Read this book more in the summer or towards valentines day, if say this is a romance novel although it does involve some more difficult subjects. Over all it was a good read.

Bella Moore had fame, money, TV show. When her producer asked her to take time off while her cooking show was wrapping up, she didn’t know what to do with free time. So she decided to go help out her half sister Mari in Cherry Lake Montana.
Ever since winning Top Chef, her world changed. She was working non stop and she thought she was enjoying. When she shows up at her sister Mari’s hotel to help out, she finds her sister’s kitchen is perfect kitchen to try out her new receive for her new cook book. But when she almost burned down the kitchen, she meets hunky fireman Jake.
Jake didn’t know who Bella was until he took her out for coffee. Everyone in town seems to know who she is since they were asking to take pictures with her. But her fame really didn’t matter as long as they were enjoying each other’s company.
Since Bella burned her sister’s oven and she need to try out her new recipe, she suggest if she could try her recipe. Bella never knew cooking for other’s brought so much joy in her life. And Bella was getting really well with Jake’s teenage son Cory.
Bella was enjoying small town life with Jake and his family. But her work calls her back to Seattle, Bella needs to decide if she would go back to her lifestyle or settle down in Cherry Lake with Jake.

It was sweet small town romance very similar story to Notting Hill.
It was great short read for summer. I can’t wait to read about her other sisters.
Thanks to netgalley and Tule Publishing for my ARC in exchange for honest review.

What a delightful romance this proved to be, I really enjoyed visiting Cherry Lake in this endearing story.

What do you do when your dreams have been achieved but the pressure to achieve still drives you to the point where your boss decides you need a six month break? In the case of television chef, Bella Moore, she goes to stay in a cottage in Cherry Lake, near to her sister and nephew. Mind you, she’s still a workaholic who loves cooking. She volunteers to cover for the chef at her sister’s Inn three nights each week and to cook the evening meal for her landlord and his family. Now, the fact that his family includes Jake Woods, the handsome local fire chief, might have something to do with that decision! She and Jake are seriously attracted to each other and, after he saves her from a kitchen fire, the connection grows and the sparks fly. He, however, is a widower and single Dad and his son has to be his first priority. Jake’s son is a definite favourite character for me and some of his comments are so spot on, they brought a big grin to my face. She’s also only there for only six months and then she’ll be returning to her television show in Seattle. Will love find a way to keep them together - and if so, where? Compromise is definitely needed for this to work out!

If you enjoy contemporary romance where compromises need to be made to enable them to have a future together, you’ll probably enjoy this as much as I did regardless of the season. This is definitely not only a story only for around Valentine’s Day.  I found it a delightful read with great characters, plenty of dilemmas, tasty treats and a lovely ending.

I requested and received a copy of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

This is another sweet story set in Cherry Lake, Montana. It is a stand alone book, but I recommend reading the first book in the series. Ann B Harrison writes a beautiful story of two people who have some major life events and have to decide whether to take a chance on love. This is a quick read that will leave you smiling.

I was just board with this book. The characters never really drew me into them and I never formed a connection to them. It was a sweet story but I wanted more. Bella is on the fast track to being burnt out and her manager see this so he sends her on a required vacation. Bella decides to visit her sister for some down time but things start to heat up with Jake. All the while Bella is back to working in the kitchen her true passion she seems to find herself and I think she really starts to enjoy life without all the noise from the constant camera crews and publicity. Jake was a bit all over in this book and when I think about a leading man I want him to be strong and sure of his feelings not so wishy washy. Bella is very independent and used to doing things on her own but I wanted her to open her heart to Jake in a real way. Overall it was ok.

Valentine Kisses is a sweet small town contemporary set in Cherry Lake on the shores of Flathead Lake Montana. The story sees celebrity chef Bella Moore paired up with local fire chief and single father Jake Woods after she is sent into the country on a forced vacation. Jake’s teenage son Cory is a cutie and almost stole the show, while his father Woodsie is also a presence throughout the story.
I enjoyed the story though I felt the pacing was a bit uneven which meant I wasn’t fully engaged throughout. I also found the dialogue a bit unconvincing at times. It didn’t seem as natural as I’d have liked. On the whole though, this was a nice story and a pleasant way to pass a few hours.

Valentine Kisses (The Moore Sisters of Montana Book 2) by Ann B. Harrison. This is Bella Moore and Jake Woods’ story.

