ARC REVIEW: Bachelor at her Bidding (Montana Born Bachelor Auction #2) by Kate Hardy

How to win a girl in ten cakes…

When Dr. Rachel Cassidy comes back to Marietta with a broken heart and a divorce under her belt, going to a Bachelor Auction fund-raiser doesn’t sound like her idea of a good time – and when her sister and friends “buy” her a dinner date with sexy Parisian-trained pastry chefRyan Henderson, that sounds even worse.

Ryan doesn’t have time for dating – he’s put his dreams to one side and come back to Marietta to look after his sick grandmother. But when he agrees to help a charity fundraiser by offering to cook a special meal to one lucky bidder, he gets more than he bargains for and discovers a woman he might just dare to let himself fall in love with.

Then tragedy strikes, just when Rachel and Ryan think they might have a future, opening up old scars and pushing them apart.

And if they’re to stand a chance of getting back together, then Ryan’s going to have to be seriously inventive. Can he win the love of his life with ten cakes?

4 STARS

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The characters were interesting, the shift of scenes was engrossing and the steam of romance simmered. This light and quick read was a delight.

Ryan was a chef who captured every person's heart in town with his "better than sex" food. He was a kind and thoughtful guy and taking care of his grandmother Phyllis was his lifetime (and only) commitment. But behind Ryan's good guy personality and dashing smile hid a man bruised by a past relationship. His character was a perfect mix of charm, heat, and sweetness. Much like those crème brule he so expertly makes.

Rachel was a divorced doctor determined to live her life without dating anyone. She was scarred enough by her past marriage to even take another swing at relationships. She was determined to live by just living her life as a doctor. Rachel was an interesting character. She was smart, strong, and compassionate. She was always ready to help people with her loving heart and her warm smile. What she wasn't ready for was falling in love again.

The connection Rachel and Ryan felt for each other was timid at first but raised to a passion that enflamed each scene. Kate Hardy has kept me flipping pages with her warm and affective writing prose and the giddy pull of the fun characters in the story. This light romance entertains from the start to the end. Perfect for a weekend read.