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The Kitchen Charmer (The MacBrides Book 3) by [Deborah Smith]

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Deborah Smith

The Kitchen Charmer (The MacBrides Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Deborah Smith (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

50 ratings

Book 3 of 3: The MacBrides series

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The battle is on their doorstep and in their souls.

These old mountains are smart, Lucy. They’re alive. They can be gentle like mamas; oh, sure, they’ll croon and they’ll kiss you and they’ll whisper while you sleep, and you’ll learn what all the old rocks are saying, all these ancient ghosts, all their starshine wisdom. But these old mountains, sometimes they know you can’t hear them any other way but to get smacked up along the head. You watch out, Lucy P, for you got the Charm, like us Netties do. You’re a guardian of these mountains, and they’re a guardian of you. They will warn you any how they have to.

They will slap the near life out of a Charmer.

They’re doing it to make you and Gus listen. To make you ready.

Delta Whittlespoon, the legendary biscuit maker and owner of The Crossroads Café, tried to warn Lucy Parmenter and Gus MacBride. Even their mystical North Carolina mountains can’t block the turmoil of the outside world. As fear and ignorance threaten their community and everyone they love, the star-crossed couple must overcome brutal challenges and personal demons to forge an alliance that may be the only hope of Good triumphing over Evil.

Deborah Smith is the New York Times and No. 1 Kindle bestselling author of The Crossroads Café series. Library Journal named The Crossroads Café a top five romance novel of the year.

Print length

185 pages
Language

English
Publication date

September 15, 2017
File size

2221 KB
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Product details

ASIN : B074XB6VFK
Publisher : Bell Bridge Books (September 15, 2017)
Publication date : September 15, 2017
Language : English
File size : 2221 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 185 pages
Lending : Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #718,409 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #14,032 in Military Romance (Kindle Store)
- #16,927 in Military Romance (Books)
- #19,437 in Contemporary Romance Fiction

Customer Reviews:
50 ratings

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5 star		41%
4 star		12%
3 star		27%
2 star		11%
1 star		8%

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Georgianna Lafebre

Politics more than story. Very sad and disappointing.

Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2017

Verified Purchase

Wanted to love it, but I really couldn't. It pains me to say that. I have loved every Deborah Smith book I've read (and I've read them all back to loveswept). Even though I agree with most all her politics- this book preached over story. It seemed more like a political platform. Perhaps she was frustrated by the lack or response to her twitter account? Much as I believe that writers have the ability to influence people, change minds, and ultimately have an awesome impact on the world, in a work of fiction- there needs to be balance and inspiration. At times it seemed the author was shouting her opinions from the pages and it took me way out of the story. I will read the next one- because I cannot resist more of Lucy's story- but for the first time ever- I doubt I'll pick up a new Deborah Smith book if it is not connected to characters she has made me love.

8 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Depressing and Disappointing

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2017

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After waiting for YEARS what DS gave us was dire, depressing, and disappointing. From the beginning the situation was dire for the characters and it never seemed to let up. I loved the socio-political POV because it was new and novel to me. But otherwise Lucy and Gus' love story couldn't brighten all the battle rams from all sides. In addition, the mysticism and mythology that I loved about the previous books just made it denser. And finally we have to wait for another book to finish this story?! My goodness, how sadistic!

It's too easy to wax poetic about DS's writing talent, her prolific imagination, her complex but beloved characters. But this book almost hurt to read.

5 people found this helpful

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Mika

Disappointed. After waiting for such a long time for this book! They still haven't met...

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

I love Deborah Smith's books! I read when Venus fell (my very favorite), blue willow, miracle, at least once a year! And the others frequently too! So much emotion and determination in the stories! Maybe it was the longgggg wait for this story, but it just dawdles. And now the wait for more.... I have loved all the Crossroads stories! And really wish you would get back to writing more and editing less.... Lucy has come a very long way and I want more!

