Batter Up by Robyn Neeley
Publisher: Escape Publishing / Harlequin, Australia
Publication Date: August 1, 2014
Format: eBook - 151 pages
Kindle - 492 KB
Nook - 631 KB
ISBN: 978-0857991744
ASIN: B00LGDXHZK
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women's Fiction
BUY THE BOOK: Batter Up
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book review event hosted by Reading Addition Blog Tours.
Book Description:
Bakeshop owner Emma Stevens has a secret — a delicious, slightly unorthodox secret. EachMonday, she mixes up a premonition to share with the bachelors of Buttermilk Falls, and sets one lucky man on the path to true love.
When reporter Jason Levine finds himself mixed up in a Las Vegas bachelorette party, he hears the strangest rumor: the marriage is happening thanks to magic cake batter. Seriously skeptical, and sick of frauds, Jason journeys to the backwater town of Buttermilk Falls to expose the baker and release the townspeople from her evil clutches.
But when Jason meets Emma, tempers flare and sparks fly. Will Jason cling to his logic at the expense of a future, or will he let himself fall under Emma’s spell?
Book Excerpt:
Emma spooned up a huge dollop of batter. “So, Jason, are you ready?” she asked in a suggestive voice.
“Sure.” He closed his laptop. His eyes danced with amusement.
“Here’s what I need you to do. Close your eyes.”
He obediently shut them. Emma couldn’t help but take this opportunity to stare at his handsome face. Her eyes lingered on his full lips. Stop it, Emma. He’s the enemy.
“Everything okay?” Jason opened one eye.
“Shut them.” She reached for his hand and inserted the spoon. “Repeat after me. Batter I’m about to taste. Show me my true love, and make haste.”
Abby giggled. Emma put her finger to her lips, motioning her cousin to be quiet.
Jason repeated the chant, eyes still closed. “Now what?”
“You eat the spoonful. You have to do it in one large swallow, got it?”
“Okay, easy enough.” He shoved the spoon into his mouth. Within seconds his eyes flew open and he reached for his throat, gasping for air. “Water,” he choked out.
Abby rushed over with a water pitcher and glass. He drank the full glass and demanded another. His eyes were red and watery. Little droplets of sweat began to form on his forehead.
Emma smiled and picked up the mixing bowl, hugging it tight to her chest. “I think you should leave now. This stool is no longer available.”
Jason stood and shook his head. “You got me good, Ms. Stevens.” He grabbed his laptop and started for the door, still coughing.
Abby rushed over and handed him a bottle of water. “For the road.”
“Thanks.”
Turning back to Emma, she grinned. Something was forming in her cousin’s pretty little head. “So, Jason, does anyone call you J?”
“What?” Jason turned around. He twisted the bottle cap and took a large swallow.
“You know. Just by your initial?” She handed him a napkin.
“My mom did.” He took another drink and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“I see.” Abby shot Emma a smug expression.
Emma walked over and crossed her arms, her voice firm and in control. “Get out of my bakery, Mr. Levine. There’s no story here.”
“Sure.” He closed his laptop. His eyes danced with amusement.
“Here’s what I need you to do. Close your eyes.”
He obediently shut them. Emma couldn’t help but take this opportunity to stare at his handsome face. Her eyes lingered on his full lips. Stop it, Emma. He’s the enemy.
“Everything okay?” Jason opened one eye.
“Shut them.” She reached for his hand and inserted the spoon. “Repeat after me. Batter I’m about to taste. Show me my true love, and make haste.”
Abby giggled. Emma put her finger to her lips, motioning her cousin to be quiet.
Jason repeated the chant, eyes still closed. “Now what?”
“You eat the spoonful. You have to do it in one large swallow, got it?”
“Okay, easy enough.” He shoved the spoon into his mouth. Within seconds his eyes flew open and he reached for his throat, gasping for air. “Water,” he choked out.
Abby rushed over with a water pitcher and glass. He drank the full glass and demanded another. His eyes were red and watery. Little droplets of sweat began to form on his forehead.
Emma smiled and picked up the mixing bowl, hugging it tight to her chest. “I think you should leave now. This stool is no longer available.”