Bella is in Cherry Lake visiting her sister and taking a break from her reality cooking show. One thing for sure Bella and Jake didn’t plan on the attraction between the two of them. Will Bella take a chance on love or will she leave Cherry Lake when her break is over?

Bella and Jake’s romance is sweet and heartwarming.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

The second book in the series was delightfully funny and entertaining. It's an easy read, yet satisfying as a RomCom with its wry humor and engaging dialog. Having already read the first book in the series, I'm looking forward to the next installment.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

I am a Food Network addict. No, seriously. While typing this, I am watching the newest episode of Worst Cooks in America, where the recruits are learning how to grind their own sausages--and no, that is not a euphemism). When I saw Valentine Kisses involved a fictional Food Network star and Masterchef winner, I was excited. Books with cooks are totally my catnip. If you wanted to trap me, just set out a bunch of romances about a cooking, some Pop-Tarts, and a can of Coke (or 7 Up) and your job will be done. All Ms. Harrison had to do was write a readable book and she would have had me. Sadly, Valentine Kisses failed at this most basic thing.

From the Publisher:

Bella Moore thought she had everything she ever wanted. The host of a hit reality show, she’s at the top of her career. So when her show goes on hiatus for six months and she finally has downtime, she decides to return to her roots and visit her sister in Cherry Lake. What she doesn’t expect is to love the town and the temporary chef position she’s taken on at the Lake Hotel.
Jake Woods is focused on his son and his job as the local fire chief. Things are moving along nicely until the new chef at the Lake Hotel almost burns the place down. Jake knows that Bella inherited a mess from the chef before her and he’s keen to help her.
After weeks of working together in tight quarters, Jake and Bella can’t ignore the sparks between them. But Bella’s stay in Cherry Lake is only temporary and Jake still hasn’t recovered from losing his wife a few years ago. They’ll have to decide whether or not the flame between them can survive without the heat of the kitchen.

The Review:

As I said, I was really down for this book and am so disappointed that I couldn't even manage to read 174 pages. What annoys me the most is that there were glimpses of the good book it could have been. I did enjoy Ms. Harrison's writing, although it could use a little bit of polishing. I don't know her process and I'm not well-versed in the whole self-publishing thing, but I think that Ms. Harrison would benefit from the expertise of a professional editor. A lot of this book's problems would hopefully be solved by an editor's red pen.

The biggest issue I had was that it seemed like certain plot points were added in just to have something there. For instance, the cover copy makes it sound as if Bella returns to Montana because her show is on hiatus. This is a completely reasonable thing for someone to do. Wanting to see her sister is reason enough for her return to Montana., but Ms. Harrison decided that Bella couldn't just go home for a visit, so she gave her something that forced her to leave Seattle, where for some reason her show was taped (as far as I know, most of the Food Network's shows are filmed in New York City--not Seattle). I don't understand why this was necessary, and to make matters worse, when this plot point was brought up, it wasn't done consistently.

Spoiler:
Bella leaves town because someone is stalking her and her producer's plan is to put her up in a small cottage in the same Montana town were Bella's sister lives. He does not give her any protection and no one, including Bella, thinks this is a bad idea. In fact, Bella doesn't tell those around her--people who would be in danger should said stalker come after her while she is with them--that she has a stalker at all. Also problematic is the fact that Bella lets people take photos of her, which more than likely ended up on their social media accounts, giving her stalker the ability to easily find her.

Another thing that bugged me was that Bella is both surprised that Jake doesn't recognize her as being a famous chef while at the same time is surprised that other people in that small town do recognize her. Maybe she was just so wrapped up in everything that has happened in the three years since she won Masterchef that she figured everybody would know who she was, but this just wasn't depicted very well.

I really wish this book would have worked for me, but it didn't. It barely held my concentration and when it did, it just didn't make sense. Research isn't a dirty word. It might be time-consuming, but if you're going to introduce something like the above spoiler, you need to know what you're talking about. Sadly, Ms. Harrison didn't.

A fun heartwarming romance that takes place in Cherry Creek. Bella has come to Cherry Creek while her cooking show is on a hiatus to visit her sister. Not expecting to step into a temporary chef position at the Lodge. She soon meets the local fire chief, Jake. Jake is raising his son on his own. They both have to fight obstacles to make their relationship work, a little give n take.

A great Valentine story that makes for the perfect read. Great characters that are easily likeable. This is the second book in the series but can be read as a stand alone.

