I have been reading Shirley Jump novels for years and have yet to figure out how she does it. She waves her magic wand and takes a sweet story and turns it into a deeply moving life lesson. So it's only fitting that Teaspoon of Trouble supplies light hearted comedy and realistic situations. Somehow, she manages to tackle a lot of story in a small amount of time. The importance of family, dealing with grief, facing fears, taking on some heavy hitting responsibilities all while staying true to yourself, falling in love and following your dreams. That was a mouthful, but she delivers it all in a calm, entertaining and thought provoking way. Carolyn and Matt may seem too good to be true but they make for a fun combination.

It's a sweet romance, but very repetitive. Also the idea that a women who is driven by work and doesn't want children secretly wants to play happy families is a very backward idea.

After her sisters untimely death, Carolyn suddenly finds herself wholly in charge of her niece, and a dog. Carolyn doesn't have the first idea how to be a mom, and heads to Marietta, her parents place for 2 weeks to regroup and find a solution, and comes face to face with Matt, her childhood sweetheart.
Though 10years have passed, the connection between them is as strong as ever. But with Matts life in Marietta, and Carolyn's in New York, will love slip through their fingers second time around ?
A teaspoon of trouble was a heart touching, emotional read. My heart went to little Emma, the little soldier trying to cope with all the changes life brought her. Roscoe, the dog provided some cute and funny moments.
Overall a good read.

an ok read, very sweet

Carolyn Henderson is a career-driven chef, focused on achieving her dreams with no desire to settle down and have a family. When her sister and brother-in-law die in a car crash, she is stunned to discover that her sister made her guardian to her 4-year-old niece, Emma. Returning to Marietta so that she can figure out her future she runs into her old flame and current town vet, Matthew West. He is the embodiment of what she left behind when she moved to New York all those years ago; home, family, the one person who you belong to and who belongs to you.

When behavioral issues with her niece's dog arise she cuts Matthew a deal he can not refuse. Train the dog in exchange for baking lessons to help him win the Bachelor Bake-off. For Matthew, Carolyn is the one that got away. Worse still he let her go so that she could live her dream. But now he realizes that he cannot make the same decision again. And Carolyn is slowly discovering the reason why her sister chose her to raise Emma.

A Teaspoon Of Trouble, the first story in the Bachelor Bake-Off series, is a lovely sweet romance featuring among other things an untrained puppy and a very sad little girl.
I liked all the characters in this story. I felt so sorry for Carolyn and her family as they adjusted to life without her sister. I particularly felt for Carolyn who was faced with tough decisions around her career and her niece, though Matt is a great foil for her and perfectly suited to helping resolve her issues.
This is a gently paced book dealing with some really difficult issues including death and grief and I thought author Shirley Jump handled them well. Despite the gentle pace, which was entirely appropriate for the subject matter, the story doesn't fad e away. I was constantly wondering what would come next, and really what more could you ask for?

A delightful read of a second chance romance. Carolyn thought she was living her dream in New York as a chef when a family tragedy happens and she has to return home to Marietta. Not in her plans of having a four year old, Emma and Roscoe, a not well mannered dog. Carolyn's high school boyfriend, Matt is the town vet and has entered the Bachelor Bake Off, he has asked Carolyn for help. Matt has never stopped loving Carolyn, now if he can only get her to see this where her heart really belongs.

Ms. Jump has packed this book with plenty of emotions that will keep you turning the pages. How can you not fall in love with this book, a puppy, a little girl and a handsome town vet, who is learning to bake.

This is the first book in Bachelor Bake Off series, can't wait for more. I highly recommend this book.

I was delighted to see Shirley Jump join the Tule Publishing Group. I have enjoyed her stories for years. A Teaspoon of Trouble was no exception. In this story we are reminded how life can turn on a dime, which is exactly what happens to the main character, Carolyn. Actually, it could give you a second chance when you least expect it. All of this happens both the sad and the glad in this lovely longer novella with twelve chapters.

