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Briar Creek #2
A Match Made on Main Street
This kitchen isn’t big enough for both of them…
If there’s anything Anna Madison knows, it’s how to turn life’s lemons into a lemonade cocktail served in a vintage glass. So when her beloved Briar Creek café burns down, she sees it as an opportunity to start fresh. But the only kitchen available to her is in the diner down the street—owned by her sinfully sexy ex.
If Anna thinks she can take over his greasy-spoon kitchen with her high-end cuisine, Mark Hastings is about to set her straight fast. Their breakup is his biggest regret—not that he’ll ever admit it to her. Nope, he’d rather show her exactly what she’s been missing. With desire set on a high simmer, their menu is about to get a whole lot spicier…
If there’s anything Anna Madison knows, it’s how to turn life’s lemons into a lemonade cocktail served in a vintage glass. So when her beloved Briar Creek café burns down, she sees it as an opportunity to start fresh. But the only kitchen available to her is in the diner down the street—owned by her sinfully sexy ex.
If Anna thinks she can take over his greasy-spoon kitchen with her high-end cuisine, Mark Hastings is about to set her straight fast. Their breakup is his biggest regret—not that he’ll ever admit it to her. Nope, he’d rather show her exactly what she’s been missing. With desire set on a high simmer, their menu is about to get a whole lot spicier…
351 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 28, 2015
195 people are currently reading
835 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Miles
82 books447 followersOlivia Miles is a two-time USA Today bestselling author of heartwarming women's fiction and small town contemporary romance. She has frequently been ranked as an Amazon Top 100 author and Kindle All Star, and her books have appeared on several bestseller lists, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookScan, and USA Today. Olivia has been published by Harlequin, Grand Central Publishing/Hachette, and Montlake, and her books have been translated into more than half a dozen languages.
After growing up in New England and later living in Montreal, Olivia traded salt water for fresh water, and now lives on the shore of Lake Michigan with her family and an adorable pair of dogs.
Join Olivia's mailing list at: https://subscribepage.io/jQkafo
After growing up in New England and later living in Montreal, Olivia traded salt water for fresh water, and now lives on the shore of Lake Michigan with her family and an adorable pair of dogs.
Join Olivia's mailing list at: https://subscribepage.io/jQkafo
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
April 4, 2021
Nachdem ich vom ersten Teil nicht so ganz begeistert war, war ich trotzdem gespannt wie es weitergeht. Trotzdem hab ich es jetzt erst geschafft weiterzulesen. In den ersten Seiten tat ich mir wieder ein bisschen schwer, doch nach 100 Seiten bin ich richtig in die Geschichte gefallen. Es war auf jeden Fall besser als sein Vorgänger und ich konnte mich auch besser in die Charaktere hineinfühlen. Es hat sich vom Lesefluss auch besser angefühlt. Es war zwar vorhersehbar, aber angenehm zu lesen. Deswegen freue ich mich nun auch Janes Geschichte zu lesen.
4 Sterne
4 Sterne
June 4, 2015
I'm a bit of a sucker for second chance romances, because there's just something so...hopeful about them. Unfortunately though, this one missed the mark on that front.
Just when Anna Madison loses her cafe to a fire, the last thing she wants is to be thrown together with her ex, Mark Hastings. But she needs a kitchen to cook in, and Mark's diner has one...
Working alongside Anna again is making Mark question his choices. He's not enamored with his current work, and longs to make a change. But having Anna back in his life has him wondering if the change he needs is the one he ran from all those years ago.
I really want to like this book. My interest was peaked by the blurb; like I said, I am a sucker for second chance romance. But this one fell short. The story itself was a good one -- exes thrown together by circumstance, a little match-making, and some heat in the kitchen -- but the execution fell flat for me. The writing, although good, was a touch too flowery and far too descriptive. I found myself skimming passages to find the pertinent stuff, never once feeling like what I was skipping over had an effect on the overall story.
And I didn't get the sense of hope I wanted from the early stages of their story; everyone was miserable and it felt like no one was really trying or even sure of what they wanted. As much as I wanted to see what would happen with Anna and Mark, I couldn't see them fighting for each other -- they were both too unsure, and I feel a story like this needs one person to be convinced...or at the very least, interested.
Don't get me wrong, there's some good stuff in here. Just the mention of the food they were cooking up had my tummy rumbling, and the bookstore that Anna runs with her sister, Grace, sounds like just the kind of place I'd want to go. But with too much internal musing about the past and their mistakes, and not enough dialogue about the present and the future, A Match Made on Main Street was just a little too slow, a little too long and a little too different from what I was expecting to WOW me. ~ Beth, 2.5 stars
Just when Anna Madison loses her cafe to a fire, the last thing she wants is to be thrown together with her ex, Mark Hastings. But she needs a kitchen to cook in, and Mark's diner has one...
Working alongside Anna again is making Mark question his choices. He's not enamored with his current work, and longs to make a change. But having Anna back in his life has him wondering if the change he needs is the one he ran from all those years ago.
I really want to like this book. My interest was peaked by the blurb; like I said, I am a sucker for second chance romance. But this one fell short. The story itself was a good one -- exes thrown together by circumstance, a little match-making, and some heat in the kitchen -- but the execution fell flat for me. The writing, although good, was a touch too flowery and far too descriptive. I found myself skimming passages to find the pertinent stuff, never once feeling like what I was skipping over had an effect on the overall story.
And I didn't get the sense of hope I wanted from the early stages of their story; everyone was miserable and it felt like no one was really trying or even sure of what they wanted. As much as I wanted to see what would happen with Anna and Mark, I couldn't see them fighting for each other -- they were both too unsure, and I feel a story like this needs one person to be convinced...or at the very least, interested.