Cute holiday read. Predictable with a lot of heart. A great lighthearted story that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy.

I enjoyed reading the Watson Brothers series, so jumped at the chance to read an advanced reading copy from netgalley.com. I did not read the first book in this new series, so was a bit disoriented by characters that must have been introduced in the first book, but just casually mentioned here. The book starts with a Prologue, but it really is a quick summary of the story. This might have changed in the released copy. Those are the only cons.

This endearing story is about Bella Moore, an overachiever, who loves to cook and worked her way up from burger joints and caterers to winning Masterchef and getting her own show. However, her producer, suspecting burnout, has ordered her to take a break and rented her a lovely cottage in the small town of Cherry Lake, where one of her sisters has bought a hotel. Widower, Jake Woods is the fire chief, and they meet in not so great circumstances- he rescues her from a grease fire that she accidentally starts in the old, needing renovations, kitchen at the hotel. There is an instant spark between them, but her only being there temporarily and wary of men, after she had been used by hanger ons and his need to protect his son and his heart, have them keeping their relationship on the friend level, until they can't deny that there could be so much more. Will Bella realize that it is time to find a new dream and make it work? Will Jake be able to handle her "star" status?

The characters are well developed and the conflicts real. Well worth the read.

RATING 3.5 STARS

Valentine Kisses is book two in The Moore sisters of Montana series by Ann B. Harrison. Ann is a new to me author and I chose this book in honor of the upcoming holiday.

Bella Moore loved to cook. She’s always had a love affair with food. She decided to take the biggest risk of her life and entered a television cooking reality show, Masterchef, and won it. The prize was a three year contract for a cooking show. She just finished up her second season. Bella was a work-a- holic. She was always going non stop. She was on the fast track to burn out so after the second season wrapped up, her manager sent her on a six month forced vacation. Bella decides it’s the perfect time to visit her sister in Cherry Lake. Her sister had recently purchased an old hotel and restaurant. It would be the perfect place where Bella could work on her recipes for a cookbook she was finishing up.

Jake Woods is the fire chief in Cherry Lake. He lost his wife years ago and now lives with his father and his teen age son, Cory. His dad helps him out with Cory when he’s working. Jake has never really dated after losing his wife. He knows it’s time to move on but with his busy schedule, it has just never felt right. Then in walked a beautiful woman that seemed to just light up the room. He had no idea she was a celebrity. All he knew was that she ignited something in him that had been dormant for a very long time.

As Jake and Bella spend time together which is inevitable in such a small town, their feelings develop and grow for each other. But Bella’s life in Seattle is full of glitz and glamour. Jake leads a quiet life in Cherry Lake. What sort of future would they ever have? Should he follow his heart and see where things go or just end it now and protect both of them from a future broken heart? Oddly, it’s the words of a teenage boy that seem to put everything in perspective.

“It wasn’t fair that so much sexy male was tied up in the one package! It was going to play havoc with her heart.”

When Bella’s film crew comes to Cherry Lake to reshoot the final episode of her show, Jake gets a real taste of what her life is like. He has doubts that there really could ever be a place for someone like him in it. Could Bella ever be happy in a small, quiet town? Or would she end up resenting him eventually?

I do love books that include cooking and this book had all the ingredients for a perfect read. I think this is just a case of it’s just me because plenty of other people seem to have really enjoyed this book. For me, I never could find the connection I needed with either of the two main characters. They were cute together but I just didn’t feel it. I understood Jake’s doubts but he was so all over the place and I kind of got tired of it. And I got that Bella was used to being on her own but would have liked her to be more of a partner to Jake instead of just doing everything solo. All in all, it was a cute story, it just didn’t move me at all like I wanted it to.

Valentine Kisses by Ann B. Harrison, book two in the Moore sisters series. This is the story about Bella one of the sisters and what happens when she meets Jake. I love the setting of Cherry Lake and the storyline. A heart-warming story. Look forward to reading more in the series.

Valentine Kisses by Ann B. Harrison was such a fun sweet read. I also enjoyed reading the first one in this series, "Christmas Glitter" and simply fell in love with this new series, The Moore Sisters of Montana. The do work as stand alone type books, but it was probably a little easier to follow along having read the first one also.
This one, Valentine Kisses is just such a delightful read for any who like romance stories and if you also like cooking you are in for a sweet treat.

