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Pine Mountain #0.5 incl'd
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap
For friends Clara, Abby and Lily, only one thing is more delicious than the Pine Mountain holiday cookie exchange – finding the right man before they ring in the New Year!Where There's Smoke. . .USA Today bestselling author Donna KauffmanWhen flames from a recipe gone disastrously wrong send hunky firefighter Will Mason to pretty Clara Parker's rescue, the sparks really begin to fly! And once Will gets a taste of Clara, he aches for more than just a little sugar from the famously single food columnist. . .."Donna Kauffman writes smart and sexy, with sizzle to spare!" --Janet EvanovichThe Gingerbread Man National bestselling author Kate AngellFolks have always told fun-loving Abby Denton that her anatomically correct Gingerbread cookies are. . .impressive. But those erotic cookies have nothing on the sexy stranger Abby saves from a snowy country road. Could Lander Reynolds be the Christmas treat she's truly been longing for? "No fan of the genre should miss Angell's surefire romances." –BooklistSugar And SpiceKimberly KincaidWhen caterer Lily Callahan goes up against hotshot pastry chef Pete Mancuso in the bake-off of the season, the stakes are high--and scandalously passionate. Will the gorgeous gourmand steal Lily's heart--and the top prize in the Christmas cookie competition? "A mouth-watering, heart-warming, toe-curling holiday romance!" --Amanda Usen, author of Luscious
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
103 people are currently reading
781 people want to read
About the author
Donna Kauffman
147 books1,798 followersUSA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she's not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers!
Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.
Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
October 9, 2013
3 Stars...Love, Cookies, and Christmas
Very light reading, yet cute (if you enjoy ultra light feel-good contemporary romances). Kincaid's short story "Sugar and Spice" was the best of the three stories.
Review to come
ARC courtesy of Kensington via Netgalley
Very light reading, yet cute (if you enjoy ultra light feel-good contemporary romances). Kincaid's short story "Sugar and Spice" was the best of the three stories.
Review to come
ARC courtesy of Kensington via Netgalley
December 28, 2018
5 Stars ~ Kauffman
4 Stars ~ Kincaid
3 Stars ~ Agnell.
A great little set of inter linking seasonal novellas.
4 Stars ~ Kincaid
3 Stars ~ Agnell.
A great little set of inter linking seasonal novellas.
January 5, 2016
Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman
When flames from a recipe gone disastrously wrong send hunky fire-fighter Will Mason to pretty Clara Parker's rescue, the sparks really begin to fly! And once Will gets a taste of Clara, he aches for more than just a little sugar from the famously single food columnist
Really fun second chance story. Clara is the advice columnist for the newspaper and loses that job after a very public breakup with her boyfriend. She saves her employment by agreeing to do a series of Christmas cookie columns. There's just one problem - Clara is a disaster in the kitchen. While in a bookstore looking for a simple cookbook, Clara runs into Will, her best friend from her freshman year in college. Will had had to leave school when his dad died and went on to become a firefighter. He's in the bookstore signing hunky firefighter calendars for charity. They are happy to reconnect.
Will had had a massive crush on Clara but never had the courage to try to move beyond their friend status. Now that he's seen her again, he's determined to make up for lost time. He just happens to be nearby when she sets her kitchen on fire during a baking attempt and comes to the rescue. With her house uninhabitable he offers to let her stay with him.
I loved Clara, She is rather klutzy, and doesn't have much in the way of self confidence, but she knows what she wants in life. She is determined to make this column work. When she sees Will again, she immediately remembers the good times that they had and that she had felt normal with him. She also discovers that she's even more attracted to him now, but figures that a guy like him has better prospects than she is. She's also hesitant to take a chance on ruining their revitalized friendship.
Will was great. He was determined to make the most of this opportunity with Clara. I loved the way that he understands her and sees past her klutziness. It was really sweet to see how he helps her with the baking parts of her column. His feelings for her keep growing, and he has a constant inner debate over how hard to push.
I loved seeing them grow closer over the days she was staying there, and how each of them was so hesitant to take a chance. The attraction keeps building, and so does the connection. I loved seeing Will finally take the leap. What he said to her was so romantic and sweet. I also loved that Clara was able to see that he loves her just as she is. The ending was fantastic.
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell
Folks have always told fun-loving Abby Denton that her anatomically correct Gingerbread cookies are ... impressive. But those erotic cookies have nothing on the sexy stranger Abby saves from a snowy country road. Could Lander Reynolds be the Christmas treat she's truly been longing for?
Hot and sweet story of unexpected love. Abby has just started her online business of anatomically correct gingerbread men. Her contribution to a local charity cookie auction is purchased by a stranger who then disappears into the night. Driving home to her isolated cabin in the beginnings of a blizzard, she comes across the stranger's car in a ditch, with him unconscious behind the wheel. A harrowing rescue attempt has Abby taking the man to her cabin to recover until the storm passes.
There's an instant connection between Lander and Abby. When Abby finds out that the sight of her cookies distracted Lander long enough for him to lose control of his car, she feels really guilty, but she can't deny the attraction she feels for him. Lander feels the same pull, but it's a distraction that comes at the wrong time.
Both Abby and Lander are dealing with the pain and sadness of the loss of someone important to them. Abby's grandmother has recently died and she's having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit. Lander understands how she feels and makes a vow to help Abby through this time. I loved his sensitivity toward her feelings. It was really sweet to see how he ignored the pain of his injuries to put up her tree and help her decorate it. Helping her also helped him through his own grief over the death of his father just before Christmas the previous year.
I loved the building of the attraction between them. It was fun to see how Lander used touch and looks to tease Abby as they got closer to giving in. The scenes between them were great. I really loved seeing them fall for each other and ached for them as the time they had to part grew closer. Lander was determined to see Abby again. I loved the ending and Lander's big moment.
Sugar And Spice by Kimberly Kincaid
Series: Pine Mountain (Book .5)
When caterer Lily Callahan goes up against hotshot pastry chef Pete Mancuso in the bake-off of the season, the stakes are high -- and scandalously passionate. Will the gorgeous gourmand steal Lily's heart -- and the top prize in the Christmas cookie competition?
Excellent story of opposites attracting. Both Lily and Pete have entered a Christmas cookie bake-off and both are determined to win. Lily is a highly organized, follow the rules kind of baker, who has spent the last month testing various recipes, looking for the best ones to use. Her dream is to use the prize money to open her own bakery. Pete is a bake by the seat of his pants baker, who hasn't met a rule that isn't worth breaking. Pete wants to use winning the contest to get the recognition needed for his dream job.
Lily knows Pete from his non-relationship with her friend Grace, and doesn't have a very good opinion of him. When she runs into him at the resort and realizes that he's competing also, she takes a momentary hit to her confidence. The biggest thing Pete takes away from their encounter is the instant attraction he has for her, and the knowledge that he can't do anything about it.
I loved seeing how both of them show up for the competition ready to take each other on, only to end up having to work with each other during the first round. Their differing methods create instant conflict when they can't agree on how to proceed. They eventually work it out but not without some issues along the way. Luckily for them, they manage to move on to the next round. An unexpected result of their partnership has the people running the competition asking them to do some other appearances together as their chemistry has viewers tuning in.
Over the next week they grow closer with the more time they spend together. Lily sees that there is more to Pete than the cocky pastry chef is willing to share, and what she sees, she likes. I really enjoyed seeing them work together at the community center, and how they came up with a plan to raise even more money at the fundraiser. I especially loved Pete's treatment of the boy Lucas, and how and why he understood him. I liked seeing how Lily was able to get Pete to open up to her about his past and the effect it had on her. The attraction that was building between them finally boiled over, and what they had was amazing.
When the final competition came, it required each of them to connect their pasts and their presents. With her happier childhood, it wasn't such a stretch for Lily, but Pete really had to face down some of his ghosts. I loved the bit of meddling that Lily did, though she worried that she may have gone too far. The influence that they had on each other, and the love that they felt, came out in a surprising way during that last competition. The way it turned out was perfect, and I loved the final result.
The epilogue was a grand wrap up of the three stories, with all three couples back at the community center where it all began.
When flames from a recipe gone disastrously wrong send hunky fire-fighter Will Mason to pretty Clara Parker's rescue, the sparks really begin to fly! And once Will gets a taste of Clara, he aches for more than just a little sugar from the famously single food columnist
Really fun second chance story. Clara is the advice columnist for the newspaper and loses that job after a very public breakup with her boyfriend. She saves her employment by agreeing to do a series of Christmas cookie columns. There's just one problem - Clara is a disaster in the kitchen. While in a bookstore looking for a simple cookbook, Clara runs into Will, her best friend from her freshman year in college. Will had had to leave school when his dad died and went on to become a firefighter. He's in the bookstore signing hunky firefighter calendars for charity. They are happy to reconnect.
Will had had a massive crush on Clara but never had the courage to try to move beyond their friend status. Now that he's seen her again, he's determined to make up for lost time. He just happens to be nearby when she sets her kitchen on fire during a baking attempt and comes to the rescue. With her house uninhabitable he offers to let her stay with him.
I loved Clara, She is rather klutzy, and doesn't have much in the way of self confidence, but she knows what she wants in life. She is determined to make this column work. When she sees Will again, she immediately remembers the good times that they had and that she had felt normal with him. She also discovers that she's even more attracted to him now, but figures that a guy like him has better prospects than she is. She's also hesitant to take a chance on ruining their revitalized friendship.
Will was great. He was determined to make the most of this opportunity with Clara. I loved the way that he understands her and sees past her klutziness. It was really sweet to see how he helps her with the baking parts of her column. His feelings for her keep growing, and he has a constant inner debate over how hard to push.
I loved seeing them grow closer over the days she was staying there, and how each of them was so hesitant to take a chance. The attraction keeps building, and so does the connection. I loved seeing Will finally take the leap. What he said to her was so romantic and sweet. I also loved that Clara was able to see that he loves her just as she is. The ending was fantastic.
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell
Folks have always told fun-loving Abby Denton that her anatomically correct Gingerbread cookies are ... impressive. But those erotic cookies have nothing on the sexy stranger Abby saves from a snowy country road. Could Lander Reynolds be the Christmas treat she's truly been longing for?
Hot and sweet story of unexpected love. Abby has just started her online business of anatomically correct gingerbread men. Her contribution to a local charity cookie auction is purchased by a stranger who then disappears into the night. Driving home to her isolated cabin in the beginnings of a blizzard, she comes across the stranger's car in a ditch, with him unconscious behind the wheel. A harrowing rescue attempt has Abby taking the man to her cabin to recover until the storm passes.
There's an instant connection between Lander and Abby. When Abby finds out that the sight of her cookies distracted Lander long enough for him to lose control of his car, she feels really guilty, but she can't deny the attraction she feels for him. Lander feels the same pull, but it's a distraction that comes at the wrong time.
Both Abby and Lander are dealing with the pain and sadness of the loss of someone important to them. Abby's grandmother has recently died and she's having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit. Lander understands how she feels and makes a vow to help Abby through this time. I loved his sensitivity toward her feelings. It was really sweet to see how he ignored the pain of his injuries to put up her tree and help her decorate it. Helping her also helped him through his own grief over the death of his father just before Christmas the previous year.
I loved the building of the attraction between them. It was fun to see how Lander used touch and looks to tease Abby as they got closer to giving in. The scenes between them were great. I really loved seeing them fall for each other and ached for them as the time they had to part grew closer. Lander was determined to see Abby again. I loved the ending and Lander's big moment.
Sugar And Spice by Kimberly Kincaid
Series: Pine Mountain (Book .5)
When caterer Lily Callahan goes up against hotshot pastry chef Pete Mancuso in the bake-off of the season, the stakes are high -- and scandalously passionate. Will the gorgeous gourmand steal Lily's heart -- and the top prize in the Christmas cookie competition?
Excellent story of opposites attracting. Both Lily and Pete have entered a Christmas cookie bake-off and both are determined to win. Lily is a highly organized, follow the rules kind of baker, who has spent the last month testing various recipes, looking for the best ones to use. Her dream is to use the prize money to open her own bakery. Pete is a bake by the seat of his pants baker, who hasn't met a rule that isn't worth breaking. Pete wants to use winning the contest to get the recognition needed for his dream job.
Lily knows Pete from his non-relationship with her friend Grace, and doesn't have a very good opinion of him. When she runs into him at the resort and realizes that he's competing also, she takes a momentary hit to her confidence. The biggest thing Pete takes away from their encounter is the instant attraction he has for her, and the knowledge that he can't do anything about it.
I loved seeing how both of them show up for the competition ready to take each other on, only to end up having to work with each other during the first round. Their differing methods create instant conflict when they can't agree on how to proceed. They eventually work it out but not without some issues along the way. Luckily for them, they manage to move on to the next round. An unexpected result of their partnership has the people running the competition asking them to do some other appearances together as their chemistry has viewers tuning in.
Over the next week they grow closer with the more time they spend together. Lily sees that there is more to Pete than the cocky pastry chef is willing to share, and what she sees, she likes. I really enjoyed seeing them work together at the community center, and how they came up with a plan to raise even more money at the fundraiser. I especially loved Pete's treatment of the boy Lucas, and how and why he understood him. I liked seeing how Lily was able to get Pete to open up to her about his past and the effect it had on her. The attraction that was building between them finally boiled over, and what they had was amazing.
