The only love Kally Anadarakis is baking is in the form of the sweet treats she whips up in her café, The Coffee Klatch.Kally never believed herself to be a person worthy of love, but when an intoxicating man she considered out of her league pursues her, she risks everything to be with him. Later, when tragedy strikes, truths are revealed that leave Kally brokenhearted and untrusting.Eight years … untrusting.
Eight years later, Kally is a successful pastry chef running the café she’d always dreamed of owning. With a home of her own, a profession she’s passionate about, and the support and love of friends and family, Kally is content with the life she has carved out for herself.
Until the day Max Vardaxis walks into her café…
With arguing parents, meddling relatives, an overly energetic grandmother, a man-crazy best friend, and the long ago, mysterious disappearance of a grandfather, this new man in town is just one more complication in Kally’s life, if not the main one.
The only love Kally Anadarakis is baking is in the form of the sweet treats she whips up in her café, The Coffee Klatch.
Kally never believed herself to be a person worthy of love, but when an intoxicating man she considered out of her league pursues her, she risks everything to be with him. Later, when tragedy strikes, truths are revealed that leave Kally brokenhearted and untrusting.
Eight years later, Kally is a successful pastry chef running the café she’d always dreamed of owning. With a home of her own, a profession she’s passionate about, and the support and love of friends and family, Kally is content with the life she has carved out for herself.
Until the day Max Vardaxis walks into her café…
With arguing parents, meddling relatives, an overly energetic grandmother, a man-crazy best friend, and the long ago, mysterious disappearance of a grandfather, this new man in town is just one more complication in Kally’s life, if not the main one.
Kally must now decide whether to keep her heart safe or to once again take a ‘whisk on love.’
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Kally is a strong spirited and independent woman. She owns her own pastry and coffee shop on Long Island, rising above the familial expectations of going into the family business. She approaches relationships with others with caution as she her trust has been broken in the past. Will she be able to trust Max, a new police officer in town?
I loved the different recipes offered throughout this book, especially for the Greek desserts I am not at all familiar with. I loved the use of Greek terminology as it again introduced me to information I was not familiar with. I also really enjoyed seeing Kally’s dedication to her family and friends! This was a great light-hearted book, with some romance weaved in.
Thank you to Effie Kammenou and Kate Rock Book Tours for a copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 star review of Love is What You Bake Of It (Meraki Series #1) by Effie Kammenou
Effie Kammenou is a new author to me and I have no idea why that is. Love is What You Bake Of It was an entertaining read that had me invested from the first to the last chapter.
I found Kally Anadarakis and Max Vardaxis likeable and easy to relate too. The secondary characters, including a grandmother who had me in stitches at times were just as easy to relate too.
Kally has been badly burnt in the past and is not prepared to let Max in. In face a relationship is the last thing she either wants or needs.
There was romance, suspense, some smoking hot Greeks and humour which made for a roller coaster of a read. The added layer of a meddling Greek family throughout the story had me laughing and smiling and added to my enjoyment.
I enjoy this cast of characters, the setting, the Greek traditions & like many others, the grandma! It’s so neat that Effie “mixed” in many of her traditional Greek recipes from her own family.
Love is What You Bake of it is book 1 in the new Meraki series and the first book of Effie Kammenou that I’ve read, and all I can say is wow – I LOVED it!
The stunning cover initially caught my eye and as an avid romance lover, cake fiend and keen baker, this book ticked all of the boxes for me.
It tells the story of Kally – a strong, dependant and very talented Greek woman who, despite her father’s misgivings, follows her dreams to set up her own successful bakery and cafe. Her life is going how she wants it – nice and safe – until one day a hot, mysterious cop comes in to her cafe …
Everything about this book is perfection. The characters are fabulous and instantly likeable. Kally and Max’s relationship is a slow burn one (my fav!) due the emotional baggage they both carry but every one of their scenes sizzle with chemistry.
The secondary characters are great too. I particularly loved Kally’s bestie Egypt (a girl with the confidence and freedom of spirit most girls can only aspire to) and Kally’s steamy romance novel loving gran!
I loved the addition of recipes throughout the book and I can confirm that the blueberry muffins are to die for.
There are loads of aspects of Greek culture, food, family and religious traditions woven throughout the story which were really insightful and added to the richness of the novel.
I thoroughly recommend this book to any romance fans and I can’t wait to start book 2 in the series!
If you love light, funny, romance novels then you will love Miss Kammenou’s first installment to the Meraki seires. Love is What You Bake of it has great characters, beautiful descriptions and a great flow to make up a wonderful story. Honestly the first thing that drew me to this book was the front cover, but once I started reading I didn’t want to put it down. At only 280 pages Miss Kammenou gives us a story with a lot going on but its not your typical hot and steamy romance novel, instead Miss Kammenou gives us love with a humorous side. So if you are looking for a light, easy read then I highly recommend Love is What You Bake of it.
Kally Andarakis is a greek woman with a plan, she has her dog, her best friend, her cafe and her family and doesn’t need anything else, but it hasn’t always been that way, eight years before, she took a risk on a man who was the complete opposite of what her family wanted for her, mysterious, long haired and tattooed who drove a motorcycle, but when tragedy struck and he died, she discovered something which would shatter her trust in men and it broke her heart completely.
Today is her sister’s name day and Kally has a family meal and celebrates it at her childhood home in Port Jefferson, so she quickly stops in at home to change and take her dog for a quick walk before she heads over there. As usual there is plenty of food, drinks and love, her family is a close one, albeit a bit stifling at times and with some old fashioned greek ideals to boot, but she wouldn’t change them for the world. In her day to day life, when not attending family events, Kally has a routine she has perfected, in the morning she gives her dog a quick walk, then heads to work to begin baking pastries, scones and cakes for her customers, so headphones in and music on, she dances round her kitchen until the rest of her team show up to start their day, then she greets her regulars and chats with the other customers as she prepares their orders, however, today is not like any other when she finds a license plate outside her shop and so she picks it up and resolves to call the police about it when she gets a chance. When an officer shows up to collect the license plate, the cafe is busy and so she grabs it and turns to see which of the local officers had arrived, however, this one she has never seen before and he doesn’t quite fit the description of one, he is gorgeous and she is tongue tied, however, her ever present and man-crazy best friend thankfully takes the lead and makes the small talk. While he is talking Kally notices that although he complements the establishment, she is taken aback a little at the fact that he didn’t introduce himself, but her friend says his name is Max, according to his name badge, but she doesn’t need a man and he is definitely not the one for her, despite what her coworkers think.
The next day, life carries on as normal, however, Kally cannot get Max out of her head, so she bakes to take her mind off him and when her team come in it helps even more, however, when he comes back in to give her an update on the license plate, his interest in her baked goods, followed by an insult to her scones, she doesn’t know how to take his mercurial mood swings. After the cafe closes, her favourite book club arrives and talk diverts to a more steady topic as they discuss the months book and eat the sweet treats accompanying it, however, when a friend of the family tries to set her up with her nephew, Kally is less than impressed, but agrees to meet him if they run into each other at church. Meanwhile Max cannot get Kally out of his mind either and decides to come up with a way to see her again, even if it isn’t in his\best interest, he can’t afford to be distracted from the new life he is creating since moving back home and away from the disaster of his past. After church, he meets up with his daughter, his sister in law and her son and takes them to Kally’s cafe, Kally is happy to see Max and when he introduces the two kids with him, she is happy as well, they are lovely and the little girl worms her way into her heart, but when a beautiful woman joins them at the table nothing else quite goes to plan and she backs away thinking that it was too good to be true after all. When the group is ready to leave, Max stays behind to talk to Kally, he loves how she was with his daughter and feels like things are going well. However, when he bumps into her the next day, he cannot understand why Kally has suddenly lost the warmth she had when she looks at him and talks to him, although when he discusses it with a coworker later on, he realises the reason and is determined to clear up the misunderstanding.
