How to Bake the Perfect Cake By: Gina Henning

Book Description:

Don't miss the brilliant second book in the 'Home for the Holidays' series from Gina Hennings. This Christmas won't be complete with some Christmas Cake!

 

The Home for the Holidays series:

Book 1 - How to Bake the Perfect Pecan Pie
Book 2 - How to Bake the Perfect Christmas Cake
Book 3 - Coming just in time for the 4th of July!

 

 

Title:  How to Bake the Perfect Christmas Cake

By: Gina Henning

Publisher:  Carina

Home for the Holidays Book # 2

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  5

Review:

 

"How To Bake the Perfect Christmas Cake"

 

 



What I liked about this novel......

 

This was this author's second series...with her first being about Thanksgiving and this one is about Christmas.  This is a standalone read however, to get it all I would suggest your read the first series too.  This heartwarming story was mainly about Jack and Lauren but there was also Lauren's (Hauser) family, her best friend and Jack's aunt and the cat George.  Put them all together and this author gives the reader a well written story that will keep you reading until the end. This love interest that seems to be picking up with Jack and Lauren after he gives her a explanation of his no show at the airport.  How far will this go? Be ready for elf costumes, sibling rivalry and some good food.    The reader will be taken right up to the end and this is where I say that you will have top pick up the good read to see how this author will present it all to the reader.  This author does a good job in giving the  reader a festive romantic Christmas love story.  I loved how Jack gave Lauren a gift each day  portraying  the twelve days of Christmas! It may have been a crazy holiday season for Lauren and Jack but in  the end the reader will be one unforgettable  memorable Christmas holiday with their families.   Would I recommend "How to Bake the Perfect Christmas Cake?"  YES!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 







 



 

A Yorkshire Christmas By: Kate Hewitt

Title:  A Yorshire Christmas
Author:  Kate Hewitt
Publisher:  Tule Publisher
Series:  Christmas Around the World # 2
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:

"A Yorkshire Christmas" by Kate Hewitt

Book Description....

"Wealthy New York City girl Claire Lindell isn’t looking for a Christmas miracle or happiness when she abruptly decides to hole up for the holiday at her godmother’s cottage in a little Yorkshire village, and lick her wounds from a near disastrous romantic decision.
After her car skids into a snow bank, Claire may have accidently found her perfect Christmas and the family and love she’s craved when she offers Noah Bradford of Ayesgill Farm help to push the back end of one of his sheep out of the icy mud, even if she’s going to ruin a brand new pair of Prada boots during the rescue.

What’s a little leather when love’s on the line?"

What I liked about this novel....

This was a very good holiday romance  about three people to form into a family during this Christmas holiday.  Although Claire Lindell (city girl) was well off ,  but sad after something had happened   and with no  happy memories when it came to the Christmas  holidays  she decides to spend this holiday in England  at her Godmother's cottage all by herself.  However,  after Claire's  car breaks down and she meets  Noah Bradford  who was a sheep farmer who had a daughter named Molly.  Will things change for them?   This is were this story will take off and this author presents to the reader a awesome emotional well written story where there will be  Christmas magic that these three (Claire, Noah and Molly) will end up spending the Christmas holiday together.  How did this come about?   Will this last after this wonderful holiday?  This is where I say you will have to pick up "A Yorkshire Christmas" to see how this author brings it all out to the reader.  I will say it was  captivating seeing Claire and Noah open up to each other. Wow!

I liked the presentation of the characters  who were so well developed, real and believable.  This is definitely one of those quick reads that has lots of love and  imagination  that will put a smile on your face in this wonderful Christmas love. 

Just in Time for Christmas By: Kim Boykin

Book Description....

Nobody does Christmas like Miranda Hamilton, and now that she finally has her chance to chair Magnolia Bay's tree lighting and the cotillion, which benefits her late mother’s breast cancer foundation, this Christmas is shaping up to be the best ever. That is until her childhood nemesis Logan Mauldin buys his way on her committee and starts making plans of his own.

Logan Mauldin loves to get under Miranda's very sexy skin, and it's only fair. She's been getting under his since long before their first kiss at 13. Logan’s the last man interested in co-chairing a Christmas committee or participating in a sexy bachelor auction, but since that night he interrupted Miranda on a date and cornered her under the mistletoe, he can't stop thinking about her. Or vying for her attention and bugging the hell out of her.

Christmas cheer isn’t the only thing that heats up between the Miranda and Logan, but, thanks to a lie that is as much her fault as it is his, he loses the woman he’s loved since forever. Logan will need a Christmas miracle for Miranda to forgive him. A grand gesture to melt her heart and win her back just in time for Christmas.

 

Title:  Just In Time For Christmas

Author:  Kim Boykin

Publisher: Tule Publisher

Series:  Southern Born Christmas #2

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: 5

Review:

 

"Just In Time For Christmas"

 

 







What I liked about this novel.....

