The Matchmaking Chef Collection
by
MADDIE JAMES
The eight novellas of The Matchmaking Chef Series
When Suzie Matthews (Bed, Breakfast & You) accidentally cooks up a scene that causes her sister to get back together with her high school boyfriend (Home for the Holidays), she wonders if she can help other singletons living in the small mountain town of Legend, Tennessee find the loves of their lives.
Being a matchmaker isn’t really on her list of things to do—after all, she has a bed & breakfast to run, cookbooks to write, and a television show on the Food Channel to keep up with. But baking is her thing, and perhaps matchmaking can be her thing, too. After all, there is a song going through her head that goes something like this…
Matchbaker, Matchbaker, bake me a match? No wait. Make me a match. Nevermind! You get the picture, right?
Welcome to Legend, Tennessee. And welcome to the matchbaking, er, matchmaking world of Chef Suzie Matthews.
Includes the 8 novellas: Perfectly Matched, Dates Du Jour, Hot Crossed Buns, Side Dish, Mate To Order, Romancing The Scone, Better Than Chocolate, and Hard Candy Kisses, @ 133,000
Novellas also available separately.
Available at the following retailers: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | IBOOKS | SMASHWORDS | ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS
Blurbs from each novella:
Perfectly Matched, Book One
Suzie Matthews is hard at work on her new cookbook, Perfectly Matched, when she asks the local “wallflower” to help her with a project. Mary Lou Picketts dreams of falling in love with country music star, Nash Rhodes, but is ready to settle for Thurman Phillips down the street. But she doesn’t want to. Not really. When Nash comes to Legend for a music benefit and stays at the lodge, Suzie wonders if she can perfectly match this miss-matched couple.
Hot Crossed Buns, Book Two
Wild Katie Long, she’ll never settle down. But Chris Marks has had his eye on her for a long time. When Chris hires Suzie to set him up with a romantic dinner for two, Suzie does all she can to set the mood. Thing is, Katie isn’t about to be wooed and she’s hotter than hot crossed buns when she figures out what Chris is up to. Then Suzie turns the tables by supplying Chris with a couple of items that just might tame Katie after all—handcuffs and a leather riding crop.
Dates Du Jour, Book Three
Speed dating? Speed eating is more like it. When Suzie sets up lunch date after lunch date for Lyssa Larkin, Legend’s homegrown homecoming queen of 1992, she knows she’s bit off more than she can chew. Lyssa rejects dates in two bites and sends them on their way. Suzie wonders if she really wants to date or just eat two lunches, and worries that soon Lyssa’s hips won’t fit on her dainty chairs. That is, until Suzie takes a risk with a man that Lyssa knows, but doesn’t, and who is falling for her hard and fast.
Side Dish, Book Four
Becca North doesn’t want a boyfriend but her best friend Nora certainly does. Becca is soooo off men. But when Nora, owner of Nora’s Novel Niche, meets Suzie the Matchmaking Chef, during a booksigning at her store, she pays the matchmaker to arrange a romantic picnic date lunch for her—a blind date, no less. Nora drags Becca along all the way from Pigeon Forge for moral support and to check out her date. Thing is, Nora’s date would rather check out Becca, instead.
Mate to Order, Book Five
When Suzie’s success as a matchmaker hits the national scene about the same time as her debut cooking show on the Food Channel, her new producer comes to her with a list of requirements—not for Suzie’s job, but for a husband. Patricia Plum has a specific list and if Suzie really wants to make it big in New York City, she’ll make every attempt to deliver, Patricia’s “Mate to Order.”
Romancing the Scone, Book Six
High tea or sweet tea? As long as there are scones, it doesn’t matter. In fact, Sydney Schul, owner of Sydney’s Sugar Coffee Stop and Bakery, makes the best damned scones east of the Mississippi, and there was an article written about her in Southern’s Best magazine to prove it. All is well and life in Legend is good, until a mysterious male stranger comes to town, stalking her scones and coercing Legendarians to nab her recipe.
Better than Chocolate, Book Seven
When Scott Matthews escapes to Legend to visit his brother, Brad and his wife Suzie, he has only one request—he doesn’t want to talk, smell, or taste chocolate. Nor does he want to discuss getting fired as chocolate taster from world-renowned Bianchi Chocolates. What Jillian Bass needs is to make it in Legend. This Manhattan transplant knows nothing about small town living other than she wants to make it big here real bad. Forget New York, she’s trying to set up her small chocolate shop and impress the locals. And all is fine until she smacks straight into Scott.
Hard Candy Kisses, Book Eight
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and Legend Elementary teacher Patti Jo Baker has tried every trick in the book to land a date for the annual New Year’s Eve Bash at The Lodge. This includes setting up a kissing booth at the Legend Elementary Winter Carnival—a booth which Principal Jim Hamilton promptly shuts down. Because if Patty Jo Baker is passing out kisses, any kind of kisses, he wants to be both first, and last, in line—and he definitely doesn’t want to sample them in front of the student body.
