Synopsis:~

From the RITA Award–winning author of Five Days in Skye comes a sweet, romantic treat that will leave you hungry for more.

Baker and pastry chef Melody Johansson has always believed in finding the positive in every situation, but seven years after she moved to Denver, she can’t deny that she’s stuck in a rut. One relationship after another has ended in disaster, and her classical French training is being wasted on her night job in a mediocre chain bakery. Then the charming and handsome private pilot Justin Keller lands on the doorstep of her workplace in a snowstorm, and Melody feels like it’s a sign that her luck is finally turning around.

Justin is intrigued by the lively bohemian baker, but the last thing he’s looking for is a relationship. His own romantic failures have proven that the demands of his job are incompatible with meaningful connections, and he’s already pledged his life savings to a new business venture across the country―an island air charter in Florida with his sister and brother-in-law.

Against their better judgment, Melody and Justin find themselves drawn together by their unconventional career choices and shared love of adventure. But when an unexpected windfall provides Melody with the chance to open her dream bakery-café in Denver with her best friend, chef Rachel Bishop, she’s faced with an impossible choice: stay and put down roots with the people and place she’s come to call home . . . or give it all up for the man she loves.

My take:~

Gosh, I’m going to sound like a broken record when it comes to Carla Laureano’s novels. She writes smart! Intelligent prose, authentic and relatable characters, and mouthwatering descriptions of both location and cuisine. It’s so evident that Carla spends a copious amount of time ensuring her characters reflect genuine personality traits and motivations that inform their choices and responses. That right there is what sets Carla’s storytelling apart from the majority of contemporary romance writers today. Justin and Melody are passionate about their careers, devoted to their friends and family, and when their emerging attraction blossoms into a relationship, the hurdles they face are many. They battle to define their commitment to each other in light of their individual promises to themselves and the people they love. Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe is as sweet as it is complicated, in both the pastries and breads Melody creates and the love story that unfolds. Kudos, Carla Laureano, for another intriguing and intelligent read!

With thanks to the publisher for my review copy. Look for my upcoming feature from Carla with a giveaway next week.

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Buy at Amazon: Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe or Koorong