The Moore sisters seem to find love at the holiday seasons, Valentine Kisses by Ann B. Harrison is Bella’s chance at love. Another Moore sister’s story is in Christmas Glitter. Clearly the holiday theme is showing even in the title. However, the holidays do not dominate the story; the characters do. These stories are different but charming and entertaining.

Bella is a delightful, intelligent, resourceful and decisive person. It took no time for her to made plans for changing restaurant’s kitchen. Jake Woods has many f those same qualities. While this is not an “opposites attract” story in any way, it is a story that the characters hve opposite plans for their lives. Bella is only in Cherry Lake for a short time

The story has a smooth pace with believable events. The supporting characters especially the Noah and Corey are wonderful. I love their honesty. Family is important in this story and in many ways, it is a heartwarming family story.

Sometimes in order to get a well deserved happy ever after you have to be willing to make changes, compromises and not expect the person you love to do all the changing for you. This is something that Jake will eventually have to grapple with as his friendship and attraction with the temporary new chef at the Lake Hotel begins to turn to something far more serious and complicated. Jake is a widower raising his teen son, his job as fire chief brings him in contact with Bella during a fire in the hotel’s kitchen. And even though neither one was looking for long term, things get complicated when love enters the picture.

I really liked the characters in Valentine Kisses, even if I occasionally wanted to have a stern conversation with Jake. Bella is a whirlwind in danger of burning out from her schedule and work on her reality show. This break is everything she needs and a lot that she wasn’t expecting like a handsome fireman and his likable son. Love is often complicated, and it’s not always easy to have everything fall neatly into place for everyone involved. I believe that this story shows that you cannot expect only one person in a relationship to be making the changes. A couple either finds a medium ground with compromises and adjustments or the love can turn bitter in the future. I adored Jake’s son, and he has some of the best comments of this entire story.

I enjoyed my time in this world, and I believe you would as well. I’d recommend Valentine Kisses for any Contemporary Romance reader who loves a good story, relatable characters, a few challenges to overcome and a happy ever ending that is so well deserved.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This book was a very well written love story. It is a great read for Valentine's Day, but would be entertaining to read any time. Your two main characters are opposites. You know what they say about opposites, and man do they ever attract. Bella and Jake try to fight the electricity between them. Claiming they will only be friends. But that did not last long . Their biggest conflict is they both are settled in what they thought was a happy successful life. Jake is content in his job as fire chief. His first priority is his teenage son Cory. He has been a widower for several years and thought love would never come again. Bella has worked very hard to become the Master chef she is today, with her own number one cooking show. She has gotten burned, pun intended, by too many people wanted a piece of her. Neither one was looking for love at this point in their life. Quote from the book Jake tells his friend and co worker Ben “I don't get it. The only woman that's unavailable and she's the one that stirs something up in me.”Ben,“You don't get to choose who you fall in love with. It Just happens.” Another part of what I enjoyed most was the cooking segments to the book. Two of my favorite things are reading and cooking. The author is either a great cook or has done a lot of research regarding it. I really enjoyed reading Valentine Kisses. I want to thank Net Galley and Tule Publishers for the copy that I was given. It was not required for me to give a review, but I support Ann B. Harrison by doing so.

Valentine Kisses by Ann B. Harrison
The Moore Sisters of Montana Book #2

Bella Moore, sudden sensation on the small screen, has had her cooking show put on hiatus to prevent her from burning out. She is a dynamo in and out of the kitchen and doesn’t take sitting down easily so soon finds she is cooking at the Lake Hotel for her sister who has just lost her chef. When there is a fire in the kitchen she meets Jack Woods, fire chief. There is instant attraction but both realize they are too dissimilar and live too far apart to really make a long term connection. That doesn’t stop them from spending time together and that time they spend leads to caring and sharing BUT can her glitzy high profile job mesh with his small town job? And, what about his son and his father and her job and…well…the list is endless.

This is the second story in the series and was a fun easy read. I had trouble seeing what the two main characters saw in one another but did enjoy reading their story and really liked Jack’s son Cory and Cory’s relationship with Bella. I look forward to seeing what will come next in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

This was a very enjoyable read. Bella is such a ball of energy and the way she shakes up Jake's world was wonderful. Being forced to take a temporary break from her reality cooking show might have been what brought her to Cherry Lake but Jake Woods is what's making her want to stay!

I highly recommend it.