What do you think?
Rate this book
The MacBrides #3
The Kitchen Charmer
Book 3 of The MacBrides
The battle is on their doorstep and in their souls.
These old mountains are smart, Lucy. They’re alive. They can be gentle like mamas; oh, sure, they’ll croon and they’ll kiss you and they’ll whisper while you sleep, and you’ll learn what all the old rocks are saying, all these ancient ghosts, all their starshine wisdom. But these old mountains, sometimes they know you can’t hear them any other way but to get smacked up along the head. You watch out, Lucy P, for you got the Charm, like us Netties do. You’re a guardian of these mountains, and they’re a guardian of you. They will warn you any how they have to.
They will slap the near life out of a Charmer.
They’re doing it to make you and Gus listen. To make you ready.
Delta Whittlespoon, the legendary biscuit maker and owner of The Crossroads Café, tried to warn Lucy Parmenter and Gus MacBride. Even their mystical North Carolina mountains can’t block the turmoil of the outside world. As fear and ignorance threaten their community and everyone they love, the star-crossed couple must overcome brutal challenges and personal demons to forge an alliance that may be the only hope of Good triumphing over Evil.
Deborah Smith is the New York Times and No. 1 Kindle bestselling author of The Crossroads Café series. Library Journal named The Crossroads Café a top five romance novel of the year.
The battle is on their doorstep and in their souls.
These old mountains are smart, Lucy. They’re alive. They can be gentle like mamas; oh, sure, they’ll croon and they’ll kiss you and they’ll whisper while you sleep, and you’ll learn what all the old rocks are saying, all these ancient ghosts, all their starshine wisdom. But these old mountains, sometimes they know you can’t hear them any other way but to get smacked up along the head. You watch out, Lucy P, for you got the Charm, like us Netties do. You’re a guardian of these mountains, and they’re a guardian of you. They will warn you any how they have to.
They will slap the near life out of a Charmer.
They’re doing it to make you and Gus listen. To make you ready.
Delta Whittlespoon, the legendary biscuit maker and owner of The Crossroads Café, tried to warn Lucy Parmenter and Gus MacBride. Even their mystical North Carolina mountains can’t block the turmoil of the outside world. As fear and ignorance threaten their community and everyone they love, the star-crossed couple must overcome brutal challenges and personal demons to forge an alliance that may be the only hope of Good triumphing over Evil.
Deborah Smith is the New York Times and No. 1 Kindle bestselling author of The Crossroads Café series. Library Journal named The Crossroads Café a top five romance novel of the year.
- GenresRomance
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2017
41 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Smith
81 books417 followersaka Jackie Leigh
aka Della Stone
aka Leigh Bridger
Bestselling Author
Co-founder, co-publisher
Vice-president, Editor in Chief
BelleBooks, Memphis, TN
Deborah Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of A Place to Call Home, and the No. 1 Kindle Bestseller The Crossroads Cafe, A Gentle Rain and other acclaimed romantic novels portraying life and love in the modern Appalachian South. A native Georgian, Deborah is a former newspaper editor who turned to novel-writing with great success.
With more than 35 romance, women's fiction and fantasy novels to her credit, Deborah's books have sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Among her honors is a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine and a nomination for the prestigious Townsend Literary Award. In 2003 Disney optioned Sweet Hush for film. In 2008 A Gentle Rain was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.
For the past fifteen years Deborah has partnered with Debra Dixon to run BelleBooks, a small press originally known for southern fiction, including the Mossy Creek Hometown Series and the Sweet Tea story collections. As editor, she has worked on projects as diverse as the nonfiction Bra Talk book by three-time Oprah Winfrey guest Susan Nethero, and the In My Dreams novella by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen.
In 2008 BelleBooks launched Bell Bridge Books, an imprint with a focus on fantasy novels and now expanded to include multi-genre fiction--mystery, suspense, thrillers, women's fiction, nonfiction and other. In 2013 BelleBooks acquired the late Linda Kichline's paranormal romance press, ImaJinn Books, and hired legendary editor Brenda Chin, formerly of Harlequin Books, as editorial director. Chin will expand the imprint to cover a diverse mix of all romance types.
