Baking Spirits Bright!: A Sweet Secret Identity Small-Town Romcom Short Read

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 28 ratings

Price: 0.99

Last update: 12-15-2024


About this item

A handsome, single stranger is attending the Apple Cart County Christmas Bakeoff—on purpose. This must be a Christmas miracle.

I came up with the perfect plan to launch my career as a marketing professional and put my family’s apple orchard on the map. Then my quirky old landlord stole my idea to declare an official Apple Cart apple dessert and suggested a county-wide bakeoff.

That leaves me to defend my family’s desserts among others in town. For better or worse, it brings more exposure to Apple Cart.

It also brings a handsome man my age to town.

But there has to be a catch since he’s not visiting family or just passing through. Not until I’ve bore my sole to him for days do I discover he’s a famous Southern food blogger. Was our connection genuine, or was he playing me for intel on Apple Cart?

That leaves me trying to not love and hate him at the same time.


From the Publisher

baking, christmas, holiday, erica, sweet, apple, marketing, family

chistmas, cookies, holidays, books, 12 book novella series, kaci lane books

baking, christmas, holiday, ryan, sweet, pumpkin, small town, family, bake-off


Top reviews from the United States

Karen Brasher aka Avid Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Baking Spirits Bright!
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
Erica and Ryan have a fun, cute, and short story. Erica had lived in Apple Cart all of her life. Even after graduating college with a marketing degree she came back to her hometown to perform marketing for her family’s apple orchard. When her idea for a bake-off to highlight the apple orchard is stolen by her neighbor, it mushrooms into a county wide affair bringing people from far and near, including Ryan. They keep running into each other and she becomes his guide to all thing in Apple Cart. They become closer but Ryan is hiding a secret. What happens when his secret is revealed?
Annie Beaty
4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet small-town romance to read at Christmas
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
Thank you to the author for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own. 

This was a sweet, quick read. The FMC is torn between family and wanting to expand her life past her small town. The MMC is a mysterious man with a kind heart. I loved how he dove into the town's traditions. Their instant connection was sweet and enjoyable to read about. All the apple talk made me want apple cider. I highly recommend this book!
Customer image
Annie Beaty
4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet small-town romance to read at Christmas
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
Thank you to the author for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own. 

This was a sweet, quick read. The FMC is torn between family and wanting to expand her life past her small town. The MMC is a mysterious man with a kind heart. I loved how he dove into the town's traditions. Their instant connection was sweet and enjoyable to read about. All the apple talk made me want apple cider. I highly recommend this book!
Images in this review
Customer image
Rebecca White
5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious Fun
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
I enjoyed this story with outrageous Christmas lights, lots of delicious food, and a secret identity. I enjoyed the fun descriptions of the orchard.
JR
4.0 out of 5 stars Christmas Baking Book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
A cute little small town romance!

Loved this small town and all the fun and quirky characters!

A cute little hidden identity MMC, and a cute quick connection!
the_blue_eyed_bluestocking
5.0 out of 5 stars Bite-sized small town tale
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2024
Guys, this story had me absolutely rolling within the first two paragraphs. Kaci wields the pen (computer?) like a champ here, and the descriptions of the small town of Apple Cart, Alabama, and the people that live there, are hilarious! When Ryan, an outsider from Nashville, comes to visit for the town bake-off, the experience of Apple Cart through his eyes is even funnier. I read the hotel part aloud to my husband because we had a very similar experience at a hotel on vacation one year, and it has forever changed the way we book hotels. ????

ANYWAY, this really is an insta-love story between Erica, the hometown girl, and Ryan, the guy who doesn't plan to stay. They have a wonderful instant chemistry, and Ryan takes on the people of Apple Cart, including Erica's smothering family, like a champ. When he confesses he wants to kiss her, you feel like Sebastian the crab and telling him to "go on and kiss the girl!" This short story has a quick and happy resolution with a perfect epilogue to leave us all satisfied.

I loved this funny little small town tale!

Baking Spirits Bright is Book Eight in the Christmas Kisses and Cookie Crumbs multi-author collab.
@so.many.pages
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story!
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
Baking Spirits Bright by Kaci Lane is a lot of fun packed into one bite sized novella! I love the dual POV, small town feels, and hidden identity that made me laugh and cheer on Erica and Ryan!

Things to enjoy:
“He must be lost, bless his heart”
Landlord Paul
The meet cute!
The near kiss
His blog
The ending!!!

I really enjoyed this cute short read and the it gave me all the smiles I needed to distract from the busy day. I highly recommend this book, along with the other ones in the Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs series.

Kisses only!
Abby Hall
4.0 out of 5 stars So Sweet!
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2024
Baking Spirits Bright by Kaci Lane is a must read if you love small town Christmas romcoms. I felt like I could connect with Erica a lot since I am a small town girl myself, who always wanted to expand her horizons. Ryan handles Erica’s overbearing family with grace and charm, which leads me to love his character even more. The ending was original and very romantic!
Customer image
Abby Hall
4.0 out of 5 stars So Sweet!
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2024
Baking Spirits Bright by Kaci Lane is a must read if you love small town Christmas romcoms. I felt like I could connect with Erica a lot since I am a small town girl myself, who always wanted to expand her horizons. Ryan handles Erica’s overbearing family with grace and charm, which leads me to love his character even more. The ending was original and very romantic!
Images in this review
Customer image
Britteny Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars I love a food related book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
Oh this was super cute!
Food blogger Ryan comes to small town in Apple County and meets dreamer Erica. Insta-attraction has them rattled. But he's not telling her everything.
But when truth comes to light it might just be the jolt Erica needs to follow her heart.
Loveable cast of characters and small town vibes had me devouring this in no time flat!

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