While a Teaspoon of Trouble does not have the deep character development of some of other books by Shirley Jump that I have read, it still has likable main and supporting ones. The story also begins on a sad note but becomes more upbeat as it progresses on a bumpy road for Carolyn and Matt. I found it very enjoyable.

A Teaspoon of Trouble kicks off the Bachelor Bake-Off series. I always enjoy these types of stories from Tule authors, a good cause, handsome men, lovely ladies and love in the air is a perfect combination.

This romance is a bit of a second chance should they decide to take it for Matt and Carolyn. Once high school sweethearts, their time together came to an abrupt stop when Carolyn left Marietta for New York City, determined to follow her dream of being a top notch chef. She had no desire to live in a small town with limited possibilities for her future. Her decision rocked Matt, but he let her go because that’s what you do when you love someone enough to let them be what they need to be. It certainly wasn’t easy, and its not as if she really gave him a chance to do anything else. A quick good bye in the school parking lot and Carolyn was gone, leaving his love for her far behind.

Time and life moves on, and now Carolyn is back in Marietta, for what she insists is only a two week break from her job in the city to make decisions and find out what she’s going to do now. Her sister, and her brother-in-law’s deaths at the hands of a drunk driver completely upended Carolyn’s life. Not only was she grieving, but she’s suddenly the guardian to an adorable four year old niece who she barely knows, plus an unruly mutt. Her thought was to leave Emma and the dog with her parents… until she realized just how deeply they both were overpowered by the death of Sandy. When she reconnects with Matt her plan is to still not stay – but plans can always be changed.

I enjoyed A Teaspoon of Trouble, it’s a charming story. Yet. I could not connect with Carolyn at all. I understand that she is being portrayed as a woman who is overwhelmed by grief at losing her sister, and unprepared to take on a mothering role. I do get that, and I tried to factor that in to my reactions to her… but in the end my inability to have any empathy with this character at all did color my reaction to the entire story.

This is where I have to say that everyone takes something different away from any story they read. It’s a good story, a charming setting and one very adorable little girl at the heart of it all. So while I couldn’t connect with one character, does not mean that you won’t either – so as always, you need to read this one for yourself and decide how you enjoy the characters.

*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.*

A sweet light hearted romance.

Carolyn and Matt dated in high school, but once they graduated, Carolyn left Marietta and never looked back. She had bigger plans and her little hometown just couldn't fill them. She had been living her life in New York City for the last ten years and working as a sous chef.

Carolyn is back in Marietta temporarily with her niece Emma who she was given guardianship after he sister and husband were killed in a car accident. Carolyn doesn't know anything about raising children. Emma also has a dog, Roscoe and she can't bear to part with. Roscoe is in serious need of training. When he ends up sick, Carolyn takes him to the vet and to her surprise, the vet is no other than her high school boyfriend, Matt.

Matt was surprised to see Carolyn in his clinic. He never forgot her and now that she was back in town, he will do anything to convince her to stay. When Carolyn finds out Matt has signed up for the Bachelor Bake-Off and doesn’t know how to cook, she offers to teach him in exchange for obedience training for Roscoe. They soon find themselves rekindling what they once had. But Carolyn insists she is heading back to New York soon, so they can't get to serious. How will Matt convince Carolyn to stay in Marietta and give their relationship a second chance?

I think this was a sweet second-chance romance, but it just wasn't for me. I think it explained twice on every page that Carolyn was a NYC chef and not a maternal person. It was so repetitive that I contemplated giving up about ten times just within the first couple chapters. Emma was cute and Roscoe was the perfect pet for her, but I just couldn't really get much happier about the book than that. Matt came off as whiny. Seriously, how many times do you need to hear someone say they weren't staying before you start hearing the desperation in your own voice? Not sure if I'll read the other books in the series even though they are written by different authors.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This story was predictable and repetitive. I understood from the first chapter she was a NYC chef and didn't want to be back in Montana. But it just kept going like I forgot what I read two pages ago, it was that and the characters and story were so predictable. The blurb summed up the whole book and I felt I didn't need read the book since the blurb was better then the book.