Deborah's newest books are the Crossroads Cafe novellas: THE BISCUIT WITCH, THE PICKLE QUEEN, THE YARN SPINNER, and THE KITCHEN CHARMER (2014). She released a mini-short story, SAVING JONQUILS, in March 2014. A sexy romantic novella, A HARD MAN TO FIND, is scheduled for later in the month.
aka Della Stone
aka Leigh Bridger
Bestselling Author
Co-founder, co-publisher
Vice-president, Editor in Chief
BelleBooks, Memphis, TN
Deborah Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of A Place to Call Home, and the No. 1 Kindle Bestseller The Crossroads Cafe, A Gentle Rain and other acclaimed romantic novels portraying life and love in the modern Appalachian South. A native Georgian, Deborah is a former newspaper editor who turned to novel-writing with great success.
With more than 35 romance, women's fiction and fantasy novels to her credit, Deborah's books have sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Among her honors is a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine and a nomination for the prestigious Townsend Literary Award. In 2003 Disney optioned Sweet Hush for film. In 2008 A Gentle Rain was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.
For the past fifteen years Deborah has partnered with Debra Dixon to run BelleBooks, a small press originally known for southern fiction, including the Mossy Creek Hometown Series and the Sweet Tea story collections. As editor, she has worked on projects as diverse as the nonfiction Bra Talk book by three-time Oprah Winfrey guest Susan Nethero, and the In My Dreams novella by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen.
In 2008 BelleBooks launched Bell Bridge Books, an imprint with a focus on fantasy novels and now expanded to include multi-genre fiction--mystery, suspense, thrillers, women's fiction, nonfiction and other. In 2013 BelleBooks acquired the late Linda Kichline's paranormal romance press, ImaJinn Books, and hired legendary editor Brenda Chin, formerly of Harlequin Books, as editorial director. Chin will expand the imprint to cover a diverse mix of all romance types.
Deborah's newest books are the Crossroads Cafe novellas: THE BISCUIT WITCH, THE PICKLE QUEEN, THE YARN SPINNER, and THE KITCHEN CHARMER (2014). She released a mini-short story, SAVING JONQUILS, in March 2014. A sexy romantic novella, A HARD MAN TO FIND, is scheduled for later in the month.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 9, 2017
2.5 Stars rounded up. I admit to being confused through much of this story. Perhaps reading the earlier titles in the series would have helped. This story was a bumpy road....disjointed and just....too much. What started out feeling like some homey magic turned into a tale of rape, war, ptsd, telepathy between lovers (who have never met) and with animals, small-town politics and prejudice, abuse of power/corruption....and the list goes on. While generally a disappointment, I have to say it had an attractive cover and there were some lovely descriptive passages.
September 20, 2021
I normally steer clear of romance novels with MC who have been raped - I find the combination of rape trauma and romantic desire disturbing and difficult to read. However, I've been reading (and loving) Deborah Smith's books for thirty years, so I had to give this one a try.
I found this book really interesting. Smith paints a picture of a southern state going through the crisis of social change under the new Trump presidency in 2016/2017 - political changes that are trickling down to the grassroots. She describes herself on her Facebook page as a "progressive hillbilly" (a description I can't help but love!) and the book makes it clear where her sympathies lie, while also showing some insight into what fears are leading people into hate-filled conformity.
She paints a sometimes bleak picture of patriarchal abuse. Our MC, Lucy, lives at the Rainbow Goddess retreat, a retreat for women and children escaping domestic abuse, and it's currently very full. There are stories that are horrible (the one about the 8 and 11 year old boys abusing their stepmom was awful to contemplate). Lucy's own story, of being raped and beaten by 2 meth-heads in her apartment is covered in the first few pages and then makes itself known by little italicised flashbacks of the men's conversation as they abused her (I found this difficult to read and difficult to avoid reading because it cropped up without warning).
The story itself was good, although I did find it a bit disjointed and difficult to follow at times, partly because there were dreams and psychic insights that I didn't always at first distinguish from the actual action. The charm metaphors were fun for each of the different charmers (wool for Lucy, beer for Gus, bread and pickles for Tal and Gabby). It didn't bother me that the hero and heroine didn't actually meet in person, although I had not realised that this story was only part 1 of their story so I wasn't expecting the cliffhanger ending!
What has happened to the sequel?! My copy of the story said that the second installment of Lucy and Gus's story would be released in Fall 2017 and it is now September 2021... I tried Google for an update but her publishing company BelleBooks/BellBridge Books's website is down, Deborah Smith's blog on Wordpress has disappeared and her Twitter account is suspended. I did find her on Facebook but there was nothing about her writing in the occasional posts there. I did discover however that Apple Pie Knights is supposed to be read before The Kitchen Charmer (oops! I'd mistakenly thought it was a novel following The Kitchen Charmer). I suspect there has been a lot going on in the author's life over the last few years but hopefully we'll get to read The Moonshine King sometime soon. :)
I found this book really interesting. Smith paints a picture of a southern state going through the crisis of social change under the new Trump presidency in 2016/2017 - political changes that are trickling down to the grassroots. She describes herself on her Facebook page as a "progressive hillbilly" (a description I can't help but love!) and the book makes it clear where her sympathies lie, while also showing some insight into what fears are leading people into hate-filled conformity.
