Mr. Apple Pie

Man Card #9

by Terra Kelly

If Hannah thinks she can step into my kitchen and tell me how things should be run, she has another thing coming.

My family started this farm over a hundred years ago. She’s only been working here for six months. Who does she think she is trying to tell me how to prepare a recipe?

Then she whipped up the perfect fried apple pie filling…

The man card series is a collection of romantic comedy short stories that are full of steamy romance. You're guaranteed that perfect happy ending and a cupboard full of sweets from all the cravings.

Unknown Binding

First published September 13, 2019

About the author

Hi there! This is me, Terra Kelly, a romance author, food blogger, and creative who loves lettering, drawing, crocheting, and gardening.

I'm a cat and bunny mom who loves to spend time with my hubby.

Welcome to our home and favorite place to relax and create together in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I love writing sweet romance, steamy romance, and romantic suspense.

All my books are available in eBook and paperback format on my website or in your favorite online bookstore and libraries.

That’s not all, though.

You can also read a new chapter weekly in the Crystal Shores serial and a new chapter every other week in the No Rules Required serial. Join our community on Ream.

As an extra treat, I add recipes to my books or share recipes on my blog inspired by the characters in my books.

The characters think of the recipes, and I run to the kitchen to create the delicious treat.

I started a food blog in 2010 and published my first book in 2014. Combining these two passions in one space just made sense.

The food blog has changed over the years because my food needs have changed.
In 2025, most of my recipes will use whole wheat flour. You’ll also see less sugar and more sugar alternatives.

I can’t wait for you to meet my characters and enjoy the delicious recipes they love to make for YOU!

Reviews

[LMR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Apple Pie (Man Card Book 9) By: Terra Kelly
She'll Prove HerSelf To "Mr. Apple Pie!"
"Mr. Apple Pie" doesn't like His Pies MESSED with...
Even if they can be improved Upon!
Sooo, She had to GO behind "Mr. Apple Pie's" BACK,
And create an Apple Pie Fill'n that was Super Tasty!
Then, She had to SELL IT & create a bit of a Buzzzzz....
Which of course just irked "Mr. Apple Pie" to NO END,
At least Until He Sampled Her wares...
Then....Ohhh Boy, LOOK OUT!
Cuz "Mr. Apple Pie" IS chang'n His attitude...
And Suddenly "Mr. Apple Pie" can't keep His hands OFF HER,
And Her & "Mr. Apple Pie" are mak'n MORE than Apple Pies...
I was granted, via B00|{$P®0UT, an ARC of Terra Kelly's "Mr. Apple Pie (Man Card Book 9)." I recommend this book to others based upon its own merits. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time... Happy Reading!

[Becky Claxon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute Man Card book. Jesse has always made the Apple pies and run the food truck for their Apple farm. Now that Hannah is back with her chef degree she is helping Jesse with the food truck. Hannah has always had a crush on Jesse so I guess that is why she puts up with his arguing with her. It is cute how the two discover there may be something more than arguing all the time! I enjoyed the book and encourage you to read it. I received a free book and voluntarily wrote a review.

[Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully fantastic... The book was amazing... It had a lot of details and juicy scenes to it... The characters and their personalities match them perfectly... The plot and the storyline was very descriptive and amazing...

[Ana Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

And they keep coming, and coming, and coming...
Hey, don't think that I'm complaining... Because I'm not. I want more... Yeah, yeah I know... I'm a greedy girl.
Terra Kelly has given me some pretty stellar books and thus new series is hot...
The Man Card series is a collection of short stories that will melt not only your heart but also your panties... Lol
Mr. Apple Pie is her latest release and it's book nine from this series. This new book explores the lives of Jesse and Hannah.
Jesse along with his family-run and Apple farm. Being the baker he's responsible for the creating of the best desserts to sell. He's used to doing things his way until...
Hannah is a chef that was hired to work alongside Jesse.
There should be harmony in the kitchen but instead, they fight like cats and dogs...Just like I thought this book would be... It was perfect.Perfect in every way, from the amazing plot to the steamy scenes.Jesus... This lady didn't spare us the details and I loved every minute of it.Is it just me or do you guys also want apple pies?? Now I can't wait for the next book.Well done Terra Kelly, you spiked my curiosity with that enigmatic new presence...I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Rudy Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally love this series. The last 2 books have been a kind of sub-series as Levi and Jesse are brothers. There is a bit of everything here: frusteration, anger, emotional turmoil, family, passion, comedy. Kelly dud a great job of creating strong, balanced characters. Though the development was not quite as thurough as in some of her previous books, it did not detract significantly from the story itself.

