I am not a big fan of insta-love. I don’t believe in the idea that you will meet and fall in love with someone to the point that you would change your entire life in less than 24 hours. This felt entirely unrealistic to me, and I did not enjoy the romance part of the story.
August 4, 2025
It was cute how Henry liked the macarons that Noah made in the trials and managed to help Noah get the baking gig despite his mother originally choosing someone else. He enjoyed the dessert so much he even ensured that she be present for the event his mother was planning.
It was an enjoyable story and I really liked the two main characters although I am not a big fan of insta-love. It seems unrealistic that you would meet someone and change your entire life within 24 hours. I know you can like someone on first sight and want to get to know them better, but not fall totally in love before getting to really know them. The desserts sounded amazing. This is a short story.
It was an enjoyable story and I really liked the two main characters although I am not a big fan of insta-love. It seems unrealistic that you would meet someone and change your entire life within 24 hours. I know you can like someone on first sight and want to get to know them better, but not fall totally in love before getting to really know them. The desserts sounded amazing. This is a short story.
Read
March 19, 2025A sweet romance and a story of choosing your path
Sometimes choosing our path in life isn't the easiest thing to do, with pressures from every angle. A night of baking causes two people to reconsider their choices.
Sometimes choosing our path in life isn't the easiest thing to do, with pressures from every angle. A night of baking causes two people to reconsider their choices.
April 24, 2025
5 star on account of Novella/Short Story standards
It was so cute! and there was so much chemistry in these 52 pages that I didn't see in my last 330 page read. so good
It was so cute! and there was so much chemistry in these 52 pages that I didn't see in my last 330 page read. so good
December 28, 2025
Such a sweet little read, I love how he chose her through the macarons.
January 11, 2026
Great short story
I loved thia short story following Noah finding love. I want to know what happens next.... do they get together ❤️
I loved thia short story following Noah finding love. I want to know what happens next.... do they get together ❤️
January 29, 2026
Short sweet love at first sight romance. Loved it.
September 2, 2025
It's love at first bite for Henry after tasting Noah's strawberry macarons, and their connection in the kitchen leads to several revelations for both of them but can they act on their own desires before it's too late, or will they let family dictate their future?
This was a very sweet story with complicated family dynamics and legacies, struggling careers, a fate-changing cookie, and a midnight kiss. I loved the thought behind this rags-to-riches-like love story: working class girl desperate to give her culinary career its big break finally lands a gig with an extremely well-to-do family only to have a surprising late night moment with their youngest son, who just so happens to be getting engaged in the morning at the party she's catering. I only thought that Noah's feelings for Henry came on a little rapidly, and way too strong. Though it is established that they have feelings for one another, as quickly as they came on, Noah is swift to begin considering herself a daughter-in-law of the family....none of whom know who she is short of being temporarily employed for the Valentine's Day party. It was just something that put me off the sincerity of the couple, but I still enjoyed the story overall.
4.5 stars
This was a very sweet story with complicated family dynamics and legacies, struggling careers, a fate-changing cookie, and a midnight kiss. I loved the thought behind this rags-to-riches-like love story: working class girl desperate to give her culinary career its big break finally lands a gig with an extremely well-to-do family only to have a surprising late night moment with their youngest son, who just so happens to be getting engaged in the morning at the party she's catering. I only thought that Noah's feelings for Henry came on a little rapidly, and way too strong. Though it is established that they have feelings for one another, as quickly as they came on, Noah is swift to begin considering herself a daughter-in-law of the family....none of whom know who she is short of being temporarily employed for the Valentine's Day party. It was just something that put me off the sincerity of the couple, but I still enjoyed the story overall.
4.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews