Member Reviews
This is really three novellas- three sweet (and sweet themed) novellas about women who need and deserve HEAs. Centered around a bakery in Moonbright, Maine, it's about Bree, Cassie and Lara. Each story is just a little different (different authors wrote them) but they link up at the bakery. You'll like the characters AND you'll find yourself wishing there was an Italian bakery close by your home. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I read this in one sitting but it's also a perfect treat to if you choose to do them one story at a time.
It's a bit tough to give this book an overall review as there are 3 different - and distinct - authors in this collection. The setting is the same - a small town in Maine where an Italian bakeshop with a little bit of magic resides. The first story - while a little too in the 'romance' lane for me - is by far the best. We are drawn into charming Moonbright, where Sophia and her granddaughter Bree are preparing for the town's most popular holiday - Halloween. The story of Bree and a handsome chef who comes to town to take care of his aunt and uncle's restaurant is as sweet as the pastries at the shop. The author does a good job of bringing the reader into the crisp October weather, hot cider and colorful foliage that comes with the fall season in Maine.
The subsequent 2 stories did not pull me in nearly as much and unfortunately, I found the third and last story was not as well-written. Short, choppy sentences and characters who were not flushed out caused me to skim most of it.
I would recommend reading the first part as a short story and leaving there with warm feelings towards Moonbright and it's inhabitants.
Thank you Netgalley for this preview!
A warm, feel-good collection of three stories centered around a small Maine town with a Halloween obsession and a bakery whose cookies just might be a little bit of a love charm. As the holiday approaches and the town goes crazy with it's extravagant plans for parties and the big parade, three local women find happiness and love amidst the pumpkins and parade floats and haunted houses.
You won't find any Halloween horrors in this collection that's as sweet and wholesome as the cookies and pastries at Bellaluna's Bakeshop (conveniently located at the corner of Pumpkin and Spice) but I couldn't resist the healthy helping of romance, liberally seasoned with humor and a sprinkle of sexy heat that the three authors serve up in this wonderful, heart-warming collection.
Kauffman, Charles and Angell expertly capture the heart of a small town and the crisp bite of a fall morning and a crisp apple fresh from the tree, so whether you're counting the days till your own Halloween hijinks or you're heading into the warm breezes of a spring day when October is just a memory, if you love romance with a little heat and a touch of magic, this book is a don't miss experience.
Three separate romance tales. The location and a few characters are in all three. One can tell from the title what time of year this involves. Grateful that each story was short, as all too often things can drag on much longer than necessary. Succinct and adorable. The magic cookies were not really needed but did play a humorous role in each. Donna Kauffman is a favorite author and once again she entertained me.
I had no idea what I was in for with this ARC (thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books), but it was a lovely surprise. I suppose I hadn’t read the description close enough and was under the impression this was a regular novel. Instead, it is an anthology of three charming romances that blossom in the quaint New England town of Moonbright, Maine. (I already Googled this picturesque Halloweentown and, sadly, it is fictional.)
While Kauffman, Angell, and Charles all have their own distinct styles of storytelling, there is something so obviously special that connects their individual crafts. With a limited amount of time and space to share these stories, each author managed to construct well-rounded plots and fully-developed characters in a setting that quite honestly feels familiar to the reader.
And lest I forget to mention the heart of Moonbright: Bellaluna Bakery. Ah, the magic of Sofia’s baked goods! This is the type of town I wish to live in one day. If you’re looking for a heartwarming, feel-good, fall read that reminds you to believe in magic and love, this is it! (Also, check out the three yummy cookie recipes included after each story!)
I received a copy of The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell and Allyson Charles from Kensington and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
All three stories are fantastic! If you love fall, Halloween, and magic then definitely read The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice. Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell and Allyson Charles collaborated beautifully. I give it 5 stars!
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice is a collection of three novellas, written by one author I have read previously (Donna Kauffman) and two new-to-me authors (Kate Angell & Allyson Charles). I love all three of these author’s styles and I adored each story. They were effortless to jump into the plots (all three of them) and I was immediately drawn into the stories!
All three stories take place in Moonbright, Maine, which is a small town that has a huge celebration of Halloween. The town celebrates Halloween on the scale that most others celebrate Christmas, including the highlight of the festivities, a parade including bands, pets, floats and the Pumpkin Queen!
There was excellent character and plot development in such a short amount of pages. I honestly did not want each story to end. I wanted to continue to read about the special people of Moonbright. I definitely wanted to try every item at the bakeshop, eat at the Greek restaurant and watch the parade.
There is a magical element to each story, which is a nice touch to the romance that each couple has, on their way to a happily ever after, Magic cookies give fate a little push to help couple find their way. The novellas are sweet romances with a little Pumpkin Spice thrown in.
I always have loved Halloween. As a child, I had great times visiting with friends, trick or treating and enjoying a simple pleasure of being a carefree youth. This book brought back those great simple times that I enjoyed so much.
I enjoyed this book so much! I want to thank NetGalley.com and Kensingston Books for allowing me the great pleasure of reading the ARC. My review is my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice is a collection of three loosely connected stories. The people of Moonbright, Maine celebrate Halloween in a big way. The Bakeshop is a local favorite and a few people know about the possibilities that might arise when the right person samples the right treat. The result can be magical. This was a fun, light collection that I can recommend to fans of Contemporary Romance, a hint of magic, and fans of Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Allyson Charles.
This review is only for Sweet Magic by Donna Kauffman.
Great chemistry, romantic, and fun dialogue. Abriana "Bree" and Caleb make the perfect couple. Even though this is a novella, they take the time to really get to know one another and the relationship doesn't feel rushed. I also enjoyed their respective family members as supporting characters. This story is well-written and engaging. I highly recommend this novella, as well as anything written by Donna Kauffman.
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice is a great collection of three stories. There is a sparkle of magic in all of them that will leaving you believing in love and romance.
Sweet Magic by Donna Kauffman is the opening book and dare I say my favorite. The setting is Bellaluna's Bakeshop. A special type of love is in the air and in the baked treats. I loved the well developed characters and story that left me believing in a magical happy ending.
In Love Spells Disaster by Allyson Charles, Cassandra is trying to get a date with her boss. There are some truly laugh out loud moments here. This story focuses heavily on the bakery treats which I loved. There is a lot of emotion in this story and I really enjoyed that!
Sweet on You by Kate Angell, was a fantastic story. Lara, the main character is in the bakeshop with her ex boyfriend after being dumped in the company of a lot of people. In enters the mayor and maybe things might be turning around? I loved how this story had several characters from the first two stories. This story wrapped up the trilogy very nicely .
I absolutely LOVED how these stories tied together while celebrating the town of Moonbright, Maine and all of the Halloween and fall festivities.
This book grabbed me from the first chapter. Loved how authors carried their stories through Moonbright and same characters. This took me a bit longer to read but when you need a couple cute novella I'd definitely recommend.
This book has 3 stories centered around Bellaluna Bakery. All the stories are about special cookies and love. . They are all cute little stories about Halloween in Moonlight Bay, Maine. This an enjoyable seasonal or anytime read about romance an love. A GREAT READ for light and fun reading.
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice by Donna Kauffman (this is the only part of the trilogy I am reviewing) was heartwarming and fun. The book is another fabulous novella by Donna Kauffman. While the story is shorter in length the characters have a depth and warmth to them that is usually only achieved in full length novels. I adored all the characters in this book and was cheering them on. Ms. Kauffman's settings are also very realistic in that you can picture where everyone is very easily. The plot is the perfect fall read. Curl up in a chair with a hot toddy and carve out some 'me' time. This novella is a feel good romance that will make you so glad you took the time to read it. Well done.
I would like to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m ready to move to Moonbright, Maine. Magic and baking go together so, it was lovely reading about how love spun into cookies opens a couple up to making their own magic. The other novellas were fun and enjoyable to read. I’m a fan. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A very cute book to get you into the Halloween spirit. This is my first time reading a story from these authors. I'll have to check out more from them.
A heart-warming collection of three short stories taking place around Halloween in Moonbright, Maine. In each story, the couples are given the special Italian cookies from the Bellaluna’s bakeshop which creates a cupid-like spell on the unsuspecting consumers. The book also includes recipes for many of the treats highlighted in the book.
I found the book to be extremely charming and full of romance - each of the couples becomes engaged shortly after the cookies do their magic. The first two stories emphasized the importance of family to each of the couples, while the third story included a charming older lady with a special romantic history of her own.
I loved the Halloween theme of the book and the way the community of Moonbright gets into this holiday. This is the perfect October read, when the pumpkins and apples are harvested and there is a bit of nip in the air - especially if you’re in the mood for a bit of romance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice is a delightful read. I enjoyed the writing of each tale. I highly recommend this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review review.
I’m very sorry to say I really struggled with this book. It’s the type of book I usually enjoy but I couldn’t get in to any of the stories. I understand it’s a very romanticised and unrealistic set of stories but they all just seemed a little too far of a stretch for me to believe anything or enjoy them.
It’s the first time I’ve had to leave a review like this and I really am genuinely sorry. I did try to enjoy them all, but this is supposed to be an honest review so I do have to be. I wanted to like them.
I'm not a fan of Halloween, but maybe eating one of Bellaluna's cookies and finding my love might change my mind. Donna Kauffman's words describe the cookies and the fall season very well.
Three cozy, romantic stories weave together in the Halloween-centric town of Moonbright, Maine. This was a delightful blend of love, laughter, crisp Autumn days, and a little bit of magic. Despite reading this in the sweltering heat of summer, I found myself craving warm apple cider and comfy sweaters. I adored all three of these stories, and only wish there were more of them! Despite having different voices, the authors blended their tales together seamlessly, and left my heart full and my stomach eager to try out the included recipes.