Don't get me wrong, there's some good stuff in here. Just the mention of the food they were cooking up had my tummy rumbling, and the bookstore that Anna runs with her sister, Grace, sounds like just the kind of place I'd want to go. But with too much internal musing about the past and their mistakes, and not enough dialogue about the present and the future, A Match Made on Main Street was just a little too slow, a little too long and a little too different from what I was expecting to WOW me. ~ Beth, 2.5 stars
October 11, 2015
I was really excited for the premise of this book, but ultimately it fell flat.
Anna and Mark are decent enough characters. There's a lot of history between them and that equaled out to each of the constantly internally rehashing that history. Throw in a secret that one of them didn't tell the other and you've got a subject that didn't ever go away. For me, that got boring really quickly.
The shining star of the entire book was Rosemary. I loved her meddling and matchmaking. She was hilarious and definitely the highlight of the story.
Because the build up seemed to drag, the resolution seemed far fetched. I didn't get the sense that either of them had decided anything about the other, but then poof! We're at the end and the HEA.
All in all, there were some amusing parts, but several repetitive phrases and scenes that took away from the overall traction. I didn't connect with the MCs and that made me not really care about their story. I won't be reading any others in the series.
**Huge thanks to Forever {Grand Central Publishing} and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Anna and Mark are decent enough characters. There's a lot of history between them and that equaled out to each of the constantly internally rehashing that history. Throw in a secret that one of them didn't tell the other and you've got a subject that didn't ever go away. For me, that got boring really quickly.
The shining star of the entire book was Rosemary. I loved her meddling and matchmaking. She was hilarious and definitely the highlight of the story.
Because the build up seemed to drag, the resolution seemed far fetched. I didn't get the sense that either of them had decided anything about the other, but then poof! We're at the end and the HEA.
All in all, there were some amusing parts, but several repetitive phrases and scenes that took away from the overall traction. I didn't connect with the MCs and that made me not really care about their story. I won't be reading any others in the series.
**Huge thanks to Forever {Grand Central Publishing} and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
April 19, 2020
"Neuanfang in Briar Creek" ist der zweite Teil der Briar Creek Reihe und in diesem Band steht Anna im Vordergrund. Auch wenn sich jedes Buch auf eine der Madison Schwestern konzentriert, ist zu empfehlen, die Reihe in der richtigen Reihenfolge zu lesen, denn es spielen viele Personen eine Rolle und die Bücher bauen aufeinander auf.
Der zweite Teil hat mir etwas besser gefallen als der erste, was vermutlich daran liegt, dass man die Personen nun schon ein wenig kennt und wissen möchte wie es mit ihnen weitergeht.
Ich fand Anna und Mark sehr sympathisch und ich fand ihre gemeinsame Leidenschaft zu kochen ein tolles Setting und habe die beiden sehr gerne dabei begleitet. Dennoch war die Liebesgeschichte mit dem Hin und Her zwischen den beiden manchmal ein wenig anstrengend.
Die Geschichte konnte mich gut unterhalten und der kleine Ort ist ein sehr süßes Setting mit tollen Menschen. Man fühlt sich dort einfach wohl. Ich bin gespannt was mich in den nächsten Büchern erwartet.
Der zweite Teil hat mir etwas besser gefallen als der erste, was vermutlich daran liegt, dass man die Personen nun schon ein wenig kennt und wissen möchte wie es mit ihnen weitergeht.
Ich fand Anna und Mark sehr sympathisch und ich fand ihre gemeinsame Leidenschaft zu kochen ein tolles Setting und habe die beiden sehr gerne dabei begleitet. Dennoch war die Liebesgeschichte mit dem Hin und Her zwischen den beiden manchmal ein wenig anstrengend.
Die Geschichte konnte mich gut unterhalten und der kleine Ort ist ein sehr süßes Setting mit tollen Menschen. Man fühlt sich dort einfach wohl. Ich bin gespannt was mich in den nächsten Büchern erwartet.
September 12, 2016
Very enjoyable small town sweet romance. This was a great second chance story as Anna Madison and Mark Hasting finally deal with their past as they work on a project that could secure their futures. When Mark broke things off after their time together in culinary school, Anna never understood exactly what went wrong. What she did know was that it took Mark no time to get over her since he was with another girl right away. Now she needs to know why and she knows that it doesn't matter what she feels nothing can happen until the truth is out.
Definitely a book I recommend!
Definitely a book I recommend!
August 3, 2017
A Match Made on Main Street is a charming little read that is full of heart, humor, and toe curling romance! If you like small town romances you must make a visit to Briar Creek, these endearing characters are sure to steal your heart and treat you to a fun time!! Highly recommend this series!!
April 27, 2015
My Review:
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy foodie reads and this one was great just because both the hero and heroine are chefs. In fact their history goes back to when they were in culinary school together and fell in love...7 years before the book takes place. But Mark couldn't handle the commitment and broke Anna's heart. Now they both live and work in the same hometown...and pretend that the other doesn't exist. Something that isn't easy when they are tied by friends and family and small town life.
But when Anna throws a curve ball at Anna, suddenly she finds Mark there...with possible solutions. She just knows that she can't trust herself or him to get close to him again. Her broke her heart once before with no warning and she's never recovered. She can't let herself feel that deeply or become that vulnerable ever again.
This is a new series for me. It's book #2 in the series and I have the first book, I just haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I think this one may be a real winner. I do love small town contemporary romances and this one fell right along the lines of Robyn Carr or Susan Mallery. It revolves around a core group of friends, family, and businesses. Not only did this one deal with the restaurants, but Anna provides the food for the local bookstore too. Books and food--we have a win!
I liked the history and the back story for the two main characters. The conflict was very believable and the secret that Anna never told Mark really upped the suspense while reading the story. I also liked the addition of the cooking contest and the fact that the author didn't take the obvious route with that story line.
