A year ago this month, I attended the MOPs Convention with a handful of gals from a local group.  While we were there, I signed up to be part of a review panel for new books published by Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing.  The deal is, I occasionally receive emails containing the title and description of a book.  It could be just about any kind of book… Christian fiction, parenting, homemaking, self-help, etc.  If it looks like something I’d like to read, I respond to the email, and a few weeks later, my book arrives.

I took a bit of a break this summer, but couldn’t turn this one down.  I just finished reading “The Icing on the Cake” by Janice Thompson.  Ironically, the first book I ever reviewed was the previous book in this author’s “Weddings by Design” series.  You can read my opinions of that story here.  From the back of the book:

Scarlet isn’t sure if she has just the right ingredients for true love–or utter disaster

Scarlet Lindsey is busy making her dreams come true. She’s moved her bakery to a prime spot on Galveston’s most popular street, she’s planning an extravagant cake for her best friend’s wedding, and she has a great relationship with Bella Neeley, the island’s most popular wedding coordinator. Business is booming and Scarlet is enjoying the ride.

But when Bella’s dangerously handsome brother Armando breezes into her life, Scarlet is faced with a sticky situation. Should she stay with the safe, sweet guy who’s been a fixture in her life for years? Or will this brash Italian hunk melt her guarded heart?

Admittedly, I had a bit of trouble really getting in to this story in the beginning.  I was a bit distracted by Scarlet’s overwhelming obsession with her weight.  But then again, isn’t that a common obsession with most women nowadays?  I realized as the story went on, that it was just that… a part of her story.  God was taking her on a journey and working through some junk in her heart to get her right where He wanted her.

A few chapters in, I found my groove, and started to enjoy the same light-hearted nature and easy to read style I experienced in Thompson’s last book.  The characters include the self-conscious pastor’s daughter, the misunderstood hunk, the cranky old auntie, the undiscovered talent, and the boisterous church ladies – along with the Rossi family we already know and love – and they’re all so relatable to people we meet in our everyday lives.

The light-hearted nature of Thompson’s stories make them fun and easy to read, and the romance is perfectly, appropriately sweet.  I laughed out loud during the cake contest scenes, and loved the extra hint of adventure in this particular installment.  I appreciated the notes of redemption and restoration that many of the characters experienced in realistic ways.  Overall, I enjoyed this book, and hope (especially if you’ve read the other books in the series) that you enjoy it too!

Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Disclosure: I was provided a free copy via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.