Carolyn finds herself a guardian of her niece and Pet and moves back to Marietta , Montana. Enter a man from her past to assist with the transition and potentially her future.
A new addition to the Marietta , Montana town and guaranteed to cause chuckle and sighs. Waiting for more in this new series.
Ebook from netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

Set in the fictional town of Marietta, Montana, “A Teaspoon of Trouble” follows Marietta natives Carolyn Henderson and Matthew West who were high school sweethearts.

Breaking up after graduation, Carolyn went to New York City to become a chef. Committed to be the best, Carolyn poured all her time and effort to her career. But, a twist of fate made her a guardian to her four-year-old niece and an errant puppy.

Matthew West loves being in Marietta, so after finishing Veterinary Medicine, he started a practice in his hometown. And as fate willed it, Carolyn walks in with her misbehaving puppy. Matthew cannot believe that his high school love is back in town and surprisingly, he still feels the same way as they were in high school. Carolyn is not immune either, but she has a career in New York that she truly wants to go back to. And therein lies the dilemma.

A very sweet second chance story, “A Teaspoon of Trouble” is as much about family as romance. In fact, there is a third element, love of self. For Carolyn to be happy, she must be true to herself. And same as Matthew. Though obviously, compromise is the answer, it is also a balancing act. There is a thin line between self-sacrifice and true happiness in this scenario. The characters confidently navigated that line, thanks to author Shirley Jump’s thoughtful storytelling.

“A Teaspoon of Trouble” is Rated T for Teens due to discussion of death and some adult situations.

DNF at 52%.

I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with this book, it just isn't the book for me.

Carolyn Henderson's sister and brother-in-law have died and she has been left as the guardian of her young niece and an exuberant puppy called Roscoe. A disciplined chef, Carolyn has no room in her home or her life for children or animals and she finds it impossible to connect with her niece or control the puppy. She tries to dump her responsibilities onto her parents, but they refuse to take their grandchild on full time.

Matthew West is the vet in Carolyn's home town. The two of them were childhood sweethearts until Carolyn dumped him and left for the big city. He can't believe it when she comes back to town with a small child and puppy in tow. Despite being practically perfect in every way, Matthew can barely boil a kettle, which is a problem because he has been entered into the Bachelor Bake-Off, so he offers Carolyn a trade. He will help her train Roscoe if she teaches him to bake a cake.

I found Carolyn a hugely unsympathetic character. I get that she felt lost and out of her depth with a small child but it's her niece FFS - man up! Surely she must have spent some time with her as a child? If not, there seem to be more family issues. By contrast, Matthew was a paragon of virtue. I found it all vaguely uncomfortable - a form of career woman shaming.

By halfway nothing really seemed to have happened except Matthew and Carolyn alternately wringing their hands and bemoaning fate.

Sorry, not for me.

Carolyn tragically loses her sister and brother-in-law and finds herself the guardian of their 4-year-old daughter. Carolyn takes her to Montana to her parents house and meets up again with Matt, her high school sweetheart.

This book gently shows love blossoming in the midst of heartbreak and tremendous change. The characters seem real and the story is sweet.

A Teaspoon of Trouble is a second chance love story. Is a heart broking story about lost grief and finding a way to live with that lost and be happy again. Carolyn is back in her family town because she has a life changing decision to make. Her nieces dog is responsible that she connects with her old love Matthew. They made a compromise him to fix a dog and she to teach him how to cook. It is interesting story between interesting characters. Matthew seems so much older and wiser than Carolyn. She on the other hand when things get tough runs away. So what will she do this time? I was not practically fan of her because she was a little bit frustrating. So it was good to see -with help of Matthew of course- the peals to fall down from her soul and when she accepts her family, her home town and love from Matthew.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