8 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Darker tone, but great writing

Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

This third installment of Deborah Smith's captivating series about the descendants of moon-shiners with paranormal abilities mirrors the changes that America has endured in the few years. Times have changed for America and the charming North Carolina countryside has changed as well. The folksy home-spun characters are not immune to the changing tides, the hyperbolic hype of anti-immigration, and the perceived threat to their country that some of the people around them espouse as a reason to militarize the countryside.

I was deeply impressed with this long-awaited sequel, for the author skillfully wove the threads of current affairs into the context of the cast of characters we have come to know and love through the previous 3 novels and 2 novellas. This novel's darker take and further investigation into the origins of extra-sensory perception elevate the novel from "a few folksy charms" to a more paranormal state. I don't know if I would have appreciated the novel had I not first read some of the reviews about its cliffhanger and darker tones. It's as if the book should have come with a warning label that stated "Warning: not the same as the previous 2 books! Proceed at your own risk!"

All in all, Ms. Smith's writing was some of her best yet, especially knowing that she also runs her own publishing company. I am frustrated that this newest installment does not give readers the long-awaited fulfillment we had been anticipating, but I do appreciate the author's writing and masterful skill of combining current events with the novel's situations and characters. Great book as always. Bravo.

2 people found this helpful

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Megan K. Jeffery

Hugely disappointing.

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2018

Verified Purchase

I've been reading Deborah Smith for DECADES. I am so sick of politics leaking into everything. I read to escape, not have it rammed down my throat.
This book was also completely disjointed and hard to read. Smith takes off on so many political rants that the story itself gets lost. She didn't do justice AT ALL to Lucy and Gus' story. It's a real letdown. I hope she gets over her political derangement before the next one comes out...though I will wait for reviews before I purchase.

3 people found this helpful

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Mary Rhoades

I can honestly say I have never been more disappointed.. lots of unappreciated obvious political dialog

Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2017

Verified Purchase

I can honestly say that in all my years of reading, I have never looked more forward to a new release than this book:the Kitchen Charmer. That being said, I can honestly say I have never been more disappointed ..lots of unappreciated obvious political dialog , which would not have been so bad if the book had an ending. I now have to wait for the second part of this story. Very disappointed that the ending is :to be continued. Now I wait for book 4 of a trilogy!

5 people found this helpful

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B. E. Mill

Somewhat Disappointed

Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2017

Verified Purchase

I was so looking forward to this book. I have read the others in the McBride series as well as other books by Ms. Smith. She does write beautifully, but this one I found confusing. I love the special gifts that her characters have, but I had trouble following who was thinking or speaking. And the ending! Now, I have to wait for anther book to hopefully bring this series to a conclusion.

3 people found this helpful

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Karla Rose

Not what I expected

Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2017

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Like the other books in this series it followed the MacBrides and other special people from their community. It was enjoyable, but fragmented, though given both Lucy and Gus' states of mind the flow of the story was understandable. I would not suggest reading it without first reading the novellas featuring Lucy. They provide a lot of background which serve to enrich this story. I had expected this to be the final book in the series, but as it is not I look forward to reading the final instalment soon.

2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

This one ends mid stream so if you like reading the full story, wait for book 4.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 3, 2017

Verified Purchase

Terrific except the story finishes on a cliffhanger. When is book 4 coming out - need the ending! Lucy and Gus are going from strength to strength in their long distance relationship. However both have their own struggles. He struggles with the fact that a US sponsored leader is killing and using women and children in his deeds. She with the fact that a prominent figure is using the surrounding land for nefarious means and that his relative wants Lucy for his own. Can they both survive? The characters are just getting better and better and the plot draws you in and won't let go. What happens now? One of them is dangerously injured and the other is on the run!

