Tuesday, August 11, 2015

"love takes the cake" by besty st. amant

When Charlotte, a gun-shy single mom, becomes attracted to one of the customers at her bakery, she's sure her crush is "safe"--after all, the guy buys cookies for another woman each time he stops in. But when she learns that the "other woman" isn't who she seems, will Charlotte be open to risking her heart for a chance at happiness?

Meet the people who make it all happen—the planners, the photographers, the musicians who have helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples—as they find their own happy endings in the second Year of Weddings novella collection. 

She’s known for her delicious cakes, but there’s no recipe for dealing with the new man in her life. Charlotte owns the best bakery in Louisiana, and clients come from near and far for her renowned wedding cakes. And while the wedding scene is Charlotte’s place to shine, her own love life is more dull than ever. After a string of failed relationships—and men who actually were too good to be true—she has decided to throw herself into her craft and leave love and marriage to her clients. 


Will is a successful entrepreneur but devotes much of his spare time to caring for his sister. He deeply regrets his past mistakes, so he has done everything he can to guard his heart from relationships. And what girl would understand that he needs to spend all his time with his sister? But when his best friend calls in his help for his September wedding, Will can’t refuse. He's always been there for those closest to him. And when he finds out they don’t have a wedding cake yet, he knows exactly where to go—the bakery owned by the beautiful, mysterious young woman he buys treats from. 

Charlotte assumes Will is just another party boy who flirts with all the bridesmaids. But is Will hiding something that explains his behavior? And despite their reservations, will they be able to deny the chemistry between them?

In Love Takes the Cake, Charlotte and Will sort of stutter-step toward a relationship. She swore off charismatic, attractive men after being duped by her ex. He doesn't feel worthy of a good relationship, due to his past mistakes.

While Charlotte and Will's holdups could become annoying, St. Amant wrote the characters in such a way that their reservations were perfectly understandable. And the two certainly had chemistry, which made the novella that much more fun to read!

Sometimes novellas feel rushed or incomplete, but Love Takes the Cake was really the perfect length. The leads are well developed, and many of the supporting characters feel fully fleshed out, as well. (And can we please get a story about Will's sister Melissa next? I would absolutely love to read her love story!)

Love Takes the Cake is the fourth Besty St. Amant novel or novella that I've read, and I've enjoyed each one. She's definitely become a must-read author for me! 4-1/2 stars.

Buy the novella.
Read my reviews of St. Amant's A February Bride (4 stars), All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes (5 stars), and Love Arrives in Pieces (4-1/2 stars).
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.

Betsy St. Amant lives in Louisiana with her young daughter and has a heart for sharing the amazing news of God's grace through her novels. A freelance journalist, Betsy is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she's not reading, writing, or singing along to a Disney soundtrack with her daughter, Betsy enjoys inspirational speaking and teaching on the craft of writing.

Find Betsy online: website, Facebook


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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