Overall it was good and I definitely plan to continue to follow this new small town series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy foodie reads and this one was great just because both the hero and heroine are chefs. In fact their history goes back to when they were in culinary school together and fell in love...7 years before the book takes place. But Mark couldn't handle the commitment and broke Anna's heart. Now they both live and work in the same hometown...and pretend that the other doesn't exist. Something that isn't easy when they are tied by friends and family and small town life.
But when Anna throws a curve ball at Anna, suddenly she finds Mark there...with possible solutions. She just knows that she can't trust herself or him to get close to him again. Her broke her heart once before with no warning and she's never recovered. She can't let herself feel that deeply or become that vulnerable ever again.
This is a new series for me. It's book #2 in the series and I have the first book, I just haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I think this one may be a real winner. I do love small town contemporary romances and this one fell right along the lines of Robyn Carr or Susan Mallery. It revolves around a core group of friends, family, and businesses. Not only did this one deal with the restaurants, but Anna provides the food for the local bookstore too. Books and food--we have a win!
I liked the history and the back story for the two main characters. The conflict was very believable and the secret that Anna never told Mark really upped the suspense while reading the story. I also liked the addition of the cooking contest and the fact that the author didn't take the obvious route with that story line.
Overall it was good and I definitely plan to continue to follow this new small town series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
July 7, 2015
This is my first book by Ms. Miles, and the second book in her Briar Creek series. I didn't feel too out of place in Briar Creek, I'm happy to say, so I'm sure I'll pick up the other two books.
My first question is just how small is Briar Creek? Geographically speaking, Anna and Mark share "territory" on Main Street; both are restaurant owners in what purports itself to be a small town. How has Anna been able to avoid Mark for six years? Or has Anna been ducking and dodging into alleys and storefronts when she spies Mark around town? The length of time that Anna and Mark have been back in Briar Creek and in the same business with little to no contact bothered me, but once I suspended belief in that respect, A Match Made on Main Street is a good second-chance romance.
My second and third favorite parts, respectively, are Rosemary (and her matchmaking attempts) -- she is a hoot! -- and the bond Grace, Anna, and Jane share. I look forward to reading more in the rest of the series.
My first question is just how small is Briar Creek? Geographically speaking, Anna and Mark share "territory" on Main Street; both are restaurant owners in what purports itself to be a small town. How has Anna been able to avoid Mark for six years? Or has Anna been ducking and dodging into alleys and storefronts when she spies Mark around town? The length of time that Anna and Mark have been back in Briar Creek and in the same business with little to no contact bothered me, but once I suspended belief in that respect, A Match Made on Main Street is a good second-chance romance.
My second and third favorite parts, respectively, are Rosemary (and her matchmaking attempts) -- she is a hoot! -- and the bond Grace, Anna, and Jane share. I look forward to reading more in the rest of the series.
April 10, 2015
Anna has a lot of pent up frustration where Mark is concerned, "I know your drill, Mark. I was just too stupid to see it back then, but I know how you work. You like the thrill of the chase.” She shook her head. “This was a mistake." Anna has a big heart and I think she's easily hurt where Mark is concerned, "she laughed again, even as the tears started to fall. “So after this weekend, after I told you how I felt. After we…” She swallowed hard. “You had one foot out the door, just like you always did." I liked this book, Mark he has issues but I liked when he worked them out.
March 31, 2015
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing*
July 31, 2016
Nice read :)
February 9, 2016
Now, I've heard of hot cross buns, but this book was hot cross FUNS!
October 8, 2019
Reviewed by JoAnne
Book provided by NetGalley
This is the second book in the Briar Creek series but the first one I've read. There was enough background information regarding the characters and how they related to each other even if in fact they were relatives in many cases that I could piece things together. I do look forward to reading the first book, Mistletoe on Main Street , as well as the third book in the series when it comes out in the fall, Hope Springs on Main Street .
Anna and Mark have a history together from when they were both in culinary school but no one in Briar Creek knows about it. They were best friends and more and had dreams that included each other and a high end restaurant they would own and cook in together. When those dreams fell apart there was absolutely no interactions between them even though the families were friends, they lived in the same small town and had grown up together, and to top it all off her Fireside Cafe, her family bookstore and cafe annex and his diner were all on the same street. When they get thrown together due to the fire and it's arranged that she use his kitchen to bake her cookies, etc. the sparks do fly. The sparks continue to flare when they enter a cooking competition together against their will. Throughout there is chemistry that they both fight and sometimes cave to and then fight again. They each have secrets from their time together that need to be addressed and when they each finally fill the other in it seems to bring them closer together but circumstances continue to keep them apart.
Anna's family - her mom and her sisters Grace and Jane, play an integral part in the storyline as does Mark's mom, his matchmaking aunt, his cousins, Lucas and Kara, and Jane's ex-husband and daughter. There are other characters that have an impact as well. Even their dads who are both gone - Anna's having died the year before and Mark's having run off when he was still a child - are talked about throughout. There are family, friends, reminisces, secrets, loves lost and found, lots and lots of food to cook, bake and eat, businesses to run, dreams to hang on to, anger, hate, betrayals, tears, money troubles, unhappiness, happiness, laughter, romance and love along with some happily ever afters. There was some closure but the story ended too abruptly for me even with the epilogue. I'm glad to know that we'll be back in Briar Creek at least once more and the excerpt from the third book just whet my appetite for more.
I had previously read one of Miles' other books, Recipe for Romance , which was the second book in the Maple Woods series, that also had food at its core - this time in a bakery. I look forward to reading many more books by this fairly new to me author, not only those in these two series.
