Melissa Senate

Good book about two people with painful pasts who come together to care for an abandoned baby. Detective Reed Dawson arrived at work one morning to find a newborn baby on his desk and a note begging him to care for her "for a few days." Because of that note, Reed intends to care for baby Summer himself despite the efforts of social worker and foster mother Aimee Gallagher. When Reed joins Aimee at her home to discuss the matter, a freak snowstorm snows them in together.

I enjoyed watching show more Aimee and Reed's relationship develop as they cared for little Summer. Reed's ease with the baby impresses Aimee, but she also senses some turmoil. His past marriage made him wary of getting close to anyone, but Summer and Aimee didn't take long to sneak past his walls. Reed fights against his growing feelings for Aimee to the point where he makes a boneheaded decision near the end and almost loses her. He gets some good advice from his cousin, but the real eye-opening comes from a conversation with a new acquaintance.

Aimee also has a painful past, one that sent her on the journey to become a foster mother. I ached for her and the betrayal she suffered. She, too, doubts the likelihood of a successful relationship, but she doesn't let that stop her from her dream of becoming a mother. Her excitement at caring for Summer was evident, as was her disappointment at Reed's refusal to give up on her care. I ached for her as she fell hard for Reed and realized he would not return her feelings. I liked how she stayed true to her needs despite Reed's idea and held out for love.

The scenes of Aimee and Reed caring for Summer were sweet and realistic. I loved how Reed's experience showed Aimee the difference between the classroom and real life.

Part of the book covered Reed's search for Summer's mother. Her note implied she knew him, and I could feel Reed's determination to figure out who she was. I enjoyed seeing her story unfold. The resolution of her dilemma was terrific. show less

This was a sweet second-chance story with a little bit of heat. Eight years earlier, a chance encounter between eighteen-year-old Annabel and twenty-one-year-old Logan led to a three-day relationship that had lasting consequences. But Logan was gone before Annabel knew she was pregnant, and she could not reach him. And when she could, she didn't. Cody is seven years old, Logan's biggest little fan and neither knows the truth.

I liked Annabel and Logan. The backstory is a little show more heartbreaking. They connected quickly and deeply over those three days together, sharing hopes and dreams. Annabel's belief in him did great things for Logan's confidence. Even after such a short time, Annabel dreamed of a future together. Those dreams took a hit when she learned that Logan never wanted children of his own and that nothing would keep Logan in Bear Ridge. Logan's relationship with his father is difficult at best and often emotionally abusive. A late-night phone call from his father that last evening reinforced Logan's need to get away. When Logan left the next morning, he cut all ties with Bear Ridge, including Annabel, going so far as to change his cell number and move several hours away. When Annabel realized she was pregnant, she could not reach him.

As the book opens, Annabel's son tells her that his "My Hero" essay will be on the paper's front page. She has a feeling that her secret is about to come back and bite her. Meanwhile, Logan has a minor injury he has to recover from, and his manager sends him to the Dawson Ranch for that recovery time. He will also meet his special fan. One look at the information in the paper, and Logan has a feeling about that little fan.

Logan and Annabel impressed me with their handling of the revelation. Annabel doesn't make excuses for her actions. She knows she was wrong. Now that the secret is out, she will do her best to smooth the relationship between Cody and Logan. I could feel her nervousness over sharing Cody with Logan and her worry about the future with him in their lives. Be that as it may, she doesn't try to keep them apart, instead including Logan in everything from school pickups to bedtime rituals.

Logan is shocked but understands why she didn't contact him. Though he had never intended to be a father, once he knows about Cody, he is determined to be the best father he can be. The scenes with Logan and Cody are so sweet as they get to know each other. I also loved that Logan has no problem acknowledging Cody as his son to anyone and everyone they meet and that he doesn't let his celebrity overshadow their growing bond. Logan makes an impulsive promise to grant seven of Cody's birthday wishes to make up for the birthdays he's missed. Some of those wishes are steeped in emotions wrapped up in Logan's memories of his life in Bear Ridge. To fulfill those wishes, Logan will have to face those memories.

Complicating matters is the attraction that still sparks between Annabel and Logan. Neither has forgotten the other over the years, and their connection is as strong as ever. Annabel is wary of risking her heart again, especially since Logan makes no secret of his plans to continue his rodeo career. I loved that Annabel understands Logan, what drives him, and doesn't try to change him. She does, however, know that he needs to face his past. I enjoyed how he got a boost in that direction, thanks to Cody. Annabel does her part in easing Logan's way and finds a crucial piece of information to help him. Meanwhile, Logan is at war with himself. Part of him can't wait to return to the rodeo, but another part pushes him toward Annabel and Cody. I loved the ending and seeing how Logan solved his dilemma.

#netgalley show less

Terrific enemies to lovers story. Brandon and Cassidy have a history together. They dated for a while in high school when she was a freshman, and he was a senior. They broke up over a misunderstanding on her part, but Brandon was a jerk about it, so they've avoided each other ever since. Then they ran into each other at his brother's wedding while avoiding all of the people talking about why neither was married yet. Too much champagne and high school reminiscing led to a quick roll in the show more hay, and now Cassidy is pregnant.

Brandon and Cassidy's outlook on love couldn't be more different. Thanks to watching his thrice-married father, Brandon doesn't believe that love lasts. He's very careful to date only women who understand his position. Being wealthy and good-looking, Brandon never has trouble finding female companionship and certainly has never had to work for it.

Cassidy is an intelligent and independent woman. Raised by a single mother, she has worked for everything she has. She owns the very popular and successful Java and Juice coffee shop and is finally ready to expand her business to a second location. Though she's had several unsuccessful relationships, she hasn't given up on love and finding The One.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Brandon and Cassidy. Their encounter in the stable went beyond anything either expected. Cassidy felt a little hope in her heart until Brandon talked about being together for as long as it lasted. Disappointed and a little hurt, she turned him down flat, surprising Brandon. Over the next couple of weeks, Brandon couldn't get her off his mind, so he was pleased when he got a text from her to come to see her. Pleasure turned to shock when she told him she was pregnant.

I was pleasantly surprised by Brandon's reaction. Instead of denial or insisting it wasn't his, he stepped right up and took responsibility. But then he went a step further with a business-like proposal of marriage. Of course, Cassidy turned him down, letting him know she wouldn't marry without love. Cassidy won't give in on that subject no matter how hard he tries. They do agree to get to know each other better to be good co-parents. I loved watching Brandon demonstrate that he has all the right instincts. There are sweet scenes of his efforts to take care of Cassidy, from food to a coat she'd been dreaming of. I loved their trip to the parenting class.

Cassidy fought hard against falling in love with him when he obviously cared. The evening they babysit for a friend was tough because Brandon was a natural with little Maeve. Her biggest problem with him, besides his anti-love stance, was his tendency to take control. The purchase of the coat was bad enough, but when he interfered in her request for a bank loan for her business, she hit the roof. Her confrontation with Brandon was hard enough, but when his dad overheard and stuck in his opinion, she'd had it. When she attended a family dinner a few days later, I loved watching her tear into Cornelius. Unfortunately, Brandon froze when she faced him with what she really wanted.

The ending was terrific as Brandon finally realized the truth of his feelings. I loved seeing his emotional declaration to Cassidy and her belief in what he said. I hope they pop up in later books so I can catch up with their lives.

I also enjoyed the part that Winona Cobb played in their relationship. Her "readings" and comments are always enigmatic until her subjects look back and see what she meant. Her statements to Brandon and Cassidy are no different. show less

I always have a hard time reading romances because they tend to be plot driven instead of character driven. This is not one of those occasions. The Love Goddess' Cooking School is a wonderful, romantic Food-Lit and I can't wait to share it. I think Melissa Senate's writing is much like Sarah Addison Allen without the magical realism... and you all know how much I love Sarah Addison Allen.

Melissa Senate has created characters that are incredibly easy to identify with - flawed but redeemable. show more It's been a long time since I read a novel where I felt connected with almost every character. Ms. Senate does an incredible job of making them empathetic. I loved them all. From Liam, the single dad trying to keep his daughter's world from crumbling without her mother, to the recently divorced Simon who is finding his way as a 'weekend dad', to Mia who is trying so hard to figure out where she fits, to Tamara the frustrated serial dater, and Juliet the heartbroken -whose story definitely struck a chord. It's Holly, however with whom I identify the most. Holly can't seem to find a place for herself, falls for the wrong guys, and sometimes sets too much stock in fate and destiny. I love her determination and her desire to see things through. I love that she chose to continue her Nonna's legacy, even though it meant facing her fears and striking out on her own.

As I mentioned, this book is not plot driven, but the unfolding of the character's lives pulls the reader through it at a wonderful pace so that I wasn't racing to see what was going to happen next, but enjoying what was happening now. Did I know where the book was headed? Yes. But it was one of those rare times when I wasn't in a hurry to get there. I was just enjoying the world of Blue Crab Island and it's inhabitants.

The only thing that seemed a tad out of place were the recipes at the end of the book. Not that they weren't related to the story, they were certainly recipes for the meals made at the cooking school. Perhaps it was because the story was so fabulous, but, in the end, the recipes seemed a little superfluous. I can see not wanting to break the continuity of the story by placing them at the ends of chapters, but I think to be included, they needed to be incorporated into the book somehow because it came off feeling like an afterthought. Though not a bad afterthought and that is only my opinion...

I've used the word loved a lot in this post but that's because I thought this book was marvelous - I'm actually running out of synonyms for excellent. This review has been difficult to write because I don't want to gush about it, I'd rather just curl up inside it. It's the perfect balance of love, friendship, and of course, good food.

http://girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/2011/07/jenns-review-love-goddess-cooking.h... show less