Review: B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake by Stacey Agdern

B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake by Stacey Agdern
Series: Last Girls Standing, Book 1
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781958686782
Release Date: June 1, 2023
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Tule Publishing

Sharing isn’t caring when it comes to your big day.

Judith Nachman loves working as a project manager at the Mitzvah Alliance charity, and after five years, it’s finally her turn to have the bat mitzvah of her dreams. Judith is enjoying every single moment of the process—until she learns she has to share her day with the annoying hockey player who derailed her sister’s career.

Retired hockey player Ash Mendel is determined to start an organization to support Jewish athletes, and the first step is to have his bar mitzvah. He's not sure what he wants his day to look like, but he knows he definitely wants forgiveness from Judith, the woman he's sharing the date with.

But Judith’s nephew needs to interview an athlete, and Ash needs professional advice for his foundation, so they exchange favors. Except as they get to know each other and their worlds start to mingle, Ash and Judith will have to decide whether sharing their lives as well as their B'Nai Mitzvah is the best decision they could make, or the biggest mistake of their lives.

B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake is a sweet romance with fantastic Jewish representation. Stacey Agdern has a wonderful way of depicting Judaism in her books, from the religious standpoint, the cultural standpoint, education, mitzvot, and the sense of community. I loved Ash and Judith’s passion and learning over the course of the book and this is where Agdern’s writing shines.

I struggled heavily with rating B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake because the representation was so well done and highlighting Jewish athletes (hockey players in particular) made my heart sing. I also really loved Judith and Ash studying for their B’Nai Mitzvot and how their lessons enhanced the story. That being said, the heart of the story is the romance between Judith and Ash and this is where I didn’t feel the spark. I’ve adored past romances of Agdern’s but Ash and Judith just didn’t have the chemistry I wanted. The main obstacle in the romance is the fact that Ash set back Judith’s sister’s career as a sports agent years ago. Judith, loyal and loving sister that she is, doesn’t want to forgive Ash and definitely does not want to share her Bat Mitzvah date with him. But as she gets to know him, she starts falling for the man and is torn between her feelings for him and her loyalty to her sister. I had a really hard time with this because the push-pull felt inauthentic and forced. The love story came across as stilted and the drama made it easy to put the book down. It’s a disappointment because outside the main storyline there was so much to enjoy about this book. At the end of the day, the romance just wasn’t my cup of tea. That being said, the Jewish representation was great and I’ve enjoyed other books of Agdern’s so I’ll definitely be looking forward to the rest of the Last Girls Standing series.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Love and Latkes by Stacey Agdern

Love and Latkes by Stacey Agdern
Series: Friendships and Festivals, Book 3
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781954894617
Release Date: October 12, 2021
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Tule Publishing

You can’t make a latke without breaking a few eggs…

Batya Averman is ecstatic when a latke fry-off committee chooses her as its web designer—until she learns the event is in Rivertown, New York, the hometown she fled years ago. But she’s no longer the girl with an embarrassing history and an unrequited crush on Abe Neumann. This delicious competition is Batya’s chance to further her career, and this time she won’t run.

Abe Neumann can’t pass up the opportunity to enter the town’s latke contest. He dreams of throwing caution to the wind and leaving his accounting firm, opening a Jewish deli, and choosing his own happiness. The prize money would bring him closer to making his dream a reality, but when Batya comes back to town, Abe remembers that a deli isn't the only thing he's wished for.

When the fry-off’s celebrity host has to pull out of the competition, Batya is determined to step up to the challenge. This Hanukkah, can Abe fix the past and convince Batya that dreams, like latkes, are better when they're shared?

Love and Latkes is not a book you want to dive into when you’re hungry. A latke fry-off is only the beginning when it comes to discussions of Jewish food and I was so here for it. Yes, this is a romance, and the love story between Batya and Abe made me smile, but it was the themes of connections, history, and community through food that stole my heart.

Batya has avoided Abe ever since a declaration of feelings went wrong back in high school. Now, with celebrity host George Gold bringing a latke fry-off to their hometown, Batya and Abe can’t help but run into each other. Batya is designing the fry-off’s website and hoping for a chance to learn from Gold; she wants to grow her website and build on her dream of sharing Jewish history and culture through the lens of food with the world. Abe is an accountant who has a pop-up kosher barbeque business on the weekends. It’s his dream of opening a kosher deli and winning the fry-off would give him the chance at funds and a mentorship from George Gold.

Thrown together by the competition and their well-meaning friends, Batya and Abe can’t help but be drawn toward each other once more. I enjoyed their flirting through food (how can you resist a man who sends you thoughtful ice cream deliveries?) and it’s yet another way Stacey Agdern connects food and relationships. The Jewish representation in Agdern’s books is always top-notch and Love and Latkes is no exception. I loved the way she talked about the sharing of food, traditions, and culture. And I really loved how she seamlessly incorporated the laws of kashrut into discussions of food and cooking in ways those familiar and not could easily understand.

The second-chance romance between Abe and Batya made me smile and sigh. She’s wary, he’s eager but respectful, and the two of them click as they slowly slide into love as adults. I enjoyed the roles their friends played in bringing them together and helping them out when they needed it. Love between friends is every bit as important as romantic love in this story, which I really appreciated. All in all, I adored Love and Latkes. It’s a sweet, interesting, and engaging story that’s sure to leave you hungry for more of Agdern’s Friendships and Festivals books.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: History of Us by Stacey Agdern

History of Us by Stacey Agdern
Series: Friendships and Festivals, Book 2
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781953647948
Release Date: June 24, 2021
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Tule Publishing

Do they have a future together, or is their relationship ancient history?

Anna Cohen, perpetual assistant at the Manhattan Museum of Jewish History, lands a golden chance to curate her own exhibit when her boss sends her to Rockliffe Manor, New York. She’s to assist an influential Jewish family as they organize an exhibit of their own in time for the town's Summer Days Festival. While she's there, Anna just needs to convince them to part with some of their archival history for an upcoming exhibition—something they’ve always refused—and not get involved with her ex, the family’s heir. Again.

Jacob Horowitz-Margareten wants to help save the world. Despite having no time to spend organizing his family’s archives, he’s always had a soft spot for Anna. The chance to spend more time with her intrigues him, but he doesn’t trust her boss or the museum she works for with the tangible bits of his family’s rich history.

As they work together, Anna and Jacob need to decide what’s more important: their history or the story their hearts are telling them.

History of Us is an enjoyable second chance romance with two protagonists who are clearly made for each other but who have to find a way to make their lives work together. Anna and Jacob have been on-again/off-again for years; loving each other has never been their problem. But sometimes love isn’t enough, especially when one of them never stops moving. Jacob has a soul-deep need to do everything he can to try and make the world a better place. It’s an admirable goal and his heart is definitely in the right place but he feels like he has to be perfect and he’s stretching himself so thin you can see he’s in danger of tearing himself apart. Anna is an assistant curator with a passion for Jewish history and great ideas for blending history and modern political ideas.

The Jewish representation in History of Us is where the book shines brightest. Stacey Agdern weaves into the story the obstacles many Jews face today, the veiled antisemitism that is often faced. With Jacob’s work and Anna’s exhibit she also delves into how many Jews have and do take part in social justice movements. There’s also discussion of Gilded Age Jews, exploring personal history, and more. It’s all fascinating and Agdern does it extremely well, grounding the book in reality.

The romance is where I struggled with the story a bit. It’s not bad – not by a long shot – but the passion and energy that is found in the real world issues seems to be understated in the romantic fantasy element. I wanted the romance to grab me more, to care about Jacob and Anna as a couple as much as I did about their work and their passion for community. I liked them, make no mistake, and I wanted them to get together because the history they had came through. But overall I was left wanting a bit of excitement and feeling from the romance. I needed more show less tell. Even with this issue, the community Adgern builds in her books and the religious and cultural elements of History of Us are so rare to find in romance novels that I will definitely be back for more Friendships and Festivals stories.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Miracles and Menorahs by Stacey Agdern

Miracles and Menorahs by Stacey Agdern
Series: Friendships and Festivals, Book 1
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781952560026
Release Date: October 13, 2020
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Tule Publishing

Sarah Goldman loves Hanukkah, and she’s thrilled to be appointed as vice chair of the Hollowville Hanukkah Festival. So when the festival is threatened with cancellation, she comes up with an idea: a new slogan and advertising campaign topped off with a metal menorah large enough to fill the center of town. But even though her heart and dreams are large, the committee’s budget constraints threaten to stop her grand plans right in their tracks.