When the final competition came, it required each of them to connect their pasts and their presents. With her happier childhood, it wasn't such a stretch for Lily, but Pete really had to face down some of his ghosts. I loved the bit of meddling that Lily did, though she worried that she may have gone too far. The influence that they had on each other, and the love that they felt, came out in a surprising way during that last competition. The way it turned out was perfect, and I loved the final result.
The epilogue was a grand wrap up of the three stories, with all three couples back at the community center where it all began.
October 21, 2013
Aaaannnd...craving cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap was a great little Christmas collection surrounding the lives of three girlfriends, a winter storm and, like I mentioned, cookies galore! It's sweet, sassy and even a little steamy and just what you need to get in the Christmas spirit!
Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman--3 stars!
Clara is a hot mess when it comes to all things baking and Lord help her she's just landed a gig as the Christmas cookie columnist for the local paper and things get off to a very hot start as she starts her cookie baking adventures. Enter firefighter Will who swoops in and saves his old college friend from a glorious cookie disaster. I'm always a fan of second chance romances and loved that these two knew each other years ago and were good friends once upon a time. It really made their instant connection and relationship believable and pretty cute. Will. Gah. He's all kinds of sexy firefighter goodness and spends a good bit of time shirtless. *girly swoon* He's just a sweet guy. Clara I had a little harder time with. She's having a rough go lately but really instead of feeling completely sympathetic she came off a bit whiny and oy I am not a fan of whiny so it was hard to connect with her. It was still a cute read though.
The Gingerbread Men by Kate Angell-- 4 stars!
Gingerbread men with candy cane erections. ::gigglesnort:: Kate Angell is freaking brilliant! The Gingerbread Men was a sweet, fun and heartwarming read that kicks off with naughty gingerbread men causing all kinds of havoc and landing one sexy hunk of a man on Abby's doorstep during a fierce winter storm. There was a very intimate feel to this one and you could really believe the emotions thrumming through Abby (the x-rated cookie maker lol) and Lander were feeling and the bond between them. They've both suffered losses recently and it was really touching how Lander helped her through her sadness and grief of her first Christmas without her Grams. Getting her to talk and decorate and remember the good times. I did think there was a touch too many mentions of her grandmother but really it was just moving seeing how much he cared and wanted to do for her. There's also an awesome kitty who really brought a sweet little element to their story. All in all a great read with a really wonderful ending that left me smiling.
Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid-- 5 stars
Once again Kincaid wowed me. Sugar and Spice was sweet and sexy, heartfelt and delicious and topped off with the excitement of a life changing competition. Basically... it was pretty damn perfect. Lily and Pete are up against each other in a huge Cookie Competition hosted by the local resort and the two are amazing. I loved watching them compete, get to know each other and butt heads a little bit because omg they are such opposites. He's a cocky go by the seat of your pants pastry chef (and holy cow pastry chefs are HOT) and Lily's a hardcore planner that follows all the rules. I was really pleased with what a deep connection was forged in so few pages and how quickly I grew to care about them both. They really grow as characters and it was just lovely watching them come together in and out of the kitchen. Kincaid truly rocks a foodie romance novella. If you haven't checked her out yet you need to. Pronto.
Alright so now that I've talked about all the good there is one thing I had trouble with that I think bares mentioning. The prologue and epilogue were difficult to get through. Too many names thrown at me. Too much back and forth activity/conversation. It was just confusing and made me feel a bit scattered and really didn't seem necessary overall. It would have worked great with just the three novellas in my opinion. So, just a heads up, if you're struggling with it hold tight. The novellas are totally worth it.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup
Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman--3 stars!
Clara is a hot mess when it comes to all things baking and Lord help her she's just landed a gig as the Christmas cookie columnist for the local paper and things get off to a very hot start as she starts her cookie baking adventures. Enter firefighter Will who swoops in and saves his old college friend from a glorious cookie disaster. I'm always a fan of second chance romances and loved that these two knew each other years ago and were good friends once upon a time. It really made their instant connection and relationship believable and pretty cute. Will. Gah. He's all kinds of sexy firefighter goodness and spends a good bit of time shirtless. *girly swoon* He's just a sweet guy. Clara I had a little harder time with. She's having a rough go lately but really instead of feeling completely sympathetic she came off a bit whiny and oy I am not a fan of whiny so it was hard to connect with her. It was still a cute read though.
The Gingerbread Men by Kate Angell-- 4 stars!
Gingerbread men with candy cane erections. ::gigglesnort:: Kate Angell is freaking brilliant! The Gingerbread Men was a sweet, fun and heartwarming read that kicks off with naughty gingerbread men causing all kinds of havoc and landing one sexy hunk of a man on Abby's doorstep during a fierce winter storm. There was a very intimate feel to this one and you could really believe the emotions thrumming through Abby (the x-rated cookie maker lol) and Lander were feeling and the bond between them. They've both suffered losses recently and it was really touching how Lander helped her through her sadness and grief of her first Christmas without her Grams. Getting her to talk and decorate and remember the good times. I did think there was a touch too many mentions of her grandmother but really it was just moving seeing how much he cared and wanted to do for her. There's also an awesome kitty who really brought a sweet little element to their story. All in all a great read with a really wonderful ending that left me smiling.
Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid-- 5 stars
Once again Kincaid wowed me. Sugar and Spice was sweet and sexy, heartfelt and delicious and topped off with the excitement of a life changing competition. Basically... it was pretty damn perfect. Lily and Pete are up against each other in a huge Cookie Competition hosted by the local resort and the two are amazing. I loved watching them compete, get to know each other and butt heads a little bit because omg they are such opposites. He's a cocky go by the seat of your pants pastry chef (and holy cow pastry chefs are HOT) and Lily's a hardcore planner that follows all the rules. I was really pleased with what a deep connection was forged in so few pages and how quickly I grew to care about them both. They really grow as characters and it was just lovely watching them come together in and out of the kitchen. Kincaid truly rocks a foodie romance novella. If you haven't checked her out yet you need to. Pronto.
Alright so now that I've talked about all the good there is one thing I had trouble with that I think bares mentioning. The prologue and epilogue were difficult to get through. Too many names thrown at me. Too much back and forth activity/conversation. It was just confusing and made me feel a bit scattered and really didn't seem necessary overall. It would have worked great with just the three novellas in my opinion. So, just a heads up, if you're struggling with it hold tight. The novellas are totally worth it.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup
December 31, 2013
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap is a collection of three stories that all center around three good friends around Christmastime. I'm not always a huge fan of these kinds of romantic reads, but I was definitely (and pleasantly) surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. It has just the right amount of steam, romance, and Christmassy atmosphere to make it an enjoyable December read.
The first thing that drew me in, admittedly, was the cover & title. It sounded cute, and the cover is just as adorable. It's simple, but effective, and would catch my eye on a holiday display.
The first story is called Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman, and I adored it. This story takes a look at the clumsy Clara Parker, who despite being unable to cook is given a job for the paper writing about Christmas cookie recipes. When a sexy fireman named Will shows up to save the day, Clara has to decide if she can open her heart again to this hero. I loved this story. I thought Clara was relatable- not TOO clumsy, but definitely not graceful and notoriously known for being single. And Will? Absolutely dreamy. I'd like one of him for Christmas too. Their relationship was cute and quirky and I was cheering for them all throughout the book.
The middle story is The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell. Even though this was my least favorite story out of the three, it is still worth a read and is far from bad. Abby is known in her town for making gingerbread man cookies that are, well, anatomically correct. She even added a box to the cookie auction, but was a little surprised when a stranger was the one who ended up bidding on the risque treats. It isn't long before Abby saves a stranger from a snowy road- but could he be what her life has been missing? This was a fun read- with gingerbread man fun bits, how can it not be? I just wasn't as connected to Abby and Lander as I could have been, so I wasn't as invested in the story.
And the final, and possibly best, story is Sugar And Spice by Kimberly Kincaid. Lily is a caterer who takes her cooking, and her job, very seriously. Entered in the holiday bake-off against a seriously sexy and competitive pastry chef named Pete, their passion becomes hotter than the kitchen that they're baking in. This was fun and steamy to boot, and is the perfect thing to heat up a cold winter night.
All in all this is a solid collection of stories that are great to read during the holidays. Romantic and fun, this is a great pick for those of you who love romance stories without the smut. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for my chance to read this. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
The first thing that drew me in, admittedly, was the cover & title. It sounded cute, and the cover is just as adorable. It's simple, but effective, and would catch my eye on a holiday display.
The first story is called Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman, and I adored it. This story takes a look at the clumsy Clara Parker, who despite being unable to cook is given a job for the paper writing about Christmas cookie recipes. When a sexy fireman named Will shows up to save the day, Clara has to decide if she can open her heart again to this hero. I loved this story. I thought Clara was relatable- not TOO clumsy, but definitely not graceful and notoriously known for being single. And Will? Absolutely dreamy. I'd like one of him for Christmas too. Their relationship was cute and quirky and I was cheering for them all throughout the book.
The middle story is The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell. Even though this was my least favorite story out of the three, it is still worth a read and is far from bad. Abby is known in her town for making gingerbread man cookies that are, well, anatomically correct. She even added a box to the cookie auction, but was a little surprised when a stranger was the one who ended up bidding on the risque treats. It isn't long before Abby saves a stranger from a snowy road- but could he be what her life has been missing? This was a fun read- with gingerbread man fun bits, how can it not be? I just wasn't as connected to Abby and Lander as I could have been, so I wasn't as invested in the story.
And the final, and possibly best, story is Sugar And Spice by Kimberly Kincaid. Lily is a caterer who takes her cooking, and her job, very seriously. Entered in the holiday bake-off against a seriously sexy and competitive pastry chef named Pete, their passion becomes hotter than the kitchen that they're baking in. This was fun and steamy to boot, and is the perfect thing to heat up a cold winter night.
All in all this is a solid collection of stories that are great to read during the holidays. Romantic and fun, this is a great pick for those of you who love romance stories without the smut. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for my chance to read this. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
June 6, 2016
Average Rating for this anthology: 3.5 Stars
First of all, thanks to everyone who voted in my very first My TBR List. I'd been looking forward to reading The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap even if it wasn't the book I had personally put a vote in for. Nonetheless, despite it being two months past Christmastime, it still doesn't hurt to read a holiday-themed romance collection--especially one that has to do with cookies!
Even though I was less enamoured with Kate Angell's The Gingerbread Man, it was still entertaining to a point. And so, overall, I DID enjoy this anthology a lot and am ecstatic that I discovered one new author I'd be interested in pursuing: Donna Kauffman's Where There's Smoke... was immensely enjoyable.
Now onto the stories:
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap collection features three best friends during the holiday times and their respective love stories. We first meet them during a community center cookie charity auction and the three of them talk about their holiday plans and whatnot.
• Where There's Smoke... by Donna Kauffman -- 4.0 Stars
Very enjoyable and fun! I'm glad to have found another new author to enjoy.
Clara is an accident-prone, bumbling news journalist with ambitious goals of writing human drama stories about the people of her town around Pine Mountain. Having just been "dumped" by a man she'd thought she'd been starting a romantic relationship with, this particular incident is witnessed by her boss--because Clara is currently the writer for the relationship columns at the paper, of course, this very public display in which she is "dumped" is not good for business.
However, pleading with her boss to give her a second chance, she lands an opportunity writing several features for a cookie baking column... the only problem is, Clara doesn't know the first thing about baking. In fact, any kind of incident involving the kitchen tends to lead to getting the fire department on speed dial for damage control before she burns down her house. Fortunately for her, an old best friend has just set foot back into her life and he just happens to be a fire fighter.
Where There's Smoke... was enjoyable the whole time through, making use great use of a dorky girl and her old college best friend as a great romantic synopsis. And while I'm typically not much for the "bumbling idiot girl = cuteness" device, Clara actually came off quite endearing. But probably because she wasn't entirely helpless in a kitchen given the right amount of schooling and help.
Will Mason isn't entirely unique as a main romance male character, but given his back history, he's given more personality--and that is what I loved about this couple. Despite being a muscular, sexy-as-sin fire fighter in the present, Will is described as having been cute, but adorkably lanky, having not quite grown into his own skin yet when he and Clara first met years prior to this story.
The relationship presented between the two was cute and sweet, and given that they were both best friends first before a brief separation and now a heart-warming reunion, I really, honestly DID enjoy watching them fall in love.
• The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell -- 2.5 Stars
Potential that just missed the mark.
Abby has a secret side business that no one but her best friends know about--she makes and sells erotic-themed baked goods on the internet. For now, she mostly does business with women wanting party favors for bachelorette parties and the like. But Abby is determined to bring her secret business into the public. During the community center cookie charity auction, she has entered her anatomically correct gingerbread men as part of the cookie swap.
Somehow, the little tin of erotic cookies ends up in the hands of a passing stranger who is merely looking for directions to Philadelphia. And because of these cookies, our handsome stranger, Landon, gets distracted while driving in the stormy, snowy weather and ends up in a ditch. This is where Abby finds him on her way home and being that the snow storm was only going to bet worse as the night went on, she makes the decision to bring him back to her home until the roads are clear and safe again.
To be honest, this story had a lot of potential, what with a romance taking place where a couple is stranded in a fairly isolated cabin, buried in winter weather and snow. On top of that, there are anatomically correct gingerbread men to contend with. I was looking for something fun and quirky and cute.
Instead, while the story wasn't really all that bad, it was also kind of boring. The writing style was also awkward--sometimes a little too wordy, and sometimes a little too dramatic. And, of course, both Abby and Landon were the stock-standard romance novel hero and heroine as well--perfect for each other, perfect as individuals... just absolutely flawless people who end up having great sex and falling in love for no reason other than because the author dictates.