Giveaway
Maddie is giving away 1 ebook copy of
The Matchmaking Chef Series Collection
Reviews:
Perfectly Matched by Maddie James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Suzie Matthews has her own happiness with her husband and new cookbook, but when she sees local wallflower Mary Lou Pickett she sees frumpy and unsettled. Rumor has it Mary Lou is planning to marry the most boring man in town, but when Suzie sees a spark when Mary Lou is looking at a poster of country music star Nash Rhodes, Suzie sets the wheels in motion hoping they are a perfect match.
Sweet Story, I am always a sucker for makeover stories and Mary Lou is not quite the white swan at the end but she is herself which makes her irresistible to Nash. Looks to be a really fun series.
Hot Crossed Buns by Maddie James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve heard about runaway bride, even fiancee….but not runaway possible engager to be. Katie Long has a reputation of being a wild child, but when her favorite cop Chris Marks proposes she flees. Although Chris has a plan of his own to show Katie they belong together forever, he is not making progress. However, chef and matchmaker Suzie has some ideas on how to bring the potential bride around.
This one was a bit of a surprise, Katie is running scared and questioning Chris’s real intentions. I chuckled a few times, a true delight of a read. How can you go wrong with a naughty librarian and a cop…
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lyssa Larkin wants a husband, she feels she just needs to get that part out of the way. Whether it works or not is left up to fate, but when matchmaker Suzie gets involved Lyssa won’t settle for anything but the best. However Suzie’s speed dating ideas are quickly swirling a drain with the choices Lyssa has, that is until the man who Lyssa has been corresponding with, but she has never met, becomes the date of her dreams.
Very fun with a couple of cute puppy companions. This story had a bit of a twist that I think readers will love. Very fun read.
Side Dish by Maddie James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Becca North has no plans of getting involved, none what so ever. Even when she meets the man of her dreams, she walks away. Of course when her boss and best friend Nora gets the both of them into a matchmaking double date her hands are tied. The problem is, Nora’s date is none other than the man who she turned down.
Very fun, I liked the idea this one because it is completely different. Sam Ackerman “man of dreams” is a delight, he is what a good romance is all about. Great read.
Mate to Order by Maddie James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Matchmaker Suzie has become a huge hit and now that she has been picked up by the food channel, her new producer has a few requirements. A list for one, of the ideal husband in which Suzie needs to find. Of course the man Suzie picks, is none other than the man that broke Patricia’s heart once before. A man who thinks commitment is a four letter word, but maybe Suzie is on to something.
Always love a story with a bad boy and Coop is it. You can visualize this character and he makes for a very fun read. Probably my favorite thus far.
Romancing the Scone by Maddie James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
For five years Stone Kellerman has one the Best Scones of the South, but now he has been dethroned. Determined to find out why, Stone heads to the small town of Legend, Tennessee and Sydney Schul.
Sydney thinks she may have a stalker, well a scone stalker, but the man seems to be everywhere she is. When Stone goes undercover and tries romancing her to get the recipes, everything is fine until it backfires and Sydney discovers the truth.
Fun read, the story brought in the local cast of characters and there are a couple of really funny moments with Sydney protecting Stone. Another great read from Maddie James.
Better Than Chocolate by Maddie James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Jillian Bass wants to do what she loves most, make the best chocolate in the world. Moving to Legend, Tennessee to open her chocolate shop is a new beginning. When she meets Scott Matthews she immediately is attracted, that is until he opens his mouth. It may not be a match made in heaven, but the chemistry is hot and they can’t seem to keep their hands off one another that is until Jillian finds out Scott has not been forthcoming with who he really is.
Fun story, this had a couple of surprises in in it that I did not see coming. Another great read in the matchmaking chef series.
Hard Candy Kisses by Maddie James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Elementary teacher Patti Jo Baker is lonely, another year has come around as well as the New Year’s Bash and she is dateless. When she asks her friends Kate and Suzie to help, they find the perfect candidate Principal Jim Hamilton.
Jim ordinarily has a policy about dating his staff, but he can’t stop thinking about Patti Jo. After a rocky start Patti Jo needs to decide if she wants to take a chance with Jim, but for a teacher she is having a hard time articulating her feelings.
Fun short story that is perfect for putting you n the holiday mood.
Musings From An Addicted Reader 
Thanks to “Musings from an Addicted Reader” for hosting me today and providing reviews! I am happy you are enjoying the stories. Suzie and her friends are a hoot, aren’t they?
Yes they are and each story is so different with the characters it makes it even more fun.
I had a ball writing them!