Famous metal sculptor Isaac Lieberman also loves Hanukkah. But his vision of a perfect Hanukkah isn’t a commercial community event—it’s spending time with family, following age-old traditions. He’s not interested in the festival, no matter how many times his grandmother, his bubbe, asks him to contribute one of his sculptures.

Then Sarah comes tumbling into his life…can she change his mind about more than just the holidays?

Miracles and Menorahs is sweeter than the sufganiyot latte author Stacey Agdern has made me crave. It’s a story of hope, of not giving up, and of standing up and protecting traditions and inclusivity. Ms. Agdern excels at depicting both traditional and more modern Hanukkah traditions and the Jewish representation in this book is top-notch, which I just loved.

Sarah Goldman is Hollowville’s resident Hanukkah fairy. She’s the vice chair of the local Hanukkah festival, the kind of event I wish existed anywhere near where I lived. But the festival is in danger of being eliminated in favor of the ubiquitous red and green. Sarah has to lead the charge to fight for space for Jewish traditions to be celebrated and acknowledged. I loved her determination and strength, her positivity and her love for her community. To help save the festival she’s looking for a large metal menorah, but budget and time constraints mean most artists are turning down the commission. Enter Isaac Lieberman, Brooklyn sculptor and grandson of one of Hollowville’s beloved residents. Isaac doesn’t believe in the commercialization of Hanukkah, which means he doesn’t want to take the commission, even at the risk of disappointing his bubbe. His stance is made all the more difficult when he meets Sarah and is immediately attracted to her.

The romance is sweet but extremely understated and this is where I have to mention the snags I hit in reading Miracles and Menorahs. I wanted desperately to love this book because the message of the story is close to my heart and Ms. Agdern weaves in Jewish customs, traditions, and even kitschy fun stuff really well. However, for me this story dragged and felt like it could have been a novella. There’s really not a lot happening and the story is repetitive. There was no real tension or strong emotion to keep me invested, especially when it came to the romance. I craved a deeper emotional pull from the characters and I wish we had delved into their characters more. So this is where it becomes difficult for me to rate the story. The spirit of the book and the sentiments expressed grabbed my heart and spoke to me personally, but the actual plot stretched on for too long and didn’t really keep me engaged (there are only so many times I can be charmed reading about latkes and sufganiyot lattes). I did enjoy the residents of Hollowville and Isaac’s friends in Brooklyn; both groups added warmth and character. The result of this is I have mixed feelings about Miracles and Menorahs but the things I loved about it are rare finds in romance novels. As a result, I find myself drawn to the positive aspects more and I’m very much looking forward to the next Friendships and Festivals story.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Baking for Keeps by Jessica Gilmore

Baking for Keeps by Jessica Gilmore
Series: Big Sky Hathaways, Book 1; Bachelor Bake-Off, Book 4
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance

ISBN: 9781946772213
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Tule Publishing

Lacey Hathaway has it all -- a job she loves as a local radio DJ, a home with her adored, eccentric aunt and, best of all, a community after a childhood traveling with her musical parents. So what if her life is a little too safe? Marietta is everything to Lacey. Not only is she helping to organize the Bachelor Bake-Off and filming a documentary about the process, she’s also volunteered her brother as a Bachelor. But, when her brother backs out, Lacey has to find a last-minute replacement. And who better than her aunt’s lodger, gorgeous – if taciturn – Zac Malone?

Zac’s not exactly community-minded. In fact, he makes it clear that the sooner he’s out of Marietta the better. But when Lacey persuades him of the powerful impact the Bake-Off funds will have on local children, he decides to give it a go. On one condition. If he has to learn to bake, so does disaster-in-the-kitchen Lacey. Desserts aren’t the only thing heating up, and as the attraction flares and Zac makes plans to leave, Lacey’s beginning to realize that maybe there is a world beyond Marietta’s borders after all... if she’s brave enough to take that step.

