Monday, January 23, 2017

Island Thyme Café by Andrea Hurst

Kindle Edition, 231 pages
Published November 25th 2016
ASIN: B01N0JN9QU; December 2016; Amazon Digital
Romance/Women’s Fiction; $4.99 E-book/Paperback $14.99

 Her Dark Past Eclipsed her Future…Until New Love Brought Endless Possibilities

When her estranged daughter visits Madrona Island for the summer, Jude Simon, owner of the popular Island Thyme Café, is forced to face the dark secrets from her past. Years ago, she found out about her husband’s infidelity from an article in the local paper. Left a single mother of an infant daughter, Jude went on to make a success of her café, but still hides a broken heart behind her radiant smile.

Now, Jude finds herself falling hard for her new chef, Ryan Folger. Her feelings are returned, and Jude is finally able to envision her own happily ever after. However, when the cast and crew of an upcoming movie come to town to film Murder Most Magic, Ryan’s own dark secrets return in the form of a seductive ex-lover determined to have him back.

With the help of her friends, Kyla and Lily, Jude decides to fight for her chance at love with Ryan, work to repair the broken relationship with her daughter, and find the happiness she always longed for. 

My Thoughts…

Island Thyme Café is the 3rd book in this series.    While each book can be read as a standalone story they are definitely better read in order.    Each story tells the tale of a different character living on Madrona Island.   There is a beginning and an e nding for each character with a lot of fun in between.

This is the story of Jude and Ryan.   Jude owns a café and Ryan is her extremely talented chef.  They have a relationship, of course there are hiccups, and they must work through these hiccups to find their happy ever after.   I enjoyed seeing them circle each other and denying their true feelings while keeping their hearts open to loving each other. 
While this is Jude and Ryan’s story, the rest of the characters are just as enjoyable.    I always like catching up with characters from past stories.   It is nice to see how their lives have progressed and where they are heading.      The love and respect everyone in the town has for each other is amazing.   It is the truth to living in a small town where everyone knows everyone.   

I recommend checking out this series. 

Purchase Link



Check out my thoughts on the first book in this series… The Guestbook

Paperback, 336 pages
Published July 26th 2012 by CreateSpace

Lily Parkins finds out her hubby is cheating on her.  She decided enough is enough and moved to the Pacific Northwest.  Lily’s grandmother has left her the old family farmhouse which happens to be the only place she has ever been truly happy.  Lily knows she has decisions to make.  Is the farm, which her grandma convert to a Bed & Breakfast where she wants to stay?  Should she return to her husband, forgiving his cheating and overbearing ways?  Should she open her heart to new love?


Lily’s grandma left her the guestbook from all the years running the Bed & Breakfast.  Inside this book is letters, recipes, and parts of Lily’s history.  All of the information helps Lily get her independence and remake herself.  Between her wonderful new friends, her mother, and Ian, the handsome neighbor, Lily is determined to be successful and happy.

When the email arrived asking me to read The Guestbook telling me it was like Nicholas Sparks, Nora Roberts, and Debbie Macomber wrapped in one I was thrilled by wary.  Those are big names to live up to.  But she was right on.  I saw the romance, the charm, and the heart just as promised.

The Guestbook is a story of friendship, love, family, and finding one self.  The friendships Lily made let her trust again.  I loved the small town feel of everyone knowing everyone and helping without being asked or being paid.  If more towns were like this the world would be a much better, much happier place.  The love that not only Lily found but also that was hinted at foe her best friends Jude and Kyla, made me unable to put the book down.  It is a love story, not a story of sex and lust, although there was some of that in there also.  Family…Lily realizing what she lost by staying with her loser husband.  I loved how she worked through the time she didn’t and should have spent with her grandma.  How she pushed her mom away, but when she needed her mom, she was there.  All of these helped Lily redefine herself and find true happiness.

I cannot believe this is Andrea Hurst’s debut novel.  The next one cannot come soon enough.  The Guestbook is perfect to cuddle up with a glass of cocoa next to a roaring fire and lose yourself in

Purchase The Guestbook by Andrea Hurst


About the Author
When not writing, visiting local farmer's markets, or indulging her love for chocolate, Andrea Hurst is a developmental editor and literary agent. Her passion for books drives her to find and write stories that take readers on a journey to another place and leave them with an unforgettable impression. She lives with her rescue dachshund, Ferdie, in the Pacific Northwest, on an island much like the fictional Madrona Island, with all its natural beauty and small time charm.

Her published books include The Guestbook, Tea & Comfort, Always With You, The Lazy Dog's Guide to Enlightenmentand Everybody's Natural Food Cookbook, and she co-authored A Book of Miracles with Dr. Bernie Siegel. To learn more about Andrea and her books, visit www.AndreaHurst-author.com or www.andreahurst.com.

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