Jesse ran a fried apple pie food truck for the family apple farm. Hannah was a new hire (a chef) that Janie (Jesse's mother) basically made him hire. They argued constantly from the onset. When Hannah made a new recipe without checking with Jesse things erupted. Eventually Jesse realized his hot-head, argue first style was going to push Hannah away. Was that what he wanted?

As they became closer, the more they enjoyed each other. Would these two, once explosive people be able to work together amicably? Could it be more than that? You NEED to read this book (really #8 too, but the whole series is great)!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[J. Ockenhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don't believe that cream cheese can not only make a great addition to Apple pie but it can be life changing then you need to meet Hannah and Jesse.

Jesse is a hard guy to get along with but his assistant Hannah doesn't seem to mind, in fact it adds to her wanting him more.

Jesse has a conversation with his mom and decides to change his mood which causes him to see his chef in a new light. These two go together like chocolate chips and fried apple pie.

These stories are going to make me work harder at the gym because I'm all about the apple pie. Love these characters and getting to read about our past favorites. A dash of drama set's us up for Autumn's story next. I received an ARC for an honest and voluntarily review.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesse makes the pies for the farm and Hannah is a chef who's been hired to help with the pies. She decides to make additions to the pie recipes to see how they do. Jesse doesn't like that she did it without consulting him but when he tastes it, he decides it's good. He decides to let Hannah sell her new pies and works with her to make other recipes. As they get closer, he also sees that he has an attraction to Hannah. She's been attracted to Jesse from the first but has tried to hide it. This is another cute and short Man Card Book. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an ARC so I could read it first but I have my own copy on order.

[Sassy Beta Reading & Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is fantastic. The stories are short, but they pack a lot of info in such a short story. Each book can be read as a stand alone. I can not wait for more.

Strong stories, awesome characters.

Written in 1st person as a multi pov with a HEA.

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Would I read more from this author? Yes

Sassy Beta Reading and Review

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mari (Mystics & Metaphysics Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet, sexy, and funny! These apple pie short stories are just what you need for a pick-me up after a long day. Hannah and Jesse go from enemies to lovers and it's the best! You also get to see the rest of the Appleton family and it's just a big apple pie party. I don't like apple pie but after this, I feel like I need a fix!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah is a chef hired to help update the Appleton Farms recipes. She and Jesse spend months arguing and fighting, when they really have the hots for each other. Nothing in the way of controversy or issues to resolve. They just needed to step up and communicate their feelings for each other. Good ending!! Now it's Autumn's turn.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sweet and sexy fast paced read. Jesse and Hannah were great. This book was packed with humor, steamy attraction and banter. It is a great peak into the lives of the family Appleton. I look forward to more books in the series and plan to read the previous ones shortly. Wonderful HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creative short story, the characters are quite entertaining with their back and forth banter. Cute in how quick you can go from bickering to kissing in mere minutes. Liked the epilogue and the extended epilogue to give you a little more insight in how this couple ended faired together.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun, sweet short read. I loved the characters and their little journey. And it totally made me crave for Apple pie.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Apple Pie, Man Card book nine by Terra Kelly. Loved this short story! These are great quick reads! Fantastic characters and a great quick storyline. Can’t wait to read the next one! I believe it’s going to have something to do with Autumn.