Book provided by NetGalley
This is the second book in the Briar Creek series but the first one I've read. There was enough background information regarding the characters and how they related to each other even if in fact they were relatives in many cases that I could piece things together. I do look forward to reading the first book, Mistletoe on Main Street , as well as the third book in the series when it comes out in the fall, Hope Springs on Main Street .
Anna and Mark have a history together from when they were both in culinary school but no one in Briar Creek knows about it. They were best friends and more and had dreams that included each other and a high end restaurant they would own and cook in together. When those dreams fell apart there was absolutely no interactions between them even though the families were friends, they lived in the same small town and had grown up together, and to top it all off her Fireside Cafe, her family bookstore and cafe annex and his diner were all on the same street. When they get thrown together due to the fire and it's arranged that she use his kitchen to bake her cookies, etc. the sparks do fly. The sparks continue to flare when they enter a cooking competition together against their will. Throughout there is chemistry that they both fight and sometimes cave to and then fight again. They each have secrets from their time together that need to be addressed and when they each finally fill the other in it seems to bring them closer together but circumstances continue to keep them apart.
Anna's family - her mom and her sisters Grace and Jane, play an integral part in the storyline as does Mark's mom, his matchmaking aunt, his cousins, Lucas and Kara, and Jane's ex-husband and daughter. There are other characters that have an impact as well. Even their dads who are both gone - Anna's having died the year before and Mark's having run off when he was still a child - are talked about throughout. There are family, friends, reminisces, secrets, loves lost and found, lots and lots of food to cook, bake and eat, businesses to run, dreams to hang on to, anger, hate, betrayals, tears, money troubles, unhappiness, happiness, laughter, romance and love along with some happily ever afters. There was some closure but the story ended too abruptly for me even with the epilogue. I'm glad to know that we'll be back in Briar Creek at least once more and the excerpt from the third book just whet my appetite for more.
I had previously read one of Miles' other books, Recipe for Romance , which was the second book in the Maple Woods series, that also had food at its core - this time in a bakery. I look forward to reading many more books by this fairly new to me author, not only those in these two series.
August 21, 2019
Anna Madison liebt ihr kleines Cafe in Briar Creek, wo sie köstliche Kuchenspezialitäten backt. Gemeinsam mit ihrer Schwester Grace plant sie sogar schon eine Erweiterung. Doch eines Tages steht ihr Cafe plötzlich in Flammen und Anna steht plötzlich vor dem Nichts. Sie muss einen hohen Schuldenberg abbezahlen und weiß zunächst nicht mehr, wie es weitergehen soll.
Mark Hastings, der Chef des örtlichen Diners und ihr Ex-Freund bietet ihr seine Hilfe an. Anna lehnt sein Angebot, in seiner Küche zu backen, zunächst ab. Zu groß ist ihr Stolz, doch mit der Zeit merkt Anna selber, wie sehr sie Marks Angebot und seine Küche braucht. Denn die Aufträge muss Anna alle noch erfüllen und nach einiger Überwindung, bäckt sie in den frühen Morgenstunden, an der Seite von Mark, ihre Kuchen. Anna und Mark kommen sich so, nach jahrelanger Funkstille, auch wieder näher. Bald schon hat Anna in Marks Gegenwart wieder Schmetterlinge im Bauch, doch Annas Wunden, nach der damaligen Trennung, sind auch heute noch nicht geheilt. Kann sie Mark wirklich nochmals in ihr Herz lassen??
Dies ist der zweite Band der insgesamt fünfteiligen Briar Creek-Reihe und ich habe mich sehr auf Annas Geschichte gefreut. Band eins fand ich schon ganz süß und auch dieser Teil ist ein schöner, unterhaltsamer Liebesroman geworden, der aber auch schon,wie Band eins, keine großen Überraschungen bietet und leider auch, von der Geschichte her, etwas schwächer ist. Ich liebe aber das Cover und das Setting, denn Briar Creek wird hier auch wieder soo toll beschrieben.
Mark und Anna waren während ihrer Zeit auf der Kochschule ein Paar. Niemand von ihrer Familie wusste über die zwei und so wusste auch niemand, über die damalige, schmutzige Trennung der beiden etwas.
Jetzt, nach vielen Jahren, kommen sich Anna und Mark (unweigerlich) wieder näher. Mark hilft Anna in einer sehr schwierigen Zeit, wieder Fuß zu fassen. Anna ist zunächst ziemlich bockig und zickig Mark gegenüber, doch je mehr die zwei wieder miteinander sprechen, desto näher kommen sie sich.
Die Liebesgeschichte von Mark und Anna ist ganz nett erzählt, die zwei haben auch ein paar sehr süße Momente zusammen - aber: so ganz überzeugt hat mich diese Liebesgeschichte trotzdem nicht. Zudem kommt dazu,dass der Mittelteil der Geschichte schon ein paar echte Längen hat, was es für mich fast schon anstrengend machte,das Buch zu lesen.
Beide, sowohl Anna als auch Mark, hatten bereits in der Vergangenheit so große Probleme und es wird auch in Zukunft sicherlich noch ein paar schwierige Momente mit den beiden geben. Mal sehen, was man in den Folgebänden noch über die zwei mitbekommen wird. Einfach ist die Beziehung der beiden nicht, aber ich denke schon, dass sie alles packen können, wenn beide an sich arbeiten werden!
Ein nettes Second Chances-Buch welches mittendrin aber teils echt langweilig ist.
Mittelmäßige 3 von 5 Sternchen!