Kethry47

Hm....well, that was a disappointment

Reviewed in Germany on September 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

I have to say that I adore the Crossroads Cafe series and have been waiting for so long to read Gus's story. Now it is here...or so I am told by Ms Smith and Amazon. Sadly, it is at best only half a novel that ends on a cliffhanger. At not quite 200 pages it is more of a novella. Which would not be too bad, if we hadn't been promised a full-length novel ... AND the full story of Gus and Lucy. This book feels like s.th. to placate the fans. :( It does not resolve anything, not even its own storyline.

Add to that the feeling that the author tried too hard to incorporate the current political climate and problems inside the US to fill out a story that just doesn't seem to hold up on its own.

The problem with that as I see it is that we lose the feeling of family that carried the other stories. I found that I didn't much care for either Gus or Lucy or anybody else. Nobody stood up for anybody else. Cleo might have been a prejudiced b*tch in the earlier stories but when push came to shove she stood with the "family". So did the whole extended family. Now they are all pitted against each other? Maybe that is the reality these days in the US, but it reads just wrong here.

Then characters just get killed off or have very convenient heart attacks or dont get mentioned at all. What happened to Pike's buddy, the judge for example?

Then, the change in Lucy, it just has been too abrupt. She suddenly carries a gun around with her everywhere. When she couldn't say "Boo!" in the earlier stories. Okay, maybe she progressed to that, but we didn't see how it came about. It feels slapped on as a plot point because it is needed for a later development.

Next we come to the introduction of new "enemies". Where the h*ck did Kern, the supposed adopted son of Cleo and Bubba, suddenly come from? He was never once mentioned in any of the earlier stories. Not...once. No mention at all. Out of the blue, here he is, deputy sheriff and a pita of the first grade and apparently the apple of Cleo's eye. Adopted? Or is he Cleo's all along and she had to give him up, because of parental pressure or what and now she feels guilty? Trey, who was portrayed as their precious only son is now nothing more than a .. what? Punching bag for his elder "brother" which Cleo had to know, but ...oh, it does not matter because Kern is here and he takes care so wonderfully of mommy dearest? The moment when I truly loved Lucy? When she stood up and asked Cleo what she had done to drive Trey away. And then let's not forget that Kern has been after Lucy, stalking her forever? Huh? Why wasn't any of that ever mentioned before? Oh yes, because Kern didn't exist before.

And this chicken magnate who seems to be stepping into nasty Wakefield shoes, being even nastier without a real reason or background? What plane suddenly dropped him down from hell? Assuming hell can be up or down or sideways.

So we needed a villain or two. Both feel constructed and alien. Yeah, they are scary and we needed a new conflict...or did we?
Oh, and well, we get it that Lucy keeps reliving what happened to her especially in light of her emerging feelings and desires for Gus. We don't need to be hit over the head with the same passage twice every chapter. We know she didn't lead her rapists on. Making the victim responsible sadly is what happens all too often. We also know she didn't and doesn't lead Kern on. Where did he even meet her? So he has been making himself useful at the farm? When did that happen? What happened to Macy and Alberta that they let an obvious sociopath, who showed those tendencies from early childhood, roam free among their patients? I could go on and on with the inconsistencies and general weirdness of The Kitchen Charmer.

As for the story. It is hopping around too much and the reader often doesn't know who is speaking and where we are until 2 or 3 paragraphs down into another change of point of view. So this adds to the general feeling of a hastily cobbled together story.

The continuity errors feel minor against all the other problems of the "novel". Though most obvious of all was mixing up Tal and Gabby's strengths. Gabby is the Pickle Queen and not Tal. A good editor should have caught that.

So, am I sad that I bought this? I don't know. It is not what I hoped it would be. I feel let down. I feel this was slapped together without giving it the attention it deserved. I also feel ripped off, paying the full price of a novel for what is at best a novella.

And that cliffhanger makes me wonder how long we will have to wait until...well, yes, The Moonshine King, which apparently is now book 4 of the MacBrides. I wish Deborah Smith had taken the time to do what she promised all along and written the full-length novel and given it her full attention and the love of storytelling we could feel in her earlier books.

I am not sure what this smells or tastes of. :( :( :(

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