Will Kally listen to Max, let him clear the air and take a chance on him, or will she hold back her heart behind the walls she has erected over time? This is a romance where the past affects the present in more ways than one as experiences are discussed, truths are revealed and hearts are thrown around on a rollercoaster ride, but can a family mystery from the past help two hearts to find each other? Only reading to the end can tell you.
5/5 Stars
Love is What You Bake of It (The Meraki Series #1) by Effie Kammenou
This is the first book I’ve read by Kammenou. It won’t be my last as this book is amazing. Love is What You Bake of It got me hooked from the first chapter.
Kally is trying to get out of the funk she’s put herself in. The past relationship she was in didn’t end very well. When she calls the cops to come pick up a license plate her life changes. The main cop catches her attention. The quote I chose for Kally is: “He’s married. All men suck! Seriously. I saw her at the café. She’s gorgeous, of course. What would possess any man to stray when he has such a perfect family?”
Max is finally back in his hometown after his life went to hell. His daughter had the most trauma out of all this. When he met Kally things changed. He didn’t know if he could put himself out there. The quote I chose for Max is: “No, of course not. Men are never on the lookout for beautiful, successful and interesting women like yourself. I’m surprised you’re not already married with a couple of kids. I watched you at the party. You were a natural with those children and Athena hasn’t stopped talking about you.”
Highly recommended for Contemporary Romance lovers.
Love is What You Bake of it (The Meraki Series Book 1) – Effie Kammenou
5-stars
Oh my word I do not even know where to start with this one! This author has blown me away once again. I completely devoured this book, I ended up reading it in one sitting as I couldn’t bring myself to stop reading. I was so invested in these characters and with all the detail it felt as if I too was along for the ride. I can confidently say that she is one of my all-time favourite authors!
The amount of detail this author writes with will never cease to amaze me, the characters, the relationships, the family history and of course my personal favourite the Greek recipes all tie together to make a truly amazing read! Honestly there is not one thing that I would have changed about this story, I loved absolutely everything about it!
I cannot wait to continue this series asap and I would absolutely recommend this book and this author to anyone looking for a once in a lifetime read, you will not regret it!
This is a new author to me, but one that I can see myself reading more of from now on. I found this love story quite enjoyable. There was a lot of romance, some disappointment, drama, and tears on my part. But it was worth the read. Oh, and it left me starving in the end. For food. As in the delicious delectables that she describes in such a way that had me salivating. I thought that the characters were amazing, and I would love to be friends with them. The author did a great job of pulling at my heartstrings with this story. I look forward to reading more of the books by this author.
One thing that Kally Andarakis cannot abide is a cheating man. Having previously fallen in love and losing someone special – then finding out a truth about him after the fact – has kept her guarding her heart. However, when a handsome cop named Max Vardaxis enters her café her senses are immediately assaulted. Kally has actually found fulfillment in life. She has done so by creating wonderful baked items. In fact, this book contains several delectable recipes. This is what makes Kally happy. Starting a new romance after her bad experience is not the direction Kelly chooses to go.
Kally comes from a strong family, albeit more than a bit nosy, parents who constantly bicker, a friend who is determined for Kally to find a man. Despite that bit of chaos in her life, Kally is more than happy. Besides wondering whether or not anything could possibly happen with Max, there is a bit of mystery in Kally’s life, and that is the fact that her grandfather has been missing for decades.
Meanwhile, it becomes more than clear that both Max and Kally are drawn to one another, yet existing baggage that they both have bears serious consideration. How far either of then will go to reach for love is a chance they both are not certain they can take.
In this sweet story where both characters come from a Greek background brings both drama and joy, with a light touch that was a delight to read. This entertaining story was a great start to an already enjoyable series. The second book in this series is Love by Design, which I have already read and enjoyed as much as I have this book.
Many thanks to Effie Kammenau for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
I for one, love baking imust say thats what attracted me to reading this book in the first placce. But I love to read love stories that are not super easy at first a you have to work for them and this one had both, iit wasa winner winner beautiful dessert for me,
When I did finish this book, it was like licking the frosting off a plate of delcious cake. It was done, but you still wanted more!
