From the USA TODAY bestselling author of the “heartwarming and refreshingly sweet” (Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author) On the Corner of Love and Hate comes a story about a baker who takes her chances on a new town…and an old love. After selling her famous bakery back in New York, Parker Adams visits Hope Lake, Pennsylvania, to figure out her next steps. And soon she’s wondering … next steps. And soon she’s wondering why she ever loved city life in the first place. Between the Golden Girls–the senior women who hold court–and Nick Arthur, her equally infuriating and charming former flame, Parker finds a community eager to help her get her mojo back.
But even though Hope Lake gives her the fresh start she’s been looking for, Parker discovers that it’s not so easy to start over again with Nick. Their chemistry is undeniable, but since Nick is a freshly taken man, Parker is determined to keep things platonic. With a recipe for disaster looming, Parker must cook up a new scheme, figuring out how to keep everything she’s come to love before she loses it all.
Perfect for fans of Amy E. Reichert and Jenny Colgan, The Ingredients of You and Me is a scrumptious romantic comedy that lets you have your cake and eat it too.
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Nina Bocci takes her readers back to Hope Lake in book 3 of this trilogy. It was great to catch up on the women from the first two books and to read Parker’s story. All three of these books are romances with strong female characters but they also about the importance of friendship. As all three women worked to fulfill their dreams, they depended on each other to keep them on the right path.
Parker is a well known baker. Not only did she have a highly popular bakery in New York City but she had also been on Food Network in various shows and had a following of people from those appearances. She decides that it’s time to sell her bakery and make some changes in her life. Along with the bakery, she had also sold her recipes to the new owners and needed to develop new recipes but all of a sudden, so can no longer bake and none of her new recipes end up being eatable. She decides to temporarily move to Hope Lake where her best friend Charlotte (from book 2) and her new friend Emma (from book 1) have very successful jobs and very serious boyfriends.
Parker hopes that getting away from NYC will help her regain her baking expertise. The other person she knows in Hope Lake is Nick. They had a romance that they kept hidden from their friends until he just dropped her with no explanation. So while she is excited to see her girlfriends and their men, she is unsure of how she’ll feel to see Nick again and their subsequent social interactions are just as confusing to her as the end of their relationship.
I enjoyed most of the characters in this novel – along with the other books in he series. I also enjoy reading a romance novel that has strong female characters with careers. Hope Lake sounds like any small town where everybody knows everyone else’s business and likes to talk about it. This a light fun series and perfect to read while you are quarantined in the house.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
I freaking LOVE this series! I’ve been waiting for Nick’s story since we met him in the first book and Nina Bocci did not disappoint. Parker is the perfect woman for him. She’s smart, sassy, strong, and independent. The perfect complement to his fun, outgoing, selfless personality.
But the group that stole the show for me were the Golden Girls. Can I be an honorary Golden Girl? I love these women and how they embraced Parker and made her part of their group. And how she reciprocated and helped them out – that’s what friendship is about.
And of course, it was awesome to catch up with Cooper and Emma (can we please have a novella about their big day?), Henry and Charlotte, and the rest of the crew in Hope Lakes.
If you’re looking for a series about love, friendship, loyalty, respect, and sense of community, I highly recommend the Hopeless Romantics series. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of these characters.
Loved the series, though this was my least favorite. The main male character was a total dud in almost every way other way than being kind. It was sweet and yet couldn’t get beyond his lack of spine, lack of self awareness and complete and total lack of how what he did and said impacted anyone other than himself.
I am really enjoying the Hopeless Romantics series. I am a big fan of Nina Bocci’s writing. I really enjoyed Parker and Nick’s story. Parker owns a bakery in New York City that is unique. After a while she is ready for a change and sells her business and moves to a mall town where her friend live. She wasn’t expecting to run into Nick, someone from her past.
If your looking for a feel good romance that will have you smiling you need this book.
It was great to see these two charactes find themselves and then each other.
I look forward to reading the other books in this series. This was my first story by this author and it will not be my last.
SWEET! This one is a second chance romance focus on Parker and Nick. Parker is a pastry chef who lost her cooking mojo. After selling her successful bakery in NY she decided to visit a friend in Hope Lake to figure out what the future holds. Soon, Parker realized she is falling in love with the small town and the people in it, one particular special person her old flame Nick Arthur. While Parker begins to get her baking mojo back, she wasn’t so lucky in the romance department. Parker and Nick have a history that ended abruptly. Nick disappeared and left Parker heartbroken. Now Parker can escape seeing Nick in this small town. The chemistry and attraction are still very much present, but Nick is unfortunately taken. They settled for a platonic friendly relationship. When Parker finally had a chance to rekindle their romance, trouble looming with her former bakery in NY. Parker has to find a way to balance it all, or risk losing her business and her love. I adore Parker – this story is almost about her journey. I feel that Nick did not have a good enough reason for ghosting and broken her heart back then. Nick finally came to his sense and realized Parker is the one. Nick is not as swoony of a hero as I would have like but he is sweet though Overall, this was such a sweet, fun, heartwarming, feelgood small-town romance. It’s also about friendship, self-discover, forgiveness, and new beginning.
Oh Em Gee…It was good, no GREAT to be back in Hope Lake. Too bad Parker and Nick took too long to actually hook up this time. They had a clandestine tryst and then a misunderstanding and Nick ghosted Parker and now Parker has sold her bakery in New York and looking to start Parker Phase Two in Hope Lake. The only problem is she is baking blocked and the Golden Girls are her new Pack. This whole story is one hoot after another and I was charmed from page one through to the end. The only thing that would have made it better is if Nick and Parker would have hooked up sooner. Definitely a keeper for me!
I loved being back in Hope Lake! The residents are so fun and quirky and bring such a smile to my face. The Ingredients of You and Me is the 3rd book in the Hopeless Romantics series, but can be read as a standalone. I do recommend reading the books in order though, since characters from previous books appear and that’s where we first meet Nick and Parker.
I really loved Parker’s evolution in this book. Yes, it’s a romance, but it was also about Parker finding her way and really putting herself first. Her relationship with Mancini was hilarious and was truly a highlight of the book. Mancini stole the show any time she was on the page and I absolutely loved all the Golden Girls. I liked Nick, but sadly I didn’t love him. I think I will always love cinnamon roll Henry best. It took me a bit to warm up to Nick thanks to his hot and cold behavior and his very, very poor choices. I was invested in finding out what happened between him and Parker though and was always rooting for them to find their way back to each other. I would have liked a little less OW drama and a bit more groveling, but the epilogue left me with a smile on my face and a happy heart. I especially appreciated that things were left in a way that felt true to the characters and didn’t force things prematurely.
Catching up with all the previous Hopeless Romantics couples and characters was wonderful and I loved getting little glimpses into their happily ever afters. The recipes included at the end were such a fun treat too and I’m excited to try one soon. I’m thinking the Hummingbird cake.:)
Favorite Quotes:
“Mancini, you’re the only person I know who answers a question without giving a lot of answers.” She shrugged. “It’s a gift.”
I’m not even sure the wildlife outside my lake house would eat the stuff I’ve been baking lately… you wouldn’t want it even if you were starving. I tried tossing a couple scones that I had made this morning out to the squirrels. I think I might have concussed one of them.
What, is there some sort of sophisticated spy network around town that reports through a switchboard? My God, you guys are quick on the gossip…
“I mean, I’m a bit old for the YouTubes, right? I’m almost seventy.” I leveled her with a disbelievingly look. “Okay, seventy plus twelve,” she sighed.
You did something stupid. We don’t give up on people for doing that. We wouldn’t have anyone left if it was a one-strike system.
My Review:
This was my third time indulging myself in the clever levity of Nina Bocci and I am enamored with her sharp wit and uniquely quirky and dynamic characters with my pet being the indomitable Mrs. Mancini, my favorite octogenarian. I want to be Mrs. Mancini when I grow up. The storylines were entertaining yet realistic and relatable, the characters were infuriating at times yet likable and well-meaning, and the writing was crisp, witty, and divinely amusing. Creating a snarky message delivery system through baked goods and naming the bakery Delicious and Vicious was nothing short of ingenious. I declare myself one of Nina Bocci’s most devoted acolytes.
I think we’ve all experienced the drudgery of a job that we grew to dislike. The author takes us down that path with a small business owner who has outgrown the direction her business has taken.
