The Secret Ingredient is a lovely small town second chance romance. The story encompasses seven years going back to the time when our couple were living their shared dreams until our hero leaves for pastry school in Paris.
Skip ahead seven years and a visit back home.
Will this reunion of this previously engaged couple lead to a renewal of feelings left behind by an ocean between them.
This Hallmark title is sure to make an excellent movie for the upcoming Valentines or another at a future date.
This gets 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book to read.
This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I received an arc from netgallery and am voluntarily reviewing it.

The secret ingredient was a wonderful sweet story involving Kelly and Andrew. The couple had history years ago when they were once engaged and Andrew made the choice to go to Paris to study instead of staying for their wedding. As the family medals to get the two back together they end up on a cooking show not knowing that they were competing against each other. I love the ending and I hope that there is a future for those two in another book. This is another win for Nancy Naigle and I definitely could see it as a Hallmark movie

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, for this free eARC.

As a lover of Hallmark movies, I quickly requested this book, and really enjoyed it!

This story was set in a small town, and was about second chances. Andrew and Kelly had plans to marry, before Andrew took a call from his Aunt, who offers him a scholarship in Paris. With plans to return, Andrew heads off, but doesn't come home for 7 years.

Kelly is still in their small town and now has her own bakery, when Andrew comes home, seven years later, for a short trip. She is still hurt and upset with him.

They both get a opportunity to do a bake off competition, but they can't say a word about it. Little do they both know, they will end up at the same place, in NYC.

I loved the characters in this story, and all the small town vibes. The story kept me interested, and had the perfect ending. This would be the cutest Hallmark movie.

Pub date Feb 12th, 2019.

Magic and Pie! 2 of my favorite topics to read about. When Susanna gets a cryptic message from her Aunt Erma she travels to Hocus Hills to run the pie shop her aunt has started. Just the name of the town should have given her an idea. The cast of characters are a hoot and the story line is written very well. There are twists and turns along with some humor and romance thrown in. I can't wait to read the next installment in this series to find out what happens with Susanna and Henry and the rest of the Hocus Hills magical community.

I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
I loved this book. A great fun read with wonderful characters, a quirky town and begs everyone to wonder about the one who got away. This needs to be a Hallmark Movie.

Small town romance, characters so well described and second chances. What's not to like?
Nancy Naigle has done it again with a book so engrossing you'll be sad to see it end. 5+ stars!

High school sweethearts Kelly is a baker and Andrew is a chef, and they have big plans for their future. However, a great opportunity for Andrew causes their plans to get derailed. This is a sweet story of realizing goals, nw opportunities, and second chances, A feel good romance with emotion, laughter, tears, and hope. Highly recommend.
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received an ARC in return for a fair and honest review.
I enjoyed this book very much, it was hard to put down. This is a second chance story of Kelly and Andrew who were engaged to be married seven years ago but Andrew was offered an opportunity to study with some of the best chefs in France. When he returned home for a visit they both realized the love they once shared was still alive. Nancy Naigle is a wonderful writer of sweet romantic stories.

I loved Kelly and Andrew.. This book definitely needs to be a Hallmark movie. The descriptive writing style of Naigle's made my mouth water with all the yummy sounding treats. Loved this second chance story and the characters and the town were so endearing. Gray was a real hoot and definitely a different kind of pet. The maturing of the main characters and the relationships with their parents was an interesting storyline. It was nice to see Andrew repair his relationship with his Dad. Cant say enough about how much I loved this book.

The Secret Ingredient is a wonderful small town romance with the added bonus of a Valentine's Day televised bake off competition of four professional bakers. I love to watch that type of show on TV so it added an additional element of fun for me. It was interesting to get a behind the scenes view (whether or not it's that way in reality.) A sweet, easy read that made me smile. My new favorite from Nancy Naigle!

Kelly and Andrew live in a small town in North Carolina. They have lived there all their lives. She bakes in her parent's cafe and he is the chef. They are deeply in love. They have plans. They will own a restaurant, share the duties and live happily ever after.

Then Andrew gets the chance of a lifetime. He has a scholarship to go to Paris and take pastry classes with a world famous chef. He will live free in a relative's carriage house. It is a wonderful chance for him.

They both agree this is too great to ignore. Andrew goes to Paris for a 6 month class. But, life does not always go as we expect. Andrew is gone for 7 years. Kelly has never forgiven him.

When he comes back home, he realizes what he has missed. He has missed his family and the wonderful feeling of being in a place where everyone knows him and cares about him. Most of all, he has missed Kelly.

Now, Andrew is only in town for a few days. He has an obligation in New York.

And Kelly gets an opportunity of a lifetime, she must leave town for at least a week.

It seems that although they are still drawn to one another, there will not be time to explore their feelings for one another. There will not be time to find out if they can build a new relationship.

But, again, life does not always go in a direction we expect.

