A Valentine's Wish by Betsy St. Amant (Review)

Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Steeple Hill (February 1, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-0373875818
FTC: I bought this at Wal-Mart.

Book Summary:
Unless youth pastor Andy Stewart finds a suitable wife fast, he'll lose his job. Yet the woman of his dreams is his best friend. And Lori Perkins is still smarting over a failed engagement, so he can't just declare his love. His plan: he'll be her secret admirer and woo her anonymously with flowers and chocolates. And then, when romance is on her mind, Andy will confess his Valentine's wish—to spend his life with her. There's just one little problem. Lori seems to think her secret admirer is someone else!


Excerpt:
Unemployed. Single. And out of brownie mix.Lori Perkins tapped her nails against the open pantry door. Canned vegetables and peanut butter crackers were nowhere near sufficient for this kind of low. She rested her forehead against the frame and blew a strand of dark hair out of her eyes. It really wasn't her fault—well, maybe two of the three problems were. She probably shouldn't have quit her job at the aquarium gift shop before the administrative position across town was a done deal, and she definitely should have gone to the grocery store before her chocolate stash ran out. But her single status was most certainly not of her own choosing. Add the fact that Valentine's Day was mere weeks away, and it became official. She was broke, hungry and destined to be alone.


My Review:
I loved this book. It is a cute, funny, sweet Christian romance novel. I have been a fan of hers since I read Return to Love last year. It was her first Love Inspired novel. I really enjoyed it too.

In this second book it features the same characters but Lori and Andy come to the front. They are already best friends but do they love each other?

Lori knows she loves him but Andy is a different story. He is a youth pastor and his church suggests he finds a wife. His first thought is Lori but how to convince her since he did not realize she was in love with him. He comes up with a plan to send her presents from her Secret Admirer but the plan backfires on him. Some of his youth group members get it on it and help him.

It is a light hearted book with some more serious moments too. Lori has no permanent job so she is filling as manager at Andy's Aunt's chocolate shop. A perfect job for her since she has a chocolate obsession. lol How will everything work out in the end? Very satisfying and it made me sigh. Highly Recommended. :)

Return to Love by Betsy St. Amant

"I'm Not The Man I Used To Be!"

If only Gracie Broussard could believe that! Years ago, Carter Alexander broke her heart and betrayed her. Now, just when she needs him most, he's back—asking her to believe he's changed. But this time, it's not just Gracie who'll be hurt if he disappears. A penguin keeper, Gracie urgently needs to find a new home for her beloved birds. Carter is the only one who can help. He promises that she can trust him, that he's not the rebel he once was. And that he needs Gracie as much as her birds do.

My Review:

I loved this book and read it in one night. It is a sweet cute romance. The setting of New Orleans and the Aquarium show great research and feel real. Although it is a quick read the story is fully developed. The plot and characters are interesting and I came to care about them. I would love to see another story with the same characters. Gracie's best friend Lori seemed to have chemistry with youth pastor Andy. Hmm...
Highly recommended! :)




Go and read the excerpt on Amazon its really good:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373875401/ref=s9_simx_gw_s0_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1QJNW40D15T7N4D3SDJH&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846





About the author:
Betsy St. Amant lives in Louisiana and is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers group. Betsy has been published in Christian Communicator magazine and Praise Reports: Inspiring Real Life Stories of How God Answers Prayer. One of her short stories, 'Kickboxing or Chocolate', appears in a Tyndale compilation book, and she is also multi-published through The Wild Rose Press. Betsy has a BA in Christian Communications and regularly contributes articles to Crosswalk.com. She is a wife, author, new mother and an avid reader who enjoys sharing the wonders of God's grace through her stories.