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The Sweet Surprise Romance Collection
Join nine modern ladies on culinary journeys that lead to the recipe for lasting romance in this delightful collection, including "New York Times" bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter and eight other award-winning authors. When it comes to romance, will the sweetest treats be any match for God's timing? Along with food, faith, and fun each story includes a yummy recipe for you to enjoy.
496 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2015
15 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Wanda E. Brunstetter
215 books2,325 followersNew York Times bestselling and award-winning author, Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 15, 2016
i actually lost interest in this. just finished one story out of nine. clean collection of romance with lots of desserts :) maybe I'll continue with this later.
May 25, 2021
They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, which is something the leading ladies in all 9 of these stories are hoping to discover. In SWEET AS APPLE PIE, Kayli is struggling to have her European bakery flourish, and then when she discovers Adam is helping build a cafe and bakery right down the street from her she wants to block him from her life forever, but his challenge to make an apple pie as good as his mom's has Kayli trying to prove that if she can make flawless tiramisu she handle something like apple pie. Cynthia leaves her catering company in an attempt to get away from her ex, but making CUPCAKES FOR TWO seems far more interesting when she gets to know her new boss Gabe. BLUEBERRY SURPRISE finds young widow Lorna returning to college, which is something she put on hold to support her husband but after his untimely death she decides it's time to put her own dreams out front, but the charming Evan is getting under her skin with his attempts to bake for her. Erica discovers BITTERSWEET MEMORIES AND PEPPERMINT DREAMS on her bus ride to see her older brother that she was separated from as a toddler and happens to sit next to his best friend Ryan. Ryan seems content to think about her as a friend, but maybe if she can learn to bake she can win his heart. Gwendolyn wants to prove to her older brother that she's the CREAM OF THE CROP with photography, and she hopes that getting this job with Dairybaked will prove to him she's more than just his assistant. But when she meets Sebastian and he assumes that do to her slim stature she can't bake, she's determined to prove him wrong, even if she can't really bake. that's what the internet is for right? APPLE ANNIE has been running her family restaurant/farm/drama theater ever since her dad's dementia progressed to the point he couldn't anymore, but when her older half sister insists on selling the property, Annie has to depend on Brad to get her over this hurdle. Angel inherits her aunts old property in ANGEL FOOD, and decides to realize her dream of opening a French restaurant. Never mind that it's a small town that is stuck in it's ways, she knows this plan is a guaranteed success. Not even Mr Hooty Toot Cyril can convince her to keep more common dishes, such as her chocolate chip pie, on her menu, or can he? Monica and Gil were sweethearts in high school, but after the huge fight that tore their families apart, they broke up and didn't talk again. Suddenly they run into each other after 1o years and they strike up a deal to use each other to help build up their businesses, but will trusting each other succeed or will they get their JUST DESSERTS? Ever since Lynette and her family moved to pastor their church when she was 16, Rick has pursued her. She refuses to date someone from her fathers perish, but now that the two of them are partnered 10 years after they first met, Rick sees his chance to woo her in APPLE PIE IN YOUR EYE.
It was nice to have these stories all together. Despite the fact that there is 9 different authors it's almost like the same one, they managed to keep their tone very similar. In the second story the character has an online cooking course she starts, and they even introduce the course in a few of the following stories which was an interesting connection. Definitely a nice lighthearted read.
It was nice to have these stories all together. Despite the fact that there is 9 different authors it's almost like the same one, they managed to keep their tone very similar. In the second story the character has an online cooking course she starts, and they even introduce the course in a few of the following stories which was an interesting connection. Definitely a nice lighthearted read.
February 11, 2018
Sweet As Apple Pie~
Kaylee is a struggling bakery worker who owns her own shop. She gets into trouble when a new bakery opens in town with different hours and plans to close all the shops in town to re open his own shops that are bigger and better. Adam comes into her shop trying to check out the competition for his boss but instead they get into a heated discussion about whose pie is better, Kaylees or Adams mom. She sets off to bake pie after pie to prove him wrong and making you laugh with all the bloopers she runs into when she bakes the pie.
Adams ex girlfriend Andrea, is Adams bosses wife to make things even more tangled. Will Andrea make a pass at Adam? Or leave him alone? Will Kaylee and Adam hit it off, or will she love her childhood friend, Robert back? Read it and find out.
Cupcake for Two-
Needing to get away from a crazy ex, Cynthia decides to move away from Martinez to be a chef at a B and B. She starts a online cooking school of sorts to occupy her time at night but to also help out get friend Jan. The longer she works for Gabe at the B and B the more they start liking each other despite butting heads on remodeling styles while he is out of town.he finds another quant house that is a fixer upper and decides to buy it for another B and B for both of them to run.