Nonetheless, this was enjoyable in it's own way. Just not my favorite of the three stories.
• Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid -- 4.0 Stars
Cute, inspirational, humorous, and everything I typically expect from Kimberly Kincaid!
Lily is married to her baking and has time for nothing else. Her cooking process is just as meticulous as her ideals in life--straight-laced, unwavering, planned and strategic to a T. While she has her own cake business, her tiny kitchen is just not big enough if she wants to expand her clientele and so she knows that her next step is a storefront with a larger kitchen. Participating in the Pine Mountain Resort Christmas cookie baking contest seems just the means to get where she needs to go, with a monetary reward enough to start up a decent sized bakery.
But Lily finds herself going head-to-head against a charming, suave, and sexy chef with ambitions of his own--to leave his current position and make a name for himself, good enough to become the next chef of an upscale restaurant in the city. Pete's cooking style is professional and skilled, but at the same time, grand and risky and too spontaneous for Lily to handle. When the two of them meet in the kitchen, it's quite the showdown, even as a simmering attraction begins to build.
Kimberly Kincaid has a writing style I enjoy--relaxed, humorous, fun. So even if I haven't entirely enjoyed all of her works, I still pay attention to anything with her name on it. Sugar and Spice certainly did not disappoint, with a short, to-the-point love story with a cute build-up, great characters, and a lovely Happily Ever After™. Lily and Pete clashed with each other so badly, both in personality and as chefs that it was extremely entertaining and fun to read, proving the whole opposites attract theory in some form.
Perhaps because this was a tried-and-true romance formula written well with likable characters. Perhaps because I wasn't expecting more from this story (or this entire anthology) than sweet little love stories. I ended up immensely enjoying this little story of a couple falling in love through competition.
In a word: It was fun!
Final Thoughts:
Short and sweet little romance anthologies are always lovely, and being a hopeless romantic for fictional romances, I don't turn them down. The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, though actually a holiday-themed collection, still makes for an enjoyable read during the February Valentine season.
Sometimes these little gems just hit the right spot, because they're exactly what you're looking for, and don't usually pretend to be anything more.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Bookish Resolutions Challenge - New-to-me Author #5 & #6
-- February My TBR List meme
• Mount TBR Challenge
First of all, thanks to everyone who voted in my very first My TBR List. I'd been looking forward to reading The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap even if it wasn't the book I had personally put a vote in for. Nonetheless, despite it being two months past Christmastime, it still doesn't hurt to read a holiday-themed romance collection--especially one that has to do with cookies!
Even though I was less enamoured with Kate Angell's The Gingerbread Man, it was still entertaining to a point. And so, overall, I DID enjoy this anthology a lot and am ecstatic that I discovered one new author I'd be interested in pursuing: Donna Kauffman's Where There's Smoke... was immensely enjoyable.
Now onto the stories:
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap collection features three best friends during the holiday times and their respective love stories. We first meet them during a community center cookie charity auction and the three of them talk about their holiday plans and whatnot.
• Where There's Smoke... by Donna Kauffman -- 4.0 Stars
Very enjoyable and fun! I'm glad to have found another new author to enjoy.
Clara is an accident-prone, bumbling news journalist with ambitious goals of writing human drama stories about the people of her town around Pine Mountain. Having just been "dumped" by a man she'd thought she'd been starting a romantic relationship with, this particular incident is witnessed by her boss--because Clara is currently the writer for the relationship columns at the paper, of course, this very public display in which she is "dumped" is not good for business.
However, pleading with her boss to give her a second chance, she lands an opportunity writing several features for a cookie baking column... the only problem is, Clara doesn't know the first thing about baking. In fact, any kind of incident involving the kitchen tends to lead to getting the fire department on speed dial for damage control before she burns down her house. Fortunately for her, an old best friend has just set foot back into her life and he just happens to be a fire fighter.
Where There's Smoke... was enjoyable the whole time through, making use great use of a dorky girl and her old college best friend as a great romantic synopsis. And while I'm typically not much for the "bumbling idiot girl = cuteness" device, Clara actually came off quite endearing. But probably because she wasn't entirely helpless in a kitchen given the right amount of schooling and help.
Will Mason isn't entirely unique as a main romance male character, but given his back history, he's given more personality--and that is what I loved about this couple. Despite being a muscular, sexy-as-sin fire fighter in the present, Will is described as having been cute, but adorkably lanky, having not quite grown into his own skin yet when he and Clara first met years prior to this story.
The relationship presented between the two was cute and sweet, and given that they were both best friends first before a brief separation and now a heart-warming reunion, I really, honestly DID enjoy watching them fall in love.
• The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell -- 2.5 Stars
Potential that just missed the mark.
Abby has a secret side business that no one but her best friends know about--she makes and sells erotic-themed baked goods on the internet. For now, she mostly does business with women wanting party favors for bachelorette parties and the like. But Abby is determined to bring her secret business into the public. During the community center cookie charity auction, she has entered her anatomically correct gingerbread men as part of the cookie swap.
Somehow, the little tin of erotic cookies ends up in the hands of a passing stranger who is merely looking for directions to Philadelphia. And because of these cookies, our handsome stranger, Landon, gets distracted while driving in the stormy, snowy weather and ends up in a ditch. This is where Abby finds him on her way home and being that the snow storm was only going to bet worse as the night went on, she makes the decision to bring him back to her home until the roads are clear and safe again.
To be honest, this story had a lot of potential, what with a romance taking place where a couple is stranded in a fairly isolated cabin, buried in winter weather and snow. On top of that, there are anatomically correct gingerbread men to contend with. I was looking for something fun and quirky and cute.
Instead, while the story wasn't really all that bad, it was also kind of boring. The writing style was also awkward--sometimes a little too wordy, and sometimes a little too dramatic. And, of course, both Abby and Landon were the stock-standard romance novel hero and heroine as well--perfect for each other, perfect as individuals... just absolutely flawless people who end up having great sex and falling in love for no reason other than because the author dictates.
Nonetheless, this was enjoyable in it's own way. Just not my favorite of the three stories.
• Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid -- 4.0 Stars
Cute, inspirational, humorous, and everything I typically expect from Kimberly Kincaid!
Lily is married to her baking and has time for nothing else. Her cooking process is just as meticulous as her ideals in life--straight-laced, unwavering, planned and strategic to a T. While she has her own cake business, her tiny kitchen is just not big enough if she wants to expand her clientele and so she knows that her next step is a storefront with a larger kitchen. Participating in the Pine Mountain Resort Christmas cookie baking contest seems just the means to get where she needs to go, with a monetary reward enough to start up a decent sized bakery.
But Lily finds herself going head-to-head against a charming, suave, and sexy chef with ambitions of his own--to leave his current position and make a name for himself, good enough to become the next chef of an upscale restaurant in the city. Pete's cooking style is professional and skilled, but at the same time, grand and risky and too spontaneous for Lily to handle. When the two of them meet in the kitchen, it's quite the showdown, even as a simmering attraction begins to build.
Kimberly Kincaid has a writing style I enjoy--relaxed, humorous, fun. So even if I haven't entirely enjoyed all of her works, I still pay attention to anything with her name on it. Sugar and Spice certainly did not disappoint, with a short, to-the-point love story with a cute build-up, great characters, and a lovely Happily Ever After™. Lily and Pete clashed with each other so badly, both in personality and as chefs that it was extremely entertaining and fun to read, proving the whole opposites attract theory in some form.
Perhaps because this was a tried-and-true romance formula written well with likable characters. Perhaps because I wasn't expecting more from this story (or this entire anthology) than sweet little love stories. I ended up immensely enjoying this little story of a couple falling in love through competition.
In a word: It was fun!
Final Thoughts:
Short and sweet little romance anthologies are always lovely, and being a hopeless romantic for fictional romances, I don't turn them down. The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, though actually a holiday-themed collection, still makes for an enjoyable read during the February Valentine season.
Sometimes these little gems just hit the right spot, because they're exactly what you're looking for, and don't usually pretend to be anything more.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Bookish Resolutions Challenge - New-to-me Author #5 & #6
-- February My TBR List meme
• Mount TBR Challenge
December 12, 2021
This book is 3 stories - centred on new love and cookies.
The first story is actually enjoyable - if you like your love stories to feel like a Hallmark movie.
From there, the cookie really crumbled. The second story is in no way believable and the third one would definitely been a DNF for me - but I was invested and wanted to count this one as read.
The first story is actually enjoyable - if you like your love stories to feel like a Hallmark movie.
From there, the cookie really crumbled. The second story is in no way believable and the third one would definitely been a DNF for me - but I was invested and wanted to count this one as read.
November 27, 2019
Swoons and fun
Christmas is such a fun time. Loved the 3 girlfriends ending up with the loves of their lives in such a unique manner.
Christmas is such a fun time. Loved the 3 girlfriends ending up with the loves of their lives in such a unique manner.
November 1, 2013
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell and Kimberly Kincaid
Wanted to read this book because it's 3 books in one and it's all on the same theme-Christmas sugar cookies. I love to bake and experiment. Recipes included.
.
Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman
Clara Parker has a job to do for the paper, cookie recipes and a column up til Christmas.
Her friends Lily and Abby would help but they are busy with their jobs as well.
She buys a new cookbook and runs into her old college friend, fireman now, Will. Next day he checks in on her to discover her house on fire.
He saves her from trying out a recipe from her new book. She is now a guest at his cabin and together they learn about one another again and treasure what they've found.
She agrees to have Christmas with him and she does trust him. Hot steamy sex scenes.
.
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell
This portion of the saga is about Abby Denton and she is a baker and sells her atomically correct gingerbread men online.
Lauder is on her coach - she had saved him after the car accident where earlier he came to the town's center for their annual cookie swap and purchased the gingerbread men.
All he can recall is a peppermint stick penis! The blizzard will keep them snowed in for days and she knows how to use the cabin fireplace for cooking. He's concerned because of all the handicap equipment in the bathroom...
He's got bruised muscles in his chest from her dragging him up the hill and she's hurt her big toe. As they decorate the tree they find out a lot more about one another and remember their holidays of the past.
Bubble and glass blown ornaments are my favorites. never knew of the Austrian tinsel. Games of naked scramble and hot steamy sex...
She gave him a box of candy out of the dozen that was meant for her grandmother as a Christmas gift when he left. He remembered her wish and we wait to see if it will come true this year.
Such imaginations when it comes to decorating the cookies!
.
Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid
This part of the book is about Lily Callahan and she's a professional baker with a very small apartment to bake in. Clara is there to help her and she learns of the $10k cookie contest. That would be enough for her to have a real business.
Peter Mancuso is the one who had dumped Clara but he didn't see it as such, just a different business side to their lifes. They are both competing in the cookie contest and there is a twist to the rules. They are paired and will be working through the first phase of eliminations.
They pretty much wing the recipe...the resort has the numbers in from the viewing audience and their segment was a lot higher than others and make a deal to keep them in the competition, maybe a kiss here and there on camera to boost the charity donations...
.
Especially liked how the very beginning is-the three woman and the book has each of their stories and the ending is them all together again and especially loved the recipes!
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review
Wanted to read this book because it's 3 books in one and it's all on the same theme-Christmas sugar cookies. I love to bake and experiment. Recipes included.
.
Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman
Clara Parker has a job to do for the paper, cookie recipes and a column up til Christmas.
Her friends Lily and Abby would help but they are busy with their jobs as well.
She buys a new cookbook and runs into her old college friend, fireman now, Will. Next day he checks in on her to discover her house on fire.
He saves her from trying out a recipe from her new book. She is now a guest at his cabin and together they learn about one another again and treasure what they've found.
She agrees to have Christmas with him and she does trust him. Hot steamy sex scenes.
.
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell
This portion of the saga is about Abby Denton and she is a baker and sells her atomically correct gingerbread men online.
Lauder is on her coach - she had saved him after the car accident where earlier he came to the town's center for their annual cookie swap and purchased the gingerbread men.
All he can recall is a peppermint stick penis! The blizzard will keep them snowed in for days and she knows how to use the cabin fireplace for cooking. He's concerned because of all the handicap equipment in the bathroom...
He's got bruised muscles in his chest from her dragging him up the hill and she's hurt her big toe. As they decorate the tree they find out a lot more about one another and remember their holidays of the past.
Bubble and glass blown ornaments are my favorites. never knew of the Austrian tinsel. Games of naked scramble and hot steamy sex...
She gave him a box of candy out of the dozen that was meant for her grandmother as a Christmas gift when he left. He remembered her wish and we wait to see if it will come true this year.
Such imaginations when it comes to decorating the cookies!
.
Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid
This part of the book is about Lily Callahan and she's a professional baker with a very small apartment to bake in. Clara is there to help her and she learns of the $10k cookie contest. That would be enough for her to have a real business.
Peter Mancuso is the one who had dumped Clara but he didn't see it as such, just a different business side to their lifes. They are both competing in the cookie contest and there is a twist to the rules. They are paired and will be working through the first phase of eliminations.
They pretty much wing the recipe...the resort has the numbers in from the viewing audience and their segment was a lot higher than others and make a deal to keep them in the competition, maybe a kiss here and there on camera to boost the charity donations...
.
Especially liked how the very beginning is-the three woman and the book has each of their stories and the ending is them all together again and especially loved the recipes!