After selling her business she decides to get away from it all and head back home to visit her dearest friend and take an R&R while she figures out her life.
The author gives us a nice twist when we discover this isn’t the first time she’s been back home. There’s been a man in her life that she truly cares for and that’s where everything got interesting.
I just love a story about small town. We get to meet a crazy group of senior citizens and many other stand-up characters in this group. But I was able to connect with the main character, Parker, because she feels so lost.
Her main passion feels like it’s just out of reach. She struggling to find her way. I think we’ve all been in that position a time or two in our life.
Then when she finds herself around Nick, the guy she’s crushing on for so long, it doesn’t seem to help matters. Especially since he has someone else. With his heart on his sleeve they have a lot of work to do to find their way.
Bocci continues to serve us a beautiful women’s fiction story with fun characters and a taste of romance. A wonderful afternoon read that is light and airy with the aroma of romance in the air.
We have to travel a long way in this book to come out with the happily ever after. I really wish we had more of the happy part once they found their way. But the inbetween is super sweet, a wee bit wacky, and a delightful journey to finding where we need to be in life when our passions find a way.
In this third installment of the Hopeless Romantics series, Nina Bocci returns to the fictional town of Hope Lake for more small town shenanigans, love and a bit of heartache.
Parker Powell has sold her NYC Delicious and Vicious bakery to a major player in anticipation of a less stressful lifestyle and more time for her new relationship with Nick from Hope Lake who she’s been seeing on the sly.
When Nick breaks it off by ghosting her before she even has a chance to tell him her good news, Parker is hesitant to return to Hope Lake and run the risk of running into Nick there. But she needs the quiet of the small town and with the thought that no one knows about her and Nick, she returns to Hope Lake, hoping to find her next big venture.
Of course she runs into Nick with some help from the Golden Girls, the town busybodies. They are headed up by the in-your-business Mancini, who happens to know all about Parker’s history with Nick. All the Golden Girls love Nick — he’s their go-to guy and just all around nice guy.
But along with seeing Nick again, Parker also gets to hear about his new girlfriend who no one seems to be crazy about.
With help from the Golden Girls, Parker comes up with ideas for a new business that has everyone excited. And she even gets help from her ex and now friend, Nick, who’s a small business owner himself. If only that pesky girlfriend no one likes could go away…
I really liked this story. It’s not your typical romance since Nick is with someone else for a good part of the story and I found that to be a fresh approach to this romance. It’s clear to everyone but Nick that his current girlfriend is too controlling and the sparks with Parker are more likely to turn into fireworks if they would only give them a chance.
I absolutely adored the storyline with the Golden Girls, their recipes and how they really take Parker into their group. Without meddling too much, they see that Parker and Nick are made for each other, and they are going to do whatever they can to make it happen.
Even though Nick’s communication skills (or lack of them) bugged the heck out of me, I loved him and Parker together. Parker’s love for the Golden Girls warmed my heart and reminded me why I love small town romance — it’s not just about the hero and heroine, it’s about the whole town coming together to celebrate the relationships that grow in their town, and there’s nothing better than that.
I gobbled this book down in a few days and absolutely loved it. If you like small town romance, this series is a must.
An ARC was provided by the publisher. This is my honest review.
I was so super excited or this story at the end of Meet Me On Love Lane. The sparks between Nick and Parker were unbelievable and I was really hoping that Hope Lake was charming Parker as much as it had Charlotte. Learning of their trist and of Parker selling her bakery reallllly had me curious from the get go!
Parker getting on that bus and coming to Hope Lake to get her mojo back was so awesome! I was really hoping that would happen when she finally talked to Charlotte. I had no clue what she’d be walking in to, and I LOVED THAT SO MUCH! Even better was Mrs. Mancini stepping in and taking Parker under her wing. The Golden Girls have played such a special role in this series and I love how they really got to shine in this book. These women really helped give Parker a purpose. This was truly a book about self discovery, and in so many different ways.
There were so many details to this book and I loved every second of that. I love when a book has so many different paths and purposes. Mancini really led Parker and the Golden Girls to a path of discovery that I didn’t expect in any way! At the same time, we got to learn so much about both Parker and Nick. Seeing Nick with the crazy lady that we did was really interesting. Seeing this man in the light we always have, I was super sad to see who he become with the girl he was dating. I was super happy through to see Mancini trying to work her magic with the.
