The Key to Love

I just took a look back through my blog to see what I've read by Betsy St Amant, and I found a common theme--baking and cakes.   In rereading my reviews of the books I've read by her, I also found flawed characters (not an issue, it adds realism to the plot) whose lives are marked by chaos.  I am not sure if the chaos is meant to add to the humor and pathos of the book, or is just a device to move the plot along, but this time I didn't like it. 

In The Key to Love, Abrielle is a rather caustic woman working at the Pastry Puff bakery in Story, Kansas.  Gerard is sent by Trek Magazine to do an article on the bakery, which has a "Lovelock Wall" similar to one in Paris. Abrielle, or Bri, has an attitude and a chip on her shoulder that makes her a totally unsympathetic character.  The only one worse is the lawyer trying to buy the bakery so he can tear down the wall and build a franchise coffee shop. 

Gerard is not much better in the likable characters department.  He's  got his own chip on his own shoulder and doesn't feel the assignment he's been given is worthy of him. 

This was a hard book for me to read.  I do like to read books with flawed characters, it makes the plots more real.  BUT, the way these characters have been written make them totally unlikable and therefore make the situations and plot lines less believable.  Two Stars

Revell Publishing and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.