For What It's Worth

Apr 16, 2013 Shauna rated it 5 of 5 stars

I gave this 5 stars but the last star is not completely filled in. I absolutely loved this book. I loved its message and the characters were great. I just wanted a few more things tied up at the end. Maybe I just need more dialogue to resolve conflict. Okay, I totally do, but that's just a personal preference. I marked all the recipes I'm going to try and can't wait to see how they turn out. I could totally picture how beautiful everything was and enjoyed watching Abby grow. Now that I had my de...more

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Apr 25, 2013 L_manning rated it 4 of 5 stars

When Abby Benson comes into a unique inheritance, it's her chance to live her dream. Abby has a talent for cake decorating, and she's always wanted to run her own business. Given the means to do it, Abby reluctantly starts her new business. She hires a handsome contractor, and things progress quickly with both the store and the contractor Dane. Abby soon decides on a unique pricing scheme for her cakes. She will allow the customer to pay what they think the cake is worth. Abby's business quickly...more When Abby Benson comes into a unique inheritance, it's her chance to live her dream. Abby has a talent for cake decorating, and she's always wanted to run her own business. Given the means to do it, Abby reluctantly starts her new business. She hires a handsome contractor, and things progress quickly with both the store and the contractor Dane. Abby soon decides on a unique pricing scheme for her cakes. She will allow the customer to pay what they think the cake is worth. Abby's business quickly grows into something far more than she ever imagined, but at what price will it come in her personal life? Abby will truly have to determine what matters most to her if she's going to make everything work.

I found this book to be utterly charming. Honestly, I was expecting a bit of the usual romance formula, but this book managed to resist that some. It definitely drew me in immediately. It was fun to get to watch Abby chase her dreams, even if she wasn't certain she wanted to. It was also very interesting to see her forced to have to truly decide where her priorities were. No one should be expected to give up on what they want from life, but we all have to prioritize and some point. Dane was a very interesting person as well. You can see why Abby falls for him. The one thing that did bother me though was their lack of communication. I realize some of that is just a way to get the plot to move forward, but I just wanted to shake them and tell them to talk to each other. That would have solved a lot of problems.

I loved Abby's unique cake pricing structure. That is something that probably made her customers really reflect on what they were getting. The emphasis throughout the book on the value of things helped to really drive home the message of the book. Are the things we choose to fill our time with truly the most valuable things in our life? That's something a lot of us could stand to think about. This book never gets preachy though. It's all wrapped up in a fun story with great characters. I really enjoyed this book, and I think a lot of other people will too.

Book provided for review.(less)

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Mar 14, 2013 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amazing fun read that really makes you think about the "worth" of things are. I was on edge to the end hoping that the two main character were going to end up together and create the happy endings that like, but i was kept guessing.

In Abby's case, she opened a wedding cake store after her aunt left her a house and money to start her dream job. However, when she was ready to open business, she had a hard time putting a price on what a wedding cake was "worth" in terms of money. She left the pri...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

For What It's Worth is such a wonderful and charming story. When the book opens, we meet Abby Benson. Abby's Aunt Grace has just passed and left Abby a wonderful inheritance. A building and enough money to make her dreams come true. Abby has always wanted to own her own bakery specializing in wedding cakes. After much thought, Abby quits her day job.

She hires the handsome Dane to do the renovations on her bakery. She finds herself becoming more attracted to him as they spend more time together....more For What It's Worth is such a wonderful and charming story. When the book opens, we meet Abby Benson. Abby's Aunt Grace has just passed and left Abby a wonderful inheritance. A building and enough money to make her dreams come true. Abby has always wanted to own her own bakery specializing in wedding cakes. After much thought, Abby quits her day job.

She hires the handsome Dane to do the renovations on her bakery. She finds herself becoming more attracted to him as they spend more time together. Abby is scared as the grand opening nears. She has everything figured out, except what to charge for her fabulous wedding cakes. Taking a huge gamble, she comes up with an unheard of practice. Let the customer pay what they think the cake is worth. Abby wants her clients to enjoy their cake and pay only after they have tasted it and decided for themselves how much it is worth. Will this work? Abby is taking a big risk for her future and the future of her bakery.

Suddenly business is booming and except for one client, everyone seems to like her unique pricing system and pay her fairly. She has to hire more people to help and is getting closer and closer to Dane. As word gets out and after televisions interviews about the bakery, Abby realizes that maybe this is getting out of hand. She loves baking but she is seeing less of Dane and her family.