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review
August 3, 2017
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap (Pine Mountain .5) by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, Kimberly Kincaid Author: Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, Kimberly Kincaid Title: The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap Series: Pine Mountain Cover Rating: Book Rating: Buy This Book:
Where There's Smoke by Donna KauffmanWhen flames from a recipe gone disastrously wrong send hunky fire-fighter Will Mason to pretty Clara Parker's rescue, the sparks really begin to fly! And once Will gets a taste of Clara, he aches for more than just a little sugar from the famously single food columnist...The Gingerbread Man by Kate AngellFolks have always told fun-loving Abby Denton that her anatomically correct Gingerbread cookies are...impressive. But those erotic cookies have nothing on the sexy stranger Abby saves from a snowy country road. Could Lander Reynolds be the Christmas treat she's truly been longing for? Sugar And Spice by Kimberly KincaidWhen caterer Lily Callahan goes up against hotshot pastry chef Pete Mancuso in the bake-off of the season, the stakes are high - and scandalously passionate. Will the gorgeous gourmand steal Lily's heart - and the top prize in the Christmas cookie competition?
There's no way to go wrong with this book, three fantastic authors and three wonderful stories that will melt your heart. The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap is a perfect book to read during any season but it is a delicious treat to savor for the Christmas holidays when you want to warm more than just your toes! The three stories Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman, The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell, and Sugar And Spice by Kimberly Kincaid are packed full of sugar sweetness and comedy that will keep you smiling to the end. I really enjoyed this book so much that I read it twice just so I could experience it all over again. Donna, Kate and Kimberly have done a fantastic job bringing us another holiday novel to fall in love with!
Until next time book lovers...
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews has a QR code for your phone!
Where There's Smoke by Donna KauffmanWhen flames from a recipe gone disastrously wrong send hunky fire-fighter Will Mason to pretty Clara Parker's rescue, the sparks really begin to fly! And once Will gets a taste of Clara, he aches for more than just a little sugar from the famously single food columnist...The Gingerbread Man by Kate AngellFolks have always told fun-loving Abby Denton that her anatomically correct Gingerbread cookies are...impressive. But those erotic cookies have nothing on the sexy stranger Abby saves from a snowy country road. Could Lander Reynolds be the Christmas treat she's truly been longing for? Sugar And Spice by Kimberly KincaidWhen caterer Lily Callahan goes up against hotshot pastry chef Pete Mancuso in the bake-off of the season, the stakes are high - and scandalously passionate. Will the gorgeous gourmand steal Lily's heart - and the top prize in the Christmas cookie competition?
There's no way to go wrong with this book, three fantastic authors and three wonderful stories that will melt your heart. The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap is a perfect book to read during any season but it is a delicious treat to savor for the Christmas holidays when you want to warm more than just your toes! The three stories Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman, The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell, and Sugar And Spice by Kimberly Kincaid are packed full of sugar sweetness and comedy that will keep you smiling to the end. I really enjoyed this book so much that I read it twice just so I could experience it all over again. Donna, Kate and Kimberly have done a fantastic job bringing us another holiday novel to fall in love with!
Until next time book lovers...
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews has a QR code for your phone!
January 19, 2016
✔ Three best girl friends
✔ Small, snowy winter mountain town
✔ Cheesy, predictable, completely implausible romance
✔ Three smoking hot men
✔ Pure Christmas bliss
I have been waiting 12 months for this. There is nothing I love more than over-the-top cheesy, contemporary, Christmas romances. The main characters have to be gorgeous, they have to fall in love in a week (max), and they have to love everything Christmas related. This anthology hit all of these and more. I don't read a lot of anthologies but really enjoyed how these three stories all shared a prologue, epilogue, and too place at the same time with similar characters making an appearance in each. It was like a mini-trilogy in one book.
Clara, Abby, and Lily are best friends in a Pennsylvania ski town whose Christmas's are shaping up to be less than ideal. But a little Christmas spirit and a lot of dreamy man can make that better!
• After a very public breakup, Clara loses her job as a relationship advice columnist for the local paper. To save her job, she agrees to write a column about baking cookies. The only problem is she cannot bake! She promptly sets her kitchen on fire but a firefighter from her past may save her kitchen, her cookies, and her love life.
• Abby was raised by her grandmother who passed away mere months ago. She is dreading Christmas, which was her and her grandma's favorite holiday, but Abby is attempting to go through the motions. When she finds a car in a snowy ditch not far from her mountain cabin, she pulls a man from the wreckage and they spend several days holed up in her home until the storm passes where the mysterious stranger reminds Abby that Christmas can still be fun and full of love.
• Lily has one dream: to own her own bakery on Main Street. When the local ski resort announces a high profile competition with a $10,000 prize, Lily sees this as her chance to make her dreams come true. But, will a handsome, overly-confidence pastry chef from the city ruin her dreams or help her make new ones?
This book is exactly what I was looking for and now I am off to start my next Christmas book!
✔ Small, snowy winter mountain town
✔ Cheesy, predictable, completely implausible romance
✔ Three smoking hot men
✔ Pure Christmas bliss
I have been waiting 12 months for this. There is nothing I love more than over-the-top cheesy, contemporary, Christmas romances. The main characters have to be gorgeous, they have to fall in love in a week (max), and they have to love everything Christmas related. This anthology hit all of these and more. I don't read a lot of anthologies but really enjoyed how these three stories all shared a prologue, epilogue, and too place at the same time with similar characters making an appearance in each. It was like a mini-trilogy in one book.
Clara, Abby, and Lily are best friends in a Pennsylvania ski town whose Christmas's are shaping up to be less than ideal. But a little Christmas spirit and a lot of dreamy man can make that better!
• After a very public breakup, Clara loses her job as a relationship advice columnist for the local paper. To save her job, she agrees to write a column about baking cookies. The only problem is she cannot bake! She promptly sets her kitchen on fire but a firefighter from her past may save her kitchen, her cookies, and her love life.
• Abby was raised by her grandmother who passed away mere months ago. She is dreading Christmas, which was her and her grandma's favorite holiday, but Abby is attempting to go through the motions. When she finds a car in a snowy ditch not far from her mountain cabin, she pulls a man from the wreckage and they spend several days holed up in her home until the storm passes where the mysterious stranger reminds Abby that Christmas can still be fun and full of love.
• Lily has one dream: to own her own bakery on Main Street. When the local ski resort announces a high profile competition with a $10,000 prize, Lily sees this as her chance to make her dreams come true. But, will a handsome, overly-confidence pastry chef from the city ruin her dreams or help her make new ones?
This book is exactly what I was looking for and now I am off to start my next Christmas book!
September 23, 2013
Find This and Other Reviews At Craves The Angst.
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap is a Contemporary Romance written by authors Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, Kimberly Kincaid. I received this eARC from the authors in exchange for an honest review through Tasty Book Tours .
4 Super Sweet Stars!
Light and Fun! A Truly Enjoyable Read.
The Review:
This book is broken into three different parts written by three different authors but flows from one story to the next, concentrating on three friends, each of which find romance between the holidays and sugary sweets.
I loved each story. All the female leads were strong and independent and owned a confidence that made each one shine. Their male counterparts were hot, bringing a bit of spice to the stories. The romance was sweet, the conflict light and fun and the settings charming and realistic.
Though all three stories were really well written and enjoyable to read, my favorite was the last one, Sugar and Spice, written by Kimberly Kincaid. I loved her writing style. Since baking was the theme, I really liked her use of kitchen words to describe feelings, settings and characters. I adored the hero, Pete, who was a bit tragic with his shaky past but who was confident and delectable. The heroine, Lily, was sweet and entertaining. The story was fun and romantic as they baked off to win a cookie competition, each with their own separate goals but never falling victim to the competition.
The Wrap Up:
I love holiday books, where theres a bit of drama but nothing so intense as to bring the spirit of the season down. And the best part is, this book can be read at any point of the year so you get to experience a bit of wintery holiday cheer all year long! Loved this one!
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap is a Contemporary Romance written by authors Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, Kimberly Kincaid. I received this eARC from the authors in exchange for an honest review through Tasty Book Tours .
4 Super Sweet Stars!
Light and Fun! A Truly Enjoyable Read.
The Review:
This book is broken into three different parts written by three different authors but flows from one story to the next, concentrating on three friends, each of which find romance between the holidays and sugary sweets.
I loved each story. All the female leads were strong and independent and owned a confidence that made each one shine. Their male counterparts were hot, bringing a bit of spice to the stories. The romance was sweet, the conflict light and fun and the settings charming and realistic.
Though all three stories were really well written and enjoyable to read, my favorite was the last one, Sugar and Spice, written by Kimberly Kincaid. I loved her writing style. Since baking was the theme, I really liked her use of kitchen words to describe feelings, settings and characters. I adored the hero, Pete, who was a bit tragic with his shaky past but who was confident and delectable. The heroine, Lily, was sweet and entertaining. The story was fun and romantic as they baked off to win a cookie competition, each with their own separate goals but never falling victim to the competition.
The Wrap Up:
I love holiday books, where theres a bit of drama but nothing so intense as to bring the spirit of the season down. And the best part is, this book can be read at any point of the year so you get to experience a bit of wintery holiday cheer all year long! Loved this one!
December 7, 2014
WOW!!! Three books in one, all the same storyline, but three different authors, what an amazing job. Donna Kaufman, Kate Angell and Kimberly Kincaid you really did an awesome job compiling this book.
November 29, 2017
I borrowed a copy of this book from my library.
A truly delightful combo of three stars in the contemporary romance writers' seen.
If I had to choose the best of three, I would choose Ms. Kincaid. Why? I have become captivated by her works and I am endeavoring to read as many of her works that I can. Do not take this as affront to the other two authors: it is not.
Sugar and Spice by Ms. Kincaid.
To avoid spoilers here is my take: Lily Callahan, heroine, is a baker working from home. The hero, Pete Mancuso, a glorified baker(chef) , works at La Luna restaurant. Enter a contest to win $10,000.00 dollars which brings these two together(kind of). But alas, the twisting and turning by of the story by this author makes this read fun. Also, there is some sizzle and fireworks.
Go forth and read.
A truly delightful combo of three stars in the contemporary romance writers' seen.
If I had to choose the best of three, I would choose Ms. Kincaid. Why? I have become captivated by her works and I am endeavoring to read as many of her works that I can. Do not take this as affront to the other two authors: it is not.
Sugar and Spice by Ms. Kincaid.
To avoid spoilers here is my take: Lily Callahan, heroine, is a baker working from home. The hero, Pete Mancuso, a glorified baker(chef) , works at La Luna restaurant. Enter a contest to win $10,000.00 dollars which brings these two together(kind of). But alas, the twisting and turning by of the story by this author makes this read fun. Also, there is some sizzle and fireworks.
Go forth and read.
August 18, 2016
This review is of “The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap” an anthology of three interrelated stories: “Where There’s Smoke” by Donna Kauffman; “The Gingerbread Man” by Kate Angell; and “Sugar and Spice” by Kimberly Kincaid. The stories will be reviewed in the order they are listed in the book.
Story #1: Where There’s Smoke” by Donna Kauffman.
The Story: The book begins in the town of Pine Mountain, in the Blue Ridge mountains, just before Christmas. Here, Clara Parker, a food columnist for the Pine Mountain Gazette and her besties, Abby Denton and Lily Callahan, both bakers, are participating in a local tradition; a yearly Christmas Cookie Swap. Clara is going through a rough time; she broke up with her boyfriend and was fired from her previous job-as a romantic advice columnist-before saving her bacon and getting the job as a cookie-writing columnist. Now, Clara has to solve one teensy little problem: she has to learn how to bake.
Clara takes a trip to a bookstore in a neighboring town. There, she finds a book on baking-and an old friend, the former geek, now chic, Will Mason, the hero of the book and a hunky firefighter who is doing a signing for a calendar that he is the cover model of.
Will saves Clara from a fire-not much of one but a fire, nonetheless-and they reminisce, reconnect, fall in love and have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: Not much.
Downside: Neither Clara nor Will were particularly interesting or deep characters. Ms. Kauffman’s writing style is very wordy, almost unnecessarily so.
Bottom Line: I was very disappointed in “Where There’s Smoke”. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Ms. Kauffman, but this was not her best effort.
Story #2: “The Gingerbread Man” by Kate Angell.
The Story: The book begins at the mountainside cabin of Abby Denton, the heroine of the book. Abby has just rescued a man named Lander, the hero of the book from an auto accident; an accident Abby had a part in. (You’ll have to read the story to understand that statement.) Abby and Lander are stuck together due to a blizzard. While stranded together, Lander helps Abby deal with her feelings about this Christmas-the first without her beloved Grandmother-and Lander and Abby become close and make love multiple times.
When Abby receives a long-wished gift-a trip to visit the historic homes of Philadelphia during the holidays-Abby finds out two things: Lander’s surname-Reynolds-and the fact that he’s rich. More importantly, Abby discovers that Lander loves her as much as she loves him, and they have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: The book has a slight romantic comedy bent to it which is endearing. Abby and Lander are both strong, developed characters.
Downside: The end of the book is a little rushed and clunky, perhaps because it’s a novella as opposed to a full-length book.
Sex: A few scenes that aren’t overly hot.
Violence: Only in the past tense; both Abby and Lander suffer injuries in his auto accident. Their injuries are more annoying and painful than serious.
Bottom Line: “The Gingerbread Man” is a better story than “Where There’s Smoke”. Which is kind of damning with faint praise.
Story #3: “Sugar and Spice” by Kimberly Kincaid.
