Eloreen reviews How the Cookie Crumbles (Bluewater Bay 12) by Jaime Samms (Published by Riptide Publishing, February 15, 2016, 345 pages)
This book was provided free of charge for an honest review.
Why I read this book: This week’s theme is ‘Continue Series’ where each reviewer got to pick a book from a series they wanted to continue. My pick is How the Cookie Crumbles in the Bluewater Bay series. I had read up to Stuck Landing and wanted to continue in this great series. I love the Bluewater Bay world and I’m glad there is more in this universe. If you haven’t read the series yet, I would recommend reading it. While the books can be read out of order (I read The Burnt Toast B&B and Lights, Camera, Cupid! first), I would recommend reading in order to get the depth each book builds upon in Bluewater Bay.
****
Synopsis:
After losing a rigged cooking show competition — and a potential lover — to another baker, Frederic Jackson packs up his considerable baggage and moves to Bluewater Bay. He uses the network’s hush money to buy a new bakery where he hopes the small town’s revitalized economy will let him start anew.
Blaire Caruthers never wanted to work for his father at Caruthers Industries. He should have known that fixing the company’s show results was a mistake, and that choosing another man over kind, generous Frederic was an even bigger one. But the damage is done. As punishment, he’s been sent to Bluewater Bay to oversee the company’s interest in Wolf’s Landing merchandise.
Stuck in a small, nowhere town doing a job he hates, Blaire wants nothing more than to prove to Frederic he’s changed. However, Frederic struggles to trust the man who betrayed him once already. As Blaire loses ground with his father, and Frederic starts falling back into self-destructive habits, they both have to find the balance and control that’s been missing from their lives.
Buy links: Riptide | Amazon | ARe | Smashwords | Kobo | B&N
****
I liked it. I really, really liked How the Cookie Crumbles. I’m partial to cooking books anyway because I’m not a cook, and something about baking just makes me smile. 🙂 I thought there would be some angst with this story and that is good. There is, but not in exactly the way I thought it would, which is even better. Frederic Jackson has his issues but he can’t deny his attraction for Blaire Caruthers. Blaire sticks around and shows his love in feel-good ways that made me smile. Frederic discovers things about himself and grows better as a character than I expected, and so does Blaire. I love their interactions and the sex flows nicely when present. The interactions with secondary characters had me in stitches a couple of times and makes the Bluewater Bay community alive and kicking. It was such a great read that I read all 345 pages in two sittings on the same day! I didn’t really notice the length. Jaime captures your attention from the first page and keeps you going until the end.
With this, I give How the Cookie Crumbles 10 pots of gold.
-Eloreen
10/10 Pots of Gold
****
Jaime Samms is a writer, reader/reviewer, home schooling mother and artist living and working in Canada. She writes romance, fantasy, urban fantasy, shifter stories about men, about life, and about love. Her work is populated mostly with men, most of whom are into each other, and yes, we do mean into each other. In her world of fiction, love is real, gender fluid, and there is never a dull story. If Happily Ever After is not forgone, it’s at least a hope for every character.
She reviews gay romance for Dark Diva Reviews and Yaoi light novels at Kuriosity.com. Her art centers on the stories she writes, although she also does bead work and textile art when the mood and time permit.
On the home front, kids and cats take up a great deal of her time and attention. Yes, it’s a busy life!
Contact the Author
Rainbow Gold Reviews 