Abby has to take a step back and figure out what is most important to her. After much sole searching and praying she finally has to make some hard decisions. Will Dane be a part of her life? What will she have to give up to make it all work out?

This is my first LDS book and it will not be my last. It is such a sweet, clean romance. You get wrapped up in the characters. You are so happy for Abby. I did not always agree with her decisions but she has a good heart. You want her to succeed. Dane is a wonderful character. So kind and patient. There are not many men like him around anymore. My teenage daughter read this and loved it also. I recommend you read this book. You will not be disappointed.

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Dec 19, 2012 Ruth Hill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, e-books

I am so pleased to give this book a five-star rating. It is a romance, but it is oh so much more than that. The positives for this book go on and on. I wasn't sure when I began if this would get that coveted rating--there is some sappiness to the romance--but I can fully recommend this book with no reservations.

First of all, it takes place in Washington state. What a delight to read about Mercer Island, Bainbridge Island, Mt. Si, Bellevue, Ocean Shores, North Bend, and more. Oh, also, Victoria,...more I am so pleased to give this book a five-star rating. It is a romance, but it is oh so much more than that. The positives for this book go on and on. I wasn't sure when I began if this would get that coveted rating--there is some sappiness to the romance--but I can fully recommend this book with no reservations.

First of all, it takes place in Washington state. What a delight to read about Mercer Island, Bainbridge Island, Mt. Si, Bellevue, Ocean Shores, North Bend, and more. Oh, also, Victoria, B.C. I am amazed at how many books use the great Pacific Northwest as a setting, and this one is just beautiful!

There was so much to love in this book. No sex, no violence, no profanity. It is an LDS book, and I have come to find that these are often the best books out there. And I am not even a Mormon! But the message is uplifting as the characters consider the most important things in life. The romance was mildly sappy at a few minor points, but overall, the romance was nice and sweet. And the romance never monopolized the book. There was plenty more to this book than romance.

I loved the writing style. Every chapter begins with a wonderful recipe that relates to the action of that chapter. Most of the time I saw the correlation, but a few chapters escaped me. It didn't mean I wasn't completely drawn into the recipes. In fact, I told my mom about the technique, and she said this made the book more memorable, and I couldn't agree more. I am definitely ready to make some of these recipes!

I found moments that were light and humorous at times. I found the business practice employed in the book quite intriguing. My mom actually wondered if the book was true, and I only wish it were! I don't want to spoil anything for potential readers, so I'll let you read and find out about the business practice.

This book is one I can recommend to anyone. There is nothing that will cause you, your mother, or your teenager to blush. The story is well-conceived and excellently executed. I honestly cannot think of a thing that would make this book any better!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.(less)

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Dec 14, 2012 Ravina Andrea Kurian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Less than quarter of the book, you already know what's coming. It's every romantic comedy that's been seen and every love song that's been played. There isn't much of a twist or turn so if you are expecting those, then this book is definitely not for you.

If you are looking for a light-hearted, chirpy read, then yes, pick this up, devour it and you'll go about your way with a smile on your face. There isn't much of a connection with this book or the characters or maybe I just felt that way becau...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

When Abby's Aunt Grace leaves her a building and the money to turn it into a bakery, she has to overcome her fears and make the effort to fulfill her lifelong dream of owning a wedding cake bakery.

This won't be just any bakery, though: at Abby's bakery, customers are simply asked to pay what they think the cake is worth. Her unusual business model surprises people and nets her some serious publicity, too.

Abby thinks life is sweet, with her bakery becoming ever more successful and Dane, the han...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Rebekah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Abby is given some money from her Aunt to live out her dream-- to open up a bakery. Cakes, cakes and more cakes. Her dream is coming true and in the process she meets someone. How will that all fit and how will her idea of letting customers come up with their own price work out? Does it flop? Does she fall in love?

From the first words on the page Karey White had me hooked. I thought the layout of having a recipe to start out each chapter was really cool. I kept wanting to take a break to see if...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Kim (Read Your Writes Book Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed on: http://readyourwrites.blogspot.com
For Read Your Writes Book Reviews

I’m not going to say I love this book, but I will say I really really enjoyed it. When I initially requested this book for review I missed the part about it being a romance novel with religious undertones. I say the book has religious undertones because you don’t get to the religious elements until you are about 90% into the book.