The Story: The book begins with intros to the heroine, Lily Callahan, a baker who works out of her home, and the hero, Pete Mancuso, a chef who, for the time being, works at La Luna restaurant. Both Lily and Pete enter a contest given by the Pine Mountain Ski Resort, with a first prize of $10, 000.
Lily and Pete become reluctant partners early in the contest. They have conflicting ideas of cooking: Lily is a by-the-book planner and Pete is more improvisational. As the competition continues, Lily and Pete go from reluctant partners to lovers and more. They both have reasons for wanting to win, but only one of the 10 finalists can win. I won’t reveal who won the contest, but in the end, Lily and Pete are both winners, because they found each other and have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: A lot of it. “Sugar and Spice” was the best book of the three in the anthology. Ms. Kincaid did the best job of writing real, relatable characters with depth and passion. Technically, “Sugar and Spice” is the first book of 7 total-five full-length and two novella length-books in the “A Pine Mountain Novel” series.
Downside: My only issue is that the book was too short.
Sex: One fairly hot sex scene and a hinted at one.
Violence: None.
Bottom Line: Grading the novellas as a whole, I’d give “Where There’s Smoke” 3 stars, “The Gingerbread Man” 4 stars and “Sugar and Spice” a high 4 stars. None of the books in "The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap" are exceptional, but all are above-average to very good.
Story #1: Where There’s Smoke” by Donna Kauffman.
The Story: The book begins in the town of Pine Mountain, in the Blue Ridge mountains, just before Christmas. Here, Clara Parker, a food columnist for the Pine Mountain Gazette and her besties, Abby Denton and Lily Callahan, both bakers, are participating in a local tradition; a yearly Christmas Cookie Swap. Clara is going through a rough time; she broke up with her boyfriend and was fired from her previous job-as a romantic advice columnist-before saving her bacon and getting the job as a cookie-writing columnist. Now, Clara has to solve one teensy little problem: she has to learn how to bake.
Clara takes a trip to a bookstore in a neighboring town. There, she finds a book on baking-and an old friend, the former geek, now chic, Will Mason, the hero of the book and a hunky firefighter who is doing a signing for a calendar that he is the cover model of.
Will saves Clara from a fire-not much of one but a fire, nonetheless-and they reminisce, reconnect, fall in love and have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: Not much.
Downside: Neither Clara nor Will were particularly interesting or deep characters. Ms. Kauffman’s writing style is very wordy, almost unnecessarily so.
Bottom Line: I was very disappointed in “Where There’s Smoke”. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Ms. Kauffman, but this was not her best effort.
Story #2: “The Gingerbread Man” by Kate Angell.
The Story: The book begins at the mountainside cabin of Abby Denton, the heroine of the book. Abby has just rescued a man named Lander, the hero of the book from an auto accident; an accident Abby had a part in. (You’ll have to read the story to understand that statement.) Abby and Lander are stuck together due to a blizzard. While stranded together, Lander helps Abby deal with her feelings about this Christmas-the first without her beloved Grandmother-and Lander and Abby become close and make love multiple times.
When Abby receives a long-wished gift-a trip to visit the historic homes of Philadelphia during the holidays-Abby finds out two things: Lander’s surname-Reynolds-and the fact that he’s rich. More importantly, Abby discovers that Lander loves her as much as she loves him, and they have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: The book has a slight romantic comedy bent to it which is endearing. Abby and Lander are both strong, developed characters.
Downside: The end of the book is a little rushed and clunky, perhaps because it’s a novella as opposed to a full-length book.
Sex: A few scenes that aren’t overly hot.
Violence: Only in the past tense; both Abby and Lander suffer injuries in his auto accident. Their injuries are more annoying and painful than serious.
Bottom Line: “The Gingerbread Man” is a better story than “Where There’s Smoke”. Which is kind of damning with faint praise.
Story #3: “Sugar and Spice” by Kimberly Kincaid.
The Story: The book begins with intros to the heroine, Lily Callahan, a baker who works out of her home, and the hero, Pete Mancuso, a chef who, for the time being, works at La Luna restaurant. Both Lily and Pete enter a contest given by the Pine Mountain Ski Resort, with a first prize of $10, 000.
Lily and Pete become reluctant partners early in the contest. They have conflicting ideas of cooking: Lily is a by-the-book planner and Pete is more improvisational. As the competition continues, Lily and Pete go from reluctant partners to lovers and more. They both have reasons for wanting to win, but only one of the 10 finalists can win. I won’t reveal who won the contest, but in the end, Lily and Pete are both winners, because they found each other and have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: A lot of it. “Sugar and Spice” was the best book of the three in the anthology. Ms. Kincaid did the best job of writing real, relatable characters with depth and passion. Technically, “Sugar and Spice” is the first book of 7 total-five full-length and two novella length-books in the “A Pine Mountain Novel” series.
Downside: My only issue is that the book was too short.
Sex: One fairly hot sex scene and a hinted at one.
Violence: None.
Bottom Line: Grading the novellas as a whole, I’d give “Where There’s Smoke” 3 stars, “The Gingerbread Man” 4 stars and “Sugar and Spice” a high 4 stars. None of the books in "The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap" are exceptional, but all are above-average to very good.
October 5, 2013
**Note: I only read Sugar and Spice, the short story by Kimberly Kincaid in this anthology, as part of a virtual book tour. Although my review primarily reflects my opinions on Kincaid's story, it broadly covers the other stories based off their summaries and the prologue and epilogue as well.**
Lily sticks to the rules. That's just her thing; whether it be a recipe or a "type," she adheres to her own restrictions, and seldom strays very far. Pete, rebellious and charming, is the exact opposite. The fun-loving chef takes tremendous risks both in and out of the kitchen, which is why when he and Lily come face to face in a cutthroat Christmas cookie competition, something's going to simmer... if not explode.
Sugar and Spice is the last of the three stories in The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap. It's short and sweet, exactly the kind of Christmas romance quickie you want to read when you're in between holiday festivities and can't sit down and concentrate on something heavy. Kimberly Kincaid's voice is frank, but she manages to make her characters sentimental. I love the honesty and realness she breathes into Lily as a character. Even though there isn't much character development and obviously with such short length, there isn't much complexity or texture either, Lily is easy to sympathize with and love, which is why readers will relate to her frustration upon meeting Pete, who's trouble from the moment she sets eye on him. Not only does he happen to have the most bone-melting smile she's ever seen, but he'll also be her competition... but then again, who said there's anything wrong with sleeping with the enemy?
Pete's daredevil personality is matched with an equally troubled past, and as Lily is the first and only girl to ever coax him to comfort, both realize there's something there. The concept is cute, but it's inevitable that a Christmas romance would be tacky. The entire story is unrealistic (they just happen to run into each other, they just happen to be partners, the media just happens to love them on TV, resulting in even more duo time... blech) and extremely predictable but I'm not too disappointed by that. After all, this is a cute, cheerful holiday read, one meant to lift your spirits and indulge you in a sugary, spicy, contemporary Christmas fantasy.
While I didn't read the other two stories in the anthology, I did peruse the prologue and epilogue; love how the three best friends' stories all come together! Sugar and Spice was a decent read, but I didn't like it enough to go back and read the other stories; the epilogue, as hurried as it was, was more than enough of an indicator of each of the women's fate: a far-fetched, optimistic happily-ever-after.
Pros
Very quick read // Light tone // Fun, festive, and spirited // Warm and cozy—a feel-good story for a feel-good season! // Likable characters // Each romance story is integrated into the others, and the characters all involve each other
Cons
Way too predictable // "Happily ever after" is really cheesy // Ending is rushed and unrealistic // Not much chemistry because short stories leave little room for relationship development
Verdict
The warm, heartfelt romance that blossoms in the midst of a tense, frenetic Christmas baking contest in Sugar and Spice makes for both a merry, diverting holiday quickie that'll make you smile, and a sizzling, intense affair that will make you blush. I liked how the preceding stories in the anthology are all incorporated into Kincaid's contribution to the collection because it draws three otherwise disengaged women together, but the story itself isn't anything noteworthy. As light contemporary romances go, it's quick, unmemorable, and has both its hot moments, as well as its dull—I enjoyed myself keeping the holiday spirit in mind, but otherwise, I wasn't that impressed.
Rating: 6 out of 10 hearts (3 stars): Satisfying for a first read, but I'm not going back.
Source
Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via tour publicist, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Kensington and Tasty Book Tours!).
Lily might not have gone to a fancy culinary school in Philadelphia, but she'd still been around enough chefs to know Pete's suave, I-know-best type. She hadn't spent the last month refining her skills and perfecting countless cookie recipes just to be upended by an overly confident pretty face.
Even if Pete's smile had threatened to knock her knees out from under her.
Lily sticks to the rules. That's just her thing; whether it be a recipe or a "type," she adheres to her own restrictions, and seldom strays very far. Pete, rebellious and charming, is the exact opposite. The fun-loving chef takes tremendous risks both in and out of the kitchen, which is why when he and Lily come face to face in a cutthroat Christmas cookie competition, something's going to simmer... if not explode.
Sugar and Spice is the last of the three stories in The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap. It's short and sweet, exactly the kind of Christmas romance quickie you want to read when you're in between holiday festivities and can't sit down and concentrate on something heavy. Kimberly Kincaid's voice is frank, but she manages to make her characters sentimental. I love the honesty and realness she breathes into Lily as a character. Even though there isn't much character development and obviously with such short length, there isn't much complexity or texture either, Lily is easy to sympathize with and love, which is why readers will relate to her frustration upon meeting Pete, who's trouble from the moment she sets eye on him. Not only does he happen to have the most bone-melting smile she's ever seen, but he'll also be her competition... but then again, who said there's anything wrong with sleeping with the enemy?
Pete's daredevil personality is matched with an equally troubled past, and as Lily is the first and only girl to ever coax him to comfort, both realize there's something there. The concept is cute, but it's inevitable that a Christmas romance would be tacky. The entire story is unrealistic (they just happen to run into each other, they just happen to be partners, the media just happens to love them on TV, resulting in even more duo time... blech) and extremely predictable but I'm not too disappointed by that. After all, this is a cute, cheerful holiday read, one meant to lift your spirits and indulge you in a sugary, spicy, contemporary Christmas fantasy.
While I didn't read the other two stories in the anthology, I did peruse the prologue and epilogue; love how the three best friends' stories all come together! Sugar and Spice was a decent read, but I didn't like it enough to go back and read the other stories; the epilogue, as hurried as it was, was more than enough of an indicator of each of the women's fate: a far-fetched, optimistic happily-ever-after.
Pros
Very quick read // Light tone // Fun, festive, and spirited // Warm and cozy—a feel-good story for a feel-good season! // Likable characters // Each romance story is integrated into the others, and the characters all involve each other
Cons
Way too predictable // "Happily ever after" is really cheesy // Ending is rushed and unrealistic // Not much chemistry because short stories leave little room for relationship development
Verdict
The warm, heartfelt romance that blossoms in the midst of a tense, frenetic Christmas baking contest in Sugar and Spice makes for both a merry, diverting holiday quickie that'll make you smile, and a sizzling, intense affair that will make you blush. I liked how the preceding stories in the anthology are all incorporated into Kincaid's contribution to the collection because it draws three otherwise disengaged women together, but the story itself isn't anything noteworthy. As light contemporary romances go, it's quick, unmemorable, and has both its hot moments, as well as its dull—I enjoyed myself keeping the holiday spirit in mind, but otherwise, I wasn't that impressed.
Rating: 6 out of 10 hearts (3 stars): Satisfying for a first read, but I'm not going back.
Source
Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via tour publicist, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Kensington and Tasty Book Tours!).
November 22, 2013
Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman:
Just as Where There's Smoke, there's fire, we all know where there's Donna Kauffman, there's a rollicking, sexy read chock-full of charm and sparkle. Kauffman's characters are adorably human and so very magnetic. Clara is clumsy, Will is endearing and the two of them together make for a sweet and genuine story.
"I want to take you out. On a date."
Of all the things he could have said, she hadn't expected that. And he'd blurted it out, like a wet-behind-the-ears kid who'd have to borrow his dad's car keys. Completely at odds with the rugged, handsome guy who had a bit of a swagger and came on to her like it was the most natural thing in the world. It was incredibly endearing, and connected so directly to the part of her that still felt dorky and awkward as she tried to find her way in the big bad real world, that she realized no amount of rules and restrictions was going to keep him from finding his way into her heart.
That's no lie about the sparks, by the way - Kauffman knows how to set a book on fire. Her imagery is as vibrant as always, her story craft exceptional. She wrote the prologue and epilogue, by the way, and never have I craved an after-the-story glimpse of the characters as I did with The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap. Oh, and the chocolate-chip cookie recipe at the end? SO worth your time!
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell:
"It was the cookies." He pressed his palms to his eyes, as if pushing back the image. "I was several miles down the road when I remembered the box lying on the seat beside me. I cracked the lid and found a dozen gingerbread men with candy-cane erections."
He lowered his hands and gave her a look of frustration and disbelief. "I took my eyes off the road and stared at the gingerbread men a moment too long. I couldn't believe what I was seeing."
He doesn't look pleased, Abby thought, digging her hands into the pockets of her jacket. And she'd worked so hard to get her G-men to stand at attention.
