A Little Sugar, A Lot of Love

A very sweet, mainly centred love story that pans out over the course of a year. The story is told through switching points of view which was interesting and has bittersweet moments of loss throughout, I read with a lump in my throat several times. The descriptions of the cupcakes Katie designs made my mouth water and the twists and turns that the romance takes keep things interesting.
It lost one star only because I felt parts were a little stereotypical - Katie being too 'creative' to be an effective businesswoman, and other female characters that are career minded are portrayed as somewhat hard and unfeeling. You know what, yes we ruddy can have it all, it doesn't have to be either home or career! I did enjoy the story however.

As I began this book, I wasn't sure if I would get into it as much as I do with fantasy or adventure books. But within a few pages, I was visibly smiling at the situation that was going on. Living in England, I can perfectly understand what Adam was going through with being soaked in rain!

Sometimes the writing/storyline of Romance novels doesn't grab me quick enough, causing me to abandon it for a while, but this book was an exception! The writing of the story was good, and each of the characters was written well and had interesting personalities. The changing point of view in the book was well used, as although it primarily focused on Adam and Katie's point of view, we also got the opportunity to look into other character's views on the main character's lives/decisions.

There were surprising elements as well. Adam's grandfather Jack had passed away, but his grandmother still saw/spoke to Jack as a ghost. I thought this was a sweet idea to include, showing that family members stay to look over you even when they are gone.

Each character was written well into the story. Helping Adam and Katie realise their need to be together. It was a frustrating book to read, mainly as you knew the situation of both Katie and Adam's lives, and knew that they 1. liked each other, and 2. could actually be together, but because both assumed otherwise, it took a while to finally get them to realise. It was a good type of frustration!

I really enjoyed this book, it's definitely inspired me to pick up more Romance novels when I'm out book shopping! I would recommend this book to all those who enjoy Romance novels, and those who want to get into it more!

A Delightful Read

This book made me want to cook sparkly cupcakes. I cried, I ranted at some of the characters and I slipped away to read in the day, which I never do!

Lily is a lovely child character and very realistically portrayed. Loved Grace, the grandma trying not to die until her orphaned grandson is satisfactorily settled. The heroine, Katie, trying to be true to the man she set up home with because he's been ill, even though her feelings have changed and the hero, Adam, trying to do the best by his daughter after his divorce. These are characters you care about and live the story alongside.

With an aging mother, one line from the book stuck in my head - old age doesn't come by itself! How true. The book also explored impulses and the fact we often rationalise and deny them, possibly never knowing that another person felt the same way. That thought struck a lot of chords too.

I really enjoyed this book, reading it in half the time it normally takes me to finish a novel. Highly recommended for an enjoyable read.

A lovely story about Katie who runs a bakery and Adam who she meets one day.

I liked that the story goes through different povs so we get to see things from different perspectives. Which I always think is great because who doesn't want too hear what a man is thinking at times!

So if you're looking for a lovely feel good romantic story then why not give A little sugar, A lot of love a go!?

A sweet, romantic read that takes place over a period of time. Katie & Adam meet when he comes into her bakery on a wet, rainy day. There seems to be an instant chemistry between them but the time isn't right for them yet. They become friends but with each of the yearning for more & just unable to tell the other. Katie is in a relationship & Adam is raising his daughter & has a work intensive job. Over a few years, Adam continues to stop in & buy cakes & cupcakes from Katie's bakery. Will they ever act on their attraction?

The way that this book was written gives us insight into the way several of the characters think & the way their lives are evolving. The plot flowed naturally & was easy to follow. The secondary characters really added to the story & made it more realistic. I loved Grace & Lily. There were parts of the book that tugged on my emotions until I laughed, cried, got mad & was amused. Both Katie & Adam had to follow the journey through & realize they had to put themselves on the line for love rather than taking the safe & easy way out. This was the first book that I have read by Linn Halton & due to the emotional path her writing took me on, it won't be the last.

I received an ARC from NetGalley & the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion.

This is a wonderful love story, full of warmth and family drama.

Loved this book so much, downloaded it twice!
Please see my original remarks in January 2016.
Thanks again!

The first thing to say about this book is that, despite the picture and tagline on the cover, it's not a Christmas book. As it says, 'it all started at Christmas' but the story takes place over two Christmas periods with a few birthdays in between. What started that first Christmas was the developing relationship between Adam and Katie. Adam is a divorced father with an 8 year old daughter, Lily. He was brought up by his grandparents after his mother's early death and is very close to his Grandma Grace. Although he lives some distance away, he goes to see her often and it is on one of these occasions that he meets Katie. Katie is following her dream to run a bakery and is the owner of Sweet Occasions. She lives with Steve but is starting to feel that things just aren't right between them anymore.

There is, of course, attraction between Adam and Katie from the start but initially neither of them are considering a relationship. The book follows their meetings and growing feelings over the course of a long period. What I liked about the story was that it wasn't love at first sight and it wasn't hate at first sight which turned into love. This was a slowly developing friendship which deepened into love even though, as it often seemed, their "timing was off yet again". They were the right people for each other but meeting at the wrong time. Grandma Grace was a lovely character and the relationship between her and Adam and Lily was sensitively portrayed. She was very wise too saying that "everything happens for a reason". I loved this part where she is explaining a bit more about what she means by that:

"If people took the time to think back over past events they would clearly see that even though the path meanders, each little step counts for something. Life is a learning experience. If it wasn't for the ups and downs it would be distinctly boring. The good times are much sweeter because of the bad things every single one of us has to battle through."