Karey White is a relatively new author. For What It’s Worth is only her second book. In...more Reviewed on: http://readyourwrites.blogspot.com
For Read Your Writes Book Reviews

I’m not going to say I love this book, but I will say I really really enjoyed it. When I initially requested this book for review I missed the part about it being a romance novel with religious undertones. I say the book has religious undertones because you don’t get to the religious elements until you are about 90% into the book.

Karey White is a relatively new author. For What It’s Worth is only her second book. Initially, I was put off a little bit by the book because it was written in first person. Once I got further into the book, that wasn’t a big deal anymore. This book is based on a girl who runs a wedding cake shop, so yeah you guessed it, there’s recipes in the book. Not that my inner Martha Stewart is speaking to me and begging to get out, put the recipes look pretty good.

I found For What It’s Worth to be on the thought provoking side, once you stripped away the romance. You’re left with a woman, Abby, who is finally fulfilling her lifelong dream of owning a wedding cake shop. The shop is extremely popular and successful and Abby is making more money than she ever thought possible. However, Abby is left to wonder if that success is WORTH her other dreams being sacrificed.

I’m a romance reader who likes to have the steamy moments spelled out or insinuated for me. With that said, it took me a VERY VERY long time to realize Abby and Dane had a relationship, but I guess that could go back to the religious aspect of the book. Even without all of that, this is a good book.

Abby and Dane, a contractor for his family’s construction company, are both loving and caring people. They each believe that family is extremely important, as well as God (again, this is very subtle). Dane meets Abby while he is converting a house left to Abby by her aunt into a facility capable of being able to house her business. Subtly, they begin a relationship, one where Dane is very supportive of Abby and her business. With all of Abby’s success, she starts to miss spending time with her family and Dane, because she is so busy with the shop. Dane’s family voices their concern about her business and its success. This leads to a big argument between Dane and Abby, since Dane never once tried to defend her or stand up for her. The argument then leads to Dane breaking up with Abby and moving away.

Christmas brings Abby the realization that she put her value of worth in the wrong place. She started looking at ALL the money the shop was bringing in and not really paying attention to the fact that she was alone and lonely. Abby saw her siblings all having wonderful lives and she felt a little left out. She realizes she had everything she wanted all within her reach, but lost it. It’s at this point she realizes her business did in fact consume her. Abby decides at that point that it’s time to make some changes to her life.

I love the way Dane, the quiet hero, and Abby are able to come back together and the way their issues are finally resolved. Hmmmm, has anyone else ever heard of talking, saying what you want and risking everything for love?

If you’re looking for a nice, wholesome read that will make you feel good in the end, this is definitely the book for you.

Source: NetGalley(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Chrissy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, read-in-2012, netgalley

When I first picked up FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH by Karey White, I had no idea that it was considered an *LDS story*. Now, I generally do love Christian fiction, so I wasn't scared away by the fact that this is a novel with religious undertones, but since I know that some readers are selective when it comes to this sort of thing, it seems important to mention this fact right at the start of the review. I was a little unfamiliar with some of the LDS terminology (like when a character was reading "Ensig...more When I first picked up FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH by Karey White, I had no idea that it was considered an *LDS story*. Now, I generally do love Christian fiction, so I wasn't scared away by the fact that this is a novel with religious undertones, but since I know that some readers are selective when it comes to this sort of thing, it seems important to mention this fact right at the start of the review. I was a little unfamiliar with some of the LDS terminology (like when a character was reading "Ensign" -- I had to google to learn that this is an LDS magazine-type publication), but this did not in any way detract from my enjoyment of the story. Anyone who enjoys either a clean, heartfelt story or a novel with a bit of a religious background should find enough common grounds to be interested in this story, even a reader not quite familiar with the specifics of the LDS faith.

That said, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH is the story of Abby, a young woman in her 20's who is faced with an extraordinary situation when her beloved Aunt passes away and leaves her not only with a free place to live but also with enough funds to start up the wedding cake bakery of her dreams *and* run it for a full year. Of course, Abby is overjoyed at the the opportunity to turn her passion into a career, so she quickly jumps into the creation of her new and fabulous business.

