I had the most fun with this book. Not my normal–my work usually ends up at the deeper end of things (Like The Carpenter’s Daughter, for example), but sometimes we’ve just got to mix it up, right?

I LOVED writing this Christian romantic comedy!

So much so, that release day was quite a party. Please picture me squealing, dancing around the kitchen with my kids, who love this book as much as I did (except stop with the kissing! Heheheh. They secretly love it, I think.) My husband even bought me a dozen cupcakes. 

I thought I’d give you a little Ian and Kirstin teaser. A little kitchen disaster that rather typifies their collisions. And hopefully a smile (and let’s be real, I’d love for you to go buy the book and read the rest. Since we’re being honest here.) 😉

So, without any more babbling from me, I give you The Cupcake Dilemma (a Christian Romantic Comedy)

Meet Kirstin and Ian…

“How is it you missed learning how to make cookies?” Ian asked as we scooped the last of the gooey temptation into balls and placed them neatly on a parchment-lined tray.

I shrugged. “I…was never really interested, I guess. Mom was busy—it was just her and me and my sister; she and my dad split up when I was twelve—and I had a tendency to make a mess in the kitchen, so we just skipped that part of growing up, I guess.” I cocked an eyebrow as I looked back at him. “Maybe the real question in this scenario is, how is it you became a baker?”

His grin slid into the kind that softens faces when there was a happy memory behind it. “My mom.” He looked me in the eye before he continued. “I always had to work twice as hard for the good grades that seemed to come pretty easy to my brother—but I did it, because I’m competitive. My mom though. She always seemed to know when I was on the edge of my threshold for books, and she’d say, ‘Ian, you need a brain break. Let’s go make something amazing.’ And we did. We’d look up a recipe, make sure we had everything we needed, and then whip up something delicious. Fast-forward about fifteen years. I was working as a financial planner, hating it—the pressure and the stress and just trying to be someone that I’m really not, and I found myself baking during the evenings and weekends. When my brother got married and his bride asked me to do cupcakes for their wedding, something clicked.”

He tapped the side of his head. “So I used the degree I studied for, worked in the financial world for a couple more years, saving and planning, and then moved out here.” He spread his arms wide. “Now I have this.”

“And it makes you happy.”

“Well, I wasn’t unhappy with life, just my career choice, but yeah, I love what I’m doing, and I love Rock Creek, so double bonus, right?”

“Wait—you’re not from Rock Creek?”

“Nope. Only been here for three years. A college buddy, Jeff, he was from this small town, and we kept in touch. He’d say every now and then, ‘You should try the small-town life, buddy.’ So when I decided to try for my own bakery, I looked it up, checked out the real estate, which was really affordable, and found this building for sale. It was in rough shape, but it gave me the chance to renovate the way I wanted, and so far, it’s worked out pretty well.”

“Huh.” I leaned against the wall on the other side of the island. “I would have sworn you were born here. You know everyone and fit in so well.”

He tilted his head, studied me for a minute, and then opened his mouth to say something. But just as the words became sound, whatever he was going to say cut off as he jerked himself straight and sniffed. “What—” Another sniff, and then he whirled around to face the giant oven.

Pushing off the wall, I leaned over the counter so that I could see the oven too, and caught the flicker of a flame burst just as Ian yelled, “Fire!”

Yep. Right there in the oven.

I snatched the extinguisher he’d pointed out to me earlier. He went to the sink, grabbing a pan on the way. I beat him to the flames, ripped open the oven door, and pulled the trigger on the extinguisher. White foam spurted everywhere.

Once the flames were smothered, I looked up. Ian stood like a statue at the sink, the pan he’d filled with water poised for action and his mouth gaping.

Guess now he knew what he was dealing with. Figured the deal was off.

Have I tempted you yet? 😉

I hope you’ll spend some time with Kristin and Ian in The Cupcake Dilemma.

Happy Valentine’s Day, all. Hope you find a laugh somewhere in the day!