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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
This was a cute story. It was a little predictable but it was sweet. I liked the baking competition backstory. I could see this as a TV movie.
I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed.
Kelly and Andrew...Kelly. and. Andrew.
Honestly, two of my favorite characters that I've ever read about. Kelly is a woman that opened up her own bakery in her small town. Andrew and her were engaged, but when the opportunity arose for him to stay in Paris after training in cooking, it ends. When Andrew comes back to town and they see each other for the first time, you can just FEEL the electricity through every single page turn.
There were times in this novel where I thought I knew what was going to happen, but then I was thrown for a loop! Most slow burn, come back to small town, meet again after a long time usually have similar stories, but I'm so glad that this was different. It made me like it THAT much more.
Also, this story is something I've never really read before. I loved the fact that things were out there, but also secretive. Nancy Naigle did such a good job of keeping the reader on their toes.
This is my first Hallmark Publishing novel as well as my first Nancy Naigle novel. I am so happy that I loved it as much as I did. Nancy Naigle will definitely be put on my list to read ALL of her books.
Lastly, when reading this, you get sucked in to all of the wonderful recipes. Nancy Naigle did a wonderful job giving so much detail about the cakes and desserts that I could close my eyes and picture them being made right in front of me. I can't wait to read more!
Kelly and Andrew...Kelly. and. Andrew.
Honestly, two of my favorite characters that I've ever read about. Kelly is a woman that opened up her own bakery in her small town. Andrew and her were engaged, but when the opportunity arose for him to stay in Paris after training in cooking, it ends. When Andrew comes back to town and they see each other for the first time, you can just FEEL the electricity through every single page turn.
There were times in this novel where I thought I knew what was going to happen, but then I was thrown for a loop! Most slow burn, come back to small town, meet again after a long time usually have similar stories, but I'm so glad that this was different. It made me like it THAT much more.
Also, this story is something I've never really read before. I loved the fact that things were out there, but also secretive. Nancy Naigle did such a good job of keeping the reader on their toes.
This is my first Hallmark Publishing novel as well as my first Nancy Naigle novel. I am so happy that I loved it as much as I did. Nancy Naigle will definitely be put on my list to read ALL of her books.
Lastly, when reading this, you get sucked in to all of the wonderful recipes. Nancy Naigle did a wonderful job giving so much detail about the cakes and desserts that I could close my eyes and picture them being made right in front of me. I can't wait to read more!
Such a sweet romance story. I’m a sucker for cheesy Hallmark books and movies, but this one that centers around a pastry competition made it even more appealing.
I’m fairly new to Nancy Naigle’s work, having only read one other book by her. But, that said, let me tell you this: she is amazing! Having the chance to read this delicious novel was so fun! I loved her writing style, the hope and the characters that are woven together, all of it! It was a phenomenal read!
Andrew and Kelly’s characters were awesome. I loved the way they were chiseled, and seeing them interact together really played out like it was a movie on the Hallmark channel. I truly love when a book can do that!
Andrew’s character was my favorite. I loved how he developed throughout the story, and seeing how things were when he returned home. Though I’ll be honest. I wasn’t sure what to think of his breaking their engagement and traveling away. I wanted to shake him! But, I also saw how it needed to be like that to full feel the emotions of these awesome characters, to fully understand that it needed to be done so he could understand his true feelings.
This is most definitely a 4 star novel that I should high praises to. Andrew and Kelly needed just one thing from Naigle for this book……just one secret ingredient……..and she did it beautifully! Well done, Naigle. This is a keeper book on my shelf and I can’t wait to read more of your work!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Andrew and Kelly’s characters were awesome. I loved the way they were chiseled, and seeing them interact together really played out like it was a movie on the Hallmark channel. I truly love when a book can do that!
Andrew’s character was my favorite. I loved how he developed throughout the story, and seeing how things were when he returned home. Though I’ll be honest. I wasn’t sure what to think of his breaking their engagement and traveling away. I wanted to shake him! But, I also saw how it needed to be like that to full feel the emotions of these awesome characters, to fully understand that it needed to be done so he could understand his true feelings.
This is most definitely a 4 star novel that I should high praises to. Andrew and Kelly needed just one thing from Naigle for this book……just one secret ingredient……..and she did it beautifully! Well done, Naigle. This is a keeper book on my shelf and I can’t wait to read more of your work!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
I'm addicted to Hallmark Books because they always make feel good. This book was no exception!
It was engaging, entertaining and fun to read.
I loved the plot, the cast of characters and the setting.
It's the perfect book for a cozy winter afternoon.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Hallmark Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC
It was engaging, entertaining and fun to read.
I loved the plot, the cast of characters and the setting.