[Jacqueline Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another quick read for the Man Card series. This one is about Jesse and Hannah who do not get along at first. Once these two stop arguing the chemistry is explosive. The storyline was entertaining and this has wonderful characters. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from start to finish. The characters are well developed and engaging with plenty of chemistry. The storyline flowed well and kept entertained. Spicy chemistry and yummy pies.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Jesse & Hannah's story. Good characters. A spicy book. I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.

[Rositsa]

A fantastic, cute story. It is very dynamic, with great banter between two strong characters. You won't feel bored for a second! The chemistry is ever present too. A great book for a great time!

[Yoselin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hay un epílogo 6 años después del final del libro, Jesse y Hannah están casados y están esperando su primer bebé, una niña a la que aún no deciden si llamarán Ginger o Poppy

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesse Appleton’s family owned Appleton Farm and he was in charge of the kitchen and the fried apple pie food truck. Hannah Porter was their new hire, a chef with ideas of her own. Somehow Jesse found it easy to argue with her, and it was fairly constant. Hannah had decided to try a new variation on the family recipe without first checking with Jesse and getting his approval. He did not take it well at all. But as he started to move the crates of apples out of the truck, she came back to him and apologized, admitting she should have shared it with him first. Then she asked if he had at least tried her version of the fried apple pie and he admitted he had not – because they sold out in 10 minutes! As he waited, she made one for him to taste. Jesse always stayed with the traditional, but Hannah let her enthusiasm lead her to having fun with the recipes. Working together, the two of them would probably be a great combination!

As they worked together, they realized that they were enjoying the experience. It was nice not to argue and scowl. The smiles really made a difference. And they can be creative in trying other recipes and changes. Each of them, with their “guard” now down, is realizing the attraction toward the other. Can something more develop between them? Is this the start of something new?

This was a cute story based on a simple adjustment in attitude and an open acceptance of change. It definitely made a difference in their approach to working together! Grab your copy and enjoy!

[Teresa Reitnauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast, sexy read. Hannah and Jesse had a rough start, but their attraction smoothed the path. Wonderful character and a fun story.

[lf]

One Hothead + One Classically trained Chef = Fireworks and steamy heat in the kitchen

I loved the story of Jesse, Mr. Apple Pie, and Hannah. Jesse runs the restaurant and food truck at the Appleton family apple farm. He also invented/started the fried apple pie that put the family bakery on the map and has won awards with it. However, he is a "hothead" (what his mother calls him) which causes a lot of arguments with Hannah.
Hannah is a classically trained chef and was hired 6 months ago to help in the bakery and on the food truck. She grew up in the area and her mother is a friend of the Josie, Mrs. Appletom.
Hannah made the mistake of changing the classic fried apple pie recipe, on a whim, by adding cream cheese to the filling and Jesse is more than upset and the sparks fly.. But after trying it he sees he was wrong as it is fantastic. After Hannah says something to him Jesse starts to realize that he my be wrong in his thinking and how he is behaving towards Hannah. This leads to them slowly coming together and being creative in the kitchen and starting on a relationship, with a few nudges and comments from other Appleton family members.

Terra Kelly has once again written a fun, witty, energetic, romantic and realistic short story with wonderful characters and a great story-line.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesse Appleton makes fried apple pies and he loves it! In fact, he's stuck in a rut because he's so happy with his fried apple pies and their success. Hannah is hired by the Appleton's to work as a chef in their apple pie business and although she loves the famous fried apple pies, she thinks change is a good thing. Needless to say, these two butt heads over their different thoughts about the apple pies until one day they stop butting heads and realize that they are attracted to each other.

Let me be clear....this is a short story where the base premise is that these two characters will fall in love and live happily ever after so there is not any real tension or character development. This story worked for me because all of the little dots connected and made sense. It was a very quick and enjoyable read.

I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a palate cleanser between bigger or emotionally draining books. What the author did really well in the book is drop the reader right in to the middle of an existing relationship and she gave the reader just enough info to get invested in reading to the end.

