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51st out of 355 books
—
277 voters
Always the Baker, Never the Bride (Emma Rae Creations #1)
Thirty-six-year-old Emma Rae Travis has been baking specialty cakes and melt-in-your-mouth pastries at The Backstreet Bakery in historic Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, for the last six years. But here s the rub about her job as a baker Emma is diabetic. When she tastes her creations, it can only be in the most minute portions. Emma is considered an artisan for the stunn...more
288 pages
Published
September 1st 2010
by Abingdon Press
(first published March 1st 2010)
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This is a very bland three stars for me, maybe more of a two and a half. Keep in mind that I am not a huge fan of Christian romances, so take my review with a grain of salt. Not really liking the genre is a huge bias.I requested the galley because of the blurb that it was about a baker with diabetes who could never eat more than a bite of her creations. I thought this was very clever, and could work as a metaphor for forbidden love or love that is ultimately bad for you, or a million other typic...more
This was a yummy read! Great complex family relationships portrayed. The author includes several characters who are dealing with past relationships and seeking balance in order to live fully in the present. PLUS mouth-watering food described and some great recipes! What's not to love?!
There is a thread of God's loving watch-care over individual's lives, and the power of prayer throughout the book. The main characters are still grappling with their faith, and the secondary characters who are mor...more
There is a thread of God's loving watch-care over individual's lives, and the power of prayer throughout the book. The main characters are still grappling with their faith, and the secondary characters who are mor...more
If I have to read about a Southern "drawl" again, I will flip, and it will not be a good flip. It will be a "I'm going to strangle this book!" flip. Please, all authors everywhere, stop calling it a DRAWL or a TWANG. Instead, why don't you use descriptive words like deep throaty vowels and heavy r's? Anyway, to the meat of the story--
I thought it was ok. Sometimes it seems like the characters are pretty flat with a little bit of roundness in a few of them. I also think the author tries to use st...more
I thought it was ok. Sometimes it seems like the characters are pretty flat with a little bit of roundness in a few of them. I also think the author tries to use st...more
I don't understand people's resentment. Do we have to categorize everything that has Christian characters as a Christian book? The main characters in this one are just as annoyed by what they perceive as a pushy pastor as any of these reviewers are. They have just as much resentment against any talk of God. They are regular people who blame God for the tragedies they've been through and explore that a very little bit during this funny, well-paced book.
It makes me think of an an acquaintance who...more
It makes me think of an an acquaintance who...more
1 like · like · see review
Emma Rae Travis is an award winning wedding cake baker currently feeling under appreciated while working in someone else's bakery. Jackson Drake is a businessman completely in over his head. He is desperately trying to honor his late wife by turning her last regret into reality by transforming The Tanglewood Inn into the hotel that caters to every aspect of weddings from bridal showers to receptions to honeymoons.
One rainy day Jackson walks into Emma's bakery to get a brownie and coffee, little...more
One rainy day Jackson walks into Emma's bakery to get a brownie and coffee, little...more
Always the Baker, Never the Bride will make you hungry for sweet treats, as well as warm your heart with its sensitive romance.
Emma Rae is a master baker. She's won awards for her wedding cakes. Too bad she's diabetic and can't really eat much of what she creates. Jackson Drake, with the help of his three southern sisters, has taken on a project to honor his dead wife. He's bought a hotel and is turning it into a wedding hotel -- offering any service a bride could possibly want. Emma Rae can't r...more
Emma Rae is a master baker. She's won awards for her wedding cakes. Too bad she's diabetic and can't really eat much of what she creates. Jackson Drake, with the help of his three southern sisters, has taken on a project to honor his dead wife. He's bought a hotel and is turning it into a wedding hotel -- offering any service a bride could possibly want. Emma Rae can't r...more
This book is the first in a series of four about Emma (the baker) and her menagerie of friends who own (Jackson) and operate a "one stop shopping" wedding boutique, located in the Roswell suburb of Atlanta, GA. Since I live in Atlanta, it was interesting to see local landmarks (some of which I am familiar with; others, I am not) woven into this love story about Emma and Jackson. Emma is a diabetic baker who just won a prestigious award for her specialty creme brulee cake and Jackson is a busines...more
So this book was not at all what i expected. As a baker i decided to read this as i thought that it would be about some kick ass baker chick with some romance on the side. What it turned out to be was a kick ass baker chick and God. To be fair i was given this ebook in a file with heaps of others so i only read the blurb on the back before i decided to read it, it wasn't until i finished it and realised that it is published by a christian themed publisher, that it clicked for me that i had been...more
This is the first in a series of what I like to call "Always the (fill in the blank here), Never the Bride" by Sandra D. Bricker. There is just something about weddings that is sort of magical, isn't there. Unfortunately my wedding wasn't all that magical, so I think that is why I enjoy reading stories about them! I love living vicariously through my books!