She paints a sometimes bleak picture of patriarchal abuse. Our MC, Lucy, lives at the Rainbow Goddess retreat, a retreat for women and children escaping domestic abuse, and it's currently very full. There are stories that are horrible (the one about the 8 and 11 year old boys abusing their stepmom was awful to contemplate). Lucy's own story, of being raped and beaten by 2 meth-heads in her apartment is covered in the first few pages and then makes itself known by little italicised flashbacks of the men's conversation as they abused her (I found this difficult to read and difficult to avoid reading because it cropped up without warning).
The story itself was good, although I did find it a bit disjointed and difficult to follow at times, partly because there were dreams and psychic insights that I didn't always at first distinguish from the actual action. The charm metaphors were fun for each of the different charmers (wool for Lucy, beer for Gus, bread and pickles for Tal and Gabby). It didn't bother me that the hero and heroine didn't actually meet in person, although I had not realised that this story was only part 1 of their story so I wasn't expecting the cliffhanger ending!
What has happened to the sequel?! My copy of the story said that the second installment of Lucy and Gus's story would be released in Fall 2017 and it is now September 2021... I tried Google for an update but her publishing company BelleBooks/BellBridge Books's website is down, Deborah Smith's blog on Wordpress has disappeared and her Twitter account is suspended. I did find her on Facebook but there was nothing about her writing in the occasional posts there. I did discover however that Apple Pie Knights is supposed to be read before The Kitchen Charmer (oops! I'd mistakenly thought it was a novel following The Kitchen Charmer). I suspect there has been a lot going on in the author's life over the last few years but hopefully we'll get to read The Moonshine King sometime soon. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2023
What the hell did I just read? This book is seriously overrated. Deborah Smith must have been on drugs when she wrote this. Not only is the story terrible, it’s written so badly. It’s choppy, confusing, and has none of the charm, humor, or pathos of the first two. This is like modern fantasy, it’s so far outside reality. The first two were weird but really good. Great setting, great characters, with some weird magic thrown in. This is insane. First, I can’t stand Lucy. Her weak fearfulness didn’t make me compassionate, it made me angry. The girl we met early in book one was agoraphobic and fainted if she was around people for more than five minutes, having panic attacks and downing psych meds. Six weeks later she’s turned into The Terminator wrapped in shawls with psychic powers. The only thing that kept me reading was Gus. I had to know what happened to Gus. I’ve read several DS novels before and they were nothing like this. There are two more books in the series. I honestly don’t know if I can take another, though I’m hooked on these siblings. I want more Jay Wakefield, and I want to know more about what will happen to Free Wheeler. The first book was so good. If the next are anything like this I will give up on Deborah Smith. This mess of a book is unforgivable.
May 3, 2020
I usually love Deborah Smith, but this was so disappointing! I wish I'd known that the story would end without finishing and I never would have started. It was billed as a TRILOGY, that's THREE books. Was also disappointed that the book didn't keep the characters straight. Twice we were told that Jay was shot by his Aunt, NO, she was his cousin. So now it's 2020 and we still don't have the end of the story. It seems that the next book has a title, The Moonshine King, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere.
September 25, 2017
WARNING: Cliffhanger ending. Also trigger warning for animal death.
After waiting 3 years for the final book in the MacBride trilogy, there's a cliffhanger ending ! I have to admit that once I realized that sad fact, I couldn't fully engage myself in the story. Deborah Smith has already left me hanging since 2014 with the little snippet of Where the Foxgloves Bloom, supposedly the first story in a planned trilogy sequel to A Place to Call Home and I just can't have my heart broken again like that. So Lucy and Gus will just have to wait until I can read the next installment and the next - however many novellas and years it takes to get to their HEA.
I will say that the book has Smith's trademark offbeat Southern humor, heart-wrenching drama, appearances from Cathy and Delta from The Crossroads Cafe and lots of adorable farm animals. And it's absolutely 100% crystal clear how Smith feels about our current presidential administration and the racist, anti-feminist, anti-LBGTQ, anti-Semitic fervor that has come out of the shadows since January 2017. I was going to say that her villains are a little over the top. And then I remember Charlottesville and I decided nothing is over the top these days, sadly.