Baking for Keeps is sweet as pie. In Lacey and Zac’s story, author Jessica Gilmore has delivered a truly charming, feel-good romance that is sure to leave you smiling.

Lacey has a sunny personality that I absolutely adored. After a rootless childhood spent travelling with her musician parents, Lacey Hathaway yearns for stability. Putting down roots in Marietta has been all she’s ever wanted, so she’s content with her life. That is, until Zac Malone comes to town and challenges her perspective. Zac’s a loner by choice and his childhood has made him skeptical that Marietta could be as caring a community as Lacey claims it is. But even though he wants to do the job he came to Marietta to do and leave, knowing how much Harry’s House could mean to a child means he can’t turn down Lacey’s plea to participate in the Bachelor Bake-Off.

Zac and Lacey are a case of somewhat-opposites attract and I adored their banter as they fell in love. The two of them challenge each other’s outlooks on life and each of them tempts the other to move outside their comfort zone. Their romance is soft and sweet and just about melted my heart. I’ve read Baking for Keeps twice now and both times I’ve found it heartwarming and fun. The residents of Marietta continue to be a delight and the baking show fan in me can’t help but be entertained by Zac and Lacey’s various attempts at baking. If you’re looking for a genuinely sweet romance with kind characters, a sprightly love story, and a picture-perfect happily ever after that will sweep you away for a little while, I highly recommend Baking for Keeps.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: A Teaspoon of Trouble by Shirley Jump

A Teaspoon of Trouble by Shirley Jump
Series: Bachelor Bake-Off, Book 1
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Type-A chef Carolyn Henderson has walked away from her job at a trendy NYC restaurant after an abrupt family tragedy. Now, as a guardian to her four-year-old niece, Emma, and a very disobedient mutt – kids and dogs are so not her skill set – moving back to Marietta, Montana seems the best temporary option. But when confronted by her parents’ declining health, Carolyn has to face reality. And she’s going to need some serious help. So who better to ask than Matthew West, a blast from her high school past... and as hunky and helpful as ever.

Vet – and very eligible, if reluctant, Bachelor – Matthew West can’t believe his luck when his high school crush stumbles through his door. Dogs, kids, and gorgeous damsels in distress. Carolyn needs help with the pup, and he needs help whipping up delicious concoctions for the Bachelor Bake-Off. So she wants to make a deal: dog obedience lessons for cooking tips... but Matthew wants to broker quite a bit more…

Carolyn’s life was turned upside-down when her sister died. Now the successful New York City chef finds herself guardian to her four-year-old niece who comes with a disobedient dog, and that’s on top of grieving herself. In an attempt to sort out her life, Carolyn travels to her parents’ house in the small town of Marietta…a place Carolyn couldn’t get away from fast enough once upon a time. Coming home was never in Carolyn’s plan, and neither was getting knocked off her feet by her first love, the seriously handsome veterinarian Matthew West. Matthew’s got the skills to solve Carolyn’s easiest problem – the dog she can’t seem to control – and in turn she can help him learn to bake for the Bachelor Bake-Off. The only problem is, the longer Carolyn’s around Matthew, the more old feelings come to the surface. But she’s got a life in New York and a traumatized little girl on her hands who she has no idea how to mother. She simply doesn’t have time for falling in love with Matthew all over again. Too bad for Carolyn, her heart has different ideas than her brain…

A Teaspoon of Trouble is an interesting story. I loved that author Shirley Jump wasn’t afraid to deliver a struggling, flawed heroine. Carolyn was definitely my favorite thing about this book because she was so imperfect. She’s grieving, overwhelmed, and her whole life plan has just changed. She doesn’t automatically know how to become a mother to her niece, even though she loves the girl. She doesn’t want to give up the career she worked so hard for. She doesn’t want to stay in her idyllic hometown. In other words, she’s realistic and relatable, for better or worse. I could have read a whole book about Carolyn’s personal journey because there’s quite a bit of depth to her and she has a heck of a lot on her plate.

