Book Reviews

Much Ado About A Latte by Kathleen Fuller

About the Book

Title: Much Ado About A Latte
Series: Maple Falls Romance #2
Author: Kathleen Fuller
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: January 4, 2022

A coffee war is brewing in Maple Falls, where Anita and Tanner are serving up plenty of steam to keep the town buzzing.

Anita Bedford needs to face reality. It’s time to decaffeinate the dream that she and Tanner will ever be more than friends. Growing up in small-town Maple Falls, she’s had a crush on Tanner for years. But he’ll only ever see her as good, old, dependable Anita. Now she’s finally ready to make her own goals a reality. In fact, that deserted building next door to Sunshine Diner looks like a promising location to open her own cafe.

Tanner Castillo may know how to operate a diner, but he doesn’t know beans about love. After pouring his life savings into buying the Sunshine Diner, he needs to keep his mind on making a success of it and supporting his widowed mother, not on kissing Anita Bedford. First order of business: improve his customers’ coffee experience. Then he should probably find out who bought the building next door . . .

It’s a bitter cup to swallow when ambition turns longtime friends and coworkers Anita and Tanner into rivals. Now that they own competing businesses, how could they ever compete for each other’s hearts? Or will the two of them come to see what’s obvious to the whole, quirky town of Maple Falls: potential for a full-roast romance, with an extra splash of dream?

Welcome to Maple Falls, where everyone knows your name and has thoughts on your love life.

Purchase your copy here: Amazon


About the Author

With over a million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, and the Amish Letters series as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield.

Connect with her online: KathleenFuller.com | Facebook: @WriterKathleenFuller | Twitter: @TheKatJam | Instagram: @kf_booksandhooks


My Review

Much Ado About A Latte
Book 2 in the Maple Falls series
by Kathleen Fuller
Rating: 4/5

Returning to Maple Falls is always a treat and it was fun to see some characters from the first book in the series. You don’t need to read the first book but I’d definitely recommend it. Kathleen Fuller has created such a fun and quirky small town that just screams to be explored more and more. As the main characters interact with familiar characters, you can feel the love the townsfolk have for each other.

As for the main characters, Anita Bedford and Tanner Castillo, they were fun people to get to know and root for. Their chemistry was swoon-worthy and seemingly noticeable to everyone but themselves. Unrequited love is not an easy thing to experience but it was nice seeing the growth the characters go through. Anita’s learning disability was an obstacle that she had to work through on top of her insecurities with her parents. The reader can also tell why Anita likes Tanner so much.

The writing is well done. The characters are endearing. The writer briefly mentions some thoughts about faith but it’s fairly subtle. All in all, a solid story full of small town charm and unrequited love.

Highly recommend if you enjoy clean romance with fun characters living in a small town full of interesting people.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.


Also Available

Read my review of Hooked on You here.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: An Accidental Romance by Karen Tuft

About the Book

Title: An Accidental Romance
Series: The Jennings Family
Author: Karen Tuft
Genre: Regency Romance
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: December 6, 2021

Rebecca Jennings’s first London Season has been absolutely ruined, and one person alone is responsible: Mr. Ben Fortescue. If her new neighbor hadn’t startled her, she would never have broken her ankle, leaving her bored and frustrated at home in the country while her sister enters the London Season alone. Although, it was rather gallant of him to carry her home . . .

For his part, Ben feels terrible about the role he played in Miss Rebecca Jennings’s accident. In the days that follow their first disastrous meeting, he finds himself inexorably drawn to the surprising young woman—first out of guilt and then out of a stirring affection. But Ben hides a secret: he has not been completely forthright about his identity or about the dark secrets of his past that would make it impossible for romance to blossom with Miss Jennings. Despite his love for her, he knows he must let her go.

With her ankle finally healed but her heart now broken, Rebecca is left with little choice but to throw herself into the Season. With eligible men circling this late addition to the Marriage Mart, it seems that Rebecca will have no shortage of suitors. If only her heart were free to give.

Purchase your copy here: Amazon | B&N | Deseret


About the Author

Karen Tuft was born with a healthy dose of curiosity about pretty much everything, so as a child she taught herself to read and play the piano. She studied composition at BYU then graduated from the University of Utah in music theory as a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda honor societies. In addition to being an author, Karen is a wife, mother, pianist, composer, and arranger. She has spent countless hours backstage and in orchestra pits for theater productions along the Wasatch Front. She also has a 75 percent success rate when it comes to matchmaking and is a big believer in happy endings. Among her varied interests, she likes to figure out what makes people tick, wander through museums, and travel—whether by car, plane, or paperback.

