Sugar and Spice by Kimberly Kincaid

First, I want to say that author Kimberly Kincaid is one of my favorite romance writers. She never fails to deliver a wonderful story, combined with characters so real, you want to somehow go out and meet them, not to mention move to the town they are all living in. (Yes, I know they are fictional). With Sugar and Spice, the author has once again woven a perfect holiday tale that will draw you in from the first page and make you laugh out loud, sometimes make you tear up, and ultimately lift your spirits with this most satisfying and, yes, deliciously steamy love story. 

Short summary: Lily Callahan is a plan-everything-ahead, follow-the-rules baker whose business is run out of her own small kitchen. She is trying to save enough money to open her own shop. Pete Mancuso is a cocky, risk-taking pastry chef who wants to snag the coveted and rumored-to soon-be-open position of head pastry chef at the top restaurant in the city, and attain the fame and recognition he believes he needs to send his career into the next stratosphere. 

Lily and Pete run into each other when registering for the Pine Mountain Resort’s Christmas Cooking Competition, and each has their own immediate preconceptions about the other. Each determined to win and attain their dreams, neither expect the intense chemistry between them to deepen into a trust that allows them to not simply share their dreams, but their vulnerabilities when they are forced to work together. 

I read this in one sitting. Be prepared to be overtaken with an overwhelming urge to eat plates of holiday cookies no matter what time of the year you happen to read this. They should make Sugar and Spice into a Hallmark movie. I highly recommend this delightful holiday romance in any season. I can’t wait for this author’s next story.