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Fiction. Literature. Romance. Christian Fiction. HTML:2015 Christy Award finalist! Hawaii was the last place Grace Christiansen ever imagined she'd vacation, much less fall in love. But when her family surprises her with a cooking retreat in paradise, she is pulled�??or maybe yanked�??away from her predictable, safe life and thrown headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime. Max Sharpe may make his living on the ice as a pro hockey player, but he feels most at home in the kitchen. Which is why he lives for the three-week culinary vacation he takes each year in Hawaii. Upon being paired with Grace for a cooking competition, Max finds himself drawn to her passion, confidence, and perseverance. But just when Grace dares to dream of a future beyond her hometown, Max pulls away. Wrestling with personal demons, Max fights against opening his heart to a love he knows he should never hope for. And as his secrets unfold, Grace is torn between the safe path in front of her and what her heart truly desires. If love means sacrificing her ideal happily ever after, Grace's faith will face its toughest tes… (more)
User reviews
This is the kind of book you're getting. Not just a whimsical, nonsensical book of random thoughts and happenings, but a fictional story that could have been taken from the lives of a hundred different people.
As always, Ms. Warren's writing was excellent, the timing impeccable, and the characters perfectly flawed. If you weren't supposed to like them, she made sure you wouldn't. If you were supposed to love them and cheer, then you find yourself doing just that. Not because the author told you to, but because they were that delightfully real.
I have read several of Ms. Warren's books, and they just keep getting better. She hasn't let me down yet with tired-out storylines and overused cliches and I look forward to reading more of her work.
As the book opens Darek and Ivy have just begun their lives together, and we are planning the wedding [from the second book] of Eden and Jace. Grace, another sister, has just put on the reception for Derek and Ivy and the family has gifted her with a trip to Hawaii, nice gift!
We also have a sort of set up with Max Sharpe, another hockey player, he happens to be going to a three week, also in Hawaii, getaway of cooking, his other passion. He has so many daemons and I couldn’t blame him, but living his faith, he needs to lean on God. God doesn’t give us any guarantees and life is very fragile and can be gone in a moment, one never knows, thank goodness.
Is there a possible romance here? You can see the passion, and enjoy you time on the big Island, and then back to Minnesota. This is another page turning read by Ms. Warren, it deals with some very tough issues, and there are more than one. I personally cannot wait for the next book in this series!
I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.
Grace Christiansen doesn't know Max or anything about Owen's accident. Her desire to become a chef is deeply ingrained in family tradition and camaraderie. She is a foodie and loves to cook for her large family. She has already applied to culinary academy and when her sister and future brother-in-law, Eden and Jase, asked her to go to Hawaii for a culinary course in Hawaiian cooking, she was hesitant but willing. She was going to cook a Hawaiian meal for their wedding.
Grace and Max somehow missed each other at the airport where they were supposed to meet, but it turns out they were seated next to each other (seats 9B and 9A). Grace hates to travel; when she sat down in the plane her nervousness was obvious to the passenger next to her. Max had no choice but to help her through the experience, especially when she got sick. They became friends before they realized Jase and Eden had set them up. But then they discover their love of cooking and the fun began until secrets Max was keeping complicated their relationship.
Relationships and family are an important ingredient in this book. There is back history, deep secrets, internal battles being waged against fears. It is those fears that are preventing many of the characters in the story from the joys and triumphs of even simple victories. All in all, it is a complex yet satisfying story to read. The author has written this book in a contemporary voice, populating the story with people who could be our family or friends. The issues they face could be ones any of us may have to experience. I was drawn to care about Raina's and Casper's relationship as much as I cared about Max and Grace's future. And during this journey, I was given the opportunity to ponder some important facets about love, life and our relationship with God.
In addition to its contemporary draw, I couldn't help loving the humor the author injects into Grace's friendship with Max, her sister Eden, and her three brothers. It's well balanced with some of the more serious moments and issues some of the characters have to face. As a reader, I just knew that Max and Grace's romance would survive the hurdles thrust before them, because their relationship just sparkled with humor and wit. I enjoyed this author's writing style so much that I'm looking forward to finding and reading the rest of the Christiansen Family series.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. through their Blog Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”