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adamberard24's review against another edition
5.0
Now, I've heard of hot cross buns, but this book was hot cross FUNS!
karak's review against another edition
2.0
Anna is obnoxious. WHY CAN'T SHE TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT HER PROBLEMS? My gods lady, get it off your chest and everything will be better. But NO. It's what the whole 400+ page book is about. Anna can't talk about her problems. Blah, blah, blah. Sous vide me a steak.
coala's review against another edition
4.0
Es handelt sich hier um Band 2 der Briar Creek Reihe. Es ist zu empfehlen, erst den Vorgängerband zu lesen, um ein Vorausgreifen der Handlung zu vermeiden. Man kann der Handlung jedoch auch ohne Vorwissen folgen.
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Das Schicksal meint es offentsichtlich nicht gut mit Anna Maddison, denn als ihr geliebtes kleines Cafe abbrennt, bleibt ihr keine andere Möglichkeit, als die Küche von Mark Hastings zu nutzen, um ihre Aufträge weiterhin zu erfüllen. Eigentlich eine gute Idee denkt sich jeder, doch keinem ist bekannt, dass die beiden eine Geschichte haben, die alles andere als gut ausgegangen ist damals. Dementsprechend fliegen schnell die Fetzen und trotzdem können sich die beiden der gegenseitigen Anziehung nicht wehren. Wird die gemeinsame Liebe zum Kochen die beiden retten könne, oder sind die Ansichten einfach zu unterschiedlich ...
Eine schöne Geschichte, die sich schön an die Geschichte des ersten Bandes aus Briar Creek anfügt. Hier lernen wird mehr über Anna, die doch leicht verbitterte Schwester von Grace. Ihre Liebe ist das Kochen und ihr Cafe. Der Brand trifft sie daher schwer. Jedoch kann sie schwer Schwäche zeigen und versucht alles alleine zu bewältigen. Sie lässt Familie und Freunde kaum an sich heran, selbst die Geschichte mit Mark damals hat sie wirklich niemandem erzählt. Mark dagegen scheint ein Lebemann durch und durch zu sein. Bei allen beliebt und immer hilfbereit. Aber auch er hat sein Päckchen zu tragen, scheint er doch in seiner jetzigen Situation festzuhängen und auf seine ganz eigene Weise an der Vergangenheit sowie der Gegenwart zu verzweifeln.
Locker leicht geschrieben, wie auch schon Band 1, entführt der neue Band wieder in das Kleinstadtleben von Briar Creek. Alte Bekannte trifft man daher wieder und fühlt sich gleich zu hause. Die Geschichte kann durch Romantik und einen schönen Hintergrund überzeugen, der auch zum Nachdenken anzuregen vermag. Unterhaltsame Lesestunden garantiert.
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Das Schicksal meint es offentsichtlich nicht gut mit Anna Maddison, denn als ihr geliebtes kleines Cafe abbrennt, bleibt ihr keine andere Möglichkeit, als die Küche von Mark Hastings zu nutzen, um ihre Aufträge weiterhin zu erfüllen. Eigentlich eine gute Idee denkt sich jeder, doch keinem ist bekannt, dass die beiden eine Geschichte haben, die alles andere als gut ausgegangen ist damals. Dementsprechend fliegen schnell die Fetzen und trotzdem können sich die beiden der gegenseitigen Anziehung nicht wehren. Wird die gemeinsame Liebe zum Kochen die beiden retten könne, oder sind die Ansichten einfach zu unterschiedlich ...
Eine schöne Geschichte, die sich schön an die Geschichte des ersten Bandes aus Briar Creek anfügt. Hier lernen wird mehr über Anna, die doch leicht verbitterte Schwester von Grace. Ihre Liebe ist das Kochen und ihr Cafe. Der Brand trifft sie daher schwer. Jedoch kann sie schwer Schwäche zeigen und versucht alles alleine zu bewältigen. Sie lässt Familie und Freunde kaum an sich heran, selbst die Geschichte mit Mark damals hat sie wirklich niemandem erzählt. Mark dagegen scheint ein Lebemann durch und durch zu sein. Bei allen beliebt und immer hilfbereit. Aber auch er hat sein Päckchen zu tragen, scheint er doch in seiner jetzigen Situation festzuhängen und auf seine ganz eigene Weise an der Vergangenheit sowie der Gegenwart zu verzweifeln.