Mark Hastings, der Chef des örtlichen Diners und ihr Ex-Freund bietet ihr seine Hilfe an. Anna lehnt sein Angebot, in seiner Küche zu backen, zunächst ab. Zu groß ist ihr Stolz, doch mit der Zeit merkt Anna selber, wie sehr sie Marks Angebot und seine Küche braucht. Denn die Aufträge muss Anna alle noch erfüllen und nach einiger Überwindung, bäckt sie in den frühen Morgenstunden, an der Seite von Mark, ihre Kuchen. Anna und Mark kommen sich so, nach jahrelanger Funkstille, auch wieder näher. Bald schon hat Anna in Marks Gegenwart wieder Schmetterlinge im Bauch, doch Annas Wunden, nach der damaligen Trennung, sind auch heute noch nicht geheilt. Kann sie Mark wirklich nochmals in ihr Herz lassen??
Dies ist der zweite Band der insgesamt fünfteiligen Briar Creek-Reihe und ich habe mich sehr auf Annas Geschichte gefreut. Band eins fand ich schon ganz süß und auch dieser Teil ist ein schöner, unterhaltsamer Liebesroman geworden, der aber auch schon,wie Band eins, keine großen Überraschungen bietet und leider auch, von der Geschichte her, etwas schwächer ist. Ich liebe aber das Cover und das Setting, denn Briar Creek wird hier auch wieder soo toll beschrieben.
Mark und Anna waren während ihrer Zeit auf der Kochschule ein Paar. Niemand von ihrer Familie wusste über die zwei und so wusste auch niemand, über die damalige, schmutzige Trennung der beiden etwas.
Jetzt, nach vielen Jahren, kommen sich Anna und Mark (unweigerlich) wieder näher. Mark hilft Anna in einer sehr schwierigen Zeit, wieder Fuß zu fassen. Anna ist zunächst ziemlich bockig und zickig Mark gegenüber, doch je mehr die zwei wieder miteinander sprechen, desto näher kommen sie sich.
Die Liebesgeschichte von Mark und Anna ist ganz nett erzählt, die zwei haben auch ein paar sehr süße Momente zusammen - aber: so ganz überzeugt hat mich diese Liebesgeschichte trotzdem nicht. Zudem kommt dazu,dass der Mittelteil der Geschichte schon ein paar echte Längen hat, was es für mich fast schon anstrengend machte,das Buch zu lesen.
Beide, sowohl Anna als auch Mark, hatten bereits in der Vergangenheit so große Probleme und es wird auch in Zukunft sicherlich noch ein paar schwierige Momente mit den beiden geben. Mal sehen, was man in den Folgebänden noch über die zwei mitbekommen wird. Einfach ist die Beziehung der beiden nicht, aber ich denke schon, dass sie alles packen können, wenn beide an sich arbeiten werden!
Ein nettes Second Chances-Buch welches mittendrin aber teils echt langweilig ist.
Mittelmäßige 3 von 5 Sternchen!
November 1, 2023
Second-chance romance, Small Town, Force proximity, She fell first but he fall harder.
Briar Creek is indeed a small town for both Anna and Mark, especially if they share a certain history together. Anna made sure they never cross path but after what happened to her cafe she need an extra help to keep their other family business going and that's where enters Mark as per Rosemary, his aunt's suggestions, who genuinely agreed in letting her use his restaurant kitchen to make breads and cookies for Anna's family business..
They keep each others emotions in check make everything professional but another challenge was put unto them when Rosemary then mentioned a cooking competition that will be held in another town. With a that kind prize money, Anna cannot say no to that especially if she could rebuild her restaurant with that as for Mark he has other plans in mind.
_________________________________________
I'm really bad at this but I'm trying and I hope I'll improve my book reviews soon.. 😤🤧😭
I love how Anna and Mark storyline turns out, it's a bit cliffhanger but at least they sorted it out in the end. Happy Endings.
I must say too that it never did leave me with a couple of sobs since what they had was so emotional, their past scars them to the point that they don't wanna enter a relationship again but as I said everything turns out great at the end. 🥰
Briar Creek is indeed a small town for both Anna and Mark, especially if they share a certain history together. Anna made sure they never cross path but after what happened to her cafe she need an extra help to keep their other family business going and that's where enters Mark as per Rosemary, his aunt's suggestions, who genuinely agreed in letting her use his restaurant kitchen to make breads and cookies for Anna's family business..
They keep each others emotions in check make everything professional but another challenge was put unto them when Rosemary then mentioned a cooking competition that will be held in another town. With a that kind prize money, Anna cannot say no to that especially if she could rebuild her restaurant with that as for Mark he has other plans in mind.
_________________________________________
I'm really bad at this but I'm trying and I hope I'll improve my book reviews soon.. 😤🤧😭
I love how Anna and Mark storyline turns out, it's a bit cliffhanger but at least they sorted it out in the end. Happy Endings.
I must say too that it never did leave me with a couple of sobs since what they had was so emotional, their past scars them to the point that they don't wanna enter a relationship again but as I said everything turns out great at the end. 🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2018
Anna and Mark had a relationship in college, but his past made him leary of commitment, and he dumped her. Now, she needs help from him since her restaurant had a major fire. Facing loans that she won't be able to pay, a local friend tells them both about a culinary contest. This friend, Rosemary, is plotting to throw Anna and Mark together, not knowing they have a past relationship. But trust comes hard for both of them - Anna to trust Mark again, and Mark to trust that his feelings are real and he can commit.
Not as good as the first book with Grace and Luke. I thought Rosemary was a meddling so-and-so, and Anna should have stood up to her a little more. It seemed to come off like bullying.
Not as good as the first book with Grace and Luke. I thought Rosemary was a meddling so-and-so, and Anna should have stood up to her a little more. It seemed to come off like bullying.
April 30, 2019
A Delicious Romance
Anna and Mark have a lot of history, a lot of hurt, and a lot of baggage that have kept them from speaking to each other for years. Now they have a chance to break down some of those walls and put aside past hurts. Can they make their professional and personal dreams come true? A wonderful return to Briar Creek, and a delightful and emotional love story.