Carolyn Henderson never wanted to come back to Marietta. She never felt she fit into her hometown, and she had big plans. She broke it off with her boyfriend and left town. Ten years later, she can't think of anywhere else to go to figure out what to do next. Her sister and brother-in-law were killed in an accident, leaving Carolyn guardian of her 4-year-old niece, Emma, and Roscoe, her dog. A successful chef in New York City, Carolyn is poised to take over as head chef. She has a small apartment she rarely sees and has had no thoughts of having a family. Her life is definitely not conducive to being a single parent.
Carolyn's ex, Matthew West never thought of living anywhere but Marietta. A small animal vet, he is shocked when Carolyn shows up with a dog and a 4-year-old. She obviously needs help training the puppy, and he needs someone to teach him to bake, as he has been entered in Marietta's first Bachelor Bake Off, organized to raise funds for Harry's House, a place for kids to go hang out, in honor of Harry Monroe, a firefighter recently killed in an accident.
Carolyn had planned to bring Emma to Marietta and get her settled with her parents (Emma's Grandparents) and head back to New York. She soon realizes that isn't an option, her parents aren't up for dealing with a child and a dog. As the family figures out how to deal with their grief and Carolyn tries to figure out how to connect with Emma, Matthew and Carolyn slowly start to rebuild a friendship, and Carolyn has to decide if her dreams have changed.
As I read this, Carolyn was a little selfish and didn't seem to try. She also spent a lot time trying to convince herself that New York was where she belonged.
I did end up enjoying the story, as these two characters had to learn from their past mistakes and open themselves up to a future... This was a good beginning to the Bachelor Bake-Off series, and I am definitely interested in seeing who is next and who wins the whole thing!

Carolyn, a chef, is forced to change her plans for head chef, when her sister and brother-in-law die in an accident and Carolyn is awarded guardianship of her niece Emma and the family dog. Carolyn decides to return to her hometown that she left and seek the help of her parents. When they arrive she runs into her former boyfriend, first love and town vet Matthew. The two rekindle their feelings for one another when Matthew helps out training the family dog and Carolyn helps Matthew learn how to bake.

Great read. This book made me laugh and cry at times. I liked how Carolyn was able to change her life plans for the good of her niece and along the way she was able to get back to a point of happiness in her life.

A great start to a great series. I have read most of the Bachelor Bake-off books now, and have enjoyed them all. This one is no exception, but I do feel that Carolyn's drive and ambition is not explained very well. I love the dogs and kid side story, and overall really enjoyed this one. Hunky vet Matt is hard to resist too. Highly recommend this book and series.

Another sweet romance. A second shot at love. Nothing too over the topic.

I had a problem with Carolyn. She wasnt very warm or likable. Her poor niece was hurting and she was more concerned with her own life...

Carolyn Hanson has worked hard to get where she is. After a decade of hard work, she finds herself to be the sous chef of a highly rated restaurant. But with the death of her sister and brother in law dies in a car accident, she finds herself to be the guardian of her four year old niece Emma and a puppy. Struggling to cope with the grief and her new responsibilities, Carolyn moves to her hometown temporarily hoping for some help from her parents. Her hometown vet is her high school boyfriend, Matthew West. As their paths cross again, they make a deal to help each other out.

I have to say this right off the bat… I did not enjoy this book as much as I expected to. The reason for that is mainly the character of Carolyn. I get that she has been working really hard to get where she is in her professional life, and was in no way equipped to handle a toddler. I also get that losing her sister and brother in law was a shock. But her attitude simply turned me off. She seems ready to give up on family even without trying her best. I completely failed to sympathize with her. Matthew on the other hand was a much better character even though the lack of balance in his character is clearly visible too.

Keeping aside my problem with the characters, this book is an entertaining one. It has romance and drama to keep you engaged. The author’s style of storytelling is easy going and the language is a bit laidback but easy to get into the flow with. The pleasant backdrop and adorable Emma are the hooks for this book. I just wished the characters had more balance in them to make them easier to connect with.

