THE BAKESHOP AT PUMPKIN AND SPICE is an anthology that has three short stories by three authors that I’ve enjoyed reading books from before – Donna Kauffman, Allyson Charles, and Kate Angell (who happens to be one of my favorite authors). The stories take place in Moonbright, Maine at Halloween. Books are not often set at this time of year, and the three stories are filled with lots of magic! If you’ve read the anthology, THE COTTAGE ON PUMPKIN AND VINE, you’ll be returning to Moonbright and meeting up with some of the characters and businesses we’ve met before. I do hope there will be more books set in this magical town!

SWEET MAGIC by Donna Kauffman

SWEET MAGIC only whet my appetite for more as we’re introduced to Bree and her grandmother, both of whom own Bellaluna’s Bakeshop. It’s family owned and run, and there’s a lot of magic in the story—and not only because of the scrumptious goodies they bake. I could smell the delicious aromas of the items they had for sale as I engrossed myself in this book. The bakeshop plays an important role in all three stories and I couldn’t wait to see how its magic would work.

Caleb Dimitriou comes to town from Philadelphia to keep his uncle’s restaurant open while his aunt and uncle go on a very belated honeymoon. But all is not as it seems with his aunt and uncle or their business. He and Bree cross paths at the bakery, and there’s magic in the air, or is it in the cookies? As they seem to have an immediate connection, they both keep trying to fight their attraction and throughout most of the story take one step forward and two or three back. When Caleb’s sister comes to Moonbright to help out at the restaurant, she tries to keep him grounded as well as give him some advice on the dating front.

The story flows nicely, and we learn about the characters and their families a little at a time. We also learn about their dreams and how important their families are to each of them. There’s closure with a nicely executed happily ever after, and the epilogue was the icing on the cake. I liked that there was a cookie recipe at the back of the story.

I’ve previously read only two of Ms. Kauffman’s books. One was part of a Christmas anthology and the other was the first book in one of her series. I definitely will be adding more of her books to my always growing TBR pile.

LOVE SPELLS DISASTER by Allyson Charles

LOVE SPELLS DISASTER has Cassie thinking her boss is her soulmate, but he only sees her as a good employee at his insurance company. They have nothing in common, something handyman Chip, whom she meets at work when he comes in as a client, keeps telling her, especially since he himself is attracted to her. Chip keeps surprising her at every turn. As their paths continue to cross, Chip finds himself even more attracted to her. Cassie doesn’t know what to think. Once again there is magic in a cookie in a particular bake shop.

Cassie has haunted house ideas that Chip builds, and their interactions draw them closer. But Cassie tries to fight her feelings. There is nice closure but the ending didn’t go far enough for me. The epilogue takes place at the Halloween parade, and there is a cookie recipe at the back of the story.

I’ve only read one of Ms. Charles’s stories before, and it was part of a Christmas anthology. I do look forward to reading more of her books.

SWEET ON YOU by Kate Angell

SWEET ON YOU was a fun read once I got past Lara’s not very nice ex and his new girlfriend. Both left a lot to be desired and were not characters I could warm to.

Lara is decidedly down on her luck when other things in her life also get derailed. But when her path crosses with Jack at the bakery, there’s magic in the air. That happenstance meeting sets things in motion to turn Lara’s life around and maybe even give her a shot at love. It was all things Halloween in this story, and there’s so much good to be found. The Halloween nicknames Edna bestows on everyone are delightful, and we learn more about her. Both the cottage and Grace, the costume shop owner, are a part of this story as well. The story ends happily though I wish we could have been privy to some of the romance that led up to it since it happened off the page. Once again there is a cookie recipe at the back of the story.

Ms. Angell is one of my favorite authors, and this is different from the contemporary romances she normally writes with baseball and the beach at their core. I’ve now read several of her stories included in anthologies and hope to read more of them in the future, especially if we get to return to Moonbright over and over again!

This book was picture perfect fall holiday reading. When the leaves start to turn and you know Halloween is around the corner. I enjoyed sitting back and letting this book pull me into it’s pages. I know I have read at least two of the authors before and will definitely be exploring their other offerings.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

Cute themed book! Perfect for October reading and I really enjoyed the multiple stories. I highly suggest for anyone looking to get in the fall mood.

I love the first story! Sweet Magic is totally brings everything: love, sweet and magic!

Love Spells Disaster: Not so much for this story but I'm glad that the main character finally wakes up from her one-sided love.

Sweet On You- A good way to end the anthology.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for the ARC!

A trilogy of Halloween romance stories I found interesting but none really stood out to me I liked the cookie recipes also

The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice is a sweet collection of novellas set in the town of Moonbright Maine. During the autumn. Basically a Hallmark movie in book form but instead of focusing on Christmas and Winter it focuses on autumn and Halloween.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I absolutly loved the first and the second story in this bind up.
It set the right mood and it kept me turning the pages.
But the 3the story I just couldn't finish.

So it turned out a DNF for me.

I loved this collection of stories! Each story was so heartwarming and I didn't want them to end! If you enjoy Hallmark you will enjoy this lovely book! I will definitely be reading more from Donna Kauffman!

This was a great trio of stories that are perfect to get you in the Halloween spirit. This book would be great to take on vacation or have ready for long waits in the airport or doctors office

All three stories are a lovely Treat! My rating for the Collection: 4.5 of 5.0.

Bellaluna’s Bakeshop in Moonbright, Maine is a place with lovely people, yummy treats and a touch of magic. A secret tradition of the bakeshop owner, Sofia, is that a certain cookie will help bring a destined couple together.

Sweet Magic by Donna Kauffman. My Rating 4.5 of 5.0.
Sofia’s granddaughter, Bree, loves working at the family bakeshop and loves being settled in her hometown. Sofia introduces her to Caleb who is a chef visiting from Philadelphia to oversee his Uncle’s restaurant.

The flirty thoughts and warm exchanges between Bree and Caleb made me smile. They face the conflict of being entranced in their family businesses in different states. Bree, especially, is reluctant to let her heart commit. Can Caleb’s warm charm find a way to convince her to take a chance at grabbing love?

Love Spells Disaster by Allyson Charles. My Rating 4.25 of 5.0.
Cassie is looking forward to celebrating Halloween with her own special fun for the community. On the romance side, she is done with unreliable men and has set her eyes on her secure, if not exciting, boss. Her boss turns aside her offered gift, but a handsome customer snags the cookie.

Chip is entranced by the pretty redhead even though she snubs him as a ‘working stiff’ who won’t suit her. She doesn’t know that Chip is successfully growing his business and working on flipping houses. They are thrown together when Cassie hires Chip to build her haunted maze. Will he be able to convince her that he is the right kind of guy for her?

This is another fun story although I was frustrated by Cassie’s attitude and attempts to win a man who wasn’t interested in her. Chip made a great, steady hero willing to show his determination until Cassie recognized the chemistry between them.

Sweet on You by Kate Angell. My Rating 4.5 of 5.0.
Lara has had a really bad day. Her boyfriend dumped her, her landlord raised the rent and her hours are being cut at work. She is coping with her misery over a latte and treat at the bakeshop when she is surprised as Jack, the town Mayor, stops by to say “Hi.” Although they never really talked in high school, Jack noticed the quiet girl who caught his eyes over the flashy girls. Jack offers Lara a job as the town event planner, challenging her to pull together the Halloween Parade which is only a few weeks away.

Lara will have to face her pushy ex, his high style new girlfriend and a grumpy geriatric who has a (fun) nickname for everyone and insists on having her plans considered too. Lara’s confidence grows as she deals with the issues, makes new friends, and glows with Jack’s support.

This one was so sweet and adorable. I really enjoyed the fun they had with the nicknames and costumes.

This is a collection of three sweet, flirty romances and the Halloween setting was a fun element. Each romance moves quickly even as the couples deal with real or perceived conflicts. Another nice touch is a cookie/pastry treat recipe shared with each story. I will be glad to snag stories by any of these authors in the future. I highly recommend this fun collection.

Source: 2019 NetGalley.

Another great book!!! I love anything Donna Kauffman writes! She never disappoints me. Her storytelling astounds me!! Can't wait for her next book!!

This book had so many elements going for it that I thought I'd truly appreciate: a sprinkling of magic, food and interesting Halloween activities, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. I'm sure the audience for this consists of people who enjoy romance more than me, especially when there is a case of love at first sight. I did not finish this.

Thanks to netgalley and Kensington books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5⭐️


There might be snow on the ground, but it’s still fall people! And this short story collection is the perfect thing to keep you feeling autumnal.

The first story in this collection is about Abriana Bellaluna O’Neill who runs a bakeshop with her grandmother, Sofia. The women in their family have a magical gift of playing matchmaker, but Bree never imagined that it would be her turn to let her magic guide her love life. When she meets Caleb, her best laid plans go right out the window. This story was sweet and had the perfect amount of steam. I expected pure fluff, but there was some actual substance to this story that I really appreciated. I give this 4⭐️.

The second love story in this book is about Cassie Hie who is trying to win over boss, Sam. But Sam is not interested at all. She also hires a handyman to help her build a haunted house for Halloween. I think we can see where this is going. I felt like Chip the handyman was just a little too persistent in his pursuit and that Cassie was just plain mean and rude half the time. I give this story 3⭐️

The third and final romance novella in this collection focuses on Lara who has just been dumped, evicted from her apartment, and has her job on the line. When the mayor of the town appoints her to help run the annual parade, she thinks all of her problems are easily solved. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes. I found this one to be a bit boring but nothing was inherently wrong with it. 3⭐️

Overall a sweet little collection that is sure to get you in a cozy mood!

I saw that Donna Kauffman had a story in this anthology, so I had to pick it up. Then I read the description and I was intrigued. While I don't celebrate Halloween, this set of stories still piqued my interest. The books all revolve around this bakery in a small town in Maine. It's said that there are some cookies at this shop that are magical.

I liked that this town, bakeshop and the store owner were featured in each story. It pulled the three tales together which made for a more satisfying anthology. I could have done without the Halloween theme, but it worked and I know others woud appreciate it. Each story took place around the town's extreme celebration of the holiday while the residents find their happily ever after.

Each of the authors maximized their novella with well developed characters and a well rounded plot. I came out of each story feeling satisfied, and yet hoping that perhaps these stories are part of larger series. I look forward to reading more books from all three authors.

I love small anthology's that are set in a small town and revolve around a local event. Donna Kauffman gives us Sweet Magic set in the bakery. Allison Charles writes Love Spells Disaster and Kate Angell has Sweet on You. All three novellas are set in Moonbright, Maine during Halloween. The stories blend well and a fun to read. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

MAGICALLY DELICIOUS!!

Wow! Immediately and completely hooked into this magical Fall read. I was absolutely captivating and engaging!! Gah! I absolutely loved it!

Donna Kaufman’s amazing talent at imagery, makes the story absolutely come alive... and yearn for a Fall Day!

So creative, so fun, so pleasurable!! An enchanting tale that casts a spell over you and makes you keep reading till the very end!

These three stories fit together greatly. The connection between the three stories was well done, and it was a cute read for the autumn season.

Such a cute collection of fall and spooky series! I enjoyed all of them.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Three novellas that I tried to get into and only finished one. I am not into magical stories. I couldn’t recommend. Disappointed since I usually like the authors.

Description
Every autumn, Moonbright, Maine, is the picture of charm with its piles of crisp leaves, flickering jack-o’-lanterns … and a touch of the sweetest kind of enchantment. Witches, goblins, the occasional ghost—they’re all sure to be spotted at the annual Halloween parade, where adults and children alike dress in costume to celebrate Moonbright’s favorite holiday. And no place has more seasonal spirit than Bellaluna’s Bakeshop, a family business steeped in traditional recipes, welcoming warmth—and, legend has it, truly spellbinding, heart-melting treats … Between good-natured Halloween tricks, frothy pumpkin lattes, and some very special baked goods, for three Moonbright residents looking for love—whether they know it or not—the spookiest thing will be how magical romance can suddenly be …

My Review:
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice centers around three couples, mix in some magic and you have a winner. The story starts off at the family bakery where Bree is happy as this is one of her favorite holidays especially when you mix in the "magical part".Every year Bree waits in anticipation to see who crosses paths with their true love. Her problem is that since she has not herself found love, she can't use her magic which sometimes is needed to give 'true love" that extra push. The description in the story makes you feel as if you are right there in Maine along side Bree and her family.

The characters are well written and you can't help but fall in love with the bakeshop. I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this magical book and highly recommend it.