Celebrate Lit Blog Tour featuring "Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe" (book)

Welcome to my blog's stop on Carla Laureano's tour for her new novel, Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe!

My review of her book is simple and sweet: 

What can I say? Brunch at Bittersweet Café is a winner!

It's a deliciously wonderful story filled with mouthwatering food, captivating characters and a romance to remember!

The plot thickens with the turn of every page. The dialogue is fresh and engaging. The storyline is rich and multi-layered. The characters are well developed, each with a mind of their own and passion for life.

The hero is swoon-worthy and the heroine is strong-willed. Watching them fall in love with each other was rewarding because the author did a great job in making it look like they could never be together. Carla (the author) kept me as the reader guessing until the very end of this story. I think that readers will be pleasantly surprised by the way this story ends.

After reading Brunch at Bittersweet Café, I was inspired to keep fighting for my creative career dreams because the concept of grit when working to make a dream come true was well-portrayed in this story and a true mirror to what can happen when you persevere in real-life.

Bravo, Carla Laureano, for writing a story that’s as memorable as it is sweet!

Please note: Celebrate Lit provided me (Alexis A. Goring) with a complimentary copy of "Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe". My opinions in this book review are my own.

Read more about Carla's story below and enter the giveaway contest toward the end of this blog post for your chance to WIN amazing gifts!

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About the Book

Title: Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe

Author: Carla Laureano

Genre: Christian Romance

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Tyndale

Baker and pastry chef Melody Johansson has always believed in finding the positive in every situation, but seven years after she moved to Denver, she can’t deny that she’s stuck in a rut. One relationship after another has ended in disaster, and her classical French training is being wasted on her night job in a mediocre chain bakery. Then the charming and handsome private pilot Justin Keller lands on the doorstep of her workplace in a snowstorm, and Melody feels like it’s a sign that her luck is finally turning around.

Justin is intrigued by the lively bohemian baker, but the last thing he’s looking for is a relationship. His own romantic failures have proven that the demands of his job are incompatible with meaningful connections, and he’s already pledged his life savings to a new business venture across the country—an island air charter in Florida with his sister and brother-in-law.

Against their better judgment, Melody and Justin find themselves drawn together by their unconventional career choices and shared love of adventure. But when an unexpected windfall provides Melody with the chance to open her dream bakery-café in Denver with her best friend, chef Rachel Bishop, she’s faced with an impossible choice: stay and put down roots with the people and place she’s come to call home . . . or give it all up for the man she loves.

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

Carla Laureano is the RITA® Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

Guest Post from Carla

“Confessions of An Erstwhile Baker”

Like most females, baking is encoded somewhere deep down in my DNA. Call it nature or call it nurture, but at the earliest age, I figured out that the cute boy in my English class would talk to me if it involved chocolate chip cookies. Got my heart broken or had a friend betray me? I grabbed the mixing bowl and went for the brownies (even better if they’re served à la mode.) My friend was having a birthday? I made a cake drowned in pounds of buttercream.

I quickly graduated from the boxed mixes to the real thing when I got married and had a kitchen large enough to roll out dough. I would comb magazines for the best recipes and spend my weekends trying them out. I quickly became known for bringing beautifully iced Christmas cookies and delicious homemade cakes to work.

Then my husband and I moved our young family from Los Angeles to Denver, a relocation that was about 1000 miles northeast and 5000 feet up. Suddenly, every recipe I’d perfected in the previous eight years failed. Cookies burned to crisps, cakes fell, and don’t get me started on candy making. Gradually, I adapted my recipes (my beloved never-fail Toll House recipe took eight tries to get right) and even became an avid artisan bread-baker.

Then disaster. Or at least, what a baker would consider a disaster. After developing chronic health problems, I discovered that among other things, I was sensitive to gluten. The horror! In order to heal, I turned to the paleo diet, which eliminates all grains (there goes most gluten-free recipes) and all processed sugars (there goes everything else). I’ve tried baking paleo-style, and while I can now make cakes that even my gluten-fiend family enjoy, it’s just not the same.

So what’s a once-obsessive baker do when she can’t eat her creations? She bakes for other people and goes on faith that they actually taste good… considering she can’t taste them herself.

It struck me that there was a spiritual lesson in that, and an obvious tie to Brunch at Bittersweet Café, which deals in large part with Melody’s faith journey. There are times when we have no idea if things are working out the way they’re supposed to, in which case we just have to trust the “recipe” and the input of friends and family who love us. Sometimes our instincts tell us when we’re off track, and sometimes we need that outside nudge from our “taste-testers” to put us back on course.

In any case, what Melody and I have in common is that we both bake to show our love for the people around us. And the process of baking my favorites, even knowing that I can’t enjoy them myself, can still be a selfless way to show people they’re important to me.

Fortunately, macarons, which happen to be made with almond flour, are still on the menu.

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Blog Stops

Quiet Quilter, February 12

Among the Reads, February 12

Lighthouse Academy, February 12

By The Book, February 12

The Power of Words, February 13

As He Leads is Joy, February 13

Cultivating Us, February 13

Blossoms and Blessings, February 13

Fiction Aficionado, February 14

The Lit Addict, February 14

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, February 14

This Chattanooga Mommy Saves, February 14

All-of-a-kind Mom, February 15

Just the Write Escape, February 15

100 Pages per Hour, February 15

Splashes of Joy, February 15

Bibliophile Reviews, February 16

Texas Book-aholic, February 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 16

C Jane Read, February 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 17

Moments, February 17

Back Porch Reads, February 17

Cordially Barbara, February 18

Genesis 5020, February 18

Simple Harvest Reads, February 18 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 18

Livin’ Lit, February 19

Kat’s Corner Books, February 19

Life with the Tribe, February 19

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, February 19

Through the Fire Blogs, February 20

Remembrancy, February 20

Vicky Sluiter, February 20

Living Life Free in Christ, February 20

2014 and Beyond!, February 21

Daysong Reflections, February 21

Inklings and Notions, February 21

Pause for Tales, February 21

Cafinated Reads, February 22

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 22

two points of interest, February 22

Ashley’s Bookshelf, February 22

My Devotional Thoughts, February 23

Two Girls and a Book, February 23

The Christian Fiction Girl, February 23

For the love of books, February 23

God is Love, February 24

Book by Book, February 24

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, February 24

Janices book reviews, February 24

Lukewarm Tea, February 25

Carpe Diem, February 25

A Baker’s Perspective, February 25

Bigreadersite, February 25

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carla is giving away a grand prize package of a macaron baking mat, a macaron book, and a paperback copy of Brunch at Bittersweet Café!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/db0f/brunch-at-bittersweet-cafe-celebration-tour-giveaway 

Love is in the Air: Author interview with Betsy St. Amant

The first author featured in my new "Love is in the Air" blog series is a dear writer friend, Betsy St. Amant! 

Ladies, if you love cupcakes, cute guys and stories on romance and dreams come true, you'll love Betsy's new book, All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes!

Here's the best part, Betsy is giving away one signed paperback copy of her book, All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes! Enter the book giveaway contest by using the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this author interview.

Book blurb:

Kat Varland has had enough of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. At twenty-six years old, Kat is still living in the shadows of her family in Bayou Bend, Louisiana. Still working shifts at her Aunt Maggie's bakery. Still wondering what to do with her passion for baking and her business degree. And still single.

But when Lucas Brannen, Kat's best friend, signs her up for a reality TV bake-off on Cupcake Combat, everything Kat ever wanted is suddenly dangled in front of her: creative license as a baker, recognition as a visionary...and a job at a famous bakery in New York.

As the competition heats up, Lucas realizes he might have made a huge mistake. As much as he wants the best for Kat, the only thing he wants for himself--her--is suddenly in danger of slipping away. 

The bright lights of reality cooking wars and the chance at a successful career dazzle Kat's senses and Lucas is faced with a difficult choice: help his friend achieve her dreams...or sabotage her chances to keep her in Louisiana. 

*Note from Alexis: The story sounds delightful, doesn't it? Let's move on to my interview with the book's author, Betsy St. Amant, and discover the delicious details about her book! My questions are in bold, Betsy's answers are not in bold. 

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Alexis: Why do you love writing about love?

Betsy: I’m such a romantic at heart. I’ve always been drawn to love stories, whether it’s fairy tale romances or real life testimonies. I love writing about the love we are blessed with on earth, as well as the ultimate, unconditional love that our Heavenly Father has for us!

Share your elevator pitch for your 2014 release, All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes.

What if your biggest dream came true—and you realized you didn’t want it anymore?

Who or what inspired you to write All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes?

I created the proposal for All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes, which actually had a working title of “A Taste of Love” while at a women’s scrapbook retreat. A bunch of women including my mom and sister spent two nights in a cute little bed and breakfast in a nearby town, and everyone “scrapped” – except me, who sat with her laptop and created this very story from scratch. I wanted to do a “friends to lovers” romance, and when someone at one point suggested I write about cupcakes because I was always talking about them on social media, it seemed a fun fit!

Your main character Kat Varland sounds like she’s a baker on a budget! Tell us about how you created Kat and why you gave her a passion for baking and a business degree.

I think there’s a little bit of Kat in every woman. I wanted to show that relatable quality, so women readers could put themselves in her shoes and know that they aren’t alone in being afraid to dream…in being torn between wanting to express themselves and wanting to hide. Women fear rejection. Kat knew she had more to offer than what she could do baking for her aunt in a small town…yet at the same time, she was terrified to try. That’s why Lucas was so good for her – not just as a romance, but as someone who believed in her and brought out her best. Someone who knew just how much to push her.

What is the deepest desire in Kat’s heart, one which the readers may not know until they’re halfway through your book?

This is a hard question because Kat starts off thinking she knows what she wants, going hard for her goal, and then realizing that her dreams might not actually be what she thought they were all along.

Does this story have a happy ending? If yes, can you give us a clue?

All of my stories are HEA! (Happily ever after) You’ll have to read to find out the details ;)

Lucas Brannen is your male lead. Share his story. What makes him tick? What brings a smile to his face? Where is he in his faith journey with God? What does he do for a living?

I love Lucas. In some ways, he seems “too good to be true” – the handsome, loving, considerate, hunky football coach who is dedicated to Kat. But Lucas has internal struggles too, and his own fears of rejection. As a coach, he’s used to being in control and knowing which plays to call to get his desired result. When it comes to Kat and his newly realized love for her that goes beyond friendship, he is without a play book and totally out of his element. He has to learn what true love and sacrifice really means, and has to realize that sometimes our dreams can only come true when we risk letting them go completely.

What role does the faith of your characters play in this story?

The faith thread in this story is about letting go and trusting God with the deepest parts of our hearts. It’s about self-sacrifice and demonstrating true love like Jesus did for us.

How does your faith in God play into your fictional stories, characters and scenes?

I always write through my lens of faith, whether the faith/inspirational thread is overt or subtle. My characters always have strong morals (the same ones I believe in) and yet are very real, very imperfect people in need of grace (as I am!) I hope at the end of my stories my readers experience hope, and are drawn to the God of grace if they don’t already know Him.

Your story plays out between New York and Louisiana. Why did you choose those two states for your story setting? What’s special about each location?

I’m Louisiana born and raised, so I always like to set my stories around La., since it’s what I know. I know the crazy weather, the history, the culture, the quirks. I usually invent a small town so I have freedom to design it as needed for each story. New York and Los Angeles were the other cities in this story, because NYC was where the grand prize was located, and Los Angeles because that was where the reality show was filmed.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned from your characters in this book?

It’s a cliché, the whole “letting go and letting God” but I do believe there is a lot of truth in that. When we hold tightly to the things we love the most, we tend to squeeze the life out of them. But when we open our hands and surrender the dreams to the ultimate Dream-Giver, He breathes new life. I need this reminder frequently, as do Kat and Lucas!

If you could be the best friend forever (BFF) of one of your characters in this book, who would it be and why?

I would love to be Kat’s BFF and get free cupcakes ;)

What was your favorite memory of writing this book?

Sitting at the scrapbook retreat with my mom and sister, creating this proposal and one-sheet, and getting excited about a new story that, at the time, I had no idea was going to plant me at my dream publishing house. God is so good!

Do you like cupcakes? If yes, what is your favorite flavor and real-life bakery?

Oh yes, I definitely do! My favorite real life bakery is here in Shreveport, called Buttercups. Buttercups actually competed on Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars” several years ago. They are delicious! My favorite flavor is probably strawberry, though my mom makes a pink lemonade cupcake that is also amazing.

Complete this sentence: When I wrote “the end” to All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes, I_______________because _________________.

When I wrote “the end” to All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes, I celebrated because it was finally done baking and was ready to be consumed! :)

Thanks for the interview, Betsy! Please leave a question for my readers to answer.

Betsy’s question for my readers: What's your favorite cupcake flavor?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Author bio:

Betsy St. Amant has a heart for three things - chocolate, new shoes and sharing the amazing news of God's grace through her novels. 

She resides in Louisiana with her adorable, story-telling young daughter, a collection of Austen novels and an impressive stash of Pickle Pringles. 

Betsy has a B.A. in Communications, is multi-published in contemporary romantic fiction, and freelances for her local newspaper. She also enjoys inspirational speaking and teaching on the craft of writing. 

When she's not composing her next book or trying to figure out where Mr. Darcy went, she can usually be found somewhere in the vicinity of a white-chocolate mocha, or singing along with her daughter to the latest Disney soundtrack. 

Look for her upcoming novel with HarperCollins publishers, Love Arrives in Pieces, June 2015!

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Buy Betsy's book, All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1CJxffC
BarnesandNoble.com - http://bit.ly/1GGtMh9
Zondervan.com - http://bit.ly/1DKIgif

Connect with Betsy:
Author page on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BetsySt.Amant
Official website - http://www.betsystamant.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/betsystamant