It's the perfect book for a cozy winter afternoon.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Hallmark Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC
Kelly McIntyre and Andrew York had everything going for them— engaged and with plans to open a restaurant. However, when Andrew is offered the chance to study with a pastry chef in Paris, he can’t resist, and the two drift apart. Seven years later, Kelly’s on top of the world with her own bakery that’s so successful she’s offered the chance to compete on a televised baking competition. She’s so focused on her new life that she almost doesn’t care when Andrew waltzes back into town. Almost. They won’t be able to avoid each other forever, though, as Andrew’s also been chosen to compete.
Considering Kelly runs a bakery, it’s no surprise that cakes are mentioned repeatedly. One that plays a pivotal role is a Triple-Layer Honey Almond Cake— a mouthwatering confection that everybody wants a slice of. That cake is a lot like this book. Sweet and rich, but with a ton of depth. And sure, with so many layers, one slice would be enough, but author Nancy Naigle has provided a generous slab with plenty for leftovers.
The characters are completely charming. Kelly is talented and determined, but she also has a playful nature that can only come from someone who perfects sweets all day long. Interestingly, Naigle has crafted Andrew in much the same way. They do have differences, but on the page they read as a perfect pair. This works. Even though it should be easy to dislike Andrew for leaving Kelly, it’s nearly impossible since they’re obvious matches.
This leads to some of the richest layers of the story. Kelly and Andrew had different ideas for obtaining their same high school dream, and it results in the complicated mess of their relationship as the book begins. Their eventual growth, especially for Andrew, stems from not only reconciling their past, but also considering their present. Both appear to be outwardly triumphant in their culinary professions, but Naigle has some insightful comments on dreams and what it actually means to achieve success.
The story does take some time getting to the cooking competition. The bulk of the action takes place in their hometown in North Carolina. Naigle is an expert on crafting idyllic tiny towns, and this one is no exception. It helps carry the plot as Kelly and Andrew stumble into each other again and again, the small size easily forcing them into situations where they’re in close proximity. Of course, it’s populated with a cast of fun supporting characters who are enthused at the prospect of the two ending up together.
However, once the story gets to the cooking competition, it’s a race to the finish. There’s a complete shift of pace, marking a total change from life in the sleepy town to the hustle and bustle of New York City. There also are a ton of fun surprises. Naigle is a master of telegraphing information to the reader that will surely lead to a collision for the main characters at some point. She writes with a wink.
Simply put, The Secret Ingredient is a wonderful treat.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Considering Kelly runs a bakery, it’s no surprise that cakes are mentioned repeatedly. One that plays a pivotal role is a Triple-Layer Honey Almond Cake— a mouthwatering confection that everybody wants a slice of. That cake is a lot like this book. Sweet and rich, but with a ton of depth. And sure, with so many layers, one slice would be enough, but author Nancy Naigle has provided a generous slab with plenty for leftovers.
The characters are completely charming. Kelly is talented and determined, but she also has a playful nature that can only come from someone who perfects sweets all day long. Interestingly, Naigle has crafted Andrew in much the same way. They do have differences, but on the page they read as a perfect pair. This works. Even though it should be easy to dislike Andrew for leaving Kelly, it’s nearly impossible since they’re obvious matches.
This leads to some of the richest layers of the story. Kelly and Andrew had different ideas for obtaining their same high school dream, and it results in the complicated mess of their relationship as the book begins. Their eventual growth, especially for Andrew, stems from not only reconciling their past, but also considering their present. Both appear to be outwardly triumphant in their culinary professions, but Naigle has some insightful comments on dreams and what it actually means to achieve success.
The story does take some time getting to the cooking competition. The bulk of the action takes place in their hometown in North Carolina. Naigle is an expert on crafting idyllic tiny towns, and this one is no exception. It helps carry the plot as Kelly and Andrew stumble into each other again and again, the small size easily forcing them into situations where they’re in close proximity. Of course, it’s populated with a cast of fun supporting characters who are enthused at the prospect of the two ending up together.
However, once the story gets to the cooking competition, it’s a race to the finish. There’s a complete shift of pace, marking a total change from life in the sleepy town to the hustle and bustle of New York City. There also are a ton of fun surprises. Naigle is a master of telegraphing information to the reader that will surely lead to a collision for the main characters at some point. She writes with a wink.
Simply put, The Secret Ingredient is a wonderful treat.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
lighthearted
medium-paced
I received this ARC from the publisher through Netgalley. The review is my own.
I loved this sweet book! I wish there had been more interactions between the love interests. But, I loved really getting to know them and their inner workings independently of each other. Gray was my favorite part of the book!
This was my first book by the author and I can't wait to read more.
I loved this sweet book! I wish there had been more interactions between the love interests. But, I loved really getting to know them and their inner workings independently of each other. Gray was my favorite part of the book!
This was my first book by the author and I can't wait to read more.