LOL! I love that. This novella is marvelously full of the unexpected. The nature of Abby's business, Lander's reaction to her part in his accident and the awww-inspiring ending are all delightful twists in this irresistible romance. Abby and Lander both find Christmas bittersweet, and the way they help each other cope with the sadness is simply heartwarming. You'll be thoroughly charmed by Lander and how he repays Abby's kindness, and by Abby's sweet practicality - not to mention the overall mischievous tone of the story. Oh, and Angell gets extra points for featuring a stubborn, scruffy cat who snores. The humor adds a sassy slant and the sexual tension is deliciously maddening. The resolution may be a tad rushed but it's oh-so-poignant, and carries the promise that this accidental love affair is meant to last.
Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid:
Already Pete Mancuso is not Lily Callahan's favorite person. Add risk-taking and rule-breaking into the mix and Lily is just not impressed - above all else, she values caution and predictability. But soon Lily realizes that taking chances can pay off - and in deliciously unexpected ways.
"Are there any rules you find sacred, or are you equal opportunity about breaking them all?" Although she meant the question seriously, Lily couldn't deny the curl of forbidden curiosity winding through her in anticipation of his answer.
Pete stepped closer, turning her curiosity on its ear. "Are there any rules you're willing to break, or are you equal opportunity about following them all?"
For a second, they stood there, inches apart, and Lily wanted nothing more than to press up on her toes and kiss him, really kiss him, until they both were breathless.
Lily also discovers there's a lot more to Pete than she could ever have imagined. Pete, meanwhile, can't resist getting the always-in-control Lily hot and bothered - and not just in the kitchen. Before long he can't resist Lily, period. Oh, it was fun, watching these two get each other stirred up. The competition lends a wonderful urgency to the story, and I was both touched and fascinated by the way the characters' personalities and pasts played into their recipes. Kincaid writes with her usual playfulness, compassion and skill - she's always a joy to read. Sugar and Spice indeed - this is one sweet treat you really shouldn't resist.
Just as Where There's Smoke, there's fire, we all know where there's Donna Kauffman, there's a rollicking, sexy read chock-full of charm and sparkle. Kauffman's characters are adorably human and so very magnetic. Clara is clumsy, Will is endearing and the two of them together make for a sweet and genuine story.
"I want to take you out. On a date."
Of all the things he could have said, she hadn't expected that. And he'd blurted it out, like a wet-behind-the-ears kid who'd have to borrow his dad's car keys. Completely at odds with the rugged, handsome guy who had a bit of a swagger and came on to her like it was the most natural thing in the world. It was incredibly endearing, and connected so directly to the part of her that still felt dorky and awkward as she tried to find her way in the big bad real world, that she realized no amount of rules and restrictions was going to keep him from finding his way into her heart.
That's no lie about the sparks, by the way - Kauffman knows how to set a book on fire. Her imagery is as vibrant as always, her story craft exceptional. She wrote the prologue and epilogue, by the way, and never have I craved an after-the-story glimpse of the characters as I did with The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap. Oh, and the chocolate-chip cookie recipe at the end? SO worth your time!
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell:
"It was the cookies." He pressed his palms to his eyes, as if pushing back the image. "I was several miles down the road when I remembered the box lying on the seat beside me. I cracked the lid and found a dozen gingerbread men with candy-cane erections."
He lowered his hands and gave her a look of frustration and disbelief. "I took my eyes off the road and stared at the gingerbread men a moment too long. I couldn't believe what I was seeing."
He doesn't look pleased, Abby thought, digging her hands into the pockets of her jacket. And she'd worked so hard to get her G-men to stand at attention.
LOL! I love that. This novella is marvelously full of the unexpected. The nature of Abby's business, Lander's reaction to her part in his accident and the awww-inspiring ending are all delightful twists in this irresistible romance. Abby and Lander both find Christmas bittersweet, and the way they help each other cope with the sadness is simply heartwarming. You'll be thoroughly charmed by Lander and how he repays Abby's kindness, and by Abby's sweet practicality - not to mention the overall mischievous tone of the story. Oh, and Angell gets extra points for featuring a stubborn, scruffy cat who snores. The humor adds a sassy slant and the sexual tension is deliciously maddening. The resolution may be a tad rushed but it's oh-so-poignant, and carries the promise that this accidental love affair is meant to last.
Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid:
Already Pete Mancuso is not Lily Callahan's favorite person. Add risk-taking and rule-breaking into the mix and Lily is just not impressed - above all else, she values caution and predictability. But soon Lily realizes that taking chances can pay off - and in deliciously unexpected ways.
"Are there any rules you find sacred, or are you equal opportunity about breaking them all?" Although she meant the question seriously, Lily couldn't deny the curl of forbidden curiosity winding through her in anticipation of his answer.
Pete stepped closer, turning her curiosity on its ear. "Are there any rules you're willing to break, or are you equal opportunity about following them all?"
For a second, they stood there, inches apart, and Lily wanted nothing more than to press up on her toes and kiss him, really kiss him, until they both were breathless.
Lily also discovers there's a lot more to Pete than she could ever have imagined. Pete, meanwhile, can't resist getting the always-in-control Lily hot and bothered - and not just in the kitchen. Before long he can't resist Lily, period. Oh, it was fun, watching these two get each other stirred up. The competition lends a wonderful urgency to the story, and I was both touched and fascinated by the way the characters' personalities and pasts played into their recipes. Kincaid writes with her usual playfulness, compassion and skill - she's always a joy to read. Sugar and Spice indeed - this is one sweet treat you really shouldn't resist.
September 24, 2013
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap
I have read anthologies before, but never one that three authors contributed to the same story. It was very entertaining! Best friends Clara, Lilly and Abby are together for the annual Pine Mountain Christmas Cookie swap. It's a fund raiser for the community center, and well attended each year. The best friends have each supplied a tin of their specialties. Abby is presenting her "anatomically" correct gingerbread men her signature cookie, Lilly is a professionally trained pastry chef, and trying out recipes to submit to a contest she hopes will launch her career, and Clara who is dangerous in the kitchen is presenting a loan from Lilly. The evening ends with the friends going in different directions in a heavy snowfall.
Where There's Fire....... Donna Kauffman
Clara Parker known for her amazing lack of skills in the kitchen ( she has the fire dept. on speed dial) is heading to a bookstore in the next town to find some help in the form of a cookbook for her latest column in the newspaper. At the bookstore she sees there is a book signing going on. Attempting to see, she literally falls to the front of the line, and on top of the signing table. There in all his glory is a shirtless guy in turnout pants signing firefighter calendars ! Plus.....he's a close friend she lost touch with in college. The story involves a fire in her kitchen, lots of attempts at cookie making and some very sizzling moments...not necessarily in the kitchen!
The Gingerbread Man.......Kate Angell
The snow is coming down thick and fast but Abby Denton is used to driving up the mountain to her little cabin in all weather. While thinking about her start-up mail order cookie business, Abby suddenly sees a car off the road in a ravine, headlights shining. No cell service, so she realizes it's up to her. After a harrowing rescue, she brings him to her cabin to recover. Upon regaining consciousness, he tells her he had lost control and driven off the road after glancing at a box of cookies he had purchased on his way through town. They had peppermint penises! Uh oh! Abby and Lander are stranded, no power, no water, just each other for the duration of the blizzard. Abby misses her Gram this being the first Christmas without her. Lander decides what little time they have, he will make memorable for her. A thank you for saving his life. Little does he know how far Abby has crawled into his heart.
Sugar and Spice.........Kimberly Kincaid
Ms. Kincaid is known for her very enjoyable novels about chefs , and their adventures in the kitchen and.....elsewhere.
This story is no exception. Lilly Callahan is a trained pastry chef, who works out of a tiny excuse for a kitchen. She has entered a cookie contest being presented by the Pine Mountain resort. If she wins, she gets prize money, and recognition, both needed to fulfill her dream of her own pastry shop, and people to fill it. She has to win. Pete Mancuso well known "bad boy" pastry chef is also entering. He wants to leave the job he has, and work for a famous chef in his very popular French restaurant. He has to win to get his name to the top of the list. Two very different styles of baking, planning, and presenting are thrown together, when they are paired for the first round. The competion becomes more than cookies when they both realize the heat between them is not caused by the ovens.
I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology, and it's a great holiday read. I have to confess I was a little confused by the prologue, so many people, names and conversations. But all became clear as I read on. I am a huge fan of Kimberly Kincaid, but loved the introduction to Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell. Will have to read more by these authors.
I received this novel from NetGalley for an honest review.
I have read anthologies before, but never one that three authors contributed to the same story. It was very entertaining! Best friends Clara, Lilly and Abby are together for the annual Pine Mountain Christmas Cookie swap. It's a fund raiser for the community center, and well attended each year. The best friends have each supplied a tin of their specialties. Abby is presenting her "anatomically" correct gingerbread men her signature cookie, Lilly is a professionally trained pastry chef, and trying out recipes to submit to a contest she hopes will launch her career, and Clara who is dangerous in the kitchen is presenting a loan from Lilly. The evening ends with the friends going in different directions in a heavy snowfall.
Where There's Fire....... Donna Kauffman
Clara Parker known for her amazing lack of skills in the kitchen ( she has the fire dept. on speed dial) is heading to a bookstore in the next town to find some help in the form of a cookbook for her latest column in the newspaper. At the bookstore she sees there is a book signing going on. Attempting to see, she literally falls to the front of the line, and on top of the signing table. There in all his glory is a shirtless guy in turnout pants signing firefighter calendars ! Plus.....he's a close friend she lost touch with in college. The story involves a fire in her kitchen, lots of attempts at cookie making and some very sizzling moments...not necessarily in the kitchen!
The Gingerbread Man.......Kate Angell
The snow is coming down thick and fast but Abby Denton is used to driving up the mountain to her little cabin in all weather. While thinking about her start-up mail order cookie business, Abby suddenly sees a car off the road in a ravine, headlights shining. No cell service, so she realizes it's up to her. After a harrowing rescue, she brings him to her cabin to recover. Upon regaining consciousness, he tells her he had lost control and driven off the road after glancing at a box of cookies he had purchased on his way through town. They had peppermint penises! Uh oh! Abby and Lander are stranded, no power, no water, just each other for the duration of the blizzard. Abby misses her Gram this being the first Christmas without her. Lander decides what little time they have, he will make memorable for her. A thank you for saving his life. Little does he know how far Abby has crawled into his heart.
Sugar and Spice.........Kimberly Kincaid
Ms. Kincaid is known for her very enjoyable novels about chefs , and their adventures in the kitchen and.....elsewhere.
This story is no exception. Lilly Callahan is a trained pastry chef, who works out of a tiny excuse for a kitchen. She has entered a cookie contest being presented by the Pine Mountain resort. If she wins, she gets prize money, and recognition, both needed to fulfill her dream of her own pastry shop, and people to fill it. She has to win. Pete Mancuso well known "bad boy" pastry chef is also entering. He wants to leave the job he has, and work for a famous chef in his very popular French restaurant. He has to win to get his name to the top of the list. Two very different styles of baking, planning, and presenting are thrown together, when they are paired for the first round. The competion becomes more than cookies when they both realize the heat between them is not caused by the ovens.
I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology, and it's a great holiday read. I have to confess I was a little confused by the prologue, so many people, names and conversations. But all became clear as I read on. I am a huge fan of Kimberly Kincaid, but loved the introduction to Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell. Will have to read more by these authors.
I received this novel from NetGalley for an honest review.
October 4, 2013
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap.
Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell and Kimberly Kinkaid
Lily, Clara and Abby are best friends living in small town Pennsylvania. The annual Christmas Cookie Swap is an even that gets the whole town talking, but this year everything will change.
Clara’s story leads the way. In the wake of a very public break up, Clara’s find herself dumped as her paper’s advice columnist as well. Instead she’s ordered to write a baking column. One problem, Clara can’t even boil water. Fortunately for Clara, her baking mishaps land her literally in the lap of hunky firefighter, Will, who turns out to be her college crush. Cue the strains of “reunited and it feels so good”, because this is one couple that realizes they need to make up for lost time. The interaction between the characters here is natural and sweet, and feels realistic and comfortable.
And while Will and Clara and making up for lost time, Abby and Lander are making use of the time they have. Abby’s started a business selling naughty gingerbread men, and Lander finds himself with the winning bid at the Cookie Swap. Unfortunately, he doesn’t realize what he’s got until he’s cruising down an icy road and the distraction causes him to lose control and go off the road in the middle of a blizzard. Fortunately for him Abby finds him and takes him home, only to find themselves stranded by the blizzard. And I have to admit, whether it’s in novels or television shows, the stuck together plotline is one of my all-time favorites. With nowhere to go – anything can happen. Will and Clara’s relationship is sweet and comfortable, but Abby and Lander’s relationship is filled with the intensity of people who know they only have a limited amount of time together.
Lily is trying to establish her own business and beyond the cookie swap, she’s knee deep in researching recipes. Lily is determined to win and put the money into a bakery, but she wasn’t counting on falling for the competition. Pete is cocky, he’s trying to make a name for himself, and he sees Lily as part of the path he needs to take, but instead he finds himself derailed by his feelings for her. I liked Pete and Lily’s story. In the heat of competition passion will flair, and they are passionate people. Once again, the relationship feels natural.
In fact that is one of the things that I really enjoyed about this book as a whole. Everyone felt natural. Sometimes romances stretch the bounds of reality – asking me to believe two people who could not seem more wrong for each other are abruptly in love. In the Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, the relationships flow into existence in a way that feels real.
