Marie E. Bast

The Amish Baker’s Rival by Marie E. Bast is a heartwarming Amish novel. Rival bakers, a baking contest with a large prize, and man wanting to learn about his grandparents make for an entertaining story. I thought the story was well-written with steady pacing. It contains good characters with little Emily stealing the show. We get to see the characters develop as the book progresses. The rivalry between Noah and Mary provided a great way for the characters to interact. The romance slowly builds throughout the book which I like. This is a nice clean, wholesome story. Noah wants to find out about his Amish roots and Mary assists him. The information is slowly dispersed throughout the story. It kept me turning the pages because I wanted the full story regarding the Miller family. Reading The Amish Baker’s Rival is a delightful way to spend an afternoon. I enjoyed reading this lighthearted Amish tale and I appreciated the epilogue which nicely wrapped up the book. I look forward to reading Marie E. Bast’s next Amish story. The Amish Baker’s Rival is a meet-cute Amish tale with bountiful baked goods, contest competitiveness, a sizable prize, a bothered bishop, a grumpy grandfather, and two tenacious bakers.… (more)

Sometimes a little sweetness is just what you want when you pick up a novel. I know when I read an Amish novel I am in for tidy tale of family, community and love. Yes most of them have an overarching religious theme but even this cynical atheist can enjoy the stories for what they are; tales of kindness and love with a morality play at their center. Sometimes it’s just what a reader needs as a brain cleanser, ya know?

In this story we meet Mary who runs the bakery in her town. She is getting over a broken heart as the man she thought she was meant to be married to has left the faith and her. When a big supermarket open across from her that offers baked good she is concerned for her livelihood. But as she gets to know the man who owns the store – and his sister – she finds herself feeling things she should not feel for an outsider.

Noah wants to find his roots which is why he is opening his store where it is but little does he know he is finding so much more than his family’s past. As he gets to know Mary and the rest of the community he finds what has been missing in his life. But will he be able to fit in?

This was a fast and very satisfying Amish story. I do so enjoy novels of this ilk as they are a gentle read and take to a very calm place. The characters are gentle and the romance is sweet. Of course the fact that this one has baking involved certainly didn’t hurt in holding my interest. There is a recipe at the end for Peanut Butter Bars that I will try in the near future – it looks delightful.

If you are looking for a very pleasant, quick read with sweet characters this will be the book for you.… (more)

This year has been so unsettling that I've lost my ability to calm down and read a couple of times. When I try to read nothing catches my interest yet I feel lost without a book in my hands. What really helps me get out of my book slumps is reading a light and fluffy romance - you know, boy meets girl and after a few problems they live happily after. We all know that real life doesn't always work out that way but it's still fun and relaxing to dream about it.

The Amish Baker's Rival is the book that got me out of my last reading slump. The characters are well written and it's easy to get invested in their struggles to get married. The story was fun to read with a few twists and turns to keep it interesting. Overall, it was a great book.

Mary is an Amish baker who runs the Sweet Delights bakery. The townspeople all love her baking and she has a steady stream of customers until a new grocery and deli opens across the road. AND the owner, Noah, is a baker and provides some great pastries. Mary is afraid that she'll lose customers to Noah and will lose her business. She decides to enter a local baking contest to win $10,000 by baking the best apple desert. She thinks she has a chance to win until she finds out that Noah is entering the contest too. The two are rivals and both interested in keeping their business up and running but the more time they spend together, the more they begin to care about each other. The main problem is that he is not Amish. They both have big decisions and changes to make in their lives if they want to have a romance. Will they be able to make changes or will their differences keep them apart? Read this fun book to find out!… (more)

When a new Bakery Plus store moves across the street from Mary Brenneman's families long owned Amish bakery, thoughts of survival run through Mary's head, how can she make a profit?
As I was reading this I really liked the character of Noah Miller, and could see he was seeking family. He didn't even know what to expect as he began his journey, with first building his store, and then finding the grandparents he has never met.
I could almost figure out what was going to happen, but the author gave me several surprises I did not see coming.
This was a very enjoyable read, and I would love to continue on here with the lives of these people!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Love Inspired, and was not required to give a positive review.… (more)