Blueberry surprise - ok read about older woman and younger man liking each other
Bitter sweet memories-
Erika was taken away a s a child and finally reconnects with her older siblings as an adult. She likes a guy from the bus seat mate as she traveled to meet her family and tries to cook for him despite the lack of items for the recipes, often resulting in failing. Ryan keeps trying to stay away from her and reject her advances due to the sad story of his sister. The kids get a hold of their mother who is sorry for giving them up and they start fixing their broken relationship.
Apple pie-
Sweet story about cripple and pie lady. They notice each orher as he comes in the store a lot but he comes to her rescue a lot and she keeps falling in love with him but figures he would never lover her and he thinks she could never love a cripple ... until he saves-her beloved house, restaurant and theater from her step sister who only wants it sold so she can get money.
Angel Food-
I remember the story of the "Kiss The Cook" apron. Each woman wore it and ended up finding their mate. The story is "Kiss The Cook".
Just desserts-
A rough beginning for monica and gil when he comes back into town after finding out his parents restaurant is in bad shape. He runs into Monica his old sweetheart . They decide to work together despite their parents feud to help both save their businesses and plan a wedding catering function. After the meal sample night started off good they found out their moms had been keeping in contact the whole 10 years , sending each other money just to keep them floating.
Apple pie in your eye-
Rick likes Lynette but he can't seem to het her to like each other back. They keep working on church functions and all he gets to his subtitle advances is the cold shoulder until they have been chosen to work on a weekend festival. After the weekend is up they finally work through their differences.
Kaylee is a struggling bakery worker who owns her own shop. She gets into trouble when a new bakery opens in town with different hours and plans to close all the shops in town to re open his own shops that are bigger and better. Adam comes into her shop trying to check out the competition for his boss but instead they get into a heated discussion about whose pie is better, Kaylees or Adams mom. She sets off to bake pie after pie to prove him wrong and making you laugh with all the bloopers she runs into when she bakes the pie.
Adams ex girlfriend Andrea, is Adams bosses wife to make things even more tangled. Will Andrea make a pass at Adam? Or leave him alone? Will Kaylee and Adam hit it off, or will she love her childhood friend, Robert back? Read it and find out.
Cupcake for Two-
Needing to get away from a crazy ex, Cynthia decides to move away from Martinez to be a chef at a B and B. She starts a online cooking school of sorts to occupy her time at night but to also help out get friend Jan. The longer she works for Gabe at the B and B the more they start liking each other despite butting heads on remodeling styles while he is out of town.he finds another quant house that is a fixer upper and decides to buy it for another B and B for both of them to run.
Blueberry surprise - ok read about older woman and younger man liking each other
Bitter sweet memories-
Erika was taken away a s a child and finally reconnects with her older siblings as an adult. She likes a guy from the bus seat mate as she traveled to meet her family and tries to cook for him despite the lack of items for the recipes, often resulting in failing. Ryan keeps trying to stay away from her and reject her advances due to the sad story of his sister. The kids get a hold of their mother who is sorry for giving them up and they start fixing their broken relationship.
Apple pie-
Sweet story about cripple and pie lady. They notice each orher as he comes in the store a lot but he comes to her rescue a lot and she keeps falling in love with him but figures he would never lover her and he thinks she could never love a cripple ... until he saves-her beloved house, restaurant and theater from her step sister who only wants it sold so she can get money.
Angel Food-
I remember the story of the "Kiss The Cook" apron. Each woman wore it and ended up finding their mate. The story is "Kiss The Cook".
Just desserts-
A rough beginning for monica and gil when he comes back into town after finding out his parents restaurant is in bad shape. He runs into Monica his old sweetheart . They decide to work together despite their parents feud to help both save their businesses and plan a wedding catering function. After the meal sample night started off good they found out their moms had been keeping in contact the whole 10 years , sending each other money just to keep them floating.
Apple pie in your eye-
Rick likes Lynette but he can't seem to het her to like each other back. They keep working on church functions and all he gets to his subtitle advances is the cold shoulder until they have been chosen to work on a weekend festival. After the weekend is up they finally work through their differences.
February 14, 2019
Obviously this is a collection of stories written by 9 different authors. Because of this, it's difficult to rate because some of the stories I loved and some I did not. Most of them are feel good romances and I love that they are short enough to read within a short time period. With that being said....
*Sweet as Apple Pie- I enjoyed this story. I not only enjoyed the main characters, but also I liked the jaded character of Robert and I also liked the drama Andrea added. The only negative for this story is that I really wish "Rachel" wasn't so predictable. It was kind of built up like it was something else and once the reveal occurred, I actually felt let down.
*Cupcakes for Two- It's cutesy. I loved the B&B concept and I thought it made the story quaint. I also liked the little bit of drama added by 3 separate females. It had a good ending- conclusive and leaving nothing left unanswered.
