Book Review: Brunch at the Bittersweet Café By Carla Laureano

Brunch at the Bittersweet Café By Carla Laureano
Published by Tyndale House Publishers (February 5, 2019)

First, let me start by saying this:

Pastry chef, pilot, witty dialogue, off-the-charts chemistry, family dynamics, Denver.

There, I summed up the book! Okay, I’ll keep going.

Carla Laureano is a new author to me. I discovered her only in February and boy am I hooked! This one is my first book by her and it blew me away. It is the second book in a three-book series. I was wary about starting in the middle, as I like to read books in order, however I couldn’t help myself. Each book can be read as a standalone though, so new readers, like myself, won’t get lost.

I’m an at-home baker. I love baking breads and cakes. I don’t pretend to be very good, but I truly enjoy it and that’s what matters most. Plus, I love my Kitchenhand Stand Mixer. I actually hug it, I’m that attached to it.

I know, I’m a dag, but this daggy home baker doesn’t care.

So back to the book. Now that you know I hug my kitchen aid, you might guess then that a book about a spunky pastry chef who meets a handsome pilot with witty, off-the-charts chemistry, is just what the doctor ordered.

Melody and Justin meet in a storm, in Denver, the city they both live in. Due to their jobs ensuring they always keep very irregular hours, having a lasting romantic relationship never seems to work out.

Melody has a habit of falling for the wrong guys, who never choose her. Justin has a habit of falling for women who say they don’t mind his job, but in the end, they really do mind. So both have an immediate understanding of the other and a chemistry that is undeniable. They plough ahead with a relationship and simply decide to see where it goes. They make no promises.

But falling in love doesn’t respect the best of intentions. Soon Justin and Melody are faced with very tough decisions about which direction their futures will take them.

Especially when important, big life events that involve other people, pull them in opposite directions. In short, their commitment to their careers and their families might just pull them apart forever.

The struggle Melody and Justin face on their journey to Happily Ever After is real. I loved how Carla handled it and allowed the two characters to grow in themselves while still finding room for the other.

If you like food, this book is also for you. I was dreaming about baking the whole time I was reading this book. So much so, that when I finished the book I ran to my kitchen and made cinnamon bread. Delicious and perfect way to end a fabulous book high. Well done Carla on such a wonderful book.