Anna and Mark have a lot of history, a lot of hurt, and a lot of baggage that have kept them from speaking to each other for years. Now they have a chance to break down some of those walls and put aside past hurts. Can they make their professional and personal dreams come true? A wonderful return to Briar Creek, and a delightful and emotional love story.
December 29, 2017
Anna is obnoxious. WHY CAN'T SHE TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT HER PROBLEMS? My gods lady, get it off your chest and everything will be better. But NO. It's what the whole 400+ page book is about. Anna can't talk about her problems. Blah, blah, blah. Sous vide me a steak.
April 17, 2018
This was cute. I read it in an airport, and it was the exactly perfect book for that - light, cute, and entertaining.
December 21, 2019
Good read. Another tormented couple from this town. Hope they're all not like this. I do like the characters and the plot. I especially like the sisters.
October 6, 2020
Good book of lost love, found love, lost love again, then maybe. Enjoyable read.
January 3, 2021
Another romantic holiday read! I enjoyed this Christmas book, #2 in the Briar Creek series by Olivia Miles. An upbeat quick read perfect for this busy time of year.
November 16, 2021
Great second book of this trilogy of 3 sisters
January 12, 2022
Loved, loved the storyline
I felt like I was in the middle of all the action. It was exciting to go through all the ups and downs. I would recommend this book to all.
I felt like I was in the middle of all the action. It was exciting to go through all the ups and downs. I would recommend this book to all.
December 13, 2022
This was a very good book. I loved the characters and the storyline. The author did a fantastic job writing this book!
July 21, 2025
This book was amateurish.
October 7, 2015
http://openbooksociety.com/article/ma...
A Match Made on Main Street
Briar Creek, Book #2
By Olivia Miles
ISBN13: 9781455557196
Author’s Website: http://www.oliviamilesbooks.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Synopsis:
This kitchen isn’t big enough for both of them…
If there’s anything Anna Madison knows, it’s how to turn life’s lemons into a lemonade cocktail served in a vintage glass. So when her beloved Briar Creek café burns down, she sees it as an opportunity to start fresh. But the only kitchen available to her is in the diner down the street—owned by her sinfully sexy ex.
If Anna thinks she can take over his greasy-spoon kitchen with her high-end cuisine, Mark Hastings is about to set her straight fast. Their breakup is his biggest regret—not that he’ll ever admit it to her. Nope, he’d rather show her exactly what she’s been missing. With desire set on a high simmer, their menu is about to get a whole lot spicier…
Review:
A lovely novel about the power of second chances. I was quickly taken in by the story and succumbed to sleepless nights while I finished the book. Immediately this reader was sympathetic to Anna as her café burns down just after she has taken on more debt to help her sister expand the bookstore next door. What else could go wrong? In order to supply the morning goodies for the bookstore, Anna must accept help from her ex (Mark Hastings) by way of sharing his commercial kitchen (a suggestion put forth by Mark’s Aunt Rosemary). It has been eight long years since they have been involved (and by the way…both Anna and Mark NEVER let anyone in the family know they were involved).
As money is tight (waiting for insurance money to rebuild is not a quick process) an opportunity arises to enter a cooking contest (this idea set in motion by Aunt Rosemary of course…so are we getting the idea that Aunt Rosemary has other plans for these two???). The only logical choice is for Mark and Anna to work together to wow the judges and hopefully win $100,000. As to be expected, working together with one’s gorgeous ex is not easy. Especially when no one in the family knows you are exes. But they do manage to work together (and yes, hot and sexy sparks are present). They manage to enter the contest and…. (you didn’t think I would tell you the results did you???). I must say though, I definitely got hungry as a result of their practicing and run-throughs of their menu as well as Anna making all the morning goodies for the bookstore. This story also made me wish I had a bigger kitchen to bake my own goodies!
With sparks abounding, Mark has regrets about his breaking Anna’s heart all those years ago. The question is, can each of them forget about the past and create a present and maybe even a future? It is rough going and at one point, Anna is going on blind dates set up by Rosemary. Now those dates are a hoot. I really got the sense that Rosemary had a secret agenda (and yes…of course she does).
How did the two manage living in the small same town without communicating…:
“They’d coexisted in virtual silence for years, but Briar Creek was small, and people talked. If you didn’t want gossip-and neither of them did-then you had to go along with the flow, keep up pretenses. Attend Mark’s annual bash.”
Mark on Anna:
“I kept thinking one day you’d come around, start liking me again.”
And Anna’s thoughts re: Mark:
“His mouth tipped into that slow, easy grin and her heart skipped a beat. Damn him. He had no right. No right at all to be digging this up, to resurrect something they’d once had.”
Needless to say, there are roadblocks on the path to finding each other again, if they can manage this. There is the predictable ex-girlfriend, lack of confidence that Mark has matured or that Anna has worked past being scared of being happy. And meddling relatives certainly played a significant role! Rosemary is such a hoot.
As well, the secondary storylines were very engaging and certainly set the stage for further titles in this series. This, coupled with the various other secrets (which were unexpected but definitely added depth to the story), produced a very enjoyable second book in the Briar Creek series. I cannot wait for book #3., thank you Olivia Miles for creating this engaging book as well as engaging series. :) I look forward to your next title.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
A Match Made on Main Street
Briar Creek, Book #2
By Olivia Miles
ISBN13: 9781455557196
Author’s Website: http://www.oliviamilesbooks.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Synopsis:
This kitchen isn’t big enough for both of them…
If there’s anything Anna Madison knows, it’s how to turn life’s lemons into a lemonade cocktail served in a vintage glass. So when her beloved Briar Creek café burns down, she sees it as an opportunity to start fresh. But the only kitchen available to her is in the diner down the street—owned by her sinfully sexy ex.