I'm addicted to Hallmark Books because they always make feel good. This book was no exception!
It was engaging, entertaining and fun to read.
I loved the plot, the cast of characters and the setting.
It's the perfect book for a cozy winter afternoon.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Hallmark Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC
It was engaging, entertaining and fun to read.
I loved the plot, the cast of characters and the setting.
It's the perfect book for a cozy winter afternoon.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Hallmark Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC
Almost a decade ago, Kelly McIntyre and Andrew York were happily engaged, with big dreams to one day open a restaurant together in the small town they loved so much. When Andrew suddenly jumps at the chance to study under a pastry chef in Paris, he leaves Kelly behind faster than you can say "Michelin Star."
Fast-forwarding to today, Kelly has not only opened the bakery of her dreams in her hometown, but her brand is growing so quickly that she's asked to participate in her favourite baking show in New York City. And the timing is perfect, because Andrew has mysteriously popped back into town for the first time in seven years, and she could really use a distraction.
Andrew can't believe how quickly his feelings for Kelly have come rushing back. When he finds out he's going to be competing against Kelly in the Valentines Day bake-off, he wonders how he got so far off track from the life he imagined for himself.
My musings
I really got a sense of Kelly and Andrew and their families. I understand why they made the decisions they did in their younger years, and I like that we got to see them blossom from young people into mature adults with more at stake. With that being said, I don't find it totally believable that someone has close to his family as Andrew is wouldn't make the time to come back even once in seven years. It sounds as though he and his sister, Dawn, have a really close relationship, and for him to have been gone since they were practically just out of high school means he probably missed some pretty important life events. I also feel like Dawn could have been fleshed out a little bit more to make the crux of the story seem more natural. Despite those little holes, however, there were bits that kept creeping in that surprised me and kept me entertained from beginning to end.
While I liked the fact that the story took place in both Kelly's and Andrew's perspectives, I was disappointed that the bake-off only began in the final third of the book. One of the reasons I was drawn to the book was because of the reality TV element, and even though I found the portion that was depicted was well done, I was longing for more. The love story was satisfying (it truly is a love story more than a romance, in my opinion), and the other relationships in the novel were nicely wrapped at the story's conclusion.
Nancy Naigle has a writing style that I don't normally get to see in typical romance novels—she really takes the time to describe the surroundings and mention tiny details that put me right in the story. When we were taken to The Bake Factory, I could picture everything from the decor to what the staff was wearing, and I could see important aspects of Bailey's Fork and why Kelly would want to build her life there. I really appreciated these details and it is one of the main reasons I kept powering through the pages, asking for more. And the bonus recipe at the end of the book is a really nice touch.
4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for the advanced copy.
This review will be posted on my blog, The Modest Reader, on January 28th at 10 a.m.
Fast-forwarding to today, Kelly has not only opened the bakery of her dreams in her hometown, but her brand is growing so quickly that she's asked to participate in her favourite baking show in New York City. And the timing is perfect, because Andrew has mysteriously popped back into town for the first time in seven years, and she could really use a distraction.
Andrew can't believe how quickly his feelings for Kelly have come rushing back. When he finds out he's going to be competing against Kelly in the Valentines Day bake-off, he wonders how he got so far off track from the life he imagined for himself.
My musings
I really got a sense of Kelly and Andrew and their families. I understand why they made the decisions they did in their younger years, and I like that we got to see them blossom from young people into mature adults with more at stake. With that being said, I don't find it totally believable that someone has close to his family as Andrew is wouldn't make the time to come back even once in seven years. It sounds as though he and his sister, Dawn, have a really close relationship, and for him to have been gone since they were practically just out of high school means he probably missed some pretty important life events. I also feel like Dawn could have been fleshed out a little bit more to make the crux of the story seem more natural. Despite those little holes, however, there were bits that kept creeping in that surprised me and kept me entertained from beginning to end.
While I liked the fact that the story took place in both Kelly's and Andrew's perspectives, I was disappointed that the bake-off only began in the final third of the book. One of the reasons I was drawn to the book was because of the reality TV element, and even though I found the portion that was depicted was well done, I was longing for more. The love story was satisfying (it truly is a love story more than a romance, in my opinion), and the other relationships in the novel were nicely wrapped at the story's conclusion.
Nancy Naigle has a writing style that I don't normally get to see in typical romance novels—she really takes the time to describe the surroundings and mention tiny details that put me right in the story. When we were taken to The Bake Factory, I could picture everything from the decor to what the staff was wearing, and I could see important aspects of Bailey's Fork and why Kelly would want to build her life there. I really appreciated these details and it is one of the main reasons I kept powering through the pages, asking for more. And the bonus recipe at the end of the book is a really nice touch.
4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing for the advanced copy.
This review will be posted on my blog, The Modest Reader, on January 28th at 10 a.m.