The one thing that really throws Abby into a bit of a frenzy is her prospective plan for pricing her wedding cakes. Since she's new to the actual business of formally selling her cakes, she wonders if she should price her cakes to reflect her lack of business experience. On the other hand, Abby knows she is a talented baker with years of experience actually making these wonderful creations, so perhaps she should instead charge a premium for her cakes to reflect the higher quality of her product. After much deliberation with her family, Abby concludes that the fairest plan is to simply let the customer set the price, individually deciding after the wedding what worth should be set for each cake. She knows that she runs the risk of encountering a few cheapskate customers who sorely undervalue her worth, but Abby is pretty confident that her cakes will generally product a result that gives her more than ample compensation for her work.

Along the way, Abby happens to meet a handsome, single man of the LDS faith who is contracted to assist with the renovation of part of her new house, which will doubly serve as the home of her bakery as well. Abby and Dane quickly fall for one another, and soon the couple has embarked onto a serious journey of mutual love and affection that even has Abby thinking about marriage.

The next thing she knows, business has exploded and Abby is finding that her customers are responding very favorably to her unique pricing structure. With the exception of one customer who stiffed her with a $20 price tag on an extraordinary lavish cake for an upscale, expensive event, the cakes are being highly praised and recommended, to the point that Abby is invited to interview not only on the local news but on the Today Show as well. Although Abby is struggling to find the hours to keep up with the demands of her newly discovered fame, everything seems to be almost too good to be true....

At which point, Abby discovers that Dane's family is discouraging their romantic relationship, insisting that Abby is too caught up in the success of her business to truly be a worthy wife and mother. After determining that Abby's own sister agrees with this assessment, Abby realizes that she has spent extensive amounts of time assessing the worth of her business and her cakes, but not the worth of her personal relationships or herself. What will Abby do if she is forced to choose between the man of her dreams or the absolute perfect career?

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH was definitely a sweet, innocent, entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to any fans who seek out novels that embody that description. I was undeniably drawn in by the beautiful fairy-tale-esque cover but the loveliness of the storyline was what kept me hooked, for sure.

I wouldn't necessarily say that the story itself, though, is entirely relateable -- because, there's no denying that the circumstances behind the attainment of Abby's success aren't any that we, as readers, will likely encounter in our lives. The romance seemed to be a bit rushed, almost instantaneous, which also left me a tad confused. Additionally, there were points where the storyline just ran by so quickly, without much detail of an anticipated event or interaction.

On the flipside, though, these were definitely not necessarily negative points of the story -- as the simplicity of certain scenarios, the quickness of the progression of the relationship, and the extraordinariness of the backstory all worked to give the story an enchanting feel. Everything just felt sweet and innocent without feeling so watered down or washed out that the reader gets lost along the way.

I really am glad that I had an opportunity to read FOR WHAT IT's WORTH and I definitely would read more works by this author in the future. It is quite refreshing to find such a *nice* love story featuring a character who really wants to find a balance between life and love, and I think this novel will have a great following with readers who enjoy the genre of religious fiction, for sure.(less)

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Dec 10, 2012 Lexie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

For What It's Worth is a comination of my two favorite things -- romance and dessert! It is a sweet and charming story about a twenty-something girl named Abby who inherits money from her rich aunt which she then invests in opening a bakery.

This book was literally a "sweet and delicious" read! At the beginning of every chapter were mouth watering recipes (mostly of desserts!) and of course the whole story was sprinkled (like my pun? :)with baked goodness. (I was craving cake through most of it!...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Amanda (Hootie) Clark rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fat people who love cake HEAR ME! For What It's Worth was AH-MAH-ZING!

Not only do you get a really sweet, wholesome beautiful romance you also get a built in recipe book! HELLO! That right there should have you rushing straight to amazon! The story begins with Abby Benson getting an inheritance from her aunt Grace to finally live her dream and open her own wedding cake shop. Abby is completely scared and nervous about it but decides to put her fears aside. She contacts a contractor and gets the...more Fat people who love cake HEAR ME! For What It's Worth was AH-MAH-ZING!

Not only do you get a really sweet, wholesome beautiful romance you also get a built in recipe book! HELLO! That right there should have you rushing straight to amazon! The story begins with Abby Benson getting an inheritance from her aunt Grace to finally live her dream and open her own wedding cake shop. Abby is completely scared and nervous about it but decides to put her fears aside. She contacts a contractor and gets the renovations on the house her aunt left her going to turn it into a bakery! When the contractor shows up it isn't some older guy she expected, but a totally gorgeous male specimen named Dane!

