Unrivaled

UNRIVALED
Siri Mitchell
(Bethany House)
ISBN: 978-0764207976
March 2013/400 pages/$14.99
Lucy Kendall returns from a tour of the Continent, her luggage filled with the latest fashions and a mind fired by inspiration. After tasting Europe’s best confections, she’s sure she’ll come up with a recipe that will save her father’s struggling candy business and reverse their fortunes. But she soon discovers that their biggest competitor, the cheat who swindled her father out of his prize recipe, has now hired a promotions manager–a cocky, handsome out-of-towner who gets under Lucy’s skin.

Charlie Clarke’s new role at Standard Manufacturing is the chance of a lifetime. He can put some rough times behind him and reconnect with the father he’s never known. The one thing he never counted on, however, was tenacious Lucy Kendall. She’s making his work life miserable…and making herself impossible for him to forget.

Read an excerpt here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Siri Mitchell is the author of nearly a dozen novels, among them the critically acclaimed Christy Award finalists Chateau of Echoes, The Cubicle Next Door, and She Walks in Beauty. A graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in business, she has worked in many different levels of government. As military spouse, she has lived in places as varied as Tokyo and Paris. Siri currently lives in the DC-metro area.

Find out more about Siri at http://sirimitchell.com/, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter


MY THOUGHTS

If one could develop a "sweet tooth" for books, Siri Mitchell's novels would certainly satisfy, and this story, set in the midst of a "candy war" in 1910 will please the palate of any lover of historical romance. Mitchell has created a wonderful pair of characters in Lucy Kendall and Charlie Clarke. The story alternates between their points of view, which allows the reader to sympathize with both Lucy and Charlie while simultaneously cringing when one misinterprets the other's actions or motivations. I enjoyed reading about the candy business and was astounded at how different things were a century ago from a legal standpoint. One thing hasn't changed, though, and that's the condition of the human heart and the need children (of all ages!) have for their parents' acceptance and love. Although important messages of faith are carefully threaded throughout this story, light-hearted moments and a steady pace keep the pages turning. I highly recommend this novel but suggest you read it on a full stomach or you might find yourself reaching for some candy as you read!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”