At first glance, you might think that this series is going to be similar to that of Nora Robert's Series, The Bride Quartet. For those of you...more
At first glance, you might think that this series is going to be similar to that of Nora Robert's Series, The Bride Quartet. For those of you...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Apr 10, 2012
Trisha Wilson
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone who enjoys clean romance and humor!
When I started reading this book, I really didn't know what to expect since I had never read anything by Mrs. Bricker before. I was really sleepy when I started reading (about 11 pm)...I thought "I'll just read a couple of chapters, just get it started and finish it tomorrow." That's not how it worked!! I became so wrapped up in it that I finished it in one sitting. After each chapter, I'd say to myself, "One more." One more turned into another and another till I turned the last page about 3 a.m...more
I loved the recipes/tips between each chapter which alone would have made it a 4 star. Reading the book for the title & not the genre, I didn't get the memo the book was christian fiction & not just plain jane fiction. Even if I was into christian fiction it was really annoying that every time the baker-ess went to pray (AND I MEAN EACH TIME) she would preface it with, "I don't really pray that often but here goes".
Which after the first time she said it, okay that statement was plausibl...more
Which after the first time she said it, okay that statement was plausibl...more
This was a pretty quick read for me, it took me just one day to read it and I thought it was cheesy but cute. I think what kept me going throughout the book was not the romance (because this is a Christian fiction book, the romance was way tame then what we're used to here at Book Binge) but the baking.
I loved the way that this book was put together. Each chapter starts out with different recipes for cakes, brownies and other confectionery delights or wedding day tips or anything that had to do...more
I loved the way that this book was put together. Each chapter starts out with different recipes for cakes, brownies and other confectionery delights or wedding day tips or anything that had to do...more
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Purchased: Received from publisher through NetGalley
What I Loved: Emma was a very fun, sweet leading lady who handled her life with a brilliant attitude. Her friend Fee was a quirky best friend that always had her back. Jackson was a great leading man and his journey back to love was fun to watch. Jackson's sisters were fun, different, and fantastic personalities. Emma's parents were the best part of all!
What I Liked: This was a great tale of loss, chances, and just havi...more
Purchased: Received from publisher through NetGalley
What I Loved: Emma was a very fun, sweet leading lady who handled her life with a brilliant attitude. Her friend Fee was a quirky best friend that always had her back. Jackson was a great leading man and his journey back to love was fun to watch. Jackson's sisters were fun, different, and fantastic personalities. Emma's parents were the best part of all!
What I Liked: This was a great tale of loss, chances, and just havi...more
Author: Sandra D. Bricker
Title: Always the Baker, Never the Bride
Description (source): Thirty-six-year-old Emma Rae Travis has been baking specialty cakes and melt-in-your-mouth pastries at The Backstreet Bakery in historic Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, for the last six years. But here s the rub about her job as a baker ... Emma is diabetic. When she tastes her creations, it can only be in the most minute portions. Emma is considered an artisan for the stunning creme brulee wedding cake that...more
Title: Always the Baker, Never the Bride
Description (source): Thirty-six-year-old Emma Rae Travis has been baking specialty cakes and melt-in-your-mouth pastries at The Backstreet Bakery in historic Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, for the last six years. But here s the rub about her job as a baker ... Emma is diabetic. When she tastes her creations, it can only be in the most minute portions. Emma is considered an artisan for the stunning creme brulee wedding cake that...more
Apr 20, 2011
Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
A sweet, sweet story, a happy ending, yummy recipes, an “eccentric” family, and an inspirational tale. This book has it all!
From the irritable first meeting to the sweet and tender kisses to the bonding over Emma’s aunt, each interaction between Emma and our hero, Jackson increases their understanding of each other, helps to bring them closer to their own spiritual understanding, and builds to their own romance. The lack of sexual interaction actually highlighted the building of the relationshi...more
From the irritable first meeting to the sweet and tender kisses to the bonding over Emma’s aunt, each interaction between Emma and our hero, Jackson increases their understanding of each other, helps to bring them closer to their own spiritual understanding, and builds to their own romance. The lack of sexual interaction actually highlighted the building of the relationshi...more
Cute idea for a story. Loved the recipes in between each chapter. Well written and engaging characters. The author had me hook line and sinker until midway through the book there is suddenly (out of pretty much nowhere) a chapter about accepting God, quoting scripture and bible talk. WHY, oh, WHY??!??!?? I was so annoyed by the trick that I put my Kindle down for a few weeks to read a few hardcopy books. When I picked it up again, I had forgotten I was bible thumped by the story and had no other...more
I am starting to draw the conclusion that with kindle books, you get what you pay for. If I had paid for this, I would've been upset. First, the editing needs work. The business of putting quotes from two different people in the same paragraph was annoying. The random italics (the "southernisms" from Jackson's sisters, Eliza and Prof Higgins when talking about My Fair Lady) - why? And why pray tell do only Jackson's sisters have a southern accent in print? Some of the word choices were odd as we...more
2 likes · like · see review
This is a sweet, funny HEA book. If you're looking for a book with turmoil, angst, and over-the-top conflicts, this isn't it. The author's website describes her writing as "laugh out loud romantic comedy for the inspirational market", which pretty much fits the bill.
From the title, I was expecting a typical chick lit story of a woe-is-me heroine who bakes wedding cakes but rues her own singledom, and was very pleasantly surprised to find otherwise. Emma is a baker who loves her job and her fami...more
From the title, I was expecting a typical chick lit story of a woe-is-me heroine who bakes wedding cakes but rues her own singledom, and was very pleasantly surprised to find otherwise. Emma is a baker who loves her job and her fami...more
This book was free for the Kindle so I downloaded it. It was a short, cute read. It's not a deep story by any stretch of the imagination. The basic story is about Emma Rae, a diabetic baker, and how she goes to work for Jackson Drake, widower and hotel owner. Eventually the two fall in love...but it takes some time to get there and you get to meet some other characters along the way.
One thing I didn't enjoy about the book was the religious preachings that go on in the story. I didn't read the s...more
One thing I didn't enjoy about the book was the religious preachings that go on in the story. I didn't read the s...more
As a general rule I do not read Christian Fiction but this book description looked so good that I broke my own rule. I was not disappointed. I generally avoid this genre because I am rabidly uninterested in being preached at and I find most Christian Fiction is just an excuse to proselytize. This author drew just the right line between staying true to her religion and pushing her religion on her reader.
Emma Ray is an award winning baker and Jackson is opening a wedding destination hotel. Jackson...more
Emma Ray is an award winning baker and Jackson is opening a wedding destination hotel. Jackson...more
Maybe it was the timing (just came out from a surgery & had to abstain from many foods), but I couldn't help but relate to Emma Rae. Maybe it's just the type of books that I'm reading, but I've not really ran into that many books where the heroine had diabetes. It's nice to see a heroine with an actual flaw that isn't something along the lines of "everyone hates me" & isn't something crippling.
Emma Rae is an awesome award winning cook. However for her, the term "death by chocolate" is a...more
Emma Rae is an awesome award winning cook. However for her, the term "death by chocolate" is a...more
Emma Rae Travis, is a baker extraordinaire, she creates masterpieces in cakes. Only she really doesn't know how great they are, because she only usually takes a small taste, due to type one diabetes. That however does not stop her from creating new and better cakes.
A new owner has bought a local Atlanta hotel and is turning it into a wedding paradise and he hires Emma and her trusty assistant Fiona to come on board. There is an attraction between Emma and her new boss, Jackson Drake, but he is...more
A new owner has bought a local Atlanta hotel and is turning it into a wedding paradise and he hires Emma and her trusty assistant Fiona to come on board. There is an attraction between Emma and her new boss, Jackson Drake, but he is...more
I will start off by saying, if I had known it was a Christian Romance, I would not have requested the e-galley for this book. It's just not my thing. However, I didn't know, I read the galley, and sorry for the pun, but it was a sweet little book. Emma and Jackson (such a southern name) were nice characters, as were the supporting characters. I liked the humor that ran through the book: light, fluffy, made me chuckle. The chapters were interspersed with recipes and baking and wedding tips. I mus...more
Title: ALWAYS THE BAKER NEVER THE BRIDE
Author: Sandra D. Bricker
Publisher: Abingdon Press
September 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4267-0762-9
Genre: Inspirational/romantic comedy
They say you can’t have your cake and eat it too. But who would want a cake they couldn’t eat? (from the back cover)
Emma Rae Travis is a diabetic, the type that must have insulin shot every day. But she is also a talented baker, making delectable treats that have earned her top recognition. She works at Backstreet Bakery and has put tha...more
Author: Sandra D. Bricker
Publisher: Abingdon Press
September 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4267-0762-9
Genre: Inspirational/romantic comedy
They say you can’t have your cake and eat it too. But who would want a cake they couldn’t eat? (from the back cover)
Emma Rae Travis is a diabetic, the type that must have insulin shot every day. But she is also a talented baker, making delectable treats that have earned her top recognition. She works at Backstreet Bakery and has put tha...more
Imagine being an award winning baker of some pretty fabulous desserts and you’re a diabetic. Makes for a pretty interesting combination, don’t ya think? Or is it a recipe for disaster? Hmmmm.
Well, here’s my recipe for, Always the Baker, Never the Bride:
First, take an extremely talented, beautiful female diabetic baker.
Then toss in an angry bakery boss.
Add one gothic helper.
Mix in a good looking, hunky male wedding hotel owner.
A reliable secretary.
Three gung-ho, flitting about, southern sisters....more
Well, here’s my recipe for, Always the Baker, Never the Bride:
First, take an extremely talented, beautiful female diabetic baker.
Then toss in an angry bakery boss.
Add one gothic helper.
Mix in a good looking, hunky male wedding hotel owner.
A reliable secretary.
Three gung-ho, flitting about, southern sisters....more
2.5 stars
So while reading Always the Baker, Never the Bride I was liking it but at times getting slightly frustrated with it. One thing I though the whole diabetic part would have a more important part of it because in the very beginning of the book (In the prologue) it has her finding out about it.... and then besides a few times of people telling her not to eat cake and one time her telling that she just's has to check her blood sugar before she eats nothing. Nothing at all. Another thing I di...more
So while reading Always the Baker, Never the Bride I was liking it but at times getting slightly frustrated with it. One thing I though the whole diabetic part would have a more important part of it because in the very beginning of the book (In the prologue) it has her finding out about it.... and then besides a few times of people telling her not to eat cake and one time her telling that she just's has to check her blood sugar before she eats nothing. Nothing at all. Another thing I di...more
Light, fluffy romance in an about-to-be-opened hotel that specializes in weddings and special events. He is the owner, still grieving over a dead wife. She is a wedding cake designer and pastry chef. The characters were delightful. Who could not love Aunt Sophie? His sisters were true to their nickname the Hens, and Emma's parents as a source of embarrassment to Emma were a nice comic touch. Everyone falls happily in love, and, we assume, live happily ever after.
Faith doesn't seem to play much o...more
Faith doesn't seem to play much o...more
This book made me laugh out loud! I love a story that can do that. The dialog between characters was so witty and filled with humor. A very entertaining read.
Emma works in a bakery for a cranky boss. Emma has just won the prestigious Passionate Palette award for one of her mouthwatering wedding cakes. A cake that Emma has only had a taste of since she is a diabetic. Emma's eccentric friend Fiona also works at the bakery. When Emma reads about the Tanglewood hotel opening up and in need of a bake...more
Emma works in a bakery for a cranky boss. Emma has just won the prestigious Passionate Palette award for one of her mouthwatering wedding cakes. A cake that Emma has only had a taste of since she is a diabetic. Emma's eccentric friend Fiona also works at the bakery. When Emma reads about the Tanglewood hotel opening up and in need of a bake...more
First reviewed here: http://overweight-bookshelf.blogspot....
Perfect balance of cutting Southern wit, sweet friendships and delectable romance (with some yummy recipes thrown in to coax us into a diabetic coma). This is a book based around relationships: parent-child, friends, spouses, siblings, and coworkers.
I love how realistically Sandra Bricker portrays the development (and sustainment) of each relationship in this book, avoiding most cliches that are usually rampant in chick-lit. Emma and...more
Perfect balance of cutting Southern wit, sweet friendships and delectable romance (with some yummy recipes thrown in to coax us into a diabetic coma). This is a book based around relationships: parent-child, friends, spouses, siblings, and coworkers.
I love how realistically Sandra Bricker portrays the development (and sustainment) of each relationship in this book, avoiding most cliches that are usually rampant in chick-lit. Emma and...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetic | 3 | 10 | Feb 27, 2013 09:00am | |
| Christian Fiction...: ❀Emily and Megan❀ Always the Baker Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker | 3 | 21 | Oct 20, 2012 08:49pm |
May 01, 2013 07:09pm