These three stories are woven together with a light touch and a lot of humor. Each written by a different author, they still feel cohesive. Of the three stories, Donna Kauffman’s tale of Clara and Will is my favorite, but all three are as warm and sweet as a Christmas cookie fresh from the oven. If I had more time, I would try the recipes included with each story, but I’ll just have to leave you with a promise to try them in the future…though I don’t think my cookies will be as interesting as Abby’s!
If goodreads allowed half stars this would get a 3.5 rating from me.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review.
Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell and Kimberly Kinkaid
Lily, Clara and Abby are best friends living in small town Pennsylvania. The annual Christmas Cookie Swap is an even that gets the whole town talking, but this year everything will change.
Clara’s story leads the way. In the wake of a very public break up, Clara’s find herself dumped as her paper’s advice columnist as well. Instead she’s ordered to write a baking column. One problem, Clara can’t even boil water. Fortunately for Clara, her baking mishaps land her literally in the lap of hunky firefighter, Will, who turns out to be her college crush. Cue the strains of “reunited and it feels so good”, because this is one couple that realizes they need to make up for lost time. The interaction between the characters here is natural and sweet, and feels realistic and comfortable.
And while Will and Clara and making up for lost time, Abby and Lander are making use of the time they have. Abby’s started a business selling naughty gingerbread men, and Lander finds himself with the winning bid at the Cookie Swap. Unfortunately, he doesn’t realize what he’s got until he’s cruising down an icy road and the distraction causes him to lose control and go off the road in the middle of a blizzard. Fortunately for him Abby finds him and takes him home, only to find themselves stranded by the blizzard. And I have to admit, whether it’s in novels or television shows, the stuck together plotline is one of my all-time favorites. With nowhere to go – anything can happen. Will and Clara’s relationship is sweet and comfortable, but Abby and Lander’s relationship is filled with the intensity of people who know they only have a limited amount of time together.
Lily is trying to establish her own business and beyond the cookie swap, she’s knee deep in researching recipes. Lily is determined to win and put the money into a bakery, but she wasn’t counting on falling for the competition. Pete is cocky, he’s trying to make a name for himself, and he sees Lily as part of the path he needs to take, but instead he finds himself derailed by his feelings for her. I liked Pete and Lily’s story. In the heat of competition passion will flair, and they are passionate people. Once again, the relationship feels natural.
In fact that is one of the things that I really enjoyed about this book as a whole. Everyone felt natural. Sometimes romances stretch the bounds of reality – asking me to believe two people who could not seem more wrong for each other are abruptly in love. In the Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, the relationships flow into existence in a way that feels real.
These three stories are woven together with a light touch and a lot of humor. Each written by a different author, they still feel cohesive. Of the three stories, Donna Kauffman’s tale of Clara and Will is my favorite, but all three are as warm and sweet as a Christmas cookie fresh from the oven. If I had more time, I would try the recipes included with each story, but I’ll just have to leave you with a promise to try them in the future…though I don’t think my cookies will be as interesting as Abby’s!
If goodreads allowed half stars this would get a 3.5 rating from me.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review.
July 26, 2013
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This can also be seen on www.chillreviews.blogspot.com
This was a solid 4 1/2 stars. Rounded up because a plain 4 stars isn't enough.
So I figured I'd review each novella individually so that I can tell you my thoughts on each of them.
First up is Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman.
Clara Parker feels like she's stuck in an awkward phase. Like she's still a teenager when shes anything but. She's looking for a book to help her keep her job and sees a friend that she hasn't seen since college. He was someone that she had been close to and missed. He's changed, he's grown up and she likes what she sees but she's worried that she's misjudging the situation yet again.
Will hasn't seen Clara, or Parker as he calls her, since he was called home from college because his dad was dying. He wanted to tell her when he was at school with her that he had a crush on her, but things happened and he just couldn't get the courage to do it. Now that she's fallen back in to his life, he's not so sure he wants to let her go. Now he has to convince her that he's serious.
It was a cute story. I enjoyed watching Will woo her and show her that all she thought she saw was true. He was interested in more from her. Him being a hottie fire fighter didn't hurt anything. Great story!!
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell
Saving a mans life on the way home from a cookie swap is not what Abby expected to be doing. He was very badly hurt and she knew that no one would be coming by where he wrecked because of the blizzard that was reining down on them. So she did what she had to do and tugged him up the side of the mountain and took him home with her to nurse him back to health. She didn't plan on falling for him, but she did that as well.
I really enjoyed this story. Naughty gingerbread men and all. Lander was a great guy and he took things in stride. He helped Abby heal and face the first holiday without her grandmother. Very nice story.
Sugar And Spice Kimberly Kincaid
Lily wanted to win the big cookie contest being held by the Pine Mountain ski resort. She knows if she wins she can open her own bakery and expand her busy business. Little did she think that she'd face off against fellow competitor and jerk that broke one of her best friends heart, Pete. What she didn't count on was him charming her.
Pete doesn't care about the money from the contest, he just wants the win and the prestige he'd get from winning it. When he runs in to Lily (literally) he can't keep his mind off of her and it seems like she can see everything he tries to hide.
Super cute story with enough good competition to give it a different spin.
I enjoyed all three of these books and I think you would too. Added in are some recipes for the cookies that are featured in the books. I know a few of them sound like winners to me! I can't wait to try them for my own Christmas cookie spread.
This can also be seen on www.chillreviews.blogspot.com
This was a solid 4 1/2 stars. Rounded up because a plain 4 stars isn't enough.
So I figured I'd review each novella individually so that I can tell you my thoughts on each of them.
First up is Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman.
Clara Parker feels like she's stuck in an awkward phase. Like she's still a teenager when shes anything but. She's looking for a book to help her keep her job and sees a friend that she hasn't seen since college. He was someone that she had been close to and missed. He's changed, he's grown up and she likes what she sees but she's worried that she's misjudging the situation yet again.
Will hasn't seen Clara, or Parker as he calls her, since he was called home from college because his dad was dying. He wanted to tell her when he was at school with her that he had a crush on her, but things happened and he just couldn't get the courage to do it. Now that she's fallen back in to his life, he's not so sure he wants to let her go. Now he has to convince her that he's serious.
It was a cute story. I enjoyed watching Will woo her and show her that all she thought she saw was true. He was interested in more from her. Him being a hottie fire fighter didn't hurt anything. Great story!!
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell
Saving a mans life on the way home from a cookie swap is not what Abby expected to be doing. He was very badly hurt and she knew that no one would be coming by where he wrecked because of the blizzard that was reining down on them. So she did what she had to do and tugged him up the side of the mountain and took him home with her to nurse him back to health. She didn't plan on falling for him, but she did that as well.
I really enjoyed this story. Naughty gingerbread men and all. Lander was a great guy and he took things in stride. He helped Abby heal and face the first holiday without her grandmother. Very nice story.
Sugar And Spice Kimberly Kincaid
Lily wanted to win the big cookie contest being held by the Pine Mountain ski resort. She knows if she wins she can open her own bakery and expand her busy business. Little did she think that she'd face off against fellow competitor and jerk that broke one of her best friends heart, Pete. What she didn't count on was him charming her.
Pete doesn't care about the money from the contest, he just wants the win and the prestige he'd get from winning it. When he runs in to Lily (literally) he can't keep his mind off of her and it seems like she can see everything he tries to hide.
Super cute story with enough good competition to give it a different spin.
I enjoyed all three of these books and I think you would too. Added in are some recipes for the cookies that are featured in the books. I know a few of them sound like winners to me! I can't wait to try them for my own Christmas cookie spread.
January 13, 2014
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap tells the story of three best friends who live in a small town. The book is split into three separate stories telling about how each of the friends find and fall in love with three very different men.
When There’s Smoke by Donna Kaufmann is the first book in this trilogy. Clara is writer for the local newspaper who almost finds her self out of a job when her boss gives her one last chance by having her write a cookie baking column. Having never baked a cookie in her life she heads to the local bookstore to find a how to book baking. However, well she is there she runs into an old friend she never expected to have seen ever again, Will Mason. Will Mason a now sexy fireman raising money for a charity. Clara and Will reconnect and he also helps Clara find out who she really is. Will she find true love in Will Mason? You will just have to read and find out.
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell is the second book in the Sugar Cookie Sweatheart Swap story. Growing Abby Denton was always the good girl. However, things changed when her Grandma died. She decided that she wanted to do something different so she started baking anatomically correct gingerbread man cookies. Little did she know that these cookies would be a hit and her online business would have orders coming in fast. The thing she never expected was to find the man who bought her cookies in a car unconscious at the bottom of the mountain. After bringing him back to her cabin she tries to nurse him back to health without him finding out who she really is. Is this Christmas going to be the one where Abby finds love? Will Lander find out who Abby really is?
Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid is the last book in this three part trilogy. The book finds Lily Callahan the town caterer entering the local resorts bake-off contest trying to win money to open her shop. However, she gets a big surprise when Pete Mancuso the man who broke up with her friend over the phone is the competition. Hoping to not interact with him is not an option when she is forced to work with him in the first round. Will Lily be able win the contest or will dreamy Pete distract her?
My Review: I thought this book was great. I was very happy on how this book was written. I think that all the authors did a great job of making their individual characters stand out in their individual stories. I also think the did a spectacular job of connecting all three stories. I was a little unsure of how the book was going to read after reading the prologue but after getting into the first couple chapters it made more sense. I found that I was very interested in reading the next two stories after the first one to find out what happened to the other friends. I don’t think I would have changed anything in this book!
The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap tells the story of three best friends who live in a small town. The book is split into three separate stories telling about how each of the friends find and fall in love with three very different men.
When There’s Smoke by Donna Kaufmann is the first book in this trilogy. Clara is writer for the local newspaper who almost finds her self out of a job when her boss gives her one last chance by having her write a cookie baking column. Having never baked a cookie in her life she heads to the local bookstore to find a how to book baking. However, well she is there she runs into an old friend she never expected to have seen ever again, Will Mason. Will Mason a now sexy fireman raising money for a charity. Clara and Will reconnect and he also helps Clara find out who she really is. Will she find true love in Will Mason? You will just have to read and find out.
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell is the second book in the Sugar Cookie Sweatheart Swap story. Growing Abby Denton was always the good girl. However, things changed when her Grandma died. She decided that she wanted to do something different so she started baking anatomically correct gingerbread man cookies. Little did she know that these cookies would be a hit and her online business would have orders coming in fast. The thing she never expected was to find the man who bought her cookies in a car unconscious at the bottom of the mountain. After bringing him back to her cabin she tries to nurse him back to health without him finding out who she really is. Is this Christmas going to be the one where Abby finds love? Will Lander find out who Abby really is?
Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid is the last book in this three part trilogy. The book finds Lily Callahan the town caterer entering the local resorts bake-off contest trying to win money to open her shop. However, she gets a big surprise when Pete Mancuso the man who broke up with her friend over the phone is the competition. Hoping to not interact with him is not an option when she is forced to work with him in the first round. Will Lily be able win the contest or will dreamy Pete distract her?
My Review: I thought this book was great. I was very happy on how this book was written. I think that all the authors did a great job of making their individual characters stand out in their individual stories. I also think the did a spectacular job of connecting all three stories. I was a little unsure of how the book was going to read after reading the prologue but after getting into the first couple chapters it made more sense. I found that I was very interested in reading the next two stories after the first one to find out what happened to the other friends. I don’t think I would have changed anything in this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2013
Reviewed by Kim
for Read Your Writes Book Reviews
THE SUGAR COOKIE SWEETHEART SWAP has something for every romance reader. This is an anthology about three best friends, written by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Kimberly Kincaid.
With WHERE THERE’S SMOKE... written by Donna Kauffman you get a second chance at love and romance with a former firefighter and a not so good cook, who has the fire department on speed dial. Will and Clara originally met in college, but lost touch after Will left college due to his father’s death. The two meet again in a bookstore and are reminded of their past. When Clara sets her house on fire, Will is there to help her in the kitchen and put her life on track.
In Kate Angell’s THE GINGERBREAD MAN, my FAVORITE of all the stories, you have two strangers needing to reconnect with the spirit and magic of Christmas. Abby Denton and Lander Reynolds meet and fall in love after Abby saves Lander’s life and then are trapped by a blizzard. Okay, so he wouldn't have needed to be saved if it wasn't for her anatomically correct gingerbread men. But still... This is a wonderful romance.
And finally, Kimberly Kincaid gives you an almost enemies to lovers/forbidden romance with SUGAR AND SPICE. Maybe my category for this novella is a little off. I mean, are you actually supposed to fall head over chef clogs for the man who unknowingly dumped one of your best friends over the phone in a grocery store, with the whole town hearing about it? Lily Callahan and Pete Mancuso are both entered in a Christmas cookie competition sponsored by the Pine Mountain Resort. The top prize is $10,000 and bragging rights. For one, this is a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream. For the other, it’s a chance to show what they’re really made of and boost their career. What neither expects is to bare their soul for all to see and loss their heart in the process.
I loved how each author took a friend to write about them, giving you a peek into their writing style. All in all, THE SUGAR COOKIE SWEETHEART SWAP is good start to the Pine Mountain series that will be written by Kimberly Kincaid. While reading this book, be prepared to laugh, almost cry, and fall in love with the characters. Oh, and of course, with all the mention of cookies, be prepared to get hungry.
A favorite line ~ “It’s not the length of time you know a person, but the depth of the connection.”
Rating: 4
Source: Kensington Publishing via NetGalley
for Read Your Writes Book Reviews
THE SUGAR COOKIE SWEETHEART SWAP has something for every romance reader. This is an anthology about three best friends, written by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Kimberly Kincaid.