This is a wonderful story. Kelly and Andrew are 2 very good people. Their families have created 2 adults who are responsible, ambitious, intelligent, kind and fun. The small town has always been supportive of Kelly because she has helped it thrive. Everyone has been proud of Andrew's success, even though it was across an ocean.

All the characters, primary or secondary, are created in depth. Within a few lines we get to really know people.

The plot moves quickly and the reader is drawn into the action. And every reader is fortunate that simply reading about delicious desserts does not add calories to our day.

Ms Naigle has created a terrific story. She is skilled at creating small towns populated by likable people. I think everyone would like to live in Bailey's Fork.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

I thought this book was very good. It was a movie on Hallmark.. I actually love to read the books by the author that a movie is based on before I see the movie.

What a good book. Well written romance with a good plot and believable characters. Love this author’s writing and The secret Ingredient didn’t disappoint. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

I've read, and enjoyed, a lot of the Hallmark stories, but this has been one of my favorites! I've seen these reality shows, and often wondered the logistics behind them, so the mere aspect of this book made it interesting - to see the ins and outs. But the romance behind the story was so sweet, the kind that can only come from lifelong friends whose hearts have been intertwined for ages, and it was beautiful to watch it reignite onstage. I guessed who had submitted the contestant entries about halfway through, but didn't guess at how it unfolded. Overall, a beautifully sweet (and clean) romance!

I thoroughly enjoyed this light read. It kept me happily occupied on a recent flight. The story line is just plain fun, and the characters are real and likable. I can totally see The Secret Ingredient made into a Hallmark movie. This is my first book by Nancy Naigle. Guaranteed it won't be my last.

Wonderful story about second chance love! Kelly & Andrew had their lives planned out. Get married & Andrew would run the cafe while Kelly did all the baking. Then Andrew received the chance of a lifetime. He won a scholarship to go to Paris & study. They both agreed he had to go. The problem is that he went & never came back. Now, seven years later, he’s come home for a short visit & is questioning everything he’s accomplished & what he had to give up to get there.

I really enjoyed this story & its characters. Kelly channeled her pain & anger into her career. Even though she didn’t have the fancy schooling & never left her hometown, she’s become quite a success. In some ways, she’s a bigger success than Andrew with his schooling & work in Paris. I loved that her pet is not a typical pet & is named Gray. That was a fantastic symbol. This was set around Valentine’s Day & is a great love story.

Nancy Naigle's newest, The Secret Ingredient is such a great read. Protagonists Kelly McIntyre and Andrew York begin the story as waitress and cook in a family owned restaurant. They have recently become engaged and are so much in love that working together in a small cafe is a love affair. Andrew has taught himself most of the art of cooking but he and Kelly have worked together on baking pastries and developing new recipes. In late summer Andrew's Aunt Claire has called from Paris with an invitation for him to be enrolled in a 6 month program to study at a renowned school in Paris. He could stay in her carriage house it truly was an opportunity he could not pass on. Although he preferred studying to become a chef he thought this would be a foot in the door. He and Kelly felt that although they would be apart, it is only 6 months and he would be home. They could marry and she could work on further developing her plan to open a cake shop.
As things sometimes go, Andrew did so well he was fortunate to be offered to study under a renowned Chef Francois who owned several restaurants throughout France. He took that opportunity, Kelly did not want to relocate to France. Her home was in Bailey's Fork, North Carolina. Her folks were there and she was going to own a business there, end of story or so she thought.
The novel is a delight. I was up late finishing it as it was just too good to put down. I thank Hallmark her publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Ms. Naigle's book before it is published in February of 2019.

Love love love Nancy Naigle. The Secret Ingredient is amazing. It's a second chance romance that comes with maturity and does not labor in stupid pettiness. Great story with some great twists that make for an entertaining read. Hope this book shows up on The Hallmark Channel.

Nancy Naigle has another winning combination in this book. She has created wonderful characters that I cared about immediately. The town setting and the businesses enter the story and go straight to your heart and you fall in love.

The plot is very believable and I fell into the story and enjoyed the journey so much. A couple so much in love with each other and cooking/baking, have their lives planed out until a situation changes all that. They meet up again years later and the sparks are still there. Unfortunately the hurt is still there also. This is a romance story, so yes, it has a very happy ending.

The entire time I was reading, there was a Hallmark movie of this book playing in my mind. I hope that Hallmark will make a movie from this story.

I recently discovered Nancy Naigle's book and have read a few now. I love her writing style and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Thank you to Hallmark Publishing and NetGalley.com for allowing me to read the ARC of this book. I totally enjoyed Nancy Naigle new book!

Fantastic! Small town, childhood sweethearts, second chance love, what more could you ask for. I was drawn into this from the beginning and it held me captivated the whole way through. Great characters and I loved the whole cooking aspect. All the cakes and food were described so that it felt like you could taste them. A fabulous romantic read.