Connect with Karen: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads | Bookbub


My Review

An Accidental Romance
by Karen Tuft
Book 3 in the Jennings Family series
Rating: 4/5

As someone who has never read anything from Karen Tuft before, I was delighted by this sweet romance that has many similarities to Jane Austen and her commentary on society at the time. I found the story refreshing and beautifully written. I now need to go back and read the first two books in the series. However, I was able to read this book as a standalone. The author provides some family trees in the beginning to help keep track of characters but I honestly found it unnecessary to refer back to it.

Rebecca Jennings is a sweet young lady whose dreams of her first season “out” in London society are crushed when she fractures her ankle due to an accidental encounter with her new neighbor, Mr. Ben Fortescue, the Earl of Winton. Ben is a widower with a young baby girl who is trying to hide away from society. The characters have some great interactions and some electric chemistry together. The author creates a story where her characters can grow and maybe even fall in love.

Highly recommend if you enjoy clean, sweet romance with some Jane Austen flair.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.


Also Available in this Series


Follow Along on the Blog Tour

December 6
Timeless Novels
LDS and Lovin’ It

December 7
Heidi Reads
Lisa is a Bookworm

December 8
Holly’s Book Corner
Book Confessions

December 9
Reading with Emily
@rachel.fox.14224
Getting Your Read On

December 10
Books Are Sanity
My Book A Day
Life Is What It’s Called
Empower Moms

December 11
Why Not? Because I Said So
Inside the Wong Mind

December 15
Julie Coulter – LDS Writer & Mom


Tour Giveaway

WIN a PAPERBACK copy of An Accidental Romance by Karen Tuft

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Entwined by Jody Hedlund

About the Book

Title: Entwined
Series: Knights of Brethren #2
Author: Jody Hedlund
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Northern Lights Press
Release Date: December 7, 2021

During a time when legends were born . . .

ENTWINED

A princess cursed from birth, a loyal knight worthy of being king, and a sword that can determine their destiny.

After growing up on a remote farm, Lis learns she is the rightful heir to the throne of Norvegia. Even as she does her part to thwart a dangerous plot against the king, she resists pursuing her new identity and resigns herself to a simple life helping her elderly father with their farm.

With the king losing his mind, Sir Ansgar, the highest knight in the land, is desperate to save the sovereign he’s sworn to protect. But before Ansgar can uncover what is causing the king’s demise, he finds himself falsely accused of treason and dismissed from court.

In danger of losing his life, Ansgar takes refuge on Lis’s farm. Love soon blossoms between Ansgar and Lis, even as they realize a future together is impossible. Yet they must unite to save the kingdom from ever-growing forces of evil. Are their destinies entwined? Or will they be ripped apart forever?

The real story of Excalibur continues . . .

Purchase your copy here or read on Kindle Unlimited


About the Author

No 15

Jody Hedlund is the author of over thirty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Connect with Jody: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bookbub | Goodreads


My Review

Entwined
by Jody Hedlund
Book 2 in the Knights of Brethren series
Rating: 4/5

“Everything about him was engaging—his determination to protect the king, his effortless way of conversing, his intelligence and wit, his strong and compelling presence.”

I just flew through this story and enjoyed every moment. The chemistry between lost Princess Lis and Sir Ansgar was so apparent even Red recognized it before the two humans. I was excited to read more in this series and the author did not disappoint. The characters are further developed and it was fun to see my literary “friends” again. Though you could probably read this story as a standalone, it would make a little bit more sense if you read the previous book, Enamored, first. I believe this series will be four books total and I will be reading more in this series.

“The greatest honor a man can experience is dying to himself and living for a greater cause.”

The author’s characters and settings are so well done and the loose retelling of the King Arthur world is beautiful. This story was such a fun escape into Arthurian times but also included some faith aspects which I found appropriate and not forced. Lis must come to grips with her past and her heritage. Ansgar must deal with accusations of treason while trying to protect the king. As frustrating as villains are, the author does a great job with developing her villains and setting up the next books.

“One can never gain something truly valuable without sacrifice.”

Highly recommend for those that enjoy an explosive love story with dragons, bargains, and the magic of the real Excalibur!

Content: Clean read with some violence and action scenes.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.


Also Available

Read my review of Enamored here.