If Anna thinks she can take over his greasy-spoon kitchen with her high-end cuisine, Mark Hastings is about to set her straight fast. Their breakup is his biggest regret—not that he’ll ever admit it to her. Nope, he’d rather show her exactly what she’s been missing. With desire set on a high simmer, their menu is about to get a whole lot spicier…
Review:
A lovely novel about the power of second chances. I was quickly taken in by the story and succumbed to sleepless nights while I finished the book. Immediately this reader was sympathetic to Anna as her café burns down just after she has taken on more debt to help her sister expand the bookstore next door. What else could go wrong? In order to supply the morning goodies for the bookstore, Anna must accept help from her ex (Mark Hastings) by way of sharing his commercial kitchen (a suggestion put forth by Mark’s Aunt Rosemary). It has been eight long years since they have been involved (and by the way…both Anna and Mark NEVER let anyone in the family know they were involved).
As money is tight (waiting for insurance money to rebuild is not a quick process) an opportunity arises to enter a cooking contest (this idea set in motion by Aunt Rosemary of course…so are we getting the idea that Aunt Rosemary has other plans for these two???). The only logical choice is for Mark and Anna to work together to wow the judges and hopefully win $100,000. As to be expected, working together with one’s gorgeous ex is not easy. Especially when no one in the family knows you are exes. But they do manage to work together (and yes, hot and sexy sparks are present). They manage to enter the contest and…. (you didn’t think I would tell you the results did you???). I must say though, I definitely got hungry as a result of their practicing and run-throughs of their menu as well as Anna making all the morning goodies for the bookstore. This story also made me wish I had a bigger kitchen to bake my own goodies!
With sparks abounding, Mark has regrets about his breaking Anna’s heart all those years ago. The question is, can each of them forget about the past and create a present and maybe even a future? It is rough going and at one point, Anna is going on blind dates set up by Rosemary. Now those dates are a hoot. I really got the sense that Rosemary had a secret agenda (and yes…of course she does).
How did the two manage living in the small same town without communicating…:
“They’d coexisted in virtual silence for years, but Briar Creek was small, and people talked. If you didn’t want gossip-and neither of them did-then you had to go along with the flow, keep up pretenses. Attend Mark’s annual bash.”
Mark on Anna:
“I kept thinking one day you’d come around, start liking me again.”
And Anna’s thoughts re: Mark:
“His mouth tipped into that slow, easy grin and her heart skipped a beat. Damn him. He had no right. No right at all to be digging this up, to resurrect something they’d once had.”
Needless to say, there are roadblocks on the path to finding each other again, if they can manage this. There is the predictable ex-girlfriend, lack of confidence that Mark has matured or that Anna has worked past being scared of being happy. And meddling relatives certainly played a significant role! Rosemary is such a hoot.
As well, the secondary storylines were very engaging and certainly set the stage for further titles in this series. This, coupled with the various other secrets (which were unexpected but definitely added depth to the story), produced a very enjoyable second book in the Briar Creek series. I cannot wait for book #3., thank you Olivia Miles for creating this engaging book as well as engaging series. :) I look forward to your next title.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
August 17, 2023
⛔️(in notes)
May 25, 2015
Review originally posted on my blog www.livinglifewithjoy.com
A Match Made on Main Street is the second book in the Briar Creek series. Check out my 5-star review on book 1, Mistletoe on Main Street. This novel picks up with Grace’s sister Anna and her unexplained disinterest to the town’s notorious playboy and bachelor, Mark Hastings. Anna is a strong, confident and very independent woman, until an unexpected tragedy strikes. Anna is forced to accept the support of her tight-knit small-town community to help her back on her feet. Which leads her directly into the kitchen – and possibly the arms – of the last person she wants to spend time with. Throw in a bit of match-making with some interesting date choices and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster!
There were a few important themes threaded throughout the novel; the idea that friendship is the best foundation for true love, trying to live down one’s past, and learning to allow yourself to be vulnerable to love. I liked how Anna and Mark’s friendship was written into the story, from their past to present. It’s important to understand where someone is coming from in order to accept where they are going next in life. Keeping important things below the surface and having a lack of communication is generally a good way to screw-up a relationship. Sometimes people keep things bottled up because they’re too afraid to go after what they want and sometimes they do it because they’re trying to live down their past.
In Mark’s case, he pulls away from Anna because he cared so much for her. He wanted a relationship and a restaurant with her, but didn’t think he could do both. So instead of trying, he pulled away. He didn’t think he could be the man she wanted him to be, so instead of staying and trying, he just ran. It’s sad to think that someone could have such little faith in themselves to get in their own way of allowing themselves to truly love and be loved. But when you’ve been through some really tough times in life, you’re always preparing yourself and trying to protect yourself from letting it ever happen again. Whether it’s in regards to money problems, or being hurt by those you love, it’s difficult to not want to prevent yourself from repeating history. But sometimes it’s the things we do to protect ourselves that end up hurting us worse than we ever thought possible.
The novel also had a small theme of moving on past divorce and getting back into the dating world. It’s sad to see someone love another person that doesn’t deserve them or love them the same way and to be lied to and cheated on. Cheating is never acceptable, and it’s sad that so many women get cheated on by the one person they think they can trust completely. I imagine that this theme will lead us into the third book of the series as we will continue to follow Jane’s story as she searches for love.
A Match Made on Main Street was a wonderful story about life and love that kept me entertained the whole way through. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Memorable Moments:
She’d spent how many years avoiding the very thing she was being asked to do: date. Dating led to falling in love, and falling in love led to heartbreak.
The only person you could depend on in life was yourself. When you were in control of your own path, no one could come along and take it out from under you. At least that’s what she had thought until today.
