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Tabitha is in search of adventure
(Previously sold through Harlequin as Cooking Up Love)

Tabitha McClelland knows accepting a job as a Harvey House waitress can be risky. Traveling alone to the rough-and-tumble West just isn't done by young ladies of good breeding. But far more dangerous is her powerful attraction to Adam Foster. Family means everything to the widowed chef, but the self-sufficient Tabitha cherishes her freedom above all else.

Adam is captivated by the fiercely independent Tabitha. Fraternizing with the female employees is strictly forbidden, but the Harvey Girl awakens feelings too compelling to ignore. Can Adam convince Tabby to share his dream of a future in California—together?

206 pages, ebook

22 people are currently reading
117 people want to read

About the author

Cynthia Hickey

586 books328 followers
Website at www.cynthiahickey.com
Also www.forgetmenotromances.com

Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She had several historical romances release through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold close to a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters. You can find her on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazine blog and Suspense Sisters blog. She and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, two cats, three box turtles, and two Sulcata tortoises. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.

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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for ReadingWench.
2,105 reviews14 followers
July 9, 2020
I listened to this one on audio.
I have never read/listened to a book about Harvey Girls. As a lover of history, I knew about them of course, but had never come across a novel about them. I thought this book was great. The characters were well thought out, the flow was good, and I liked the complexity of it.

Meghan Kelly is a fantastic narrator. She brought this book to life , I don't think another could have done a better job of it.
7,778 reviews50 followers
May 22, 2020
Harvey House waitress, a good story of being one. She is on her own and needs to work. Meeting the chef may change her life as well as working in a Harvey House. Delightful, and good narration, Given audio for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
Profile Image for Lynda.
17 reviews
February 25, 2018
💞 really enjoyed this book!! Loved the Harvey Girls.
870 reviews4 followers
January 19, 2021
This was a sweet, clean romance. It was an interesting plot with lots of history. The characters were well done but I found the book dragged on a bit. Maybe I'm just used to shorter stories lately but this one felt like it would have been better if it moved along a bit quicker after the middle.
Tabitha is a new waitress at the Harvey House. She meets Adam, the new cook, on the train. The rules are strict; no fraternizing with the male staff. Can they still be friends? Will they get in trouble for just visiting?
Profile Image for Marty Moore.
767 reviews2 followers
May 8, 2025
Cooking With Love

With a rough childhood, Tabby, just wanted to be able to provide for herself and have adventures. As a Harvey Girl, she was able to fulfill both. When she starts work in Kansas, she meets the head chef, Adam, she's determined to just be friends. As they get to know each other, they both fall in love. Until Tabby, is determined to ignore the feelings and stick with just friendship.
Adam accepts her decision and moves to San Francisco, with his family. Can Tabby accept that she has let Adam go for good?
2,310 reviews84 followers
January 14, 2018
Beautifully portrayed! I loved this unique book! I look forward to reading the whole series!
557 reviews3 followers
January 20, 2022
The Harvey Girls - Great Read - Page Turner - I enjoyed this book
123 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2013
Cooking Up Love by Cynthia Hickey is a most delightful book. Tabitha McClelland has just taken a job as a Harvey House waitress and to reach the job she has to travel across the country but at least she gets to ride on a train and does not have to endure the trip via stagecoach. At this time in America, well bred young ladies did not work outside the home but Tabitha has no choice for she is on her own and has to support herself. When she reaches Topeka, Kansas, she meets Adam Foster who is the chef at the restaurant where she will do her training. He is a widower and Tabby is drawn to him but family is everything to him and she only wants freedom and to be on her own. Fraternizing between the male and female employees is strictly forbidden by the Harvey House owner but the feelings that Tabby and Adam have for each other are just too strong to ignore. Adam’s dream is to open a restaurant in California with his family and he prays that he can convince Tabby to join him as his wife and to share his dream.