This was a wonderful captivating  Christmas story that  was second in this author's series that I really enjoyed reading,   The way this author was able to bring out Magnolia Bay's  history along  with its Christmas traditions was really very interesting read.  "Just In Time For Christmas"  was a very entertaining story that had a lots of humor that greatly added to the story.  What will happen when these two main characters Miranda and Logan have to work together in the Christmas Cotillion fundraising project? There seems to have been  a love hate relationship between these two since childhood.  Why was this?  Well, you will have to pick up the good read to see how this author will bring it all out to the reader.  Was Logan now  having feeling for Miranda after all of this time?  Will Christmas bring these two together?   I liked how this author was able to give the reader one amazing read with such heartwarming and entertaining characters that you will not want to put the novel down until you are finished seeing how maybe fairy tales could come true?   All that is left to say is after reading this novel you will want to visit  Magnolia Bay at Christmas time.

Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe By: Rebecca Raisin

 

Title:  Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe
Author:  Rebecca Raisin
Publisher:  Carina UK
Series:  The Gingerbread Cafe # 3
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating:  5
Review:

"Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe" by Rebecca Raisin

Book Description...

"You are invited to the wedding of the year!

Snow is falling thick and fast outside the Gingerbread Café and inside, its owner Lily is planning the wedding of the year. Her wedding! She never dreamt it would happen, but this Christmas, she’ll be marrying the man of her dreams - in a Christmas-card-perfect ceremony!

The gingerbread is baking, the dress is fitted and the mistletoe’s in place – for once, everything’s going to plan. That is until her mother-in-law arrives... Suddenly, Lily’s famous cool is being tested like never before and her dream wedding is crumbling before her eyes.

In the blink of a fairy light, the Gingerbread Café has been thrown into chaos! Lily thought she had this wedding wrapped up, but with so much to do before she says ‘I do’, can Lily get to the church on time – and make this Christmas sparkle after all?"

What I enjoyed about the novel....

This was a wonderful sweet enjoyable beautiful romance that finally come to a end after a year in Ashford. Now, Lily and Damon are finally getting  their Christmas Eve wedding that they wanted being full of their dream of hugs,  love and wow.... a friendship. 

I loved how this author was able to give the reader a beautiful story that leads up to the wedding of Lil and Damon.  There will be the meeting of the parents, a wedding cake fiasco, almost a short wedding dress, illness of a friend, wired actions of the future soon mother in law, some tears to name a few things that will go on as the wedding is coming together.  And let's not leave out the wonderful chocolate gingerbread sweets that are flowing all through the read.  The characters were simply off the chart so well developed, well rounded, well portrayed, colorful and believable which made this story such a fascinating read. 

I don't want to tell anymore  of the well written read other than to say you must pick up this enjoyable novel of "Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe."  Since this is the third series, I would suggest you read the first one....then the second one and then this one in that order.  However, this can be a stand alone read but if you read them all you will really get an enjoyable series by this author. I will say once you start reading from this authors novels  you will find it hard to put down until the end.  In the end you will be left wanting more from the amazing author. 

Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe By: Rebecca Raisin

 

Title:  Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe
Author:  Rebecca Raisin
Publisher:  Carina UK
Series: The Gingerbread Cafe # 2
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating:  5
Review:

"Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe" by Rebecca Raisin

Book Description...

"Chocolate…the most irresistible temptation?

The Gingerbread Café is all a buzz! This Easter, Lily and the rest of the town of Ashford, Connecticut are planning a truly decadent Chocolate Festival. Cooking up a storm, CeeCee and Lily are not just baking a batch of their sinfully delicious chocolate-dipped gingerbread men, but an excess of chocolate truffles, squidgy, cinnamony hot cross buns and melt in your mouth chocolate eggs. The Gingerbread Café staff have definitely enjoyed the tasting process!

Add in Damon’s cute-as-a-button seven year old daughter, Charlie, up for a visit and Lily’s perfect Easter may just be around the corner. Until her ex-husband Joel turns up demanding twenty thousand dollars… Suddenly the future of the Gingerbread Café is not so clear…and Lily finds herself eating far more of The Gingerbread Café’s treats than her skinny jeans allow…

Can Lily concoct a brilliant plan to save her beloved café, convince Damon she has no feelings for Joel and still throw a Chocolate Festival the town will be talking about for years? There’s only one way to find out...

Welcome back to the warmth, cupcakes and hot chocolate of The Gingerbread Café – your home away from home

This is the second novella in The Gingerbread Café series

Christmas at the Gingerbread Café

Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Café

Coming Christmas 2014 look out for the next romantic installment!

What I liked about this novel....

I found this sequel  a very short fast paced  sweet romantic read that was simply delicious from start to finish. Truly this author knows how to deliver so well a story with just the perfect drama that comes together so well in this amazing good story in this small town of Ashford, Connecticut.  I love how you are made to feel as  if I were there  in the story eating those delicious  sweets and I also love this authors vivid descriptions of it all.

 As you read though this novel  one can easily see that Lily has finally found love but there  will be some trials for her to go through from her ex.  How will she handle this situation?  I loved how Damon and her friend Cee Cee who are their for Lily  if she needed anything and wow what a friend Cee Cee was!  This was absolutely beautifully done.  Now, to get it all you must pick up this wonderful read and see for yourself how this author brings it all out to the reader.  I loved the characters who were simply off the chart...well developed, well portrayed, resilient, colorful, strong,  real, and believable giving us a read that made it seem like they came alive on the pages.  As you can tell I simply love this novel and yes I would definitely recommend "Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe."

What I also loved about this novel...

I thought the ending was simply beautiful leaving the reader wanting to know what's coming in the next novel and  oh it's... 'Christmas Wedding at the  Gingerbread Cafe.'