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
A Match Made on Main Street is the second book in the Briar Creek series. Check out my 5-star review on book 1, Mistletoe on Main Street. This novel picks up with Grace’s sister Anna and her unexplained disinterest to the town’s notorious playboy and bachelor, Mark Hastings. Anna is a strong, confident and very independent woman, until an unexpected tragedy strikes. Anna is forced to accept the support of her tight-knit small-town community to help her back on her feet. Which leads her directly into the kitchen – and possibly the arms – of the last person she wants to spend time with. Throw in a bit of match-making with some interesting date choices and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster!
There were a few important themes threaded throughout the novel; the idea that friendship is the best foundation for true love, trying to live down one’s past, and learning to allow yourself to be vulnerable to love. I liked how Anna and Mark’s friendship was written into the story, from their past to present. It’s important to understand where someone is coming from in order to accept where they are going next in life. Keeping important things below the surface and having a lack of communication is generally a good way to screw-up a relationship. Sometimes people keep things bottled up because they’re too afraid to go after what they want and sometimes they do it because they’re trying to live down their past.
In Mark’s case, he pulls away from Anna because he cared so much for her. He wanted a relationship and a restaurant with her, but didn’t think he could do both. So instead of trying, he pulled away. He didn’t think he could be the man she wanted him to be, so instead of staying and trying, he just ran. It’s sad to think that someone could have such little faith in themselves to get in their own way of allowing themselves to truly love and be loved. But when you’ve been through some really tough times in life, you’re always preparing yourself and trying to protect yourself from letting it ever happen again. Whether it’s in regards to money problems, or being hurt by those you love, it’s difficult to not want to prevent yourself from repeating history. But sometimes it’s the things we do to protect ourselves that end up hurting us worse than we ever thought possible.
The novel also had a small theme of moving on past divorce and getting back into the dating world. It’s sad to see someone love another person that doesn’t deserve them or love them the same way and to be lied to and cheated on. Cheating is never acceptable, and it’s sad that so many women get cheated on by the one person they think they can trust completely. I imagine that this theme will lead us into the third book of the series as we will continue to follow Jane’s story as she searches for love.
A Match Made on Main Street was a wonderful story about life and love that kept me entertained the whole way through. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Memorable Moments:
She’d spent how many years avoiding the very thing she was being asked to do: date. Dating led to falling in love, and falling in love led to heartbreak.
The only person you could depend on in life was yourself. When you were in control of your own path, no one could come along and take it out from under you. At least that’s what she had thought until today.
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
October 20, 2019
Chef Anna Madison is broken-hearted when her restaurant is destroyed in a fire. Even though she has insurance and the place will be back up and running soon, she still has to provide food for the local bookstore's coffee shop, which Anna co-owns along with her sisters. With her own industrial kitchen temporarily out of commission, her only option is to use the kitchen from Mark Hastings' diner just a few blocks away. While it is nice of Mark to offer use of his space, it is also a bit awkward. See, Anna and Mark aren't exactly friends, which has the potential make things a little awkward.
The two grew up together in Briar Creek and were actually pretty close while they were in culinary school. When their relationship ended suddenly, so did their friendship, and the two have some major unresolved feelings and issues after this relationship. Not one single soul in town (including their closest friends and family) know that they ever dated, much less fell in love. Everyone wonders why they go to such great lengths to avoid each other, but no one pushes too hard for the answer.
****
I liked this story so much. It was so easy to read and I was once again pulled into the small-town charm of Briar Creek and everyone that lives there. While it didn't hold quite the same amount of charm for me as the first book in the series, I did like the way that this story centered around two people with a shared passion for food. In fact, I love that Anna and Mark were working together to win a cooking competition - the contest added a nice amount of tension and forced the two to confront their past in a way that they may never have otherwise.
Speaking of the cooking competition, I love the way that entire event worked out - it actually surprised me! The contest (and preparation for it) was stressful for Anna and Mark, but it made for fun reading and was a great way to carry some of the tougher parts of the story. It was also a way for their friends and family to show their support, which is one of the best parts of this series (I LOVE the friend and family relationships here).
I love the way Grace and Luke weaved into this story, and I also love guessing at subsequent plot lines to come with some of the other characters' side stories. If I could change anything, I wouldn't have minded reading about the painful past between Anna and Mark a bit less - it was somewhat repetitive - but this was really just a small nagging detail for me and it didn't keep me from enjoying the story at all. I'm anxious to dive into the third book and will be starting it right away.
The two grew up together in Briar Creek and were actually pretty close while they were in culinary school. When their relationship ended suddenly, so did their friendship, and the two have some major unresolved feelings and issues after this relationship. Not one single soul in town (including their closest friends and family) know that they ever dated, much less fell in love. Everyone wonders why they go to such great lengths to avoid each other, but no one pushes too hard for the answer.
****
I liked this story so much. It was so easy to read and I was once again pulled into the small-town charm of Briar Creek and everyone that lives there. While it didn't hold quite the same amount of charm for me as the first book in the series, I did like the way that this story centered around two people with a shared passion for food. In fact, I love that Anna and Mark were working together to win a cooking competition - the contest added a nice amount of tension and forced the two to confront their past in a way that they may never have otherwise.
Speaking of the cooking competition, I love the way that entire event worked out - it actually surprised me! The contest (and preparation for it) was stressful for Anna and Mark, but it made for fun reading and was a great way to carry some of the tougher parts of the story. It was also a way for their friends and family to show their support, which is one of the best parts of this series (I LOVE the friend and family relationships here).
I love the way Grace and Luke weaved into this story, and I also love guessing at subsequent plot lines to come with some of the other characters' side stories. If I could change anything, I wouldn't have minded reading about the painful past between Anna and Mark a bit less - it was somewhat repetitive - but this was really just a small nagging detail for me and it didn't keep me from enjoying the story at all. I'm anxious to dive into the third book and will be starting it right away.
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