The only thing which didn't quite work for me was that all the chapters were in first person. Each chapter was narrated by a different character and it said at the beginning which character it was. Obviously as I were reading it was obvious whose chapter it was. However, I found on occasion that if I had put the book down mid-chapter, it took me a minute to realise which character was narrating that particular section. It's just a personal thing of course, but I prefer only one character to be using 'I'.

A Little Sugar, A Lot of Love is a very romantic story and had some of the most emotional scenes I've read for a long time. I was reading on the bus when one particular scene had me swallowing very hard! A very enjoyable, heart-warming story with well developed characters you will believe in and you will be hoping they can overcome the obstacles in the way to their happiness.

I received a copy of this book from Netgallay in exchange for my honest review. I simply adored this book! The main premise of the story is to follow your heart even if it takes you to places unknown. This was such a sweet story about two wonderful characters who see eachother only a few times a year but who have become smitten with eachother from their first encounter. A wonderful love story with lots of layers. I highly recommend!

This book is very cleverly written and I really enjoyed every minute of it.
Really liked how the author had written the book from several points of view. This gave a fantastic insight into the thoughts and feelings of all the lead characters.
I always love books set around bakery's or tea rooms and this one did not disappoint me. I particularly loved the character of Grace, the grandma. The love she shows towards her family is amazing and heart warming.

It was a great read, perfect for a cold winters night and I'd thoroughly recommend it.

I was given an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Katie is living her dream, running her own cake shop. Sadly with the help/interference from her partner Steve.
Adam is father to Lily, and grandson to Grace. He goes to buy a cake for his grandmother's birthday one day and meets Katie. From then on the story becomes one of just missed chances, paths crossing a little too late and missed opportunities to say how they feel.

Written mainly from the views of Katie and Adam, but with a few chapters from the supporting characters, this is a great will they, won't they story that has you hoping for a happy ending. The story is well written with easy to love characters and gets you hooked quickly.

As comforting as hot chocolate! Lovely tale of cake, romance and a bitter sweet ending. What's not to love!

Katie is quite happy running her cake shop apart from her boyfriend Steve who wants her to expand, but she doesn't want to and she doesn't want to be financially reliant on him. Then in walks Adam and everything changes.

Adam is a lovely character, very caring, always looking out for his daughter and grandmother and needing to move on and find love again after this divorce.

The story is told mainly by Adam and Katie and its great to see the different viewpoints. a lovely heartwarming story that I would really recommend, perfect for the beach or curling up in front of a fire.

Katie is at a crossroads in her life but is struggling with what she wants for her future. While she adores baking and her perfect store, she isn't happy with the new direction that her business has taken under the influence of her partner, Steve. And another problem is her relationship - after all that they have been through, can she really walk away from him? But life has a funny way of steering you in different directions, and when Katie meets Adam and his family, the strings of fate that loosely connect them will guide their futures - with a little help from those that love them.

A LITTLE SUGAR, A LOT OF LOVE by Linn B. Halton is a heartwarming, endearing novel of love, loss, friendship, and finding the strength to be who you want to be. With loveable characters, cosy scenes, a magical atmosphere, and a wonderful plot, A LITTLE SUGAR, A LOT OF LOVE by Linn B. Halton, is the perfect read for a cold evening, and I highly recommend it to all fiction fans.

This was a really sweet book. Katie runs a lovely cake shop and develops a friendship after she takes pity on a drenched customer. He returns when he visits his darling grandmother Grace- who is such a great character. She wants a happy ever after future for her grandson Adam and wants to play cupid. He buys the most gorgeous sounding cakes - making you want to find your own local bakery who go that extra mile.

There is a spark of attraction between Katie and Adam- but a relationship would have to overcome several obstacles.

It's a great book of romance, friendships, families and relationship disasters. A really warming read. My first book by Linn B. Halton and I will be keen to read more.

I was given a chance to read this book by net galley in exchange for a review. This a story that will appeal to romantics who believe in love at first sight. The timing was off the first few times Katie, a baker, met Adam, a single dad. They felt an instant attraction but were involved with other people or to shy to make a move. A little shove from Adam's beloved grandmother and possibly the spirit world push them together. Life is complicated, but sometimes people meet for a reason.

After seeing the lovely cover for this book I requested it from @ChocLituk, I had a feeling I recognised the cover so popped over to https://www.goodreads.com where I have reviewed books I have read since 2010. Lo and behold, I actually read this book in January this year. I thought I was losing the plot in my old age!
What can I say … Its a lovely, cosy, romantic, feel good book I couldn’t put down. A very worthy read for all romantics out there

A very sweet book which was savoured right to the last morsel.

Oh Adam and Katie! This is a very pleasant read for a cold dreary day. It's nicely written and while you can probably guess what's going to happen, Halton does a good job with the characters (including Grace and Lily) and with the path. I enjoyed this= thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. You will like this if you enjoy chicklit where the course of true love is not always as smooth and where the people are very real.

https://jennyobrienwriter.wordpress.com/2016/10/26/5⭐%EF%B8%8F-a-little-sugar-a-lot-of-love-linn-b-halton/

Very beautiful, heart warming story about two people Adam and Katie. Katie makes cakes and one rainy day Adam shows up to buy his grandmother a cake. Katie is in a relationship but she's not happy. Adam is divorced and just can't seem to find a soulmate. When fate collides will they both wake up and see there perfect for each other. You will laugh,cry and smile reading this story. I loved it! 5/5 stars *** I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Copy of this book ***