Now how about we talk about The Baked Nanas? I LOVE THIS CONCEPT SO MUCH!!!!!!!! These ladies deserve the best, they totally run the town, and I loved the concept so much. I loved how Parker had this crazy dream and these ladies got the best of it.
I’m so beyond sad that this series is done. It totally needs turned into a sitcom!!
This is the 3rd book in the Hopeless Romantic Series but it can be read as a standalone. Parker had just sold her NYC bakery and lost her baking mojo. Her BFF invites her to come visit in the small town of Hope Lake. Problem is that is where her ex flame Nick lives. No one knew that they were seeing each other during the summer months but then Nick just ghosted her. Despite her feelings of seeing Nick again, she decided to go for a visit. Hoping she gets her baking mojo back and figure out her next chapter in life. This a fun story with wonderful new and old friendships, golden girls, new business opportunity, chemistry and love. I enjoyed reading this series and definitely recommend it if you like small town cozy romance. I received a free copy and this is my honest review.
Read this! It’s okay if you haven’t read about any of the Hope Lake series, because it doesn’t matter you will grab them and read them all anyway I promise (Meet Me on Love Lane and On the Corner of Love and Hate).
The story is centered around Parker Adams, a Food Network and YouTube Star who also owns a famous bakery in NY called Delicious and Vicious, where you can send revenge cakes to hated exes or old bosses. An opportunity to sell her business left her losing her mojo unable to bake.
Parker needed a fresh start and rents a place in Hope Lake, PA where her friends and the community is so eager to get her patched back up in all matters of baking and the heart!
Loved the Golden Girls of Hope Lake and their sweet meddling ways and a second chance love with an old flame.
I loved this book and enjoyed visiting old friends and new in Hope Lake. Nina Bocci’s characters are full of heart and authenticity. This contemporary romance was a great read that touches upon self-discovery, honesty, forgiveness and second chances.
Pick this up for an amazing feel good story!!
I was really curious to see how Nick’s story would go. The glimpses you catch of him in the previous stories shows a fun guy with a great sense of humor who would just about do anything for anyone in Hope Town. Those glimpses weren’t wrong, but this story showed a different side of him. And to be honest, I didn’t like this Nick all that much…at first. He was truly whipped and that was hard to see after the man who was full of life before dwindled…but as always…there IS a story behind it all and he redeemed himself in my eyes. Parker was everything I’d hoped for and so much more. She also would do anything for others and proved it time and again. The Golden Girls? They are EVERYTHING and I want to grow up to be just like them. Will the small town boy and the big city girl be able to find common ground to become friends and maybe more? There are obstacles thrown in their way but watching them dodge the landmines is half the fun.
Nina’s magic in the book world knows no bounds!
This is the third book in the series and can be read as standalone but I am sure you would like to read them all. In this one we get Parker and Nick’s story, a baker that loses her mojo and finds herself with Nick her ex who is back in town but not single. This story takes you in an amazing adventure where you will find Parker being an amazing woman who just wants to find her happiness, but she is not one to come in between someone’s relationship and that made the difference in the story, you will love her as “The Golden Girls”, I love that I always get to see the series previous couples. I enjoyed this slow burn second chance romance story so much. Nina Bocci has evolved in her writing in the best way and I will always look forward to reading her next book.
The Ingredients of You and Me is a deliciously frustrating slow burn with great banter and fantastic secondary characters. Even though this is the third installment in the series, it can be read as a standalone without feeling lost in the plot. I adored the “Baking Nanas”, I hope I grow up to be Mancini, she adds great humor, a lot of wise words, but also some comfort. My heart hurt so much for Parker and Nick so many times. Initially, I was so frustrated with Nick since this is written in 1st person pov, we have no idea what he’s thinking until the last chapters. But I’m glad it was that way despite the miscommunications and frustrations the story wouldn’t have had nearly the same feeling had it been dual pov. Another thing I really liked was that it didn’t end in marriage or pregnancy (I have nothing against either since I’m married with kids) I think that’s an often overlooked group of women especially in romance novels, Nick and Parker were happy with their situation and relationship as it was and I think that’s perfect. This is a super sweet, fantastic small town read.