*Blueberry surprise- Really cute story. I absolutely loved that it tied in with Cynthia's online class from a previous book. That really enhanced the flow of the stories. The ending of this was really abrupt though. The final chapter was fast and clunky. (They deal with an earthquake situation. A mother and child need help. Somehow there are no other people in this building. Proclamations of love.) It felt like overload of information.
*Bittersweet Memories & Peppermint Dreams- Nice and heart warming story & perhaps my favorite of the 9. I adore Erica's kitchen mishaps because it was so relatable. I also once again loved the mention of the online class! I love that Ryan and Erica are equally damaged (her with her issues with her mom & adoptive parents and him with his sister's secret pregnancy). Not to mention that the proposal is the CUTEST.
*Cream of the Crop- Not a fan of this one. Sebastian is basically a condescending jerk throughout the entire story and yet somehow they still end up together and in love in the end. It doesn't seem likely or feasible.
*Apple Annie- Wonderful! I enjoyed all the moments throughout, from Brad missing a leg and yet being a man of so many talents (arm wrestling, law, piano...) to Annie and her struggles (Dad with Alzheimers who actually makes it to her wedding, a manipulative half sister who is selfish and greedy). I read this story the quickest because there was never a dull moment. I wanted to keep reading about what happens next. Also, the apple pie recipe attached to this story literally had me laughing so hard.
*Angel Food- Quaint, cozy, cute. I loved that it was a complete story and doesn't leave me guessing about what happens.
*Just Desserts- Good story and concept. It's like the Hatfields and McCoys (families feuding) meets Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (only it's a kiss the cook apron). I loved the connection to Angel, however it felt inconsistent because Angel's letter said she isn't engaged but we just read in the last story that she was.
*Apple Pie in Your Eye- I felt like pieces of this story were missing and that made me dislike it. For instance, just what exactly did they do to make $150 off of that last pie?!?!? Not a bad story overall though.
*Sweet as Apple Pie- I enjoyed this story. I not only enjoyed the main characters, but also I liked the jaded character of Robert and I also liked the drama Andrea added. The only negative for this story is that I really wish "Rachel" wasn't so predictable. It was kind of built up like it was something else and once the reveal occurred, I actually felt let down.
*Cupcakes for Two- It's cutesy. I loved the B&B concept and I thought it made the story quaint. I also liked the little bit of drama added by 3 separate females. It had a good ending- conclusive and leaving nothing left unanswered.
*Blueberry surprise- Really cute story. I absolutely loved that it tied in with Cynthia's online class from a previous book. That really enhanced the flow of the stories. The ending of this was really abrupt though. The final chapter was fast and clunky. (They deal with an earthquake situation. A mother and child need help. Somehow there are no other people in this building. Proclamations of love.) It felt like overload of information.
*Bittersweet Memories & Peppermint Dreams- Nice and heart warming story & perhaps my favorite of the 9. I adore Erica's kitchen mishaps because it was so relatable. I also once again loved the mention of the online class! I love that Ryan and Erica are equally damaged (her with her issues with her mom & adoptive parents and him with his sister's secret pregnancy). Not to mention that the proposal is the CUTEST.
*Cream of the Crop- Not a fan of this one. Sebastian is basically a condescending jerk throughout the entire story and yet somehow they still end up together and in love in the end. It doesn't seem likely or feasible.
*Apple Annie- Wonderful! I enjoyed all the moments throughout, from Brad missing a leg and yet being a man of so many talents (arm wrestling, law, piano...) to Annie and her struggles (Dad with Alzheimers who actually makes it to her wedding, a manipulative half sister who is selfish and greedy). I read this story the quickest because there was never a dull moment. I wanted to keep reading about what happens next. Also, the apple pie recipe attached to this story literally had me laughing so hard.
*Angel Food- Quaint, cozy, cute. I loved that it was a complete story and doesn't leave me guessing about what happens.
*Just Desserts- Good story and concept. It's like the Hatfields and McCoys (families feuding) meets Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (only it's a kiss the cook apron). I loved the connection to Angel, however it felt inconsistent because Angel's letter said she isn't engaged but we just read in the last story that she was.
*Apple Pie in Your Eye- I felt like pieces of this story were missing and that made me dislike it. For instance, just what exactly did they do to make $150 off of that last pie?!?!? Not a bad story overall though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2021
A few were kind of cute little stories but the majority of them felt too heavy-handed in the emphasis of Christianity. This made the characters seem less realistic and the tales mildly sermon-like.
While I fully recognize that it is a collection of romances (and Christian ones at that), it got tiring very quickly to have every novella follow the plot line "girl and guy like each other but one is strongly opposed to dating but the other convinces them and they get married". It now has me questioning what 'romance' means. Is it only getting married and starting a family? That is the impression I have received from this collection.
I also did not appreciate the comments female characters would make about needing to watch their weight or not having even a small portion of dessert lest it go to their hips.