Locker leicht geschrieben, wie auch schon Band 1, entführt der neue Band wieder in das Kleinstadtleben von Briar Creek. Alte Bekannte trifft man daher wieder und fühlt sich gleich zu hause. Die Geschichte kann durch Romantik und einen schönen Hintergrund überzeugen, der auch zum Nachdenken anzuregen vermag. Unterhaltsame Lesestunden garantiert.
katherineep's review against another edition
4.0
Based on the reviews for the first book in this series I was expecting a slightly darker book than the cover advertises and I was right! Briar Creek, Vermont isn't your typical contemporary romance series small town. All the men aren't beautiful, not everyone is nice with the occasional sprinkling of arch-nemesis, and everything isn't always sunshine and roses. There's tension, old grudges, adultery, financial worries, heartbreak and a hefty dash of abandonment issues. The main characters' families feel like real families. They're fiercely loyal to each other but there are issues there as well. Both the town and the relationships felt real without being overwrought. The actual romance was a little tougher. Miles and Anna have serious history and serious baggage. So much history and so much baggage that they've avoided each other for six years - in a small town, where they both own restaurants, and where his mother is her landlord. It's made things a bit awkward to say the least.
This book combines two of my favorite themes - second chance romances and main characters forced into a situation where they must work as a team - and did a good job with it. In both cases it wasn't easy. It took a long time for them to be able to work together and even with they did there were some huge ups and downs.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when characters don't communicate and there's definitely communication issues here but while there were times I was impatient (especially with Anna) it worked. If I had been in Anna's shoes I think I would have reacted in a similar way so I understood her reluctance to trust him and to share. Her reaction in some ways feels a little over the top but since it's not a situation I've been in I don't really know.
It took a long time for the Mark and Anna to get within speaking terms and for most of the book I really couldn't imagine an HEA for them. However, despite my doubts by the time the ending rolled around I was satisfied and even had a bit of a tear in my eye! An added bonus is that there are enough well developed side characters that I was entertained even when Mark and Anna weren't on the page.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-match-made-on-main-street-review.html
This book combines two of my favorite themes - second chance romances and main characters forced into a situation where they must work as a team - and did a good job with it. In both cases it wasn't easy. It took a long time for them to be able to work together and even with they did there were some huge ups and downs.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when characters don't communicate and there's definitely communication issues here but while there were times I was impatient (especially with Anna) it worked. If I had been in Anna's shoes I think I would have reacted in a similar way so I understood her reluctance to trust him and to share. Her reaction in some ways feels a little over the top but since it's not a situation I've been in I don't really know.
It took a long time for the Mark and Anna to get within speaking terms and for most of the book I really couldn't imagine an HEA for them. However, despite my doubts by the time the ending rolled around I was satisfied and even had a bit of a tear in my eye! An added bonus is that there are enough well developed side characters that I was entertained even when Mark and Anna weren't on the page.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-match-made-on-main-street-review.html
thejoyfulbookblogger's review against another edition
5.0
Review originally posted on my blog www.livinglifewithjoy.com
A Match Made on Main Street is the second book in the Briar Creek series. Check out my 5-star review on book 1, Mistletoe on Main Street. This novel picks up with Grace’s sister Anna and her unexplained disinterest to the town’s notorious playboy and bachelor, Mark Hastings. Anna is a strong, confident and very independent woman, until an unexpected tragedy strikes. Anna is forced to accept the support of her tight-knit small-town community to help her back on her feet. Which leads her directly into the kitchen – and possibly the arms – of the last person she wants to spend time with. Throw in a bit of match-making with some interesting date choices and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster!
There were a few important themes threaded throughout the novel; the idea that friendship is the best foundation for true love, trying to live down one’s past, and learning to allow yourself to be vulnerable to love. I liked how Anna and Mark’s friendship was written into the story, from their past to present. It’s important to understand where someone is coming from in order to accept where they are going next in life. Keeping important things below the surface and having a lack of communication is generally a good way to screw-up a relationship. Sometimes people keep things bottled up because they’re too afraid to go after what they want and sometimes they do it because they’re trying to live down their past.