Carolyn’s life was turned upside-down when her sister died. Now the successful New York City chef finds herself guardian to her four-year-old niece who comes with a disobedient dog, and that’s on top of grieving herself. In an attempt to sort out her life, Carolyn travels to her parents’ house in the small town of Marietta…a place Carolyn couldn’t get away from fast enough once upon a time. Coming home was never in Carolyn’s plan, and neither was getting knocked off her feet by her first love, the seriously handsome veterinarian Matthew West. Matthew’s got the skills to solve Carolyn’s easiest problem – the dog she can’t seem to control – and in turn she can help him learn to bake for the Bachelor Bake-Off. The only problem is, the longer Carolyn’s around Matthew, the more old feelings come to the surface. But she’s got a life in New York and a traumatized little girl on her hands who she has no idea how to mother. She simply doesn’t have time for falling in love with Matthew all over again. Too bad for Carolyn, her heart has different ideas than her brain…

A Teaspoon of Trouble is an interesting story. I loved that author Shirley Jump wasn’t afraid to deliver a struggling, flawed heroine. Carolyn was definitely my favorite thing about this book because she was so imperfect. She’s grieving, overwhelmed, and her whole life plan has just changed. She doesn’t automatically know how to become a mother to her niece, even though she loves the girl. She doesn’t want to give up the career she worked so hard for. She doesn’t want to stay in her idyllic hometown. In other words, she’s realistic and relatable, for better or worse. I could have read a whole book about Carolyn’s personal journey because there’s quite a bit of depth to her and she has a heck of a lot on her plate.

As much as I liked Carolyn, wanted to see her find love with Matthew, and for the two of them and her niece to become a family, the romance is where A Teaspoon of Trouble fell short for me. Matthew is a too-perfect hero who is definitely dreamy, but I would have loved more depth to him (or at least a flaw or two). He’s never fallen out of love with Carolyn and if the story hadn’t taken place directly after the death of Carolyn’s sister and the resulting upending of her entire life, I would have been more at ease with their fairly light romance. But the love story felt more like an afterthought to the beginnings of a much deeper book. Had the story been longer, perhaps the romance could have developed more organically. The bones of an entertaining romance were there (Matthew is a seriously hot guy who is good with kids and dogs, after all), but it just didn’t meet its potential. As it stands, I did enjoy Carolyn’s journey and the romance was sweet, if rushed, so I’d say I liked A Teaspoon of Trouble overall.

Carolyn Henderson and Matthew West had some history. They had been high school sweethearts and had planned a future together until Carolyn decided she wanted to go to New York to become a world famous chef and left Matt behind in Marietta, Montana.

Now Carolyn was back in Marietta. Her only sister, Sandy, had been killed in a car accident with her husband and their only child, Emma, had been left in Carolyn's custody to raise. She was not the mom type and didn't have the first clue about how to raise a child. She had taken two weeks off from her job and had come home to her parents to try and find some solutions to her dilemma of how to raise a four year old and be able to take the promotion to head chef at a successful restaurant in New York City. Oh, and along with Emma, came the family dog, Roscoe. Something else Carolyn knew nothing about.

Matt was the local veterinarian in Marietta and in exchange for some cooking lessons, Carolyn would be able to get some dog training for Roscoe. But all that time spent with Matt didn't help to diminish the feelings she still had for Matt. Matt had loved Carolyn since he had first met her over ten years ago but he had let her go and he wanted a second chance and he wasn't going to let her go this time. Unfortunately, Carolyn, wasn't giving him many options. She was determined to return to New York and Matt was just as determined to make her want to stay and have a life with him.

I really enjoyed the character development in this book. There was one sex scene that was fairly short and wasn't terribly descriptive, so I just skipped over the details. The language was clean. The chemistry between Matt and Carolyn was definitely there.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.