Jason stood and shook his head. “You got me good, Ms. Stevens.” He grabbed his laptop and started for the door, still coughing.
Abby rushed over and handed him a bottle of water. “For the road.”
“Thanks.”
Turning back to Emma, she grinned. Something was forming in her cousin’s pretty little head. “So, Jason, does anyone call you J?”
“What?” Jason turned around. He twisted the bottle cap and took a large swallow.
“You know. Just by your initial?” She handed him a napkin.
“My mom did.” He took another drink and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“I see.” Abby shot Emma a smug expression.
Emma walked over and crossed her arms, her voice firm and in control. “Get out of my bakery, Mr. Levine. There’s no story here.”
My Book Review:
Batter Up is a lighthearted romance novel that transports the reader to the small town of Buttermilk Falls, NY, where a local bakeshop owner makes a magical cake batter that helps the local bachelors on their path to finding true love. Author Robyn Neeley weaves an entertaining tale that easily draws the reader into this feel good, fun romance novel that will leave a smile on your face.
Twenty-eight year old Emma Stevens is a third generation owner of the Sugar Spun Bakeshop in Buttermilk Falls, NY. Emma carries on her grandmother's legacy and tradition of hosting a weekly Monday night Batter Up event where she helps one lucky bachelor find his true love. Using pink sprinkles and her grandmother's enchanted sugar mixing spoon, Emma mixes the magic cake batter with a love spell that will spell out the bachelor's soul mate's first name. The love spell doesn't work for women, but Emma has a perfect three year track record where her magical matchmaking premonitions have brought all marriages and no divorces. If only Emma's magical cake batter could tell her who her true love is ... especially after her five year relationship ends when her boyfriend Michael suddenly dumps her and moves to NYC on a whim to "find" himself.
Miami Herald reporter Jason Levine is in Las Vegas for a guy's weekend with best friend Brandon Swift, a fellow reporter for the LA Times. Jason and Brandon get caught up in a bachelorette party and find themselves invited to the impromptu wedding at the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel. While at the wedding, bachelor Tom Reed tells Jason about Emma's matchmaking services and the magical cake batter that brought him and fiancee Bridget Dobson together, Intrigued but skeptical, Jason decides to journey to Buttermilk Falls to expose and debunk the baker as a fraud.
Can the enchanting baker cast a spell on the skeptical reporter? Will Jason expose Emma's matchmaking skills and ruin her business? Or can a little bit of pink sprinkles and a magical cake batter help Emma and Jason find their own true love?
Batter Up is a delightfully lighthearted and entertaining romance novel with a magical twist. Author Robyn Neeley easily transports the reader to the small town of Buttermilk Falls, NY, where a little bit of matchmaking magic by Sugar Spun Bakeshop owner Emma Stevens helps the local bachelors on the path to finding true love. But when skeptical Miami Herald reporter Jason Levine hears about the cake batter matchmaking magic, he is determined to expose the enchanting baker for who she is, a fraud!
This is such a fun story that has a great mixture of drama, romance, and humor, the reader will easily find themselves captivated by the story. I loved the sassy banter and drama between Emma and Jason, I couldn't help but snicker and smile as I followed their relationship develop from comedic and adversarial to a blossoming passionate romance. And if that isn't enough to hook you in, there are some quirky supporting characters whose antics will tickle your funny bone, haunting secrets and flashbacks to Emma and Jason's pasts that will keep you engaged, yummy bakeshop magic and other foodie scenes that will leave your mouth drooling, and even a little bit of drama from a skanky childhood nemesis who provides some very entertaining laugh-out-loud moments.
Batter Up is a fast-paced easy romance novel that has everything a reader could want: a thoroughly entertaining story full of romance, magic, drama, and humor. It is a truly fun story that will leave a smile on your face.
RATING: 4 STARS
About The Author
AUTHOR AMAZON PAGE
GOODREADS
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I think lovely light hearted romances can be nice to read sometimes. I enjoy my little breaks from heavy books or the common YA... I sometimes feel like I read too many of those! In fact, I read a book much like this one, nice and lighthearted, and loved it.
ReplyDeleteCheck out my review and giveaway: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/09/seven-sneezes-book-review-giveaway.html
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