Kally the main character runs a beautful bakery and based on her character she is very good at it She had some hurt in her past times and it made her woried about love. She has a big family that always seemed to want to meddle in her life (this i can relate to as I believe a lot of people can) Thru their medding and thru the understanding and taking chances on what life thorws at you Kally get sto know Max. I must say the day he walkd into her shop there was an attraction that Kally herself didnt even realize at the time, Thru the obstacles its like making a perfect cake. Put too much one ingredient..it wont turn out…add just the right amount and dare I say a dash of love..its more than perfect 🙂
I loved this book, I would have loved to read more of Kallys advenutres of her life and her time in the cafe. It was a bittersweet departure to finish. Again as if I just finished a wonderful dessert and my heart was happy
I loved the character developments, the location, Kallys passion for baking and the realtuon to me for her family and her own gut feelings when it first came to love
Beautiful read and I loved it. Every page. I defiently reccomend. Its treatyou dont want to miss out on!
I received an e-copy of the book for my participation in the book tour hosted by Kate Rock Book Tours.
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CW: substance abuse, cheating
follows Kallyope “Kally” Andarakis, a pastry chef who is living the dream of running her own café, The Coffee Klatch. Although, scarred from her past relationship, Kally is living a content life: she loves her job, she has a cozy house, and loving family and friends. But she never thought something was missing in her life until Maximos “Max” Vardaxis, a police officer, entered her café and into her life.
This book was an easy read for me and took me less than a day to finish it. The mystery in the opening scene sucked me into the story and I was eager to know more about Kally’s past.
The character development was as scrumptious as the scones Kally bakes. Seeing this couple conquer their past and fall in love was a treat to behold. Although I felt that the romance between Kally and Max was faster than I expected. This is probably because I prefer slow burn romance. Also, at some point the turn of events became predictable but then again, I was in for the ride and enjoyed every bit of the story.
I truly admire the writing, the storyline and most of all I adore the themes of the story on love and family. It is also wonderful that Greek customs were included in the story and recipes as chapter breaks is a great addition. Plus, this book laid out a great foundation for the next books to come. I am definitely excited to read the story of Mia, Kally’s sister, in Love by Design.
Key takeaway:
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This review was originally posted in my IG @ceej_writes
A Sweet Fun Read!
Love Is What You Bake Of It is a charming tale that draws you right in. I enjoyed this story oh so much. A feel good romance that’s sure to make you smile.
Effie Kammenou delivers the charm!
Who doesn’t love a book that includes recipes!
The author was kind enough to share some of the sweets Kally bakes. The author also uses Greek words and the story includes Greek customs that I found fun and interesting. The love hate relationship between Kally and Max had me yelling at the characters. I enjoyed all the characters in this book including Kally’s grandma. This story is told from multiple POV and I read it in one day. Thank you to the author Effie Kammenou and Kate Rock Book Tours for an ebook to read and review.
Two brokenhearted people, secrets, meddling family, romance, and baking, lots of delicious baking, all mixed into one. It’s the perfect romance book all cooked up and ready to be devoured.
Kally Andarakis allowed herself to be pursued and fall in love with someone way out of her league. When tragedy strikes, Kally is not only brokenhearted but shocked by secrets that are devastating and has left her completely untrusting.
Eight years later Kally has finally moved on with her life. Her love of baking has allowed her to live her dream of owning her own cafe. Kally is comfortable and successful, but when new arrival Max walks into her cafe, her content life is upended with the potential of new romance, but will Kally’s inability to trust allow her to start a new relationship?
Max has had a rough life himself. A single parent, he has left his NYC life behind to come home to his roots. He has his own past to protect, but falls instantly for Kally when he first walks into her cafe. Not looking for love, he decides to pursue her, but will his past and secrets catch up with him and keep him and Kally apart?