I am going to take a minute here to discuss male characters in books today. Lately I have read books where the guys are dominant, aggressive, sexually charged beasts. That begs the question, can a book be good if the male character isn't like that? I say YES! Case in point Dane! This character wasn't aggressive and he wasn't a gentle Ben type either. He was kind, sweet and romantic while at the same time being a strong man who knew what he wanted and how to treat his lady. He didn't have to slobber all over Abby for her to swoon and there were several swoon worthy moments in this book!

"What are you doing here?"

"I have to see my girl sometime"

OH MY GOODNESS YOU GUYS! I just loved Dane! Anyway getting back to the story Abby gets the renovations done and one night at dinner with her family decides to charge people what they think the cake is worth. Her idea is scoffed at by her family and customers until they try her amazing cakes! Then the business starts pouring in! She gets a local news crew interested in doing a story on her which gets her name out even more. During this time she is trying to balance her bakery while keeping up a dating relationship with Dane at the same time. Once she gets a call from the Today show things change dramatically for Abby. She starts getting triple her business and even ends up with a celebrity client. Abby gets overwhelmed and starts to realize maybe her dream is dragging her down!

What I loved about this book (besides everything) is that it didn't have to be overly sexual while getting the romance out there. The love between Abby and Dane was still just as exciting without the raunchy stuff. I found myself feeling the emotions of the story throughout the entire book and the anticipation of what would happen caught me off guard! When Abby got her first cake appointment I got butterflies waiting with her to see how much someone would pay. Then when the check arrived I whooped and clapped like it happened to me! Through the good and bad, the tragedy and triumph I was hooked on this story from beginning to end. I was very pleasantly surprised by this book and I really hope you all take the time to read it when it finally comes out! I can't wait to make some of these delicious sounding recipes from the book also! Happy reading my babies!

(Review By Hootie of Globug and Hootie need a book)

(ARC Provided by NETGALLEY)(less)

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Dec 18, 2012 Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, ipad

When I first started reading, this seemed like it was going to be a nice chick lit romance with all the ingredients - Young girl gets dream inheritance, meets nice handsome eligible young man, business takes off, romance blooms, happily ever after. And for awhile it followed that recipe to a tee.

Abby gets a wonderful inheritance from her Aunt Grace, enabling her to open her own bakery - A Piece of Cake - that makes only wedding cakes. In order to do this though, she hires a contracter from the...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have been reading a lot of sweet romances this year that I have really liked. For What It's Worth falls into this same category. The biggest compliment I can give this book, is that I stayed up past 2:30 in the morning reading it because I could not put it down. It seemed to be touch and go for the relationship between Abby and Dane throughout most of the book. Another unusual thing about this book, is that I equally liked both the main characters. In many romance books it's a pretty predicta...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-must-reads, blog-tour-review, dec-2012

For What It's Worth is a cute story and was a breath of fresh air for me to read. I sometimes have my head in books of the same genre for months on end and this book was different and it looked cute so I said I want to give it a go and I am glad I did. I am sort of a sap for quirky love stories and this is definitely one.

Abby Benson is 24 years old and she knows what she wants. She wants to own her own wedding cake shop and when her aunt dies giving her that chance she is excited. She hires the...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Mindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished "For What It's Worth" and I love love loved it!! I wanted to savor it and read it slower, but I couldn't stop myself from devouring it. I loved the recipes at the beginning of each chapter that fit into the happenings of that chapter, I love the house remodeling into a bakery... it just felt like reading all of those fun little dreams that we have, like, what if someone left me enough money to make my dreams come true? It was so fun to read about that happening to someone. I actu...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars.

For What It's Worth is a sweet LDS romance and a quick, clean read. It was fairly realistic, and I found myself being able to relate to Abby several times. I went through many emotions while reading, and I really liked the message about evaluating what things are really worth, and getting our priorities in line.

At one point early on in the book Abby gets a phone call from a guy she'd been on a date with. He asks her if she can remember the name of their waitress because he wants to ask...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Chrissy (The Every Free Chance Reader) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog

Did I enjoy this book: I really enjoyed this book. It made me happy. It was a quick read that I read every free chance I had.

For What It's Worth is a sweet, romantic, clean chick lit read. The premise was unique for me. I would love to see a business run as Abby ran hers. It was really fun to see how she developed her business and how it took off beyond her own expectations.