The author did an excellent job with the development of the characters. Everyone of them came alive on the pages of the book and I felt as if I knew each of them personally. Scene descriptions were so realistic that I could feel the sway of the train as I traveled with Tabby to her new job. The author made Tabby’s training so real that I was feeling her pain and all her other emotions that were attached to the training. I especially liked the way that the author kept God’s love and forgiveness prominent in the book as Tabby dealt with her memories and grief and as Adam trusted God for guidance. The author also did a good job of educating me about the Harvey Girls. I had a passing knowledge of them but this book gave me a look into the outs and ins of the job. I had no idea that the training was so intense and that there were so many strict rules and regulations. Not only was this a great romance story but it also presented a bit of American history in a most enjoyable way.

I recommend this book highly to everyone that likes a great Christian historical romance with a happy ending and that also teaches a small history lesson.

Thanks to the author, Cynthia Hickey, for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Laura.
Author 39 books653 followers
August 3, 2016
Title: COOKING UP LOVE
Author: Cynthia Hickey
Publisher: Heartsong Presents
July 2013
ISBN: 978-0373486656
Genre: historical romance

Tabitha is in search of adventure

Tabitha McClelland knows accepting a job as a Harvey House waitress can be risky. Traveling alone to the rough-and-tumble West just isn't done by young ladies of good breeding. But far more dangerous is her powerful attraction to Adam Foster. Family means everything to the widowed chef, but the self-sufficient Tabitha cherishes her freedom above all else.

Adam is captivated by the fiercely independent Tabitha. Fraternizing with the female employees is strictly forbidden, but the Harvey Girl awakens feelings too compelling to ignore. Can Adam convince Tabby to share his dream of a future in California—together?

COOKING UP LOVE is the first published book I’ve read by Ms. Hickey, other than her first cozy mystery series published by Barbour several years back. I enjoyed getting to know Tabby and Adam and learning more about how Harvey Girls worked and were perceived by the public at large.

The writing is busy, with a lot of rushing and marching, and nonstop serving. It’s way too busy to be predictable. You never know if Tabby will be sliding across the room or climbing a counter to get away from a mouse. I was pleasantly surprised. Don’t miss COOKING UP LOVE. $4.99. 192 pages.
Profile Image for Kathy Heare Watts.
7,000 reviews175 followers
May 5, 2015
IN SEARCH OF AN ADVENTURE
I love how Cynthia Hickey takes historical facts and spins them into a beautiful story. Tabitha McClelland has not had a happy childhood or life, she has a distrust of men based on what she witnessed growing up in her own family. She is determined to work and make her own way when she accepts a job as a Harvey House waitress and is located in Topeka, Kansas. Adam Foster is a chef and along with his family, dreams of someday owning their own restaurant in San Francisco, California. He is working to help finance that dream and starts as the Chef at the Harvey House in Topeka. What starts as friendship, is changing to stronger emotions. Can two Christian people place their faith and trust in God for their lives and future. Follow Tabby and Adam on their new adventure and see where it will take them. With God, all things are possible.
Profile Image for Jeanie.
325 reviews12 followers
October 15, 2013
I love all of the books offered by Heartsong, and this one is no exception. It was beautiful the way she fought the love building in her heart, and that even though she resisted it and fought it, she couldn't win out against what her heart wanted. That it took for her to take her past hurts, disappointments, and bitternesses to the Lord and asked Him to help heal her heart and help her to be able to open it to man, to be open to love, and when she was willing to put God's will first, before what she wanted - THAT's what it took to turn the tide. And I loved the way the Lord had Adam's Mom and sis cross her path and used them to offer her some spiritual council and guidance without her realizing who they were until later.
Profile Image for Kay.
508 reviews13 followers
February 22, 2014
I had really looked forward to reading this book, since I was curious about the Harvey Girls and the Harvey House restaurants. I was not disappointed! Even though the characters are fictional, I learned so much about this little part of history.

Cooking Up Love is a sweet and exciting love story between Tabitha and Adam. There are lots of bumps, potholes, and spills along their road to romance. Many interesting side stories and characters keep everything moving along quickly.

Even though, this is a quick read, the author does a great job of delving into the minds and motivations of her characters. It is exciting to see the transformation of both Tabitha and Adam as they work through their problems and finally leave their lives in God’s hands.
Profile Image for Joyful.
563 reviews
May 12, 2015
Cooking With Love is a great Christian romance. Cynthia Hickey is a great writer. I enjoyed reading Tabitha and Adam's story. Two things in this story stood out for me. 1 - do all you can to make your child's childhood happy and safe. 2 - forgiveness and trust are not always easy to give. Maybe there should be three things - your childhood affects your adulthood. I enjoyed reading this book and you will too, especially if you are a fan of Christian historical romance. I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ann.
731 reviews22 followers
May 16, 2015
I really enjoyed this one. The author has a wonderful way of pulling you into the story and capturing the spirit of the days of the The Harvey Girls and that period in history. I loved the characters and enjoyed following the ups and downs of Tabitha and Adam's story as Tabitha deals with her insecurities and trust issues because of her past. I was given copy of the book in return for an honest review. I definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good Christian historical romance story. I am certainly looking forward to the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Bhriv.
604 reviews27 followers
September 1, 2016
Cooking with Love is another great story by Cynthia Hickey. I've always enjoyed stories about the Harvey girls...this is yet another one to add to the list of great reads! Tabby and Adam both work at the Harvey Restaurant and, of course, are not allowed to fraternize. Thankfully they are able to base their acquaintance on friendship that builds through working together. This story shows a lot how Mr. Harvey ran his business and the romantic side of things that can happen even in the midst of adversity.
I was given this book in exchange for my HONEST review.
260 reviews4 followers
May 20, 2015
Harvey Restaurant Girls

Harvey Restaurants were along the railroad depots to serve railroad travelers. The story is about working in the Harvey Restaurant. At a time when women were beginning to work at jobs, rules were strict and the workdays were long. There is some romance, but most of the story is about the struggle for advancement and achieving the top position. A nice story worth the time to read.
157 reviews3 followers
May 31, 2015
Wonderful story

The best way for me to enjoy history is to add some fictional flair! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. History is a bit of a bore but I retain it more when set in a story such as this. I have never heard of the Harvey girls before so it was very interesting to me to see how women were being introduced into the work force. Of course the great romance story added in was a bonus as well as being a christian read. Look forward to reading more by this author!
Profile Image for Xondra Day.
Author 46 books159 followers
November 10, 2013
This was the sweet romantic story of Tabby and Adam. Both worked for the same restaurant chain(Harvey's) that ran alongside the railroad. This setting I found extremely interesting. I liked their slow blooming romance, and there were many great secondary characters supporting the overall story. All in all it was a fast, great read.
132 reviews5 followers
July 18, 2013
Good reading. Found Cooking Up Love to be both entertaining and light reading for just relaxing. Not requiring close attention. Good characters and reasonable plot for a love story. Enjoyed this.
Profile Image for Teresa Lilly.
Author 114 books48 followers
July 30, 2014
This story was wonderful. I love Harvey Girl stories and this was more than satisfying. Creating a relationship between the Harvey House Cook and the Harvey House Waitress was interesting. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Profile Image for Betti.
1,392 reviews38 followers
May 20, 2015
Excellent Story

A very well written story with wonderful historical details. Learning to stand on your own and trusting the Lord for your future is something the story will remind each and every reader!
380 reviews2 followers
July 21, 2015
Harvey Girl

Wonderful story of career and Love with God's help. Tabby had a bad childhood and was difficult for her to trust men. After meeting Adam the chef, she struggles between a career or married life with Adam.
Profile Image for Dianne Sidebottom.
1,443 reviews15 followers
June 20, 2016
Harvey Girls employment seemed tough against a society that saw women only as stay at home n look after family and not earning a wage.
Putting on a smile for customers must have been difficult even today.
Tabby n Adam's story was most interesting with a little romance
Profile Image for Barbara Thompson.
461 reviews12 followers
Read
October 6, 2013
Great book! Had a wonderful storyline and kept my interest and to keep turning pages in the book. Definitely recommend this book!
Profile Image for Marla.
586 reviews5 followers
May 5, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book. It is a good, clean Christian historical romance. The storyline is great and I love the characters. I look forward to reading more books by Cynthia Hickey.
Profile Image for Beth.
179 reviews
December 24, 2016
Even though I love reading books about the Harvey Girls, I thought that the story was pretty predictable, but yet interesting and so much so that I would read another book in this series.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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