As much as I liked Carolyn, wanted to see her find love with Matthew, and for the two of them and her niece to become a family, the romance is where A Teaspoon of Trouble fell short for me. Matthew is a too-perfect hero who is definitely dreamy, but I would have loved more depth to him (or at least a flaw or two). He’s never fallen out of love with Carolyn and if the story hadn’t taken place directly after the death of Carolyn’s sister and the resulting upending of her entire life, I would have been more at ease with their fairly light romance. But the love story felt more like an afterthought to the beginnings of a much deeper book. Had the story been longer, perhaps the romance could have developed more organically. The bones of an entertaining romance were there (Matthew is a seriously hot guy who is good with kids and dogs, after all), but it just didn’t meet its potential. As it stands, I did enjoy Carolyn’s journey and the romance was sweet, if rushed, so I’d say I liked A Teaspoon of Trouble overall.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: A Recipe for Romance by Lara Van Hulzen

A Recipe for Romance by Lara Van Hulzen
Series: Bachelor Bake-Off, Book 5
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Wes planned a drive by trip to Marietta, Montana to help his dad close a business deal and then to head back to his life in New York. But when his dad volunteers him for the Bachelor Bake-Off to commemorate a local fallen first responder, Wes can’t say no, even though Marietta holds painful memories and baking eludes his skill set.

After an accident sidelines Noelle Olsen’s career as a dancer, she moves to Montana to pursue a new dream: opening a dance studio in Marietta’s historic and charming downtown. When one of her students suckers her into helping the handsome Wes St. Clare whip up some winning recipes, Noelle finds herself dreaming about more than teaching dance.

Falling in love wasn’t part of Wes’ plans, and definitely not in Marietta, and as Noelle learns more about Wes and his business dealings, she fears she’ll lose her business along with her heart. Will cozy kitchens and a nudge from the St. Claire family help Wes and Noelle find the love they didn’t know they were looking for?

A Recipe for Romance is a Hallmark movie-ready story. It’s sweet, has picture-perfect characters, and the story has a reliable, satisfying plot. It’s not the freshest story out there, but it has charm and is a cozy read.

Noelle is a former ballet dancer looking for a fresh start after a tragedy turned her life upside down. She’s sweet and caring, and I definitely liked her, but I wanted to delve more into her character, her past… I wanted something that made her stand out to me. As for Wes, he’s a bit too boilerplate billionaire for my personal preferences. He’s rich, handsome, is intrigued by Noelle because she’s not interested in his money, and he can be the knight in shining armor with the wealth and power to save the damsel in distress from losing her business. It’s a story I’ve read a dozen times before and unfortunately author Lara Van Hulzen doesn’t add a fresh twist to liven the story up. That being said, A Recipe for Romance isn’t a bad book – not in the slightest. There’s nothing to dislike about it and it’s a fast and sweet read when you’re looking for something light with a satisfying happily ever after.

A Recipe for Romance is the fifth book in the multi-author Bachelor Bake-Off series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. As relative newcomers to Marietta, neither Wes nor Noelle had much of a connection to the town, which was a bit of a bummer for a small town romance. Still, while this book wasn’t exactly my cup of tea I will say that it’s sweet and the romance is light and lovely. And if Ms. Van Hulzen writes a book for Wes’s widower brother, Mike, I will definitely be first in line for that tale. Mike stole the show for me every time he appeared on the page, and I hope Ms. Van Hulzen has a happily ever after waiting for him.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Sprinkled with Love by Jennifer Faye

Sprinkled with Love by Jennifer Faye
Series: Bachelor Bake-Off, Book 3
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

What does one do with a matchmaking cat named Romeo?

Spirited and beautiful, Jillian Parker is one of Marietta’s newest business owners. Still, her mother worries about Jillian’s bare ring finger. So in order to give her mother something else to fuss over, Jillian adopts a cat named Romeo. He turns out to be anything but a docile lap cat.

One snowy night, Romeo makes a break for it. With Jillian right on his heels, they have a near miss with a passing pickup driven by Avery Wainwright, one of Jillian’s closest friends. A rodeo accident has the sexy cowboy returning home to recuperate, and he’s not happy about it.

So when Avery finds himself lassoed into the Bachelor Bake-Off, he turns to the one person who has always helped him out—Jillian. But will teaching him to take chances outside of the show ring have them both discovering that their feelings for each other run much deeper than they ever imagined?