Quote:
My family owned Appleton Farm. I was sixth generation in the family owned business. When I was about sixteen I told my mom I wanted to run the kitchen. loc 35

[Julianne Macneil · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this book as part of an arc program. This is the ninth book in the Man Card series. In this book, Jesse works for his family's apple farm and he bakes the pie they sell. Jesse hired Hannah as an assistant, but they fight all the time. Hannah wants to have some freedom to create new flavors of pies and Jesse is stubborn. When Hannah made a new pie without telling Jesse and sold it, Jesse got angry and told her she should have went to him first. jesse and Hannah agreed to talk about the future of the flavor. Jesse and Hannah reached an understanding and agreed not to fight. When they started to work together, Jesse noticed he started to feel attracted to Hannah. Hannah had always had a crush on Jesse, even though he was grumpy. When they confessed their new feelings, they decided to explore them more. I love this series. I liked Jesse and thought he needed to relax and listen to Hannah. Hannah also needed to talk to Jesse about new things. I think they were good together and were fighting their feelings without knowing it. Another good one.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr apple pie is book nine in the man card series. This story is short, fast paced and an enjoyable read. I read this book in one sitting and was satisfied throughout. I found the writing style easy to follow, the characters likeable and the storyline enjoyable. Jesse Appleton is a hot head. He is the pie maker in his family’s apple empire. His favourite pass time seems to be shouting at his employee, Hannah. That is until he realises his attraction to Hannah and sparks fly.
The chemistry between Hannah and Jesse is clear to see and I liked them as a couple. I liked that they both were stubborn and a little hot headed or in Jesse’s case, a lot hot headed.
The storyline for this book is easy to follow and it is an enjoyable read. I cannot wait for more books from this series.

[KL Cassanello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesse's the pie maker for the Appleton family's apple farm. He's a bit of a hothead. Hannah's been hired in the kitchen. She's a professionally trained chef, and doesn't let Jesse forget that. She changes a recipe without talking to him first, which ticks him off. Turns out that it's a good change - they sold out of pies made from the new recipe. Hannah has a secret - she's got a huge crush on Jesse. Turns out that he has one on her as well. This was a nice story - short enough to read in an afternoon. The characters worked well together, once they stopped fighting. I'm looking forward to more in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in a part of the country that is inundated with apples, I could smell the apples baking along with a hint of cinnamon. And life is good when a recipe comes together, especially when it comes to love. Just the right amount of sugar and spice in a relationship keeps it going from the beginning to end. Hannah and Jesse spend most of their time sparring. That is until they tire of it. Cute, short story that will have you craving apple pie!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[De Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sweet As Pie Couple

Sometimes you can have your pie and eat it too!
Mr. Apple Pie is a great addition to the Man Card Series.
Hanna was a great character was unafraid to do was was right when it came to her job but she held her attraction to Jesse a secret. Jesse on the other hand loved to disagree with her at every turn and if he would just get his head out of his “apple” he would see what was if front of him all along.
Just loved the arguing to kissing to so much more.
Don’t miss out of this sweet as pie couple.
I received a copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I volunteered to read this ARC for an honest review. I enjoyed this quick story about Jesse and Hannah. Jesse is the fried Apple pie maker in the family. And Hannah is a chef hired to help him. Over the last six months Hannah and Jesse fight constantly. Now after she tested a new flavor for his fired pie without telling him and for some reason that changed the dynamics. Now he wanted to be with her. The story describes their love-hate relationship changing to a full in love. Loved it. Great HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesse Appleton is in charge of baking the family recipe for fried apple pies until his mother brought in a chef to help create new ideas. Hannah is a sous chef by trade. She fell in love or lust with Jesse’s hands when she started working for the Appleton Farms. One day she decided to change the recipe without checking with Jesse first.
Jesse fell in love with the new recipe and also Hannah. They worked out their differences and finally had their happily ever after.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.