Christmas Cakes and Kisses

The Endicotts of Silver Bay #2

by Lara Van Hulzen

Eva Endicott comes to Silver Bay to prove to her family that she can make it on her own. Working in the local bakery, she’s determined to save enough to open her own cake decorating business. Winning an upcoming Christmas cake competition is the key to her dream, so Eva has no time for distractions, especially not devastatingly handsome ones that make her heart skip a beat.

Tyler Vance is the personal trainer for professional baseball pitcher, Drew MacIntyre. After following a retired Drew to Silver Bay, Tyler’s own future is uncertain. Things become more unsettled when a beautiful baker enters his world. Eva fascinates Tyler and as he gets to know her better, he considers planting his roots in Silver Bay. But when the location Tyler chooses for his training facility is the same one Eva wants for her bakery, something has to give.

With the contest deadline looming, Eva can barely think about Tyler. Until a blinding moment finally reveals her true feelings.

Is it too late? Or will a Christmas miracle give them both more than they ever dreamed?

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Contemporary, Holiday

254 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 29, 2022

About the author

I write books. I read almost all genres. I love sports, tea, books, and cookies. My faves are my Great Dane, my husband, & my 3 kids. (Not always in that order. :)

I'm an author with Tule Publishing. I am all about people and I love character driven stories. I love history and am a curious person who consistently wants to learn. I can't remember a time in my life where I wasn't writing or reading. I had journals as soon as I could write words. And I would get lost in books for hours as a kid. Stories and writing are how I process the world around me, what I see and experience as well as what I learn. I could talk books for hours and am happy to do so with anyone. I also love to sip tea and watch baseball.

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." - C.S. Lewis
Happy Reading Everyone!

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this arc of Christmas Cakes and Kisses in exchange for my honest review. This is the second book in Lara VanHulzen’s series, The Endicotts of Silver Bay. The author has added another wonderful book to the stories set in Silver Bay. In her other series we have met many interesting people and were fortunate that some of them made an appearance in this latest book. Book 2 features Eva Endicott. We met her in the last book. She and her brother Chet have relocated recently to Silver Bay from out east. She is working in the bakery, helping Baylee with all her creations. She has a secret dream of opening her own shop creating cakes. As this is not what Baylee works on, she feels she won’t create a problem. She is still keeping it a secret as she doesn’t know how Baylee or the others will react.

The book also features Tyler Vance, who is the personal trainer for the professional baseball player married to Baylee, Drew MacIntyre. We met Tyler in the first Endicott book. When Eva ran into Tyler, she had a funny reaction, indicating her interest in him. Eva is laser focused on an upcoming cake contest that she hopes to win for the money she can use for starting her business.Tyler and Eva are attracted to each other. She know his plans are up in the air as Drew plans to retire from baseball in a year. She isn’t sure he will stay in town or move to work with another athlete. She isn’t interested in s relationship if the guy will be leaving. She also wants to focus on the cake contest as she wants to use the money for her business.

Both Eva and Tyler finally give into their feelings and start seeing each other. They are included in the holiday events Baylee and Drew set up along with her brother Chet and his girlfriend Meg. When they individually set up plans for the future and don’t share with each other, they run into a conflict. The future for the two is uncertain and there’s angst and hurt feelings. Eva and Tyler are both genuine people that are very likable. The readers are pulling for them to have a happy ending. I like how Lara has incorporated so many of the prior characters and businesses in this new series. It is well written and very entertaining. I highly recommend it and give it 5/5 stars.

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

There was something about this book that didn’t work for me. Some things did work, too, so that’s good. But I never found myself to be all in with this story.

I remember thinking that Eva and Tyler would be a great couple when they briefly shared the page in the first book in this series, Love at Meg’s Diner. When they first get thrown together here, I still felt that connection. The problem was that, while the pair started sharing certain things, they never really dug deep. Both characters would stop before taking that next step of truly opening up. That is understandable at the beginning of a story when the characters are just getting together. By halfway through the book it made me feel as though their connection was starting to unravel because of what they were each holding back.

My main problem with this story was Eva’s motivation, or lack thereof. Eva comes from money and has a trust fund. She wants to prove herself and make her way on her own, which is admirable and understandable. Yet I always felt that she never went all in because she knew that money was there. She said over and over that she didn’t want to rely on that money, but her actions didn’t match those words. Then, when she felt her dreams were being derailed, she wanted to blame everyone but herself. I saw this coming from a mile away but had hoped I was wrong and the author wouldn’t go in that direction.

Tyler, on the other hand, was extremely patient and giving. He seemed to understand Eva even when Eva wasn’t sharing her thoughts. As I said, he didn’t share well either. This wasn’t the classic “if they would just talk to each other” that is common in romance because it’s not just their feelings they aren’t sharing but their actual pasts and personalities that are being held back.

I may try the next book in this series still. I enjoyed the first book and would like to give this author another try. Plus, this story wasn’t bad. It just didn’t hit the mark with me.

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

The is the second book in the series and can be read as a standalone. I had not read book one and did not feel like I missed out on the characters from the previous book. The author did a good job of seamlessly adding in the secondary characters. This is Eva and Tyler’s story and I really enjoyed it.

Eva is a baker and is embarking on a new life in a new town, She comes from a wealthy family and although she could rely on the family financially, she refuses to. She is determined to make it in her own.

Tyler is a former wrestler turned personal trainer and is currently in town working with the local star pitcher. He doesn’t have family so his work is all he knows. He is making friends along the way and is starting to love this town and a local baker too.