Sprinkled with Love is a sweet story with a lot of potential. There’s a lot to like about Jennifer Faye’s Bachelor Bake-Off story. Jillian and Avery are good-hearted protagonists who are easy to root for, and when you add in a couple of hilarious cats, it’s clear that this story has the makings of a feel-good romance.

When Avery and Jillian are on the same page, Sprinkled with Love made me smile. They have an easy chemistry and a solid history that means their love story should have unfolded in an organic manner. However, while all the elements are there, the story is dragged down by general miscommunication, the dreaded “big misunderstanding,” a lot of unnecessary push-pull, waffling about big life decisions that didn’t always make sense, and an abrupt ending. I was never quite sure what Avery wanted, likely because a lot of the time he didn’t know what he wanted. As for Jillian, she fell for Avery when she worked for him before, but he never made a move on her (which made sense to me, given that she was a live-in babysitter and housekeeper in his employ). That her feelings were hurt made sense, but it felt wrong that she (and others) seemed to blame him because half the town assumed she was waiting for him to marry her back then. Little things like these picked away at my enjoyment of the story, which was a pity because I really wanted to love Sprinkled with Love. With a bit more fleshing out and a bit less back-and-forth and false drama, the story could have gone from ok to great. As it stands, Ms. Faye’s writing has enough charm to make the story entertaining even when I was frustrated with Jillian and Avery. And of course, the story is also buoyed by the antics of the lovelorn Romeo and Marshmallow, the previously mentioned scene-stealing cats. Overall, Sprinkled with Love was a bit hit-and-miss for me, but I’m definitely looking forward to reading more Bachelor Bake-Off books and I will be looking for more of Ms. Faye’s work in the future.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: A Spoonful of Sugar by Kate Hardy

A Spoonful of Sugar by Kate Hardy
Series: Bachelor Bake-Off, Book 2
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 14, 2017
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Tyler Carter is a healthy-eating gym owner who doesn’t bake. When his employees enter him into a bake-off contest to raise money for Harry’s House, an after school space for kids commemorating local first responder Harry Monroe, he needs to learn–fast!

Shy special needs teacher Stacey Allman loves to bake and often dreams of sharing her confections with her uber fit, gorgeous neighbor. So when Tyler sets off his smoke alarm and explains his dilemma, she can’t resist the temptation of playing pastry chef tutor. He offers boxing lessons in exchange. More time together? Yes please.

But when Tyler’s ex comes back to Marietta asking for his help, will it derail Stacey and Tyler’s chance at love, or will it make them see that they’re the perfect fit?

A Spoonful of Sugar is as sweet as can be without ever entering saccharine territory. Kate Hardy has delivered the ultimate feel-good romance, with kind, endearing characters who will have you avidly turning the pages as you root for them to get together.

Stacey is a special needs teacher with a heart of gold. She’s hearing-impaired and having had her self-esteem constantly beaten as a child left its mark on her. Rather than breaking, she’s become a giving person who works tirelessly to help others and make sure that no one is ever made to feel like she was. Tyler, in turn, is a gym owner who carries a few internal scars of his own over a bad breakup. He’s focused on his gym, but when his team enters him in the Bachelor Bake-Off, he knows he’s in trouble. Tyler can’t make a grilled cheese without setting off the fire alarm, never mind cookies, cakes, and pies. When his first attempt at baking (predictably) sets off the fire alarm, it’s his neighbor, Stacey to the rescue. When she agrees to teach him to bake in exchange for boxing lessons from him, it’s the start of a friendship that will fast turn into something more. Tyler and Stacey made me smile more than once as they fell in love. She’s an amazing teacher and a genuinely kind soul, which made her easy to adore. And Tyler…wow. He spots early on that Stacey’s self-esteem isn’t the highest and the way he genuinely compliments her and helps her see how amazing she is just made me melt. As a pair, the two of them were excellent. They had lovely chemistry and were so sweet they warmed my heart.

A Spoonful of Sugar is the second book in the multi-author Bachelor Bake-Off series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. That being said, after finishing Tyler and Stacey’s book, I’m definitely intrigued and want to read the rest of the series as soon as possible. As for Stacey and Tyler, they’re a couple I’ll definitely be revisiting when I need a pick-me-up.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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