In Mark’s case, he pulls away from Anna because he cared so much for her. He wanted a relationship and a restaurant with her, but didn’t think he could do both. So instead of trying, he pulled away. He didn’t think he could be the man she wanted him to be, so instead of staying and trying, he just ran. It’s sad to think that someone could have such little faith in themselves to get in their own way of allowing themselves to truly love and be loved. But when you’ve been through some really tough times in life, you’re always preparing yourself and trying to protect yourself from letting it ever happen again. Whether it’s in regards to money problems, or being hurt by those you love, it’s difficult to not want to prevent yourself from repeating history. But sometimes it’s the things we do to protect ourselves that end up hurting us worse than we ever thought possible.
The novel also had a small theme of moving on past divorce and getting back into the dating world. It’s sad to see someone love another person that doesn’t deserve them or love them the same way and to be lied to and cheated on. Cheating is never acceptable, and it’s sad that so many women get cheated on by the one person they think they can trust completely. I imagine that this theme will lead us into the third book of the series as we will continue to follow Jane’s story as she searches for love.
A Match Made on Main Street was a wonderful story about life and love that kept me entertained the whole way through. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Memorable Moments:
She’d spent how many years avoiding the very thing she was being asked to do: date. Dating led to falling in love, and falling in love led to heartbreak.
The only person you could depend on in life was yourself. When you were in control of your own path, no one could come along and take it out from under you. At least that’s what she had thought until today.
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
A Match Made on Main Street is the second book in the Briar Creek series. Check out my 5-star review on book 1, Mistletoe on Main Street. This novel picks up with Grace’s sister Anna and her unexplained disinterest to the town’s notorious playboy and bachelor, Mark Hastings. Anna is a strong, confident and very independent woman, until an unexpected tragedy strikes. Anna is forced to accept the support of her tight-knit small-town community to help her back on her feet. Which leads her directly into the kitchen – and possibly the arms – of the last person she wants to spend time with. Throw in a bit of match-making with some interesting date choices and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster!
There were a few important themes threaded throughout the novel; the idea that friendship is the best foundation for true love, trying to live down one’s past, and learning to allow yourself to be vulnerable to love. I liked how Anna and Mark’s friendship was written into the story, from their past to present. It’s important to understand where someone is coming from in order to accept where they are going next in life. Keeping important things below the surface and having a lack of communication is generally a good way to screw-up a relationship. Sometimes people keep things bottled up because they’re too afraid to go after what they want and sometimes they do it because they’re trying to live down their past.
In Mark’s case, he pulls away from Anna because he cared so much for her. He wanted a relationship and a restaurant with her, but didn’t think he could do both. So instead of trying, he pulled away. He didn’t think he could be the man she wanted him to be, so instead of staying and trying, he just ran. It’s sad to think that someone could have such little faith in themselves to get in their own way of allowing themselves to truly love and be loved. But when you’ve been through some really tough times in life, you’re always preparing yourself and trying to protect yourself from letting it ever happen again. Whether it’s in regards to money problems, or being hurt by those you love, it’s difficult to not want to prevent yourself from repeating history. But sometimes it’s the things we do to protect ourselves that end up hurting us worse than we ever thought possible.
The novel also had a small theme of moving on past divorce and getting back into the dating world. It’s sad to see someone love another person that doesn’t deserve them or love them the same way and to be lied to and cheated on. Cheating is never acceptable, and it’s sad that so many women get cheated on by the one person they think they can trust completely. I imagine that this theme will lead us into the third book of the series as we will continue to follow Jane’s story as she searches for love.
A Match Made on Main Street was a wonderful story about life and love that kept me entertained the whole way through. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Memorable Moments:
She’d spent how many years avoiding the very thing she was being asked to do: date. Dating led to falling in love, and falling in love led to heartbreak.
The only person you could depend on in life was yourself. When you were in control of your own path, no one could come along and take it out from under you. At least that’s what she had thought until today.
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
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