First, let's set the mood...
Light a scented candle or two and listen to a special 'Joy of Romance' YouTube music mix I put together in celebration of the blog hop! It's a little eclectic - but fun with a soft, gooey middle.
Speaking of melt-in-your-mouth... I'm WAY late but what better celebration of romance than a review of...
YOU'VE GOT MAIL meets HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE in this delightful novel about a talented chef and the food critic who brings down her restaurant—whose chance meeting turns into a delectable romance of mistaken identities.
In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lou works tirelessly to build her beloved yet struggling French restaurant, Luella’s, into a success. She cheerfully balances her demanding business and even more demanding fiancé…until the morning she discovers him in the buff—with an intern.
Witty yet gruff British transplant Al is keeping himself employed and entertained by writing scathing reviews of local restaurants in the Milwaukee newspaper under a pseudonym. When an anonymous tip sends him to Luella’s, little does he know he’s arrived on the worst day of the chef’s life. The review practically writes itself: underdone fish, scorched sauce, distracted service—he unleashes his worst.
The day that Al’s mean-spirited review of Luella’s runs, the two cross paths in a pub: Lou drowning her sorrows, and Al celebrating his latest publication. As they chat, Al playfully challenges Lou to show him the best of Milwaukee and she’s game—but only if they never discuss work, which Al readily agrees to. As they explore the city’s local delicacies and their mutual attraction, Lou’s restaurant faces closure, while Al’s column gains popularity. It’s only a matter of time before the two fall in love…but when the truth comes out, can Lou overlook the past to chase her future?
Set in the lovely, quirky heart of Wisconsin, THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE is a charming love story of misunderstandings, mistaken identity, and the power of food to bring two people together.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25650078-the-coincidence-of-coconut-cake?ac=1
Review:
First off, it's just light eating a piece of cake (insert your favorite variety here, but for these purposes we'll stick to coconut.) It's attractive and looks mouth-watering, doesn't it? Yes, it's a book I'm talking about - but look at that cover. It's so tempting, but I digress. So your mouth is watering, but first there is that dry coconut providing a weak barrier to that sweet frosting... and then the dam is broken a sweetness is quickly followed by vanilla infused 'happy place' in the form of a bite of wonderful cake. How is that like the book, you may ask? Al is the dry coconut that takes a little time to sweeten. It's worth the wait.
I had trouble putting it down once I started; it really IS like a 90's Meg Ryan romantic comedy movie (in book form) married to a food network show. That's really odd sounding, isn't it? It's like all the warm fuzzies a Meg Ryan movie would give me: the meet-cute, the overly dramatic and emotional moments, the touching makes-your-heart-melt moments... half the time I was reading with the goofiest of silly smiles plastered across my face.
*Sigh* It was good reading. I would highly recommend this as a fun book to take for beach reading or any romance enthusiast. It's on the tame side between the sheets and rich in the flavor of life in Milwaukee and the growing attraction between Lou and Al. Go ahead, give in to temptation, take a bite and see for yourself.
First off, it's just light eating a piece of cake (insert your favorite variety here, but for these purposes we'll stick to coconut.) It's attractive and looks mouth-watering, doesn't it? Yes, it's a book I'm talking about - but look at that cover. It's so tempting, but I digress. So your mouth is watering, but first there is that dry coconut providing a weak barrier to that sweet frosting... and then the dam is broken a sweetness is quickly followed by vanilla infused 'happy place' in the form of a bite of wonderful cake. How is that like the book, you may ask? Al is the dry coconut that takes a little time to sweeten. It's worth the wait.
I had trouble putting it down once I started; it really IS like a 90's Meg Ryan romantic comedy movie (in book form) married to a food network show. That's really odd sounding, isn't it? It's like all the warm fuzzies a Meg Ryan movie would give me: the meet-cute, the overly dramatic and emotional moments, the touching makes-your-heart-melt moments... half the time I was reading with the goofiest of silly smiles plastered across my face.
*Sigh* It was good reading. I would highly recommend this as a fun book to take for beach reading or any romance enthusiast. It's on the tame side between the sheets and rich in the flavor of life in Milwaukee and the growing attraction between Lou and Al. Go ahead, give in to temptation, take a bite and see for yourself.
*Picture of author and bio from 'About Me' section of her website
Amy on Facebook
Amy on Tumblr
Amy on Goodreads
Amy Reichert earned her MA in Literature from Marquette University, and honed her writing and editing skills as a technical writer (which is exactly as exciting as it sounds). As a newly minted member of the local library board, she loves helping readers find new books to love. She’s a life-long Wisconsin resident with (allegedly) a very noticeable accent, a patient husband, and two too-smart-for-their-own-good kids. When time allows, she loves to read, collect more cookbooks than she could possibly use, and test the limits of her DVR.
Be sure to check out ALL the stops on the blog hop
- and don't miss out on your chance for giveaways and all kinds of goodies!