With WHERE THERE’S SMOKE... written by Donna Kauffman you get a second chance at love and romance with a former firefighter and a not so good cook, who has the fire department on speed dial. Will and Clara originally met in college, but lost touch after Will left college due to his father’s death. The two meet again in a bookstore and are reminded of their past. When Clara sets her house on fire, Will is there to help her in the kitchen and put her life on track.
In Kate Angell’s THE GINGERBREAD MAN, my FAVORITE of all the stories, you have two strangers needing to reconnect with the spirit and magic of Christmas. Abby Denton and Lander Reynolds meet and fall in love after Abby saves Lander’s life and then are trapped by a blizzard. Okay, so he wouldn't have needed to be saved if it wasn't for her anatomically correct gingerbread men. But still... This is a wonderful romance.
And finally, Kimberly Kincaid gives you an almost enemies to lovers/forbidden romance with SUGAR AND SPICE. Maybe my category for this novella is a little off. I mean, are you actually supposed to fall head over chef clogs for the man who unknowingly dumped one of your best friends over the phone in a grocery store, with the whole town hearing about it? Lily Callahan and Pete Mancuso are both entered in a Christmas cookie competition sponsored by the Pine Mountain Resort. The top prize is $10,000 and bragging rights. For one, this is a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream. For the other, it’s a chance to show what they’re really made of and boost their career. What neither expects is to bare their soul for all to see and loss their heart in the process.
I loved how each author took a friend to write about them, giving you a peek into their writing style. All in all, THE SUGAR COOKIE SWEETHEART SWAP is good start to the Pine Mountain series that will be written by Kimberly Kincaid. While reading this book, be prepared to laugh, almost cry, and fall in love with the characters. Oh, and of course, with all the mention of cookies, be prepared to get hungry.
A favorite line ~ “It’s not the length of time you know a person, but the depth of the connection.”
Rating: 4
Source: Kensington Publishing via NetGalley
September 27, 2013
ARC provided by NetGalley
Sugar and Spice is a short story in the anthology titled The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, with fellow authors, Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell.
And for me, nothing is sexier than a man who knows how to cook and knows his way around cooking utensils. Pastry chef Pete Mancuso is Hot, Hot, Hot.
If you are in the mood for a steamy holiday read and scorching sexual chemistry, Kincaid delivers more than enough to whet your appetite. And I love Kincaid's humor that shines throughout the story as things heat up between Lily and Pete as they both compete in a cookie baking competition. Both have their own agenda, but are not prepared for the growing intimacy and feelings between them.
Lily is needing money to get her own storefront when she catches wind of a Christmas cookie contest--with the grand prize of $10,000--and the answer to her dreams is in her grasp. She is determined to win it.
Pete Mancuso is just as resolute to win the contest. He has to win and get his name out there. His winning could land him the head pastry chef at L'Orangerie. He is cocky, and confident of his chance to claim the winning prize.
But an unexpected run-in (literally) with Lily, a woman from his past, has Pete frazzled with sexual heat. And Lily refuses to be taken by the man who broke her best friend's heart.
As part of the competition, Lily and Pete are paired up and forced to work together. Their differences when it comes to baking creates more than a sizzle as they try to agree on how to prepare a delicious pomegranate pistachio shortbread with a dark chocolate glaze.
Did your mouth just salivate at that visual?
With Sugar and Spice, be prepared to not only enjoy the sweet romance between Pete and Lily, but go away craving decadent desserts and mouth-watering delights.
Recipes included.
Sugar and Spice is a short story in the anthology titled The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, with fellow authors, Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell.
And for me, nothing is sexier than a man who knows how to cook and knows his way around cooking utensils. Pastry chef Pete Mancuso is Hot, Hot, Hot.
If you are in the mood for a steamy holiday read and scorching sexual chemistry, Kincaid delivers more than enough to whet your appetite. And I love Kincaid's humor that shines throughout the story as things heat up between Lily and Pete as they both compete in a cookie baking competition. Both have their own agenda, but are not prepared for the growing intimacy and feelings between them.
Lily is needing money to get her own storefront when she catches wind of a Christmas cookie contest--with the grand prize of $10,000--and the answer to her dreams is in her grasp. She is determined to win it.
Pete Mancuso is just as resolute to win the contest. He has to win and get his name out there. His winning could land him the head pastry chef at L'Orangerie. He is cocky, and confident of his chance to claim the winning prize.
But an unexpected run-in (literally) with Lily, a woman from his past, has Pete frazzled with sexual heat. And Lily refuses to be taken by the man who broke her best friend's heart.
As part of the competition, Lily and Pete are paired up and forced to work together. Their differences when it comes to baking creates more than a sizzle as they try to agree on how to prepare a delicious pomegranate pistachio shortbread with a dark chocolate glaze.
Did your mouth just salivate at that visual?
With Sugar and Spice, be prepared to not only enjoy the sweet romance between Pete and Lily, but go away craving decadent desserts and mouth-watering delights.
Recipes included.
August 27, 2013
My thoughts:
I will talk about each story....
Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman
Clara is looking for a book at the library when she runs into an old friend, Will. Will is shocked to see Clara and vice versa. Clara is happy at how Will has turned out and Will is happy to have Clara back in his life. He doesn't want to let her go this time. Back in college he never could get up enough courage to tell her how he felt about her. Clara liked the firefighter and was happy to have him back. A great story that you would want to read again and again.
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell
Abby finds Lander after he has been in an accident. They each help themselves recover for a night when the power is out. Lander helps Abby with decorating her tree as her grandmother is not longer with her. They become close and Abby had a wish to be able to be one of the lucky few to tour the village during the christmas season. She is shocked to learn who helped her get the wish and what happens after.
I loved this short story it was another one I would love to read again and again.
Sugar And Spice Kimberly Kincaid
I was looking forward to reading this particular story as it is Kimberly's.
Lilly wanted to win the big cookie contest as if she did she could open her own bakery. She was not happy to be going up against the man that broke her friends heart. Pete was a charmer and wanted to charm the pants off of Lilly. He doesn't care about winning the money he has other plans and wants Lilly. Another cute story.
I enjoyed reading all 3 stories.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.
I will talk about each story....
Where There's Smoke by Donna Kauffman
Clara is looking for a book at the library when she runs into an old friend, Will. Will is shocked to see Clara and vice versa. Clara is happy at how Will has turned out and Will is happy to have Clara back in his life. He doesn't want to let her go this time. Back in college he never could get up enough courage to tell her how he felt about her. Clara liked the firefighter and was happy to have him back. A great story that you would want to read again and again.
The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell
Abby finds Lander after he has been in an accident. They each help themselves recover for a night when the power is out. Lander helps Abby with decorating her tree as her grandmother is not longer with her. They become close and Abby had a wish to be able to be one of the lucky few to tour the village during the christmas season. She is shocked to learn who helped her get the wish and what happens after.
I loved this short story it was another one I would love to read again and again.
Sugar And Spice Kimberly Kincaid
I was looking forward to reading this particular story as it is Kimberly's.
Lilly wanted to win the big cookie contest as if she did she could open her own bakery. She was not happy to be going up against the man that broke her friends heart. Pete was a charmer and wanted to charm the pants off of Lilly. He doesn't care about winning the money he has other plans and wants Lilly. Another cute story.
I enjoyed reading all 3 stories.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.
September 25, 2013
I'm going to admit up front, I initially bought this book because I wanted the Kimberly Kincaid story. But I actually found 3 stories that were a wonderful read and the perfect way to kick off my holiday season reading. Yes I love holiday themed books. There I said it.
Set in Pine Mountain, and around three friends Clara, Abby and Lily, we get to watch as they find their true loves and the adventures along the way are a fabulous read. Plus there are cookies, always a attention grabber for me.
My favourite story was of course by Kimberly Kincaid, she starts her new series with her story and she does an amazing job.
When a story has me chuckling from the opening line " Didn't anyone ever tell you that making frosting on a Friday night will make you go blind", you know you are in for a good time.
This story did not disappoint. I absolutely loved Lily and Pete. They had chemistry in spades, humour to go with it and they were trademark Kincaid characters, awesome. The story might be smallish but what happens in it, isn't at all. You very quickly forget you aren't reading a full length novel, because you are so invested in the characters.
Overall all three stories are well worth the money, and I loved how they all merged at the end. Whether you are a fan of one or all of the authors, you are in for a treat indeed.
Oh and as Kimberly Kincaid always says, don't read hungry.
Set in Pine Mountain, and around three friends Clara, Abby and Lily, we get to watch as they find their true loves and the adventures along the way are a fabulous read. Plus there are cookies, always a attention grabber for me.
My favourite story was of course by Kimberly Kincaid, she starts her new series with her story and she does an amazing job.
When a story has me chuckling from the opening line " Didn't anyone ever tell you that making frosting on a Friday night will make you go blind", you know you are in for a good time.
This story did not disappoint. I absolutely loved Lily and Pete. They had chemistry in spades, humour to go with it and they were trademark Kincaid characters, awesome. The story might be smallish but what happens in it, isn't at all. You very quickly forget you aren't reading a full length novel, because you are so invested in the characters.
Overall all three stories are well worth the money, and I loved how they all merged at the end. Whether you are a fan of one or all of the authors, you are in for a treat indeed.
Oh and as Kimberly Kincaid always says, don't read hungry.
October 22, 2013
Disclaimer: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any form of compensation.
I love it when the holiday anthologies start to roll out. They are always such sweet, feel good stories. Several times, I have found authors that I had never heard of before.
There was one major difference between this anthology and most that I have read. In the majority of them, there is a central "theme", but the stories are not interrelated. However, in this book, all three stories are interrelated and the prologue and epilogue tie them in together. So if you are one of those who skips the prologues and epilogues, make sure to read them in this book.
I absolutely loved these stories. My favorite was definitely the Donna Kauffman story. Then again, she was already an author that I knew and loved. If you haven't read any of her Highlander series, then I suggest you check it out!
This book was definitely a quick read that I couldn't put down at all. I loved how the three stories were seamless together. The authors really pulled together to make this work and did a wonderful job of it.
I love it when the holiday anthologies start to roll out. They are always such sweet, feel good stories. Several times, I have found authors that I had never heard of before.
There was one major difference between this anthology and most that I have read. In the majority of them, there is a central "theme", but the stories are not interrelated. However, in this book, all three stories are interrelated and the prologue and epilogue tie them in together. So if you are one of those who skips the prologues and epilogues, make sure to read them in this book.
I absolutely loved these stories. My favorite was definitely the Donna Kauffman story. Then again, she was already an author that I knew and loved. If you haven't read any of her Highlander series, then I suggest you check it out!
This book was definitely a quick read that I couldn't put down at all. I loved how the three stories were seamless together. The authors really pulled together to make this work and did a wonderful job of it.
October 10, 2013
This is one of those books where I'd like the option of more than five stars! Drawn in from the beginning of the prologue, I dove deeper and deeper into life in Pine Mountain and felt woven into the lives of the characters by the time I'd finished all three stories. I do have to tell you I fell in love with Tennyson, who you'll have to meet in The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell.
The book flamed to life with Clara's story (Donna Kauffman, Where There's Smoke), filled with lots of exciting twists and a lot of heat :). Cookies weren't the only thing heating up in The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell! And I absolutely loved Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid. I wasn't too sure about her hero, Pete, because he doesn't make a very good first impression when we meet him in the prologue, but she really does a great job bringing these two together!
The book flamed to life with Clara's story (Donna Kauffman, Where There's Smoke), filled with lots of exciting twists and a lot of heat :). Cookies weren't the only thing heating up in The Gingerbread Man by Kate Angell! And I absolutely loved Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid. I wasn't too sure about her hero, Pete, because he doesn't make a very good first impression when we meet him in the prologue, but she really does a great job bringing these two together!
September 24, 2013
Sometimes anthologies are uneven - one book surpassing the rest or a couple of them not hitting my buttons. Not this one! All three stories were sweet, hit the right holiday note and added just the right amount of spice to keep me warm. I think the authors did a superb job of not only writing individual stories that rock around the Christmas tree but they also tied then all together with a big holiday bow. Snappy dialogue, luscious detail and sinfully sexy heroes put this one on my keeper shelf!
October 13, 2014
3 wonderful and romantic stories about Christmas and cookies. How great! I loved each individual story written by each author but I exceptionally loved how the stories were tied together. The stories just flowed together.
Where there’s Smoke by Donna Kauffman
Really enjoyed the humor in the story. And also the chemistry between Clara and Will
The Gingerbread Man – Kate Angell
Hot and sizzling and funny as well.
Sugar and Spice – Kimberly Kincaid
Loved this story by Kimberly Kincaid. A great introduction to the Pine Mountain series.
Where there’s Smoke by Donna Kauffman
Really enjoyed the humor in the story. And also the chemistry between Clara and Will
The Gingerbread Man – Kate Angell
Hot and sizzling and funny as well.
Sugar and Spice – Kimberly Kincaid
Loved this story by Kimberly Kincaid. A great introduction to the Pine Mountain series.
December 30, 2014
I loved this book. Around this time of year I like to read books that help to put you in the mood for the season and this was one of those books. It was nice that each of the three stories went along with each other, as well as the prologue and epilogue tied the stories together perfectly. I am trying to think of which story was my favorite and I am not sure I have one as they were all equally as good as the next. Each story was very touching and had me sad and happy during the same story. I recommend this book for a fun holiday read.
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