How do strong independent females fit into modern Christian society?
While I fully recognize that it is a collection of romances (and Christian ones at that), it got tiring very quickly to have every novella follow the plot line "girl and guy like each other but one is strongly opposed to dating but the other convinces them and they get married". It now has me questioning what 'romance' means. Is it only getting married and starting a family? That is the impression I have received from this collection.
I also did not appreciate the comments female characters would make about needing to watch their weight or not having even a small portion of dessert lest it go to their hips.
How do strong independent females fit into modern Christian society?
July 8, 2018
The two stars may just be me because I found the "religious" side of these stories a bit high-handed for my taste. They were well written however personally I don't like anyone telling me that their way is the ONLY way to do things. I read the stories however they just didn't resonate with me. Not the authors' fault(s); they were just writing their own style.
My rating reflects MY enjoyment -- NOT the quality of the writing. It just wasn't for me.
My rating reflects MY enjoyment -- NOT the quality of the writing. It just wasn't for me.
February 1, 2021
The theme of seeking God throughout the decision making process of life is very strong in every short story.
It’s not just a collection of love stories set around the characters attending church. It’s about how chasing Jesus as the priority is more important than the relationship.
Plenty of not-so-believable storylines/plots. But the fact there are equal examples of first love in Christ chasing us why I just had to give it 4*
Happy reading.
It’s not just a collection of love stories set around the characters attending church. It’s about how chasing Jesus as the priority is more important than the relationship.
Plenty of not-so-believable storylines/plots. But the fact there are equal examples of first love in Christ chasing us why I just had to give it 4*
Happy reading.
December 17, 2017
I liked most of the stories aside from one. Before I bought the book I didnt realise that the duties were centered around god and being a Christian, silly I know. One of the stories really piled on the godliness. So much do that I couldnt read that story. I won't say which one and people can decide for themselves.
October 16, 2019
I am reviewing the short story Blueberry Surprise in this collection by Wanda Brunstetter. A love story about a widow who goes back to college and she meets her future love interest. He is learning to bake to try and impress a future wife. An easy read and a nice romantic short story.
May 12, 2017
I got to 75% and decided to stop. The stories felt rushed and it all seemed very unrealistic. The cover is absolutely beautiful though. Maybe I'll finish it later on. I'm just tired of it.
March 1, 2018
Not usually a fan of short stories. These were good, it’s just that everything happens so fast. Dessert theme was different and may try a few of the recipes
July 31, 2020
Some of the writing was a little choppy. Needs less telling and more showing.
November 15, 2020
Favourite stories were #1 and #4.
July 4, 2023
Nice short stories. Enjoyed it!
March 5, 2015
Nine authors have come together to write deliciously sweet romance stories. Each story ties into the theme about sweets and ends with a recipe from the story. Most of the stories also have a tie-in to one of the first stories about an online cooking class. The stories are faith based and romantic, but also have elements of family and drama.
Another book that had pros and cons for me.
Pros:
I loved the cover. It perfectly describes the sweet theme. All of the stories are short so the book isn't overwhelming, but can be read little bits at a time. A couple of the stories were touching and had just the right touches of romance without being rushed or overly cheesy. I loved the recipes at the end of each story.
Cons:
Most of the stories were too rushed, too awkward, or not interesting. I had to make myself finish the book so I could write the review. Based on the book as a whole, I couldn't recommend buying the book for the two stories I did enjoy.
I received this book free of charge from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
Another book that had pros and cons for me.
Pros:
I loved the cover. It perfectly describes the sweet theme. All of the stories are short so the book isn't overwhelming, but can be read little bits at a time. A couple of the stories were touching and had just the right touches of romance without being rushed or overly cheesy. I loved the recipes at the end of each story.
Cons:
Most of the stories were too rushed, too awkward, or not interesting. I had to make myself finish the book so I could write the review. Based on the book as a whole, I couldn't recommend buying the book for the two stories I did enjoy.
I received this book free of charge from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
June 30, 2015
I think the stories could have been a lot better if there weren't so many in one book. The plots didn't have enough time to develop and the stories felt very rushed. The recipe theme is cool. They incorporated some of the stories into the next ones, which I thought was kind of cute. I like how they included a featured recipe after every story, and I'm excited to try a couple of them out. Altogether, I don't know that I would recommend this book. It took me a very long time to get through and I just wasn't excited to read it, and I had to force myself to just sit down and finish it one day. Not bad, just not good.
February 13, 2015
This was a collection of short stories by several authors. Each story was sort of built on
the previous one somewhat. I really enjoyed reading this book.
the previous one somewhat. I really enjoyed reading this book.
March 6, 2015
I enjoyed this collection and have discovered new authors.
April 10, 2015
Great stories.
July 6, 2016
This is a good take-to-the-lake book. Nine little enjoyable stories.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews