The Devine Doughnut Shop is a story featuring multiple characters and plot lines. Sisters Grace and Sarah, along with their cousin Macy, run the small town donut shop that has been in their family for four generations. Also featured is Sarah’s daughter, Audrey, and the daughter’s former friend, Raelene, who, much to Audrey’s dismay, moves in with them after being abandoned by her family. In addition we meet wealthy investor Travis, who is interested in buying the family doughnut shop and taking the brand commercial.

What starts out as a female-centric story regarding their lives and loves lives soon turns into a story filled with many plotlines and secondary storylines. I am not the greatest fan of overly complicated plots or books with too many plots. It feels like this book could have been better served as 3 separate books so that Sarah, Grace, and Macy can have their stories fully featured. Having so many plot points can make it difficult for a reader to easily follow along or root for the character’s happy endings, as well as just fully developed a character. It was well written, but several times I wish that some of the plots were resolved or wrapped up with a pretty bow. It just felt clunky and rushed for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

From chapter one to the end of The Devine Doughnut Shop by Carolyn Brown, I became immersed in the lives of the three strong yet independent women who own and run the successful doughnut shop! The two sisters, Grace and Sarah Dalton, along with their cousin, Macy, are fifth generation owner operators of the best doughnut shop around as well as guardians of the family's secret doughnut recipe! Although constantly engaged with their successful business, Grace's rebellious and somewhat misguided teenage daughter, Audrey, and the women's disastrous affairs of the heart, the three are always there to support, uplift , and encourage each other. Added to the mix is what to do about Raelene, whose Grandmother has passed, and left Raelene with no family. Being the loving family unit that they are, they accept Raelene into their family, inadvertently adding another set of issues with which to deal. As if the women do not have enough going on in their lives, Travis Butler appears with the purpose of buying the Devine Doughnut Shop property and the secret recipe in order to build a factory to produce pastries. Refusing to take no for an answer to his offer leads to Travis's pursuit of Grace on a more personal level.

On a much needed and overdue vacation Sarah discovers a young girl alone on the beach. Will they find her father and reunite them? Macy has begun to think she will never find love, Upon returning from vacation, Macy meets the new pastor at church? Will there be an interest between the two? Will Sarah find love again in the future? Will there be happily ever after for any of the three women? And what happens to the business as the women consider cutting back on the number of days they open the shop? Will they sell and pursue other interests?

The answers are definitely worth reading the book to discover! Carolyn Brown held my interest throughout the entire book. I will be reading more works by her!

“Small towns….everyone knows everyone.”
“That’s the problem a lot of times, isn’t it?”
“Or the blessing. It all depends on how you look at it.”

A light-hearted, quick and entertaining read set in Devine, Texas and featuring the struggles of a family-run bakery - the Devine Doughnut Shop.

✔️gorgeous cover and title
✔️struggle between traditions and new beginnings
✔️focus on family and heritage
✔️family-run business and family relationships
✔️three very different women with three very different struggles
✔️tension the developer and the teenager brought to the narrative
✔️small town and southern living
✔️promising romance
✔️lessons about accountability, bullying, gossiping and working together towards a common goal
✔️focus on hope, trust, friendship and choices

❎ so much drama

You’ll be guaranteed a heartwarming story of love and friendship every time you pick up a contemporary romance from Carolyn Brown.

I was gifted this copy by Montlake and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is a sweet and filling five-star read. This is a fun read, but each character has their own struggles so its not all sunshine, but there is some great fun to be had by everyone in the end. There is a great underlying theme about family in this story, family made up of all different characters. There was something about this one that sticks with you and makes you care more than you ever expect.

Carolyn Brown’s The Devine Doughnut Shop is a fun romance with likable characters, humor, and some Southern sass. I enjoyed this book and its warmth. It was exactly what I needed after reading a bunch of heavy books recently. .

The novel stars Grace, Sarah, and Macy (two sisters and a cousin) who own and operate a doughnut shop with delectable treats, plus Grace’s teenage daughter Audrey and Raelene, another teenaged girl. The small town of Devine, Texas also is a large feature of the book and makes you almost want to live in a similar small town with its loving and supportive community.

I am a big fan of Carolyn Brown and have ready many of her books. This is a good and entertaining book but not one of my very favorites of hers. Nevertheless I did enjoy The Devine Doughnut Shop very well.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Devine Doughnut Shop by Carolyn Brown is a sweet confection with a lot of heart. Set in Texas, the book is the story of two generations of women and is a testament to the value of family, friendship and faith.
Grace and Sarah Dalton, together with their cousin Macy run the Devine Doughnut Shop, which has been in their family for decades, and is very successful because of their great grandmother's secret recipe and a loyal local clientele. Lately though it seems like things are starting to change. Single mother Grace is struggling with her daughter who seems to have changed for the worse since ditching her old friends and taking up with a new group. Sarah has sworn off love following her latest heartbreak and Macy is recently engaged and thinking of leaving the business altogether. When a wealthy developer , Travis , arrives in town looking to buy out the business, the recipe and the adjoining land that the family owns, it is time for the three women to make some tough decisions and to further complicate matters , it seems like Macy's husband to be might have a secret or two of his own.
I really enjoyed the comradeship of these women, how they stood together to protect each other, support each other and encourage each other. It was this that made the book for me, the plot is not original but sometimes it is very enjoyable and comforting to read a book that you can sink into like a cozy blanket. I also enjoyed the humour of the writing., it made for an entertaining and easy to read book. On a slight negative note, I could have done without the religion in the book, but that is a personal dislike, it did made sense for the characters in context.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher ,all opinions are my own.

3.5 stars. I loved the concept but it didn’t quite flow for me.

The Devine Doughnut Shop tells the story of 3 women, Grace, Sarah and Macy, owners of the homonymous 3rd generation shop in a small town in Texas. Grace has a teenage daughter, Audrey, who contributes to the drama mix, together with Raelene, Audrey’s childhood friend.
Hard workers and disheartened with regards to men-matters, the story unveils conflicts, opportunities, choices with a zest of impulsiveness long time overdue.

I loved the idea of the doughnut shop owned by three women, close and supportive to each other.
I liked how the author portrays their lovely personalities with light touches.

What didn’t work for me was the flow and the pace: some parts seemed to take forever to develop as predictable as they were (Sarah and Macy’s initial love stories), while others felt too quick and out of the blue (Travis and Grace were supposed to have a spark but I never felt it, or Audrey change of loyalties, or Sarah and Macy’s final encounters).
I also felt the secondary characters deserved better telling of their evolution (Audrey, Raelene, Travis): they did things, then suddenly did something that seemed out of character with just a few lines of explanation for their change of hearts or sudden passionate feelings.
The ending was a bit disappointing as well: I do not want to spoil it, on a personal level all very nice for the characters (though again, quite quick in wrapping up). It just felt like “And after all that dedication, this is how it’s supposed to go?”

On a side note: Do people really eat 2 donuts as a daily snack? I felt the cholesterol mounting with all those orders by the dozen.

A nice read, slowly paced. Loved the shop theme and loved the ladies.

This book was a very sweet and fun read. The characters were adorable and the writing style very easy to get into and keep up with

Are you ready for a good time. A laugh out loud one that will make your smile go ear to ear. Well usually that would apply to anything with Carolyn Brown’s name on the cover and I must admit I was immediately smitten with her newest tale in the book THE DEVINE DOUGHNUT SHOP. Down home good fun filled with traditions, love, trust, and friendship all rolled into one. Kind of like a yummy, glazed doughnut wouldn’t you say.

Life isn’t always sweet, but the old timers would have just said to dust off and pull up your big girl bloomers. And that’s what this wonderful group of sisters and cousins and their niece are doing. Getting on with life and hoping to measure up to the standards left by their grandmother. The shop is these women’s legacy. They fill an important niche in their community. Warm and welcoming. And even so this small community has members that have been the target of bullying. Seems to be a rather common dilemma for all teens.

Grace is a single parent and daughter Audrey is being led by a twosome of haughty girls. Putting her foot down is tough, in this day and age means getting somewhat creative. She thought about a boot camp or convent but went with working at the shop during spring break, wearing the required hairnet, cell phone turned off via an app - very cagey I must admit - and perhaps the pinnacle, spending time with her old friend Raelene. You see Raelene isn’t part of the cool crowd in school. Audrey has worked hard, at times against her better opinion, to fit in. Tough love meets teenage angst. Let the games begin.

Fans of Carolyn Brown never shortchange the story by jumping to conclusions. THE DEVINE DOUGHNUT SHOP is a perfect example of the ingenuity mixed with reality. There is a hefty dose of real life at the center of THE DEVINE DOUGHNUT SHOP. Thanks to some wonderful characters, their situations, and dialog this story moves at a quick pace. Just when you think you’ve reached the conclusion of a situation up pops a new angle right around the corner. Certainly kept me on my toes.

The three main characters Grace, Sarah and Macy haven’t had much luck in the romance department. Their jointly owned and operated business is their safe place. Here they are surrounded by warm friendly people and donuts. They have lived wisely, have money to carry them. But most of all they have an amazing relationship of caring and trust.

Grace’s daughter Audrey has grown up with all three of these ladies in her life. But even with the best guidance and love she fell into a situation that had her at odds with her mother. Popularity seemed to be more important than respect. Audrey had a lot to lose. She had already distanced herself from her lifelong pal Raelene, who didn’t fit in with the popular kids. Audrey was slated to learn many lessons. Hopefully make her way back to a life that was much more stable and secure than what she had pictured as cool.

Carolyn Brown created a cadre of fabulous characters whose circumstances resonate with us all. As always dialog peppered with love and sass is center stage. THE DEVINE DOUGHNUT SHOP gave these four females a place to land when times were difficult. But time has a way of supplanting routine. Changes are in the air for these four and Carolyn Brown takes us along their journey towards a brighter future.

I was put off by Grace's daughter, Audrey's attitude. She came off as a spoiled 13 year old rather than a 17 year old. Near the end she redeemed herself but it was hard to forget. I also wish that the relationship between the three ladies and their new love interests had happened earlier.

Grace, Sarah and Macy run the Devine Doughnut Shop which has been in their family for generations. Along comes a developer who wants to buy the shop and then comes big decisions of what they really want out of life and if it contains doughnuts.

When I need an easy but meaningful read this author elevates my perspective, gives me hope, makes me laugh and cry. Three women who inherited the family legacy at the Devine Doughnut Shop are spunky, spiritual, loving and loyal. Throw in a couple of contrary teenage girls and it’s never dull at the sprawling acreage where they all live.
Grace, Sarah and Macy run the best pastry shop in town, maybe the state. Their secret family recipe is not for sale despite continuing offers and persistent corporate tycoons. Divorce, cheaters and generally irresponsible men have left them all single. The burden of continuing the family’s strong female leadership does have them all wondering if they can keep rising at three a. m. Maybe there’s more to life than a small town doughnut shop.
New friendships bloom, the town gossips keep rumors flying while the resident rich b*t*hes cause an uproar. Sparks and fur flies! What a fun romp and a great reminder about learning who to trust, who your friends really are, who you can hand your heart and savings to. The love of family and true friends is what’s important. Another enjoyable read by an author I will continue to read.
Many thanks go to NetGalley, Carolyn Brown and Montlake for the digital advance reader copy of “The Devine Doughnut Shop”. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

SIsters Sarah and Grace and their cousin Macy run a small town doughnut shop. The characters are so fun - the grumpy old men that show up every morning, Beezy, even the small town mean moms. There is a whole lot going on in this book - it will keep you reading to see how things end up. The story is a touch unbelievable but entertaining and not everything is how it seems.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This is my first Carolyn Brown book and I thought it was quite the delight.

A thank you to NetGalley and publishers for sharing an ARC with me, it was an easy read and definitely a generational women’s tale that I think many would find relatable.

Set in southern Texas this book does a good job encompassing a small town Texas way of life. Growing up in one of the towns mentioned in the book, I speak from experience that I can tell Carolyn also must have that this is customary for a lot of folks I know.

What I liked: the overall story, the women’s journey to new traditions while honoring themselves in the process, the action of their love life takes, and backdrop of the familiar setting of the pillar the donut shop has come to be in their town. Each woman had their own beast of burden and each one gets time defining changes in their life.

What I didn’t like: the lack of credit to teenagers overall with Audrey’s lack of depth I think could loose some younger readers. I am certainly much closer to having a teenager than being one, but I don’t feel like she got credit for the troubling time in life it is to make big moral decisions and not feel like your gaining the credit you deserve for the expectations pressed upon our youth. It’s hard to be that age or some many people wouldn’t stumble during that time in life, so more of a nod to how her journey wasn’t just immaturity but also an effort to forge her path would have given the story a more rounded out impression.

I give this book a 3.5 stars, it’s not the style I typically read but if you like mostly light women’s story that are low on spice and layered with southern lifestyle, this would definitely be for you!

This is a quick and easy read, a story of women, for women. It is about family, heritage, traditions and the past.
It is fun, entertaining, enjoyable, funny and a bit of a feel good type of read.

It is a book that can be read quickly and easily but that is not saying it has no depth as it has a great storyline and good characters that you can relate to.

I must say I will be having a look for other books by this author as I found this one delightful.

I was a bit underwhelmed by this book if I'm honest. I think that I was expecting something more to do with doughnuts and the shop but I felt like that was secondary to everything else.

Even though the doughnut shop being potentially bought out was mentioned, it went away almost as quickly as it started. I like that there wasn't a lot of drama with Travis in that way, but still. Just kind of came and went.

There are a lot of different storylines but not much seems to happen. Every character has a different storyline with a lot of drama which seems unnecessary, and also unnatural.

I felt that the book was much too long and I'm not sure if everything was absolutely necessary for us to know. Also, Audrey's character seems to change almost immediately which seems unusual for a teenager. The ending was sweet, although I'm not entirely happy that they just decided to close down a doughnut shop that had been around for generations. I feel like that could have gone in a different direction somehow.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was a cute novel about a bakery. An easy and quick read that leaves you feeling good.
Not quite up to par on the authors other novels but still ok.

The Devine Doughnut Shop, I found the story of 3 sisters, family owned shop in it's 4th generation, a warm,happy cosy story of family life.

There's the warmth from sibling bond, the strength and courage of single parents and their second chances at love and romnce.

The Devine Donut Shop by Carolyn Brown takes her readers to Devine, Texas. Sisters Grace and Sarah, along with their cousin Macy, inherited the Devine Donut Shop when their grandmother passed away. They have a secret family recipe that makes their donuts taste better than anything around. Grace is a single mother raising a troublesome teen daughter. Sarah is considered the wild one, but her dream is to marry and have a family. Macy thought her life was all set, but then again maybe not.I loved all these characters as well as the secondary characters. As I was reading I just wanted to be part of this special family. I enjoy how Ms. Brown portrays families and how they interact, support each other and love each other. This was a special read for me as the characters seemed so real and caring.

For Grace, her sister Sarah, and their cousin Macy, operating the Devine Doughnut Shop is about honoring their family’s legacy. In business for four generations, the shop is the place in Devine to meet, rest, and offer a little conversation while enjoying a doughnut made with the family’s secret recipe. Even though they enjoy working their business, the women have started to contemplate what it would look like should they decide to close their place. Grace is a single parent dealing with a rebellious daughter, Audrey, while Sarah longs to settle down, and Macy’s relationship is not what it seems. Meanwhile, Travis Butler, an investor from San Antonio, wants to buy the shop and is looking for opportunities to meet with Grace, leaving both wondering if his insistence has other motives. In the end, will Grace, Sarah and Macy have a real chance at love?

This is a cozy story that touches on topics of single parenting, mother-daughter relationships, second chances, found-family, and bullying, however, it did not work for me. The plot started to feel all over the place, especially in the second half of the book. There were plenty of happy, too-convenient coincidences that took away from any relatability and/or authenticity the story might have had. Moreover, the one diverse character appearing in the story immediately gets a stereotypical comment about his looks, which added disappointment to an already uncomfortable reading experience. I do have to point out that the author did a respectable job of portraying the small-town atmosphere, but other than that, it was a genuine struggle to finish this book. A two-star book for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for providing me with a free digital copy to review this book.

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