LOVE IS WHAT YOU BAKE OF IT is a drama filled, fast paced read full of fun, family and a bit of comedy wrapped around two people with tragic pasts who are trying to make love work again. Both Kally and Max coming from Greek backgrounds made this such an interesting read, reminding me what its like to live in a culture that is oriented around family and tradition. They are easy to love main characters, and you want nothing more for them to make things work, and end up together. The romance is steamy, but not over the top, and the meddling Greek family and friends are just enough to bring a spark of humor throughout the book. Then there is the baking. Oh the BAKING! Amazing Greek recipes that are included in the book (and on my blog) top this one off to make it one spectacular read. I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and I read it in one sitting. I can’t wait for the sequel which comes out later this month.
I loved the play on words for the title ! This is the first book in the new Meraki series. This is a sweet story of finding love again after loss for both characters Kally and Max.
Kally is a baker who’s branched out on her own from her fathers bakery, she’s still dealing with the aftermath of a relationship she thinks was built on lies.
Max is police officer who has recently moved back to his small home town with his daughter after a messy marriage.
The first time they meet at her bakery there’s definite sparks, but both are hesitant to act on the attraction because of their pasts.
I enjoyed watching their relationship grow, along with the help of their very large Greek families and their friends. While this was definitely a contemporary romance I enjoyed quite a few laughs throughout!! Kallys grandmother had me in stitches!!
I loved the incorporation of the Greek heritage throughout the whole book. Traditional foods made everyday whether at home or at Kallys bakery. Another favorite is each chapter contains a delicious sounding recipe!!
This was my first time reading a book by Effie but it certainly will not be my last as she weaves a beautiful story.
I would like to thank the author Effie Kammenou and Kate Rock Book Tours for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I loved reading the story Love is What You Bake of it (The Meraki Series Book 1) by Effie Kammenou. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.
I knew from the moment I saw this cover that Love is What You Bake of it would be a ton of fun, but I wasn’t prepared for HOW much fun, or for the unexpected feels it hit me with.
Love is What You Bake of it is a cute read about a baker and a police officer.I found Kally Anadarakis and Max Vardaxis likeable and easy to relate too. Love the concept of love and it being forever and everlasting.
Author’s amazing sense of humor (I laughed with grandmother absolutely i love!)
Effie is an amazing writer. She’s definitely an author worth reading.
She possesses a writing style I admire and is an expert at weaving tales I can’t put down and crafting characters beautifuls
What an emotional roller coaster!
Kally Andarakis believes she isn’t love able. This comes from the few relationships she’s had. Instead, she pours her love into her cafe and the pastries she makes. The pastries and coffees the Kally creates sound delicious!
In walks in the hunky Max Vardaxiz policeman. Is Max a complication Kally doesn’t want in her life or is he the answer she’s been looking for?
This is a wonderful story of love and the misconceptions we come across in life.
I really enjoyed reading “Love Is What You Bake of It,” by Effie Kammenou! I think what I loved most about it was how realistic the characters were. Life is a mess, and so are the lives of the main characters, Kally and Max. Their stories are full of hurt, struggles, and betrayals, but there’s always still hope. This was such a heartwarming read and I thought the recipes sprinkled throughout the book were great! I’m excited to read more from this author!
Love is What You Bake of it by Effie Kammenou book one of The Meraki Series. The book was so good, I found it hard to put down at times. I really enjoyed following Kally and Max’s story.
Kally is caring and independent. She is very passionate about baking which she shows with how she runs her cafe. She’s also not had such a great past and unfortunately for Max, she lets her past guide her and she doesn’t trust easily. Kally is satisfied in life. She has her friends, family and the cafe. She couldn’t possibly need anything else. Until Max shows up. He is attracted to her from the start but also realizes she doesn’t trust him and maybe won’t ever trust him. Will Max be able to convince Kally to take a chance on him?
My emotions were definitely on a rollercoaster while reading this book. You can’t help but want these characters to be happy. It’s easy to get invested in their lives. I couldn’t help but want to know what would happen next. I couldn’t put it down!