Abby, the baker and owner of "A Piece of Cake," is insecure but determined. She took a giant leap of faith to start this b...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Pragya rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone who loves baking, sweet romance or a feel-good book!

Shelves: 2012, own-kindle, review-request, food

3.5 stars

Did you know I love bakery books since I love baking and dream of opening a bakery shop myself someday? So this one was right up my sleeve.

And it was more than just about baking. A very quick and lively read, this one had the right dose of everything – a bit of drama, a large dose of romance and a pinch of complications.

The plot is simple yet unique, the characters to be loved and the pace just perfect. The book has so many sweet little moments that make you smile.

And my favorite – each...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Ashley Deniz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Every once in awhile I decide to try a new author. Sometimes it works out, sometime it does not. This one, did nothing for me. The book was fine, and truth is that may be generous. I felt like it was very rushed, time flew by and stories were so condensed I had a tough time trusting the character development. It was a cute story but nothing great. It was odd in that there was not much about God and then at the end it's like a flashing neon sign goes about saying this is a religious fiction novel...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

I appreciate the unique plot. I appreciate the overall message the book tells. I appreciate the clean romance with spiritually-driven characters. But unfortunately the style of writing just wasn't my cup of cocoa.

The writing was very flat. Very one-dimensional. There was no emotion or detail in anything. I felt I was reading a travel-log, instead of a well developed story. "This happened and then this happened and finally this happened." By the end of the novel I was still skimming across the s...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Valerie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like a book that makes you think AND you can enjoy the story along with it. Many times in our lives we can get caught up in a lot of non meaningful and even meaningful activities without realizing the value or importance of them. At times, we can even loose who we really are and why we are really here in pursuit of what we think is most important at the time. Perspective is a great thing and yet so often we have a hard time finding that perspective. I loved reading this book and thinking mysel...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Karey White rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Of course I love it. I hope you do too.

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Sep 26, 2012 Inspired Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, february-kindle-fire-authors

Review to come...

Cute & clean

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Mar 06, 2013 Holly (2 Kids and Tired) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-my-reading-basket

When Abby opens her dream wedding cake shop, she has no idea what to charge for her cakes. When she comes up with the idea to let her customers pay what they think the cake is worth, her family thinks she's nuts. But, Abby sticks with it and soon finds that she has more business than she can handle. Falling in love with the contractor who helped her get the bakery open wasn't part of her plan, but he's certainly a wonderful consequence. When her success begins to affect every other aspect of her...more

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May 10, 2013 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It approaches some very real issues for modern LDS women who all their lives have been dreaming about raising a families, but find they are at the right age to pursue a career, and that Mr. Right hasn't come along yet. So, naturally, they progress in what they have trained or gone to school to do. For Abby, that's wedding cakes, and she finds she's good at it. Very good. But then, of course, she does meet a potential Mr. Right. So now what? He's a gr...more I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It approaches some very real issues for modern LDS women who all their lives have been dreaming about raising a families, but find they are at the right age to pursue a career, and that Mr. Right hasn't come along yet. So, naturally, they progress in what they have trained or gone to school to do. For Abby, that's wedding cakes, and she finds she's good at it. Very good. But then, of course, she does meet a potential Mr. Right. So now what? He's a great guy, and doesn't want to be a pig, so he's not going to ask her to give up her career. But being a good LDS guy, he wants to have a family, and due to Abby's devotion to her business, isn't sure that's what she wants. Being a guy, he doesn't know how to talk about it. Abby does want a family, and would sacrifice a lot for that dream, but she shouldn't have to drop her currently successful dream with her business just in case he might be the one. I think this story is very realistic, in that both characters awkwardly deal with this problem, they both don't really know where to go next, or how to approach it. They both make mistakes. They both don't know what to do. They both love each other. I found myself sympathizing with both of them, and honestly wondered how they would resolve their problems, because I wasn't sure I could solve them myself!! It reminded me a lot of Jane Austen's Persuasion, where you just want to lock them in the room, and force them to admit their true feelings and hopes to each other, rather than going off on sad tangents, assuming the wrong thing. But love and romance are always like that!! We never say the right things at the right time. We rarely even know how we're feeling ourselves!! Love is complicated, and requires leaps and sacrifices. But when and where and how to take them is not easy to figure out. I've thought about this book a lot, and always come to the same conclusion, that it could have been a true story, and one where I liked all the characters involved.