So the book, like this review, is open-ended and subject to revision.
After waiting 3 years for the final book in the MacBride trilogy, there's a cliffhanger ending ! I have to admit that once I realized that sad fact, I couldn't fully engage myself in the story. Deborah Smith has already left me hanging since 2014 with the little snippet of Where the Foxgloves Bloom, supposedly the first story in a planned trilogy sequel to A Place to Call Home and I just can't have my heart broken again like that. So Lucy and Gus will just have to wait until I can read the next installment and the next - however many novellas and years it takes to get to their HEA.
I will say that the book has Smith's trademark offbeat Southern humor, heart-wrenching drama, appearances from Cathy and Delta from The Crossroads Cafe and lots of adorable farm animals. And it's absolutely 100% crystal clear how Smith feels about our current presidential administration and the racist, anti-feminist, anti-LBGTQ, anti-Semitic fervor that has come out of the shadows since January 2017. I was going to say that her villains are a little over the top. And then I remember Charlottesville and I decided nothing is over the top these days, sadly.
So the book, like this review, is open-ended and subject to revision.
June 21, 2025
I've enjoyed all of the Crossroads Café/MacBrides books I've read. The romances bloom as the book progresses, and each has a touch of magical realism. The MacBride relatives have gifts that involve food; we now also have the story of another young woman with similar powers. Lucy was the victim of brutal rape and has withdrawn from the world. She began some healing and discovered her skills at a women's refuge in the North Carolina mountains. She now works there and teaches others to knit, crochet, spin, etc. Gus MacBride, a soldier in Afghanistan, and Lucy begin a long-distance bonding that might help heal both of them.
The book feels much more political than the others; many of the issues surrounding the people of Jefferson County could definitely be recognized today (it was first published in 2017). Nothing discussed actually points to today's world, but the issues will be familiar. Characters represent a wide variety of outlooks, but many just want to live there lives in peace and help others do the same. Where there are "villains" (and there are), readers will know who they are.
My main disappointment is that the story ends without actually resolving our possible romantic situation. GR says the follow-up was coming in 2017, but it doesn't seem like it's here yet. I'd like to see how everything is resolved with all the people surrounding our main characters.
I recommend the series.
The book feels much more political than the others; many of the issues surrounding the people of Jefferson County could definitely be recognized today (it was first published in 2017). Nothing discussed actually points to today's world, but the issues will be familiar. Characters represent a wide variety of outlooks, but many just want to live there lives in peace and help others do the same. Where there are "villains" (and there are), readers will know who they are.
My main disappointment is that the story ends without actually resolving our possible romantic situation. GR says the follow-up was coming in 2017, but it doesn't seem like it's here yet. I'd like to see how everything is resolved with all the people surrounding our main characters.
I recommend the series.
April 24, 2018
I read this book prior to its official release - my first by Deborah Smith - and I loved it. Her writing and description are phenomenal - I was able to picture every scene and character in the story. I don't believe it's necessary to have read the preceding books in the series to appreciate this one. In fact, after reading this, I wanted to go back and read the others. I found the history of the families fascinating, and the political climate other readers seem to dislike is one of the things that made this story all too real. Gus, Tal and Gabs are unique and great characters. Lucy has her demons and is very likable. I love their unique abilities to communicate, the evil foil, and the story's resolution. The secondary characters add richness to the story. I can't wait to read the next one.
July 6, 2018
This one ends mid stream so if you like reading the full story, wait for book 4.
Terrific except the story finishes on a cliffhanger. When is book 4 coming out - need the ending! Lucy and Gus are going from strength to strength in their long distance relationship. However both have their own struggles. He struggles with the fact that a US sponsored leader is killing and using women and children in his deeds. She with the fact that a prominent figure is using the surrounding land for nefarious means and that his relative wants Lucy for his own. Can they both survive? The characters are just getting better and better and the plot draws you in and won't let go. What happens now? One of them is dangerously injured and the other is on the run!
Terrific except the story finishes on a cliffhanger. When is book 4 coming out - need the ending! Lucy and Gus are going from strength to strength in their long distance relationship. However both have their own struggles. He struggles with the fact that a US sponsored leader is killing and using women and children in his deeds. She with the fact that a prominent figure is using the surrounding land for nefarious means and that his relative wants Lucy for his own. Can they both survive? The characters are just getting better and better and the plot draws you in and won't let go. What happens now? One of them is dangerously injured and the other is on the run!
