The Cafe Between Pumpkin and Pie by Marina Adair, Kate Angell, and Stacy Finz

 

I was talking to my cousin Kari on Saturday about books and she said she's been reading romances by the bucketload--a genre she usually doesn't read. I said I hear ya! Cozy mysteries and my beloved Katie Fforde are my comfort reads lately. Kari, I think you'll like this one--it's not a regency romance, but it's got all the feels and guaranteed happy endings!

I'll just state right here and now that I'd like to live in Moonbright, Maine. A small town where there's delicious comfort food on every corner, people stop everything to celebrate Halloween, and there's hot men everywhere.

This is the third anthology set in Moonbright, and I've read each and every one of them. You do not need to read the first and second books before dipping into this, the latest. Each has three short stories about the women of Moonbright finding their perfect match. All take place around Halloween, and a little bit of magic and tradition help push people together. 

The Corner Cafe is the setting for the first romance involving waitress Hannah and motorcycle dude Jake. With his leather jacket, dark hair, and aviator glasses, he's a hard one to resist--even if Hannah thinks her perfect match is a clean cut kind of guy. Will Jake convince her otherwise?

The second romance involves Sydney, an up and coming baker who comes back to Moonlight to settle her grandmother's estate and ready her Victorian home for sale. Sydney's got a well established bakery in San Francisco, a cookbook in the works, and no time for Nick, who is only following orders set by Sydney's grandmother to put a commercial kitchen into the carriage house on the property. It doesn't help Nick and Sydney have a past that stretches back to high school. How will these two manage to fall in love?

The third romance features Mia, who is determined to break a curse--one that began with a whiz bang of a kiss in a closet during a high school party seven years before. Since then, she's been unable to beat that darn kiss from Ford James. Now she's going to corner him, kiss him again, and break the curse so she can move to Los Angeles and start her set director career and move on from the past.

Only thing is....was it really Ford she kissed, or his twin Hudson? He of the smoldering good looks, muscular build, and one who does not tick off any of the boxes on her list for a perfect match?

I enjoyed all the romances, and of course the happy endings. I also enjoyed all of the food in these stories--sheesh! I want all the breakfasts, desserts, and meatloaf sandwiches featured in these stories. This short story collection definitely put me in the mood for September fall weather and seasonal reads. 

Here are the first two books in the Moonbright, Maine series (available online, check your library, or have your local bookstore get them for you!)

Rating: 4/6 for a delightful romance anthology centered around Halloween in small town Maine. Happy endings guaranteed under the harvest moon. 

Available in paperback and Kindle ebook. 

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The Cafe Between Pumpkin and Pie by Marina Adair, Kate Angell, and Stacy Finz

No Offense by Meg Cabot

 

I took a break from reading my haunting reads this month for a sweet romance between a children's librarian and a sheriff. It was what I needed to kick off vacation week! It's a staycation, of course. But I've got things to do around the house, and a big stack of books to read all week. I'm excited for a much needed break, and a little bit of solitude. I'll be working really hard to not give into my desire for a key lime pie, thanks to this book! 

Molly Montgomery is the new children's librarian in Little Bridge Island, Florida. A pretty sweet tourist spot that is beautiful, surrounded by the ocean, and small town enough that everyone knows everyone's business. Molly loves her job, and one day finds an abandoned newborn in the women's bathroom. Not the usual librarian duties, for sure. The Sheriff arrives, and sparks fly immediately. John Hartwell is handsome and swoon worthy, even if he does clash a bit with Molly. Who's baby is this? Another case to solve for John, who is already trying to solve the case of the high school thief, who keeps breaking into homes. He's stymied by this case, and frustrated. John knows who is doing the breaking in, but can't catch him. 

Baby Aphrodite brings Molly and John together; as the case evolves, circumstances find them both at odds with each other. However, they are still falling for each other quickly, and their romance is sweet, hot, and quite believable. Book lovers will enjoy all of the book references-not only from Molly, but the Sheriff, too. The community of Little Bridge Island is full of characters that bring this little paradise to life. I hope Meg Cabot writes more about this community. 

I'll confess-I am pretty sure this is my first Meg Cabot book. I bought it because it was about a librarian, and took place in a small Florida community. An escape from a chilly October here in Iowa. It did the trick-took me away for a few hours, and was perfectly enjoyable and a quick read. Definitely a feel-good read!

Rating: 4/6 for a delightful romance between a librarian and a sheriff. Their clashes are brief but provide a good opportunity to highlight the importance of getting to know someone beyond the physical attraction, and working through those differences. Good chemistry, engaging characters, and a plot that keeps moving towards resolution. I'll be reading more Meg Cabot!

Available in paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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No Offense by Meg Cabot

Probably Not the Best Idea to Read A Book About Pie When I'm Trying to Eat Healthier... Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

I'm not a huge fan of pies; I'd rather have a piece of cake. But, gosh darn it the pies in this novel sound completely delicious, along with all the other food (hello fried chicken and biscuits) that glides through the lives of the folks in Wicklow, Alabama. I am a lover of biscuits. Lord I love biscuits. But they are on the "think twice before I stuff my mouth" list as I attempt one more time to be more mindful of what I eat and why I eat it. Trying hard to eat more protein and less not-so-great-for-me carbs. Basically, lots of lean protein (greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, chicken breasts, lean beef) and lots of veggies. I've even said goodbye to my summer gin and tonic and am either not having a cocktail at all, or one that comes in at 100 calories instead of 200. And having one instead of two. I'm starting my third week, and I sorely miss pasta. Thankful my Bud is along for the ride, and willing to eat what I make, and willing to find alternatives to our higher calorie weekend cocktails. 