These two were great together. They brought out the best in each other. They were each other’s safe place to open up and while doing that start to fall for each other. This story has all things I love, romance, good characters, a good storyline and a good ending, This is a clean romance, but just a good without the sexy time.

I really enjoyed this overall. There were a few storylines unfinished in my opinion, but I still really liked the book overall. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are back in Silver Bay where another of the Endicott siblings has found a new home in this unique town.
Eva Endicott is determined to show her wealthy family and herself, that she can succeed in the trade she loves. Though she’s been working in the local bakery, her dream is owning her own cake decorating business.
Tyler Vance, is a personal trainer to a successful baseball pitcher. He keeps his past to himself, but he’s been enchanted for a while by Eva.
As time goes on , a sort of friendship develops and he sees himself staying in Silver Bay hoping to set roots and maybe getting Eva to think of him as her future.
In this sweet, clean romance, the readers are reminded of the importance of family. Also a reminder that at times we focus on the “then” and miss out on the “right now/this” that is in front of us.
A wonderful addition to the series and this reader is already looking forward to the next story in the series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Tule Publishing. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Cakes and Kisses by Lara Van Hulzen
This story starts with Eva and she's a baker at the local bakery that Baylee runs. Her husband is a baseball pitcher, Drew..
Story also follows Tyler who is Drews coach.
She has secretly applied for a cake cookoff in San Diego, CA and doesn't want her boss to know. She doesn't want conflict in case it all fails. She has a storefront planned out in town also.
Tyler knows his coaching for Drew is almost at an end as he will retire soon. Tyler starts looking at locations around town that he can set up a gym for everyone to use.
They both help out by making cookies with the local children at the center. The decorating is the real fun messy part...
Bexause of a problem Eva wasn't able to go to the cookoff but ....
So magical and warm. Very festive and entertaining. Can't wait to read more from this series. Love hearing all the experimenting with flavors in this book.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

[Laura D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eva comes from a wealthy family. She did not join the family business like her siblings and feels like she has to prove herself. She dreams of owning her own cake decorating business. Tyler is an ex-wrestler turned personal trainer. He helped and trains star baseball player Drew MacIntyre. Tyler is attracted to Eva when he sees her working at the bakery. She seems nervous around him. Does he intimidate her or is she attracted to him? He tries to spend as much time with her as he can. It helps that she works for Drew's wife at the bakery and her brother is friends with Drew. The more time they spend together the more the sparks fly. Can Eva fall for the perfect man and still be independent and follow her dreams? Does Tyler have a reason to settle in Silver Bay? It was nice to watch these two fall in love. Nice clean holiday read.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas Cakes and Kisses (The Endicotts of Silver Bay Book 2) by Lara Van Hulzen is a lovely story family, friends, and fulfilling your dreams. Along this same line is not forgetting to enjoy today while working towards the future.

Eva Endicott and Tyler Vance meet in Silver Bay both being at a crossroads in their lives. Their friendship blossoms until a conflict over a business location comes into play. What is most important to each one comes to light because of this. A sweet story not just about a remake in the professional sense but also a second chance at real love.

An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Debbie Caswell]

This is the second book in the series about the Endicotts and this time it is Eva story she is determined to prove that she doesn't need her families wealth to succeed and is determined to start her own cake decorating business but somehow it came across as she was always aware of her families money and that it could bail her out if the worst happened It is easy to say you want to stand on your own feet when a safety net is there and that is how I felt about this story. She connects with Tyler who works as a personal trainer and while the connection is strong there will be plenty of hiccups on the way to true love Altogether a fun read but not my favourite

[Shelagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family, friends, faith and blessings are all strong themes in this charming Christmas story. Eva Endicott and Tyler Vance don’t seem on paper to be particularly well suited. She’s a cake baker, designer and decorator while he’s a personal trainer and fitness guru.They surprised me, however, as Tyler showed his softer side, helping Eva again and again as she tried to create the perfect cake. They are beautifully developed characters and work well together in a warm and gentle story that flows beautifully.

[Sherri Babb · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a heartwarming story and a wonderful addition to this series. The author did an incredible job writing Eva and Tyler’s story. It shows us that the road to love and happily ever after is never easy and is sometimes full of misunderstandings. Sometimes you need to listen to your heart instead of your head. Great read. I would highly recommend this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[D'anah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice

I really liked how the most unlikely couple get together. Struggled a bit with Eva's intense focus and need for secrecy, although was somewhat understandable. Really enjoyed the paradigm shift toward the end, when a more satisfying focus took place. Friendships like those exemplified in this book is what real life is truly all about. Yes!!! Loved the ending.
A good clean read.

[Paula Pugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet story of falling in love and finding the person you were meant for but nothing is easy in real life and so it goes for Eva and Tyler. Her dreams collide with his and big misunderstandings happen shattering their dreams of togetherness.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Annette Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet

Eva is driven to prove herself to herself. She thinks she has to do everything on her own when she has many people in her corner. Tyler is pretty much alone, but gives to others as if they are family. The road to making them the perfect match is rocky, but Christmas is a big help in figuring out what really matters.

[Donnajo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily read a advanced reader's copy of this book book for a honest opinion.

A heart-warming story of coming together, friendship, family and romance. Christmas Cakes and Kisses by Lara VanHulzen, book two in The Endicotts of Silver Bay. I totally enjoyed this story.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[mavis ineson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy this book. I found it a bit slow and boring.

[Joni Dolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished in 2 days......couldn't stop reading it. Liked this book a lot.