For once it was nice to find an LDS romance that wasn't too sweet, too simple, too predictable, or too personal. This one was just right, and I'd recommend it to any of my LDS girlfriends. As icing on the cake, (like that pun?) there are recipes at the beginning of each chapter of something the characters made or enjoyed. I've made a few of them, my favorite so far being the Almond-Apple Pandowdy. (less)

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Nov 29, 2012 Andrea thebusybibliophile rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, kindle

Abby has just lost her beloved aunt, who was very generous in her will. Aunt Grace left Abby a large sum of money and suggested she start start a bakery with it. She even mentioned a location that would be perfect. After some pondering (she could use the money to buy herself a nice little house and relax), she decides to follow her heart. She and her hottie contracter hit it off until the bakery starts making it big. Suddenly it looks like like Dane and Abby may have different goals in life.

All...more Abby has just lost her beloved aunt, who was very generous in her will. Aunt Grace left Abby a large sum of money and suggested she start start a bakery with it. She even mentioned a location that would be perfect. After some pondering (she could use the money to buy herself a nice little house and relax), she decides to follow her heart. She and her hottie contracter hit it off until the bakery starts making it big. Suddenly it looks like like Dane and Abby may have different goals in life.

All of the characters in For What It’s Worth were lovable and easy to like. Abby was a lovely, nice young woman who got caught up in the excitement of a new business, and all the work that involved. Dane was a nice young man just waiting for the right girl to come along so he could settle down. Abby’s parents, brother, sister and brother-in-law were all nice and very supportive of Abby and her dreams. Dane’s family was nice and looked out for his best interests. Do you sense a theme here? Everyone was very nice. There were no bad guys or potential rapists or thugs. Even Mr. Not-Right, whom Abby went on a date with, was nice. His only flaw was his enthusiasm.

The real crux of the book was whether Abby and Dane would be able to make it work. They seemed so right together, yet they had a serious inability to communicate with each other, which caused all sorts of problems. Sometimes I just wanted to shake them and say “Just tell him how you feel!” or “Ask her about it already!” Of course, that could just be the sign of a very engaging book…

The plot moved along at a quick pace, except for about 3/4 of the way through when Abby and Dane had their problems. I thought that part dragged a bit, and there was a lot of… whining. I think it aggravated me that they couldn’t just talk to each other. Even after certain issues were out in the open, they still acted too scared to say what they were thinking. Instead, they skated around the real problems and stayed miserable.

This was a very clean book – nary a bad work or adult beverage in sight. It was actually kind of nice to read a book where all the couple did was hug and kiss, even after 9 months. There was never talk about sex, or whether they should or shouldn’t. It just wasn’t an option, so it was never put out there by either of them. Religion played a part in the book, because it was an important part of the character’s lives. They discussed their religion, went to church every week and did a lot of praying.

Also – I think I gained 10 pounds just reading the book. Every chapter started with a new recipe, and most of them were scrumptious. I bookmarked 2 to try later.

The sum up: The next time you’re looking for a sweet and clean story, give this one a try and you won’t be disappointed.(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Chelsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book deserves every bit of the five pink cupcakes that it has received! I saw the cover of this book and immediately knew that the story behind it would be unmistakably charming; I was right! This story follows Abby Benson, whose Aunt Grace has just passed away and in her will has left Abby with enough money to achieve her biggest dream; own a wedding cake shop. When faced with one of the grandest decisions of her life Abby is hesitant and speechless, but with the persuasion and help of her...more This book deserves every bit of the five pink cupcakes that it has received! I saw the cover of this book and immediately knew that the story behind it would be unmistakably charming; I was right! This story follows Abby Benson, whose Aunt Grace has just passed away and in her will has left Abby with enough money to achieve her biggest dream; own a wedding cake shop. When faced with one of the grandest decisions of her life Abby is hesitant and speechless, but with the persuasion and help of her family she decides to make her dream a reality.

There was honestly not one single aspect of this book that I did not love entirely. From the characters, the setting, the cakes, and the romance, I was pleased with all of it. Abby Benson was a phenomenal character and I loved her from the very first page, mainly because I found it extremely easy to connect with her. She was a very precise and on point kind of person. She had lists, lists, and more lists and this is pretty much how I survive every day. But seeing her in her bakery for the first time was when I really connected with her. She was just so passionate about what she loved to do. When she started preparing and talking about her creations it was like her character just lifted right off the page. It is wonderful to see a character in their favorite environment and it is so easy to love Miss Abby Benson and her beautiful wedding cakes.

What I loved most about this story was how the title tied in with the plot. When Abby first opens her bakery she realizes that she is going to have to set her prices. Only she comes up with a better idea. She decides that she will allow her customers to set their own prices. Yes, you heard me. She will bake a cake, leave an invoice, and then they can pay her however much they believe their cake was worth. Abby knows that she will not always receive the payments that she probably deserves, but it is a risk that she is willing to take. Not only does this title, For What It’s Worth, apply to Abby’s wedding cakes, but it also applies to other areas of her life as she finds love and learns to love in return. The whole entire story was perfectly tied in by the end.

Dane was Abby’s love interest in this book and he first started as her handyman. Their relationship was like the buttercream on Abby’s cakes: soft, creamy, and delectable. I loved how patient and gentle he was with Abby and he completely supported her business endeavors. Their relationship started slow and easy and eventually picked up as the story progressed. It was really great to see their relationship grow alongside of Abby’s new business as well!

A cute little side note: at the start of each new chapter is an awesome recipe from Abby’s collection! I love tiny details like this one.

***Thank you to the publishers and Karey White for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***
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Jan 06, 2013 Tina "coffee and books" rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, christian-romance, gifted-or-free-read, reviewed-netgalley, reviewed

For What It’s Worth is the first book I’ve read by Karey White. I really, really liked the premise of this book and wanted to love it. I didn’t love it, but I did like it!

Abby Benson has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime. Her Aunt leaves her a building that would be perfect for the cake shop that she’s always dreamed of opening. She’s also been giving a bit of money to tide her over for the remodel and start up. There is nothing to stop her, but her own fear. She hires a contractor...more For What It’s Worth is the first book I’ve read by Karey White. I really, really liked the premise of this book and wanted to love it. I didn’t love it, but I did like it!

Abby Benson has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime. Her Aunt leaves her a building that would be perfect for the cake shop that she’s always dreamed of opening. She’s also been giving a bit of money to tide her over for the remodel and start up. There is nothing to stop her, but her own fear. She hires a contractor to help with the remodel and decides to go for it. When faced with the decision of what to charge for her cakes Abby comes up with a most unconventional idea. She will make the cakes and her customers can pay her what they think the cake is worth. This is a huge risk, but pays off in a big way. Abby becomes a small town celebrity because of her amazing creations and the unique way she runs her business. She finds herself so overwhelmed. She loves what she is doing, but she’s neglecting those she loves.

Dane Reynolds has waited so long for a woman to make him feel the way that Abby makes him feel. What a blessing to have met such a sweet, loving woman that shares the faith that he is so dedicated to. However, being in love with her won’t make him settle for less than all he’s ever wanted. He wants children and a true partnership, not a wife that is too busy to be that for him and their family. All he can do is pray that she chooses him and the future he knows they would be happy with.

“I think the most important thing is to put each other first. That tells you what you’re worth to each other.”

My big hang up with this book was Abby and how she never voiced her concerns or questions in her relationship with Dane. I know he felt neglected because of her new business and how it took up so much of her time, but he didn’t mention it to her until he was ready to “take a break”. Then, she never felt comfortable asking him where they stood or if they had a future, etc. For 2 people that are so in love and really wanted a forever after with one another I didn’t get that they were so uncomfortable with having a heart to heart with one another.

“If you want to find the right one, you have to be the right one.”

This book was really sweet and had a very nice premise. It really made you think about so many things in your life. What is its worth? Imagine if you chose the worth of all that you got. Would you pay as much as it costs? Would you give up your time or energy for that particular activity? Is it worth the sacrifice?

I would like to thank NetGalley.com for the loan of this book for my honest review.

You can find this review and others at http://tinar1121.blogspot.com
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Jan 10, 2013 Janellef rated it 4 of 5 stars

Abby Benson is given the chance of a lifetime when her Aunt Grace dies and leaves her property with the advice that Abby turn it into a bakery and fulfill her dream of creating wedding cakes. With encouragement, and a bit of guilt mixed in, from her family, Abby takes the leap that can change her life. But with no business experience, what will she charge her customers? What if she lets every customer decide individually how much Abby's work and creations are worth? Will it bring her success or...more

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