So yes I read a book that features food very prominently, and a lot of the action takes place in a cafe. It was a great summer read, however-just the kind of tale I like to read as a mental break when life gets a bit too busy or I'm avoiding household chores. 

Anna Kate Callow returns to the small town of Wicklow, Alabama to settle her Grandmother Zee's estate. That estate includes the Blackbird Cafe, a Wicklow favorite, and one that has an interesting legacy: a slice of Zee's pie will give you messages from deceased loved ones the night after you've eaten it. What folks don't know is that Anna Kate, her mother, her grandmother, and generations past all are gatekeepers for the blackbirds that sit in the mulberry trees behind the cafe. At night-midnight, in fact-the blackbirds sing sweetly. What they're singing are the messages from loved ones on the other side. And now it's up to Anna Kate to continue that legacy. Only problem is Anna Kate plans to return North, to continue her quest to become a doctor. She has to run the cafe for 90 days, per Zee's will, before she can put it up for sale. 

There's a whole lot more to the story, of course. Anna Kate's mother, Eden, left Wicklow before Anna Kate was born, under a cloud of grief and suspicion. Anna Kate's return to Wicklow is a surprise to many of the townsfolk, especially the Linden family. As it turns out, no one realized Eden had a daughter, and boy oh boy Anna Kate looks a lot like AJ Linden, who was tragically killed in a car accident with Eden at the wheel, all those years ago. AJ's mother, the overbearing Seelie Linden, despised Eden, and her grief at losing her son has kept Seelie from having any kind of good relationship with her daughter Natalie, who has returned to Wicklow to start over again. Natalie, harboring anger, guilt, and grief of her own, struggles to be even civil to her mother. She grew up with a mother who was cold, strict, and overbearing. 

Anna Kate is the key to a whole lot of healing that needs to take place in the town of Wicklow. Not just herself, but the Linden family, and the whole town have suffered over the years. But word of the blackbirds brings bird enthusiasts in to witness the astounding midnight singing, and that, along with Anna Kate's reopening of the cafe, may just be what Wicklow needs to thrive. But will Anna Kate stay? If she goes, what will happen to the mulberry trees, and the blackbirds? 

The big message of this book is about the toll grief can take on a person, and even a community. Grief may seem endless when you're in the throes of it (I speak from experience), and the pain can wear you down. But that is the price you pay for loving others, and loving them with all your heart. All those years of love are worth it. But you can't continue to live in the past. If anything, grief should empower you to live your life to the fullest, and embrace every day. 

Another theme is making choices for yourself, instead of doing what everyone else wants you to do, or expects you to do. When it all comes down to it, keeping promises to others that will keep you from what you love is a sure way to be miserable. Follow your heart. 

I enjoyed visiting the town of Wicklow. I like to think somewhere there's an actual place just like it, just down the road and around the bend. 

Rating:  4/6 for an enchanting little town, memorable characters, and a thoughtful look at living on when our loved ones leave.  

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Probably Not the Best Idea to Read A Book About Pie When I'm Trying to Eat Healthier... Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

The Memory of Lemon by Judith Fertig

This is not the book to read if you're trying to eat clean.  Nope.  But I read it anyway, and it was enjoyable even if I did experience some big pangs for delicious tarts, cakes, and pies.  

This is the sequel to The Cake Therapist, which I reviewed last year after discovering another new author that writes one of my favorite genres:  foodie fiction.  

The Memory of Lemon returns to Millcreek Valley, Ohio and Claire "Neely" Davis.  Her bakery Rainbow Cake is winning people over, and business is good.  Her love life, however, is not in a good place.  Still married to her football pro (and cheating) husband, she can't file for divorce until she's established residency in Ohio--she's got a few weeks yet.  Her growing feelings for childhood sweetheart Ben are confusing and frustrating--her prenup agreement with Luke has a clause in it stating that he gets anything he's provided for her if she's caught being unfaithful during their marriage.  And that means Claire's home and bakery are on the line.  And gee, Luke doesn't want to give Claire up.  

Claire's latest client is getting married in June, and is having a tug of war over her wedding with her mother. Lydia wants to be married at her grandmother's old cabin, with a rustic theme and no cake; her mother wants a wedding fit for high society--and a spectacular cake.  Claire's usual special intuition, which matches dessert flavors exactly with her clients, is failing her each time she meets Lydia.  She just can't pinpoint what Lydia wants.  A visit to the cabin in Kentucky sparks Claire's talent and gives her a peek into the past history of the cabin and the women who lived, loved, and raised families there.  

This was a sequel that was almost better than the original.  The past glimpses of history between Claire's family and Lydia's family were really quite interesting.  Claire's father, long absent from her life, begins to connect to Claire through letters.  He's a homeless Vietnam vet who is trying very hard to get his life together and find a place of peace.  It's surprising how Claire's family history becomes such an integral part of the story, and melds perfectly with her latest efforts to create the perfect wedding for Lydia.  

And of course the descriptions of pastries, flavors, and scents all create such a wonderful background.  My mouth was watering!  There is a reason recipes are passed down generation after generation.  It's not just the tradition, but the memories those flavors invoke in us that keep us connected to our families and our roots.  Sometimes those flavors can bring us back when we're lost and feeling adrift.  

Rating:  8/10 for a lovely sequel to The Cake Therapist.  I hate to say goodbye to Claire and the folks of Millcreek Valley, so I certainly expect a third book.   

Available in paperback and e-book. 

  

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The Memory of Lemon by Judith Fertig