January 6, 2022
Great reading but....
Great reading but I started this series at The Biscuit Witch and followed it with The Pickle Queen and frankly I'm ticked because this book not only ended badly but left you wondering, what happened? I'm going to download the next book the Author wrote in hopes that it at least nation's the main characters Guss and Lucy. I subtracted a star because I'm not sure if the Author's next book stays with The Crossroads population. I'm definitely hooked on this weirdly populated community outside of Ashville, NC. I'm very familiar with the "weirdness" of Scottish -Irish Mountain people which is probably why I was drawn to this book anyway.
Great reading but I started this series at The Biscuit Witch and followed it with The Pickle Queen and frankly I'm ticked because this book not only ended badly but left you wondering, what happened? I'm going to download the next book the Author wrote in hopes that it at least nation's the main characters Guss and Lucy. I subtracted a star because I'm not sure if the Author's next book stays with The Crossroads population. I'm definitely hooked on this weirdly populated community outside of Ashville, NC. I'm very familiar with the "weirdness" of Scottish -Irish Mountain people which is probably why I was drawn to this book anyway.
October 1, 2017
Not what I expected
Like the other books in this series it followed the MacBrides and other special people from their community. It was enjoyable, but fragmented, though given both Lucy and Gus' states of mind the flow of the story was understandable. I would not suggest reading it without first reading the novellas featuring Lucy. They provide a lot of background which serve to enrich this story. I had expected this to be the final book in the series, but as it is not I look forward to reading the final instalment soon.
Like the other books in this series it followed the MacBrides and other special people from their community. It was enjoyable, but fragmented, though given both Lucy and Gus' states of mind the flow of the story was understandable. I would not suggest reading it without first reading the novellas featuring Lucy. They provide a lot of background which serve to enrich this story. I had expected this to be the final book in the series, but as it is not I look forward to reading the final instalment soon.
December 10, 2017
Not an easy read
This third book in the series takes us down a darker path with political undertones and leaves us hanging to wait the next installment and will there be a thread of light and hope ?
This third book in the series takes us down a darker path with political undertones and leaves us hanging to wait the next installment and will there be a thread of light and hope ?
October 29, 2020
I enjoyed the first two books in this series but found this book hard to follow. It was difficult to figure out which character was speaking. It changed viewpoints frequently. The book did not feel like it came to a conclusion.
September 16, 2017
I was very disappointed in the book
September 19, 2017
Great
I have been waiting a couple of years for this book and it lived up to my expectations. Eager for the next one
I have been waiting a couple of years for this book and it lived up to my expectations. Eager for the next one
October 28, 2017
I was disappointed in the story. It was more violent and not as focused on relationships. It seemed disjointed going back and forth between Gus and Lucy.
November 7, 2017
Amazing but too short!!!
January 6, 2018
I adore Deborah Smith. Her storytelling is wonderful. Now, I hope and pray that the wait for the rest of Gus and Lucy’s story is short. I want to know how they are.
January 18, 2023
Disconnected and too disjointed for my liking.
July 21, 2021
I don't how to explain the alchemy of Deborah Smith's writing. I've almost everything she's ever published and I keep coming back for more. I don't know if it's the love stories or the beauty of Appalachia, or the food, the found family and strong sense of community, but it always does it for me. Or maybe it's the way she captures emotions and in turn captures my entire focus and being.
I put off reading The Kitchen Charmer for years while I waited for the next installment in the series. Today I decided my Deborah Smith drought needed to end. I devoured The Kitchen Charmer and it was everything I expected and more. The book was published in 2017, but some of the elements of the story feel prescient and extremely relevant to the times we live in.
If you're wondering why you've never heard of this NYT Best-Selling Author before, I would compare her writing to Jodi Picoult and Colleen Hoover, but it feels like a loss that new and current readers don't know about Deborah Smith's gigantic talent and backlist, and that makes me sad.
I put off reading The Kitchen Charmer for years while I waited for the next installment in the series. Today I decided my Deborah Smith drought needed to end. I devoured The Kitchen Charmer and it was everything I expected and more. The book was published in 2017, but some of the elements of the story feel prescient and extremely relevant to the times we live in.
If you're wondering why you've never heard of this NYT Best-Selling Author before, I would compare her writing to Jodi Picoult and Colleen Hoover, but it feels like a loss that new and current readers don't know about Deborah Smith's gigantic talent and backlist, and that makes me sad.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews