Years ago, Kelly McIntyre and Andrew York were engaged and dreaming of opening a restaurant together. Then he chose an opportunity to study in Paris over the small-town life they’d planned, and their romance came to a bittersweet end.

But Kelly’s doing fine. She’s not only the owner of a potbellied pig named Gray (an acronym for Good Riddance Andrew York), but also of her own bakery. Business is good—so good that a TV show invites her to compete in a Valentine’s Day bake-off. As she prepares for the contest, she tries not to get distracted by Andrew’s visit to town.

When Andrew sees Kelly, it stirs up his old feelings. Little does he know that soon, in New York, he’ll compete against her in the bake-off…and they’ll both realize how much their past is a part of them still.

The Secret Ingredient by Nancy Naigle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated in any way and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

Hallmark has again published an original book that I highly recommend to anyone who likes clean romances. In fact, if you love Hallmark movies, this book will give you the same sense of euphoria that one of their sweet romcoms does, albeit with much more depth of story and characterization than can be developed within a two-hour movie. Readers will find nothing inappropriate and will come away with a smile and a renewed sense of hope in that ethereal concept of true love.

While I had interviewed Nancy Naigle previously and have enjoyed the Hallmark movies based on her books, this is my first encounter with her as a writer. Nancy is one of those authors that I would describe as a “slow burn.” In other words, she is a master at laying the groundwork and building the excitement and suspense of the story in such a way that the reader finds himself/herself invested before he/she even realizes it. I was never bored during her book; however, at times, the action seemed slow, but steady. Moreover, the fact that Nancy carefully built the storyline in such a seemless fashion, every chapter had me more intrigued and fascinated by the action and the characters.

Speaking of the characters, Kelly and Andrew were impeccably well-crafted. The way in which Nancy effortlessly jumped between their perspectives kept the readers on their toes. In fact, at times, I would find myself asking, “What does Kelly think about this? or “What is Andrew doing while Kelly is doing this?” And Nancy’s timing was always perfect. She left out key details that were only revealed later…another device that kept me on the edge of my seat.

While the ideas of a baking competition and interrupted teenage love are typical plot lines, Nancy injected new life into these that caused me to consider these elements with a fresh perspective. I could see the Hallmark formula at work, but Nancy added the emotion and a few plot twists to make it uniquely her own style.

I would love to see this book made into a Hallmark movie at some point. There were so many times that I found myself envisioning the action on-screen as I read the tale. I highly recommend this delightful read to all of my readers.

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About Author Nancy Naigle:

USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a whole lot of heart. She began her popular contemporary romance series Adams Grove while juggling a successful career in finance and life on a seventy-six-acre goat farm. Along with the Adams Grove series, she is also the author of the Boot Creek Novels, G Team Mysteries, and several standalone novels, including Christmas Joy, a heartwarming holiday story coming to the Hallmark Channel as part of their holiday programming. Now happily retired from a career in the financial industry, she devotes her time to writing, horseback riding, and enjoying the occasional spa day. A Virginia girl at heart, Nancy now calls North Carolina home.

FEATURED RECIPE from The Secret Ingredient

In The Secret Ingredient, Kelly and Andrew were once engaged and dreaming of opening their own restaurant. But life took them in different directions, and those days are far in the past…or are they? One very special recipe turns out to be a sweet reminder of how perfect they are together. For a truly special occasion—or no occasion at all—this dessert is a showstopper.

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Love is like a perfect recipe…
You never want to lose it.